C 468 ] 
tc adtion of the one, intercept likewife the action 
“ of the other. The effects produced by the 
“ Torpedo referable in every refpedt a weak elec- 
“ tricity.” 
This exhibition of the eledtric powers of the 
Torpedo, before the Academy of La Rochelle, 
was at a meeting, held for the purpofe in my 
apartments, on the 22d July 1772, and Rands 
regiffered in the journals of the Academy. 
The effect of the animal was, in thefe experi- 
ments, tranfmitted through as great an extent and 
variety of conductors as almoR at any time we 
had been able to obtain it, and the experiments in- 
cluded, nearly, all the points, in which its analogy 
with ' the effedt of the Leyden Phial had been 
observed. Thefe points were Rated to the gentle- 
ftien prefent, as were the circumRances in which 
the two effedts appeared to vary. It was likewife 
reprefented to them, That our experiments had 
been almoR wholly with the animal in air: 
That its adtion in water was a capital defideratum: 
That indeed all as yet done was little more than 
ppening the door to inquiry: That much remained 
to be examined by the Eledtrician as well as by 
the AnatomiR : That as artificial eledtricity had 
thrown light on the natural operation of the 
Torpedo,, this might in return, if well confidered, 
throw light on artificial eledtricity, particularly 
in thofe refpedts in which they now feemed to 
differ : That for me, I was about to take leave of 
the animal, as nature Jaad denied it to the Britiffi 
feas ; and that the profecution of thefe refearches 
5 reRed 
