106 Answer to Mr, John Farey Sen. and to Dr. John Murray, 



of an air-tight lamp foundcl on the specific levity of the fire- 

 dam]), to be fi^l l>v air contiguous to tlie tloor of the mine ; — and 

 directs his objections against the (Aher suggestions, that are 

 insulated and unconnected. It is strange that every other per- 

 son who reads the paragraph cedes the priority to nie. Awd 

 though Dr. Murray may accuse Sir H. Davy and the Rev. Mr. 

 Ilodg'-on of collusion — Psha! psha! he surely cannot apply this 

 to Mr. Knight and Philalethes in your last number, who hat- 

 pen to be of the same opinion. Respecting the other pro- 

 positions, which the Doctor pronounces untenable, because not 

 sufficiently explanatory, I shall prove to your decided convic- 

 tion in a future number, that thcv are founded on well-known 

 Jiydro-pneumatic laws; meantime this distinct feature belongs 

 not to our question. 1 do not comprehend what Dr. Murray 

 means by the ex])ression " all that I was called on to do." For 

 mv own part, I was a volunteer in the cause of humanity, and I 

 am sure Sir H. Daw was. Dr. J. Murray observes, that " the 

 plan in all its extent is preferable to any that has yet been brought 

 forward." Reallv this is too bad. 



Let me honestly assure Mr. Knight that I do not claim, nor 

 have I claimed, the priority of constructing a lamp on the prin- 

 ciple of a diminished atmosphere. God forbid that I should 

 lie thought possessed of the wish to rob Sir H. Davy of a single 

 leaf of the wreath of which he is the wearer! No: I shall re-^ 

 joice to see it flourish : — I'd 



" Ratlui- he till? tliinii tlint crawls 

 Ujjoii the ckingeoii viall." 



Heaven itself will smile upon and consecrate it. His last in- 

 teresting discovery is justly entitled to the appellation to xaAov, 

 or the teaulifvl. 



Nobly as Sir Humphry Davy has served the sacred cause of 

 humanity, and brilliant as have been his discoveries, I must ex-^ 

 press it as matter of astonishment and regret that no public testi- 

 mony of national gratitude has been voted him. As a citizen 

 of the world, and appreciating the talents of the distinguished 

 individual who has unfolded " the portals of worlds unknown," 

 I would humbly propose that the friends and admirers of Sir 

 H. Davy should award some acknowledgement expressive of 

 their gratitude and esteem, and to commemorate in a lively and 

 lasting manner how highly they honour true taste and feeling 

 when properly directed, and how much they value those ex- 

 alted talents by which the lives of myriads of human beings 

 are protected and saved from destruction — a scene at which my 

 best feelings glow even in anticipation, and when only discerned 

 through the valley of those shadows wliich bound the prospect 



of 



