512 THE EOYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. VI. 



CHAPTEE VI. 



LIFE OF DAVY. 

 1778 to 1829. 



THE history of thirteen years of the life of Davy, like 

 that of fifty of the life of Faraday, is closely inter- 

 woven with the history of the Eoyal Institution. 

 Their lives were the life of the place ; and hence, to 

 complete the history of the Institution to the time of 

 Faraday, a sketch of Davy and his scientific life must 

 be given here. 



Humphry Davy was born on December 17, 1778, at 

 Penzance. He was the son of a wood carver and was 

 apprenticed to a surgeon. 



Mr. Davies Gilbert heard that the boy was fond of 

 making chemical experiments. He encouraged him 

 and spoke of him to Dr. Beddoes, Professor of Greology 

 and Chemistry at Oxford, who happened to be at work 

 upon the ' Greology of Cornwall.' 



Afterwards Dr. Beddoes established the Pneumatic 

 Institution at Clifton, and he required an assistant to 

 prepare the gases and superintend the Pneumatic 

 Hospital, and Mr. Gilbert proposed Davy. He went 

 on October 2, 1798, 'to superintend experiments on 

 the medical powers of factitious airs or gases.' 



