NOMOS. 35 



are in short poles, and hence the term polarity. 

 Like poles, these opposite sides attract and repel (?), 

 like sides repelling (?), and unlike sides attracting. 

 When this state of polarity is induced in 



. ., . . , , . The current 



any one atom, a similar state is induced in a chemical 

 the next, and so on indefinitely from atom 

 to atom. And the current is this state of continuous 

 action. Still the term current conveys no very 

 definite idea. During its continuance the polarity 

 is being continually lost and restored lost by the 

 combination of opposite polarities, restored by their 

 re-formation. It is not onward movement in the 

 ordinary sense of the word. It is, apparently, oscil- 

 lation. In the words of Dr. Faraday, it is "an 

 axis of power having contrary forces, exactly equal 

 in amount, in contrary directions." There is, how- 

 ever, good reason to agree with !Qr. Graham in be- 

 lieving that the current is a sufficiently simple fact, 

 and that it is nothing more than the transmission of 

 certain definite chemical changes in a given direc- 

 tion ; and this we now propose to show. 



Let it be supposed that all parts of the circuit 

 metal, fluid, and air too, if air be included have 

 dual or polar molecules, and that the two elements 

 of which these molecules consist are endowed with 

 opposite properties, opposite in the same sense that 

 an acid and alkali are opposite. Using the terms in 

 a chemical sense, let us call one of these elements 

 the positive element, and the other the negative ele- 

 ment. Let it be supposed that these elements may 

 be composed of the same or of different substances. 

 Thus, the positive and negative elements of zinc, 



D 2 



