PREFACE 



TO 



THE ENGLISH EDITION. 



IN 1844, Professor Matteucci was appointed by the Go- 

 vernment of Tuscany to deliver, in the University of Pisa, 

 a course of Lectures on the Physical Phenomena of Living 

 Beings. These Lectures were subsequently published ; and 

 their popularity is attested by the fact, that they have already 

 passed through two editions in Italy, and one in France. 



The present translation has been made from a copy fur- 

 nished to the Editor by Professor Matteucci, and containing 

 a very large number of additions and corrections. Although 

 the French edition is, as far as matter is concerned, more 

 complete than the Italian ones, it contains, on the other 

 hand, numerous errors ascribable to the translator. These 

 have been corrected by M. Matteucci, who has also em- 

 bodied the results of his most recent investigations in the 

 present edition, which must not, therefore, be regarded as a 

 mere translation of any of the editions hitherto published. 



A* 



