[ 55 * ] 
I was informed of, without knowing the author of 
it *. The difhes of a pair of fcales were fufpended to 
the balance by lilken cords; the two difhes were elec- 
trifed, and a very fharp needle was prefented to one 
of them. The fcales immediately loft their equili- 
brium ; and that difh, under which the needle was' 
held, was attracted. The dired contrary happen’d, 
when an obtufe or round body, fuch as a leaden 
bullet, was put upon the point of the needle; for 
then the difh was repell’d. 
If this experiment be true, as I have all the reafon 
in the world to believe it fo, it ftrongly imitates what 
happens in the clouds, when they are in cequilibrio 
in the atmofphere : and it gives us room to conjec- 
ture, that it would be much lefs dangerous to termi- 
nate the tops of fteeples with obtufe bodies, than with 
pointed fpires, upon which the thunder falls fooner 
or later, when they are very high. 
As the year begins to draw to an end, I believe 
thefe obfervations will be the laft for the year 1752. 
an epocha, which will always be famous with the 
lovers of eledricity , and particularly myfelf, be- 
caufe it has given me an opportunity of teftifying, 
from time to time, the refped I have for your per- 
fon, and the acknowledgments I owe to that friend- 
fhip, with which which you honour 
Your moft humble, 
G. Mazcas. 
* Since I wrote to Dr. Hales, I foand this experiment among thofe 
of Mr. Franklin. 
XCII. 
