C 325 ] 
with parties at cards, or converting ; it was vifible 
in every one, notwithftanding the quantity of candles, 
and has left in all, evident marks of its paflage* 
Many of the company were fenfible of a fmart 
ftroke, like that of electricity, and fome com- 
plained for feveral days after, of a pain they felt 
from that ftroke, but no one received any effential 
hurt; a fervant, indeed, of the French ambaffador’s 
h'oufe has a black mark on his fhoulder and thigh, 
from a ftroke he received on the ftair-cafe ; and 
another fervant, who was afleep on the fame ftair- 
cafe, his head reclining againft the wall, had the 
hair entirely tinged from it on that fide. 
The confufion at the moment Was, asyou, Sir, may- 
well imagine, very great : the report, which feems 
to have been equally heard in every room, was cer- 
tainly as loud as that of a piftol ; and every one fly- 
ing the room they were in, thinking the danger 
there, met of courfe in the door-ways, and flopped 
all paflage. A Polifh prince, who was playing at 
cards, hearing the report (as he thought of a piftol), 
and feeling himfelf llruck, jumped up, and, clap- 
ping his hand to his fword, put himfelf in a pofture 
of defence. I was fitting on a card-table, and con- 
verfing with Monfieur de Sauflure, Profeffor of Na- 
tural Hiftory at Geneva ; we happened to be looking 
different ways, and each of us thought that the 
bright light and report was immediately oppofite to 
us : and, upon enquiry, I found that every one was 
perfuaded that the greateft explofion had been di- 
rectly before him. I thought that an Indian cracker 
had been fired, and Monfieur de Sauflure thought 
it the report of a piftol ; but hearing, amidft other 
U u 3 confuted 
