176 



this lire is joined with that which was mixed with 

 the air, it is sufficient to do it. On the same principle 

 we account for the increase of a coal or wood-fire, by 

 blowing it. 



And let none wonder, that fire should be so connected 

 with air as hardly to be separated. As subtil as tire is, 

 we may even by art attach it to other bodies ; yea, and 

 keep it prisoner fer many years : and that, either in a 

 solid or fluid form. An instance of the first we have in 

 steel ; which is made such, only by impacting a large 

 quantity of fire into bars of iron. In like manner, we 

 impact a great quantity of fire into stone to make lime. 

 An instance of the second kind we have in spirits, where- 

 in fire is imprisoned in a fluid form ; hence common 

 spirits will burn all away. And if you throw into the 

 air, spirits rectified to the highest degree, not one drop 

 will come down again, but the universal fire will take 

 bold of and absorb it all. 



That this fire subsists both in air, earth, and water : 

 that it is diffused through all and every part of the uni- 

 \erse, was suspected by many of the ancient naturalists, 

 and Idieved by the great Sir Isaac Newton. But oJ 

 late years it has been fully demonstrated : particularly 

 by Mr. Stephen Gray, a pensioner at the Charter-house, 

 who some years since presented to the Royal Society, au 

 account of many experiments he had made, whereby 

 this subtle fluid became clearly perceptible both to the 

 sight and feeling. Because the glass tube, by means o.i 

 which those experiments were made, was observed when 

 rubbed to attract straws and other light bodies, (a known 

 property of amber, called in latin electrum) these experi- 

 ments were termed electrical : a word which was soou 

 affixed to that subtil fluid itself, and every thing per- 

 taining to it. But improperly enough, seeing the at- 

 tracting (or seeming to attract) straws and feathers, is 

 one of the most inconsiderable of all the effects, wrought 

 by this powerful and universal cause. 



U \yas afterwards found,, that a glass globe was prefer- 



