334! Mr. R. Laming 071 the 'primary 



that of free electricity moving towards its minus com- 

 pensator, or of common matter, either plus or minus, 

 moving towards other common matter in the converse 

 electrical condition. 



7th. Electrical discharges are always more or less retarded 

 by the action of the minor electrical force in the plus 

 body (43.). 



8th. Free electricity maybe conducted by the inductive in- 

 fluence of the major force from plus to minus bodies 

 (54.55.60.61.). 



67. In addition to these several facts it was shown that the 

 law of Coulomb is the law of the major electrical force ; and 

 by necessary inference of electrical induction also. Hence it 

 follows that no mass of common matter can be dispossessed 

 of the least portion of its natural electricity by the major force 

 of free electricity acting on it at a sensible distance ; and thus 

 we learn at once that induction can only be established on 

 contiguous atoms. 



The manner in which induction is originated will almost 

 immediately be brought under consideration ; but we purpose, 

 on the assumption of its existence, to trace first the mode of its 

 propagation among contiguous atoms. 



68. We have seen that whenever by virtue of the minor 

 force free electricity is attached to an insulated body, that 

 body must be surrounded by an insulating medium either ac- 

 tually or virtually in a minus electrical condition (32.) ; if we 

 conceive the plus body to be a sphere freely insulated in the 

 atmosphere, the spherical stratum of aerial atoms immediately 

 in contact with it will, in order to compensate its charge, vir- 

 tually dismiss portions of their own natural quantities; but 

 the dismissal being only virtual and not real, this first stratum 

 will become plus also (12.); a second spherical stratum of 

 aerial atoms, by compensating the former, will in their turn 

 become plus ; and these in like manner impress a similar con- 

 dition on a third ; the third on a fourth, and so on ad in- 



Jinitum, or until the action be terminated by the presence of 

 some uninsulated body capable of actually dismissing the re- 

 quisite portion of its natural electricity. 



69. Now if the uninsulated and really minus compensator 

 be free to move, its common matter, being attracted by the 

 virtually plus air compensated by it, will receive an impulse 

 in the direction of the charged sphere. After moving a little, 

 the uninsulated body will assume the compensation of, and 

 therefore be attracted by, the inner portion of air next con- 

 tiguous; then moving again it will approach a third, and 



