[ 4*8 ] 
to the file, and plainly aCted as a negative elec- 
tric. 
EXPERIME NT IX. 
Having neatly rounded off the corners of a 
piece of thin talc, about three inches fquare ; I 
coated both the fides of it, within three quarters 
of an inch of the edges, with tin-foil, which I 
alfo rounded off at the corners. The talc, thus 
prepared, I obferved would readily charge, with- 
out wiping, or drying the uncoated part ; and the 
force of the fhock, in the difcharge, was really 
aftonifhing. 
Having been {hewn, by my late truly ingenious 
friend Mr. canton, an eleCtric fpark, of a very 
beautiful crimfon colour , which always appeared as 
it was drawn over , or through , a piece of fmooth 
wood, at the top of the conduhlor-Jland , and which 
was fuppofed by fome gentlemen, to be the light 
of electricity, very thinly fpread upon the furface 
of the wood; I was exceedingly delirous to know 
from what caufe this phenomenon really pro- 
ceeded ; and for that purpofe made the following 
experiment, 
EXPERIMENT X, 
I fixed between two balls, introduced into the 
circuit of an eledtric drfeharge, a piece of fmooth 
wainfeot, about two inches in diameter, and a quar- 
ter of an inch thick ; when, upon making the dif- 
charge of a pretty large jar, f obferved the wainfeot 
to be nearly covered with the eledtric light, the outer 
parts, or edges of the light, were exceedingly thin, 
but the colour very white ; as it was alfo in feveral 
■2 other 
