C 374 ] 
Hopes of being better informed. The firft of thefe 
two Cafes was directly oppofite to the Law I had de- 
termined to abide by, when I firft engaged in the 
Study of experimental Philofophy ; and the other 
was patting a great Violence upon myfclf. But from 
this Moment I formed my Project of travelling; and, 
among the different Motives which made me under- 
take the Journey to Italy, I muft confcfs one of the 
mod preiling was, the Dcfire of feeing fucceed, in 
the Hands of thofe who had faid they had, thofe Phe- 
nomena in Electricity, towards the Verification of 
which I had made fo many fruitlefs Efforts. I formed 
to myfelf a great Pleafure in feeing Baifam of Bern, 
Benjamin , Camphire, Cinnamon , &c. pervade an 
electrized Glafs, which I had taken care to ftop my- 
felf; to fee People purged by the Palm of their 
Hands; to fee an old gouty Man, as the Bifhop of 
Sebenico *, clap his Hands together, ftrike the Ground 
with his Feet, and walk freely, after an Electrization 
of two Minutes : But what ftill more piqued my 
Curiofity was, to learn, if pofiibie, why the Ita- 
lia?i Eledtricity fhould enjoy thefe Prerogatives, to 
the Exclufion of that of every other Country. If this 
Singularity was as real as it appeared to be, it was a 
new Wonder more difficult to be explained than any 
other; and of which I propofed to ftudy attentively 
the Circumftances, to endeavour to find out the 
Caufe. 
If I have had the Trouble of paffing the Alps, to 
fearch out the Truth, it is neither to conceal it, nor 
yet lefs to disfigure it with Falfhood ; and 1 will re- 
* See Mr. Pivati's Letter, printed at Lucca } p. 3 7. 
late. 
