Experiment I. 
If a glafs Tube is rubbed by a very dry Hand, 
and a Finger is brought near any Part of it, a Spark 
of Fire will feem to iffue from it, and ftrike againft 
the Finger 5 and if the Finger is carried at a like 
Diftance from the End of the Tube towards the 
Hand in which it is held, a Number of Sparks at a 
fmall Diftance from each other will be feen coming 
from it, and a fnapping Noife will be heard. The 
Tube is then faid to be excited, or to be electrical; 
and at l'ome times, when it is ftrongly excited. 
Sparks will ifliie from the Tube in Streams, not 
only while it is rubbing, but will continue to dart 
out from it for a coniiderable time after the Rub- 
bing has ceafed, and a very ftrong offenfive Smell 
will be perceived. 
Exp. II. 
If the Tube, when thus excited, is held over 
fome Pieces of Leaf-Gold, or any light Bodies what- 
foever, they will be attracted towards it ; and the 
more ftrongly the Tube is excited, the greater Di- 
ftance they will be attracted from; and when they 
come near the Tube (tho’ without touching it) they 
will be repelled from it, and continue to be fo, un- 
leis touched by fome other Body, when they will 
be attracted by the Tube as before : But if the Tube 
is but weakly excited, they will be attracted quite 
to the Tube, to which they will fometimes adhere, 
without being repell’d from it. 
E xp. 
