1801.] . 
the laft phenomenon: fome have imagined 
they could diftinguifh in it the foundation 
of a new fyftem of chemiftry; others, 
more prudent, have fufpended their judg- 
ment, or have endeavoured to refer the 
facts to the theories already known. But, 
whatever might be their individual fyftem, 
they ought all to have begun by a fimilar 
refearch—-by trying to produce the two 
gales in feparate quantities of water. If 
the two quantities of water are perfectly 
infulated, the gas does not appear: if 
they are made to communicate by a me- 
tallic wire, there is only a double produc- 
tion of gas; that is to fay, eachextremity 
of the intermediate wire aéts in the por- 
tion of water in which it is immerfed, as 
if the wire came immediately from the ex- 
tremity of the pile oppofed to that which 
communicates with that portion, fo that 
each portion gives, at the fame time, two 
gafes. But if fulphuric acid be inter- 
pofed between the two quantities of water, 
the gafes manifeft themfelves each on its 
own fide. The cafe is the fame if a com- 
munication be eltablifhed between the 
water by the means of a living body, fuch 
as the hand. Thus, the produétion of 
each gas in the feparate quantities of water 
is completely proved. 
Tt is evident that there are only three 
poffible ways of explaining thefe facts : 
either the galvanic action tends in each 
quantity of water to take away one of 
its conftituent parts, leaving the other in 
excefs; or it decompofes the water, and, 
fuffering one of the gafes to be difengaged 
at the end of one of the wires, conducts 
the other, in an invifible manner, to the 
extremity of the other, to fuffer it to be 
there difengaged; or, in the laft place, 
the water is not decompofed, but its com- 
bination with fome principle or other, 
emanating from the pofitive fide of the 
pile, produces oxygen gas, and with that 
emanating from the negative fide, hydrogen. 
The two firft opinions have been ad- 
«Review of New Mifical Publicarions. 
59 
vanced in the Clafs by Monge, and the © 
other in a Memoir by Fourcroy; the 
third belongs to fome foreigners, and par- 
ticularly Profeffor Richter, of Jena. Ie 
appears to be fo much in contradigtion 
with the whole of the other chemical phe- 
nomena, that it would have been impoffi- 
ble to admit it, even if the experiment in 
queftion could not have been fatisfactorily 
explained in another manner. 
The Memoir of Fourcroy is the refult 
of very numerous experiments made by 
Vauquelin and Thenard; and he adds 
to a very ingenious explanation of the 
principal fact,.a multitude of circumftances 
before unknown,. Thefe authors admit 
the exiftence of a peculiar fluid which they 
call the galvanic, and which circulates 
from the pofitive fide of the pile towards 
the negative. According to them, this 
fluid, on iffuing from the pofitive fide, 
decompofes the water, and fuffers the 
oxygen to efcape in bubbles; but it com. 
bines with the hydrogen to form a liquid 
which traverfes the water, or the fulphuric 
acid, or the human body, in order to reach 
the extremity of the negative wire, where 
the galyanifm abandons its hydrogen, and, 
in its turn, fuffers it to efcape in the form 
of gas, while it itfelf penetrates the wire. 
The following is the experiment by which 
the authors prove that fuch is the fecret 
progrefs of the phenomenon:—If well 
wafhed oxide of filver be interpofed be- 
tween the two waters, the negative wire, 
near’ which the hydrogen gas ought to 
manifeft itfelf, produces no effervefcencey 
and t’ 2 oxide is in part reduced on the po-. 
fitive fide: the reafon of this, fay thefe 
authors, is, becaufe the galvanic fluid, 
charged with hydrogen, lofes it in tra- 
verfing the oxide, the oxygen of which 
takes it up in re-forming the water. 
The new experiments and difcoveries_ 
in this interefting fcience will be regularly 
inferted in the Varieties of the Monthly 
Magazine. 
REVIEW OF THE NEW MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS. 
Ai Colle&ion of Favourite Songs, fung by Mr. 
Dignum, Mr. Denman, Mrs. Franklin, Mifs 
Daniels, Mifs Howells, and Mr. Townfend, 
at Vauxhall Gardens.  Compofed by Mr. 
Hook. 35. Bland and Weller: 
HE prefent collection comprizes fix 
fongs, and, confidering how con- 
ftantly Mr. Hook is obliged to re-tread 
the fame ground in this {pecies of compo- ° 
fition, exhibits as much variety and no- 
velty as we are fairly entitled to expect. 
‘¢ Flatt’ring Lovers often fwear,”’ fung by 
Mifs Howells, is an agreeable artlefs little 
ballad, and ‘¢ Love and obey,’’ fung by 
Mrs. Franklin, is fprightly and pointed. 
«© Anna of the Tyne,” fung by Mifs 
Daniels, is a pleafant Scotch melody, and 
by no means void of originality, though 
not equal to the fucceeding fong-—~‘* Tho” 
Fortune fhuns my Love,” fung by Mr. 
Iz Dignum, 
ee ee 
————— 
