74 THE KOYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. II. 



are owing to the action of an electric fluid, and he says that 

 the simple tact of two metals silver and zinc, for instance 

 is sufficient to set the electric fluid in motion ; and if the 

 metals are insulated, one of them will become electrified 

 positively and the other negatively. This assertion was 

 proved by an experiment which was made before the 

 assembly, and this fact is the foundation on which his ex- 

 planation of the phenomena of the galvanic pile is established. 

 After Yolta had finished his memoir the First Consul de- 

 manded leave from the President to speak, which, being 

 granted, he proposed to the meeting to reward M. Volta 

 with a gold medal, and to appoint a committee to confer 

 with M. Volta on the subject of his experiments and in- 

 vestigations respecting galvanism, and to make such new 

 experiments as may bid fair to lead to further discoveries. 

 He delivered his sentiments with great perspicuity and dis- 

 played a degree of eloquence which surprised me. He is 

 certainly a very extraordinary man and is possessed of un- 

 common abilities. The expression of his countenance is 

 strong, and it is easy to perceive by his looks that he can 

 pronounce the magic words ' je le veux ' with due energy. 

 I was presented to him by the Bavarian minister at his last 

 public audience, and was received by him with marked 

 attention. He gave me to understand that he knew me by 

 reputation very well, and intimated that the French nation 

 had adopted several of the improvements I had re- 

 commended. A few minutes after I came home from the 

 audience I received a note from him, inviting me to come 

 and dine with him that day. The foreign ministers dined 

 with him, but no other stranger except myself was invited ; 

 consequently my being invited was considered as a marked 

 distinction. It was the next day that I saw him again at 

 the National Institute. 



I have had opportunities of making the acquaintance of 

 several of the most distinguished characters now in power 

 in this country. I am very intimate with Chaptal, the 





