6 Quarterly German Magazine.' 



of all resins is (like sealing-wax) negative, when excited by- 

 friction; and this phenomenon was first remarked in Amber., 

 which belongs also to these resinous substances and the whole 

 series of phenomena is called electricity from the Grecian name 

 for amber (Elektron). 



If we bring the two balls together, the one which had 

 been touched by the glass and the other by the sealing-wax, 

 they will attract each other equally, as they are laden withj 

 electricity of a similar kind; but at the moment of colHsioi 

 they fall away from one another, and prove themselves 

 non-electric. The two opposite states of electricity have united 

 themselves and the balls contain again both electricities in 

 equal quantities und are therefore non-electric. 



We win now rub against each other a piece of glass and 

 a piece of ribbon which is tightly stretched out, and then 

 touch the two balls, which have become non-electric, the one 

 with the piece of glass, the other wi\h the piece of ribbon. 

 Both appear again electric, and indeed, the ball touched by 

 the glass will be repelled, while, on the other hand, it will 

 be attracted by the ribbon. The case is just the contrary 

 with the other baU. We then see, that both the bodies, 

 which have been rubbed against one another, have become 

 electrical, but that both receive an opposite state of electri- 

 city. This proposition is always valid, when two bodies are 

 rubbed together, and w^e leam from it, that no electricity can j 

 he excited by friction^ but that only an ulterior distHbution qf^ 

 both the electric fluids takes jilace, so that in the one a 5wr- • 

 plus of positive electricity is accumulated^ and in the other of \ 

 negative. 



If we rub a rod of metal, which we hold in the hand, 

 with wool, we cannot prove, that there exists the slightest 



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