I come now to consider the Violence of this Fire; which, passing thro’ the Pores of the glass Tube, may, as the Sound of Organ-Pipes, which proceeds only from their differently modifying the Air, cause the various hissing Noises you hear when the Tube is held nigh the Ear, from the Electricity passing through the different shaped Pores of it.
And furthermore the Wind may seem to arise, from the distant Parts of the electrical Force playing at some Space from the Tube; which thereby agitate and fan the ambient Air, so as to make it feel like Wind.
The third Thing I proposed to shew, is, Why the electrical Power departs from one Thing to another by giving a smart Crack, and send-out a Spark, which will set on fire many very inflammable Liquors.
Now, (as I have, I hope, demonstrated) when this Fire of Electricity is issuing out at a Point into an inflammable Spirit, it can be no Wonder, that the Spirit, which is known to be full of Fire, should unite its Fire to that of Electricity.
As to the Crack it gives when this Fire passes away: As all Sounds are occasioned only by the Air’s being put into a different Modification, it is here natural to suppose, that as the Cracking of a Whip is caused by the smart Stroke at the Point of it on the Air, so, in this Case, the Air seems to be agitated in the same manner, by breaking the Continuity of it, whereby the like Sound is perceiv’d.
The next Thing I propose to account for, is, Why a Company of unelectrify’d Persons, who are joined together by their holding each a Piece of iron Wire betwixt them, tho’ they are ever so many, do all receive a violent Blow or Concussion on their Bodies, when one of them touches a Piece of electrify’d Iron. – I think this Experiment may be carried so far, that, as it has been found already sufficient to kill Birds, and hurt many Persons very grievously, it may have Force enough given to it to kill a Man, as effectually as the Darting of Lightning can do.
For if you consider, that you may as effectually electrify one Quantity of Iron as another, that it may be done to many Ton Weight as easily as to a small Piece, and that, when it departs into a Person, all the Power given to it, not only on its Surface, but intimately thro’ every Pore and Particle of it, darts like Lightning from the Point only it was touch’d in; then further think, that if this Repercussion, or infinite Recoil, from so large and solid a Body, be so great, when its Power is thus sent, what may it not do in its utmost Extent?
Having now, I think, gone thro’ what I propos’d to shew, and given a Reason, as far as my Conjecture reaches, for every Phænomenon which I have seen or heard of in Electricity, I think it may not be improper to endeavour to proceed a little farther with it, and consider its Power as it stands in Nature. For, since the Antients have ever supposed some uniform compulsive Power, which they called the Anima Mundi, and which by these electrical Experiments seems to be Fire, I will endeavour to shew, that, in the Dispersion of it in common Nature, you may observe that some Plants abound with it, from the great Vigour they discover, compar’d with others in their own Tribe. Some are so, as being of a more verdant Nature than others are. Now, from this Consideration, I will venture to give a Reason for that which has hitherto puzzled every body that has thought about it, which is, Why the Sensitive Plant shrinks; and, from a turgid and vivid Appearance, it immediately becomes languid, and hangs its Leaves, on the Touch of any other Body or Thing.
Now, from this my Conjecture on Electricity, if you will suppose with me, that as all Things, which stand in the common Nature of this lower World, have this Fire equally dispersed, and have more or less of it only as they are in this or that Place, where more or less of it is offer’d to be received by them, or as they are in their own Natures more capable of receiving more of it than others are, (as I think has been shewn by the electrical Experiments before-mention’d) and then likewise suppose the Nature of the Sensitive Plant is to have more of this Fire in it than there is in any other Plant or Thing, and it must, by the Nature of it, when any of them touches it, impart a great deal of its Fire into that Thing by which it is touched; because that had less of it than was in the Sensitive Plant. Therefore, till the Sensitive Plant has had Time to recover its Vigour, by receiving from the Air more of this Fire, its Leaves and Branches hang in a languid State, from the great Loss of its Spirit and Fire.
To illustrate this, if you set any small Tree in a Pot upon a Cake of Resin, and then electrify the Tree, even tho’ it were a Willow, it would grow extremely turgid, so as to erect its Leaves to the great Wonder of the Beholder; and the Moment you touch even but one of its Leaves, the whole Tree becomes as languid as the Sensitive Plant would be, if touched by any Body or Thing. – This I think seems to me to give as great a Proof of the Truth of my Conjecture as the Nature of the Thing can admit of, respecting the Sensitive Plant.
As I am upon the Subject of Vegetation, it may not be improper to offer somewhat concerning the Direction of the Farina fecundans, which is found in Plants and Flowers, to the Matrix of that, or of a neighbouring Plant or Flower.
Now, if there was not some very attracting Influence to guide it, it would but seldom happen, I think, that they could come together by Chance. – If therefore you suppose, that both the Matrix and the Farina abound with more of this Fire than is in any other Part of the Plant, or Flower, this great Wonder is at an End: For, by the natural Attraction there might be in each, from the Fire supposed to be in them, they would fly together, and be closely connected, as they are constantly found to be in their proper Season.
I have mention’d, that the Farina of one Plant may impregnate the Matrix of another as well as its own; because I have observed formerly, at Mr. Fairchild’s, a Gardener at Hoxton, a Mule-Flower, begotten betwixt a Pink and a Sweet-William.
Having consider’d how this electrical Power may be supposed to affect Vegetation in its common Growth, I shall reflect a little further concerning it, as it may affect animal Life.
We may observe universally, that Youth abounds with infinitely more Spirits than Age doth, as well in the Human Species as in the Brute Creation; as it is clearly seen in Children, compar’d to Adults; as also in Lambs, in Colts, in Kittens, and almost all other Young, they being much more vigorous than their Dams are generally seen to be. Now what Reflection I would make on this, is, That if Life in them, and in all Nature, be owing to the same Fire as causes Electricity, then, from thence may proceed the Danger of lodging old People with young Children; who, by long Experience, have been found to draw from young Children their natural Strength; the old People having in them a less Proportion of this Fire than young ones seem to have.
Being about to shew the Evil as well as the Good arising from this supposed Fire, I will, in the next place, endeavour to demonstrate, the Cause of Blasts in Mankind; and also to give some Reason for the Blights on Trees, which I think may be occasioned by this Fire before spoken of.
Having given some Account of the Fire which was seen in the high Wind, to corroborate that Truth, I think it proper to inform you, that I have been told, by very good Authority, that, in tempestuous Weather at Sea, great Flakes of Fire are frequently seen passing not only in the Air, but on the Water also: And having myself seen the Sea-Water, in the Night-time, appear to have a great Quantity of Fire issuing out of it, when the Surface thereof was disturbed by the Feathering of Oars, or by the Vessel or Boat passing swiftly through it, I asked a Sailor, At what Time that Appearance happened most frequently? He told me, It most generally happen’d after tempestuous Weather; or, as his Term was, dirty Weather at Sea.
I think this will sufficiently shew the Existence of this Fire in the Air; and, if any Regard be had to what I think its Power and Use is in the World, that it will intrude itself and force its Way into any Thing where less of it is, and so join itself to it by being in a greater Quantity; as has been shewn by many electrical Experiments.
You may suppose a Person sitting, as it is too frequently found they are, near a Door, or in a Window, when they are in a warm Temperature, and in Perspiration; if you believe that there can be any Probability in the Conjecture I have offer’d to your Consideration, is it not natural for any of this Fire, which passes as frequently through the Air in the Daytime (though unobserved) as when it is seen in the Night; I say, Why is it not natural for it to force its Entrance into any Person or Thing? especially as it comes then with the Assistance of the Stream of Air the Person sits in, and with which it is driven.
In order to make this Mischief the more to be regarded, I will endeavour to shew the natural State of the Air itself.