ELECTRICITY. 3.53 



glass tube and a feather. When the tube is ex- 

 cited, by being drawn through the hand or a flannel 

 rubber, the feather, when brought near it, will be 

 attracted, and jump to the tube; then, after taking 

 some time to get fully saturated with electric mat- 

 ter (because being a bad conductor, it can receive 

 it but very slowly,) it will suddenly jump from it, 

 and fly towards the next conductor, upon which it 

 may discharge the redundant electricity it has 

 acquired. If no other body happen to be in the 

 way, it will tend towards the ground; but if the 

 electrified tube be held under it, it will still be 

 repelled, and driven into the middle of the room, 

 where it may be kept suspended, or be driven 

 about in all directions almost as long as a person 

 pleases, if the air be dry. 



Other beautiful effects of electrical attraction and 

 repulsion are shown at the prime conductor be- 

 longing to the machine. Suspend a plate of metal 

 from the conductor, and underneath it, at the dis- 

 tance of about three or four inches, put another 

 plate of the same size; upon the lower one of these 

 plates lay a feather, or a small slip of light paper; 

 and, as soon as the machine is turned, the feather 

 or the paper will be attracted, and jump to the 

 upper plate; from which it will be immediately re- 

 pelled, and fly to discharge itself upon the lower 

 plate, which is supported on a pedestal; after 

 which it will be ready to be attracted and repelled 

 again. Thus will the feather or paper fly from the 

 one plate to the other alternately, and with incon- 

 ceivable rapidity, if the electrification be pretty 

 vigorous. When the pieces of paper are cut into 

 the figures of men and women, they exhibit a kind 

 of dance which is extremely amusing. 



VOL. I. A A 



