124 DK Gray’s Observations, See. 
mediate manner would neither leffen the difficulty, nor would 
it he confonantto any of the known laws of eledtricity. 
If then the whole charge leave the jar all at once, there 
mud: be a point of time at which the jar will be without any 
eledtric fluid either on one fide or the other : nay more, fup- . 
pofe a large jar or battery to be difeharged by means of a few 
inches of thin wire, there will then be a point of time at 
which the whole quantity of eledtric fluid, which conftituted 
the charge, mud: be contained in a piece of wire, weighing 
only a few grains. 
Now, If it be confidered, that time (like matter) is infinitely 
divifible, may we not rather luppofe, that the difeharge of ajar 
is nothing more than an inconceivably rapid fucceflion of fuch 
fmall quantities as may be lent off, wfithout caufing fuch a 
deflrudtion of the equilibrium as the laws of eledlricity feem 
not to admit ? 
That this fuppofition is not quite free from objections I 
readily admit; but before they are permitted to overthrow 7 it, 
let it be w T ell confidered, whether they are (upon the whole) as 
ffrong as thofe I have ffated againft the oppofite opinion, which 
I think may be pronounced to militate not only againff what 
has been here mentioned as a fundamental law of eledtricity ? 
but alfo againft every known fadt. 
/ 
