226 Scientific Labors and Character of 



the new Institution, especially when kindled by the magic powers of 

 young Davy. 



In the year 1802, the new professor was invited to deliver a course 

 of lectures on Agricultural Chemistry to the Board of Agriculture. 

 This association consisted of a number of intelligent and wealthy land- 

 ed proprietors, led by Sir John Sinclair, one of the most public spir- 

 ited and enterprising men of the realm. In their efforts to improve 

 the art of agriculture, they very wisely adopted the following meas- 

 ures. In the first place, by circulars addressed to gentlemen of the 

 first intelligence on matters of this kind in every county in the king- 

 dom, they endeavored to ascertain the state of facts, or the state 

 of agriculture as it actually existed ; and, secondly, upon the knowl- 

 edge of these facts, to found their plans for improving the art. Ac- 

 cordingly, after collecting these materials, they proceeded to com- 

 bine the light of science with the light of experience. It was under 

 these favorable auspices, that Professor Davy was called on to lend 

 his extraordinary powers to the improvement of the art of husbandry. 



It gives us a very favorable opinion of the character of Davy that, 

 flattered as he was in the lecture room of the Royal Institution, by 

 the admiration of courtiers and the nobility of the great metropolis, 

 and honored as he was throughout the scientific world, with encomi- 

 ums which were enough to turn the brain of any ordinary young 

 man, he could still condescend to carry his observations and experi- 

 ments into the tannery and the farm yard, and unite his labors with 

 those of the humblest of our race. This benevolent zeal to render 

 himself useful to his fellow men, displayed itself on many other oc- 

 casions ; and the benefits which thus accrued from his labors to nu- 

 merous classes of society, were strikingly acknowledged in the hom- 

 age that was paid to his memory by different orders of artisans, who 

 joined themselves to the funeral procession at Geneva.* In descend- 

 ing from his lofty elevation to make experiments upon different spe- 

 cies of manures for the benefit of the farmer, he imitated the eminent 

 surgeon, who performs the humblest and most disagreeable offices to 

 relieve the distress or to save the life of his patient. " Every man 

 acquainted with the common principles of human nature, (says Dr. 

 Johnson in his life of Dr. Watts,) will look with veneration on the 

 writer who is at one time combating Locke, and at another making 

 a catechism for children in their fourth year. A voluntary descent 



* See the obituary notice in the present volume of this Journal, p. 157. 



