112 Answer to Dr. Hare’s Letier. 
uniformly charged with positive electricity, the amount of which 
would be 100 as before. 
xv. The action of the two portions of space, as they have just 
been supposed to be constituted (xiv), is as if they possessed two 
different specific inductive capacities (1296); but I by no means 
intend to say that specific inductive capacity depends i in all cases 
upon the number of conducting particles of which the dielectric 
is formed, or upon their vicinity. The full cause of the evident 
difference of the inductive capacity of different. bodies is a prob- 
lem as yet to be solved. 
xvi. In my papers I speak of all induction as being dependant 
on the action of contiguous particles ; i.e. I assume that insula- 
ting bodies consist of particles which are conductors individually 
(1669), but do not conduct to each other provided the intensity 
of action to which they are subject is beneath a given amount 
(1326, 1674, 1675); and, that when the inductric body acts upon 
conductors at a distance, it does so by polarizing (1298, 1670) all 
those particles which occur in the portion of dielectric between 
it and them. I have used the term contiguous (1167, 1673), but 
have, I hope sufficiently expressed the meaning I attach to it :— 
first by saying at par. 1615 “‘ the next existing particle being con- 
sidered as the contiguous one ;” then in a note to par. 1665, by 
the words “1 mean by contiguous particles those which are next 
to each other, not that there is no space between them,” and, fur- 
ther, by the note to par. 1164 in the 8vo. edition of my researches 
which is as follows. ‘‘'The word contiguous is perhaps not. the 
best that might have been used here and elsewhere, for as parti- 
cles do not touch each other it is not strictly correct ; I was in- 
duced to employ it because in its common acceptation it enabled 
me to state the theory plainly and with facility. By contiguous 
particles I mean those which are next. 
xvii. Finally, my reasons for adopting the ialanstea theory of 
induction were, the phenomena of electrolytic discharge (1164, 
1343) ; of induction in curved lines (1166, 1215) ; of specific 
inductive capacity (1167, 1252); of penetration and return ac- 
tion (1245); of difference of conduction.and insulation. (1320); of 
polar forces (1665), &c. évc.; but, for these reasons, and any 
strength and value ~ may possess, I refer to the papers them- 
5 se 3 
