«K CtfSMfCAt AFFINITY. \S 



5r ^. 



glass, it must be dissipated in the sealing wax : but as far 



as my knowledge goes, it has never been determined, that 

 it is in the glass, and not in the sealing wax, that the accu- 

 mulation takes place. 1 mention so much of the theory of 

 Dr. Franklin, not with an intention of entering into a de- 

 fence or refutation of its principles, but rather to point out 

 the origin of the terms positive and negative, plus and 

 minus, as applied to the electrical states of bodies. I con- 

 tinue to employ these expressions, as it would be difficult 

 at present to inveat others freer than they are from hypo- 

 ihesis. ^ 



It is important to remark, that the phenomena, which a body, to 



have been enumerated, do not occur in every electrified ^^'°^ ''S"' of 

 , J m, p , • • 1 • 1 • • • ,1 electncity, 



body. 1 hat signs ot electricity be evinced, it is essentially should be near 



requisite, that the electrified body be in a state of proximity »»other in a 

 with other bodies electritied in a different manner. — 1 insu- 

 lated one of Beunet's electrometers*, and, by a bent wire, 

 connected the foot and the plate of the instrument. When 

 1 electrified this wire, a momentary and extremely trifling 

 effect was produced on the gold leaves; but they returned 

 to their natural position, although the whole apparatus was 

 kept by one experiment in a state highly positive, by ano- 

 ther in a state highly negative. The repulsion, when duly 

 established, appeared to be equal between the gold leaves, 

 and between the gold leaves and the tin foil. Had either 

 the gold leaves or the tin foil been alone electrified, the 

 effect, as is well known, would have been a separation of 

 the gold leaves. Fr«;n this experiment it also appears, that 

 <fUr Earth may possibly be very highly positive, or very 

 highly negative, in relation to any other of the planets, 

 without our instruments indicating such state; our Eartli 

 bearing the same relation to the bodies of the universe, that 

 an insulated electrometer does to the various other bodies 

 of our Earth. That the various bodies of our Earth do The various 

 naturally possess the quality we denominate electrical, is bodies ©f cur 



. • .. 1 I I t !• 1 • I Earth naturallf 



an opinion, not only probable trom many general consider- p^g^^^, decui 



ations, but one vvhic:h admits of proof from the following ^^ty. 



~ * 

 * I use the eI«ctromet«r improTed by Mr. Cuthbertsoa,' but' without ."ij^'j-* 1**^!- 

 the condtwi»er, • •* ^ "' " ' ' * "^ 



statemeot 



