t 769 ] 
globe of fire, which truck Profeffor Richman, was 
attended with a report as loud as that of a pitch 
The metal wire B C was broke in pieces ; and its 
fragments, thrown upon Mr. Sokulow’s cloaths, did 
from their heat burn marks of their dimenfions 
thereupon. Half of the glafs vtffel E was broken 
off, and the filings of metal therein were thrown 
about the room. From hence it is plain, that the 
force of the lightning was collected upon the right 
rod C D, which touched the filings of metal in the 
glafs veffel B. Upon examining the effedts of light- 
ning in the Profcffor’s chamber, they found the 
door-cafe fplit half- through, and the door torn off, 
and thrown into the chamber. The lightning there- 
fore feems to have continued its courfe along the 
chain, conducted under the ceiling of the room ; but 
that it came from the apparatus at the top of the 
houfe to the door, and then into the chamber, does 
not, as far as can be collected, appear. 
If indeed it could be afeertained, that the light- 
ning, which was the death of Profeffor Rickman, was 
collected upon the apparatus, for this reafon, hecaufe 
thefe bodies, at the inftant of the lightning, were 
capable of attradting and retaining the electricity, it 
would then be in our power fometimes to divert the 
effedts of lightning. But of this fadt, more time and 
longer experience muff acquaint us with the truth. 
From hence Mr. Pinckney may acquaint Dr. 
Li ning, that, in Mr. Watfoffs opinion, at the time 
Profeffor Richman was killed, his apparatus was per- 
fectly infulated, and had no communication with 
the earth, by the means of metallic or other fub- 
ftances, readily conducting electricity ; and that the 
5 £ ' great 
