98 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



becomes possessed of more or less than its natu 

 ral share, it exhibits certain appearances, in the 

 form of light, sound, attraction, ot repulsion, 

 which are ascribed to the power called electric 

 that there are two different species of the electri 

 cal fluid, or, at least two different modifications 

 of the same general principle, termed positive 

 and negative electricity that positive and nega 

 tive electricity always accompany each other ; 

 for if a substance acquire the one, the body with 

 which it is rubbed acquires the other that it 

 moves with amazing rapidity ; having been trans 

 mitted through wires of several miles in length, 

 without taking up any sensible space of time ; 

 and, therefore, it is not improbable, that were an 

 insulated conducting substance extended from 

 one continent to another, it might be made to fly 

 to the remotest regions of the earth in a few 

 seconds of time that it has a power of suddenly 

 contracting the muscles of animals, or of giving 

 a shock to the animal frame that this shock may 

 be communicated, at the same instant, to a hun 

 dred persons, or to an indefinite number who 

 forma circle, by joining their hands together 

 that it may be accumulated to such a degree as 

 to kill the largest, animals that vivid sparks of 

 this fluid, attended with a crackling noise, may 

 be drawn from different parts of the human body, 

 when the person is insulated, or stands upon a 

 stool, supported by glass feet that electricity 

 sets fire to gunpowder, spirits of wine, and other 

 inflammable substances that it melts iron wire, 

 and destroys the polarity of the magnetic needle 

 that it augments the natural evaporation of fluids, 

 promotes the vegetation of plants, and increases 

 the insensible perspiration of animals, and can 

 be drawn from the clouds by means of electrical 

 kites, and other elevated conductors. By means 

 of the electrical power, small models of machinery 

 have been set in action: orreries to represent 

 the movements of the planets, have been put in 

 motion ; and small bells have been set a ringing 

 for a length of time; and, in consequence of the 

 knowledge we have acquired of the mode of its 

 operation in the system of nature, the lightnings 

 of heaven have been arrested in their course, and 

 constrained to descend to the earth, without pro 

 ducing any injurious effects. 



From these, and a variety of other facts and 

 experiments, it is now fully ascertained, that 

 lightning and electricity are identical ; and that 

 it is the prime agent in producing the awful phe 

 nomena of a thunder-storm; the lightning being 

 the rapid motion of vast masses of electric mat 

 ter, and thunder the noise, with its echoes, pro 

 duced by the rapid motion of the lightning through 

 the atmosphere. There can be little doubt that, 

 in combination with steam, the gases, and other 

 agents, it also produces many of the terrific phe 

 nomena of earthquakes, volcanoes, whirlwinds, 

 water-spouts, and hurricanes, and the sublime 

 coruscations of the aurora borealis. In the ope 



rations of this powerful fluid we behold a at/i 

 king display of the sovereignty and majestic 

 agency of God. In directing its energies, &quot; his 

 way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and the 

 clouds are the dust of his feet ; the heavens are 

 covered with sackcloth, the mountains quake be 

 fore him, the hills melt, the earth is burned at his 

 presence, and the rocks are thrown down by him :&quot; 

 Nah. i. 36. It is easy to conceive that, by a 

 few slight modifications produced by the hand of 

 Omnipotence, this powerful fluid might become 

 the agent of producing either the most awful and 

 tremendous, or the most glorious and transport 

 ing scenes, over every region of our globe. As 

 it now operates, it is calculated to inspire us 

 rather with awe and terror than with admiration 

 and joy : and to lead our thoughts to a consider 

 ation of the state of man as a depraved intelli 

 gence, and a rebel against his Maker. 



VII. Galvanism is intimately connected with 

 electricity, though it is generally considered as a 

 branch of chymistry. It is only another mode 

 of exciting electrical action. In electricity the 

 effects are produced chiefly by mechanical action ; 

 but the effects of galvanism are produced by the 

 chymical action of bodies upon each other. If 

 we take a piece of zinc, and place it under the 

 tongue, and lay a piece of silver, as big as a half- 

 crown, above it ; by bringing the outer edges of 

 these pieces in contact, we shall immediately 

 experience a peculiar and disagreeable tase, like 

 that of copper. The same thing maybe noticed 

 with a guinea and a piece of charcoal. If a per 

 son, in the dark, put a slip of tinfoil upon one of 

 his eyes, and a piece of silver in his mouth, by 

 causing these pieces to communicate, a faint 

 flash will appear before his eyes. If a living 

 frog or fish, having a slip of tinfoil pasted upon 

 its back, be placed upon a piece of zinc, by for 

 ming a communication between the zinc and tin 

 foil, the spasms of the muscles are excited. 

 These and similar effects are produced by that 

 modification of electricity which has been termed 

 galvanism. Three different conductors, orwhat 

 is called a galvanic circle, are requisite to pro 

 duce such effects. A piece of copper, apiece of 

 flannel, moistened with water or acid, and a 

 piece of zinc, laid upon one another, form a cir 

 cle ; and if this circle be repeated a number of 

 times, a galvanic pile or battery may be formed 

 capable of giving a powerful shock. The most 

 common and convenient form, however, of a bat 

 tery, is found to be a trough of baked wood, three 

 or four inches deep and as many wide. In the 

 sides are grooves, opposite to each oihcr, into 

 each of which is placed a double metallic plate 8 of 

 zinc and copper soldered together, and the cells 

 are then filled either with salt and water, or 

 with a solution of nitrous acid and water. 



By means of the galvanic agency, a variety of 

 surprising effects have been produced. GUP- 

 povvder, cotton, and other inflammable SUB 



