RECORDS 



OF 



GENERAL SCIENCE 



FEBRUARY, 1835. 



Article I. 



Biographical Account of Alexander Volta. By M. Arago. 

 ( Abridged from the Ann. de Chimie, vol. liv.J 



Amber it was remarked, as early as the times of Theophrastus 

 and Pliny, possesses the remarkable property of attracting 

 light bodies, such as feathers, after it has been smartly 

 rubbed. The name of the substance ( electron ) came to be 

 applied to this property, which it acquired by friction. For 

 a long period electricity was confined to narrow limits, but 

 to Volta was left the developement of the brilliant science 

 which has succeeded the discovery of the principle, for he 

 found electricity by the aid of peculiar apparatus every 

 where ; in combustion, in evaporation, in the simple ap- 

 proximation of dissimilar bodies ; and thus assigned to this 

 powerful agent an immense field among terrestrial pheno- 

 mena, which yields only to that of gravity. 



Alexander Volta, one of the eight foreign associates of 

 the Academy of Sciences, son of Philip Volta, and Magdalene 

 de Conti Inzaghi, was born at Como, in the territory of 

 Milan, on the 14th February 1745. He was educated under 

 his father's eye, in the public school of his native city, and 

 from his talents and indefatigable application, speedily 

 surpassed his school-fellows. At ten years of age he com- 



vol. I. G 



