214- Notices r-especting New Books. 



protoxide, in peroxide of vanadium, would appear to be green 

 when the latter is in excess. But I cannot claim much faith 

 for the inferences from these minute experiments, which 

 must be resumed (unless we have more precise information 

 in the meanwhile) if, by finding vanadium in our own neigh- 

 bourhood, I can obtain a larger supply. I have examined a 

 considerable number of phosphates and arseniates of lead, 

 in which Mr. Johnstone's description led me to suspect that 

 substance; and some primitive iron ores, yielding a particu- 

 larly soft metal ; but have not hitherto found any traces of 

 vanadium. Yours, &c. 



Plymouth, Aug. 10, 1831. J. Pride AUX. 



XXIX. Notices 7-especting New Books. 



The Life of Sir Humphry Davy, Bart. LL.D.late Presidetit of the 

 Royal Society, Foreign Associate of the Royal Institute of France, 

 Sfc. Sfc. By John Ayrton Paris, M.D. Cantab. F.R.S. 8^c. 

 Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. 



*' ''I "'HE great end of biography," Dr. Paris remarks, " is not to 

 -i- be found, as some would seem to imagine, in a series of dates, 

 or in a collection of gossiping anecdotes and table talk, which, 

 instead of lighting up and vivifying the features, hang as a cloud 

 of dust upon the portrait ; but it is to be found in an analysis of 

 human genius, and the development of those elements, to whose 

 varied combinations, and nicely adjusted proportions, the mental 

 habits, and intellectual peculiarities of distinguished men may be 

 readily referred." 



Although we admit this to be a just description of the proper 

 aim and end of biography, yet we confess we should have great 

 pleasure in quoting from Dr. Paris a variety of anecdotes which 

 illustrate what he terms " superficial peculiarities ;" for they are 

 not only amusing, but they tend, to a certain extent, to elucidate 

 the progress of Sir H. Davy's genius in cultivating the science, 

 whose limits have been so greatly extended by the variety, spendour 

 and importance of his discoveries. In the present instance, how- 

 ever, so much is due to the merits of the philosopher, that we can 

 dwell but little upon the characteristics of the man. 



Humphry Davy was born at Penzance in Cornwall, on the 17th 

 of December 1778 ; his ancestors it appears had long possessed a 

 small estate at Varfell, in the parish of Ludgvan, in the Mount's 

 Bay, on which they resided. His father was a carver of wood ; and 

 of him Dr. Paris observes, what indeed may be said of the father of 

 many an illustrious son, that he " is not able to discover that he 

 was remarkable for any peculiarity of intellect; he passed through 

 life without bustle, and quitted it with the usual regrets of friends 

 and relatives." His mother, whose maiden name was Grace Millet, 



appears 



