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Experiment VIII.

Vo flow that two magnetic needles a& upon the fame principle asthe electric balls in the las experiment.

Take two steel needles, lay them end to end, and draw thenorth pole of a magnet in the fame direction over them three orfour times. Separate the two needles, and_ place each of themupon a pivot fixed in small stands, with the ends which werein contact opposite to, and at a small distance from each other. Ifyou present the north pole of the magnet near the points of theneedles, the needle with the south pole will be attracted, andthe north pole will be repelled. If you reverse the pole of themagnet, *it will of course produce a contrary effect.

As there is such a similarity between the acting of the electricand magnetic effluvia, in the two foregoing experiments, itwould be contrary to every principle in philosophy not to ascribethe same cause to the same effects. If the magnetic particleshave certain powers, virtues, or properties inherent in them, bywhich they act at certain distances upon each other, and like-wise upon other bodies, it is. reasonable to conclude, that theelectric particles have likewise similar properties, or powers todo the same.

It will be needless, and almost endless, to examine all the po-pular and entertaining experiments which fall under this class, asevery electrician can apply this system, and may, in my opinion,account in a rational manner for the attraction and repulsionof light bodies by electricity.

Before I conclude this chapter, I shall introduce a few expe-riments not less singular, and curious, than the phænomenon of,the electric well.

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Experiment