380 GALVANIC ELECTRICITY. 



to prove that what are termed positive arid ne- 

 gative electricity, are only plus and minus con- 

 ditions of one and the same sethereal element : 

 consequently, that the oxygen, chlorine, fluorine, 

 iodine, and bromine of acids, salts, &e. are at- 

 tracted by the minus or negative pole of the 

 battery ; and hydrogen, metals, and alkalies to 

 the positive pole, because in their natural state, 

 these two classes of bodies are combined with 

 different proportions of thermo-electric aether. 

 But as I have before shewn, (p. 204 and 5,) that 

 bodies are neither essentially positive nor nega- 

 tive, but vary according to circumstances, and 

 that those which belong to the electro-positive 

 class, unite with each other, as well as with 

 those that belong to the opposite class, it is evi- 

 dent that chemical attraction is not wholly the 

 result of electric polarity, as maintained by 

 Davy. 



It has been often said, that the energy of the 

 voltaic battery is in proportion to the conducting 

 power of the liquid that acts on the plates. The 

 absurdity of this hypothesis will appear in a 

 striking point of view, when it is remembered, 

 that of all liquids mercury is the best conductor, 

 yet when employed between the plates of a 

 battery, no electricity whatever is disengaged. 

 The simple matter of fact is, that the quantity 

 of electricity evolved is proportional to the rapi- 

 dity with which the intervening liquid is decom- 



