12 Mr. Cavallo’s Obfervations on 
electricity had been previoufly communicated to any of them, - 
I found, that after doubling ten, fifteen, or at molt twenty 
times, they became fo full of electricity as to afford even 
fparks. All my endeavours to deprive them of electricity 
proved ineffectual. Neither expofing them, and efpecially tho 
glafs (ticks, to the flame of burning paper, nor breathing upon 
them repeatedly, nor leaving them untouched for feveral days, 
and even for a whole month, during which time the plates 
remained connected with the ground by means of good con- 
ductors, nor any other precaution I could think of, was found 
capable of depriving them of every veftige of eleCtricity ; fo that 
they might (hew none after doubling ten, fifteen, or at mod 
twenty times. 
The electricity produced by them was not always of the 
famo fort ; for fometimes it was negative for two or three days 
together ; at other times it was pofitive for two or three days 
more; and often it changed in every operation. This made me 
fufpeCt, that pofiibly the beginning of that eleCtricity was de- 
rived from my body, and being communicated by the finger to 
the plate that was firfl: touched, was afterwards multiplied. In 
order to clear this fufpicion, I actually tried thofe plates at dif- 
ferent times, viz. before and after having walked a great deal, 
before and after dinner, &c. noting very accurately the quality 
of the eleCtricity produced each time ; but the effeCts Teemed to 
be quite unconnected with the above-mentioned concomitant 
circumftances, which independence was further confirmed by 
obferving that the eleCtricity produced by the plates was of a 
fluctuating nature, even when, inftead of touching the plates 
with the finger, they had been touched with a wire, which 
was connected with the ground, and which I managed by 
means of an infulating handle. 
i 
At 
