WITHDRAWN FROM THE ACTION OF GRAVITY. 677 



vein would appear simply more and more attenuated in pro- 

 portion as it is considered more distant from the contracted 

 section, without losing either its limpidity or its continuity. 

 But it results from our experiments, that a liquid figure of 

 this kind, the form of which approximates to that of a very 

 elongated cylinder, must become transformed into a series of 

 isolated spheres, the centres of which are arranged upon the 

 axis of the figure. In fact, we have here a liquid submitted 

 to the action of gravity ; but it is evident that during the free 

 descent of a liquid, gravity no longer presents any obstacle 

 to the play of the molecular attractions, and that the latter 

 must then exert the same configuring actions upon the mass 

 as if this mass were free from gravity and in a state of rest ; 

 this is the manner in which, for instance, drops of rain, during 

 their fall, acquire the spherical form. But, for the preceding 

 conclusion to be perfectly rigorous, it would be requisite for all 

 parts of the mass to be actuated by the same velocity, which 

 is not the case with the vein ; we can, however, understand, 

 that, although this difference may be capable of producing 

 some modifications in the phsenomenon, it cannot prevent its 

 production. 



The liquid of the vein, therefore, during its movement must 

 necessarily gradually form a series of isolated spheres. But as 

 this liquid is constantly being renewed, the phaenomenon of 

 transformation must also continue to be renewed. In the second 

 place, as each portion of the liquid begins to be subjected to the 

 configuring forces as soon as it forms a part of the imperfect 

 cylinder which the vein tends to form, i. e. from the moment at 

 which it passes the contracted section, and subsequently remains 

 during its course under the continued action of these forces, it 

 is evident that each of the divisions of the vein must begin to be 

 formed at the contracted section and to descend, conveyed by 

 the movement of transference of the liquid, modifying itself by 

 degrees so as to arrive at the state of an isolated sphere. Hence 

 it follows, that at any given instant the divisions of the vein 

 must exist in a more advanced phase of transformation in pro- 

 portion as they are considered at a greater distance from the 

 contracted section, at least as far as that at which the transfor- 

 mation into spheres is completely effected. From the orifice to 

 the distance where the separation of the masses occurs, the vein 

 must evidently be continuous ; but at a greater distance, the 



