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In the first case, the electric particles diverge from the pointof the wire fixed upon the wire of the jar, and why may theynot in the second case converge from the knob of the samejar to the point of the wire C ? I can see no reason why theyshould not, but the prejudice we have imbibed in favour ofthe present theory of positive and negative electricity. Whenthere is the appearance of a cone of rays at the point of thewire C, a star is always to be seen at the blunted point of thewire D.

That this doubtful point may not any longer rest on con-jecture, or theory, it may be worth all the trouble I havetaken, or may take, if I can prove by experiment, whether theelectric fluid invariably enters by a star, and as uniformly pastesoff by a pencil of rays.

To determine, whether the electric fluid enters in, or pastesoff by the star is the design of the

Vth Experiment.

Take a glass globe about two inches diameter, blown thinon purpose for electrical experiments; and let it have a glasstube about two feet long, and large enough to admit the end Dof the insulated rod. Take care, in cementing the tube and theglobe on the wire, that the point D nearly touches the internalsurface of the glass globe. It must be granted, that the pointD of the insulated wire is now properly secured from the vagueparticles of the electric effluvia floating in the atmosphere, andthey cannot approach it unless they pass through the glass.

Fix the jars as in the preceding experiments, charge themhigh,, and place the point C of the insulated wire near the knob

of