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XI. An Account of a Storm of Thunder and 
Lightning, near Ludgvan in Cornwall, in 
a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Wm. Borlafe, 
M. A. F. R. S. to the Rev. Dr. Lyttelton, 
Dean of Exeter. 
Revd Sir, Ludgvan, Feb. i, 1753. 
Read Feb. 15,^1 1 N C E you have received only a fhort 
I753 ‘ and general account of the lightning 
in my neighbourhood on the 20 of December laft, I 
fend you the notes, which I took on the fpotj in 
which, you will excufe me, altho’ J fhould be too mi- 
nutely circumftantial, for fear I fhould omit any thing, 
which might contribute ever fo little to give you, at 
this diftance, a juft idea of what happen’d. 
About 8 that morning, I perceived the fky all of 
a fudden overcaft in the eaft with very dark and red 
angry clouds ; and during the continuance of the 
clouds, the wind very boifterous. Thefe clouds pafs’d 
away, and at intervals we had clear blue fky, and 
then large clouds again, attended with cold fhowers. 
About a quarter before twelve, there was neither 
rain nor wind, but funfhine. However, fome dying 
thin clouds were at this time obferv’d to join, and 
fo m a body in the north-weft and then enfued one 
of the moft fhocking peals of thunder I ever heard, 
attended here at Ludgvan with much lightning, but 
it did no harm. It was fo alfo, in the high grounds 
of St. Hillary (next parifh to this on the eaft) where 
a gentleman travelling found all the downs round 
him 
f 
