6 Mr. Cavali.o’s Obfervations on 
greater fur face to each other, than if they were globular, 
their weights being the fame in both cafes ; for it is very well 
known, that, of all the lolid figures, the fphere contains the 
greatefl capacity under the lead; furface ; and as the effects of 
electricity, in thofe cafes, is proportionate to the furface, and 
not to the quantity of matter, it follows, that the conical 
fhape is preferable to the globular. 
Another alteration of the bottle eleflrometer was lately made 
by the Rev. Mr. Bennet, and is defcribed in the Philofophical 
Tranfadtions, Vol. LXXVII. Part I. It confifts principally in 
fubftituting two flips of gold-leaf to the corks fufpended by 
wires. This alteration has fome peculiar advantages and difad - 
vantages. Its advantages are in general a greater degree of 
fenfibility, and a more eafy conftrudtion. Its difadvantages 
are, firft, that the inftrument is not portable; and, lecondly, 
that even when not carried about, it is apt to be fpoiled very 
eafily. However, in fome cafes it is very ufeful, fo that, upon 
the whole, it may be confidered as a very good improvement. 
As the faftening of the flips of gold-leaf to this electrome- 
ter, and to let them hang parallel, is rather difficult, it will 
not be improper to defcribe a method which I have contrived, in 
order to accomplifli it more eafily. When the flips are cut, 
and are lying upon paper or leather, I make them equal in 
length, by meafuring them with a pair of compafles, and cut- 
ting off a portion from the longeft : then cut two bits of 
very fine paper, each about half an inch long, and a quarter 
of an inch broad, and flick one of them, by means of a little 
wax, which is rubbed upon them, to one extremity of each flip of 
gold-leaf, fo as to form a kind of letter T. This done, I hold 
up, in the fingers of one hand, one piece of paper, with the gold 
leaf fufpended to it, and hold the other with the other hand ; 
then 
