iat. mail 
¥8i1.). Biterary and Philosophical hitelligences”. 
striction of the larynx, and this effect 
takes place soonest in young animals. 
The effect of the operation is tu prevent 
the access of air to the lungs; but, when 
another passage is opened, respiration is 
€arried on, and the change of venous 
into arterial blood takes place, in the 
same manner as before the section of the 
nerves, mit 
) It was announced by Dr. Davy, that 
he had, by the action of the voltaic 
battery, produced hydrogen, or inflamma- 
ble air, from carbon, and some of the 
metals; and he believed, that future dis- 
~  coveries would prove that hydrogen form- 
“a 
St 
ed a constituent part of all inflammable 
- ‘substances. 
platina in vacuo, by a powerful voltaic pile 
of 2000 plates, which is the first time the 
experiment had been shewn. During 
the fusion, intense light and heat were 
produced, and very vivid scintillations 
were emitted from the platina, which, 
Dr. Davy sapposed, were occasioned by 
the separation of an élastic gas, probably 
hydrogen. The fact of the separation 
ces from carbon and the metals, 
- is highly important: if Dr. Davy’s con- 
_ clusion be established, ‘it will lead to the 
revival of that part of ‘the’ phlogistic 
system, which considered hydrogen as 
_ the base of metals and other inflammable 
» aubstances. Of this opinion Dr. Priestley 
He exhibited the fusion of 
159 
was firmly convinced. A very short time 
previous to his death, he wrote.a friend 
of ours in Yorkshire, expressing his firm 
belief, that before the expiration of ter 
years, the fact would be fully establish 
ed, and the illusions respecting many 
parts of the new theory of chemistry, 
be completely destroyed by future disco- 
veries. The voltaic battery, made use of 
in these experiments, is the most power= 
ful instrument of the kind which has yes 
been constructed. The striking distance 
of the discharge was more than one inch 
in vacuo, All the’ metals which were 
acted on by it, immediately fused ; oil, 
water, and spirit of wine, were rapidly 
decomposed, and vivid sparks given out 
from the wires, which were immersed 
in the fluids, and connected with the 
two extremities of the plates, Dr. Davy 
informed us, that he believed the fult 
shock from it would occasion instanta= 
neous death. He once, by accident, re+ 
ceived a shock from a thousand plates > 
but, the discharge being made upon the 
dry cuticle of the hand, which is an im- 
perfect conductor, the force of the shock 
was much weakened ; and, though it was 
extremely painful, he did not receive any 
permanent injury. On examining his. 
hands, he found the skin burned ‘in’ thas 
part where the discharge had heem 
made. ae 
< { en 
‘a VARIETIES, Lrrerary anp PariosoPHicaL. 
: Fncluding Notices of Works in Hand, Domestic and Foreign. 
4%% Authentic Communications for this’ Article will always be thankfully received, 
i VFXHE Emperor Napoleon, in order to’ pieces of that art, and we learn that the: 
~ _# give its proper weight to the Frenclr works of the French painters are equally 
 Fanguage;and tosimplify the acquirement transcendant. As one instance’of Na- 
‘ 
of-usetul knowledge, has’ordered' that all 
éxercises and theses in the universities 
throughout Fratice, shall be performed 
and written in French; and that: a 
knowledge of Latin and Greek shall, in 
no department of his government, be 
_ Weemed a qualification for degrees, 
ranks, or offices, either political, medi- 
! mr a - . ‘ 
 €al, legal, or cletical. The prescriptions 
_ Of physicians are tobe in French, and the 
service of the church is no longer to be 
_ performed except in the vernacular tongue. 
~) By an English artist just arrived'from 
Paris, it appears, thatthe arts of paint= 
img, sculpture, and engraving, are car- 
tied tw the highest point of perfection im 
that capital. We have indeed seen some 
French engravings recently imported by 
Golnaghi and Mateno, which are master- 
- Ses 
poleon’s patronage of engraving, he lately 
placed 2,200,000 francs at the disposak 
of the proprietors of the magnificent se- 
ties of engravings called the Musée Na 
poleon, to enable them to- finish it in the 
style in which it has been’ commenced. 
It‘ is nut:a little singular thar men’ of 
letters, chemists, and mathematicians; 
are preferred’ and employed, inm'every de- 
partment of the French governments 
and that the Institute, and every thing 
appertaining to art and science, is de= 
scribed as being eminently distinguished 
and encouraged; at the same time, that 
an inquisitorial police strikes terror inte 
every family, and a general distrust and 
want of confidence paralyses every pri- 
vate energy of the people; and com- 
mercial eredit and trade are even in. a. 
worse 
