* 70] 
however, excepting one, I shall de- 
cline discussing, as they either are of 
little importance, or have not been 
stated with sufficient precision. The 
objection I mean is, that in none of 
the experiments with animals, pre- 
pared after the manner of Mr, Gal- 
vani, are those appearances of at- 
traction and repulsion to be observ- 
ed, which are held to be the tests of 
the presence of electricity, My 
answer to it is, that no such appear- 
sances can, occur in Mr. Galvani’s 
experiments, consistently with the 
known requisites for their success, 
and the established laws of electri- 
city. For, as it has been proved, 
that there is naturally no disengaged 
electrio fluid in. the nerves and mus- 
cles of animals, I except the tor- 
pedo and a few others, no signs of 
attraction and_ repulsion can be 
looked for in those substances, be- 
fore the application of metals or 
charcoal; and after these have been 
applied, the equilibrium of the in- 
fluence, agreeably to what has been 
already shewn, is never disturbed, 
unless means for its restoration be 
at the same time afforded. Neither 
then ought sigus of attraction and 
repulsion to be in this case present- 
ed, onthe supposition that the in- 
fluence is electrical ; since it is ne- 
cessary for the exhibition of such 
appearances, that bodies, after be- 
coming electrical, should remain so 
during some sensible portion of time: 
it being well known, for example, 
that the passage of the charge of a 
Leyden phial, from one of its sur- 
faces to the other, does not efiect 
the most delicate electrometer, sus~- 
pended from a wire or otber sub- 
stance, which forms the communi- 
‘cation between ‘them. 
Such are the observations I mean 
at’present to submit to'the consider- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795: 
ation of this Society, respecting the 
influence which incites the muscles 
of animals to contract, in Mr. Gal- 
vani’s experiments. 
Observations on the Maritime Alps ; 
* from Beaumont’s Travels through 
them, 
oS inp vee lee that some general 
deductions from the principal 
facts, or phenomena, mentioned in 
the course of this work may be ex- 
pected of me, especially with re- 
spect to the theory of the formation 
of their regular surface of the earth, 
at least of that wonderful part of it 
which I have so repeatedly explores 
ed, Lhave ventured to annex a few 
observations, which appear to me 
to merit the particular attention of 
philosophers, as likewise the con- 
sequences which I think might be 
drawn from them. 
I do not, however, mean to speak 
of what relates to the first and great 
revolution experienced by our globe 
at the formation of its continents : 
that is, at the epoch when the wa- 
ters covered it about two thousand 
four hundred and fifty toises, and 
which is nearly the present eleva- 
tion of some of the granitic peaks 
of the Alps, as Mont Blanc, Mont 
Rose, &c. In short, of the time 
when they were totally submerged 
by that element, and formed them- 
selved under that fluid, either by 
eflect of crystallization or precipitas 
tion. I therefore only intend to 
touch on the phenomena which re- 
late to the last immersion experi- 
enced by our continent, and which 
appears to have been partial. 
I. From the immense atterrisse-. 
ments, or land-accumulations, al- 
ready formed, and which are con- 
tinually increasing at the mouth * 
the 
