The thing most
surprising to strangers was that it was possible in winter-time to
light the gas with one's finger. All that was necessary was to
shuffle over the carpet in thin shoes, and then on touching any
metal object, an electric spark half an inch long would crack out
of your finger. The size and power of the spark depended a great
deal on the temperament of the experimenter. A high-strung person
could produce quite a large spark; a stolid, bovine individual
could not obtain a glimmer of one. The late Mr. Joseph
Chamberlain, whilst staying at Government House, was told of this,
but was inclined to be sceptical. My sister, Lady Lansdowne, made
him shuffle over the carpet, and then and there touch a gas-burner
from which she had removed the globe. Mr. Chamberlain, with his
nervous temperament, produced a spark an inch long out of himself,
and of course the gas flared up immediately. I do not think that I
had ever seen any one more surprised. This power of generating
static electricity from their own bodies was naturally a source of
immense delight to the Lansdowne children.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353