SIR HUMPHREY DAVY. 153 



to a friend concerning himself : " Be not alarmed, 

 my dear friend, as to the effect of worldly society 

 on my mind. . . . There are in the intellectual 

 being of all men paramount elements, certain 

 habits and passions that cannot change. I am a 

 lover of nature with an ungratified imagination. 

 I shall continue to search for untasted charms, for 

 hidden beauties. My real, my waking existence is 

 amongst the objects of scientific research. Common 

 amusements and enjoyments are necessary to me 

 only as dreams to interrupt the flow of thoughts 

 too nearly analogous to enlighten and vivify." 



During his vacations he explored most parts of 

 Great Britain, the Hebrides, and Ireland, studying 

 the geological structure, collecting agricultural 

 knowledge, and making sketches. He never hesi- 

 tated to ask questions, and often the miners and 

 farmers thought they had never seen a person so 

 inquisitive. 



In his early years at the Institution he was asked 

 to investigate astringent vegetables in connection 

 with tanning. He entered the work with his usual 

 ardor ; visited tan-yards, and made the acquaintance 

 of practical farmers. In 1802 he began to deliver, 

 at the request of the Board of Agriculture, a course 

 of lectures, " On the Connection of Chemistry with 

 Vegetable Physiology." He had made himself 

 acquainted with the different kinds of soil and 

 the various methods of agriculture. For ten 

 years he delivered these lectures at the meet- 

 ings of the Board. They were published in 



