179 



-with woulu be unfit for respiration, Here we see 



>er occasion to adore that wisdonv which has made 

 ail things by weight and measure. 



The form of every electric atmosphere is that of the 

 body which', it surrounds, because it is attracted by every 

 part of the' surface, though it cauuot enter the substance 

 already replete. Without this attraction, it would not 

 remain round the body, but dissipate into the air. 



The atmosphere of an electrified sphere is not rnore 

 equally drawn oir from any one part of it than from ano- 

 ther, because it is easily attracted by every part. But it 

 is not so with bodies of other figures, From a cube it is 

 more easily drawn off at the corners that at the sides : 

 and so from the corners of bodies of any other form, 

 and most easily from the sharpest corners. 'For the 

 force with which an electrified b< dy retains its atmos- 

 phere is proportioned to the surface on which that at- 

 mosphere rests. So a surface four .inches square retains 

 its atmosphere with sixteen times the force that one of 

 an inch square does. And as in pulling the hairs from a 

 Horses tail, a force insufficient to pull off a handful at 

 once, could easily pull it off hair, by hair: so though, a 

 blunt body cannot draw off alt the atmosphere at once, 

 a pointed one can easily draw it off particle by particle. 



While the electric fire, which is in all bodies, is left to 

 itself, undisturbed by any external violence, it is more 

 or less dense, according to the nature of the body w Inch- 

 it is in. In dense, bodies it is more rare : in rare bodies 

 it is more dense. Accordingly every body contains such 

 a quantity of it, rare or dense, as is suitable, to its 

 nature. And there is some resistance to every endeavour 

 of altering its density, in the whole of any body, or iu 

 any part of it. For all bodies resist either the increase 

 or diminution of their natural quantity. And on the 

 other hand, when it lias been either increased or dimi- 

 nished, there is a resistance to its return to Us natural 

 state. 



With regard to the different resistance niade by Jif 

 r 5 



