[ 7 68 ] 
motion, both the electrical gnomons were eledfrifed ; 
but this went off in a great meafure, as loon as the 
motion of the machine ceakd. By this whole ap- 
paratus taken together, Profeffor Richman obferved 
a kind of reciprocation in the effects of electricity : 
for at firft, when the electrical machine was put in 
motion, both the linen threads C G and C G arofe 
with the degrees of their refpedtive quadrants. If 
then the wire B C of the right gnomon was touch- 
ed, the thread C G col lapfed to the rod CD; but 
the thread oil the left fide continued diverging as be- 
. fore the touch. Then, if the wire B C of the left 
gnomon was touched, then in its turn the thread C G 
at the rod C D of the right gnomon collapfed, and 
the thread of the right gnomon afcended again. This 
reciprocation of the afcending and defcending of the 
thread, might be repeated three or four times with- 
out exciting the machine anew. 
The ingenious and induftrious Profeffor Richman 
loff his life on the lixth of Auguft 1753, as he was 
obferving, with Mr. Sokolow, engraver to the Royal 
Academy at Peteriburg, the effedts of eledtricity up- 
on his gnomon, during a thunder-ftorm. As foon 
as his death was publicly known, it was imagined 
that the lightning was more particularly diredled into 
his room by the means of his before-mentioned ap- 
paratus. Nor, when this affair was more inquired 
into, did this opinion appear to be ill-founded : for 
Mr. Sokolow faw that a globe of blue fire, as big as 
his fift, jumped from the rod of the right gnomon 
C D, towards the forehead of Profeffor Richman, 
who at that inftant was, at about a foot’s diftance 
from the rod, obferving the eledtrical index. This 
