243 



violently attracted by that body : and that it it is cvea 

 by virtue of this very attraction that it is flying off from 

 it. He would probably ask, what more it could do f 

 pray, were it really to be repelled 1 



Had the system of electricity, and of repulsion, as 

 well as attraction, been known and established in the 

 last age, doubtless the profound genius of Newton would 

 have called it to his aid, and perhaps accounted in a 

 more satisfactory manner for many of the great pheno- 

 mena of the heavens. 



To the best of my remembrance, we know of ne body 

 that possesses, in any considerable degree, the power of 

 attraction, that in certain circumstances does not likewise 

 possess the power of repulsion : the magnet, the tour- 

 malin, amber, glass, and every electrical substance. 

 Now, from analogy, as we find the sun so powerfully' 

 endowed with attraction, wby may we not likewise 

 suppose him to be possessed of repulsion? Indeed, 

 this very power seems to be confessed by the Newtoni- 

 ans, to reside in the sun in a most wonderful degree ; 

 for they assure us, he repels the rays or light with such 

 amazing force, that they fly upwards of 80 millions of 

 miles in seven minutes. Now why should we confine 

 this repulsion to the rays of light only ? As they are 

 material, may not other matter brought near his body* 

 be aiiected in the same manner 7 Indeed one would 

 imagine, that their motion alone would create the most 

 violent repulsion ; and that the force with which they 

 are perpetually flowing from the sun, would most effec- 

 TUcilU prevent every other body from approaching him ; 

 foi um we tiud is the constant effect of a rapid stream 

 of any other nature. But let us examine a liUle more 

 his effects upt)n comets. The tails of these bodies are 

 probably their atmospheres, rendered highly electrical, 

 either from the violence of their motion, or from their 

 proxi?-:iiy to the sun. Of all the bodies v*e knov\, there 

 is none in so constant ami so vioi'-nt an electrical state, 

 as the higher regions of our own atmosphere. Of this 

 1 have long been convinced ; for send up a kite with a 



VOL. III. . 'M 



