102 Dr. Harems Dejlagrator and CaloTimoior. 



and lip;ht from a wire made tlie medium of transmission. 

 They do not however, explain why the electricity docs not, 

 according to all its known habitudes, rapidly escape through 

 the water, as fast as generated, instead of proceeding from 

 one plate to another, in order to pass off through a second 

 portion of the same fluid. Would it not he more philoso- 

 phical, to suppose that the heat and light result directlfj from 

 the causes supposed to produce them indirectly ^ especial- 

 ly, as we actually see them in a high degree of intensity, 

 while the characteristic agency of the principle, by which 

 they are supposed to be produced, is but feebly perceived, 

 or iniperfectly demonstrated ? In the case of a single gal- 

 vanic pair, electricity has never been alleged discoverable, 

 unless by the questionable assistance of condensers. 



Besides, without supposing caloric and light to circulate 

 from the apparatus through the conjunctive wire, those who 

 consider them as material, will find it impossible to account 

 for the durability of the ignition. If it be supposed that 

 these principles are extricated from the metal, only by 

 electricity passing through it, their repeated or incessant 

 expenditure, ought sooner or later to exhaust the metal, 

 and render it incapable of further ignition. 



On this subject, especially, as connected with magnet- 

 ism, and mechanical electricity, you shall hear from me 

 again. 



Letter III, — From the Editor. — On the incompatibility of 

 the Voltaic Batteries and the instruments of Dr. Hare 

 when used in connexion. 



TO PROFESSOR HARE. 



Yale-CoIIegey Mw-Haven^ April 9lh, 1 822- 



My dear Sivj 



In my letter of Oct. 23d, 1 821 , addressed to you (Vol. 4, 

 p. 203 of this Journal) respecting the experiments which I 

 had performed with your deflagrator, I mentioned the in- 

 compatibility which T discovered to exist between your ap- 

 paratus and the common galvanic battery. I have recent- 

 ly repeated these experiments with some additions and va- 

 riations which I now take the liberty of stating to you. 



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