[ 22 4 ] 
being melted or othervvife injured by it; and that, 
great as the quantity was in this indance, and which 
utterly dedroyed the fmall wire, no damage 
was done to the building, as far as the fmall wire, 
and the pendulum of the clock extended : and in the 
remarkable indance, mentioned by Mr. Kinnerfley 
in his * letter to Dr. Franklin, where a brafs wire of 
about two lines thick, ten inches long, and termi- 
nating in a very acute point, was inferted into the 
iron rod, about two inches and half only of its top 
were melted by the lightning; the remaining part of 
it tranfmitting the lightning without being fuled by it. 
You will obferve in this dilquifition, that I 
have no where mentioned the apparatus attracting 
the lightning. 1 have avoided introducing the term 
attraction here, operating as an active principle; as 
I conliderthe apparatus purely paflive, and only af- 
fording, from the aptnefs of its parts to that purpofe, 
an eafy and uninterrupted palTage to the lightning, 
and thereby preventing its violent efforts. 
You will pardon, Sir, this long digreflion in relation 
to St. Bride’s church ; as it gives fo pofitive and explicit 
an anfwer to part of your feventh quedion ; fuch a one 
as could not, without the late thunder dorm, have been 
furnifhed, at lead from hence : To wit, that, without 
a proper apparatus, weather-cocks placed at the tops of 
any buildings are dangerous tothem in thunder dorms ; 
but more especially to powder magazines. 
The accidents, which have lately happened to St. 
Bride’s and South Weald churches, if confidered as great 
eledricalexperiments f furnifh very important, and, I flat- 
ter myfelf, ufeful conclufions. They are too hazardous 
* Philofophical Tranfa&ions, Vol. L 1 II. p. 96. 
and 
