68 Faraday's Researches

according to him, compounds with the electricities; when
evolved at the poles, they are de-electrified.

252. I have sought amongst the various experiments quoted
in support of these views, or connected with electro-chemical
decompositions or electric currents, for any which might be
considered as sustaining the theory of two electricities rather
than that of one, but have not been able to perceive a single
fact which could be brought forward for such a purpose: or;
admitting the hypothesis of two electricities, much less have I
been able to perceive the slightest grounds for believing that one
electricity in a current can be more powerful than the other, or
that it can be present without the other, or that one can be
varied or in the slightest degree affected, without a correspond-
ing variation in the other. If, upon the supposition of two
•electricities, a current of one can be obtained without the other,
or the current of one be exalted or diminished more than the
other, we might surely expect some variation either of the
chemical or magnetical effects, or of both; but no such varia-
tions have been observed. If a current be so directed that it
may act chemically in one part of its course, and magnetically
in another, the two actions are always found to take place
together. A current has not, to my knowledge, been produced
which could act chemically and not magnetically, nor any which
can act on the magnet, and not at the same time chemically.1

253. Judging from facts only, there is not as yet the slightest
reason for considering the influence which is present in what
we call the electric current,—whether in metals or fused bodies
or humid conductors, or even in air, flame, and rarefied elastic
media,—as a compound or complicated influence. It has never
been resolved into simpler or elementary influences, and may
perhaps best be conceived of as an axis of power having contrary

forces, exactly equal in amount, in contrary directions.

254. Passing to the consideration of electro-chemical decom-
position, it appears to me that the effect is produced by an
internal corpuscular action, exerted according to the direction of
the electric current, and that it is due to a force either super-
added to, or giving direction to the ordinary chemical affinity of
the bodies present. The body under decomposition may be
considered as a mass of acting particles, all those which are

^Thermo-electric currents are of course no exception, because when they
fail to act chemically they also fail to be currents.n. li. p. 73*