produced at fea, and of the fame colour as the mother. It must be te membered that in this fpecies, the young ones are entirely formed in the infide of the animal, whence they are put forth through the mouth; fo that, whatever idea we may form to ourselves of this fpe cies of beings, we can find no real analogy between any fections from them, and those torn from stems and roots of certain trees, with a view to multiply them. The young anemony we are fpeaking of is not large enough to favour the fuppofition that it had been ready for birth, in that part of the old anemony, for more than two years before; fince fome young anemonies of this fpecies, which I had kept in order to obferve their encreafe, have in ten months time grown to double the diameter of their bafes, without my having ever taken the trouble to feed them and it is befides known, that it is ufual for these anemonies, when they are put to any pain, to eject all the young ones they contain. "The restored moiety produced another young anemony on the 7th of Auguft, another on the 27th, one more on the 1ft of September, 2 larger one on the 20th of October: whereas to this day the other half has not yet afforded me a fingle young one. Another circumstance worth notice is, that the two halves of the original anemony never pro duced any young ones, neither during their recovery, nor after their restoration. "Some perfons, who intereft themfelves in the progrefs of my experiments, induced me on the 27th of June laft, to cut an anemony of the firft fpecies perpendicularly into four parts. For this purpose I chofe a very large one, just taken out of the fea; and on cutting it in that manner, it put forth twelve young ones. One of thefe quarters adhered the next day to the fide of the vase: on the 30th it had crept to the furface of the water. It looked healthy till the middle of November; but at the end of the year the wound was not yet perfectly healed: nevertheless, a few days after, it put forth a young one of a tolerable fize. The cold of the 28th of January feems to have accele rated its diffolution. The fecond quarter had nearly the fame fate, except that it yielded no young ones. The third produced, on the 6th of September, a young one of a very fmall fize. On the 15th the wound feemed to be clofed, but its place ftill appeared of a pale colour, tranf parent, and confiderably depreffed. On the 30th it put forth another Imall young one; and on the 26th of October, a third of a fomewhat larger fize. On the 29th of January 1776, after the water had been often frozen, I faw it put forth three young ones of a moderate fize. On the 31ft it produced a feventh; but fince the froft it has ever appeared in a weakly itate. The fourth quarter, after feveral changes in its state of health, produced, on the 29th of November, three young ones; one large, the other of a middling fize, and the third very small. After the fevere cold it declined: it nevertheless put forth three more young ones, and died one of the first days in March. Thus from three of thefe quarters I had no lefs than fourteen young ones, befides the twelve the animal had produced during the operation. The interior contractions of the anemonies not only renders it difficult to cut them into four parts; but I have alfo obferved, that those fections do not eafily recover a cylindrical form, and that they are easily affected by froft or any other accident." Art. Art. 8. is entitled Experiments and Obfervations in Electricity. By Mr. William Henly, F. R. S. This paper is divided into two parts, the firft of which contains a remarkable inftance of the effect of a coating of lampblack and tar, in preferving thofe parts of the maft of a fhip, which were covered with it, from damage by a stroke of lightning, that fhivered the uncoated parts in a very extraordinary manner. This inftance fuggefted the making of feveral experiments, from which Mr. Henly deduces the following corollaries. "Ift, That a charge of electricity, or a stroke of lightning, which is the fame thing, paffes, in many cafes, upon the furface of bodies, in a much larger proportion than through the interior fubftance of them, as appears by the mafts of fhips, coated with lamp-black, &c. *, and by the experiment above recited, with the cylinder of ivory and the glafs, &c.; for in this experiment, the charge being refifted, by the ivory (which however is fometimes fplit by the explosion) forces a paffage between that and the glafs, and being there confined by heavy weights, exerts its expanfive power in fuch manner as to reduce to the fmalleft fragments the plate of glafs then expofed to its violent operation. 2dly, This violent effort of the electricity produces not the leaft effect upon the furface of the flip of paper painted with lamp-black and oil, or upon a flip of oiled filk, placed in the fame fituation. 3dly, May not therefore a coating of lamp-black and tar, or lamp-black and oil, be in fome cafes ufefully applied on flight buildings of wood, &c. to preserve them from damage by lightning, as well as to prevent thofe large cracks and rents (the ufual effect of the heat of the fun) from being made in them? 4thly, As the effect of the lightning on the mafts of fhips has been in fo many inftances prevented by a coating of lampblack and tar, or lamp-black and oil, it feems probable, that a fafe and fixed conductor might be applied to them in a very cheap and convenient manner, as follows; viz. let all thofe parts of the maft which are ufually greafed, be provided with plates of metal three inches broad, which plates might extend a few inches upon the other parts of the maft which are coated with lamp-black and tar, or lamp-black and oil; and thus by the conductor of metal, and the protector of lamp-black and tar, placed alternately and extending the whole length of the maft, it would probably be preferved from damage by lightning. A metallic communication might be made from the mait to the water in the manner I have before mentioned, in Phil. Tranf. vol. LXIV. p. 412. This method of making conductors to fhips, from its fimplicity and practicability, I had fome thoughts of recommending to my acquaintance in the marine department; but there is one objection to it, which I think a very material one, and hall therefore ftate it in its full force: it is this; the lamp-black and tar, or lamp-black and oil, though they protect, by their property of repelling the electric matter, thofe parts of the maft which are coated with them, yet being perfect non-conSee a curious inftance of this kind in M. Adanfon's Voyage to Senegal, P. 239. VOL. VI, Y ductors, ductors, thofe things or perfons which might happen to stand in their vicinity (as in the tops, &c.) would be in danger of a fevere ftroke, perhaps deftruction, by the lightning. How far the other oil colours, viz. thofe prepared from minerals and metals, may answer these purpofes, may perhaps deferve enquiry, and the more fo, as the experi, iments are not difficult to make. The belfry-pofts painted with white lead, mentioned in the letter above recited, were much shivered. 5thly, As oiled filk feems to be fo good a fecurity against the effects of a charge of electricity, may not garments, viz. cloaks and hats, covered with that fubftance, contribute in fome measure to protect the wearers (if overtaken by a storm) from a ftroke of lightning?" Part the 2d of this article relates to the electricity of chocolate, with other experiments; concluding with theoretical conjectures on the nature and properties of electricity, confidered as a phyfical principle. "It is a question," fays Mr. Henly," that hath been frequently put to electricians, What is electricity? For my own part, I have ge nerally chofen (perhaps for want of a better answer) to reply by a fimilar queftion, viz. What is air? or, what is water? For, as thefe are understood to be fluids diftinct from all others, and diftinguished by the names they bear, fo have I ever confidered electricity as a fluid fuż generis, and properly characterised by the term electricity, electric fluid, or electric matter; and have always avoided the term electric fire, as conveying a confufed idea of actual inflammation, burning, &c.: but I now begin really to doubt, whether another appellation might not be applied with greater propriety; whether electricity may not be confidered as a pure, ethereal, elementary fire, inherent in all bodies, intimately connected or blended with an earthy or other base, and apparently, though not actually, remaining in it in a quiefcent ftate, till roufed into action by fome proper application, as motion, or rather friction, which may, and probably docs, collect it in our experiments. (But can motion convey initantaneously that which is not material, but only a quality, a property, an accident, or affection, of matter, through fuch circuits as thofe of Dr. Watfon, and produce fuch astonishing effects at the interruption of thofe circuits? Befides, in Dr. Franklin's moft curious and decifive experiment of charging the Leyden bottle with its own electricity, the glafs undergoes no friction whatsoever; but the electricity inherent in it is fimply exhaufted from one of its furfaces, and forced round upon the other by the electrical apparatus: the fame may be afferted of bodies prefented toward a conductor negatively electrified, or to the infulated rubber of the electrical machine.) That it may be faid to refide in vegetables, and is extracted together with their oil; that in fermentation, effervefcence, and putrefaction, it flies off in the phlogistic vapour thence arifing; that in diftillation it is difengaged and brought over in an ardent fpirit, in which it refides, retaining its original properties in a purer bafe; that, fince by the collifion of flint, iteel, &c. actual fire is inftantaneously produced (as in the inftance of the dry axle of a carriage, which, by the fricon of the nave against it, foon takes fire) fo by the friction of other bodies, which by long perfeverance would produce the fame effect, this latent fire may be firft excited, and its appearances, though unobferved, be those we term electrical. A wind-mill, when it works under the break (as the millers term it when no iron is concerned) foon catches fire (the mill-ftones, when no corn is between them, producé the fame effect, though the motion be the fame in both cafes) and many a mill hath been confumed by this means. The method used by the Indians, of producing fire by the friction of two pieces of wood against each other is well known; and in all thefe cafes may not the firit effects of the latent fire, thus roufed into action, be the production of thofe very appearances we call electrical? "This thought, I confefs, remained fo ftrongly impreffed upon my mind, that I requested fome of my friends, who had a better opportu nity than myself, to make the trial. For this purpose fome pieces of wood were baked in an oven, in order to expel the moisture, and prepare them for the experiment. When they were cooled, a friction was begun, which, as I expected, foon produced electricity; one piece of the wood being excited pofitively, the other negatively, as I have fince myfelf feveral times experienced. Had the friction been continued, the production of actual fire might perhaps have been the confequence. May not, therefore, the production of actual fire be the ultimum of electricity? or, in other words, electricity the first effect of latent fire thus roused into action; actual fire, the second; and inflammation and diffolution, its third and greatest effort? like fermentation, producing firft, wine; fecondly, vinegar; lastly, putrefaction. To give fome countenance to this fuppofition, let fome of the effects of electricity and fire be placed in a comparative view. First, a finall iron wire, held in the flame of a candle till it acquires a white heat, will frequently burst into little balls, flying off in all directions. The fame effect is produced by a flint and steel; and in à fuperior manner, by a strong charge of electricity, or a flash of lightning paffing through fuch a small wire; the balls then appearing, on examination, to be little more than the feorie of the metal. The effect of electricity, lightning, and fire, in destroying the power of the artificial or natural magnets, is a circumftance that hath been often remarked, and repeatedly published. The effects of electricity, in common with fire, on proof-fpirit, gun-powder, phosphorus, dry lint, and many other fubitances, muft occur to every gentleman converfant in thefe experiments; indeed the parallel might be continued much further. But it may be asked, if this be really the fact, fhould not metals become elec trical by friction? I anfwer, they are readily excited, provided they be first properly infulated (but if metal be rubbed against metal, the phlogiston or latent fire, if I may be allowed the expreffion, is fo nearly proportioned in the two metals, that the equilibrium is restored as foon as destroyed, from the very nature of the bafe, which is the moit perfect conductor we are acquainted with): to illuftrate this, let it be remembered, that though the hydroftatic paradox may be readily explained, yet the fluid must be confined in a proper veffel; and though the weight, the fpring, and the compreffibility of the air, be cafily demonftrable, a fuitable apparatus mult neceffarily be employed for each purpose. It is a question by no means decided, how the clouds become electrified? But if we fuppofe the electric matter to be Y 2 a pure, a pure, ethereal, elementary fire, refident in all bodies; that the great procefs of vegetation is carried on by means of this fubtile, active, volatile, and pervading element; that it is continually exhaling from all the vegetable tribe; that as evaporation is a remarkable agent in the cooling of heated fubftances, that is, a good conductor of their fire, as I am well affured it is of electricity; may we not conclude, that this is one great caufe of the clouds becoming at times furcharged with this fluid? The great effect of electricity in promoting vegetation, hath been fully proved by Dr. De Maimbray, the Abbé Nollet, Mr. Jallabert, and other gentlemen, and was very remarkable in that year when the fatal earthquake happened at Lisbon. Dr. Stukeley's obfervations on the frequent appearances of fire-balls, corufcations, and aurora boreales, at this time (which I well remember) deferve to be particu larly noticed; and it is generally remarked, that thunder-storms are preceded by a continuance of hot weather, and that a moderate tempe rature immediately fucceeds the ftorm. The remarks and observations of the worthy Dr. Hales on this fubject seem also to merit peculiar attention. Further, as the rays of the fun, concentrated by a powerful burning mirror, will produce a fufion of metals, and inftantly reduce a number of fubftances presented to the focus to a calx, as the fame effect is in many cafes produced by a stroke of lightning; and as the colours of the electric and folar light are equally divifible by the prifm; may not these alfo bear fome kind of relation to each other? Upon the whole, is there not an high degree of probability in the fuppofition, that light, fire, phlogifton, and electricity, are only different modifications of one and the fame principle? A fimilarity in feveral of the phenomena of electricity and magnetifin hath been long fince pointed out by Dr. Price, from M. Epinas; and the effect of heat on both admirably difplayed by Mr. Canton. Of all the fubftances I have yet examined, the most difficult to excite, I observed to be a fine, smooth, unarmed load-ftone, and a piece of black lead; these feemed to bid defiance to all my rubbers: at length, however, with a piece of new flannel they were both excited, in a very small degree, negatively. In short, I have not yet met with a fingle article (on which the experiment could be tried) that I could not, with one or other of my rubbers, make in fome degree electrical. The laws by which all these fluids are governed, and what conftitutes the precife difference between them, may yet, perhaps, by fome fortunate philofopher, by a train of juft reflexion, and a fet of happily contrived and well-conducted experiments, be much farther elucidated. Lastly, I do not speak of these things as facts of which I am abfolutely convinced; but earnestly wish to recommend them to the ferious confideration of future enquirers. From what hath been faid, however, I apprehend it will scarcely be doubted, that electricity, whatever it be (as I have often remarked) is one of the greatest and most important agents in the operations of Nature; that the effects of lightning, therefore, are but as difcords in her harmony; and, though fingly confidered, they may appear unpleafing notes, yet perhaps may be neceffary to fill up and compleat her grand and general chorus." Delighted as we are with the chemical difcoveries of the prefent age, and fenfible of the ingenuity of the difcoverers we |