12 Eloge of Alexander Volta. 



culative reveries, they will perhaps be led to resist this deceptive 

 influence, by observing a man of genius submiuing to the most 

 laborious details. At a time, moreover, when the publication 

 of a book, except in a few honourable instances, is a purely 

 mercantile operation ; when treatises on science, in particu- 

 lar, are cut to the same pattern, and present scarcely any ap- 

 preciable shade of difference ; when each author scrupulously 

 neglects all experiments, theories, and instruments, which his 

 immediate predecessor has overlooked or misunderstood, I con- 

 ceive it a duty to direct beginners to original sources. By this 

 means alone will they be led to important subjecls of research, 

 and find a faithful history of discoveries ; while they will learn 

 at the same time to distinguish between truth and imcertainty, 

 and to distrust conjectural theories which undiscerning conipila- 

 tors adopt with blind confidence. 



When Saussure had taken advantage of the powerful effect 

 which points exercise on the electrical fluid, and had greatly 

 augmented the sensibility of Cavallo's electrometer, by the 

 simple addition of a stalk of eight or nine decimeters in length ; 

 and when the metallic threads with balls of alder pith had been 

 superseded by dry straws, it might have been supposed that the 

 apparatus was not susceptible of further improvement. In 1787, 

 however, Volta increased its power considerably, without making 

 any change in its primitive construction. This he effected by a 

 most singular expedient, that of fitting to the point of the me- 

 tallic stalk introduced by Saussure, either a wax-light, or merely 

 a burning match ! 



The result of this experiment surely no one could have fore- 

 seen. Experimenters were not slow in discovering that flame is 

 an excellent conductor of electricity, but ought not this fact to 

 have discouraged the idea of employing it as a collecting power ? 

 Volta's soundness of judgment and severe logic, prevented him 

 from giving way to the consequences of the strange fact that 

 had occurred to him, till he had found an explanation. He 

 perceived that if a light brings to the point where it is placed, 

 three or four times more electricity than could otherwise be col- 

 lected, it must be owing to the current of air produced by the 

 flame, and the multiplied communications thus established be- 

 tween the metal point and the atmospheric molecules. 



