[ *96 ] 
the communicated ele&ricity was always pofitive ; 
the fame with that of the iniide of the jar ; but the «■ 
quantity of it was fo fmall, that the moft exquifite 
contrivance was neceffary to afcertain the nature of 
it; for though, upon this occafion, the lateral fpark 
was near a quarter of an inch in length, the threads 
on the infulated tube could only be made, by the 
explofion, to change their pofition, from leaning a 
little one way, to leaning as much the other, in 
the neighbourhood of an infulated brafs rod, 
loaded with a fmall quantity of pofitive or negative 
electricity. 
I could not help, however, being furprized, that 
fo large a fpark fhould give no more electricity to 
the infulated tube, than it appeared to have done ; 
when, in other circumftances, a fpark ten times lefs 
than this would have made a great and permanent 
alteration : yet, improbable as thefe circumftances 
were, I entertained no doubt at that time, but that 
thefe infulated bodies were electrified, either politively 
or negatively, according as the infide of the jar was 
pofitive or negative, by this lateral explofion, though 
the degree was exceeding fmall; and I continued in 
this perfuafion the longer, as it happened to be a 
confiderable time before I got another fpark that 
communicated no fenfible eleCfricity. I cannot help 
taking notice, that if it had happened, that, in my 
iirft experiment, the infulated tube had always ac- 
quired or loft the leaft fenfible electricity (and, as I 
afterwards found, there were many chances againft 
the firft rel'ult) I fhould have formed, and have ac- 
quiefced in, fome fort of hypothefis, to account for 
the giving or receiving of ele&ricity in thofe circum- 
flances, 
