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New Experiments and Obfervations concern- 
ing EleSiricity . 
PAPER II. 
Of the Electricity of black and white Silk. 
Read May J7,TN my former paper, I gave the Society 
•*- an account of fome experiments, made 
with filk and worfted ftockings j by which it ap- 
peared, that the remarkable degree of electricity they 
had acquired, by being put upon the leg, depended 
on their being of different colours, namely, black 
and white. I did not then, nor do I yet, take upon 
me to determine the caufe of this phenomenon. 
Whether it be owing to light, which is the origin of 
colours ; or only to the ingredients, which enter into 
the compofition of the feveral dyes ; or to thofe con- 
junCtly with the colours they produce : in any of thefe 
views the matter is curious, and equally merits a care- 
ful inquiry. — But I fear the folution of this, and of 
many other difficult queftions concerning electricity, 
will depend upon the effiablifhment of a more perfect 
theory than we have yet attained to. Till we fhall 
be fo fortunate as to difcover the nature and proper- 
ties of the powers employed in thefe operations, we 
muft be fatisfied to purfue the path of experiment 
and obfervation, in quefl of thofe, as firft principles. 
This is the method I fhall continue to follow ; and 
having already fhewn the manner of electrifying the 
black and the white flocking, it is now my purpofe 
to give an account of the appearances and powers of 
that electricity fo excited. 
8 
Having 
