4T0 



when all symptoms of electricity vanish, that the connecting 

 wire of the voltaic series becomes magnetic. Is there not in 

 this fact something repugnant to the idea that electricity is 

 the agent. To admit that the two states of electricity, after 

 having neutralized and virtually annihilated each other's pro- 

 perties, should at that moment be more active in calling into 

 operation the magnetic power, would be to declare that in the 

 natural state of the equilibrium of the electric fluid the mag- 

 netic influence must be perpetually active ; that is, that all the 

 bodies in nature are magnets. This objection applies to the 

 opinion of those who maintain that electricity, considered as 

 a simple element, is the cause of, or is identical with, or ex- 

 cites magnetism ; but not, as Mr. Donovan conceived, to his 

 own view, stated in the beginning of this Essay, relative to 

 the supposed compound nature of the electric fluid. 



The boldest of all the hypotheses of magnetism, and the 

 most ingeniously supported, was described to be that of Am- 

 pere, who denies the existence of any magnetic agent called 

 into action by electricity, but affirms the identity of both 

 powers. Some experiments were described which cannot be 

 here detailed, the object of which was to show that magnet- 

 ism and electricity observe different laws, and that one may 

 exist when the other is not present. 



A word has of late years come into common use, which, 

 while it explains nothing, conceals the solecism contained in 

 the notion of neutralized electricities retaining their energies : 

 the new term is the " current." The counter-current is thus 

 kept out of view, which is the grand difficulty, because it must 

 antagonize and destroy the current. This new current, con- 

 sisting of both electricities, instead of being powerless, as was 

 formerly the nature of such, is now said to be capable of ex- 

 erting peculiar power ; but it no longer harmonizes with those 

 facts from which our knowledge of the true current was derived. 

 Faraday's views of the current were examined, and the con- 

 clusion drawn that they are inconsistent with each other, and 



