on the Eleclropborus. 1031 
The fame Father beccaria had alfo found, that the 
coating of a glafs, after being difcharged, was able to 
give new figns of electricity, when taken off by means 
of filk firings. 
Some other experiments were made many years ago 
by Mr. cigna of Turin, and by fome other electricians, 
which have a great deal of limilarity with the eleCtro- 
phore.. 
But as the inventors of thefe experiments did not 
adapt them as an eleCtrical machine, they do not dimi- 
nifh at all, in my opinion, the honour which Mr. volta 
deferves, for having enriched the eleCtrical apparatus 
with a very fimple and handy machine, continually 
ready to excite as ftrong an electricity as is requifite for 
the mod: ordinary purpofe. 
The novelty and fimplicity of the machine could not 
but ftrike every eleCtrician ; I cannot exprefs how much. 
I was pleafed with the firft fight of it, and with what 
eagernefs I fet about endeavouring to underftand the 
nature of it. I analyzed it in various ways : I compared it 
with Father beccaria’s eleciricitas vindex , with an ordi- 
nary coated glafs, and coated refinous eleCtrics. - 
Some electricians, puzzled with the ftrange pheno- 
mena which it affords, thought it over- turned entirely 
the almoft univerfally received theory of Dr. franklin, 
andi 
