Additional Notes. 445 



>Eptnus'5 Theory of Electriciti/. p. 26. 



Mr. yEpiNUs, of the Imperial Academy of Sr. Petcisburgh, 

 has attempted to class ihc phenomena of Electricity and 

 Magnetism in a mathematical method. In the course of 

 his work he gives some views of the subject, which are 

 new, and highly ingenious, and, as some good judges sup- 

 pose, calculated to surmount many difficulties, and t(; an- 

 swer many questions which occur in considering the Frank- 

 linian theory. — The leading principles of his plan are com- 

 prehended in the following propositions. 



The phenomena of electricity are produced by a fluid of 

 peculiar nature, and therefore called the Electric jiuid^ hav- 

 ing the following properties. 



1 . Its particles repel each other with a force decreasing as 

 the distances Increase. 



2. Its particles attract the particles of some ingredients in 

 all other bodies, with a force decreasing, according to the 

 same law, with an increase of distance; and this attraction is 

 mutual. 



3. The electric fluid is dispersed in the pores of other bo- 

 dies, and moves with various degrees of facility through the 

 pores of dilxerent kinds of matter. In those bodies which 

 we call non-tlectrics^ such as water, or metals, it moves 

 without any perceivable obstruction; but in glass, resins, and 

 all bodies called electrics, it moves with very great difficulty, 

 or is altogether immoveable. 



4. The phenomena of electricity are of two kinds: — 1. 

 Such as arise fiom the actual motion of the fluid from a 

 body containing more, into one containing less of it. 2. 

 Such as do not immediarely arise from this transference, but 

 are instances of its attraction and repulsion. 



These principles are applied at great length, and with a 

 pleasing degree of precision, by the ingenious theorist, to the 

 Ley den Phial, and to the various phenomena of electric at- 

 traction and repulsion. It will be readily seen that ^Epinus 

 adopts, in substance, the theory of Frankt.in, of wliich, in 

 some particulars, he presents new and more satisfactory views 

 than the American philosopher. In the sixty-first volume of 

 the Philosophical Transactions there is a Dissertation, by the 

 Hon. Mr. Cavendish, on this subject, which he considers 

 as an extension and more accurate application of .-Epinus's 

 theory. 



