308 On the Adhesion of the Particles 



that of several others of the same sort, which can readily 

 be performed, is added the evidence furnished by the 

 certain knowledge which we have of a strong adhesion 

 which exists among the particles of water, and of the 

 effect which this adhesion must necessarily produce at 

 the surface of the liquid, it seems to me impossible to 

 call into doubt the existence of a resisting layer extremely 

 thin at the surface of the water. 



In announcing the existence of a sort of pellicle at 

 the surface of liquids, I was far from thinking that it 

 was a new idea. I am aware that several philosophers, 

 and among others one of our celebrated colleagues, M. 

 Monge, had suspected it before I did, but I think that I 

 was the first to devise and perform decisive experiments 

 which have established the fact beyond doubt ; and it is 

 certain that the observations that I have published on 

 the effect which the adhesion of the particles of liquids 

 to each other must have in the economy of Nature, have 

 been borrowed from no one. 



If the existence of a resisting film at the surfaces of 

 liquids has just been confirmed by the results of the 

 learned analytical researches of one of our celebrated col- 

 leagues, I ought, without doubt, to regard this event 

 as a proof very flattering to me, that my conjectures on 

 this subject were not ill founded. 



I know that there are some persons who imagine 

 that the results of the calculations of the illustrious 

 author of the Mecanique Celeste on the rising of liquids 

 in capillary tubes are opposed to the opinions which 

 I have published on the adhesion of the particles of 

 liquids to each other ; but, as far as I have been able to 

 understand the data on which these calculations are 

 founded, it seems evident to me that the attraction with 



