Og-| FLAME DIMINISHED BY ELECTRICITY. 



or made to We know too, that if a rstream of water be electrified, its 



spout farther velocity will be increased, and it will describe a larger pa- 

 by it. " . 



rabola. The reason of these phenomena is well known: 



they depend on the mutual repulsion of the particles of the 



water, all of them being electrified with the same kind of 



electricity. 

 Flame may be Hence it might be expected, that, flame being an as- 

 supposed to be gem b| a M- e of very subtile particles, if we could introduce 

 enlarged by it: . . ° . . „ . ., 



into it electricity of one kind, they must repel each other, 



and consequently the flame be enlarged, 

 but expert- '^ sa ^ s fy myself of the fact, I took a small vessel of 



merit metal filled with spirit ©f wine, and insulated it. By means 



of a metallic chain I formed a communication between the 

 vessel and the conductor of a good electrical machine of 

 glass. I kindled the spirit of wine without moving the ma- 

 chine, and observed the shape and magnitude of the flame, 

 shows the con- I turned the handle of the machine, and perceived, that its 

 trary. action occasioned a very considerable contraction of the 



flame. When I suspended the action of the machine, I 

 found, tbat the flame resumed its former dimensions. This 

 experiment, a thousand times repeated, constantly afforded 

 me the same results. 



I was at first puzzled to account for this, but I think I 

 have at length hit upon the true cause. 

 Electr'n ity is- We know, that electricity issuing out of a body to tra- 

 suing from verse the air repels it nearly in the same manner as powder 

 fham VyTts ' ac- repels the gun barrel in which it is burned. We know, 

 lioflrontheair; that by means of points dispersing in the air the electricity 

 accumulated in a star of metal very movable on a pivot we 

 occasion the star to turn very rapidly in a direction con- 

 trary to that of the points. We know too, that on this 

 principle Ferguson constructed a planetarium, which was 

 set in motion by electricity. We know also, that no sub- 

 stance disperses electricity more than flame does, 

 and )n the same If then electricity escape from all the points that consti- 

 mdijuer repels t ^ ^ su ,.f ace f fl amo these points must be repelled 

 trie name. ' t r 



back into the flame; consequently the flame will be com- 

 pressed, and its volume diminished. 



VI. 



