Mr. cavendish on the Torpedo. 197 
One of the principal difficulties attending the fuppo- 
fition, that thefe phenomena are produced by electricity, 
is, that a ffiock may be perceived when the fiffi is held 
under water; and in other circumftances, where the 
eleCtric fluid hath a much readier paffage than through 
the perfon’s body. To explain this, it mutt be confidered, 
that when a jar is electrified, and any number of different, 
circuits are made between its pofitive and negative lide, 
l'ome electricity will neceffarily pafs along each ; but a 
greater quantity will pafs through thole in which it meets 
with lefs refiftance, than thofe in which it meets with 
more. For inftance, let a perfon take fome yards of very 
fine wire, holding one end in each hand, and let him dis- 
charge the jar by touching the outfide with one end of 
the wire, and the inlide with the other; he will feel a 
ffiock, provided the jar is charged high enough; but lefs 
than if he had difcharged it without holding the wire in 
his hands ; which ffiew r s,that part of the eleCiricity paffes 
through his body, and part through the wire.. Some elec- 
tricians indeed feem to have fuppofed that the eleCtric 
fluid paffes only along the fhortell and readied: circuit ;. 
but befides that fuch a fuppofition would be quite con- 
trary to what is ohferved in all other fluids, it does not 
agree with experience. What feems to have led to this 
miftake is, that in difcharging a jar by a wire held in 
both hands,, as in the above mentioned experiment, the 
perfon will feel no ffiock, unlefs either the wire is very 
long and llender, or the jar is very large and highly 
charged. The realon of which is, that metals conduct 
fur^ 
