The Life of Sir Humphry Davy, Bart. Ll.d., Volume 1 (of 2)

CHAPTER I.. Birth and Family of Sir H. Davy.--Davy Placed At a Preparatory

Birth and family of Sir H. Davy.--Davy placed at a preparatory school.--His peculiarities when a boy.--Anecdotes.--He is admitted into the grammar-school at Penzance.--Finishes his education under Dr. Cardew at Truro.--Death of his father.--He is apprenticed by his mother to Mr. John Bingham Borlase, a surgeon and apothecary.--He enters upon the study of Chemistry, and devotes more time to Philosophy than to Physic.--The influence of early impressions illustrated.--His poetical talent.--Specimens of his versification.--An Epic Poem composed by him at the age of twelve years.--His first original experiment in chemistry.--He conceives a new theory of heat and light.--His ingenious experiment to demonstrate its truth.--He becomes known to Mr. Davies Gilbert, the founder of his future fortunes.--Mr. Gregory Watt arrives at Penzance, and lodges in the house of Mrs. Davy.--The visit of Dr. Beddoes and Professor Hailstone to Cornwall.--The correspondence between Dr. Beddoes and Mr. Davies Gilbert, relative to the Pneumatic Institution at Bristol, and the proposed appointment of Davy.--His final departure from his native town Page 1

CHAPTER II.. Cursory Thoughts on the Advantages of Biography.--Plan and

Cursory thoughts on the advantages of Biography.--Plan and objects of the Pneumatic Institution.--Davy contracts friendships during his residence at Bristol.--His first visit to London.--His Letters to Mr. Davies Gilbert.--The publication of the West Country Contributions, by Dr. Beddoes.--Davy's Essays on Heat, Light, and Respiration.--His interesting experiments on bonnet canes.--He commences an enquiry into the nature of nitrous oxyd.--He publishes his chemical researches.--A critical examination of the work.--Testimony of Tobin, Clayfield, Southey, and others, respecting the powers of nitrous oxyd.--Davy breathes carburetted hydrogen gas, and nearly perishes from its effects.--His new Galvanic experiments communicated in a Letter to Mr. Gilbert 56

CHAPTER III.

Count Rumford negotiates with Mr. Underwood on the subject of Davy's appointment to the Royal Institution.--Terms of his engagement communicated in a letter to Mr. Gilbert.--Davy arrives, and takes possession of his apartments.--He receives various mortifications.--He is elected a member of the Tepidarian Society.--Is appointed Lecturer instead of assistant.--He makes a tour in Cornwall with Mr. Underwood.--Anecdotes.--His Poem on Spinosism.--His letter to Mr. Gilbert, communicating a galvanic discovery.--He commences his first grand course of lectures.--His brilliant success.--A letter from Mr. Purkis.--Davy's style criticised.--His extraordinary method of experimenting.--Davy and Wollaston compared as experimentalists.--The style of Davy as a lecturer and a writer contrasted 114

CHAPTER IV.. Davy Makes a Tour With Mr. Purkis Through Wales.--Beautiful

Davy makes a tour with Mr. Purkis through Wales.--Beautiful phenomenon observed from the summit of Arran Benllyn.--Letter to Mr. Gilbert.--Journal of the Institution.--Davy's papers on Eudiometry, and other subjects.--His first communication to the Royal Society, on a new galvanic pile.--He is proposed as a Fellow, and elected into the Society.--His paper on astringent vegetable substances, and on their operation in tanning leather.--His letter to Mr. Poole.--He is appointed Chemical Lecturer to the Board of Agriculture.--He forms friendships with the Duke of Bedford, Mr. Coke, and many other celebrated agriculturists.--Attends the sheep-shearing at Holkham and Woburn.--Composes a Prologue to "The Honey-Moon" 150

CHAPTER V.. Sir Thomas Bernard Allots Davy a Piece of Ground for Agricultural

Sir Thomas Bernard allots Davy a piece of ground for Agricultural Experiments.--History of the Origin of the Royal Institution.--Its early labours.--Davy's Letters to Mr. Gilbert and to Mr. Poole.--Death of Mr. Gregory Watt.--Davy's Passion for Fishing, with Anecdotes.--He makes a Tour in Ireland: his Letters on the subject.--His Paper on the Analysis of the Wavellite.--His Memoirs on a new method of analysing Minerals which contain a fixed Alkali.--Reflections on the discovery of Galvanic Electricity 188

CHAPTER VI.. The History of Galvanism Divided Into Six Grand Epochs.--Davy

The History of Galvanism divided into six grand Epochs.--Davy extends the experiment of Nicholson and Carlisle.--His Pile of one metal and two fluids.--Dr. Wollaston advocates the doctrine of oxidation being the primary cause of Voltaic Phenomena.--Davy's modification of that theory.--His Bakerian Lecture of 1806.--He discovers the sources of the acid and alkaline matter eliminated from water by Voltaic action.--On the nature of Electrical decomposition and transfer.--On the relations between the Electrical energies of bodies, and their Chemical affinities.--General developement of the Electro-chemical Laws.--Illustrations, Applications, and Conclusions 216

CHAPTER VII.. The Unfair Rivalry of Philosophers.--Bonaparte the Patron of

The unfair rivalry of Philosophers.--Bonaparte the Patron of Science--He liberates Dolomieu.--He founds a Prize for the encouragement of Electric researches.--His letter to the Minister of the Interior.--Proceedings of the Institute.--The Prize is conferred on Davy.--The Bakerian Lecture of 1807.--The Decomposition of the Fixed Alkalies--Potassium--Sodium.--The Questions to which the discovery gave rise.--Interesting Extracts from the Manuscript notes of the Laboratory.--Potash decomposed by a chemical process.--Letters to Children, and Pepys.--The true nature of Potash discovered.--Whether Ammonia contains oxygen.--Davy's severe Illness.--He recovers and resumes his labours.--His Fishing Costume.--He decomposes the Earths.--Important views to which the discovery has led 253

CHAPTER VIII.. Davy's Bakerian Lecture of 1808.--Results Obtained From the

Davy's Bakerian Lecture of 1808.--Results obtained from the mutual action of Potassium and Ammonia upon each other.--His belief that he had decomposed Nitrogen.--He discovers Telluretted Hydrogen.--Whether Sulphur, Phosphorus, and Carbon may not contain Hydrogen.--He decomposes Boracic acid.--Boron.--His fallacies with regard to the composition of Muriatic acid.--A splendid Voltaic battery is constructed at the Institution by subscription.--Davy ascertains the true nature of the Muriatic and Oxymuriatic Acids.--Important chemical analogies to which the discovery gave origin.--Euchlorine.--Chlorides.--He delivers Lectures before the Dublin Society.--He receives the Honorary Degree of LL.D. from the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College.--He undertakes to ventilate the House of Lords.--The Regent confers upon him the honour of Knighthood.--He delivers his farewell Lecture.--Engages in a Gunpowder manufactory.--His marriage 307

CHAPTER IX.. Davy's "elements of Chemical Philosophy" Examined.--His

Davy's "Elements of Chemical Philosophy" examined.--His Memoir on some combinations of Phosphorus and Sulphur, &c.--He discovers Hydro-phosphoric gas.--Important Illustrations of the Theory of Definite Proportionals.--Bodies precipitated from water are Hydrats.--His letter to Sir Joseph Banks on a new detonating compound.--He is injured in the eye by its explosion.--His second letter on the subject.--His paper on the Substances produced in different Chemical processes on Fluor Spar.--His work on Agricultural Chemistry 358

Octr. 19{th}

When Potash was introduced into a tube having a platina wire attached to it so & fixed into the tube so as to be a conductor ie. so as to contain just water enough though solid--& inserted over mercury, when the Platina was made neg--No gas was formed & the mercury became oxydated--& a small quantity of the athalyer was produced around the plat: wire as was evident from its gassy alteration by the action of water

--When the mercury was made the neg: gas was developed in great quantities from the pos: wire, & some from the neg mercury & this gas proved to be pure? oxygene Capil Expr.--

proving the decompr of Potash

London, Published by Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley 1831

THE LIFE OF SIR HUMPHRY DAVY, BART. &c. &c.

CHAPTER I.. Birth and Family of Sir H. Davy.--Davy Placed At a Preparatory

Birth and family of Sir H. Davy.--Davy placed at a preparatory school.--His peculiarities when a boy.--Anecdotes.--He is admitted into the grammar-school at Penzance.--Finishes his education under Dr. Cardew at Truro.--Death of his father.--He is apprenticed by his mother to Mr. John Bingham Borlase, a surgeon and apothecary.--He enters upon the study of Chemistry, and devotes more time to Philosophy than to Physic.--The influence of early impressions illustrated.--His poetical talent.--Specimens of his versification.--An Epic Poem composed by him at the age of twelve years.--His first original experiment in chemistry.--He conceives a new theory of heat and light.--His ingenious experiment to demonstrate its truth.--He becomes known to Mr. Davies Gilbert, the founder of his future fortunes.--Mr. Gregory Watt arrives at Penzance, and lodges in the house of Mrs. Davy.--The visit of Dr. Beddoes and Professor Hailstone to Cornwall.--The correspondence between Dr. Beddoes and Mr. Davies Gilbert, relative to the Pneumatic Institution at Bristol, and the proposed appointment of Davy.--His final departure from his native town.

Humphry Davy was born at Penzance, in Cornwall, on the 17th of December 1778. His ancestors had long possessed a small estate at Varfell, in the parish of Ludgvan, in the Mount's Bay, on which they resided: this appears from tablets in the church, one of which bears a date as far back as 1635. We are, however, unable to ascend higher in the pedigree than to his paternal grandfather, who seems to have been a builder of considerable repute in the west of Cornwall, and is said to have planned and erected the mansion of Trelissick, near Truro, at present the property and residence of Thomas Daniel, Esq.

I have been favoured by the Rev. C. Val. Le Grice, of Trereiffe, with the following extract from the Parish Register, kept at Madron:--"Humphry Davy, son of Robert Davy, baptized at Penzance, January 22, 1779." The house in which he was born has been pulled down and lately rebuilt.

His son, the parent of the illustrious subject of our history, was sent to London, and apprenticed to a carver in wood, but, on the death of his father, who, although originally a younger son, had latterly become the representative of the family, he found himself in the possession of a patrimony amply competent for the supply of his limited desires, and therefore pursued his art rather as an object of amusement than one of necessity: in the town and neighbourhood of Penzance, however, there remain many specimens of his skill; and I have myself seen several chimney-pieces curiously embellished by his chisel.

Soon after the days of Gibbons, the art of ornamental carving in wood began to decay, and it may now be considered as nearly lost. Its decline may be attributed to two causes. In the first place, to the change of taste in fitting up the interior of our mansions; and in the next, to the introduction of composition for the enrichment of picture-frames and other objects of ornament. "Robert Davy," says a correspondent, "has been considered in this neighbourhood as the LAST OF THE CARVERS, and from his small size, was generally called The little Carver."

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