CAPILLAR Y A TTRA CTION. 



work out this theory without taking into account 

 the molecular motions which we know to be in- 

 herent in matter, and to constitute its heat. But 

 so far as the main phenomena of capillary attrac- 

 tion are concerned, it is satisfactory to know that 

 the complete molecular theory could not but lead 

 to the same resultant action in the aggregate as if 

 water and the solids touching it were each utterly 

 homogeneous to infinite minuteness, and were acted 

 on by mutual forces of attraction sufficiently strong 

 between portions of matter which are exceedingly 

 near one another, but utterly insensible between 

 portions of matter at sensible distances. This idea 

 of attraction insensible at sensible distances (what- 

 ever molecular view we may learn, or people not 

 now born may learn after us, to account for the 

 innate nature of the action,) is indeed the key to 

 the theory of capillary attraction, and it is to 

 Hawkesbee l that we owe it. Laplace 2 took it up 



1 Transactions Royal Society, vols. xxvi., xxvii. 1709 1713; or 

 abridged edition, by Dr. Hutton and others, vol. v. p. 464, et seq. 



2 Mecanique Celeste, supplement to the tenth book, published 

 1806 ; also Supplement & la Thtorie de F Action capillaire, forming 

 a second supplement to the tenth book. 



