350 Analysis of Books. 



Davy's first communication to the Royal Society was * An Ac- 

 count of some Galvanic Combinations, formed by an Arrangement 

 of Single Metallic Plates and Fluids, analogous to the Galvanic Appa- 

 ratus of M. Volta.' It was read in April, 1803, and in November 

 of that year he was elected a fellow of that Society. He had been 

 previously elected an honorary member of the Dublin Society. 

 Shortly after his appointment to the Royal Institution, he had 

 delivered a series of lectures on the art of tanning ; and having, by 

 a scientific examination of the subject, added many important facts, 

 he now embodied them in a Memoir, which was published in the 

 Philosophical Transactions for 1803, entitled, * An Account of some 

 Experiments and Observations on the Constituent Parts of certain 

 Astringent Vegetables, and on their Operation in Tanning ;' of which 

 Dr. Paris has given an outline, and observes that ' it forms at this 

 day the guide of the tanner ; and those who previously carried on 

 the process by a routine of operations of which they knew not the 

 reasons, are now capable of modifying it without risk of spoiling the 

 result.' In May, 1803, he gave a course of six lectures on Agricul- 

 tural Chemistry, before the members of the Board of Agriculture, 

 and was appointed chemical professor to that Board. This brought 

 him into contact with the most eminent agriculturists and capitalists 

 of the day, with many of whom he formed friendships which lasted 

 through life. These discourses were published in the year 1813. 

 His biographer may well say 



' We can scarcely picture to ourselves a being upon whom fortune ever 

 showered more favours than upon Davy, during this golden period of his 

 career. Independent in an honourable competence, the product of his 

 genius and industry resident in the centre of all scientific information 

 and intelligence, every avenue of knowledge and every mode of observation 

 open to his unwearied intellect he must have experienced a satisfaction 

 which few philosophers have ever before felt the power of pursuing 

 experimental research to any extent, and of commanding the immediate 

 possession of all the means it might require, without the least regard 

 either to cost or labour. What a contrast does this picture afford to that 

 which has been too faithfully represented as the more usual fate of the 

 philosopher and man of letters, and which exhibits little more than the 

 unavailing struggles of genius against penury! ... Not the least 

 extraordinary point in the character of this great man was the facility 

 with which he could cast aside the cares of study, and enter into the 

 trifling amusements of society. In the morning, he was the sage inter- 

 preter of Nature's laws ; in the evening, he sparkled in the galaxy of 

 fashion. When not otherwise engaged, his custom was to play at billiards, 

 frequent the theatre, or read the last new novel.' 



Very shortly after Davy's arrival in London, he formed an inti- 

 mate friendship with Mr. (afterwards Sir Thomas) Bernarq 1 , who 

 allotted him a plot of ground, near his villa at Roehampton, for the 

 purpose of making experiments in agricultural chemistry. Dr. 

 Paris passes a well-deserved eulogy upon this most excellent person, 

 whose ' life was one continued scheme of active benevolence ;* and 

 he merits a particular notice in these Memoirs, as being one of the 

 principal founders and patrons of the Royal Institution. The pri- 

 mary object of the founders was the formation of an institution which 



