t >9° ] 
For my own part, I conceive the pro- 
cefs is carried on in the following manner: 
The attraction of the fibrils is owing to 
the different ffate or condition of the elec¬ 
tricity in the mufcles, that is to fay, that 
in the ffate of contraction, the furfaces of 
the fibrils are differently electrified from 
what they are in a ffate of relaxation. 
Agreeably to this hypothefis, the equili¬ 
brium never takes place. 
That ele&ricity increafes the cohefion of 
bodies, and that after a difcharge it may 
be found in two different ffates, are faCts 
demonffrated by experiments fo decifive as 
to preclude every doubt. I fhall not hefi- 
tate to infert them here, as they form the 
bafis of my theory. 
Mr. Symmer was the firff who dis¬ 
covered the power which eleClricity pof- 
feffes, of increafing the cohefion of bodies. 
This gentleman had obferved, that upon 
putting off his filk flockings in an even- 
