114 DAVY. 



without uniting in either case to form a neutral salt, 

 unless the neutral compound is insoluble, for in that 

 case it falls to the bottom. But muriatic acid will 

 pass through a solution of potash, having been carried 

 over from a solution of common sea salt by the electri- 

 cal current, or soda will pass through muriatic acid in 

 the same circumstances, without forming in the former 

 case nitrate of potash, or in the latter nitrate of soda. 

 It was also found that the exception in the case of in- 

 soluble compounds arises from the mechanical effect of 

 their insolubility, their falling to the bottom ; for if 

 supported, as it were, on threads of any convenient 

 substance passing through the intermediate liquid in the 

 line of the electric current, the acid or alkali will pass 

 through that liquid. Thus films of asbestos conduct- 

 ing the electric stream, enabled magnesia or lime to 

 pass ; and so were the particles of metal carried over 

 when separated by the operation from nitrate of silver. 



It thus appeared certain that an indissoluble con- 

 nexion exists between chemical and electric action, if 

 indeed it was not even proved that chemical affinity 

 and electricity are identical. The science of Electro- 

 chemistry, at all events, now arose out of Davy's 

 discoveries, and he is entitled to be regarded as its 

 founder. 



It may easily be conceived that these important 

 truths excited generally the anxious attention of philo- 

 sophers. The French National Institute, greatly to 

 their honour, though the war between the two coun- 

 tries never raged more fiercely than now, and France 

 never reached a higher pitch of military glory, crowned 

 Davy with the first honour founded by Napoleon for 

 scientific desert. But it was even more honourable to 

 the philosopher, that great as his discoveries had been, 

 expectation was high of the still more important results 

 which must soon come from the discovery of so new a 

 law of electrical and chemical action. I can well re- 

 member that we used in discussing the subject to look 



