Chapter I

Birth and family of Sir H. Davy.--Davy placed at a preparatory
school.--His peculiarities when a boy.--Anecdotes.--He is admitted
into the grammar-school at Penzance.--Finishes his education
under Dr. Cardew at Truro.--Death of his father.--He is apprenticed
by his mother to Mr. John Bingham Borlase, a surgeon
and apothecary.--He enters upon the study of Chemistry, and devotes
more time to Philosophy than to Physic.--The influence of
early impressions illustrated.--His poetical talent.--Specimens of
his versification.--An Epic Poem composed by him at the age of
twelve years.--His first original experiment in chemistry.--He
conceives a new theory of heat and light.--His ingenious experiment
to demonstrate its truth.--He becomes known to Mr. Davies
Gilbert, the founder of his future fortunes.--Mr. Gregory Watt
arrives at Penzance, and lodges in the house of Mrs. Davy.--The
visit of Dr. Beddoes and Professor Hailstone to Cornwall.--The
correspondence between Dr. Beddoes and Mr. Davies Gilbert, relative
to the Pneumatic Institution at Bristol, and the proposed appointment
of Davy.--His final departure from his native town Page 1

CHAPTER II.

Cursory thoughts on the advantages of Biography.--Plan and
objects of the Pneumatic Institution.--Davy contracts friendships
during his residence at Bristol.--His first visit to London.--His
Letters to Mr. Davies Gilbert.--The publication of the West Country
Contributions, by Dr. Beddoes.--Davy's Essays on Heat, Light,
and Respiration.--His interesting experiments on bonnet canes.--He
commences an enquiry into the nature of nitrous oxyd.--He
publishes his chemical researches.--A critical examination of the
work.--Testimony of Tobin, Clayfield, Southey, and others, respecting
the powers of nitrous oxyd.--Davy breathes carburetted
hydrogen gas, and nearly perishes from its effects.--His new Galvanic
experiments communicated in a Letter to Mr. Gilbert 56

CHAPTER III.

Count Rumford negotiates with Mr. Underwood on the subject of Davy's
appointment to the Royal Institution.--Terms of his engagement
communicated in a letter to Mr. Gilbert.--Davy arrives, and takes
possession of his apartments.--He receives various
mortifications.--He is elected a member of the Tepidarian
Society.--Is appointed Lecturer instead of assistant.--He makes a
tour in Cornwall with Mr. Underwood.--Anecdotes.--His Poem on
Spinosism.--His letter to Mr. Gilbert, communicating a galvanic
discovery.--He commences his first grand course of lectures.--His
brilliant success.--A letter from Mr. Purkis.--Davy's style
criticised.--His extraordinary method of experimenting.--Davy and
Wollaston compared as experimentalists.--The style of Davy as a
lecturer and a writer contrasted 114

CHAPTER IV.

Davy makes a tour with Mr. Purkis through Wales.--Beautiful
phenomenon observed from the summit of Arran Benllyn.--Letter
to Mr. Gilbert.--Journal of the Institution.--Davy's papers on
Eudiometry, and other subjects.--His first communication to the
Royal Society, on a new galvanic pile.--He is proposed as a Fellow,
and elected into the Society.--His paper on astringent vegetable
substances, and on their operation in tanning leather.--His
letter to Mr. Poole.--He is appointed Chemical Lecturer to the
Board of Agriculture.--He forms friendships with the Duke of
Bedford, Mr. Coke, and many other celebrated agriculturists.--Attends
the sheep-shearing at Holkham and Woburn.--Composes
a Prologue to "The Honey-Moon" 150

CHAPTER V.

Sir Thomas Bernard allots Davy a piece of ground for Agricultural
Experiments.--History of the Origin of the Royal Institution.--Its
early labours.--Davy's Letters to Mr. Gilbert and to Mr.
Poole.--Death of Mr. Gregory Watt.--Davy's Passion for Fishing,
with Anecdotes.--He makes a Tour in Ireland: his Letters on
the subject.--His Paper on the Analysis of the Wavellite.--His
Memoirs on a new method of analysing Minerals which contain a
fixed Alkali.--Reflections on the discovery of Galvanic
Electricity 188

CHAPTER VI.

The History of Galvanism divided into six grand Epochs.--Davy
extends the experiment of Nicholson and Carlisle.--His Pile of one
metal and two fluids.--Dr. Wollaston advocates the doctrine of
oxidation being the primary cause of Voltaic Phenomena.--Davy's
modification of that theory.--His Bakerian Lecture of 1806.--He
discovers the sources of the acid and alkaline matter eliminated
from water by Voltaic action.--On the nature of Electrical
decomposition and transfer.--On the relations between the Electrical
energies of bodies, and their Chemical affinities.--General
developement of the Electro-chemical Laws.--Illustrations,
Applications, and Conclusions 216

CHAPTER VII.

The unfair rivalry of Philosophers.--Bonaparte the Patron of
Science--He liberates Dolomieu.--He founds a Prize for the
encouragement of Electric researches.--His letter to the Minister of
the Interior.--Proceedings of the Institute.--The Prize is conferred
on Davy.--The Bakerian Lecture of 1807.--The Decomposition of
the Fixed Alkalies--Potassium--Sodium.--The Questions to which
the discovery gave rise.--Interesting Extracts from the Manuscript
notes of the Laboratory.--Potash decomposed by a chemical
process.--Letters to Children, and Pepys.--The true nature
of Potash discovered.--Whether Ammonia contains oxygen.--Davy's
severe Illness.--He recovers and resumes his labours.--His
Fishing Costume.--He decomposes the Earths.--Important views
to which the discovery has led 253

CHAPTER VIII.

Davy's Bakerian Lecture of 1808.--Results obtained from the
mutual action of Potassium and Ammonia upon each other.--His
belief that he had decomposed Nitrogen.--He discovers Telluretted
Hydrogen.--Whether Sulphur, Phosphorus, and Carbon may not
contain Hydrogen.--He decomposes Boracic acid.--Boron.--His
fallacies with regard to the composition of Muriatic acid.--A
splendid Voltaic battery is constructed at the Institution by
subscription.--Davy ascertains the true nature of the Muriatic and
Oxymuriatic Acids.--Important chemical analogies to which the
discovery gave origin.--Euchlorine.--Chlorides.--He delivers
Lectures before the Dublin Society.--He receives the Honorary Degree
of LL.D. from the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College.--He
undertakes to ventilate the House of Lords.--The Regent confers upon
him the honour of Knighthood.--He delivers his farewell
Lecture.--Engages in a Gunpowder manufactory.--His marriage 307