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Since the communication of this paper to the Royal 
Society, the fleeple of St. Bride’s has been furveyed, and 
found fo very much damaged in feveral of its parts, that 
eighty hve feet have been taken down, in order to reftore 
it fubflantially. Within thefe eighty five feet are com- 
prehended the obelifk, placed at the top of the fleeple, 
the fmali dome immediatly under it, the fpace be- 
tween that and the uppermoft or Compofite flory, 
theCompofite flory, and the Ionic flory. This laft, 
on the Eaft and North fides, was taken down to its 
bottom; but on the other fides, as they were not in- 
jured, fome parts were permitted to lfand. Three 
piers were likewife taken down of the fecond Tufcan 
flory, and one pier of the firft. The fcaffolding to 
take this down and rebuild it enabled me minutely 
to examine, not only the damages occafioned by the 
lightning, but the manner of its progrefs. This 
examination confirmed the opinion of the caufe and 
manner of this accident, which I communicated to 
the Royal Society, foon after it happened; and be- 
fore a near infpedlion could be obtained. It com- 
pleatly indicated the great danger of infulated mafles 
of metal to buildings from lightning; and, on the 
contrary, evinced the utility and importance of mafles 
of metal continued, and properly conducted, in de- 
fending them from its direful effedls. The iron and 
lead employed in this fleeple in order to flrength- 
en andpreferve it, did almoft occafion its deflrudtion : 
though after it was flruck by the lightening, had it 
not been for thefe materials keeping the remain- 
ing parts together, a great part of the fleeple muil 
have fallen. 
4 
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