Cornish Worthies: Sketches of Some Eminent Cornish Men and Families, Volume 1 (of 2)Tregellas, Walter H. (Walter Hawken)
History
Cornish Worthies: Sketches of Some Eminent Cornish Men and Families, Volume 1 (of 2)
Tregellas, Walter H. (Walter Hawken)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography
'_15 June._--As her husband had invited me to do, I called this
morning on Lady Davy. I found her in her parlour, working on a dress,
the contents of her basket strewed about the table, and looking more
like home than anything since I left it. She is small, with black eyes
and hair and a very pleasant face, an uncommonly sweet smile; and
when she speaks, has much spirit and expression in her countenance.
Her conversation is agreeable, particularly in the choice and variety
of her phraseology, and has more the air of eloquence than I have
ever heard before from a lady. But, then, it has something of the
appearance of formality and display, which injures conversation. Her
manner is gracious and elegant; and though I should not think of
comparing her to Corinne, yet I think she has uncommon powers.'
The honeymoon, the greater part of which was spent in Scotland, was
scarcely over, before, in the month of June, he dedicated to his wife
his 'Elements of Chemical Philosophy,' as a pledge of his continued
ardour for science, as well as of his love for her; and Davy returned
to his scientific pursuits. In the following November he nearly lost
his eyesight, whilst performing the dangerous experiment of effecting
the combination of azote, as nitrogen was then called, and chlorine.
He soon, however, completely recovered the use of his eyes, and took
a trip into his native county; fishing and geologizing on the way.
It was about this time also that Davy made the first experiments in
electric lighting, by producing the voltaic arc by the use of carbon;
the discovery was improved by Foucault, who substituted retort-carbon
for wood-charcoal. (Comte du Moncel's 'L'Eclairage Electrique,' Paris,
1880.)
With reference to this, now highly important, subject, a writer in
the _Times_ for 22nd October, 1881, points out that 'Sir Humphry Davy
showed that when a powerful current passes across the point of contact
of two carbon rods, their points become heated; and on separating them
to a short distance, an arc of light shoots between them, and the
carbons are raised to a white heat.' The writer adds, that 'all lamps
(until lately) had this point chiefly in view; namely, to introduce an
arrangement which should keep the carbon-points at the fixed distance
found to be the most advantageous.' Surely here was the germ of that
discovery which is now becoming so rapidly developed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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