140 Earl Stanhope’s Remarks on Mr. Bry done’s 
§ iQ. Now, when the pofitive cloud DEF (In the manner 
above flated) comes fuddenly to difcharge, with an explofion, 
its fuperabundant electricity into the other cloud ABC, then 
the elaftic electrical atmofphere of the cloud DEF will ceafe 
to exift ; confequently, the electrical fluid, which had been 
gradually expelled into the common Hock, from the conduct- 
ing body fituated (at L) upon the lur face of the earth, muft 
(by the fudden removal of the fupei induced el a (tic eleCtrical 
prefTure of the electrical atmofphere of the thunder-cloud) 
fuddenly return from the earth into the laid conducting body, 
producing a violent * commotion, fimilar to the pungent {hock 
of a Leyden jar in its fen fat ion and effects. 
'This is what I call the electrical returning + Jlroke. 
§ 20. It was by fuch a returning (troke that Lauder and 
the horfes that he was driving were killed, they having be-' 
come ftrongly negative J previous to the explofion. 
Lauder was “ fitting” when he was ftruck dead ; and his 
legs appear to have been “ hanging over the fore-part of the 
“ cart, at the time of the explofion.” The returning ftroke, 
therefore, could not ifiue into his body through his legs ; and 
this accounts for the “ fkin of his legs” not having been at all 
“ burnt or fhrivelled,” as the fkin was on many other parts of 
his body. And it likewife fhews the reafon, why the “ zig- 
u zag line” on Lauder’s fkin (which was terminated at one 
end by the chin) “ did not extend lower than the thigh.” 
* See Principles of Ele&ricity, § 304 and § 603. 
f See Principles of Ele&ricity, from § 202 to §208, inclufively, and § 387. 
+ Note, I have here fuppofed the thunder-cloud (and of courfe its ele&rical 
atmofphere) to have been pofitive ; but fimilar effects would have been produced if 
the thunder-cloud had been negative; only, in that cafe, Lauder and the horfes 
would have been ftrongly pofttive, previous to the explofion, 
4 § 21. 
