SIR RODERICK J. MURCHISON. L89 



season of 1822 — 23, when revisiting my old frieixl 

 Morritt of Rokeb} r , I fell in with Sir Humphry Davy, 



and experienced much gratification in his lively illustra- 

 tions of great physical truths. As Ave shot partridges 

 together in the morning, I perceived that a man might 

 pursue philosophy without abandoning field sports ; and 

 Davy, seeing that I had already made observations on 

 the Alps and Apennines, independently of my anti- 

 quarian rambles, encouraged me to come to London and 

 set to at science, by attending at lectures on chemistry, 

 &c. As my wife naturally backed up this advice, and 

 Sir Humphry Davy said he woidd soon get me into the 

 Royal Society, I was fairly and easily booked." 



The enthusiastic fox-hunter then abandoned sport, 

 and casi in his lot with men of science.* He entered 

 upon his new life by attending the lectures at the Royal 

 Institution, among which was a course of geology. 

 From the Institution named he was led to meetings of 

 the Geological Society, " then held in little rooms in 

 Bedford-street, Covent Garden ; a society founded in 

 1807, and then composed of a small but most brilliant 



* Sir Roderick used to tell an interesting anecdote 

 of the beginning of his scientific career. He was 

 attending the lectures of Dr. Brande, when one day the 

 lecturer's place was taken in his absence by a pale thin 

 lad, his assistant, who gave the lecture and experiments 

 in so admirable a manner as to be received at the end 

 with a hearty round of applause. The name of the 

 assistant was Michael Faraday, and this was his first 

 public appearance. 



