2 Experimental Researches in Electricity, 



acquired a remarkable species of polarity, since instead of 

 placing itself as usual in the magnetic meridian, it exhibited 

 a decided tendency to assume a position transverse to this ; 

 so that instead of pointing north and south, it pointed east 

 and west. That he did not follow out this singular fact, 

 proves that he was ignorant of its true value ; since its re- 

 discovery, nearly half a century afterwards, by Professor 

 Oersted of Copenhagen, was the first step in that career of 

 discovery, which has conferred immortal honour on that 

 philosopher's name, and has secured for him one of the most 

 honourable niches in the temple of scientific fame. None 

 who had endeavoured to solve the seductive problem we 

 have above alluded to, laboured more assiduously, and 

 perseveringly to this end, than M. Oersted ; and although the 

 fundamental fact was originally discovered by him, in a man- 

 ner almost accidental, it was an accident of which he alone 

 was capable of availing himself, and for the due appreciation 

 of the value of which, his mind had been prepared by a long 

 train of thought and experiment; so that there was in reality 

 no more chance in the discovery, than there is in the process 

 by which, in a happy moment of inspiration, a man solves a 

 difficulty upon which his mind has long been intently fixed. 

 In the year 1820, Oersted announced that the conducting 

 wire, connecting the poles of a galvanic battery, while being 

 traversed by an electric current, acts upon the magnetic 

 needle, and gives origin to a force so acting upon it as to 

 dispose it to take a position at right angles to the wire. 

 Intense excitement was created among scientific men by this 

 announcement; verification of Oersted's experiments was 

 made in several countries ; and the range of his facts widely 

 extended among the most distinguished of the cultivators of 

 the infant science, to which the name of Electro-magnetism 

 had been assigned were Ampere and Arago in France, and 

 Davy and Faraday in England ; and by their united efforts 

 much important and valuable information was elicited. To 



