Electricity. 97 



elastic of all fluids, and perhaps the great cause 

 of repulsion, so the electrical repulsion may, 

 perhaps, be referred to the same principle. 



On the contrary, there are some facts which 

 seem to prove that the electric matter is some- 

 what different in its nature from caloric. The 

 electric matter affects the organs of scent; its 

 progress may also be arrested by certain sub- 

 stances which, on that account, are called non- 

 conductors; glass, in particular, which admits the 

 passage of both heat and light, stops the course 

 of the electric matter: on the contrary, the 

 electric fluid will adhere most tenaciously to 

 some other bodies, without diffusing itself even 

 to those which are in contact with them : thus 

 an electric spark has been drawn by a wire- 

 through the water of the river Thames, and has 

 set fire to spirit of wine on the opposite side. 



The principal phenomena of electricity are 

 first, The electrical attraction and repulsion. 

 Secondly, The electrical fire rendered visible: 

 and, thirdly, The power which certain substances 

 possess of conducting the electrical matter; 

 whence arises the distinction between con- 

 ductors and non-conductors, or non-electric and 

 electric bodies. The electric are those which are 

 capable of being excited, such as glass, amber, 

 &c, but do not conduct; the non-electrics are 

 such as conduct the electric matter, but cannot 

 be excited to produce it, such as metals, stones, 

 and all fluids. 



VOL i. r 



