4l6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1747. 



fectly suspended at right angles with their planes, like the trapezium of the geo- 

 meters, and touch neither of the -plates ; it will be extended likewise to its utmost 

 dimensions. You frequently observe, both at the top and bottom of the silver, 

 the electrical fire. The same effect is produced, if you reverse the experiment, 

 by electrifying the bottom plate, and suspending the other over it. Now Mr. 

 W. conceives, that the space occupied by this leaf of silver, is that where the 

 equilibrium of the electrical aether is restored; for if you take away the under 

 plate, through which from the floor the flux of this aether is furnished, or if that 

 plate be placed on an electric per se, by which this flux is prevented likewise, the 

 silver leaf is blown away. 



It may be imagined, that it is possible for the silver to be suspended, without 

 supposing a flux of the electrical aether from the nearest unexcited non-electric, as 

 well as from the excited one ; that is, by the simple electrical attraction. But to 

 obviate this, it must be remembered, that the electrified gim-barrel both attracts 

 and repels light substances at the same time. Can this attraction and repulsion 

 be conceived without the operation of the electrical aether both to and from the 

 gun-barrel at the same time? does not this point out an afflux as well as an efflux? 

 are not the electrical repulsions as strong at least as the attractions; do not we 

 see light bodies, either between excited originally-electrics, or excited non-elec- 

 trics, and unexcited non-electrics, dart like a ball between two rackets of equal 

 force ? 



Mr. W. proves the afflux experimentally, as well as the efflux, in the following 

 manner. When the silver lies still, though the motion of the globes is conti- 

 nued between the two plates, one suspended to the gun-barrel, and the other 

 placed on an electrical cake, a person standing on the floor needs only bring a 

 small glass siphon in a vessel of water, and apply its longer leg near the plate 

 placed on the wax ; for on this the silver is immediately suspended ; and the water, 

 which before only dropped, now nins in a full stream, and appears luminous.* 

 Does not, in this case, the current of the water point out the direction of the 

 current of electrical aether? 



Mr. W. now endeavours to show why our bodies are so shocked in the expe- 

 riments with the electrified water; the difficulty of which seemed unsurmount- 

 able, till he had made the following discoveries. 1 . That the electricity always 

 described a circuit between the electrified water and the gim-barrel. 2. That the 



* This experiment is more elegant, if the upper plate, attracting the silver, is suspended high 

 enough for a person standing on an originally-electric, conveniently to bring the other plate under it 

 with one hand, and to hold a pewter plate in the other. If the originally-electric is sufficiently 

 thick, the silver will not be supended; but if the glass siphon in a small vessel of water is brought 

 very near the pewter plate, the water runs into the plate, and the silver is immediately suspended. 

 — Orig. 



