1804. M-s. 26.] PROFESSOR DAVY. 335 



scarcely written anything; all has been experiment and 

 verbal explanation. In general my experiments have 

 uniformly succeeded, and I have never once faltered in the 

 elucidation of them ; in fact, I can now enter the lecture 

 room with as little emotion nearly as I can smoke a pipe 

 with you on Sunday or Wednesday evening. 



Before Coleridge left for Malta Davy wrote to Mm : 



Twelve o'clock, Monday (probably March 1804). 



MY DEAR COLEKIDGE, My mind is disturbed and my 

 body harassed by many labours, yet I cannot suffer you to 

 depart without endeavouring to express to you some of 

 the unbroken higher feelings of my spirit, which have you 

 at once as their cause and object. 



Years have passed away since we first met, and your 

 presence, and recollections with regard to you have afforded 

 me continued sources of enjoyment. 



Some of the better feelings of my nature have been 

 elevated by your converse, and thoughts which you have 

 nursed have been to me an eternal source of consolation. 



In whatever part of the world you are you will often live 

 with me, not as a fleeting idea, but as a recollection pos- 

 sessed of creative energy, as an imagination winged with 

 fire, inspiring and rejoicing. 



You must not live much longer without giving to all 

 men the proof of power which those who know you feel in 

 admiration. Perhaps, at a distance from the applauding 

 and censuring murmurs of the world, you will be best able 

 to execute those great works which are justly expected from 

 you ; you are to be the historian of the philosophy of feel- 

 ing. Do not in any way dissipate your noble nature. Do 

 not give up your birthright. May you soon recover perfect 

 health, the health of strength and happiness ! may you 

 soon return to us confirmed in all the powers essential to 

 the exertion of genius ! You were born for your country, and 

 your native land must be the scene of your activity. I 

 shall expect the time when your spirit, bursting through 



