[ 58 ] 
were dijfipated , or defiroyed ; and a fmall part of an 
iron rod melted next the points of one of them; 
and alio at the feveral crooked ends of the rods be- 
low, where they were hooked on to each other, 
and formed the conductor belonging to Mr. Maine 
in North America. But as thole letters are long, 
and contain feveral other curious fads, I fhall re- 
lerve them, together with iomefurther obfervations 
upon the 'nature and power of that rej/jling princi- 
ple, which is found to act fo fenlibly againft the 
attacks of the eledric fluid, or lightning, to fome 
future diflertation. 
There is no building, that I know of, more ex- 
pofed to this kind of danger, than the Pddyfione 
Lighthoufe, as it hands upon a rock in the fea, fe- 
veral miles from land. The fixing of a condudor 
to that building, was thought highly proper ; and 
the fixing of a point upon it, as highly improper. 
It was therefore refolved upon to put up a conductor 
without a point , that no more lightning might be 
unneceflarily follicited to the building, and that all 
the lightening, which accidentally fell on it, might 
be conveyed away without injuring it. This con- 
dudor was fixed twelve years ago, and the building 
has Alice received no injury from lightning*. 
There is another edifice of great confequence, 
I mean St. Paul's Church, which hands much ex- 
pofed, from its heighth, to accidents by light- 
ning. The dean and chapter of that cathedral, 
thought it an objed deferving the ferious attention 
* N. B. A former building ere£led for the fame purpofe, 
upon this rock, was fet on fire by lightning. 
3 of 
