470 Dr. R. Hare's Objeclions to the Theories severally of 



material, independent, imponderable matter, occupying the 

 whole of the space in which their efficacy is perceptible. To 

 the evolution of the imponderable matter thus associated, the 

 incandescence of a globule of potassium on contact with water 

 may be ascribed, since it is the consequence of the displace- 

 ment of such matter by the elements of water which, in re- 

 placing it, converts the metal into the hydrated oxide called 

 caustic potash. 



31. llie existence both of the causes of electricity and heat 

 in metals, is likewise confirmed by the fact, that the inductive 

 influence of a magnet is sufficient to cause all the phaenomena 

 of heat, electrolysis and magnetism, as exemplified by the 

 magneto-electric machine. The existence of the cause of heat 

 in metals is also evident from the ignition of an iron rod 

 when hammered, or the deflagration of wire by the discharge 

 of a Leyden battery. 



32. The superiority of metals as electrical conductors, may 

 be the consequence of the pre-eminent abundance of impon- 

 derable matter entering into their composition, as above 

 alluded to in the case of potassium. 



33. Graham, in his Elements, treating of electricity, alleges 

 that the " great discoveries of Faraday have completely altered 

 the aspect of this department of science, and suggests that 

 all electrical phaenomena whatever involve the presence of 

 matter." Unless the distinguished author from whom this 

 quotation is made intended to restrict the meaning of the 

 word matter to ponderable matter, there was no novelty in 

 the idea that electrical phenomena involve the presence of 

 matter, since the hypotheses of Franklin and Dufay assume 

 the existence of one or more imponderable material fluids. 

 But, on the other hand, if the meaning of the word matter is 

 only to comprise that which is ponderable, the allegation is 

 inconsistent with the authority cited. According to the re- 

 searches of Faraday, there is an enormous electrical power in 

 metals, and according to his speculations, such powers must 

 be considered as imponderable material principles, pervading 

 the space within which they prevail, independently of any 

 ponderable atom acting as a basis for material properties, the 

 existence of such atoms being represented as questionable. 



Electrical Phcenomena attributed to Stationary or Undulatory 

 Polarization. 



34. It having been shown that in electrical discharges there 

 cannot reasonably be any transfer of matter, so as to justify 

 the idea of their being effected either by one current or by two 

 currents, the only alternative seems to be that the phaenomena 



