CHARACTER OF LIGHTNING AND OF THUNDERSTORMS.
It is well remarked by Arago, that although we know nothing about lightning, beyond the well-ascertained fact that it is one of the manifestations of the equally vast and mysterious electric forces pervading the universe, we yet may ascertain a great deal about its mode of action by continued observation, made by many persons and at many places. As yet the wise recommendation of the French astronomer has, unfortunately, not been acted upon to any extent, or in any systematic manner; still, a good many facts and incidents have been gathered which serve to throw a strong light upon the apparently erratic, but in reality normal manner in which, as in obedience to some grand unfathomable cosmic law, the fire of the clouds flashes along its self-made path. That these observations are entirely modern, detracts nothing from their value. With all their famed civilisation, the classical nations of the ancient world never came to look upon lightning and thunderstorms as regular functions of nature, but regarded them with dread and horror. Even the greatest of their natural philosophers found in them means only for encouraging popular superstition. Thus Pliny the Elder, in his celebrated ‘Natural History,’ recommends, like Arago, notes being taken about thunderstorms, but for quite a different purpose. ‘Nothing is more important,’ says the celebrated author of the _Historia Naturalis_, than to observe from what region the lightnings proceed, and towards what region they return. Their return to the eastern quarter is a happy augury. When they come from the east, the prime quarter of the Heavens, and likewise return thither, it is the presage of supreme felicity.’ It is reported by travellers that this form of superstition--which has reference, of course, to the zigzag form of many strokes of lightning, apparently in turn advancing and retrograding--still exists in some districts of Southern Italy.
The superstitious awe with which lightning was looked upon not only in ancient times, but in which it is still held by the ignorant at the present day, finds its easy explanation both in the nature of the terrifying phenomenon, and in the fact that even now we can only speculate upon some of the causes of its seemingly capricious actions. There can be no doubt that thunderstorms will visit some districts in preference to others, and that lightning will descend constantly upon some selected spots, and will entirely keep away from others. As regards the latter case, old historians were fond of quoting the grand temple of Solomon at Jerusalem, which was never struck by lightning in the course of a thousand years, although thunderstorms burst unceasingly over the Holy City, creating immense havoc and destruction. In this instance at least, the explanation is simple, although it may not be so in many others. It is stated expressly in the biblical description of the building of the world-famed temple (1 Kings vi. 21, 22) that ‘Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold; and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house; also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.’ If wise King Solomon had known Franklin’s discovery of the protection against lightning given by metallic conductors, he could not have guarded his magnificent edifice better than he did by having ‘the whole house overlaid with gold,’ as stated in the Bible. But he did even more than this, according to the historian Josephus, who records that the roof of the Temple, constructed in what is now called the Italian style, was ornamented from end to end with sharply pointed and thickly gilded pieces of iron, in lancet form. These points, the historian surmised, were placed there to prevent the birds from settling on the magnificent roof, and soiling it, and it is very possible that this was the original design. Nevertheless, it is certain that King Solomon guarded, although, probably, without intending to do so, his magnificent temple as perfectly against lightning, as could have been accomplished by the best arranged system of conductors. It is not often that many thousands of pounds are spent for protection against lightning, even if intended for great cathedrals and splendid royal palaces; but King Solomon disbursed, by the most trustworthy calculations, no less than thirty-eight millions sterling in covering the temple with one of the best of conductors--including the pointed and gilded lancets along the roof, as perfect ‘Franklin rods’ as were ever designed by any architect.