132 on glafs drops. -^"i- i» 



while the glafs Is in fusion, or in a melted state, the 

 particles ot it are in a state of repulsion ; but being 

 dropped into cold water, it soon condenses the par- 

 ticles in the external part of their superficies, that 

 they are thereby reduced within the power of each 

 other's attractiori, and by that means they form a sort 

 of hard case, which keeps confined the before men- 

 tioned particles in their repulsive state ; but when 

 tliis outer case is broken, by the breaking off of the 

 tail of the drop, the said confined particles have then 

 liberty to exert their force, which they do by burst- 

 ing the body of the drop, and reducing it to a very 

 peculiar form of powder." 



The above is all the reason that has hitherto beea 

 offered to the public for these phenomena. 



In thejirst place, the metal is not, when taken out 

 of the pot, in a repulsive, but in an expansive state ;. 

 and that, according to the degree of heat in whicU 

 it is when taken from the furnace. 



2d. It is not pofsible that the external part of the 

 drop, when let fall into cold water, fliould condense 

 the extexnal particles of their superficies, and, at the 

 same time, keep the inner particles confined in their 

 repulsive (fhould say expansive^ state. ^'Vhen the 

 glafs is first taken out of the pot, the metal is of an u- 

 niform degree of heat, and by dropping it into 

 Water must certainly make the whole mafs contract 

 equally ; for if the external part ftiould contract, and 

 not the imier particles, it of course must crack at 

 the surface, from the outer Ikin not being able to. 

 cover a larger surface than its ownj hence tlie reason 



