It would be worse than useless to speak of other works, which refer the origin of Electro-chemistry to Germany, Sweden, and France, rather than to Italy and England; and which attribute some of the views first developed by Davy, to philosophers who have not, nor ever could have made any claim of the kind, since their experiments were actually not published until many years after 1806, the date of the Bakerian Lecture. With regard to the judgment of posterity upon these points, but little apprehension can be entertained. I well remember, in a conversation with Davy, he observed, that "a philosopher might generally discover how his labours would be appreciated in after ages, from the opinion entertained of them by contemporary foreigners, who, being unbiassed by circumstances of personality, will reduce every object to its just proportions and value." If we acknowledge the truth of such a standard, and submit the posthumous fame of Davy to its measure, where is the philosopher, in our times, whose name is destined to attain a higher eminence in the history of Science? Let the reader only recall to his recollection the bitter animosity which France and England mutually entertained towards each other in the year 1807, and he will be able to form some idea of the astounding impression which the Bakerian Lecture must have produced on the Savans of Paris, when, in despite of national prejudice and national vanity, it was crowned by the Institute of France with the prize of the First Consul! Thus did the Voltaic battery, in the hands of the English chemist, achieve what all the artillery of Britain could never have produced--A SPONTANEOUS AND WILLING HOMAGE TO BRITISH SUPERIORITY!--But let not this observation convey the slightest idea of disrespect, or be supposed to encourage any feeling to the disparagement of the chemists of France; on the contrary, it is even a question not readily answered, to which party the triumph fairly belongs,--to him who won the laurel crown, or to those who so nobly placed it on his brow? They have set an example to future ages, which may as materially advance the progress of science, as the researches which called it forth:--they have shown, to adopt the language of an eloquent writer, that "the Commonwealth of Science is of no party, and of no nation; that it is a pure Republic, and always at peace. Its shades are disturbed neither by domestic malice nor foreign levy; they resound not with the cries of faction or of public animosity. Falsehood is the only enemy their inhabitants denounce; Truth, and her minister Reason, the only leaders they follow." I shall avail myself of this opportunity to introduce the Report drawn up by M. Biot, and made in the name of a Commission appointed by the Institute to accomplish the intention of Bonaparte, who, when First Consul, founded prizes for important discoveries in Electricity or Galvanism.