Wishing to ascertain whether it passed over the surface, or through the substance of metals, I coated several rods of different metals with sealing wax, leaving nothing but their ends, by which they were held, uncovered. Contractions were excited as readily through the media of these, as if they had not been coated. It seems to meet 20 with no obstruction in passing from link to link, of several chains, even when no pressure, except that of their own weight, is used to bring them into contact. I was led from this to hope, that I should be able to make it pass through a very thin plate of air. I, therefore, coated a stick of sealing wax, with a plate of tin-foil, and then made an almost imperceptible division a-cross it with a sharp pen-knife. But even this interruption of continuity in the conductor was sufficient effectually to bar its passage.

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