[hi 3 
fphericlty (if fluid) by their attradlive power, and by 
that means become covered with the eledlrical fluid 
to a greater diflance from their fuperficies, than the 
other particles are, o-r than they were before their 
conjunction (as I have fhewn in my letter concern- 
ing the cauie of thunder) ; that is, will be more 
electrified : and confcquently (as appears by ele(flrical 
experiments) the excefs of eleClrical fluid will run 
off among the other particles ; by which means the 
enlarged particles have their fpeeifie gravity increafed,. 
and are enabled to defcend to a lower region of the 
air. And the more particles they impinge upon, in their 
defcent, the more their fpeeifie gravity and velocity 
be increafed j and the more their velocity is increafedj 
the more particles will they imping upon, till they 
fall from the clouds in drops j whofe bignefs will be 
according to the depth and denfity of the cloud tliey 
have pafled through. 
It may be neceffary to fhew, why 1 aflert, that the 
increafe of velocity in the enlarged particle will 
make it impinge upon a greater number of the fmaller 
particles, in its paflage through them; And this will 
appear by electrifying a feather, which may be driven 
upwards, by the eledric body, with a certain velo- 
city ; but if you add a much greater velocity to the 
eleCtric body, it will overtake the feather, and get 
within their repulfive powers j and the feather will 
ftick to it by their attractive powerSi And' the lefs 
diftance the feather keeps above the ©leCtric body, 
the lefs increafe of velocity i& neceffary to make 
them join. You will pardon my prolixity in this 
particular, becaufe, I think, much depends upon it 
in the formation of rain,. 
' Having 
