C 305 ] 
hand and body, by that atmofphere, and the finger 
becomes, as well as the threads, negatively eledlrifed, 
and fo repels, and is repelled by them. To con- 
firm this, hold a {lender light lock of cotton, two or 
three inches long, near a prime condu6tor, that is 
eledlrified by a glafs globe, or tube. You will fee 
the cotton ft: retch itfelf out towards the prime con- 
du(flor. Attempt to touch it with the finger of the 
other hand, and it will be repelled by the finger. 
Approach it with a pofitively charged wire of a bot- 
tle, and it will fly to the wire. Bring near it a ne- 
gatively charged wire of a bottle, it will recede from 
that wire in the fame manner, that it did from the 
finger ; which demonftrates the finger to be nega- 
tively ele(ftrifed, as well as the lock of cotton (b 
fituated. 
LI I. ExtraB of a Letter concerning EleEiri- 
cityy from Mr, B. Franklin to Mmf De- 
libard, inch fed in a Letter to Mr, Peter 
Collinfon, F, R, S, 
Philadelphia, June 29, 1755.. 
Read Dec. QU defire my opinion of Pere Bec- 
X caria’s Italian book. I have read it 
with much pleafure, and think it one of the beft 
pieces on the fubjed;, that I have feen in any lan- 
guage. Yet as to the article of water-fpouts, I am 
not at prefent of his fentiments j though I muft own 
with you, that he has handled it very ingenioufly. 
Mr. Collinfon has my opinion of whirlwinds and 
VoL. 4 p, R’ r water- 
