Experiments and observations made with a view to point out the errors of the present received theory of electricity; and which tend in their progress ... to the simple operations of nature

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1780 ...the electricity of either of them is taken off they will both, upon being, replaced, appear possessed of that electricity which has not Been taken off. Chocolate, fresh from the mill, as it cools in tin pans, becomes strongly electrical; when turned out of the pans, it for some time retains this property, but soon; leses it by handling. By melting again it may be renewed, &c. &c. Experiment Experiment with sea sand. Take a pint, or more, of sea sand, and spread it upon an iron plate, or in an iron shovel, and put it over the fire, ami there let it remain 'till the moisture is all evaporated, and the sand very hot. Pour it as gently as possibly you can from one corner of the shovel into a glass tumbler or jar, and both the sand and the tumbler will be strongly electrified; and will attract any light substance brought near them. Small beach stones, known on the sea-coast by the name of shingle, if dried and heated in the same manner as the sand, and poured into a glass vessel, will be strongly electrified. After succeeding with the two foregoing experiments, I have thought it needless to try any other solid substance; for if sea sand can be made electrical, there cannot be a doubt but that marble, flints, bricks, and even fossils and earths, will, when heated, and poured into glass, produce a similar appearanceI have not paid the least attention to the different kinds of electricity which is supposed to exist in the vessel and the melted1 substance; for I imagine that every appearance of this fort is reducible to the rules or laws laid down for explaining the. principles of action of the electrophorus, and to, which I must refer the reader. Sand, when heated, as in the preceding experiment, and poured into a glass tumbler, will retain its electricity ...