Royal Astronomical Society. 299 
Faraday in electrical science,” and he justly remarks that “ the suc- 
cessive memoirs of an experimental philosopher must necessarily be 
better adapted to the study of the proficient than to the instruction 
of the beginner, and that long periods of time often elapse before 
the facts which they contain would find their places in general sy- 
stems.” 
To this we should be inclined to add, that the piece-meal mode 
in which this is commonly effected generally produces a patch-work 
of old and new matter, extremely unfavourable to the reception and 
spread of new and important opinions. Professor Daniell, however, 
having early perceived that chemical philosophy would date one of 
its most splendid epochs from the publication of “‘ The Experimental 
Researches in Electricity,’ and that they not only extended but 
simplified the general theory of the subject, has composed his work 
with a single view to the molecular induction of statical electricity, 
and the definite chemical action of dynamical electricity ; these prin- 
ciples he has gradually applied in explanation of the first elementary 
facts of the science with a unity of effect which cannot but be highly 
favourable to their general reception. he superiority of the new 
theory over the old is manifest from the first apparent repulsion of 
the leaves of an electroscope to the complicated phenomena of the 
Leyden jar and the Electrophorus, and the facility with which the 
complicated relations of voltaic circuits are explained upon the doc- 
trine of current affinity is calculated to shake the confidence of the 
stoutest advocate of the contact hypothesis. 
As a guide to the physical arrangement of the voltaic battery, 
Professor Daniell has likewise adopted Professor Ohm’s view of 
electromotive forces and resistances, by the introduction of which 
from the beginning he has been enabled to give a popular illustra- 
tion of his celebrated formula. 
On a future occasion we shall probably make some extracts from 
the Professor’s work which belong more strictly to the chemical por- 
tion of it; at present we content ourselves with having pointed out 
that portion of the work which is peculiar to it, and which conse- 
quently, we believe, is not to be found in any other similar work on 
chemistry. 
LV. Proceedings of Learned Societies, 
ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 
[Continued from p, 231.] 
February 10, 1843.—L2tracts from the Report of the Council 
to the Twenty-third Annual General Meeting. 
A HE Council regret that they have to lay before the meeting a list 
of a much greater number of deceased Members than on any 
former occasion : no less than eleven, during the past year, being 
removed by the hand of death; amongst whom are some of the 
earliest members of the Society. Although these sad events must 
always be a source of regret to the members, yet the Council trust 
