FRANKLIN'S THEORY OF ELECTRICITY. 543 



ceptance than any electrical hypothesis hitherto proposed. 

 It may almost be said to have become the world's theory, 

 and to have retained a certain ascendency even to the pres- 

 ent time; for it is the most easily thinkable of all to the 

 non-mathematical mind. There is probably no electrical 

 fluid running along conductors and accumulating like 

 water in a tank; but that idea of it is imbedded in the lan- 

 guage and in every-day thought, and the hydraulic analo- 

 gies maintain the vitality of the conception. Indeed, 

 whether the time will ever come when the world will cease 

 to imagine electricity as an actual fluid, may well be 

 doubted. 



The theory which Franklin announced assumed the 

 electrical fire to exist in all bodies as a common stock. If 

 a body acquired more than its normal amount, he termed 

 it "plus" or positively electrified. If it lost some of its 

 normal amount, he regarded its condition as "minus" or 

 negatively electrified. The common stock of electrical fire 

 in all bodies he held to be in a state of equilibrium, and 

 into this common stock the fire from a positively or over- 

 electrified body will flow, while from the common stock 

 the fire will flow to a negatively or under-electrified body. 

 Thus, imagine, says Franklin, three persons, each having 

 his normal equal share of electrical fire. u A, who stands 

 on wax and rubs the tube, collects the electrical fire from 

 himself into the glass; and his communication with the 

 common stock being cut off by the wax, his body is not 

 again immediately supplied. B (who stands on wax like- 

 wise), passing his knuckle along near the tube, receives the 

 fire which was collected by the glass from A; and his com- 

 munication with the common stock being likewise cut off, 

 he retains the additional quantity received. To C stand- 

 ing on the floor, both appear to be electrified; for he hav- 

 ing only the middle quantity of electrical fire, receives a 

 spark upon approaching B, who has an over quantity; but 

 gives one to A, who has an under quantity. If A and B 

 approach to touch each other the spark is stronger, because 





