Sir Humphry Davy. 233 
which savors a little of haughtiness, ‘* After the preceding statement 
of facts, Mr. Murray, I should conceive, will be induced to renounce 
his conclusion ; and I should likewise imagine, that this gentleman 
in future will be more cautious in his assertions, and criticisms on the 
labors of others.”* Mr. Murray, in his next paper, shews that 
Doctor Davy had admitted the fact in controversy which he had be- 
fore steadily denied ; and that what the Doctor had advanced to ac- 
count for it in conformity with his theory, was a series of hypotheses 
unsupported by proofs, and then adds,—* he therefore, I trust, will 
in future be more cautious in his assertions, and in calling in question 
the results of the experiments of others.” + 
But we are not aware that Sir Humphry Davy was ever betrayed 
into any want of courtesy, although he was assailed at different times 
by Gay Lussac and Thenard, by Dalton, by Murray, by Berzelius, 
and by many others. Nor have the records of science often exhib- 
ited such uniform modesty, in the pretensions of those who have ex- 
tended its boundaries. When the occasion calls upon him to allude 
to his own discoveries, he speaks of them as things which he had the 
good fortune to discover. When circumstances demand the applica- 
tion of a new name, as that of Chlorine, his language is, After con- 
sulting several eminent men, I have ventured to propose this name. 
Itwas probably this modesty in asserting his claims, (so characteristic 
of true greatness,) this respectful regard to the feelings and rights of 
others, which has made the world so freely acquiesce in his praises, 
and preserved him from that envy which is so apt to be displayed to- 
wards eminent cotemporaries. 
In the progress of the dispute between Murray and Davy, each 
party seemed several times, both in his own opinion and in that of 
lookers-on, to have fairly laid his adversary ; but to their surprise, 
the latter soon returned to the attack only invigorated by the blow. 
Every man of science, whichever side he may have taken in this dis- 
cussion, must rejoice that it was conducted by two such champions 
as Davy and Murray ; for had either of them encountered almost any 
common man, he would have established his own views too soon ;~—~ 
if he had been in an error, he would have led the world astray 5 or 
if right, he would have had no occasion, as in the present instance, 
to encompass this doctrine with such a panoply of arguments. 
es cet ie 5s 5 i eae I Sle alc RTE eee 
* Nicholson’s Journal, XX XIX. 32. { Nicholson’s Journal, XXX. 239. 
Vou. XVIL.—No. 2. 3 
