of ilie Electric Force traversing Interposed Media. 191 



metal, water, or air) originating, while the electrical states 

 induced upon the particles give the direction to the electrolytic 

 action. 



From what has been said above, we may, I think, presume 

 that an electric current originates in a natural electro-induc- 

 tive power of bodies when brought into contact, and is con- 

 tinued by alternate states of induction and equilibrium, the 

 rapidity of change of state constituting its intensity. And 

 inasmuch as the accumulation of the electric aether on the sur- 

 face of the particles by the inductive force, and its recession 

 on each return to a state of equilibrium produces what may 

 be called an oscillation in the jether, the theory may be other- 

 wise stated thus: — the mass of oscillatino- aether which sur- 

 rounds the particles constitutes the quantity, while the rapidity 

 of the oscillations constitutes the intensity of an electric cur- 

 rent. 



The late experiments of Dr. Faraday upon induction 

 (Eleventh Series) showing that an insulated body (the particles 

 of bodies may be presumed to be such) cannot receive an 

 absolute charge of electricity, but only an inductive charge, 

 afford a strong argument in favour of my views. 



The theory proposed in this paper, and deduced from the 

 experiments of Sir H. Davy, given in his Bakerian Lectures, 

 is an extension of the views therein developed, reconciles the 

 contact with the chemical theory, and reduces to the laws of 

 statical electricity cdl the phaenomena of electricity in motion. 

 I will now endeavour to show how the law of the definite 

 nature of electro-chemical decomposition, so beautifully de- 

 veloped by Dr. Faraday, follows as a consequence from this 

 theory. Were the particles of all bodies endued with the 

 same quantity of electricity, and of the same density, it is 

 evident from the laws of statical electricity, that no one body 

 could have an attraction or repulsion for another; conse- 

 quently, it is an evident fact, that the quantity and density 

 of the electric aether varies in different bodies ; and as, from 

 the theory above stated, electricity never leaves the particles, 

 but merely (to use the words of statical electricity) accumu- 

 lates upon the surface, and returns, it follows that the elec- 

 trical states of the particles of bodies are constant and unal- 

 terable, and therefore it is obvious that the law discovered by 

 Dr. Faraday follows as a consequence from this hypothesis, 

 which is at once clear and simple, which includes all the phae- 

 nomena, and is but a reference of the laws of statical electri- 

 city to the p><^t'ticles of bodies in place of their masses. 



