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§ XVIII. The Expiofions from the large GlafTes juft 
mention'd fully electrifed, as well as from fmall 
ones under the fame Cite urn fiances, will not be con- 
siderable, unlcfs the Circuit, frequently mention’d 
in my Writings upon this Subjcd, be completed ; 
that is, unlefs fome Matter, non-electric in a con- 
fide table Degree, and in Contact with the Coatings 
of the Phials, is brought into Contact, or nearly fo, 
with fuch Non-electrics as communicate with the 
Matter contained in the Phials themfelves. When 
indeed the Circuit can be completed, the Expiofon 
trom the large Glafies is prodigious, the whole 
Quantity of Electricity therein accumulated, or nearly 
fo, being difeharged in an Infant. But the Fad is 
otherwife, if the Circuit is not completed, and the 
iron Rod in the Mouth of one of thefe Phials is 
touched by a Non-eledric (the Hand of a Man, for 
Inftance) not in Contad with rhe tail Wire: For 
then there will be no Expiofon, no Shocks but the 
Perfon, approaching his Finger near the iron Rod, 
will fee a Succeflion of fmall Sparks, more intenfely 
red than that large one feen, when the Phials ex- 
plode at once j and the Perfon making the Experi- 
ment, will feel a very pungent Pain, but confined 
to that Finger which {touches the iron Rod. This 
Succeflion of Sparks continues, until the Eledricity 
accumulated in rhe Phials is nearly exhaufted. So that 
the Explofion from any given Quantity of Eledri- 
city, accumulated as before -mention’d, is greater 
or lefs in proportion to the Time expended in make- 
ing that Explofion : In like manner as a given Quan- 
3 ' tity 
