to account for the Phcenomcna of Electricity, 403 



III so delicate a question as this I shall venture upon no deci- 

 sion. To suppress the efforts of another's genius, to withhold 

 the tribute that was due to his merit, to plunder him of his well 

 earned honours, and appropriate them to one's self, were an of- 

 fence disgraceful to human nature, debasing to science, and such 

 as it would be painful to lay to the charge of so distinguished a 

 philosopher. When a train of ideas, with which a person has 

 been once familiar, is forgotten, he may fall into the same ar- 

 rangement of thought, should a few of his former ideas be casually 

 associated, and without a consciousness of ever having been si- 

 milarly occupied. The letters of Eeles might thus have been 

 read, and (as they were not published) forgotten by Priestley. 

 The outline of Symmer might have revived Eeles's opinions in 

 his mind, without suggesting the real source from whence they 

 were derived. On the other hand, it is scarcely possible to sup- 

 pose that Eeles would declare to the world that these doctrines 

 were his, that they were explicitly stated by him in letters in 

 the possession of the Royal Society, if the allegation were un- 

 founded ; and especially as Dr. Priestley, who was so particularly 

 interested, had it in his power to ascertain, whether letters con- 

 taining such doctrines had been really received, and to con- 

 tradict the statement if untrue. From this view of the subject 

 It will probably appear, that I have done no more than justice 

 in attributing this theory to Mr. Eeles. 



Hypothesis of Eeles. 



1 . There are two different kinds of fluid called electrical, which 

 naturally coexist in all bodies, and which while in this state ex- 

 ert no sensible properties. 



2. The active state of the fluids is that of separation. While 

 separate, each power repels the similar kind, but attracts that 

 which is dissimilar. If the dissimilar powers, while obeying 

 their attractive forces, can meet in equal proportions, they con- 

 dense each other into the form of flame. The powers after this 

 condensation occupy an almost insensible compass, and are said 

 tote in a quiescent state (as in 1). 



3. The substance of electrics is pervious to each power. 



4. Bodies are said to be electrified when the powers are se- 

 parated in them. Thus an excited electric, having received 

 from the rubber as much of one kind as it gave of the other, is 

 electrified in one state, while the rubber is in a contrary state. 

 Such an excited electric will produce on another part of itself, 

 or on a different body, effects analogous to those of the rubber. 



1. Concerning the first principle. Dr. Priestley conceives that 

 the supposition of two fluids " is far from being disagreeable to 

 the analogy of nature, which abounds with affinities, and in 



C c 2 which 



