[ 56 1 
violent attacks, in places of great confequence, I 
have always recommended the having them above 
Jour times larger in diameter, than what are com- 
monly made ufe of, to the end our lecurity may 
be the greater, by opening a larger paflage for any 
extraordinary difcharge, and fo far leftening the dan- 
ger to be apprehended from it. 
I ought not, in this place, to omit taking notice of 
a paper, containing fome further experiments and 
observations, which were produced at the committee, 
to (hew, among other things, that pointed metals 
were more difpofed to receive the lightning, by virtue 
of a repelling principle in the lightning, as well as the 
eledtric fluid, which adted upon the natural quantity 
of the fluid contained within the metal, at a con- 
fiderable diftance from the pointy caufing, if I may be 
allowed the expreffion, a kind of vacuum therein ; 
but I fuppofe the author means to a certain diftance 
only. 
So far from difputing this philofophy, I readily 
admit the fadt. 
But, I am afraid, every attempt to prove that 
pointed condudtors may be fo difpofed to receive this 
fluid more readily, will not mend the argument in 
the leaft ; becaufe, the more we leften the power of 
refitting, even fuppoftng the whole Condudtor to be in 
that fcate, the more we increafe the power of invi- 
tation. 
In regard to other experiments, with locks of cot- 
ton *, which are adted upon in a particular manner 
* Dr. Franklin’s Experiments. 
by 
