Ordinary Induction and Action of contiguous Particles. 283 



tions do not interfere ; and it is of high importance occasion- 

 ally thus to compare effects in their extreme degrees, for the 

 purpose of enabling us to comprehend the nature of an action 

 in its weak state, which may be only sufficiently evident to us 

 in its stronger condition. As, therefore, in the electrolyte, 

 induction appeared to be the jirst step, and decomposition the 

 second (the power of separating these steps from each other 

 by giving the solid or fluid condition being in our hands) ; as 

 the induction was the same in its nature as that through air, 

 glass, wax, &c. produced by any of the ordinary means; 

 and as the whole effect in the electrolyte appeared to be an 

 action of the particles thrown into a peculiar or polarized 

 state, I was led to suspect that common induction itself was 

 in all cases an action of contiguous particles, and that electri- 

 cal action at a distance (i. e. ordinary inductive action) never 

 occurred except through the intermediate influence of the in- 

 tervening matter. 



1165. The respect which I entertain towards the names of 

 Epinus, Cavendish, Poisson, and other most eminent men, all 

 of whose theories I believe consider induction as an action at 

 a distance and in straight lines, long indisposed me to the 

 view I have just stated ; and though I always watched for op- 

 portunities to prove the opposite opinion, and made such ex- 

 periments occasionally as seemed to bear directly on the point, 

 as, for instance, the examination of electrolytes, solid and fluid, 

 whilst under induction by polarized light (951, 955.), it is 

 only of late, and by degrees, that the extreme generality of the 

 subject has urged me still further to extend my experiments 

 and publish my view. At present I believe ordinary induc- 

 tion in all cases to be an action of contiguous particles, con- 

 sisting in a species of polarity, instead of being an action of 

 either particles or masses at sensible distances : and if this be 

 true, the distinction and establishment of such a truth must 

 be of the greatest consequence to our further progress in the 

 investigation of the nature of electric forces. The linked con- 

 dition of electrical induction with chemical decomposition ; 

 of voltaic excitement with chemical action ; the transfer of 

 elements in an electrolyte ; the original cause of excitement 

 in all cases ; the nature and relation of conduction and insu- 

 lation ; of the direct and lateral or transverse action consti- 

 tuting electricity and magnetism ; with many other things 

 more or less incomprehensible at present, would all be affected 

 by it, and perhaps receive a full explication in their reduction 

 under one general law. 



1166. I searched for an unexceptionable test of my view, 

 not merely in the accordance of known facts with it, but in 



