COUNT KUMFOED. 139 



Davy the prospect, if he devoted himself entirely and 

 permanently to the Institution, of becoming, in the 

 course of two or three years, full Professor of Chemistry, 

 with a salary of 300Z. per annum, ' provided,' he adds, 

 ' that within that period you shall have given proofs of 

 your fitness to hold that distinguished situation.' This 

 promise of the professorship in two or three years was 

 ominous for Dr. Garnett, between whom and the Mana- 

 gers differences soon arose which led to his withdrawal 

 from the Institution. 



Davy began his duties on Wednesday, March 11, 

 1801. He was allowed the room adjoining that occu- 

 pied by Dr. Garnett, to whom he was to refund the 

 expenses incurred in furnishing the room. The com- 

 mittee of expenditure paid to Dr. Garnett 20l. 2s. 3d. 

 for a new Brussels carpet, and \1l. 6s. for twelve chairs, 

 the carpet and chairs being transferred to the room 

 occupied by the Managers. ' Count Eumford reported 

 further that he had purchased cheaper a second-hand 

 carpet for Mr. Davy's room, together with such other 

 articles as appeared to him necessary to render the 

 room habitable, and among the rest a new sofa-bed, 

 which, in order that it may serve as a model for imita- 

 tion, has been made complete in all its parts.' 



The name of a man who has no superior in its annals 

 now appears for the first time in connection with the 

 Institution. Here also the sagacity of Kumford was 

 justified by events. At the suggestion of Sir Joseph 

 Banks he had an interview with Dr. Thomas Youn^, 

 destined to become so illustrious as the decipherer of 

 the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and, by the discovery of 

 Interference, the founder of the undulatory theory of 

 light. It was proposed to him, by Kumford, to accept 

 an engagement as Professor of Natural Philosophy in 

 the Institution, as Editor of its Journals, and as super- 

 10 



