C 2I 9 ] 
taken down feveral feet of its length, and properly 
repaired. This ought to be a caution to fucceeding 
builders, that if, in edifices of this kind, they find 
it expedient to employ cramps, they fhould be either 
of copper, which is not liable to fwell by moifture ; 
or, if iron be ufed, fo much fpace fhould be left in 
the under bed of the hones, which immediately 
cover the cramps, that they may have room to ex- 
tend themfelves without danger to the building. 
This remark, though not immediately relating to our 
p re lent purpofe, will not, I hope, be thought im- 
pertinent in this place. 
But to return : this thunder florm had been preceded 
by feveral very warm days. The nights had fcarce fur- 
nifhed any dew : the air was quite dry, and in a ftate 
perfectly unfit to part with its highly-accumulated 
electricity without violent efforts. This great drynefs 
made the ftones of St. Bride’s fteeple, and all other 
buildings under the like circumftances, farlefs fit than 
if they had been in a moift ftate, to conduit the lightn- 
ing, and prevent the mifchief. For though this 
thunder ftorm ended in a heavy fhower of rain, none 
except a few very large drops fell till after the church 
was ftruck; and I have no doubt, but that the fuc- 
-ceeding rain prevented many accidents of a fimilar 
kind, by bringing down with every drop of it part 
of the eleilric matter ; and thereby reftoring the 
equilibrium between the earth and clouds. It is fre- 
quently taken notice of, in attending to the apparatus 
for observing the electricity of the clouds, that tho’ 
the fky is much darkened, and there have been fe- 
vcrai claps of thunder at no great diftance, yet the 
apparatus will be fcarce affeited by it; but as foon 
F f 2 as 
