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When the Hand was eledtrifed pofitively, I fup- 
pole, that the natural quantity of eledtricity in the 
air being increafed on one fide, by what iffiued from 
the points, the needle was attradled by the leffer 
quantity on the other fide. When eledtrifed nega- 
tively, I fuppofe, that the natural quantity of eledtri- 
city in the air was diminifhed near the points ; in 
confequence whereof, the equilibrium being deftroyed, 
the needle was attradted by the greater quantity on 
the oppofite fide. 
The dodtrine of repulfion in eledtrifed bodies, I 
begin to be fomewhat doubtful of. I think all the 
phenomena, on which it is founded, may be well 
enough accounted for without it. Will not cork 
balls, eledtrifed negatively, feparate as far as when 
eledtrifed pofitively ? And may not their feparation, 
in both cafes, be accounted for upon the fame prin- 
ciple ; namely, the mutual attradtion of the natural 
quantity in the air, and that which is denfer, or rarer 
in the cork ball ? It being one of the effablifhed laws 
of this fluid, that quantities of different denfities fhall 
mutually attradt each other, in order to reflore the 
equilibrium. 
I can fee no reafon to conclude, that the air has not 
its fhare of the common flock of eledtricity as well 
as glafs, and, perhaps, all other eledtrics per fe. For 
tho’ the air will admit bodies to be eledtrifed in it 
either pofitively or negatively, and will not readily 
carry off the redundancy in the one cafe, or fupply 
the deficiency in the other j 
EXP. 
