E 2 ] 
Kleift difcovered the means of accumu¬ 
lating electricity, fo as to produce the 
ihock. Soon after this difcovery, which, 
in point of importance, far furpaffed the 
preceeding ones j the Italian phyficians 
endeavoured to impofe upon the world 
with their medicated tubes. 
Whilft this was going towards, philo - 
fophers who were engaged in examining 
the effedts of this new agent, fancied 
they difcovered an affinity betwixt them 
*and thofe of thunder. Dr. Franklin, 
who had already difcovered the power of 
points in attracting the eledtric fluid, was 
the fir ft who pointed out the means of 
afcertaining the fadt. Experiment put 
the matter beyond difpute. Then for the 
firft time, thunder was fubjedted to the 
power of man. 
As foon as the Leyden phial became 
known, phiiofophers applied themfelves 
with great eagernefs to the conftrudtion of 
inftruments. 
