18 THE INTELLECTUAL RISE IN ELECTRICITY. 



worked into beads and ornaments found its place in the 

 hands of every woman who spun with the distaff, and who 

 could afford the luxury of a spindle made of the much- 

 prized substance. The way in which the spinning was 

 done by distaff and spindle, Catullus tells : 



"The loaded distaff in the left hand placed, 

 With spongy coils of snow-white wool was graced, 

 From these the right hand lengthening fibres drew, 

 Which into thread 'neath nimble fingers grew. 

 At intervals a gentle touch was given, 

 By which the twirling whorl was onward driven. 

 Then, when the sinking spindle reached the ground, 

 The recent thread around its spire was wound, 

 Until the clasp within its nipping cleft 

 Held fast the newly finished length of weft." 



As the spindle descended, and at the same time whirled 

 around, it rubbed against the loose feminine garments ; 

 thus it became electrified, as amber always does when 

 rubbed, so that on nearing the ground, it drew to itself the 

 dust or bits of leaves or chaff lying there, or sometimes at- 

 tracted the light fringe of clothing. The spinner easily 

 saw this, because the chaff would leap up to the excited 

 resin, or the fringe filaments extend themselves toward it, 

 and moreover, unless she were careful, the dust and other 

 substances so attracted would become entangled in her 

 thread. Therefore, she called her amber spindle, the 

 u clutcher ; " for it seemed to seize these light bodies as if 

 it had invisible talons which not only grasped, but held. 

 This was probably the first intelligent observation of an 

 electrical effect. It is singular that it should have become 

 apparent through the earliest practical, in contradistinc- 

 tion to merely ornamental, use of the amber, though per- 

 haps nothing strange that it is due to the keener percep- 

 tion of woman. 



