Hypotheses regarding the electric fluid 1 1 3 



near together as when they are at a distance; but I think it has already 

 been sufficiently proved that these atmospheres cannot extend to any 

 sensible distance from their respective bodies. 



COR. IV. If two bodies are placed near together and then equally 

 negatively electrified, they will each be undercharged, but less so (id est, 

 they will contain more electricity) than if placed at a distance. 



This phenomenon cannot be accounted for on the foregoing sup- 

 position. 



205] COR. V. If a body overcharged with electricity be brought near 

 a body not electrified and not insulated, part of the electric fluid will be 

 driven out of this body, and it will become undercharged. 



But if the body be insulated, as in that case the electric fluid cannot 

 escape from it, it will not become undercharged, but the electric fluid 

 within it will be more compressed than in its natural state, id est, the 

 body will become positively electrified, and will remain so as long as the 

 overcharged body remains near it, but will be restored to its natural state 

 as soon as the overcharged body is taken away, provided no electricity 

 has escaped during the meantime. 



This is in effect the same case as that described in the 5th experiment 

 of Mr Canton's paper in the 48th vol. of [the Philosophical] Transactions, 

 p. 353, and is explained by him much in the same manner as is done here. 



206] COR. VI. If a body positively electrified in such a manner that 

 if it is by any means made more or less capable of containing electricity, 

 the electric fluid shall run into it from without or shall run out of it, so 

 as to keep it always equally electrified, be brought near another body 

 not electrified and not insulated, the second body will thereby be rendered 

 undercharged, whereby the first body will become more capable of con- 

 taining electricity, and consequently will become more overcharged than 

 it would otherwise be with the same degree of electrification. This again 

 will make the second body more undercharged, which again will make the 

 first body more overcharged, and so on. 



It must be observed here, that if the two bodies are brought so near 

 together that their action on one another shall be considerable, the 

 electricity will jump from one to the other; otherwise if the two bodies 

 were brought so near together that their distance should not be greater 

 than the thickness of the glass in the Leyden bottle, it seems likely that 

 the first body might receive many times as much additional electricity as 

 it would otherwise receive by the same degree of electrification ; and that 

 the second body would lose many times as much electricity as it would 

 by the same degree of negative electrification. 



If the second body be negatively electrified, the same effect will be 

 produced in a greater degree. 



c. P?I. 8 



