Page:Experimental researches in chemistry and.djvu/397

382 of snow in a thawing state. The experiment, however, would require much consideration in every point of view, and much care before it could be considered as telling anything beyond the temperature of ice-cold water.

On the other hand, if a spherical cup of ice could be prepared containing water within, to which no heat could pass except by conduction through the ice itself, that water ought to be a little colder than the ice cup around it:—also if a mixture of snow and water were pressed together, the temperature should rise whenever regelation occurred, being an effect in the contrary direction to that which Prof. J. Thomson contemplates; and such a mixture, as a whole, ought to be warmer than the water in the ice sphere mentioned above. No doubt nice experiment will hereafter enable us to criticise such results as these, and separating the true from the untrue, will establish the correct theory of regelation.

September, 1858.

On Table-turning.

To the Editor of the Times.

,—I have recently been engaged in the investigation of table-turning. I should be sorry that you should suppose I thought this necessary on my own account, for my conclusion respecting its nature was soon arrived at, and is not changed; but I have been so often misquoted, and applications to me for an opinion are so numerous, that I hoped, if I enabled myself by experiment to give a strong one, you would consent to convey it to all persons interested in the matter. The effect produced by table-turners has been referred to electricity, to magnetism, to attraction, to some unknown or hitherto unrecognized physical power able to affect inanimate bodies—to the revolution of the earth, and even to diabolical or supernatural agency. The natural philosopher can investigate all these supposed causes but the last; that must, to him, be too much connected with credulity or superstition to require any attention on his part. The investigation would be too long in description to obtain a place in your columns. I therefore purpose asking admission