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were really two diftiri(5t fpecies of this fire, oppofite 
in their nature j the afore-mentioned experiments 
would have a very different confequence from what 
appears. For if the vapours were impregnated by 
the vitreous fire, they muft abforb, or fome way 
difturb, the refiiious fire, which electrifies the down, 
and fo vice verfa: but we find, that the fame vapour, 
with its eleCtric fire, paffes through the electrified 
down in the fame manner, whether it be eleCtiified 
by glafs or refin. But I will not detain you on this 
fubjeCt. 
The electricity remaining in the eleCtrified down 
after thefe experiments made it appear, that the 
fmoke and fleams mufl be either eleCtrics, or non- 
eleCtrics eleCtrified. It was cafy to fuppofe them 
non-eleCtrics, as they arife from non-eleftric bodies ; 
and the more, becaufe the highefi; eleCtrics by a dif- 
continuity and comminution of their parts (long be- 
fore they come to be as minute as the particles of 
afcending vapour), become non-eleCtrics, or conduc- 
tors of electricity. For glafs, refin, wax, &c. all 
become non-eleCtric, even in fufion. But to try 
whether the fleams, drc. were non-eleCtrics, I only 
bedew’d the wax and glafs with my breath, fleams, 
&c. from my hand to the end of the wax and glafs > 
and then touching the eleCtrified down with the end 
of the wax or glafs, I found, that the eleClrical fire 
immediately pafied from the down into my hand, 
through the fleams, &c. which refled upon the wax 
and glafs. Which, I think, fufficiently proves the 
fleams,' &c. to be non-eleCtric ; and I think, that it 
as plainly appears, that they are all eleCtrified while 
afcending, becaufe the eledrical fire in the down 
VoL. X does 
