LECTURE IX. On the Pronunciation of the English Language, continued. Sir HUMPHRY DAVY, Bart. LL.D. & M. R. I. A. &c. Late President of the Royal Society. in This celebrated man, whose Death the world of Science has had so lately to deplore, was born at Penzance, Cornwall, December 17th, 1779. Having received the rudiments of his education, the latter part of which was entrusted to a medical gentleman of the name of Tomkins, he was articled, at the age of fifteen, to Mr. Borlase, a respectable Surgeon at Penzance. While occupying the situation of an Apprentice, he devoted himself, with an energy which suprised all who knew him, to almost every branch of study, connected not only with his professional views, but with Philosoply in general. It was, however, on the phenomina which Chymistry seemed to him to have the power of unfolding, that his mind fixed itself with the greatest earnestness. Nor was his ardor without encouragement. Having made several experiments on the nature of water-weeds, he discovered these plants have the same effect in purifying the air contained in water, as others have on the common atmosphere. This discovery was not only highly interesting, but made at a time when it served as a first step to the fortune and eminence he was destined to attain. Doctor Beddoes, who was then actively employed in endeavouring to establish an Institution at Bristol for the relief of Consumption, happening to hear of the experiment, entered into a correspondence with Mr. Davy, which produced their nearer intimacy. The object of the Doctor was, to apply to the disease in question oxygen gas; and for this purpose he was desirous of com mencing a series of experiments on the nature and qualities of that and other gaseous elements. No one appeared so well qualified for his assistant in this design, as Mr. Davy, and he was accordingly engaged by him; the former stipulating, as a part of the agreement, that he should have the uncontrolled management of the Laboratory. The residence of our young philosopher at Bristol was made agreeable by the friendship of many excellent individuals; among whom was Mr. Davies Gilbert, the present President of the Royal Society, Mr. Glayfield, and Mr. Cottle, the poet. The latter gentleman observes, when speaking of this life, and of the friends whom he most esteemed "I might add, that during a portion of the time to which a reference has been made, our circle was now enlivened by the valuable accession of Mr. Humphry Davy, who, on quitting Bristol, for a permanent residence in London, presented me with Corrie's edition of Burns's works, accompanied with the following note: 'Dear Cottle, 'Will you be pleased to accept of the copy of Burns's Life and Poems, sent with this ? and when you are reading with delight the effusions of your brother bard, occasionally think of One, who is, with sincere regard and affec tion your friend. By the same gentleman we are reminded, that in the younger part of his life, Sir Humphry was himself a Poet, and a large contributor to the Poetical Anthology. - 'Sir Humphry Davy favored me,' continues Mr. Cottle, "with more affection perhaps, than critical feeling, with several of his own M S. poems; which clearly indicate, that if he had not been the first philosopher of his age, he would have ranked among the first of its poets. In one of the poems, which breathes the true fire of the ode, two stanzas occur, which are characteristic of the election which he deliberately made between two rival candidates. Every reader will be pleased with a perusal of them, The following are the verses alluded to Thus, to the sweetest dreams resigned, But now, to aweful reason given, I leave her dear ideal heaven, She claims my best, my loftiest song; Who bids the mounting soul assume And penetrating eye. Mr. Davy continued at Bristol to the time above mentioned, pursuing his investigations with undiminished ardor, and daily adding to his reputation by the felicity of their results. His discovery of the respirability of nitrous oxide, was regarded by his friends as indicative of the most splendid talents; and the publication of his "Researches Chymical and Philosophical," in which he detailed the' processes by which he arrived at the discovery, introduced him to Count Rumford. The influence which his new acquaintance possessed, in the Scientific world, was of important service to him. The Professorship of Chymistry in the Royal Institution having just become vacant, offered a situation in which he would have not only ample room for the exhibition of his superior abilities, but the most advantageous opportunity for their further cultivation. By the exertions of the Count, and the reputation he had already gained, he received the appointment to the vacant Chair, and thus found himself master of a philosophical and chymical Apparatus, which compete in splendor and extensiveness with any in Europe. It had always been Mr. Davy's intention to finish his Medical education, by graduating at Edinburgh; but on receiving the above appointment, he finally resigned all idea of professional pursuits, and devoted himself, with fixed and concentrated energy, solely to Chymistry. His first Experiments in the Royal Institution had relation to the discoveries of the celebrated French chymist, M. Seguier, on the process of Tanning, and to the phenomena of Galvanism; but in 1802, he commenced a series of Lectures, which, both for the talent they displayed, and their practical utility, were still better adapted to raise his reputation. Nothing contributes more to the advancement of Science, or its diffusion among a people, than a demonstration of its applicability to the common uses and necessities of life. It is the characteristic of Chymistry, that the discoveries which delight the philosopher by their beauty or splendor, bear directly upon the supply of some daily want, or the removal of some danger or inconvenience. Agriculture has derived from its assistance some of the most important rules which guide the practical farmer; and the Lectures which Mr. Davy delivered for three successive' years, before the Board of Agriculture, served considerably to comfirm the enlightened views which were beginning to gain ground respecting the union of these two beneficial sciences. In 1803, his increasing celebrity obtained him the honor of being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society; and two years after, he was made a Member of the Royal Irish Academy. In 1806, the Secretariship to the Royal Society becoming vacant, he was chosen to fill that office, and was now the intimate friend of the most distinguished men of the time. This country has seldom seen a brighter phalanx of Philosophers than it possessed. Sir Joseph Banks, Wollaston, Cavendish, &c. were pursuing in full vigor the investigations which the scientific spirit of the continent had so laudably begun; and it was the high honor of the subject of this memoir, to be destined to advance farther than any of them in the importance and originality of his discoveries.. During the same year in which he was elected its Secretary, he was appointed to deliver before the Royal Society the Bakerian Lecture, in which he made known the results of many year's diligent inquiry into the mysteries of Eleotricity and Galvanism. While occupied on this subject, he effected the splendid discovery of the compound nature of the two fixed alkalies, potash and soda, which he found were formed of metallic bases in composition with oxygen. This interesting fact he communicated in the Bakerian Lecture, which he delivered in 1807; and, following the same course of experiment with the different earths, which he had pursued so successfully with the alkalies, found they were equally susceptible of decomposition. 鲨 The high estimation in which Mr. Davy was held for these and other similar discoveries, may be well understood from the circumstance, that he received, in 1810, notwithstanding the war, the prize of the French Institut. About the same period, he gave a course of Lectures before the Dublin Society, and received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. In 1812 he was knighted; the Prince Regent then, for the first time, conferring that honor; and, a few days afterwards, he married Mrs. Apreece, the widow of S. A. Apreece, Esq. a lady of considerable fortune, and many personal endowments. Two years after this, he was elected a Member of the French Institut, and Vice-President of the Royal Society. The following year gave birth to one of his most important and most brilliant Discoveries, because most serviceable to Humanity. The dreadful accidents which had been repeatedly occurring in the Mining districts, from explosions, induced a number of proprietors of mines to form, in 1815, a Committee, at Sunderland, for investigating the causes of these destructive disasters. A resolution was passed, to request the assistance of Sir Humphry Davy; and, with his accustomed benevolence and energy, he immediately set out for the Colleries, where he commenced a most extensive personal investigation of the circumstances which led to the formation of the explosive gases. It was, at one time, thought possible that a new mode of ventilation might remove the danger; but, any improvement of this kind being found impracticable, he was led to conclude, from various experiments, that the object desired might be effected by a Lamp of a peculiar structure; and the celebrated Safety Lamp, after a short time, gave security to hundreds of laborious men, who, before its invention, were every instant in peril of a sudden and frightful death. The Proprietors of the Coalworks on the Tyne and Wear rewarded this noble discovery, by presenting its author with a Service of Plate worth £2000. In 1817 Sir Humphry was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy; and, in 1818, went to Italy, where he passed that and the following year, employing his leisure in a series of interesting observations on Roman antiquities, and in examining the condition of the Herculaneum manuscripts; for the unrolling of which he invented a process, which in some instances was employed with success. During his absence on the continent, he was advanced to the Baronetage; and, on his return to England, the death of Sir Joseph Banks leaving the Presidentship of the Royal Society vacant, he was placed, with the mere nominal opposition of Lord Colchester, in that honorable situation. Till 1827 Sir Humphry continued to discharge the duties of this high office when increasing ill health obliged him to resign it, and again seek relief from the mild air of the continent. His retirement, however, was neither without its labors nor its honors. He communicated, during his absence, the valuable results and experiments on various electrical combinations, which were undertaken with the view of discovering some method for the preservation of copper-bound ships; and he received, in return for the communication, the royal medal-in awarding which, his early and attached friend, Mr. Gilbert, reverted, in an |