Mr. Davy’s Hypothesis of Electro-chemical Affinity. 249 
the crystals of this salt: and lastly, the water itself is a 
compound of oxygen and hydrogen, united by a very power- 
ful attraction. 
Here are no less than fourteen electric attractions form- 
ing seven combinations, all operating quietly together. Is 
it possible, from any thing we know of electricity, to form 
a definite idea of so many complicated powers; so nicely 
balanced too, that in some instances the sinallest touch, 
nay, the friction occasioned by: falling through air, is suf- 
ficient to make them arrange themselves in a new order, 
and the change is attended by the most violent effects ? 
By admitting that these combinations are caused by an 
attraction sai generis called affinity, which isan essential 
property of matter, the explanation becomes extremely 
easy. But the difficulty of the other is not surmounted by 
supposing with Mr. Davy that electricity is no more than 
a property of matter. For, beside that the hypothesis is 
inadmissible,’ as. shall be presently shown, we know that 
the facts are objects of sense convincing and unalterable, 
whatever conceptions we may have of “that pewer which 
Sie their production. 
T shall now’state my reasons for affirming that electricity 
is a fluid sui generis. ‘If electricity be a property of matter, 
it ought to be inseparable from matters; we can have no 
clearer conception of a property abstracted from matter, 
than we can of colour independently of the body coloured. 
If it be shown that it is separable, it necessarily follows that 
it is an absolute substance; as the moment it is separated 
it ceases to be a property. That we do obtain it in an in- 
sulated state is, I think, shown by experiments with the 
~Torricellian vacuum. Do We not see streams of electricity 
pervade the vacuum *? Can we not detect it in its pro- 
gress by its effects? It is clearly shown also by holding a 
quire of paper in the interrupted circuit of a battery. On 
making the discharge, the paper is perforated with violence; 
and we see a prodigious volume of condensed electricity. 
What has done this? [sit done by that which has no more 
existence per se than solidity, extension, or figure, have with- 
out substance; which is no more separable from matter, 
than splendour, tenacity, ductility, from metals? If it be 
not a substance, what causes the smell and taste so ap- 
parent from electrified points? It is not caused by particles 
_* If air be entirely absent, it is true the light is much less perceptible, if 
at all; but that electricity still passes, is proved by the divergence of balls 
gonneoted by conductors with the vacuum. 
driven 
