ELECTRICITY IN EQUILIBRIUM. ]Q 



These repulsions and attractions are supposed to act, not only 

 between two particlrs which are either perfectly or verv nearly in 

 contact with each other, but also between all other particles, at 

 all distances, wha'ever obstacles may be interposed between them. 

 Thus, if two electrified balls repel each other, the effect is not 

 impeded by the interposition of a plate of glass : and if any other 

 substance interposed appears to interfere with their mutual action, 

 it is in consequence of its own electrical affections. In these 

 respects, as well as in the law of their variation, the electrical 

 forces differ from the common repulsion which operates between 

 the particles of elastic fluids, and resemble more nearly that of 

 gravitation. Their intensity, when separately considered, is much 

 greater than that of gravitation, and they might be supposed to be 

 materially concerned in the great phaenomena of the universe ; but 

 in the common neutral state of all bodies, the electrical fluid, 

 \vhich is every where present, is so distributed, that the various 

 forces hold each other exactly in equilibrium, and the separate 

 results are destroyed ; unless we choose to consider gravitation 

 itself as arising from a comparatively slight inequality between the 

 electrical attractions and repulsions. 



The attraction of the electric fluid to common matter is shewn 

 by its communication, from one body to another, which is less 

 copiously supplied with it, as well as by many other phenomena ; 

 and this attraction of the fluid of the 6rst body, to the matter of 

 the second, is precisely equal to its repulsion for the quantity of 

 the fluid, which naturally belongs to the second, so as to saturate 

 the matter. For the excess or deficiency of the fluid in the first 

 body, does net immediately produce either attraction or repulsion, 

 so long as the natural distribution of the fluid in the second body 

 remains unaltered. 



Since also two neutral bodies, the matter which they contain 

 being saturated by the electric fluid, exhibit no attraction for each 

 other, the matter in the first must be repelled by the matter in the 

 second ; for its attraction for the fluid of the second would other- 

 wise remain uncompensated. We are, however, scarcely ju-ti- 

 fied in classing this mutual repulsion among the fundamental pro- 

 perties of matter ; for useful as these laws are in explaining 

 electrical appearances, they seem tu deviate too fur from tht- 

 magnificent simplicity of nature's works, to bo admitted as primary 

 consequences of the constitution of matter: they may, however, 



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