THEORY OF GALVANISM. 141 



been done to the electrical state of the water in 

 the interrupted circuit. When water, or any Condition 

 other conductor, is interposed between two sub- water in 

 stances that are in different states of electricity, its 

 first effect is to form a communication between cult 

 them, by means of which their electricities are 

 equalized, the water itself, as well as the two elec- 

 trified bodies, all tending to acquire the same 

 electrical condition. When the two extremities of 

 the pile are connected by the intervention of 

 water, there is, in the first instance, an attempt 

 to produce this equilibrium ; but the equilibrium 

 is no sooner formed than it is again destroyed by 

 the continual generation or evolution of electricity 

 which goes on in the body of the pile. On this 

 account the wire which was originally positive is 

 kept in that state, and the same with respect to 

 the negative wire. But the two wires being im- 

 mersed in water must have a constant tendency to 

 bring the water into the same electrical state with 

 themselves, and will, to a certain degree, accom- 

 plish it ; we may therefore conclude, that the 

 water contiguous to the positive wire is itself posi- 

 tive, and that contiguous to the negative wire 

 negative. These two portions of water must, 

 however, be continually tending to equalize their 

 electrical states with that of the remaining part of 

 the water, and the result will be, that contiguous 

 to the two wires there are two portions of water, 

 in the same, or nearly the same, electrical states 

 with the wires themselves, and that the electricitv 



