Mr. Faraday's Ex2)erimental Researches in Electricity. 355 



Had it been an ore of iron, reduced by a blast of lightning, 

 we should not have found it alloyed with nickel. 



We are therefore led to conclude, that our specimen is 

 of celestial origin, and that it is a fragment of one of those 

 asteroids of cometary matter, which wandering in space, oc- 

 casionally cross our orbit, and being attracted by the earth, 

 so that they rush through our atmosphere, bursting into 

 fire and descending, take up their abode on this sublunary 

 sphere. 



Boston, May 29, 1838. 



XLVIII. Experimental Researches in Electricity. — Eleve?ith 

 Series. By Michael Faraday, Esg.^ D.C.L. F.R.S, Fid- 

 lei'ian Prof. Chem. Royal Institution, Corr. Memb. Royal 

 and Imp. Acadd. of Sciences, Paris, Petershurgh, Florence, 

 Copenhagen, Berlin, Sfc. Sj-c. 



[Continued from p. 299.] 



^ iv. Induction in curved Lines. 



1215. A MONGST those results deduced from the mole- 

 ■^^ cular view of induction (1166.), which, being of 

 a peculiar nature, are the best tests of the truth or error of 

 the theory, the expected action in curved lines is, I think, the 

 most important at present; for, if shown to take place in an 

 unexceptionable manner, I do not see how the old theory of 

 action at a distance and in straight lines can stand, or how the 

 conclusion that ordinary induction is an action of contiguous 

 particles can be resisted. 



1216. There are many forms of old experiments which 

 might be quoted as favourable to, and consistent with the 

 view I have adopted. Such are most cases of electro- che- 

 mical decomposition, electrical brushes, auras, sparks, &c. ; 

 but as these might be considered equivocal evidence, inasmuch 

 as they include a current and discharge, (though they have 

 long been to me indications of prior molecular action (1230.)) 

 I endeavoured to devise such experiments for first proofs as 

 should not include transfer, but relate altogether to the pure 

 simple inductive action of statical electricity. 



1217. It was also of importance to make these experiments 

 in the simplest possible manner, using not more than one in- 

 sulating medium or dielectric at a time, lest differences of 

 slow conduction should produce effects which might errone- 

 ously be supposed to result from induction in curved lines, 



2 A 2 



