ef Oil and Water. 441 



it along with it in its courfe, until tfie water, 



reading by its gravity, returns forcibly to repair 

 its level ; and by this repeated innpulfe and 

 readlion, the furface of the water undergoes that 

 violent agitation, which conflitutes a ftorm. 

 But if oil be throvi/n on the furface of the water, 

 it fpreads itfclf over it to a confiderable extent, 

 and the wind is prevented from laying hold of 

 the water, but glides inefFe(5lualIy over it without 

 caufing any tunault or agitation. 



In fome parts of this illuftration, I fhall be 

 found to agree with Dr. Franklin^ but to differ 

 marerially in this, that he afcribes the fpreading 

 of the oil on the water to a refulfive force, which, 

 with the utnnoft diffidence and deference to his 

 eminent abilities, I am difpofed not to admit. 

 I think the principle, which I have laid down, 

 fufficiently adequate to the explanation of the 

 phenomenon, that the particles of oil have a 

 very ftrong attraction for each other, and have 

 none at all for water, and probably not for air. 

 The very circumftance of the oil's fpreading 

 over the whole furface of the water in one un- 

 interrupted film, feems to favour my hypothefis; 

 for, if the particles of oil had a repulfion to 

 water, and at the fame time a ftrong attradlion 

 inter Je, they would probably not fpread equally 

 over the furface, but form into diftincl globules, 

 and immediately upon touching the water, 

 Vvould recede from it to the neareft part of the 



margui 



