Cavallo, Tiberius

, an ingenious philosopher, was the son of an eminent physician of Naples, where he was born in 1749. His original destination was to be initiated at London in mercantile pursuits, and he came to England with that view, in 1771, but the study of nature displaying superior attractions, he was seduced from the accompting-house, to embrace the leisure of a philosophical retreat; and acquired a well -merited reputation as a digester and elucidator of philosophical discoveries. In 1779, he was admitted a member of the Neapolitan academy of sciences, as well as of the royal society of London. To the latter he contributed many ingenious papers and was the author of the following separate publications 1. “A complete Treatise of Electricity in theory and practice, with original experiments,” 1777, 8vo enlarged to 3 vols. in 1795. 2. “An Essay on the theory and practice of Medical Electricity,” 1780, 8vo. 3. “A Treatise on the nature and properties of Air, and- other permanently elastic fluids, with an Introduction to Chemistry,” 1781, 4to. 4. “The History and Practice of Aerostation,” 1785, 8vo. 5. “Mineralogical Tables,” folio, accompanied with an 8vo explanatory pamphlet, 1785. 6. “A Treatise on Magnetism, in theory and practice, with original experiments,” 1787, 8vo. 7 “Description and use of the Telescopical Mother-of-Pearl Micrometer, invented by T. C.” a pamphlet, 1793, 8vo. 8. “An Essay on the Medicinal properties of Factitious Airs, with an Appendix on the nature of Blood,” 1798, 8vo. All | these possess every requisite for popular or elementary treatises; perspicuity of style, proper selection of mate-* rials, and clear arrangement. The merit of Mr. Cavallo is not, however, the merit of a merely judicious compiler, as he generally improves in some degree the stock of valuable facts, by his own occasional experiments. More than thirty years have elapsed since the Treatise of Electricity, whicn is thought his best work, was first presented to the public. During the interval, it has passed through repeated impressions, and the recent discoveries in electricity affording large additions of curious and useful matter, the work was successively augmented from one volume to three. It is unquestionably the neatest, the clearest, and the most sensible elementary treatise to be found on this popular science; and it is excellently adapted to furnigh the mind with those brilliant images and facts which provoke inquisitive genius to closer and more profound researches. Mr. Cavallo died at his house in Wellsstreet, Oxford-road, Dec. 26, 1809, and was interred in St. Pancras church-yard, in a vault constructed for the purpose, close to the monument of his intimate friend general Paoli. ¹