EleCirical Obfervation at Islington. 409 
hardly perceived with a very fenfible electrometer, made 
with two cork balls alter Mr. canton’s manner. Seeing 
at the lame time, that a large and black cloud was ap- 
proaching the zenith, which, no doubt, caufed the de- 
cieale of electricity, indicating imminent rain, 1 intro- 
duced the end of a hiring through a window in a firft- 
floor room, wherein I fattened it by the ttlk lace to an old 
chair ; the quadrant electrometer was fixed upon the fame 
window, and was connected by a wire with the hiring of 
the kite. Being now three quarters of an hour after three 
o’clock, the electricity was abfolutely unperceivable : 
however, in two or three minutes time it began again to 
appear , but now, upon trial, was found to be negative 
fo that it was plain, that its flopping was no more than a 
change from poiitive to negative, which was evidently 
occafioned by the approach of the cloud; part of which 
by this time had reached the zenith of the kite, and the 
rain alfo had began to fall in large drops. The cloud 
came faithei on, the ram increased, and the eleCfcricity 
keeping pace with it, the electrometer foon arrived to 
1 5 0 . Seeing now that the eledricity was pretty ttrong, 1 
took again the two coated phials, and began again to 
charge them, and to give Ihocks to feveral by-ffanders; 
but the phials were not charged above three or four 
times, before I perceived that the electrometer was ar- 
rived to 3 5 °, and was ftill increafing. The Ihocks now 
being very fmart, I defifted from charging the phials any 
longer; and, confidering the rapid advances of the elec- 
trometer, thought to take off the infulatio n of the firing, 
in 
