osion ensues, and the ethereal
matters of heat and light are emitted in great abundance, and are
dissipated; while in the former instance the oxygen of the nitrous
acid unites with the carbone forming carbonic acid gas, and the azote
escapes in its gaseous form; which may be termed a residuum after the
explosion, and may be confined in a proper apparatus, which the heat
and light cannot; for the former, if its production be great and
sudden, bursts the vessels, or otherwise it passes slowly through
them; and the latter passes through transparent bodies, and combines
with opake ones.

But where ethers only are concerned in an explosion, as the two
electric ones, which are previously difficult to confine in vessels;
the repulsive ethers of heat and light are given out; and what remains
is a combination of the two electric ethers; which in this state are
attracted by all bodies, and form atmospheres round them.

These combined electric atmospheres must possess less heat and light
after their explosion; which they seem afterwards to acquire at the
time they are again separated from each other, probably from the
combined heat and combined light of the cushion and glass, or of the
cushion and resin; by the contact of which they are separated; and not
from the diffused heat of them; but no experiments have yet been made
to ascertain this fact, this combination of the vitreous and resinous
ethers may be esteemed the residuum after their explosion.

2. Hence the essence of explosion consists in two bodies, which are
previously united with heat and light, so strongly attracting each
other, as to set at liberty those two repulsive ethers; but it
happens, that these explosive materials cannot generally be brought
into each other's vicinity in a state of sufficient density; unless
they are also previously combined with some other material beside the
light and heat above spoken of: as in the nitrous acid, the oxygen is
previously combined with azote; and is thus in a condensed state,
before it is brought into the contact or vicinity of the carbone;
there are however bodies which will slowly explode; or give out heat
and light, without being previously combined with other bodies; as
phosphorus in the common atmosphere, some dead fish in a certain
degree of putridity, and some living insects probably by their
respiration in transparent lungs, which is a kind of combustion.

But the two electric ethers are condensed by being brought