[ 2I 7 ] 
will Teem ro be greatly favonred by the following 
Experiment. 
If fome of the Fibres of a Down-Feather be faft- 
' cned to the End of a lmall Skewer or Wire, and 
made electrical, they will ftrongly repel each other, 
and will expand themfelves on all Sides to the 
greateft Diftance poffible from each other ; but if a 
non electric Perfon bring the Point of a Pair of 
Compares, or any other fmall-pointed Body near 
them, they will be' repell’d from it, and driven up 
together as with a Blaft of Wihd, and, in the dark, 
a Light will be fecn as iffuing from the Point ; from 
whence it might be concluded, that the Fibres are 
repel I’d by Effluvia iffuing out of the Point of the 
Non- electric. 
As the Abbe Nolle? endeavours to account for 
the Attraction of Electricity on this Principle, I 
fhall offer Tome Confiderations, which, notwith- 
ftanding thefe Appearances, have induced me to 
be of a different Opinion j and they are founded 
on the following Obfervations. 
Firfiy That however replete any Bodies may be 
with the electric Matter, none of thefe ‘Phe- 
nomena are ever produced, unlefs th t Effluvia 
are firft excited in fome particular Body, and 
put in Motion, either by rubbing, or fome 
fuch-like Operation. 
Secondly , That the Effluvia are not to be equally 
excited in all Bodies, but much (Longer in fome 
than in others ; and that, in particular, they are 
not capable of being at all excited in Metals 
by Friction. 
Thirdly 3 
