384 Notices respecting New Books. 



" There appears to me to be several modes of destroying the 

 fire-damp without danger ; but the difficulty is to ascertain when it 

 is present, without introducing lights which may inflame it. I have 

 thought of two species of lights which have no power of inflaming 

 the gas which is the cause of the fire-damp, but I have not here 

 the means of ascertaining whether they will be sufficiently lumi- 

 nous to enable the workmen to carry on their business. They can 

 be easily procured, and at a cheaper rate than candles. 



" I do not recollect anything of Mr. Ryan's plan : it is possible 

 that it has been mentioned to me in general conversation, and that 

 1 have forgotten it. If it has been communicated to me in any other 

 way, it has made no impression on my memory. 



" I shall be here for ten days longer, and on my return south, 

 will visit any place you will be kind enough to point out to me, 

 where I may be able to acquire information on the subject of the 

 coal gas. 



" Should the Bishop of Durham be at Auckland, I shall pay my 

 respects to His Lordship on my return. 



" I have the honour to be, dear Sir, with much respect, your 

 obedient humble Servant, H. Davt." 



"At Lord Somerville's, near Melrose, N. B. 



Although Sir Humphry did not immediately commence his ope- 

 rations after writing this letter; yet such was the vigour with which 

 he prosecuted them, that in October he wrote the following letter 

 to Dr. Gray : 



" To the Reverend Dr. Gray. 

 " My dear Sir, Rojal Institution, Oct. 30. 



" As it was the consequence of your invitation that I endeavoured 

 to investigate the nature of the fire damp, I owe to you the first 

 notice of the progress of my experiments. 



" My results have been successful far beyond my expectations. 

 I shall inclose a little sketch of my views on the subject; and I hope 

 in a few days to be able to send a paper with the apparatus for the 

 committee. 



" I trust the Safe lamp will answer all the objects of the col- 

 lier. 



" I consider this at present as & private communication. I wish 

 you to examine the lamps I have had constructed, before you give 

 any account of my labours to the committee. 



" I have never received so much pleasure from the result of any 

 of my chemical labours ; for I trust the cause of humanity will 

 gain something by it. 



" I beg of you to present my best respects to Mrs. Gray, and to 

 remember me to your son. 



" I am, my dear Sir, with many thanks for your hospitality and 

 kindness when I was at Sunderland, your obliged Servant, 



" H. Davy." 



The sketch alluded to in this letter is as follows: " It possesses," 

 Dr. Paris justly remarks, " considerable interest as an original do- 

 cument. 



