new Experiments in Electricity, &c. 27 
drawing it out, brought a very accurate electrometer 
near it, and obferved, that at firft it Ihevved no fign of 
electricity; but in about half a minute’s time it mani- 
fefted a fmall but very feniible degree of negative eleCtri- 
city. A glafs tube, treated in the fame manner, was de- 
praved of all its electricity by the water. 
II. I have often remarked, that after having excited a 
glafs tube with the amalgamated rubber in the ufual 
manner, the part of it which had been under my hand 
was negative. This minus ftate was ftiil more confpicuous 
when I grafped with my hand the part next above, viz. 
part of that which had been excited pofitively by rub- 
bing. In the fame manner, when I excite a flick of feal- 
ing wax, by rubbing it with flannel, I often find, that 
the part of it which I hold in my hand is in a contrary 
ftate of electricity, viz. pofitive. 
III. Being defirous of trying the conducting power of 
the effluvia of burning bodies in a manner more fatif- 
faCtory than had hitherto been done, I contrived an 
inftrument for that purpofe, which is reprefented in 
% 5 - <a> ' 
The handle of it ab is a glafs tube, into the extremity 
3 of which a wire ei, and a fmaller glafs tube bc, are ce- 
(a) This inftrument is juft double the fize of the figure. 
E a mented 
