PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 



I . Experimen ta I Research es in Electricity . — Eleven th Series. By M i c h ae l Far ad a y, Esq . , 

 D.C.L. F.R S. Fuller ian Prof. Chem. Royal Institution, Corr. Memb. Royal and 

 Imp. Acadd. of Sciences, Paris, Petershurgh, Florence, Copenhagen, Berlin, 8^c. ^c. 



Received November 30, — Read December 21, 1837. 



^. 18. On Induction. ^ i. Induction an action of contiguous particles. 

 ^ ii. Absolute charge of matter. ^ iii. Electrometer and inductive 

 apparatus employed. ^ iv. Induction in curved lines. ^ v. Specific 

 inductive capacity. ^ vi. General results as to induction. 



^ i. Induction an action of contiguous particles. 



1161. 1 HE science of electricity is in that state in which every part of it requires 

 experimental investigation ; not merely for the discovery of new effects, but, what is 

 just now of far more importance, the development of the means by which the old 

 effects are produced, and the consequent more accurate determination of the first 

 principles of action of the most extraordinary and universal power in nature : — and to 

 those philosophers who pursue the inquiry zealously yet cautiously, combining expe- 

 riment with analogy, suspicious of their preconceived notions, paying more respect 

 to a fact than a theory, not too hasty to generalize, and above all things, willing at 

 every step to cross-examine their own opinions, both by reasoning and experiment, 

 no branch of knowledge can afford so fine and ready a field for discovery as this. 

 Such is most abundantly shown to be the case by the progress which electricity has 

 made in the last thirty years : Chemistry and Magnetism have successively acknow- 

 ledged its over-ruling influence; and it is probable that every effect depending upon 

 the powers of inorganic matter, and perhaps most of those related to vegetable and 

 animal life, will ultimately be found subordinate to it. 



1162. Amongst the actions of different kinds into which electricity has conven- 

 tionally been subdivided, there is, I think, none which excels, or even equals in im- 

 portance that called Induction. It is of the most general influence in electrical phe- 

 nomena, appearing to be concerned in every one of them, and has in reality the 



MDCCCXXXVIII. B 



