466 DAVY. 



yet exerted what energy remained to it, on the favourite 

 pursuit of his leisure. It contains both curious in- 

 formation on natural history, and many passages of 

 lively and even poetical description. The same may 

 be said of many things in his latest work, ' Last Days 

 of a Philosopher,' which he wrote in the year after, 

 when he again went to the continent in search of 

 health. He wintered at Rome, and in May 1829, on 

 his arrival at Geneva, after passing the day in excel- 

 lent spirits, and dining heartily on fish, he had a fatal 

 apoplectic attack in the night, and died early in the 

 next morning, 29th May, without a struggle. 



There needs no further remark, no general charac- 

 ter, to present a portrait of this eminent individual. 

 Whoever has perused the history of his great exploits 

 in science, with a due knowledge of the subject, has 

 already discerned his place, highest among all the 

 great discoverers of his time. Even he who has little 

 acquaintance with the subjects of his labours may easily 

 perceive how brilliant a reputation he must have en- 

 joyed, and how justly ; while he who can draw no 

 such inference from the facts would fail to obtain any 

 knowledge of Davy's excellence from all the panegyrics 

 with which general description could encircle his name.* 



* It may not be impertinent to relate here a singular proof of 

 the admiration in which his name was held by his countrymen, and 

 how well it became known even among the common people. Re- 

 tiring home one evening he observed an ordinary man showing the 

 moon and a planet through a telescope placed upon the pavement. 

 He went up and paid his pence for a look. But no such thing would 

 they permit. " That's Sir Humphry," ran among the people ; and 

 the exhibitor, returning his money, said, with an important air which 

 exceedingly delighted him, that he could not think of taking any- 

 thing from a brother philosopher. 



