and the Nature of Matter. 4<23 



charge of the plus body into that which was equally minus. 

 According to this explanation of electrical conduction, that 

 phsenomenon essentially depends on the facility possessed by 

 an ordinary atom to receive on the surface of its mass of elec- 

 tricity a surplus of electrical atoms at an equal distance from 

 tjhe common centime, as are already some of its own. 



In the case of insulators, we have ordinary atoms with per- 

 fect external spherical strata; a condition obviously incapable 

 of conducting electricity, because no surplus number of elec- 

 trical atoms, presented by a plus body, can possibly arrive so 

 near to the first ordinary atom of a line as are already its owfo 

 most distant electrical atoms. ,YV 



It is not my intention. Sir, to enlarge here on this view of 

 matter and of electrical action, because to trace the branches 

 of the subject would exceed the limits that could be allowed 

 in your valuable periodical. I hope soon to lay before the 

 public my electrical opinions in a detailed form ; but, before 

 concluding my letter, I will just allude to what appears to me 

 to be an aptitude in the theory of atoms to meet the exi- 

 gences of electrical excitation and chemical affinity; which I 

 think may both be shown to proceed from one and the same 

 cause, the difference in result depending only upon unequal 

 susceptibilities to locomotion. To have the most simple case, 

 imagine two dissimilar ordinary atoms to be placed in con- 

 tiguity; the atoms, being dissimilar, have unequal quantities 

 of electricity around them, forming spheres of unequal radii. 

 On the surface of each electrical sphere let there be one elec- 

 trical atom, necessary to make up the complement of its 

 mass of electricity. It is manifest that, on the reciprocal ap- 

 proach of the electrical spheres, the two external electrical 

 atoms will place themselves between ihem, both in a line at 

 right angles to the common axis, and in this position one-half 

 of each external electrical atom be attracted towards each or- 

 dinary atom. If the ordinary atoms be now forcibly separated, 

 both of the external electrical atoms will attach themselves 

 to the sphere of least radius ; because the electrical attrac- 

 tion acts with the greater force at the lesser distance, and be- 

 cause also an atom is by its nature indivisible. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c., nimmh 



Richard LAMiNGi'oJ 



Clichy-Ia-Garenne, near Paris, Oct. 4, 1845. v " 



iv. 



