A sequel to the Experiments and observations tending to illustrate the nature and properties of electricity : wherein it is presumed, by a series of experiments expresly for that purpose, that the source of the electrical power, and its manner of acting are demonstrated. Addressed to the Royal Society / by William Watson.

  • William Watson
Date:
1746
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A sequel to the Experiments and observations tending to illustrate the nature and properties of electricity : wherein it is presumed, by a series of experiments expresly for that purpose, that the source of the electrical power, and its manner of acting are demonstrated. Addressed to the Royal Society / by William Watson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    80/82 (page 78)
    [ 78] fe, I differ from Cabem, Dtgby, Gaf- fendus, Brown, Des Cartes, and very oreat names of the laft as well as the prefent age. My differing from them would be prefumption indeed, were I not induced thereto by obfer- vations drawn from a feries of experi- ments carefully conducted, to which many of you have been witneffes, and to whom I may therefore appeal for taking, what may feem fo extraordi¬ nary a hep. I have conftantly had in view that excellent maxim of Sir Ifaac Newton laid down in his Opticks, that, <c as in Mathematics, fo in natural i <c philofophy, the inveftigation of <c difficult things by the method of “ analyfis ought ever to precede the a method of compofition. This ana- “ lyfis confifts in making experi- iC ments and obfervations, and in <c drawing general conclufions from <c them by indudion, and admitting of ‘4 no objedions again ft the conclufions, 1 but