Life of Sir Humphry Davy. 353 



upon his functions on the llth of March, 1801. The letter in which 

 he announces the circumstance to Mr. Gilbert, contains the following 

 passage:- 



' Thus I am quickly to be transferred to London, whilst my sphere of 

 action is considerably enlarged, and as much power as I could reasonably 

 expect, or even wish for at my time of life, secured to me without the 

 obligation of labouring at a profession. The Royal Institution will, I 

 hope, be of some utility to society. It has undoubtedly the capability of 

 becoming a great instrument of moral and intellectual improvement. Its 

 funds are very great. It has attached to it the feelings of a great number 

 of people of fashion and property, and consequently may be the means of 

 employing, to useful purposes, money which would otherwise be squan- 

 dered in luxury, and in the production of unnecessary labour. As for 

 myself, I shall become attached to it full of hope, with the resolution of 

 employing all my feeble powers towards promoting its true interests.' 



It is said that the first impression produced on Count Rumford 

 by Davy's personal appearance was highly unfavourable, but his 

 first lecture removed every prejudice of this kind ; they soon became 

 friends, entertaining for each other the highest regard. He so greatly 

 satisfied the Managers of the Institution, that on the 1st of June 

 they passed a resolution 



4 That Mr. H.Davy, Director of the Chemical Laboratory, and Assist- 

 ant Lecturer in Chemistry, has, since he has been employed at the Insti- 

 tution, given satisfactory proofs of his talents as a lecturer. Resolved 

 That he be appointed, and in future denominated, Lecturer in Chemistry 

 at the Royal Institution, instead of continuing to occupy the place of 

 Assistant Lecturer, which he has hitherto filled.' 



Dr. Garnett had been Professor of Natural Philosophy in the 

 Royal Institution from its first establishment, and Davy had lived 

 on terms of great intimacy with that amiable man, whose health had 

 been long declining. He resigned his professorship on this account 

 in July of this year, and was succeeded by the late Dr. Young, who 

 was engaged as Professor of Natural Philosophy, Editor of the 

 Journals, and Superintendent of the Establishment. With this 

 eminent philosopher Davy associated with less ease and freedom. 

 In November of this year he thus notifies another galvanic disco- 

 very : 



' I yesterday ascertained rather an important fact, namely, that a gal- 

 vanic battery may be constructed without any metallic substance ! By 

 means of ten pieces of well-burnt charcoal, nitrous acid, and wafer 

 arranged alternately in wine-glasses, I produced all the effects usually 

 obtained from zinc, silver, and water.' 



His introductory lecture, delivered on the 21st of January, 1802, 

 was received by a crowded audience with universal applause. It 

 contains a masterly view of the benefits to be derived from the various 

 branches of science ; and in referring to the great agency of chemistry 

 in the improvement of society, he makes the following almost pro- 

 phetic remarks : 



' Unless any great physical changes should take place upon the globe, 

 the permanency of the arts and sciences is rendered certain, in conse- 

 quence of the diffusion of knowledge by means of the invention of print- 



