overcharged, the opposite electricities will force a passage through the glass.

8. If an excited electric be in contact with an insulated conductor, the former will communicate its power to the latter, which will then attract light bodies, and give a spark, in the same manner as the excited elec

tric.

9. The flash of light from a body to which electricity has been communicated, is more dense, and the sound louder, than from one that is excited; for the conductor parts with all its electricity at once, but the excited body with only so much as is at or near the part that is touched.

10. If insulated bodies have been attracted by, and have touched an excited body, they will soon after be repelled by that body, and will repel each other; nor will they return to the excited electric till after they have touched some other body that communicates with the earth.

11. When an insulated conductor is brought within the sphere of action with an excited body, it acquires the electricity opposite to that of the body, and the nearer it is brought, the greater quantity it acquires, till the one receive a spark from the other, and then the electricity of both is discharged.

12. The electric explosion always takes the shortest course through the best conductors.

13. If the explosion between two bodies be interrupted by a non-conductor of a moderate density, the discharge will force a passage through it, in such a manner as to leave the appearance of a sudden expansion of the air about the center of the explosion.

14. If an insulated conductor be pointed, or if an uninsulated conductor that is pointed, be brought very near the earth, there will be no other appearance of electricity during the time of excitation than a light, and a current of air, that may be perceived to come, from those points.

15. The electric attraction acts in vacuo.

16. Electricity and lightning are in all respects of a similar nature.

17. All the effects of lightning may be imitated by electricity, and all the experiments in electricity may be performed by lightning, brought down from the clouds by means of an insulated pointed rod of metal, or by a kite.

Among the wonderful discoveries of human nature, there is hardly any that rank higher than electricity.

This phenomenon, like many others, was found out merely by accident: yet it has proved not only a source for various experiments, but likewise extremely beneficial to mankind.

The great Dr. Franklin has improved more in this branch of knowledge than any other person. He even contrived to bring lightning from the clouds by means of conductors:-these conductors are of great service, when fixed to churches, and other public edifices, to preserve them from the dreadful effects of the rapidness of elemental fire.

When electricity is made use of physically, it is of great utility, and has been known to relieve, and sometimes entirely cure, various disorders. It is very serviceable in the rheumatism, and other chronic disorders.

"One circumstance," says Mr. Gale, in his Recrea→ tions, "I shall mention, which I received from a gentleman who has been dead some years, but whose character as an artist and an ingenious person, will be a long time remembered; I mean Mr. Benjamin Rackstrow, of Fleet Street.

"He told me, that having some company one day to see his museum, and his electrical experiments, they were rather fearful of undergoing the shock; when a person who was much given to inebriety, being in the room, and rather intoxicated, voluntarily offered to let the experiment be tried on him: this was agreed to, upon which he received it pretty smartly three or four times, and thought no more about it at that time. A few days afterwards he had occasion to go to Chichester, in Sussex, and being rather low in circumstances, was obliged to walk.

"This man had been affected for many years with a rupture, which was extremely troublesome; but on his journey he had not the least symptom of it: on which he wrote a letter to Mr. Rackstrow, informing him of this agreeable circumstance, and imputing it entirely to his receiving the shock from his electrical apparatus. The man lived to confirm this by word of mouth; and what is really extraordinary, the rupture never returned: which is sufficient to establish its physical consequence. It is of farther service in palsies and contractions, and is performed by sparks, drawn by friction, from the electrical machine.

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Its real use being thus established, we may now, without offending, be a little merry with other circumstances which have and may happen again, by means of electricity.

"Some ladies and gentlemen, coming to Mr. Rackstrow's, brought with them a negro servant who had not been long in England: after they had seen his natural and artificial curiosities, they desired to see some of his electrical experiments, and gave him a hint to play a trick or two upon poor Mungo. Mungo was not a little surprised at the shocks he received, but could not guess from whence they came; but when the room was darkened, and fire made to come out of his fingers' ends, he roared out like a mad bull, crying the devil! the devil! and in endeavcuring to get out of the room, overset the skeleton of a rhinoceros, run his head against a case of butterflies, and broke to pieces a fine bust of the Marquis of Granby; and having once more gained day-light, made a sudden spring into the street, and run immediately home, to the no small diversion of his master and family.

"Mrs. Bulky being troubled with a tympany, was recommended to be electrified; she accordingly went to a professor in that way, who asked her if she could bear a pretty hard shock. O yes, sir, said she, as hard as you please, and as often as you please; I am very fond of being shocked. The man by this supposed she had before undergone the operation, and was not spar ing to give her what she seemed so well to under

stand; but, alas! he wound up his instrument too high; so that he not only overset his patient, but actually conveyed her into a cellar where they sold ox cheek and peas-soup;-down went the streaming pan full of savory broth, and off flew her monument of a cap into the other boiling cauldron.

"The cook reddened like a heated poker, the customers rose from their seats, and the greatest confusion took place in this subterraneous abode.

"All culinary business was at an end for the present; the electrical doctor came running to the assistance of his patient; but as soon as the cause of the disaster was explained, the occupier of the place declared the damages should be made good, her pan of leg of beef was entirely lost, her peas soup spoiled by the powder and pomatum of the lady's head dress, the doctor was the cause of all, and he should pay for all; but he declared, he would, sooner than pay a farthing, electrify the house till it fell about their ears.

"At last the lady, having adjusted herself in the best manner she could, gave the good woman a crown, and so compromised the matter; however, it cured her of her tympany, for she never went to the doctor afterwards.

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Many are the tricks played by means of an electrifying machine. A person in London had one in his shop, which was not seen by the passers by; and he hung at the door an old steelyard, which, from its make, seemed to be very ancient; this attracted the attention and notice of many, who no sooner went to examine it, than they received the shock; those that knew what it was, only smiled and went on; others stared, and could not guess from whence it came.

"A drunken porter being called one day, and asked what he would have to carry the steelyard to a certain place, went to examine it; but he no sooner touched it than he felt a blow, and turning round, with an oath declared, if he knew who it was, he would pay them well for their impudence. He then returned to speak about his job, and received another shock, and another after that; till, irritated by the supposed assaults, given

by he could not tell whom, he stripped to the buff in order to fight all that came in his way, till he got a mob of boys and dogs at his heels, and was glad to get away at any rate.

"Such tricks are not recommended as proper to be practised, for they are really dangerous. A strange person might, on finding the truth, break the windows, or keep it in his mind, and do the electryfying gentleman some injury, which might make him repent of his experiments.

Small electrical machines are often introduced in company, and create not only mirth, but produce real rational amusement; such can never be disagreeable, but must give satisfaction to all who have any idea of philosophical knowledge, and wish to improve their minds by mathematical experiments; to all such, we may safely recommend the electrical apparatus, which will be both useful and profitable."

We

A description of all the machinery that has been used in electrical experiments would fill a volume. therefore refer the reader to the numerous and laborious productions on the subject of electricity, where he may meet with ample descriptions of such apparatus, and hasten to detail some of the amusing experiments in this science.

We have divided the following amusements into such as are performed in the light, and such as require a dark chamber; beginning with the former.

The Animated Feather.

Electrify a smooth glass tube with a rubber, and hold a small feather (or piece of leaf gold) at a short distance from it. The feather will immediately fly to the tube, and adhere to it for a short time, and then fly off, and the tube can never be brought close to the feather till it has touched the side of the room, or some other body that communicates with the ground. If, therefore, the operator take care to keep the tube constantly between the feather and the side of the room, he may drive it round to all parts without touching it;