New-York tribune., 1841-12-31
Reported for the Ne~-rork TrbuAe.
DR.. Lardltr's Seventh Lecture
Second Series.

both social aad political, we shai! ma mat II WEI
BE- generally marked by cartain steady and uni
form rate OF advancement. But shall also notice
tai,: that Epochs a; certain periods 81 which
it appears to make sudden start in advance as Ii
acted upon by some temporary and powerful cause
These effects are conspicuous to every observer IN
the social and political world we call those III
politics by the nerne OF revolutions But no douo'
they arise from causes which are latent and unoo
served. and do not depend altogether upon human
viii or human agency The phenomena OF intel
Iec,pal adyancencnt are not apparent, but they
arc neyerthelcss subject to nearly the same sue
ccs.ion Of changes and are likewise observable by
the attentive eye.
The grca, and sudden changes alluded to a.
often occurring in the political and social state Of
or species, are also be in intellectual mat
ters Every properly informed person is now
doubtes, aware Of the violent and sudden changes
which marked the state Of the human mind at the
close of tue last century. Revolution followed re-
velution; and the mind in it, social relations
seeued TO break down all the common barriers
which had formerly restrained it. The spendor
of kingly power was darkencd both upon -,lis and
tne olhct side Of the Atlantic, and the human
mind appeared to star, forward as if suddenly un-
chained from the thradom under which it had for
merry clouched. This, to an ordinary eye, was
certainly confined to social and political matters :;
but Tic eye Of the philosopher it was far other
u,.cad innu over the ,ybola fnrr
of Physical Science. Its fruits appeared at the
close of tic last century, and the very first day of
this signased by the discovery OF these 9TH
er.. Few weeks had scarcely rolled over before
the greatest instrument Of physical investigation
and inquiry ever produced by Phlosophy-thc
Foitatc pile-vas discovered; and that cAtraordi-
nary instrument soon, very soon indeed, began
in the hands of philosophers TO exhibit the most
extraordinary results.
Electricity itself is SUBJECT exclusively of mod
crn discovery For although the Ancien;s were
acquainted with few isolated phenomena, as the
attraction of rubbed am ber for light substances and
one Or two other facts which lay barren, unrelated
and uufrurf upon the surface of human know.
lcgc, it was in fact not until tbs Time of Franklin
that the scattered facts of electricity were co.
lcc,ed into one regular form and received the soul
and body off Science. This extraordinary agent,
as evolved in the machines which were then en-
ployed was produced, not certainly in the power
and volume that evident in the great natural
phenomena of atmospheric electricity, but still in
TOO powerful manner TO he examined with tha,
delicate and minute scrutiny by which ulone its
character could be obtained, and which science de-
mnnds. In the electrical machine, as you all llknOw,
the electricity is evolved by the friction of the rub
Der upon glass cylinder; and is thrown forth and
collected by apparatus prepared for The purpose,
as III, Leydcn phal, &c. But these receivers
were thus charged in considerably large quuntiliea,
and when the fluid escaped ii rushed forth like a
torrent whose restraints are broken down and We
could no more submit this torrent Of electric fluid
TO close inspection than could the Falls of Nj
aeara TO close chemical analysis. Philosophy
wanted it in small quanttics-in more controla-
bio and convenient form, that il mis ht oversee and
ponder upon ii. Here it was only to be procured
in large rcscrvoirs-for the Lcydcn phiul and other
apparatus by which it is accumulated can be re-
gardcd in no other light than large reservoirs
in which the fluid damned up and in a state
of quicscence; and If you attempted to pierce the
udul anu cut u I1s>ug; LOT II, instead al UONlng
forth in regular and moderate manner. it broke
all bounds and rushed out with fury and power
producing the electric shock and similar we'll
known phenomena.
II remained discover some way of evolving
the electric fluid se that it could be drnincd out b,
small degrces--pourcd forth with regularity and in
"a toun which should allow il tc be carefully watch
cd and scrupuousy examined. Such method
was discovered by VOLTA in the first month of the
present century. He found that bv an accunl@la-
ton OF certain metallic plates, and by the inic rpo-
sirion OF II certain liquid. sudden torrent of
the electric fluid but gentle and regular stream
would be produced, subject To his control.
He did mo:c; he provided means whereby he
could produce, he pleased greater or less
quantity of the iluid-which should be powerful or
feeble according to the circumstances of the metal
lie plates which were acted upon in mystcrou,
munncr, which both VOLTA and his SUCCESSORS have
failed to explain.
This precious instrument of scientific investie;l-
ton, which has proved most fruitful and powerful
a cause of progress in our ewn time, was sent
England in the first month of the prcscRt cen.
twy 10y VoLrA, accompanied b, scanty ard mea-
gre account. transmitted Judging from the sylc,
in an imperfect form through fear thar he should
be anticipated in the discovery and thus robbed OF
its honor. 1t fell into the hands of Mcssrs. CAR
LisLg and NICHOLSON, the former we'll known
as Sir ANTHONY CARLISLE and the latter familiar
To all scientific men connection with celebrated
philosophical jouraa The first application they
made OF i, led to the discovery of the decomposition
OF water; and as | have already in former lee
ture, dwelt upon the manner in witch TIN, e:
fected, shall not now retrace my steps.
After this phenomenon had become familiar, 9th
eIs were observed, apparently of molc eN'raor-
dinary, but in fact of a less important, character
The cphysological effect OF the instrument one
OF the hrst 20 excite attention. and surely if the at
'ention "t philosophers was diverted in sren; de-
gree 10y thls from The more important phenomena.