BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX 



didactic verse. His "Zoonomia" was so revolu- 

 tionary in its ideas, that it is said that Paley 

 wrote his "Natural Theology" to counteract its 

 influence. 



Davy, Sir Humphry, iv, 48. Born at Pen- 

 zance, 1778; died at Geneva, 1829. English 

 physicist. Was apprenticed to a surgeon, 1795, 

 and began to study a wide range of subjects. 

 At the age of nineteen he settled upon chemis- 

 try. Dr. Beddoes took him as his assistant at 

 Bristol, and he soon discovered nitrous oxide 

 (laughing gas). Was now appointed lecturer at 

 the Royal Institution, London, and attracted 

 brilliant audiences. 1802, made professor of 

 chemistry there. Made extensive researches in 

 agricultural chemistry. Most famous of all were 

 his his electrolytic experiments, which estab- 

 lished Lavoisier's theories of the composition of 

 bases. Davy decomposed potash and similar 

 substances, and demonstrated the nature of 

 chlorine and hydrochloric acid. In 1815 he in- 

 vestigated the nature of fire-damp, and invented 

 the safety lamp. 1820, was elected President of 

 the Royal Society. Later devised a method of 

 preventing corrosion of copper bottoms of sea- 

 going vessels. He died a member of nearly all 

 the scientific institutions in the world. 



Dawes, Rev. W. R., iii, 44. Born at London, 

 1799; died at Haddenham, 1868. English astron- 

 omer, practised medicine; also officiated for a 

 time as minister. Had charge of several observ- 

 atores in England. Discovered one of the rings 

 of Saturn and many double stars. 



De Bary, Heinrich Anton, iv, 125. Born at 

 Frankfort-on-Main, 1831 ; died at Strasburg, 



