28 Quarterly German Magazine, 



but also the scientific investigation of the actuahty of their 

 structure has made great progress. 



The inducted currents are very similar to those obtained 

 by electric friction. Like those, they also give a shock with 

 light and noise, when the circle is interrupted in any part. 

 Lately, apparatuses of this kind have been constructed, which 

 eject sparks twelve inches long, and sometimes longer. The 

 inducted sparks are excellently adapted to set mines on fire. 



The phenomena which I have here concisely described, 

 do not in the least exhaust the large sphere of electricity, but 

 are sufficient to show how the human spirit of enquiry, on the 

 path of calm examination, is capable of accomplishing some- 

 thing very great. The researches of which I have endeavoured 

 to give you a concise view, began at the end of the last 

 century, but the greater part of them have been made during 

 the last thirty years. And besides that devastating mighty 

 power which demonstrates itself in a thunder storm, has been 

 forced into the service of man, and he has made it as the 

 bearer of thoughts, the medium of intercourse between the 

 most distant parts of the earth, so that that which formerly 

 only served to lay houses in ashes, now, instead of fire, 

 melts metals in prescribed forms; and that which only dis- 

 troyed human beings, is now used as a remedy to eradicate 

 diseases. Who can say, what further progress the future can 

 bring us? We can be justly proud of our century, which is 

 decried by many as so material, and still in which the human 

 mind has celebrated not the least of its triumphs. 



PrinUd by Unger Brothers (Th. Orimm), Berlin, Scbonebergeratr. 17a. 



