I received some time since the Letter you honour’d me with containing your Hypothesis for explaining the Shock given by the Electric Bottle, on which you seem to desire my Opinion. It is many Years since I was engag’d in those pleasing Studies and my Mind is at present too much occupied with other and more important Affairs to permit my returning to them. I cannot therefore examine your ingenious Hypothesis with the Attention it appears to merit. You will find in a Letter of mine to Dr. Lining dated March 18, 1755, that I abandoned my Hypothesis of the greater Density of Glass in the Middle than near its Surfaces, as contributing to produce the Effect; because I found the Effect to be the same after I had ground that part away. And I think you might likewise try yours by an easy Experiment. Take a Plate of Lead 12 Inches square, cover one of its sides with a coat of Bees Wax about one Line thick; upon that apply closely a thin Plate of Lead 8 Inches square, so as to leave a Margin of two Inches all round. Electrify this Composition of Lead and Wax, and try if you can receive a Shock from it; if not, you may draw from thence a farther Argument to support your Hypothesis, because the Wax tho’ a Non Conductor is not elastic, any more than pure Lead. I see you are endowed with a Genius for the Study of Nature. and I would recommend it to you to employ your time rather in making Experiments than in making Hypotheses and forming imaginary Systems, which we are all too apt to please ourselves with till some Experiment comes, and unluckily destroys them. Wishing you Success in your Enquiries, I have the Honour to be Sir &ca