And the same I have observed in other instances, as to walls of brick or stone.
2. The quantity of lightning that passed through this steeple must have been very great, by its effects on the lofty spire above the bell, and on the square tower all below the end of the clock pendulum.
3. Great as this quantity was, it was conducted by a small wire and a clock pendulum, without the least damage to the building so far as they extended.
4. The pendulum rod being of a sufficient thickness, conducted the lightning without damage to itself; but the small wire was utterly destroyed.
5. Though the small wire was itself destroyed, yet it had conducted the lightning with safety to the building.
6. And from the whole it seems probable, that if even such a small wire had been extended from the spindle of the vane to the earth, before the storm, no damage would have been done to the steeple by that stroke of lightning, though the wire itself had been destroyed.
FOOTNOTES:
[68] This work is written conformable to Mr. Franklin's theory, upon artificial and natural electricity, which compose the two parts of it. It was printed in Italian, at Turin, in 4to. 1753; between the two parts is a letter to the Abbé Nollet, in defence of Mr. Franklin's system. J. Bevis.
[69] These papers will be found in Vol II. Editor.