70 Biographical Notice of Alexander Volta. 
endeavored to explain it by a fluid sui generis, which they 
called animal electricity, and which they supposed to be 
put in action in the experiment just named. Volta’s opin- 
ion was widely different from that of the authors of this hy- 
pothesis. He advanced the idea, that this fluid was nothing 
more than common electricity developed by the contact of 
two metals, and that the frog only acted the part of a con- 
ductor and electroscope. This simple and natural explana- 
tion met with many objections. Galvani and the other phi- 
losophers alleged that it was not necessary to make use of two 
different metals, and that the contact of two similar metals, 
ficent to produce the shock, which, it is true was much 
weaker. Volta replied that these res from this, 
that the metals were not perfectly the same, and that th 
shewed by means of his condenser, that the agent ed 
in this manner, possessed all the properties of common elec- 
tricity ; he replied victoriously to his adversaries, who dared 
no longer to oppose him, in making to the scientific world the 
— gift of the apparatus known by the name of the 
Itaic pile 
tinction which he established, between electro-motive bo- 
dies, such as the metals, and bodies, which are not electro- 
motive, or only in a very low degree, but which serve only 
as conductors, such ie Hoists : 
Having discovered that the contact of two different met- 
+. nrannoe S Akethk Hack 
ed a air Ora valtaie 
“Volta: was led to the construction of his pile by the dis- 
_ c Stas C sp n 
lity of electricity, he was enabled to increase this quantity, 
ry th genien of gs of these elements to one another, 
DY Means of one of those conductors such as water hold- 
_ 49g mM solution a salt or an acid, 7 
