322 THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. VI. 



His first lecture was on Tuesday evening, April 25. 

 He began with the history of galvanism, detailed the 

 successive discoveries, and described the different 

 methods of accumulating galvanic influence. Polished 

 plates of different metals and the effect of their lying 

 together in contact with water and air were exhibited. 

 6 Air is absolutely necessary to the oxydating process.' 

 He observed that c it was difficult to prove that hydrogen 

 was given out in the decomposition of water in this 

 way, and that it seemed rather probable that alkali 

 was formed.' He showed the effects of galvanism on 

 the legs of frogs, and exhibited some interesting ex- 

 periments on the galvanic effects on the solution of 

 metals in acids. As a recent discovery of his own he 

 showed that with one kind of metal only, more powerful 

 effects may be produced than with two, as heretofore 

 employed ; but in this case there must be more than 

 one liquid interposed between the plates. He stated 

 that copper, for example, and discs of cloth or paste- 

 board, moistened with diluted nitrous acid and solu- 

 tions of muriat of soda and sulphuret of potash, and 

 arranged in the order named (viz. copper, nitrous acid, 

 muriat of soda, sulphuret of potash, &c.), give much 

 more sensible shocks than the pile as at first constructed. 

 The reporter added : ' Sir Joseph Banks, Count Rumford, 

 and other distinguished philosophers were present. 

 The audience was highly gratified, and testified their 

 satisfaction by general applause. Mr. Davy, who ap- 

 pears to be very young, acquitted himself admirably 

 well ; from the sparkling intelligence of his eye, his 

 animated manner, and the tout ensemble we have no 

 doubt of his attaining a distinguished eminence.' 



