[63] 
copper-plate. Mr. Richman carried the engraver 
immediately to his apparatus, taking notice of the 
degree of eleflricity on his bar, which was then only 
four ^ and by which it appeared, that his bar had 
received very little from the thunder. He defcribed 
to Mr. Sokolow the dangerous confequences, which 
would attend the electrical power being magnified to 
the 45th, or more degrees of his expofitor. In the 
mean time the misfortune happened, about half an , 
hour after noon, which coft Profefibr Richman 
his life. A thick cloud, that came from the north- 
eafi:, and feemed to float very low in the air, was 
taken notice of by people walking the flreet ; and 
thefe affirm, that they could plainly fee, upon the 
fubfequent flafh of lightning, and peal of thunder, 
a quantity of vaporous matter ifiue from it, which 
diflfufed itfelf in the circumjacent fpace. It was fiich 
a thunder-clap, as has hardly been remembered at 
Peterffiurg. The ferene weather continued after- 
wards juft as before. In thofe places, which had 
not been obfcured by the thunder-cloud, the fun was 
as powerful as ever, and a very little fliower of rain 
only followed the clap. An Englifh captain ob- 
ferved, that as the wind had been till then eafterly, 
it, not long before the thunder, veered about to 
weft ward, but immediately after the ftroke it re- 
turned to its former point, eaft. By this it appears, 
in what manner the inflammation of the eleCfrical 
particles followed fo quickly, the wind driving it 
againft another cloud, not fo pregnant with that com- 
buftible matter. The neighbours declare, that they 
faw through their windows a vapour, in different rays, 
dart along the whole extent of the ftreet ; and that t 
where- 
