C 387 ] 
make it evident, that there are two diftinCt kinds of 
electricity ; and the influence of thofe in making the 
plates cohere, feems naturally to denote, in concur- 
rence with the experiments mentioned in the former 
part of this paper, two diftinCt and counteracting 
powers, correfponding with the two different kinds 
of electricity. 
If, upon the whole, the arguments I have brought 
to prove the exiftence of two diftinCt powers in elec- 
tricity, are found to be conclufive, it may, perhaps, 
be expeCted of me to fay fomething of the nature of 
thofe powers. Without entering into any particular 
theory, or indulging myfelf in loofe conjecture, I fhall 
take the liberty to offer a few confiderations, fuch as 
occur to me on this occafion. 
All we know of aCtive powers, extends no farther 
than as we perceive them to be effeCts of a power 
ftill more general j or as we find them producing 
effeCts according to certain laws. I have not been 
able to trace the powers of eleCtricity farther back, 
than the obfervations I have given above, have led me. 
I do not therefore take upon me to determine, whe- 
ther they confifl of the finer parts of matter, confti- 
tuting an aCtive and elaftic fluid, the elafticity of that 
fluid remaining ftill to be accounted for $ or if they 
are of a fubftance yet more fubtile and aCtive, of 
which, however, we have hitherto been able to form 
no diftinCt idea. Whatever other power they may be 
the immediate effeCts of, or whatever be the fecret 
and imperceptible manner in which they aCt, the 
more interefling objeCt of our inquiry, is to know the 
laws according to which they aCt, and how far their 
operations extend in the material world, 
D d d 1 The 
