140 On the Condensation of the Gases, $c. [1836. 



losing my subject, 1 was too much indebted to him for much 

 previous kindness to think of saying that that was mine which 

 he said was his. But observe (for my sake) that Sir Humphry 

 Davy nowhere states that he told me what he expected, or 

 contradicts the passages in the first paper of mine which de- 

 scribe my course of thought, and in which I claim the develop- 

 ment of the actual results. 



All this activity in the condensing of gases was simukaneous 

 with the electro-magnetic affair already referred to, and I had 

 learned to be cautious upon points of right and priority. 

 When therefore I discovered in the course of the same year 

 that neither I nor Sir Humphry Davy had the merit of first 

 condensing the gases, and especially chlorine, I hastened to 

 perform what I thought right, and had great pleasure in 

 spontaneously doing justice and honour to those who deserved 

 it*. I therefore published on the 1st of January of the fol- 

 lowing year (1824), a historical statement respecting the lique- 

 faction of gases f, the beginning of which is as follows: " I was 

 not aware at the time when I first observed the liquefaction of 

 chlorine gas, nor until very lately, that any of the class of bodies 

 called gases had been reduced into the fluid form ; but having 

 during the last few weeks sought for instances where such 

 results might have been afforded without the knowledge of the 

 experimenter, I was surprised to find several recorded cases. 

 I have thought it right, therefore, to bring these cases together, 

 and only justice to endeavour to secure for them a more general 

 attention than they appear as yet to have gained." Amongst 

 other cases the liquefaction of chlorine is clearly described J. 

 The value of this statement of mine has since been fully proved; 

 for upon Mr. Northmore's complaint ten years after, with some 

 degree of reason, that great injustice had been done to him in 

 the affair of the condensation of gases, and his censure of 

 " the conduct of Sir H. Davy, Mr. Faraday, and several other 

 philosophers for withholding the name of the first discoverer," 



elsewhere, he never says that he had informed me of his expectations. In 

 this, Sir Humphry Davy's negative, and Dr. Paris's positive testimony per- 

 fectly agree. 



* Monge and Clouet had condensed sulphurous acid probably before the 

 year 1800. Northmore condensed chlorine in the years 1805 and 1806. 



t See page 124. j See page 131. 



