[ 240 1 
To the Rev. Mr. Eliot. 
SIR, 
Hearing of the damage done by lightning to 
your houfe, on the 20 th of June laft, I have fent 
you an account of what happened to mine on the 
fame day, and nearly at the fame time. 
During the florm a perfon in this place faw a 
body of 6 re moving towards a houfe that is next 
to mine, though at fome di (lance from it ; attracted 
, p^hably by a large iron bar of ten or twelve feet 
long,.- fixed horizontally to fupport a high chim- 
ney. This body of fire changed its direction, and 
fell on my houfe, forced a brick out of the chim- 
ney, near that part of it to which the iron bar was 
fattened, and went through the houfe to an out- 
ward door on the oppofite fide, which happened to 
be open ; there it burfl with a loud noife, like the 
firing of cannons, and filled the room where I was 
with fmoke and the fmell of fulphur. I was for- 
tunately three or four feet out of the line in which 
it moved. I was however flruck againft the wall 
near which I flood ; my body was covered with 
fire, and I thought for fome time 1 fhould have 
been fufFocated with fmoke and the fmell of ful- 
phur; but by the bleffing of Providence I eicaped 
unhurt, and my houfe received no damage. 
I refpedlfully am, 
Sir, 
Your moft humble Servant, 
Holt, Augufl22ji 772. William Paradife. 
XXX, A 
