16 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, HARRIS ON ELECTRICITY. 
3. That the matter capable of life, and the 
livings principle, exist reciprocally, and that 
death is only a passage of certain forms of this 
matter to certain others.* 
P H I LOSOPHICAL IKANSACTIONS. 
PART II. 
This portion of the transactions of the 
Royal Society contains several important 
papers, especially in the department of elec- 
tricity. The contents are : 
On some Elementary Laws of Electrify. 
By VV. Snow Hairis, F. ll. S 
On a general method in Dynamics. By 
W. R. Hamilton, Esq. 
An Investigation of the Laws which govern 
the motion of Steam Vessels, byP. W. Bar- 
low, Esq. 
On the generation of the Marsupial Ani- 
mals. By R. Owen, Esq, 
Observations on the structure and functions 
of tubular and cellular Polypi and of Asci- 
diaj. By Joseph J. Lister, Esq. 
On the nervous system of the Sphynx Li- 
gustri. By G. Newport, Esq, 
Experimental Researches in Electricity, 
8th series. By M. Faraday. 
On the functions of some parts of the brain. 
By Sir Charles Bell. 
On the repulsive power of Heat. By the 
Rev. B. Powell. 
On the equilibrium of a mass of Homogene- 
ous Fluid at liberty. By James Ivory, Esq. 
Observations on Torpedo, By John Davy, 
M. D. 
Remarks in reply to Dr, Daubeny on the 
air disengaged from the recent Volcano. By 
John Davy, M. D. 
On the ova of the Ornithorynchus Para- 
doxus. By R. Owen, Esq. 
Observations on the motions of Shingle 
Be ches. By H. R. Palmer, Esq* 
Analysis of the Moira Brine Spring. By 
A.Ure, M. D. 
Experiments on the Velocity of Electricity, 
&c. By C. Wheatstone, Esq. 
ELECTRICITY. 
By Mr. Harris, ' 
Mr. Harris for the purpose of prosecuting 
his researches invented a nevv electrometer, 
by the medium of which he has observed two 
new laws. I. A given quantity divided 
upon two perfectly similar conductors, was 
found to exert upon external bodies only a 
fourth part of the attractive force apparent 
when disposed upon one of them. 2. When 
divided upon three perfectly similar conduc- 
* This has reference only to the power of 
life inherent in matter, and is a question of 
science only. The soul is not concerned nor 
mentioned. It may be necessary to state this, 
as there are those who would startle at a sen- 
tence which, in fact, asserts that life is material 
and matter eternal, leaving one form only to 
take cn another. The stupid outcry against the 
phrenological doctrine, and the exclamations con- 
cerning its inculcation of materialism, have a 
foundation in a precisely similar error, that of 
mistaking the principle capable of life in matter 
for the soul.— Transl. Thus the researches of 
Philosophy have a limit and bespeak the power 
and Majesty of God. — Epit. 
. tors, the force upon either is only one ninth 
of the force apparent when disposed upon one 
of them, and so on; that is, the quantity 
being constant, the force is as the square of the 
surface inveisely, or the surface being con* 
stant as the square of the quantity directly. 
I hese are illustrated by the following expe- 
riment : 
Three or four perfectly .similar and equal 
conductors of a cylindrical form being well 
insulated, a given quantity of electricity was 
communicated to one of them by means of a 
charged jar, and the attractive force measured 
by_ the electrometer. The electrified bodies 
being now reduced to a neutral state, a se- 
cond equal quantity was again communicated 
to the same conductor as before, after which 
it was caused to touch one of the others so as 
to divide the charge on both. Each conduc- 
tor was observed to be equally charged; the 
force however after making the requisite cor- 
rection for distance between the attracting 
bodies amounted only to one fourth of the 
previous force. The results are represented 
in the following table : 
Comparative Force in Distance of Force at 
quantity. degrees, attracting distance 
surfaces of an inch. 
1 30 ^ 1 30<5 
^ 5— .. 1-25 .... 7.8— 
i 2+ .128..,. 3-27-L 
i 1+..1‘29.... 18+ 
2. The author distinguishes three elements 
peculiar to the condition, of electrical accu- 
mulation. 1. The comparative quantity ac- 
tually accumulated. 2. The quantity not 
sensible to the electrometer. 3. The quantity 
appreciable by the electrometer. 
3. It was supposed by Mr. Singer, that the 
diminished insensity observable in disposing a 
given quantity of electricity, is altogether re- 
ferable to the attractive force of the atmosphere, 
to the influence of which the electric parti- 
cles become more extensively exposed but 
this hypothesis is not corroborated by the 
experiments of M. Harris. He placed a brass 
ball about two inches in diameter in the cen- 
tre of a large receiver, and connected it with 
an electroscope by means of a brass rod pass- 
ing right through a collar fixed in a glass 
plate and socket. A quantity of electricity 
was communicated to the ball, sufficient to 
cause a divergence of 40° in the electroscope. 
This effect was not influenced by removing 
fifty-nine sixtieths of the air in the receiver, 
4. In reference to the transmission of elec- 
tricity between conductors, it appears that 
when the attracting force operating between 
two conductors can overcome the atmospheric 
pressure, a discharge ensues between the 
nearest points of the opposed surfaces. In 
these points the force appears to become a 
length indefinitely great in respect of points 
more remote, so that the whole quantity ac- 
cumulated is finally determined through them. 
Thus the precise points of contact betw-een 
two spheres being found, and the spheres 
subsequently separated by given distances 
measured between these points, it may be 
shewn that the respective quantities re- 
quisite to produce a discharge will vary 
with the distance directly. The distance at 
which electricity can be discharged in air of 
