469 



going cases are applicable to the doctrine, and that no sup- 

 port can be derived from them. A series of arguments was 

 then made use of, which cannot be abridged, to prove that a 

 Leyden battery has never yet been really charged by the vol- 

 taic current ; that the circumstances under which the charge 

 has been supposed to have been communicated are such as 

 to render the thing impossible ; and that hence the so-called 

 charge of a Leyden battery by a voltaic current does not prove 

 the circulation of an enormous quantity of electricity in a vol- 

 taic series, but- rather shows that the agent which gives the 

 voltaic shock is not the same as that which acts in the pheno- 

 mena of ordinary electricity. The shock of the coil apparatus 

 was adduced as an evidence to the same effect ; and, finally, 

 it was observed that the sensation which constitutes the shock, 

 ought not to be received as evidence on either side of the ques- 

 tion, since sensations depend more on the organ acted on than 

 on the agent ; and in support of this opinion a number of in- 

 stances were adduced. 



Whatever difference of opinion may exist relative to the 

 nature of positive and negative electricity, it appears to be a 

 position universally agreed to, that, when equal to each other, 

 and at liberty to act, they mutually neutralize and destroy 

 each other's properties; all symptoms of both disappear; a 

 condition of absolute quiescence results ; that of equilibrium 

 is induced ; and this state manifests no electrical properties. 

 The poles of a voltaic battery, being in the positive and negative 

 states, conform to the general law : when unconnected, they 

 manifest their electrical condition ; but as soon as they are con- 

 nected by a good conductor, all symptoms of electricity vanish. 

 This has been proved in a remarkable manner by Mr. Gas- 

 siott with a water battery consisting of 3520 pairs, exhibiting 

 great power over even a distant gold-leaf electrometer while 

 the poles were unconnected, but losing all energy when they 

 were united. 



Yet it is at the moment when the poles are united, and 

 2t2 



