330 



His career of research began in the Scientific Institute at 

 Bristol; it was perfected in those of London.* 



* Whilst writing the above I see by the Public Papers that this distin- 

 guished man is dead. The benefits he has conferred upon the Arts of cul- 

 tivating the Soil by his " Elements of Agricultural Chemistry," entitle him 

 to more than the above brief notice. 



SIR HUMPHREY DAVY, was born Dec. 17th, 1779, at Penzance in 

 Cornwall of an ancient family but of the middle class— His education 

 commenced at the Grammar Schools of Penzance and Truro. At the former 

 place he resided at the House of Mr. John Tomkin, Surgeon. He was 

 always a distinguished boy^.wrote poems at the age of nine, and continued to 

 court the Muses until 15 when lie became a pupil of Mr. (since Dr.) Borlase 

 of Penzance, intending to graduate as M. D. at Edinburgh — At eighteen 

 by his own application he had acquired the rudiments of Botany, Anatomy, 

 Physiology, the simpler Mathematics and Metaphysics, but Chemistry- 

 soon obtained his sole attention — His first experiments were upon 

 the air disengaged by Sea Weeds from the Water of the Ocean — The 

 communication of them induced a correspondence with Dr. Beddoes, who 

 persuaded the embryo Philosopher of 19 to give up his views of going to 

 Edinburgh for the uncontrolled superintendance of a series of experiments 

 on factitious Airs at Bristol — Residing with Dr* Beddoes and constantly 

 employed in Chemical pursuits, at the age of 21 he gave their results to 

 the Public in '* Researches Chemical and Philosophical" — a work so well 

 received by the scientific World as to lead to his being appointed Professor 

 of Chemistry in the Royal Institution. His first experiments were directed 

 to the improvement of the process of Tanning, the results of which obtained 

 from him the candid avowal that practice had done so much for the Art as to 

 leave little expectation of improvement from any known Theory — GaWanism 

 was at the same period an object of his experiments — In 1802 he commenced 

 his Lectures before the Board of Agriculture which he continued for 10 

 years. The course is before the Public in his "Elements of Agricultural 

 Chemistry" — lu 1803 he was elected F. R. S. — in 1805 Member of the 

 Royal Iri^h Academy. By his talents and urbanity he bad acquired the 

 friendship of most of the Litterati and Philosophers of the Metropolis. Sir 

 J.Banks— Cavendish — Hatchett — Wollaston — Babington — Children — Ten- 

 naut, &c. and corresponding with the principal Chemists of Europe. — In 

 In 1806 he deli\ ere:l the Bikerian Lecture of the R. S. — taking for his subject 

 fomj new electrical discoveries of his own. Soou afterwards he stamped an 



