Mrs. Marcet. 209 



the truth) as if you felt Young had not had his due* share of 

 honour, and desired to make it up to his memory. Observe 

 I give him a very high place but Davy's discoveries are 

 both of more unquestioned originality and more un- 

 doubtedly true perhaps I should say, more brought to 

 a close. The alkalis and the principle of the safety 

 lamp are concluded and fixed, the undulation is in pro- 

 gress, and somewhat uncertain as to how and where it 

 may end. You will please to observe that I reckon both 

 those capital discoveries of Davy the fruit of inquiry, 

 and not at all of chance for, as to the lamp, it is plain ; 

 and as to the metals, if you look at the inquiries that 

 immediately preceded, you will see he was thereby led 

 to the alkalis. Indeed, I well remember saying, when 

 I read them, " He will analyse lime and barytes." I am 

 quite ready to admit his extreme folly in some things, 

 but that is nothing to the present purpose. 



Yours, 



H. B. 

 (Henry Brougham.) 



FROM MRS. MARCET TO MRS. SOMERVILLE. 



GENEVA, 6th April, 1834. 

 DEAR MRS. SOMERVILLE, 



1 am desired by Professor Prevost to inform 

 you that you were elected an honorary member of the 

 Societe de Physique et d'Histoire Naturelle de Geneve 

 on the 3rd April, and that a diploma will be forwarded 

 to you by the earliest opportunity. After all the honours 

 you have received, this little feather is hardly worthy of 

 waving in your plume, but I am glad that Geneva should 



p 



