i88i.] 
The Source of Electrie Energy. 
389 
A third possible relation of the electric energies remains, 
that really existing. And its existence may be a result of a 
vigorous reactive influence in the motive force of matter. If 
there be a tendency to reversal of disturbed conditions, 
which amounts to an active energy, then we can conceive 
of the possibility of a forcible production of conditions like 
those which really arise. A molecule has a normal condi- 
tion of motive energy. This is disturbed or divided into two 
separate conditions, to which we give the names of positive 
and negative electricity. But this disturbance takes place 
in opposition to a resisting energy, or a strong tendency in 
the molecule to retain or to resume its normal condition. 
The positive and negative energies on the poles of the same 
molecule tend to flow together and re-combine into the 
normal energy. But they also exert a like force exteriorly. 
Thus the positive seeks to satisfy itself from the possible 
negative of the adjacent molecule, and in doing so it 
exerts a disturbing force on the energies of this second 
molecule, causing a similar division of its normal motion 
into two components, of which the negative component 
occupies the adjoining pole, while the positive component is 
similarly related to the negative of a third molecule. So the 
negative pole of the first molecule exerts a similar decom- 
posing effect upon the energies of adjacent molecules. The 
constant tendency is to neutralisation of these disturbed con- 
ditions, and this result may take place either inwardly or 
outwardly. If neutralisation takes place inwardly the mole- 
cules simply resume their normal condition, and no evident 
change occurs. If it takes place outwardly, between the 
oppositely charged contiguous poles of adjacent molecules, 
a positive transfer of motive force results, and it is this 
transfer of force which we know as electric conduction. 
Inductive action acts inwardly upon the interior mole- 
cules of the charged conductor as well as outwardly upon 
surrounding matter. Each molecule, in fact, acts as an 
independent body, and affetts those with which it is imme- 
diately as well as those with which it is remotely connected. 
Thus in the charged conductor every molecule acts induc- 
tively upon all the remaining molecules. There is, conse- 
quently, an equal inductive effect in opposite directions upon 
all the interior molecules. The disturbance of their energies 
produced by the charge in one direction must be balanced 
by an equal disturbance produced by the charge in the 
opposite direction. From this balance of opposite energies 
neutrality must arise. 
Thus the interior of the charged conductor is electrically 
