From the Panshanger Papers at HALS: the Hertfordshire County Record Office

George 3rd Earl Cowper, of Cole Green Hertfordshire  (1738-1789) lived in Florence in Tuscany from 1760 until his death. He was an extremely wealthy man and a patron of the arts and sciences.

Alessandro Volta, (1745-1827) lived and worked in Lombardy. He was one of the most notable scientists of the times. He carried out experiments with gases and electric currents.

The two men began their correspondence in July 1778. The letters are interesting in that they indicate: the type of work that was being done by Volta and other scientists all over Europe and importance to developments in C18th science of the patronage by  men of great wealth.

Cowper could afford to spend vast sums of money to equip his laboratory with scientific apparatus which he made available to other scientists.  He, along with other wealthy patrons of the time, liked experiments that were startling and entertaining and which would amuse their friends and visitors.