280 THE EARLY HISTORY OF [CHAP. V. 



the fact that original discovery belonged to him, and 

 that their committees were useless for investigation. 

 They did give Davy early in the year a new assistant ; l 

 but on March 9 they resolved that, in consequence of 

 the completion of the chemical laboratory, which was 

 furnished with the necessary utensils and materials 

 for carrying on operations and experiments, ' the 

 chemical professor, besides his regular annual courses 

 of lectures delivered in the lecture room, shall make, 

 direct, superintend, and explain as far as may be 

 necessary all chemical experiments, or courses of ex- 

 periments, which the managers from time to time 

 shall direct to be made in the laboratory, and give 

 his assistance in all committees appointed by the 

 managers for the purpose of scientific investigation 

 which may require his aid or stand in need of the use 

 of the laboratory for prosecuting their experiments or 

 researches.' 



In May the visitors said ' the Institution continued to 

 afford every prospect of realising in their fullest extent 

 those results which its original promoters had in view.' 



On July 13 the lectures of Mr. Davy were announced 

 to the managers. In the autumnal session, which was 

 to begin the first week of December, he intended to 

 give twenty-six lectures on the General Elements of 

 Chemistry, and in the spring sixteen lectures on 

 Chemistry in its Connexion with Physiology and the 

 Phenomena of Animated Nature. The same day Mr. 

 Davy informed the managers that he proposed going 

 into Cornwall for five weeks, with a view to collect 



1 Mr. E. Davy, his cousin. 



