, 1876-01-22

\ II is an illustration ot The excellence and
fertility Of modern sp,ethpfs that the phe.
poinena olthe attraction displayed by amber,
winch Ind been, known and neglected for
two thousand years. in one tenth of thai
ftime led to tosurprisiag results. Firstit was
Shown that there arc many other bodies
(which wilaact5 in like manner then came
the invention Of the electrical machine, the
discovery Of electrical sepulsiop,s and the
spark; The dferenses Of cepductibility in
bodies; tbe two apparent species Of electric
ity, yitrcmls and resipous; the general law
of attraction and repulsiops the wpndcrful
| phenomena OF the Leyden phial and the elec.
tric shock; the demonstration of tue identity
ofhgtning and electricity; the means Of pro-
kleeting ghpildlngs and ships by rods; The We.
lncity Of electric movcment-that Immense
distances can be passed through IN an inap-
preciabc time; the theory Of one fluid and
that two; the mathematical disc ussion Of
all the phenomena, first on one a nd then on
the other Of these doctrines; the invention Of
the Torsinp balance the determination that
thcattnctiye-and repusiyc forces follow the
law of the inyese squares; the conditions of
distribution on conductors; tic elucidation
of the phenomena ofipdnction. "a Atolength,
when discovery seemed to sbe pnusing, tho
FORCES Of galyipism we're announced n Italy.
Up to this time il yas,tla, The most cerpin
sign, of the death Of an, animal was its inabil-
atty to exibit MUSCULAR contraction but now
II was shown that muscular movements could
be excited in those that were dead and even
mutlIated. Then followed sauiGkly the in.
venti,n Of the yoltaiG pile.s Nho could havo
hreseen that the twitcbiug ofa frogs leg
in tho Italian experiments would establish
beyond all question the sesmpound nature
of water separating its constituents from
one another would lead to tho dsfagration
and dissipation in agyapos Of metals tina,
coul't hardly be melted in y furnace, would
sllow that tho solahearth we tread upon is
an oxidel yield new metals light enough To
swimJupon water, and even scanl 70 set IL on
fret produce the most briliant OF all ar,i-
ficiaf lights, rivalipgu il not eIcelling, in its
intolerhis splendar, the pqNntidc sup' wonld
OCCASION aacomplcte Teyolatien 10 chemistry
compelling that science g, ,aecypt new ideas,
an,llcyena new pomcnclaturef tha, j would
give us the power 9f making mass cape-
bio of lifting omorcHthan ai Ton, apd cast
light on that riddle Of ages. tlsspointing Of
the mariners compass norlhand south, and
explain the e,nu attractlon Or .repulsion Of
magnetic needles that it would enable US
10 form exquisitely in metal cast all kinds
Of Objects Of art, and give workmsR nleans
of gildipga and siivering without risk to their
health that il would suggest totls ev!-dis-
posed the forging of fbank-notes, thssoPhist.
.sting OF Jewelry, and be invaluable in tho
u,tering OF false coinage that would car
ry the messages of commerce and iriendthip
across continents or under
oceans, and watt a sigh from Indus to tho
pOlc2r f.'' h- srys11 wa reA
4 Yet this is only part of what the italian
experiment., carried out BY noderR methods,
las actually DONE Could thsrelbe moro
otilliant exhibition Of their power bright
r. earnest of ths future Of material philoso-
,hy'-D DrdpSrs htstaaasl Dosslepsnsent et
Europe '-'.'- aaa1nas