296 M. De la Rive's Researches 



upon the quantity of electricity circulating between the poles; 

 in fact, as we have seen, the intensity of the current is not di- 

 minished by increasing the number of pairs. But if the che- 

 mical action, instead of being lively, is weak, it cannot be 

 considered as developing, in the same instant, physically equal 

 quantities of electricity ; and the differences are more sensible 

 in proportion as the absolute quantity of electricity developed 

 is less. On the other hand, as the quantity of electricity in 

 circulation in each pair, and between the poles of the pile, is 

 determined by that disengaged by the most feeble pair, when 

 once the necessary limit has been exceeded, the more pairs 

 there are the more the number of cases is increased, in which 

 a feeble disengagement of electricity may take place in a given 

 time, and consequently the more diminished is the total quan- 

 tity of free electricity in circulation. To prevent this diminu- 

 tion there must always be an absolute simultaneity and equality 

 in the quantities of electricity disengaged, in the same instant, 

 by each pile, which is physically impossible, and that impos- 

 sibility increases as the number of the pairs becomes greater, 

 and the chemical action more feeble : all which is in perfect 

 agreement with experiment. It now remains to be shown 

 why, when the addition of a certain number of pairs has di- 

 minished the intensity of the current, a further addition, in- 

 stead of continuing to reduce it, can on the contrary terminate 

 the diminution, and cause the intensity again to increase. 

 When it was said, that the limit in the number of pairs most 

 favourable for obtaining a certain effect, was attained, the mo- 

 ment the current preferred the way of the conductor to that 

 of the pile, it was not to be understood by that, that no portion 

 of the current passed through the pile ; on the contrary, the 

 result of the manner in which the electricity is distributed be- 

 tween the conductors is, that a certain proportion of the elec- 

 tricities continues to reunite through the pile. But as this 

 proportion is very small, and as besides, when the number of 

 pairs is already great, the addition of others has no sensible 

 influence, the physical limit is attained, even when a propor- 

 tion of the two electricities still reunites through the pile. 

 However, if the number of pairs be considerably increased, 

 that part of the electricity which circulates through the pile is 

 in the end diminished, and consequently that which passes 

 through the conductor is in the same degree increased. A 

 great addition to the number of pairs is then a cause of aug- 

 mentation to the current; it is also, as has just been shown, a 

 cause of diminution. This augmentation and this diminution 

 do not follow the same law in relation to the number of pairs. 

 It is easy to conceive that as with a certain number of pairs 

 the augmentation preponderates over the diminution, so, on 



