6 Biographical Sketch of Professor Volta. 



they should draw up a list of the members in an alphabetical 

 order, Buonaparte wrote at the head of a sheet of paper Volta, 

 and delivering it to the secretary, he said, " Do as you please 

 at present, provided that name is the first.'' Volta married in 

 1794, and had three children. He took a particular charge 

 of their education, and he felt most bitterly the loss of one of 

 them, who had given great promise of being a mathematician. 

 In returning to spend the remainder of his days in his pater- 

 nal mansion at Como he experienced the greatest comfort from 

 the affectien and tender solicitudes of his family. He had now 

 given up his studies, and having been seized with a fever, he 

 died after two days illness on the 5th March 1827. His 

 death was universally lamented, and at a meeting of his fellow- 

 citizens, called on purpose on the 23d of March, it was re- 

 solved to strike a medal, and erect a monument to his memory. 

 On the modern fa9ade of the public schools of Como, in the 

 middle of the busts of Pliny, Giovio, and other great men who 

 were natives of this place, an empty niche was left as a com- 

 pliment to the genius and modesty of Volta. 



To all the domestic virtues, Volta added the most sincere 

 piety, and his last moments were marked with expressions 

 of religious feeling. As a citizen he was highly esteemed, 

 and his fellow-countrymen entrusted him with all their public 

 concerns, which lie managed with the utmost intelligence and 

 integrity. 



In 1816 a complete collection of his works was published 

 by the Chevalier Vincent Antinori at Florence, entitled Colle- 

 zione delle Opere del Cav. Conte Alexandro Volta. It was de- 

 dicated to Ferdinand III. Grand Duke of Tuscany, and is 

 embellished by an excellent likeness of the author by Morg- 

 hen. In order to complete this collection it is necessary to 

 add, 1. The Latin poem which we have already mentioned. 

 It treats of the principal phenomena of physics and chemistry. 

 2. An Italian poem on Saussure's Voyage to Mont Blanc, and 

 some other pieces in verse. 3. Observations and experiments 

 on vapours : and 4, A number of articles on physics and che- 

 mistry, either unpublished, or scattered through the pages of 

 periodical and other works. 



