2S2 Mr. R. Hunt on the supjwscd Influence of 



descriptive of the phases, after the manner of the time) ; the 

 Pajinattticon, a work on navigation, published in 1731; Lon~ 

 thiaua, a work on the antiquities of Ireland, of which one 

 volume only was published in 1748; the treatise described in 

 this article; and others which I do not note, as according to 

 a common fashion of biographical memoirs, thei'e is a con- 

 fusion between works " completed " and works printed and 

 published. Lalande mentions The Use of the Globes, Lon- 

 don, 1740, 8vo; Clavis Ccclestis, being the explication of a 

 diagram entitled A Synopsis of the Universe .... London, 

 1742, 4to ; and the work above described. 



It seems to me that Wright is entitled to have his specula- 

 tions considered, not as the accident of a mind which must give 

 the rein to imagination, and sometimes get into a right path, 

 but as the justifiable research and successful conclusion of 

 thought founded on both knowledge and observation. And 

 I submit that his name ought to be enrolled in the list of dis- 

 coverers. 



University College, 

 March 7, 1848. 



XXXVII. On the supposed hrfluence of Magnetism on Chemical 

 Action. By Robert Hunt, Esq. 



To Richard PhillijJS, Esq. 

 Dear Sir, 

 'T'HE question whether magnetism exerts any influence on 

 -*■ chemical phenomena, has for a very considerable period 

 agitated the world of science. On the one hand, we find Von 

 Arnim, J. W. Ritter, Ludicke, Maschmann, Hansteen, 

 Schweigger, Dobereiner, Muller, Kastner, Fresnel, Murray, 

 Rendu, Zantedeschi, and Ampere expressing opinions, derived 

 from their observations, that some influence is exerted, in 

 many cases retarding, and in others accelerating chemical 

 action; while one or two of these observers assert that mag- 

 netism has even the power of setting up chemical change. 

 On the other hand, Steinhauser, Erman, Dulk, Wetzlar, Otto- 

 Linne Erdman, Berzelius, Ridolfi, Nobili and Wartmann*, 

 state that they have not been enabled to detect any such influ- 

 ence, although they have employed magnets of great power in 

 their experiments. 



It is evident, from this array of names, that the question is 

 surrounded with considerable difficulties; and it becomes 



* Third Memoir on Induction by Prof. Eiie Wartmann, Phil. Mag. for 

 April, 1847, p. 264. 



