at Scarborough, cni the Jim^ 1823. IT 
was seen to strike it near the centre. Without injuring either 
the briek-wall or window, which was shut, and through which 
it must have obliquely passed, it struck the screw of the upper 
bed-post, ascended the pillar, shivered it into numerous splinters, 
some of which still hung horizontally by small portions slightly 
attached. It then passed along the bell-wire at the head of the 
bed to the first turn, which it left, and descended in a zigzag 
direction, splitting open the paper from the wall, to the apart- 
ment below. It now took another bell-wire, and sent off a por- 
tion over the face of a looking-glass, without doing any injury 
farther than tearing the paper below as before. The remaining 
stream proceeded to the corner, and gave off another portion 
which tore the paper down to the moulding. The original line 
still continuing along the bell-wire, made its last turn, went 
down the wall, splitting open the paper, leaped over a minia- 
ture, and again tearing away the paper and plaster underneath, 
disappeared at the fire-place. The maid-servant hearing a little 
dog screaming violently, ran into the apartment, where she saw 
a blaze as if it was on fire. The room was full of smoke of sul- 
phureous odour. She was instantly knocked down as from an 
electrical machine, and felt as though on fire. On attempting 
to rise, she was so benumbed as to fall again ; but at length she 
succeeded in getting up stairs, where she found the bed-cham- 
ber as full of smoke as the last. She screamed out, and endea- 
voured to sit down. When she was well enough to reach the 
outer door, she was much relieved, but complained of soreness, 
stiffness and swelling of the throat, headache, and great numbness 
of the limbs. In the evening her numbness was subsiding, her 
tongue very dry, and the throat shewed no signs of inflammation, 
although it still felt very sore ; her neck was stiff, and although 
it had been covered at the time with a silk handkerchief, was 
marked with several red lines, as if scorched or struck with a 
cane • the same appearances were observed in her legs. Not- 
withstanding, she was much better the next day ; she had not 
yet been able to taste food, was very thirsty, and a little fever- 
ish, the soreness of the skin gradually disappearing. The dog 
was not injured, probably from the non-conducting properties of 
bis coat. No perforation could be discovered through the walls, 
VOL. X. NO. 19. JAN. 1824. 
B 
