y been commingled with a pint of the dielectric, the
latter had lost by far the greatest portion of its insulating power; no
sparks could be obtained in the fluid; and all the phenomena dependent upon
insulation had sunk to a low degree. The fluid was very slightly turbid.
Upon being filtered through paper only, it resumed its first clearness, and
now insulated as well as before. The water, therefore, was merely diffused
through the oil of turpentine, not combined with or dissolved in it: but
whether the minute particles acted as carriers, or whether they were not
rather gathered together in the line of highest inductive tension (1350.),
and there, being drawn into elongated forms by the electric forces,
combined their effects to produce a band of matter having considerable
conducting power, as compared with the oil of turpentine, is as yet
questionable.

1572. The analogy between the action of solid conducting carrying particles
and that of the charged particles of fluid insulating substances, acting as
dielectrics, is very evident and simple; but in the latter case the result
is, necessarily, currents in the mobile media. Particles are brought by
inductric action into a polar state; and the latter, after rising to a
certain tension (1370.), is followed by the communication of a part of the
force originally on the conductor; the particles consequently become
charged, and then, under the joint influence of the repellent and
attractive forces, are urged towards a discharging place, or to that spot
where these inductric forces are most easily compensated by the contrary
inducteous forces.

1573. Why a point should be so exceedingly favourable to the production of
currents in a fluid insulating dielectric, as air, is very evident. It is
at the extremity of the point that the intensity necessary to charge the
air is first acquired (1374.); it is from thence that the charged particle
recedes; and the mechanical force which it impresses on the air to form a
current is in every way favoured by the shape and position of the rod, of
which the point forms the termination. At the same time, the point, having
become the origin of an active mechanical force, does, by the very act of
causing that force, namely, by discharge, prevent any other part of the rod
from acquiring the same necessary condition, and so preserves and sustains
its own predominance.

1574. The very varied and beautiful phenomena produced by sheltering or
enclos