498 ELECTRICITY. 



dies are placed in a very different state from before. 

 Both are now similarly electrified, and the fluids come 

 again to a state of rest. While in this second state of 

 rest a new effect, viz. repulsion, takes place. Thus it is 

 manifest that though a motion of the electric fluid at- 

 tends the attraction and repulsion, still these effects are, 

 strictly speaking, produced by the fluid while in a slate 

 of rest. 



We come, however, now to specify phenomena, which 

 occur during the very instant of motion of the electric 

 fluid. 



And here it must be observed that whenever a body is 

 electrified in any way, there must be somewhere in its 

 vicinity, other bodies electrified in an opposite way, 

 and to exactly the same amount. For example, electri- 

 fy vitreously a ball of brass; i. e. drive off its own resi- 

 nous electricity, and bring to it an equal amount of vitre- 

 ous fluid. Now the resinous electricity which has been 

 expelled must be existing somewhere in the neighboring 

 bodies, seeking to return, and the vitreous electricity 

 which has been brought to the body, must have left a de- 

 ficiency in the surrounding bodies, to supply which, the 

 accumulating fluid must be endeavoring to escape, so 

 that whenever a body is electrified by having a surplus of 

 vitreous and a deficiency of resinous fluid, the surround- 

 ing bodies will be electrified of course, in the opposite 

 way, that is, by having a deficiency of vitreous and a 

 surplus of resinous electricity. The two surpluses then 

 will have a strong tendency to dart across the interven- 

 ing space, to supply the two deficiencies, and thus re- 

 store the bodies to their natural state. 



The same is evidently true if we consider the theory 

 of Franklin, already alluded to, as the more probable hy- 

 pothesis. In his view of the subject, supposing only one 

 fluid, it is plain that the accumulation of that in the 

 brass ball must bo at the expense of the surrounding bo- 

 dies, so that if the ball is positive, there must be an 

 equal amount of negative electricity in the vicinity, and 

 the tendency of the ball to discharge itself, is merely a 

 tendency of the surplus fluid contained in it, to go back 

 and supply the deficiency in other bodies, which its ac- 

 cumulation in the ball creates. 



