[ 6 3 x ] 
though the Greeks and Romans * were in polfeflion 
of fome obfervations which might have led them to 
a more intimate knowlege of it, they were not ap- 
prized, that what they law, had any relation there- 
with. It was not, till by experiments and obferva- 
tions upon the nature and properties of electricity, 
and comparing them with the phenomena of thun- 
der and lightning, we were informed, that electricity 
and thunder arofe from the fame caufe ; or, to fpeak 
nearer the truth, were different modifications of the 
fame meteor; that thy varied in nothing eflen- 
tial, and only differed in being in degree greater or 
lefs. 
The fame means, which taught us the management 
of one, give us great reafon to believe that many 
of the mifchiefs may, by a proper and well difpofed 
apparatus, be prevented of the other. A quantity of 
electricity, accumulated to a degree fufficient to de- 
ltroy a large animal, will innocently difcharge itfelf 
through the fmalleft wire. And Mr. de Romas in 
France has found that one of his kites, when flown 
with a cord compofed of hemp and wire, will filent- 
ly and without any report bring down the matter of 
thunder from a cloud; though, when the apparatus 
has been altered and an eafy paflage has been denied 
to it, the jireams of fire have been feen an inch thick> 
and ten feet long, and the report has been equal to that 
of a pifiol. It was owing to this eafy paflage of lightn- 
ing being interrupted, that occafioned the death of 
profelfor Richmann at Peterfburg by his own appara- 
* See Plutarch in the life of Lyfander, Pliny, Seneca, Caefar, 
Livy, &c. 
Vol. LII. 4M tus > 
