3 2 RISEN B V PERSE VERANCE. 



r.ttracted by the excited substance were immediately after as 

 forcibly repelled by it, and could not be again attracted until 

 they had touched a third body. Other phenomena, too, 

 besides those of attraction and repulsion, were found to take 

 place when the body excited was one of sufficient magnitude. 

 If any other body not capable of being excited, such as the 

 human hand or a rod of metal, was presented to it, a slight 

 sound would be produced, which, if the experiment was 

 performed in a dark room, would be accompanied with a 

 momentary light. Lastly, it was discovered that the electric 

 virtue might be imparted to bodies not capable of being them- 

 selves excited ; by making such a body, when insulated, that is 

 to say separated from all other bodies of the same class by the 

 intervention of one capable of excitation, act either as the rubber 

 of the excited body, or as the drawer of a succession of sparks 

 from it, in the manner that has just been described. It was 

 said, in either of these cases, to be electrified ; and it was found 

 that if it was touched, or even closely approached, when in this 

 state, by any other body, in like manner incapable of being 

 excited by friction, a pretty loud report would take place, 

 accompanied, if either body was susceptible of feeling, with a 

 slight sensation of pain at the point of contact, and which would 

 instantly restore the electrified body to its usual and natural 

 condition. 



In consequence of its thus appearing that ail those bodies, 

 and only those, which could not be themselves excited, might 

 in this manner have electricity, as it were, transferred to them, 

 they were designated conductors, as well as noji-electrics ; while 

 all electrics, on the other hand, were also called non-conductors. 

 It is proper, however, that the reader should be aware, that of 

 the various substances in nature, none, strictly speaking, belong 



