An Essay to Shew the Cause of Electricity

John Freke

John Freke

An Essay to Shew the Cause of Electricity / and Why Some Things are Non-Electricable

SIR,

Those who have the Honour of your Acquaintance, and thence know your many excellent Qualifications, must applaud my Choice in dedicating this small Piece to you; whose Name, if there be any Merit in the Performance, will, before any other, add a Lustre to it. I am, with the highest Esteem,

В В В В Your most Obliged,

В В В В Humble Servant,

В В В В John Freke.

The PREFACE

When I first enter’d on this Subject of Electricity, I intended only to put some Thoughts in Writing concerning it, that I might the more easily convey them to the Understandings of such as I hoped would be more likely than I should be to go farther with it. And as nobody, either here or abroad, had published any thing touching the Cause from which it was produc’d, I chose to shew the Beginning I had made to some Friends, whose Opinion concerning Natural Knowlege I had a great Reliance on. I told them, I thought my Difficulty would be to convey what I had to propound on this new Subject to them with the necessary Clearness, as my Intention was to observe the utmost Brevity in it.

After I had read it to them, they assured me that what I had written was perfectly intelligible; and that it gave them many new Ideas respecting this Phænomenon; and were very earnest with me to print it, for the sake of the Publick.

I was not, however, inclined to comply with their Requests, till I had shewn it to a Person who is most justly distinguish’d for his great Candor, and superlative Understanding in all Natural Knowlege; and he likewise having express’d his Wishes to see it in Print, I could not but look on his Desire as a Command.

If what I have here undertaken to shew should enlighten the Minds of any of my Readers, or if it should so far awaken the Attention of others, as to make them give better Reasons for the Operation of this Power of Electricity than I have done, I shall not account the Time ill spent, which I have employ’d on this interesting Subject: A Subject which can, with more Nobleness and Dignity employ the Mind of Man, than any I can think of relating to the sublunary Part of this World. For by it you may be acquainted with the immediate Officer of God Almighty, which he seems to send to all Things living. Nay, this Power, according to my Conception, seems to be the Cause, under HIM, both of Life and Death. And when it may be more fully understood, it may afford us Means whereby we may be better enabled to reason more intelligibly than now we can, concerning various Operations in Nature.

I am very sensible what Tribute a new Author is liable to pay to Criticks: I know it is too common to find much too large a Part of them inclin’d to look into a Book for its Faults, rather than for its Use; and are more ready to pull down, than they have Abilities to put any thing in its Place. But as I am not writing this for any Gain to myself, but the Pleasure of informing, if I can, the Minds of such as may be informed by it, I chuse rather to stand their Censure, than deny the Publick what may possibly be the Beginning of much Good.

It is very probable, that those who pretend to know every thing, will be so good as to say, if they like what I have advanc’d, that it squares exactly with what they thought before concerning it: And those who set up for Criticks will try their Hands at this Performance, and, if they can, will condemn it.

It would be a great Wonder, indeed, if this should escape the Censure of some, when the great Dr. Harvey had his implacable Adversaries to his Account of the Circulation of the Blood; and even Sir Isaac Newton met with Opponents to several of his Theorys. What I have said opposes no one’s Scheme, that I know of; it offers no Sentiments which can hurt any Man.

I have advanc’d only Conjectures for the clearing those Truths I would establish; and if, after all, what appears reasonable to me should not appear so to others, I cannot help it: For it is