110 Britain's Heritage of Science 



spent four years at the Grammar School at Penzance, and 

 one at Truro. At his father's death he realized the necessity 

 of setting to work seriously, and was apprenticed with an 

 apothecary and surgeon practising in Penzance. He then 

 began a course of extensive reading covering nearly all 

 branches of learning. Metaphysics seems to have more 

 especially attracted his attention, and he wrote a number of 

 essays on such subjects as " The Immortality and Imma- 

 teriality of the Soul," " Governments," and " The Credulity 

 of Mortals." Some of his aphorisms indicate great originality 

 of thought, and one almost hears the voice of Poincare in the 

 passage in which he declares that : " Science or knowledge is 

 the association of a number of ideas, with some idea or 

 term capable of recalling them to the mind in a certain 

 order." Turning his attention to experimental research, Davy 

 at this period studied Lavoisier's " Elements of Chemistry," 

 and formed original, but not very happy, ideas on the 

 nature of light, which he communicated to a medical man, 

 Dr. Thomas Beddoes, with important results on his future 

 life. Dr. Beddoes had a notion that the study of the 

 physiological effects of different gases might have important 

 therapeutical applications. With this purpose in view, he 

 founded the " Pneumatic Institution " at Bristol, and, 

 impressed by Humphry Davy's work, he put him in charge 

 of the laboratory. The experiments on gases led to results 

 of importance. While examining the properties of nitrou 

 oxide, Davy observed those remarkable physiological pro- 

 perties which give to this gas its familiar name of " laughing 

 gas." Mary Edgeworth, a sister of Mrs. Beddoes, thus 

 describes the discovery : 



" A young man, a Mr. Davy, at Dr. Beddoes', who 

 has applied himself much to chemistry, has made some 

 discoveries of importance, and enthusiastically expects 

 wonders will be performed by the use of certain gases, 

 which inebriate in the most delightful manner, having 

 the oblivious effects of Lethe, and at the same time 

 giving the rapturous sensations of the Nectar of the 

 Gods ! Pleasure even to madness is the consequence of 

 this draught. But faith, great faith, is, r I believe, 

 necessary to produce any effect upon the drinkers, and 



