[ 475 3 
in neighbouring bodies ; and that its difcharge is 
obtained through a portion of air, and is ac- 
companied with light and found ; nothing of 
which occurs with refpeCt to the Torpedo. 
The inaCtion of the eleCtricity of the animal in. 
thefe particulars, whilft its elaftic force is fo great 
as to tranfmit the effeCt through an extenfve cir- 
cuit and in its courfe to communicate a fhock, may 
be a new phaenomenon, but is no ways repug- 
nant to the laws of electricity ; for here too, the 
operations of the animal may be imitated by art. 
The fame quantity of eleCtric matter, according 
as it is ufed in a denfe or rare ftate, will produce 
the different confequences. For example, a fmali 
Phial, whofe coated furface meafures only fix 
fquare inches, will, on being highly charged, 
contain a denfe eleCtricity capable of forcing a 
paffage through an inch of air, and afford the 
phenomena of light, found, attraction, and re- 
pulfion. But if the quantity condenfed in this 
Phial, be made rare by communicating it to three 
large connected jars, whcfe coated furfaces fhall 
form together an area 400 times larger than that 
of the Phial (I inftance thefe jars becaufe they 
are fuch as I life) ; it will, thus dilated, yield all 
the negative phenomena, if I may fo call them, 
of the Torpedo ; it will not now pafs the hun- 
dredth part of that inch of air, which in its con- 
denfed ftate it fprung through with eafe ; it will 
now refufe the minute interfeCtion in the ft rip of 
tinfoil ; the fpark and its attendant found, even the 
attraction or repulfion of light bodies, will now 
Q q q 2 be 
