mechanical Theory of Mailer and Motion. 197 



volume, or different power of receiving or radiating heat, or 

 titomic motion, is necessary to the ])roductioa of electrical phas- 

 uoniena. 



Fact 13. The power, when excited in any electrie, is capable 

 of being transferred to any other electric, provided the surfaces 

 be coated with a condi'ctor. 



Fad 14. Bodies are conductors nearly in the same ratio as 

 that in which they are conductors of heat or atomic motion ; and 

 thev are electrics by a contrary law. 



Fact 15. All electrical phenomena take place, and ail suc- 

 cessful experiments are made within atmospheric air. 



Deductions from these Facts. 



Fact 8. Proves, that electricity does not permeate the sub- 

 stance of conductors ; for whether a conductor is hollow or solid, 

 or of glass, or baked wood covered with gold leaf, or of solid 

 metal, tlie effect is equally powerful. It is, therefore, a gross 

 error to speak of conducting bodies as cliarged or surcharged, or 

 as containing more or less than their natural quaufity, &c. 



Fact I. Proves, ^that the electrical i)ovver re^ides uithin the 

 adjoining electric, and this fact, and fact 8, prove that it does 

 not reside within the body of the conductor, the l)est rouductors 

 having no conducting substance, but only a cr.nducting surface. 



Fad l.T. Proves, that air is the universal electric, aiul that in 

 all cases, a plate of air is the thing affected. But air is com- 

 posed of 20 or 21 volumes of oxygen, and SO or 79 volumes of 

 azote, beiiig the very princijjies vv'Iiicb, by facts 5, 6, and 7, are 

 . evolved, and extricated oij the opposed sides of every electric 

 plate. 



It is inferred from facts 5, 6, and 7, that all cases of electrical 

 excitement consist merely of the decomposition or seijaration of 

 the acid and alkaline principles natural to the substance and 

 constitution of the body, or electric plate, and that the various 

 phaenomena attending the partial or general restoiation consti- 

 tute all the appearances called electric and galvanic. 



Is the electric power, therefore, any thing move rliiui a me- 

 chanical separation, or decomposition of the conslituer.t, or 

 gazeous poitions of the electric? Are not the ga^jeous portions, 

 by some peculiar motions, carried to the positive and negative 

 fci'des of the |)late? Do not all the piiaenomcna proceed, lirst, 

 from the endeavour of the oxygen and a/ote to return to their 

 fit combination in air ; and, sec<nid, from, tliis often taking,' place 

 *;j<ldenlv? Is electiicily, in fine, auytliinu .one than an acci- 

 <U-ntof the constituent atoms of air, or the -inular Hto:ns of other 

 electrics? Or, in other words, as all expenuients ami piueno- 

 meua take place in air, arc not the plueuoiuena of all other 



electrics 



