426 Royal Society: Prof. Farada^^'s Experimental 



of the above experiments, we are inclined to believe that it is 

 the effect of a peculiar state of decomposition, totally inde- 

 pendent of atmospheric causes, the luminosity residing (to 

 the best of our belief,) in the oily matter, which we observed 

 upon submitting it to microscopic examination : we hope how- 

 ever, that at some future period, we may have an opportunity 

 of observing the same phaenomenon, and continuing our re- 

 searches. 

 82, Blackfriars Road, London. 



LXX. Proceedings of Learned Societies, 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 

 [Continued from p. 368.] 



Feb. 15, A Paper was in part read, entitled " Experimental Re- 



1838. -^^ searches in Electricity," Twelfth Series, by Michael 

 Faraday, Esq., D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. 



February 22. — The reading of a paper, entitled, " Experimental 

 Researches in Electricity," Twelfth Series, by M. Faraday, Esq., 

 D.C.L., F.R.S., was resumed. 



March 1. — The reading of a paper, entitled "Experimental Re- 

 searches in Electricity," Twelfth Series, by Michael Faraday, Esq., 

 D.C.L., F.R.S., &c., was resumed and concluded. 



Ewperimental Researches in Electricity : Twelfth Series. By Mi- 

 chael Faraday, Esq., D.C.L., F.R.S., Fullerian Professor of Che- 

 mistry in the Royal Institution of Great Britain. 



The object of the present series of researches is to examine how 

 far the principal general facts in electricity are explicable on the 

 theory adopted by the author, and detailed in his last memoir*, re- 

 lative to the nature of inductive action. The operation of a body 

 charged with electricity, of either the positive or negative kind, on 

 other bodies in its vicinity, as long as it retains the whole of its 

 charge, may be regarded as simple induction, in contradistinction to 

 the effects which follow the destruction of this statical equiUbrium, 

 and imply a transit of the electrical forces from the charged body to 

 those at a distance, and which comprehend the phenomena of the 

 electric discharge. Having considered, in the preceding paper, the 

 process by which the former condition is established, and which con- 

 sists in the successive polarization of series of contiguous particles 

 of the interposed insulating dielectric ; the author here proceeds to 

 trace the process, which, taking place consequently on simple in- 

 duction, terminates in that sudden, and often violent interchange of 

 electric forces constituting disruption, or the electric discharge. He 

 investigates, by the application of his theory, the gradual steps of 

 transition Avhich may be traced between perfect insulation on the 

 one hand, and perfect conduction on the other, derived from the 



* See our present volume, p. 358. 



