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move them.. 4 That the power of attraction exists in the firstparticles of matter, is evident from the experiments on mag-netism, electricity, and the cohesion of bodies, and also froma variety of other curious operations which nature exhibits tothe experimental philosopher in his inquisitive pursuits 5.

It is by virtue of this attracting power inherent in matter, thegrand machinery of the solar system is kept in motion, and con-sequently all the mutations in the universe. By virtue of thispower heavy bodies descend, and light bodies ascend ; by this-projectiles are directed, vapours and exhalations rife, and rain,and meteors fall. By this rivers glide, the air prestos, and the-ocean swells 5 . To confirm my opinion of the polarity, or ofthe attractive and repulsive properties inherent in each particle ofthe electric effluvia, I shall endeavour to apply the theory to someof the more general phenomena of bodies, and try if this is not,generally speaking, a universal law.

4 Muschenbroek, p. io. v. ii.

5 Newton’s Optics, p. 351.- It is well known, bodies act one upon another bythe attraction of gravity, magnetism, and electricity : and these instances show the'tenor and course of nature, and make it not improbable but that there may be moreattractive powers than these. For nature is very consonant, and conformable to her-self. How these attractions may be performed, I do not here consider. What I calfattraction, may be performed by impulse, or by sofne other means unknown to me;I use that word here to signify only, in general, any force by which bodies tend to-wards one another, whatsoever be the cause. For we must learn from the phæno-mena of nature what bodies attract one another, and what are the laws and pro-perties of the attraction, before we enquire the cause by which the attraction isperformed. The attraction of gravity, magnetism, and electricity, reaches to verysensible distances, and so have been observed by vulgar eyes; and there may beothers which reach to so small distances, as hitherto escape observation, and per-haps electrical-attraction may reach to such small distances, even without being ex-cited by. friction.

* Motte’s Newton’s Principia, vol. ii. book 3.

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