THE Society having heard from some of their Correspondents in _Germany_, that what they call a Vegetable Quintessence had been fired by Electricity, I take this Opportunity to acquaint you, that on _Friday_ Evening last I succeeded, after having been disappointed in many Attempts, in setting Spirits of Wine on Fire by that Power. The preceding Part of the Week had been remarkably warm, and the Air very dry, than which nothing is more necessary towards the Success of Electrical Trials; to these I may add, that the Wind was then Easterly and inclining to freeze. I that Evening used a glass Sphere as well as a Tube; but I always find myself capable of sending forth much more Fire from the Tube than from the Sphere, probably from not being sufficiently used to the last. I HAD before observ'd, that although[2] Non-electric Bodies made electrical, lose almost all that Electricity by coming either within or near the Contact of _Non-electrics_ not made electrical; it happens otherwise with Regard to _Electrics per se_, when excited by rubbing, patting, _&c_; because from the rubbed Tube I can sometimes procure five or six Flashes from different Parts, as though the Tube of two Foot long, instead of being one continued Cylinder, consisted of five or six separate Segments of Cylinders, each of which gave out its Electricity at a different Explosion. THE Knowledge of this Theorem is of the utmost Consequence towards the Success of electrical Experiments; inasmuch as you must endeavour by all possible Means to collect the Whole of this Fire at the same Time. Professor _Hollman_ seems to have endeavour'd at this and succeeded, by having a tin Tube, in one End of which he put a great many Threads, whose Extremities touch'd the Sphere when in Motion, and each Thread collected a Quantity of electrical Fire, the Whole of which center'd in the tin Tube, and went off at the other Extremity. Another Thing to be observ'd, is to endeavour to make the Flashes follow each other so fast, as that a Second may be visible before the First is extinguish'd. When you transmit the electrical Fire along a Sword or other Instrument, whose Point is sharp, it often appears as a Number of disseminated Sparks, like wet Gunpowder or _Wild-fire_; but if the Instrument has no Point, you generally perceive a pure bright Flame, like what is vulgarly call'd the _Blue-ball_, which gives the Appearance of Stars to fired Rockets.