If these facts are true, which I do not in the least doubt, we may soon see this manufacture in a very flourishing condition. For if from a glass ball of one foot and a half diameter, which is the size of my friend's, we can produce a sufficient quantity of light ́ning to destroy a child, it follows that a ball of four times that diameter will kill a man in perfect health and vigour; which must be a great advantage to the public, and save a considerable sum of money which is yearly given to apothecaries and doctors. And if the wheel, thus encreased in its diameter, encreases the power; by encreasing it still farther you will make lightning enough to split a church steeple.

As for example. Suppose A, fig. the 1st. to be a glass ball 4672 feet diameter, turned upon the spindle B, being in length 5792 feet, by the handle C, against the sand-bag a a a a, which suppose to be fixed to the side of Richmond-hill. The quantity of air ground in an hour will be equal to XX, which will produce of pure lightning, 1,694,753 tons; the force of which being applied to St. Bride's steeple, will make the crack GH, in fig. the 2d. If this should not be intelligible to those who are unacquainted with the mathematics, I will at any time at a day's notice attend and explain it to them.

I can think of but one objection to the erecting the machine above described, which is the greatness of the expence, as being too heavy for any private person. But it is to be hoped that some public company will undertake it, or that our governors will favour it with their consideration, and order it to be erected at the public expence. I, who have only the good of my country before me, will most readily agree to inspect the workmen, and see that the money shall be laid out with the strictest economy, without desiring a shilling for my trouble.

But lest some malicious persons should suggest that I am writing merely to recommend a job to myself, I solemnly declare, that a full week before I had any thoughts of addressing the public by means of your paper, I applied myself to a club of Anti-Gallicans, of which I have the honour to be an unworthy member, and proposed in a speech that our laudable society should take this infant manufacture into their guardianship and protection. And as we have lately. discovered that nothing excites mankind to good and virtuous actions, so much as honourable pecuniary gratuities, it was unanimously agreed that the society should order premiums to be given out of their public stock, for the encouragement of those who should make experiments for the improvement of this manufacture; and the following advertisement was ordered to be published.

Cat and Fiddle Lodge, July 21, 1754.

PRESENT, THE VICE GRAND.

Ordered, that for the encouragement of the making Thunder and Lightning, the following premiums be given by this society, to be paid by their secretary within twelve months after the same shall be respectively adjudged to the several claimants.

To any person or persons who shall on or before Christmas-day next, by a clap of electrical Thunder, accompanied by a sufficient quantity of Lightning, beat down and destroy the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, 20s.

To ditto for ditto, the Monument on Fish-streethill, 15s.

Covent-Garden Church, 7s. 6d.

Westminster Hall in Term-time, 5s.

Westminster Bridge, 2s. 6d.

For the first man under forty, and the first woman with child, killed by the said Thunder and Lightning; and for the first hay-rick of thirty load and upwards, burned and consumed, 1s. each.

When, from the above encouragement, these useful works shall be performed, we may conclude the manufacture brought to perfection: and then there will remain a few queries most humbly to be submitted to the wisdom of the legislature.

I. Whether when we have got a stock in hand, more than sufficient for our own consumption, we should suffer any to be exported?

II. What market will it be likely to meet with abroad?

And III. Whether it will be most prudent to trust this commodity in private hands, or in the hands of the ministry, the city of London, or the crown?

In regard to the first of these queries, I am of opinion, that we may safely venture to export whatever is more than sufficient for our home consumption, provided it be shipped on board our vessels, and insured by the French.

As to query the second, it is not to be doubted that the commodity will meet with a good foreign market. I have conversed with several merchants upon the subject, and know of two who have already received orders from their correspondents at Jamaica to send twenty tons to Barbadoes, to make a hurricane in that island; and there are orders from Barbadoes to send more than double the quantity to Jamaica. I am also assured that a certain Spanish governor, who is to pass his accounts next spring, has offered ten thousand pounds for a Tornado, provided it can be sent over before Christmas.

The last of these queries is, I own, the most difficult to be answered: I shall therefore submit it to

the public, with only observing, that as a good patriot, I am against giving it into the hands of the crown, from an opinion that his present Majesty will forbid the use of it in his own dominions, and command the whole of it to be sent abroad amongst our most inveterate enemies.

I am, sir,

Your most humble servant,

M. D.

No. LXXXIV. THURSDAY, AUGUST 8.

I AM indebted to a correspondent for the following allegory. The manner in which it is written, and the moral it contains, will be a better recommendation of it, than any compliment of mine. I shall therefore lay it before my readers without far ther preface.

Prosperity and Adversity, the daughters of Providence, was sent to the house of a rich Phœnician merchant, named Velasco, whose residence was at Tyre, the capital city in that kingdom.

Prosperity, the eldest, was beautiful as the morning, and cheerful as the spring; but Adversity was sorrowful and ill-favoured.

Velasco had two sons, Felix and Uranio. They were both bred to commerce, though liberally educated, and had lived together from their infancy in the strictest harmony and friendship. But love, before whom all the affections of the soul are as the traces of a ship upon the ocean, which remain only for a moment, threatened in an evil hour to set them

at variance; for both were became enamoured with the beauties of Prosperity. The nymph, like one of the daughters of men, gave encouragement to each by turns; but to avoid a particular declaration, she avowed a resolution never to marry, unless her sister, from whom she said it was impossible for her to be long separated, was married at the same time.

Velasco, who was no stranger to the passions of his sons, and who dreaded every thing from their violence, to prevent consequences, obliged them by his authority to decide their pretensions by lots; each previously engaging in a solemn oath to marry the nymph that should fall to his share. The lots were accordingly drawn; and Prosperity became the wife of Felix, and Adversity of Uranio.

Soon after the celebration of these nuptials Velasco died, having bequeathed to his eldest son Felix the house wherein he dwelt, together with the greatest part of his large fortune and effects.

He

The husband of Prosperity was so transported with the gay disposition and enchanting beauties of his bride, that he cloathed her in gold and silver, and adorned her with jewels of inestimable value. built a palace for her in the woods; he turned rivers into his gardens, and beautified their banks with temples and pavilions. He entertained at his table the nobles of the land, delighting their ears with music, and their eyes with magnificence. But his kindred he beheld as strangers, and the companions of his youth passed by unregarded. His brother also became hateful in his sight, and in process of time he commanded the doors of his house to be shut against him.

But as the stream flows from its channel, and loses itself among the vallies, unless confined by banks; so also will the current of fortune be dissipated, unless bounded by economy. In a few years the