y other
material. It must here be observed, that both the acid and the
alcaline solution, or common salt and water, and even water alone, in
these experiments much erodes the plates of zinc, and somewhat
tarnishes those of silver. Whence it would appear, that as by the
repeated explosions of the two electric ethers in the conducting
water, both oxygen and hydrogen are liberated; the oxygen erodes the
zinc plates, and thus increases the Galvanic shock by liberating their
combined electric ethers: and that this erosion is much increased by a
mixture either of acid or of volatile alcali with the water. Further
experiments are wanting on this subject to show whether metallic
bodies emit either or both of the electric ethers at the time of their
solution or erosion in acids or in alcalies.

X. _Of the two Magnetic Ethers._

1. Magnetism coincides with electricity in so many important points,
that the existence of two magnetic ethers, as well as of two electric
ones, becomes highly probable. We shall suppose, that in a common bar
of iron or steel the two magnetic ethers exist intermixed or in their
neutral state; which for the greater ease of speaking of them may be
called arctic ether and antarctic ether; and in this state like the
two electric fluids they are not cognizable by our senses of
experiments.

When these two magnetic ethers are separated from each other, and the
arctic ether is accumulated on one end of an iron or steel bar, which
is then called the north pole of the magnet, and the antarctic ether
is accumulated on the other end of the bar, and is then termed the
south pole of the magnet; they become capable of attracting other
pieces of iron or steel, and are thus cognizable by experiments.

It seems probable, that it is not the magnetic ether itself which
attracts or repels particles of iron, but that an attractive and
repulsive ether attends the magnetic ethers, as was shown to attend
the electric ones in No. II. 9. of this Note; because magnetism does
not pass through other bodies, as it does not escape from magnetised
steel when in contact with other bodies; just as the electric fluids
do not pass through glass, but the attractive and repellent ethers,
which attend both the magnetic and electric ethers, pass through all
bodies.

2. The prominent articles of analogical coincidence between magnetism
and electricity are first, that when one end of an iron bar possesses
an accumulation of arctic magnet