wire ‘and even eee wire oee aac an nd- bums ‘he mc 
cons aracteristic of this kind of i ition, indepen- 
dent of its intensity, is, that it is cAnuaalaae has no re- 
semblance to combustion, since it acts in a vacuum, or in 
gases which are not supporters of combustion, such as azote, 
and carbonic acid, as well as in air. In vain have philoso- 
phers every where sought to study these effects in varying 
and reproducing them under a thousand forms; as yet, n 
satisfactory explanation has been given, They have ols 
increased the number of experiments, and her we ought net 
to forget to mention that of Davy, one oe earees 
able in experimental philosophy ; we mean the brilliant mS 
of light that this able chemist has produced between two 
pieces of carbon, in connecting them with each pole of the 
ile. 
Ever since the earliest enquiries into the nature of electri- 
city and magnetism, philosophers have suspected that an 
analogy existed between nari two agents, but this, until 
1820, had been purely bypothetical. 
was reserved for the voltaic apparatus to we byt facts 
the truth of this audios it is te Qersted that in- 
debted for having known how to prove this aeesanies ; 
he discovered the action which a avahiestete ening the two 
poles of the pile, exercises upon a magne 
If we have thus far adopted the order of. ideas poo 4 
the Italian author, without however subjecting ourselves to 
fo aul [. Ampere. 
of that philosopher, who may be justly calied the creator of 
a new branch of physics, called electro dynamics; the histo- 
ry of the labors of this philosopher is the. best homage that 
we can — me the memory “ Valine since they show of 
Vor. XV.— 
