[ 55 ] 
that lightning and electricity are one and the fame 
fluid : which appears to be diflfufed every where, at 
leafl: upon this earth and in the atmofphere. 
But when curiojity , which I apprehend was one 
of the firffc motives for introducing points to invite 
the lightning, was fatisjied ; and experience had taught 
us, that we had it in our power to collect that fluid 
which occafions it : and when the principle of its 
aCtion was from experiments thus inveftigated and 
afcertained , this manner of invitation , viz. by uflng 
points, ought, in my opinion, to have ceafed * j be- 
caufe a greater quantity of lightning, than we have 
yet experienced, may chance to attack us. 
For we are fo far from knowing how great the 
magazine of lightning may be in the heavens, or in 
the earth, when it is ready to difcharge itfelf, either 
by one or more explofions, that we are ignorant, 
even of the quantity adiually difcharged, whenever any 
ftroke from lightning viflts us. 
Nor can the ableft philofopheryfx the limits of the 
greatef difcharge that may poflibly happen. 
Seeing then how vain it is to look for any thing 
like abfolute Jecurity , in all cafes, it furely behoves 
us to proceed with caution. And it is for that reafon 
I have always confldered pointed conductors as being 
unfafe , by their great readinefs to colletd the lightning 
in too powerful a manner. And left the conductors., 
without fuch points, fhould be too (lender for very 
* Unlefs where the electrician, like Profcffbr Rlchmann (who 
was killed by it) at his own bazar d, chul'es to make further ob- 
fervations on lightning. 
violent 
