Excitement of Galvanic Electricity. 299 
of perhaps equal amount, remains in equilibrio. 
Hence, in every Galvanic arrangement, there 
must be a pair of plates at or near the centre 
“an the natural state of electricity. A commu- 
nication, between the two extremities of a 
pile would therefore reduce it to a state of 
permanent inaction, if there did not still exist 
some cause, capable of disturbing the equili- 
brium. On the hypothesis of Volta, this can 
be nothing else than the property of electro- 
motion in the metallic plates, which has been 
described as the primary cause of all the phe- 
nomena. . 
This theory, on first view, appears suffici- 
ently to explain the facts on electrical prin- 
ciples, without the interference of chemical 
action. Consistently with the hypothesis, 
different fluids, when made parts of Voltaic 
arrangements, produce effects more or less 
energetic, as they are more or less active in 
conducting electricity; the only property, 
according to Volta, that can be considered as 
influencing their efficiency in the pile. There 
are several facts, however, which, if not 
absolutely irreconcileable with the hypothesis, 
are certainly not at all explained by it. Why, 
for instance, it may be asked, when pure 
water forms a part of the arrangement, is the 
Pp2 
