An account of a very extraordinary effect of lightning on a bullock : at Swanborow, in the parish of Iford near Lewes, in the county of Sussex / in sundry letters from Mr. James Lambert ... and one from William Green ... to William Henly. Read at the Royal Society, May 1, 1776.

  • Lambert, James, 1725-1788.
Date:
1776
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of a very extraordinary effect of lightning on a bullock : at Swanborow, in the parish of Iford near Lewes, in the county of Sussex / in sundry letters from Mr. James Lambert ... and one from William Green ... to William Henly. Read at the Royal Society, May 1, 1776. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 47 ] be made: and, to ufethe words of my learned and ingenious friend Dr. priestley, they are not phi- lofophers who think no advantages could be gained by it. Electrical bells fhould alfo be fet up, to-’ give notice of ele&ricity, in the atmofphere; and by a pair of light pith or cork balls, hanging by. linen threads from the apparatus, the kind, con¬ tinuance, and changes of the eleftricity fhould be carefully noted. It would alfo be proper to put out occafionally, a long flick, or the flrongeft parts of a fifhing-rod, having a box, with a pair of light cork balls hanging from thence, at the end of it, which would difcover much fmaller degrees of electricity in the air, than is fufficient to ring bells; and by thefe, the kind of it may be readily afcer-- tained. Such a courfe of experiments as I have re¬ commended in this paper, would foon throw new light upon the fubjeCt of electricity ; hitherto, I be¬ lieve, but little underflood ; though fo interesting to mankind, and fo highly deferving the nicefl inves¬ tigation, of the mofl curious enquirers into nature. But thefe purfuits can be properly attended-to, by/ thofe only,,who are gentlemen of fortune, and lei-- fure: and could fuch be prevailed on to undertake them, I have not the lead doubt but the exquifite- knowledge of this fecret part of the operations of nature, which they would loon attain in the prac¬ tice, would prove an ample reward of their labours;: an honour to their country, and perhaps a benefit, to the whole human race. t