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Show 46 ADDITIONAL NOTES. XII. CHEMICAL THEORY OF ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETI I\I. Then mark how two electric streams conspire To form the resinous and vitreous fire. CANTO III. l. 21. I. OJ Attraction and ReJmlsion. TuE motions, which accomplish the combinations and decompositions of bodies, depend on the peculiar attractions and repulsions of the particles f those bodies, or of the side and angles of them; while the motions of the un and planets, of the air and ocean, and of all bodies approaching to a general centre or retreating from it, depend on the gene1:al attraction or repulsion of those masses of matter. The peculiar attraction above mentioned are termed chemical aHinities, and the general attraction is termed gravitation; but the peculiar repulsions of the particle of bodies, or the general repulsion of the masses of matter, have obtained no specific names, nor have Lcen sufficieutly considered; though they appear to be as. powerful agents as the attractions. The motions of ethereal fluids, as of magnetism and electricity, arc yet imperfectly understood, and seem to depend both on chemical affinity, and on gravitation; and abo on the p cu liar repul ion of the })articles of bodies, and on the general repulsion of the mas es of matter. In what manner attraction and repulsion are produced has not yet been attempted to be explained by modern philosophers; but as nothing can act, where it does not exist, all distant attraction of the particles of bodies, as well as general gravitation, must be ascribed to some sti~l finer ethereal fluid; which fills up all space between the suns and then planets, as well as the interstices of coherent matter. Repulsion in the same manner must consist of some finer ethereal fluid ; Chemical Theory of Electricity and Magnetism. 47 which at first projected the planets from the sun, and I suppose prevents their return to it; anr.l which occasional1y volatilizes or decomposes solid bodies into fluid or aerial ones, and perhaps into ethereal ones. May not the ethereal matter which constitutes repulsion, be the ' same as the matter of heat in its diffused. state; which in its quiescent state is combined with vario us bodies, as appears from many chemical explo ions, i 11 which so much heat is set at liberty? The ethereal matter, wl1ich constitutes attraction, we arc less acrp.minted with; but it may also cxi t combined with bodies, as well as in its diffused. ~tate; since the specific gravities of some metallic mixtures are saicl not to accord with what ought to result from the combination of their specific gravitie , which exi ted before their mixture; but their absolute gravities have not been attended to sufiiciently; as these have always been supposed to d cp nd on their quantity of matter, and situation in respect to the centre of the earth. The ethereal flujds, wl1ich constitute peculiar repulsions and attractions, appear to gravitate round the particJes of bodies mixed together; as those, which constitute the general repulsion or attraction, appear to gravitate round the greater masses of matter mixed together; but that which constitutes attraction seems to exist in a denser state next to the particles or masses of matter; and that which constitutes repulsion to exist more powerfully in a sphere further from them; whence many bodies attract at one distance, and repel at another. This may be observed by approaching to each other two electric atmospheres round insulated cork-balls; or by pressing globules of mercury, which roll on the surface, till they unite with it; or by pres ing the drops of water, which tan<l on a cabbage l eaf~ till they unite with it, and l1cncc licrht is reflected from the surfa.ce of a mirror without touch-b ing it. Thus the peculiar attractions and repulsions of the particles of bodies, aud the general ones of the masses of matter, perpetually oppose and cou ntcract each other; whence if the power of attraction should cease to act, all matter would be eli sipated by the power of repulsion into uounclle s space; and ifheat, or the powerofre_rul ion, should cease to act, the whole world would become one sohd mass, condensed into a point. |