LIGHTNING. A flash of light issuing from the clouds, that accompanies thunder. It is now universally allowed, that lightning is really an electrical explosion or phenomenon. Philosophers had not proceeded far in their experiments and inquiries onthis subject, before they perceived the obvious analogy between lightning and electricity, and they produced many arguments to evince their similarity. But the method of proving this hypothesis was first proposed by Dr. Franklin, who, in the year 1799, conceived the practicability of draw mg lightning from the clouds. He proved, by a variety of experiments, that the lightning spark of electricity, and the lightning that flashes from the clouds in a thunder storm, are exactly of the same kind, and operate in the same manner, &c. The particulars in which the lightningAnd theelectric fluid agree, are, 1. Flashes of lightning are generally seen crooked, and waviug in the air, so also the electric spark when it is drawn from an irre gular body at some distance. 2. Lightning strikes the highest and most pointed objects in its way, in preference to others ; as high hilly and trees, towers, spires, masts of ships, points of spears, and the like. In like manner, all pointed conductors receive or throw off the electric fluid more readily than these that are terminated by flat surfaces. 3. Lightning is 'observed to take the readiest and best con ductor. So does electricity in the discharge of the Leyden phial. For this reason Dr.
Franklin supposes, that it would be safer, du ring a thunder storm, to have one's clothes wet than dry, as the lightning might then, in a great measure, be transmitted to the ground, by the water on the outside of the body. It is ibund, he says, that a wet rat cannot be killed by the explosion of the electrical bottle, but that a dry rat may. 4. Lightning causes combustion, so does electricity. Dr. Franklin says that he could kindle with it hard dry resin, spirits unarmed, and even wood. 5. Lightning sometimes dissolves metals ; so does electricity-. 6. Lightning has often been known to strike people blind. And a pigeon, after a violent shock of electricity, by which Dr. Franklin intended to have killed it, was observed to have been struck blind. 7. Lightning destroys animal life. Animals have likewise been killed by the shock of electricity. The largest animals which Dr. Franklin and his friends have been able to kill, were a hen, and a turkey which weighed about ten pounds. Thunder is merely the noise pro duced by the motion of lightning. The reason why we do not have the dreadful noise of thunder, as soon as we see the lightning, is because sound is lon,ger arriving to our ears, than light to our sight. Light moves almost instantaneously. Sound moves no more than 1142 feet in a second.