The History and Present State of Electricity
With Original Experiments

Published in 1767, this work by the polymath Joseph Priestley explores the history of electrical study and its contemporary advances.

Joseph Priestley (Author)

9781108064392, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 5 September 2013

800 pages, 5 b/w illus.
24.4 x 17 x 4 cm, 1.25 kg

When this work first appeared in 1767, electricity was seen as such a minor aspect of natural philosophy that its investigation was not considered a priority for contemporary scientists. The polymath Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) was one of the few who devoted serious effort to advancing the field. Here he charts the history of electrical study from experiments with amber in ancient Greece to the most recent discoveries. The book comprises explanations of the principal theories of electricity - both historical and contemporary - in addition to a selection of well-known experiments carried out by previous researchers. Priestley also details his own experiments, covering such topics as the colour of electric light, the effects of temperature, and even the musical tone of electrical discharges. One of his most successful works, testifying to the clarity of his explanations, the book remains an important text in the history of science.

Preface
Part I. The History of Electricity
Part II. A Series of Propositions, Comprising All the General Properties of Electricity
Part III. Theories of Electricity
Part IV. Desiderata in the Science of Electricity, and Hints for the Further Extension of it
Part V. Of the Construction of Electrical Machines, and the Principal Parts of an Electrical Apparatus
Part VI. Practical Maxims for the Use of Young Electricians
Part VII. A Description of the Most Entertaining Experiments Performed by Electricity
Part VIII. New Experiments in Electricity, Made in the Year 1766.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX]