Outlines of a View of Galvarufm. 327 



fafts, variouflv ititerefting from their novelty and the extent 

 of their application. 



§ 2. Confidering the firft epoch as formed by the publica- 

 tion of the fundamental galvanic fact, we may derive the 

 fecond from the difcovery of the exillence of inorganic gal- 

 vanifm. 'J'ill the refearchcs of Fabroni, Dr. Alh, and Crevc, 

 had been made known, the galvanic influence was generally 

 confidered as exilHng only in living animal organs. But the 

 difcovery of the peculiar action of metals in contact with each 

 other upon water, demonftrated the production of it in ar- 

 rangements compofed whollv of dead matter, and laid the 

 foundation for a newclafs of invelligations, which have inti- 

 mately connected the galvanic phaenomena with known phy- 

 (ical eflecls. 



§ 3. The third epoch in the hiftory of the fcicnce is, per- 

 haps, the moft brilliant and molt important. It will long be 

 celebrated on account of the difcovery of the accumulation 

 of the galvanic influence. Before this difcovery was made, 

 the world, in general, beheld nothing deeply interefting in 

 galvanifm : it had no relations to the connnon wants of life, 

 and the facSts that compofed it were fo obfcure as to be difli- 

 cultly comprehended, except by long attention. Tho. gal- 

 vanic battery of Volta not only gratified the paffion for no- 

 velty by the curious efletts it produced, but likewife awakened 

 the'love of inveliigation, by didinftly exhibiting the analogy 

 between galvanifm and connnon electricity. 



§ 4. The fourth and lalt epoch in galvanifm may be con- 

 fidered as founded upon the knowledge of the general con- 

 nexion between the excitement of galvanic eleclricity, and 

 chemical changes; and it chiefly owes its exiftence to the 

 labours of Britifli expcrimentalilts *. The difcovery of the 

 chemical agencies of galvanifm has led to refearches which 

 finallv cannot fail to elucidate the philoiophy of the impon- 

 derable or ethereal fluids. The year that is jufl: paft will long 

 he diltinouiflied in the hiflory of fcience; feldom has phy- 

 fical inveititration been purfued with greater ardour; and if 

 new facts, \y being foinetimes infnlated and incapable of 

 application to cftabliflied theories, have perplexed the public 

 mind, vet they have at the fame time been ufeful to it, by 

 producing a habit of rational and ailive fcepticifm, which 

 cannot fail of becoming, at a future period, the parent of truth. 



II. Of the Icnjl complicated G,.ha7iic Arratigements^ i. e. 



ftviplc Circles. 

 § I. The condu«Slor6 of ele6\ricity, which, by their a6tioix 



• Miffrs. Nichnlfon, Carlillc, Cruikfliauk anU Henry, Dr. Wollufton, 

 aiid Maj>;r HulJunc. 



X 4 oa 



O 



