[ 469 ] 
reftea in a particular manner with them, whole 
(hores abounded with it. 
The Torpedo, on this occafion, difpenfed only 
the drftind, inftantaneous ftroke, fo well known 
by the name of the electric (hock. That pro- 
traded but lighter fenfation, that Torpor or 
Numbnefs which he at times induces,* and from 
which he takes his name, was not then experi- 
enced from the animal ; but it was imitated with 
artificial eledricity, and (hewn to be producible 
by a quickxonfecution of minute (hocks. This, in 
the Torpedo, may perhaps be efFeded by the fuc- 
ceflive difcbarge of his numerous cylinders, in the 
nature of a running fire of mulketry ; the ftrong 
fingle (hock may be his general volley. Tn the 
continued effed, as well as in the inftantaneous, 
his eyes, ufually prominent, are withdrawn into' 
their fockets. 
The fame experiments, performed with the 
fame Torpedos, were on the two (ucceeditlg days 
repeated before numerous companies of the prin- 
cipal inhabitants of La Rochelle. Befides the 
pleafure of gratifying the curiofity of fuch as en- 
tertained any on the fubjed, and the defire I had 
to excite a profecution of the inquiry, I certainly 
wifhed to give all poflible notoriety to fads, which 
might other wife be deemed improbable, perhaps 
by fome of the firfi: rank in fcience. Great au- 
thorities had given a fandion to other folutions of 
O 
the phoenomena of the Torpedo ; and even the 
Eledrician might not readily liften to affertions, 
which feemed, in fome refpeds, to combat the 
general principles of eledricity. I had reafon to 
P p p 2 make 
