bined state. They
thus resemble oxygen gas and nitrous gas; which rush violently
together when in contact; and occupy less space when united, than
either of them possessed separately before their union. When the two
electric ethers thus unite, a chemical explosion occurs, like an
ignited train of gunpowder; as they give out light and heat; and rend
or fuse the bodies they occupy; which cannot be accounted for on the
mechanical theory of Dr. Franklin.

4. Glass holds within it in combination much resinous electric ether,
which constitutes a part of it, and which more forcibly attracts
vitreous electric ether from surrounding bodies, which stands on it
mixed with a less proportion of resinous ether like an atmosphere, but
cannot unite with the resinous ether, which is combined with the
glass; and resin, on the contrary, holds within it in combination much
vitreous electric ether, which constitutes a part of it, and which
more forcibly attracts resinous electric ether from surrounding
bodies, which stands on it mixed with a less proportion of vitreous
ether like an atmosphere, but cannot unite with the vitreous ether,
which is combined with the resin.

As in the production of vitrification, those materials are necessary
which contain much oxygen, as minium, and manganese; there is probably
much oxygen combined with glass, which may thence be esteemed a solid
acid, as water may be esteemed a fluid one. It is hence not
improbable, that one kind of electric ether may also be combined with
it, as it seems to affect the oxygen of water in the Galvanic
experiments. The combination of the other kind of electric ether with
wax or sulphur, is countenanced from those bodies, when heated or
melted, being said to part with much electricity as they cool, and as
it appears to affect the hydrogen in the decomposition of water by
Galvanism.

5. Hence the nonconductors of electricity are of two kinds; such as
are combined with vitreous ether, as resin, and sulphur; and such as
are combined with resinous ether, as glass, air, silk. But both these
kinds of nonconductors are impervious to either of the electric
ethers; as those ethers being already combined with other bodies will
not unite with each other, or be removed from their situations by each
other. Whereas the perfect conducting bodies, as metals, water,
charcoal, though surrounded with electric atmospheres, as they have
neither of the electric ethers combined with them, suffer th