CHEMISTRY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 605 



and during its course there appeared a chemist whose briefer span of 

 existence did not deny him a more brilliant renown than even that of the 

 famous philosopher of Manchester. Indeed, but few men of science 

 attain a wider celebrity than fell to the lot of HUMPHRY DAVY 

 (1778 1829). Davy was a native of Penzance, where, in the fifteenth 

 year of his age, he became the apprentice of a surgeon and apothecary. 

 His note-books, belonging to the period of his apprenticeship, show 

 that he had entered upon a more comprehensive range of the deeper 

 studies than persons of his age and position usually ever think of at- 



FIG. 308. DATS. 



tempting ; for the scheme of studies he drew up comprised not only 

 all the branches of science appertaining to his profession, but also 

 logic, physics, mathematics, history, rhetoric, geography, and theology. 

 In languages he contemplated the acquisition of three dead languages, 

 namely, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and three modern, namely, French, 

 Italian, and Spanish. He also wrote poetry and essays on subjects 

 relating to mental philosophy. The date at which he began the study 

 of chemistry is known to coincide with the commencement of his nine- 

 teenth year. One of his first books was Lavoisier's " Elements of 

 Chemistry," and the study excited a lively interest in his mind. He 

 did not passively acquiesce in the doctrines of the French philosopher, 



