336 Mr. R. Laming on the primary 



point and surrounded by concentric strata of a compensating 

 atmosphere (68.) ; then, the strata being all of equal thick- 

 ness, either will contain a number of electrical atoms varying 

 directly as the square of its distance from the centre. Now, 

 assuming, what is strictly agreeable to sound reasoning, that 

 the induction on any stratum is equally distributed among all 

 the atoms contained in it, and knowing from the definite na- 

 ture of the major electrical force that the sum total of the in- 

 ductive force exerted by the charge is a constant quantity in 

 each of the strata, it must of course follow that the force upon 

 any given atom, in either of the strata, is as the square of its 

 particular distance from the centre inversely. 



74. Having thus shown that induction is extended to bodies 

 at sensible distances by the intervention of others in imme- 

 diate contiguity, we may proceed to investigate the manner of 

 its origin ; and for this purpose it is requisite to trace more 

 minutely than we have yet had occasion to do, the connection 

 of the electrical with common atoms. 



75. It will doubtless be admitted that if the principles we 

 have hitherto advocated be in the general consistent with 

 facts, each atom of common matter is enveloped in an atmo- 

 sphere of electrical atoms; or as we shall find it convenient 

 to express it, each common atom constitutes a centre of major 

 electrical force to an electrosphere. Now without entering 

 here into the question of the relative volumes of these electro- 

 spheres, it will be sufficient for our present purpose to ex- 

 amine the manner in which they generally are connected with 

 common atoms, and the reciprocal action under particular 

 circumstances of such as are of equal volume. 



76. In the first place it may be pi'emised, that we have no 

 reason for asserting that the major force which is reciprocal 

 between a common atom and the electrical atoms which form 

 its equivalent electrosphere, observes the law of Coulomb : for 

 the inductive action on which that law depends obviously 

 commences at the surface of the electrospheres ; on the other 

 hand it will be admitted that this fact supplies no argument 

 against such a supposition ; and at all events we are quite 

 sure, whatever be the ratio, that those atoms of an electro- 

 sphere which are nearer to the central nucleus are attracted 

 with the greater forces ; for were it not so the retarding forces 

 to the compensation of successive increments of free electri- 

 city to a plus body could not progressively increase as we 

 have already proved them to do (6.) . 



77. This being understood we may proceed at once to our 

 task. Let us conceive the electrical equivalent of an atom of 



