C 5*5 3 
HypOTHESISi 
N 
There is a fubftance, which I call the cleAric 
fiaid, the particles of which repel each other and 
attradf the particles of all other matter, with a force 
inverfely as fome lefs power of the difcance than the 
'cube : the particles of all other matter alfo, repel 
each other, and attra(fl thofe of the eleftric fluid, with 
a force varying according to the fame power of the 
diflances. Or, to exprefs it more concifely, if you 
look upon the eledtric fluid as matter of a contrary 
kind to other matter, the particles of all matter, both 
thofe of the eleflric fluid and of other matter, repel 
particles of the fame kind, and attradf thofe of a 
contrary kind, with a force inverfely as fome lefs 
power of the diftance than the cube. 
For the future, I would be underftood never to 
comprehend the eledtric fluid under the word matter, 
but only fome other fort of matter. 
'It is indifferent w’hether you fuppofe all forts of 
matter to be indued in an equal degree with the 
foregoing attradfion and repulflon, or whether you 
fuppofe fome forts to be indued with it in a - 
greater degree than others ; ‘but it is likely that the 
eledtric fluid is indued with this property in a much 
greater degree than other matter; for in all proba- 
bility the weight of the eledfric fluid iu anybody bears 
but a very flnall proportion to the weight of the 
matter ; but yet the force with which the cledlric 
fluid therein attradls any particle of matter mull be 
equal to the force with which the matter therein 
VoL, LXh '4^ -repek 
