1812. JEr. 34.] SIR HUMPHRY DAVY. 381 



was easy, his diction elegant, his tone good, and his 

 sentiments sublime.' 



Faraday ends his volume with the notes of eighteen 

 experiments that were made in this lecture. 



The same day Davy wrote to his brother. It was 

 the eve of his wedding. 



Friday, April 10, 1812. 



MY DEAR BROTHER, You will have excused me for not 

 writing to you on subjects of science. I have been absorbed 

 by arrangements on which the happiness of my future life 

 depends. Before you receive this these arrangements will, 

 I trust, be settled, and in a few weeks I shall be able to return 

 to my habits of study and scientific research. I am going 

 to be married to-morrow, and I have a fair prospect of 

 happiness with the most amiable and intellectual woman I 

 have ever known. 



The Prince Regent, unsolicited by me or by any of my 

 intimate friends, was pleased to confer the honour of knight- 

 hood on me at the last levee. This distinction has not 

 often been bestowed on scientific men, but I am proud of it, 

 as the greatest of human geniuses bore it ; and it is at least 

 a proof that the world has not overlooked my humble 

 efforts in the cause of science. 



I am, my dear Brother, most affectionately yours, 



H. DAVY. 



On June 12 he published his 'Elements of Chemical 

 Philosophy.' It is dedicated to Lady Davy, 4 as a 

 pledge that he shall continue to pursue science with 

 unabated ardour.' 



Dr. Thomas Young, in the ' Quarterly Review ' for 

 September 1812, enables us to see what was thought 

 of Sir H. Davy and of his book at this time. 



