NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 155 



motion of its particles ; so the investigations of the present clay 

 prove that the so-called electric fluid has no existence, and that 

 even electricity is nothing more than a state of matter, — anotlier 

 mode of motion of its molecules. Without matter there is no 

 electricity, as will be proved by this little glass tube, in which tlie 

 vacuum is so perfect that no electricity can possibly pass through 

 it, notwithstanding the ends of the two platinum wires melted in 

 the glass, and projecting outside on both ends, and which con- 

 duct the electricity interiorly, are only one-quarter of an inch 

 apart. I have here a similar tube filled with common atmospheric 

 air, the ends of the wires are also one-quarter of an inch apart, 

 and may be separated a half or a whole inch, but the electric 

 current will be seen in the form of sparks to pass easily between 

 the wires, and to charge this Leyden jar. I have here also a so- 

 called Geisler tube, in which the ends of the wires are separated 

 to the distance of 20 inches, and through which the electric cur- 

 rent could not pass at all while filled with air ; but the air in it is 

 rarefied to such a degree as to make it a good conductor of 

 electricity, and you see the current pass not in sparks, as in the 

 second tube filled with common air, but as a glowing fire, re- 

 sembling the northern light; through this tube, also, we can 

 charge this Leyden jar. Through the first tube, in which, by 

 great precautions, an almost perfect vacuum has been produced, 

 there is not only no current seen to pass, but it is impossible to 

 load this Leyden jar when the tube is interposed between the jar 

 and the machine developing the electricity. 



The verification of the passage or non-passage of the electric 

 current by means of this charge in the jar, obtained or not ob- 

 tained, is important, as otherwise it would be doubted if the 

 electricity passed invisibly through the vacuum. 



This striking and novel experiment, demonstrating the im- 

 possibility that an electric current can overlap a really empty ^ 

 space, even to the small distance of only'^one-quarter inch, 

 proves that there are two errors in our present theory of 

 electricity. First, that the transmission of electricity in vacuo, 

 so called, is really a transmission through rarefied air or gas, 

 these being good conductors ; common air, we know, is a bad 

 conductor. The vacuum is proved by this new experiment to be 

 an absolute non-conductor. Secondly, this experiment proves 

 that if that which we call electricity was really a fluid distinct 

 from common matter, there is no reason why it should not over- 

 lap the small empty space of a quarter of^an inch. As we saw, *<* 

 however, that electricity cannot possibly overlap that small space, '^ 

 nor be transmitted where no matter exists, w'e are forced to the 

 conclusion that the phenomena of electricity are not due to a 

 peculiar fluid, which moves rapidly through conducting media, 

 but that the propagation is effected by peculiar motions of the 

 molecules, which, being rapidly transmitted from molecule to 

 molecule in the conducting body, form that which we call elec- 

 tric currents. In short, that electricity is transmitted like sound, 

 by some kind of waves, undulations, or rotations, only with 

 much greater velocity. In fact, there exists as little necessity to 



