Humphry Davy, Poet and PhilosopherThorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward)
Science
Humphry Davy, Poet and Philosopher
Thorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward)
Davy, Humphry, Sir, 1778-1829
“_Resolved_--That application be made to the Royal Society
requesting that they be pleased to dispense with the engagements
of Mr. Davy [as Secretary], so far as to allow the Dublin
Society to solicit the favour of his delivering a course of
electro-chemical lectures in their new laboratory, as soon as may
be convenient after the present course of chemical lectures shall
have been completed by their professor, Mr. Higgins.
“_Resolved_--That the sum of 400 guineas be appropriated out
of the funds of the Society, to be presented to Mr. Davy, as a
remuneration, which they propose him to accept, and as a mark of
the importance they attach to the communication they solicit.”
We further read: “Mr. Davy arrived in Dublin and delivered his course
of lectures to a crowded auditory.” At the close of his lectures the
following resolution was passed:--
“November 29th, 1810. _Resolved_--That the thanks of the Society
be communicated to Mr. Professor Davy, for the excellent course
of lectures which, at their request, he has delivered in their
new laboratory; and to assure him, that the views which led the
Society to seek for these communications have been answered even
beyond their hopes; that the manner in which he has unfolded his
discoveries has not only imparted new and valuable information,
but, further, appears to have given a direction of the public
mind towards chemical and philosophical inquiries, which cannot
fail in its consequences to produce the improvement of the
sciences, arts, and manufactures in Ireland. That Mr. Davy be
requested to accept the sum of five hundred guineas from the
Society.”
From Mr. Hare’s “Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth” we gain some
further information of the manner in which these lectures were
received. In a letter to her cousin, Miss Ruxton, Miss Edgeworth writes:
“We are to set out for Dublin on the 13th [November] to hear
Davy’s lectures.”
Mrs. Edgeworth adds:
“We spent a few weeks in Dublin. Davy’s lectures not only opened
a new world of knowledge to ourselves and to our young people,
but were especially gratifying to Mr. Edgeworth and Maria,
confirming, by the eloquence, ingenuity, and philosophy which
they displayed, the high idea which they had so early formed of
Mr. Davy’s powers.”
Additional evidence of his success is seen in the circumstance that the
Society decided to repeat their invitation:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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