DAVY. 463 



It is attempted to guard against this by interposing a 

 tin shield or screen ; but a current very often in mining 

 operations arises before any notice can be given. Had 

 Davy's life and health been prolonged, he might have 

 further improved his invention so as to meet this ob- 

 jection. He certainly never was fully convinced of its 

 force, as I know from having discussed the subject 

 with him ; and no doubt the testimony of so great an 

 engineer as the late Mr. Buddie, given before a Par- 

 liamentary Committee to whom the examination of 

 this important subject was referred, deserves great 

 attention. He positively affirmed that " having seen 

 1000, and sometimes 1500 safety-lamps in daily use, 

 and in all possible varieties of explosive mixtures, he 

 had never known one solitary instance of an explosion." 

 As for the lamentable accidents which continue to 

 happen, we can scarcely doubt that they originate in 

 the dreadful carelessness of their own and of other 

 men's lives, which seems to be engendered in those 

 who are habitually exposed to great danger. That 

 they themselves are the first to suffer for it, can only 

 suppress the outward expression of the feelings which 

 recklessness like this is fitted to produce. 



It redounds to the credit of the north country mine- 

 owners that in 1817 they invited the inventor of the 

 Lamp to a public entertainment, and presented him 

 with a service of plate of two thousand pounds value. 

 It must be remembered that he had generously given 

 to the public the whole benefit of his invention, and thus 

 sacrificed the ample profit which a patent must have 

 enabled him to acquire for himself. 



Davy had as early as 1806 been chosen a foreign 

 associate of the French Institute. In 1812 he received 



