116 Britain's Heritage of Science 



his assistance. These explosions claimed many victims, 

 and some remedy had become a pressing need. Davy 

 acceded to the request with enthusiasm, and offered at 

 once to visit some of the mines. The invention of the 

 miner's lamp, which, perhaps, has saved more human lives 

 than any other contrivance, was the result of Davy's efforts. 

 It is not necessary here to describe the principle on which 

 it is constructed, but it may be pointed out that the lamp 

 embodies a technical application of pure science, which no 

 one would have been able to devise without a thorough 

 knowledge of the principles of Physics and Chemistry, 

 together with a considerable experience in laboratory work. 

 The invention was at once appreciated by those whom it 

 was intended to benefit, and one can imagine the pleasure 

 with which Davy received the following letter signed by 

 eighty-three Whitehaven colliers : 



" We, the undersigned, miners at the Whitehaven 



Collieries, belonging to the Earl of Lonsdale, return our 



sincere thanks to Sir Humphry Davy for his invaluable 



discovery of the safe lamps, which are to us life-preservers ; 



and being the only return in our power to make, we 



most humbly offer this, our tribute of gratitude." 



His services were recognized officially by the bestowal 



of a baronetcy. Davy acted as Secretary of the Royal 



Society between 1807 and 1812; and was elected President 



in 1820. His predecessor, Sir Joseph Banks, had before his 



death expressed his preference for another Fellow, and 



based his objection to Davy on the ground " that he was 



rather too lively to fill the chair of the Royal Society." 



Davy, however, was elected, and filled the chair to the time 



of his death in 1827. 



No account of Sir Humphry Davy's life would be com- 

 plete without reference to his poetic temperament and 

 literary talents. Coleridge said of him : "If Davy had not 

 been the first chemist, he would have been the first poet 

 of his age." By a vivid and impressive style of lecturing, he 

 attracted large audiences to the Royal Institution, which 

 soon became popular. It was a fortunate day for that 

 Institution when Davy was put in charge of the chemical 

 department, for serious financial difficulties were threatening 



