.^8 On thp. Frajihlln'ian Theoi'ij 



to the Enrvclopcpdia Britannica, Mr. JEpinus and his fol- 

 loucr?, Messrs. Cavendish and Ct)alonib, have framed a 

 pcrspieiious and demonstrable theory. The work of /Epi- 

 iius I have not vet been able to proevu-e ; but, perhaps, at 

 ^ovac future period I may be tcHiipted to oficr to the socielv 

 a general view of the ^pinian theorv, combined with the 

 illustrations of hi: diseiples. 



I have undertaken on the present oecai^ion to exhibit a 

 succinct but, 1 trust, an intelligible view of that theory, 

 respecting the operations of the electric iluid, which 

 ascribes all electrical pha^nomenato the passage of this fluid 

 from one bodv to another, disturbing from various causes 

 that equilibrium which it is the constant tendency of nature 

 to preserve, producing an increase or diminution of quan- 

 tity, and a consequetit effort to recover its original state : 

 a theory which, thouah not originating with Dr. Franklin, 

 owes its present adoption and celebrity to the discoveries 

 and illustrations of that ingenious electrician. The redun- 

 tlancv and deficiency of the ck.ctric fluid form the corner 

 stone of Dr. Franklin's theory; and the greatest part of 

 what has been since added is a more distinct explanation of 

 the mode of action by which such redundancy and defi- 

 ciency produce the observed phsenon'.cna. I shall waive ibr 

 the present any exaitiination into the nature of electricity 

 in the abstract, and assume its materialitv as a subtile and 

 ■most commonlv an invisible fluid, which, in certain cases, 

 becomes obvious to our senses ; sometimes amusing us by 

 the singularity of its action ; at other times, by its stupen- 

 dous cH'ects, evincing itself one of i\\Q. most powerful agents 

 in nature. 



In order to place the advantages and defects of this theory 

 in the most perspicuous point of view, I ehali endeavour 

 to arrange the subject under a few general lieads or propo- 

 sitions ; bv \\ hich means we shall be enabled to examine 

 V, ith more facility the dependence and connection of thes(t 

 propositions witli each other, and the degree of proof by 

 which they are individually and unitedly supported ; but 

 before we enter more particularly upon this examination it 

 w ill be proper to premise a few observations respecting th?; 

 terms in common use. 



'J'he term electricilv is used too often in a vague iind in- 

 tk-finitc sense, sometimes for the fltiid or cajU6-.e of action, 

 iinJ at others tor its perceptible eftccts : tlicre is no single, 

 word yet iaJixoduced which beai-s the same relation to tlec- 

 tiicity a<^ caJorLc to liejt j and -it appears^ at pjesei^l^ most 

 1 pljiloy 



