146 THEORY OF GALVANISM. 



it to the same state in which it has already been 

 considered, and will therefore render it unneces- 

 sary to recur to the arguments which have been 

 previously adduced. 



Oersted's An hypothesis, which in its leading features 

 s * seems very similar to that of Professor Berzelius, 

 has been more lately proposed by M. Oersted of 

 Berlin. M. Oersted, in the same manner with 

 Professor Berzelius, resolves chemical affinity into 

 the operation of two forces which are supposed to 

 be identical with the positive and negative electri- 

 cities, and which are also the immediate agents 

 in the production of the phenomena of heat and 

 light. Like Sir H. Davy, he proceeds upon the 

 general principle that chemical substances may 

 be divided into two great classes, according as 

 they possess the positive and negative electricities ; 

 that they are attracted to the end of the pile 

 which is in the contrary state to that which they 

 naturally exhibit, and that the force with which 

 they are attracted is in proportion to the intensity 

 of their positive and negative energy. Upon 

 this hypothesis M. Oersted builds a complete sys- 

 tem of chemical arrangement, classing the various 

 substances according to their supposed positive 

 and negative power, and to the intensity with 

 which they exhibit their respective energies.* 

 Into the merits of this part of the system it is not 

 my business to inquire, as it has no immediate re- 



* Joura. de Phys, Ixxviii. 338. 



