ROYAL INSTITUTION AND SOCIETY OF ARTS. 659 



there that he discovered the laws of electro-chemical decomposition, 

 and succeeded in decomposing fixed alkalies that he established the 

 true nature of chlorine and the philosophy of flame. The electric 

 battery with which the separation of potassium and sodium was op- 

 erated is still preserved in the Royal Institution along with other ap- 

 paratus used by Davy. The delight of the investigator, on seeing the 

 globules of the new metal start through the crust of potash and catch 

 fire on contact with the air, was intense. " He could not contain his 

 joy, and danced round the room in an ecstatic transport ; it was only 

 after a while that he recovered sufficient calmness to continue the ex- 

 periment." An immense electric battery was now constructed, and 

 this heavy artillery directed against resisting earths. The result of 

 experiment was to add four new metals to the list barium, stron- 

 tium, calcium, and magnesium. On resigning the chair of chemistry, 

 Davy declared that he only renounced teaching in order to devote 

 himself to original investigation, but after this date his life was only 

 marked by one great discovery that of the safety-lamp which bears 

 his name. 



In the year marked by the rising of that brilliant star, Sir Hum- 

 phry Davy, the directors of the Royal Institution made another great 

 success by appointing to the chair of natural philosophy a man of 

 transcendent genius, the celebrated Dr. Young. He was one of the 

 few infant prodigies who have made a mark in after-life. At two 

 years of age he could read. At four he could recite by heart numer- 

 ous English and Latin poems, of which last, by-the-way, he did not 

 then understand a word ; but by the age of fourteen he had learned 

 besides Greek and Latin French, Italian, Hebrew, Persian, and Ara- 

 bic. His passion for learning was immense, and his talent for over- 

 coming difficulties astounding. On reaching man's estate he was an 

 accomplished linguist, a brilliant mathematician, a botanist, a skillful 

 musician, a neat turner, and a daring circus-rider. This universal 

 genius did not remain long at the Royal Institution, but yet had time 

 to deliver a notable course of lectures on " Natural Philosophy " be- 

 fore his retirement, when his place was occupied by Dalton. The 

 famous author of the " Atomic Theory " was surprised, like other peo- 

 ple, at the youthful appearance of Davy, and writes, characteristically 

 enough : " He is a very agreeable and very intelligent young man, 

 and we have extremely interesting conversations of an evening ; his 

 principal defect as a philosopher is that he does not smoke." 



Although in the foremost rank of scientific men, Dalton was far 

 from achieving great success as a lecturer, being almost utterly devoid 

 of the fluency and power of illustration possessed in such a remark- 

 able degree by Davy and Faraday. A most amusing account was 

 given by Babbage of the incidents attending the presentation of Dal- 

 ton at court. Firstly, he was a Quaker, and would not wear the 

 sword, which is an indispensable appendage of ordinary court dress. 



