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
“When I return I shall peacefully fix my abode for life in my
own country. Pray take care of Betsy. When the wind is cold she
should not think of going out. Tell Grace not to be afraid,
though I am going through France. My love to Kitty, and to Grace
and Betsy. I am, my dear mother, wishing you all health and
happiness, your very affectionate son
“H. DAVY.”
On October 4th we find that he reported to the Managers that--
“Michael Faraday had expressed a wish to accompany him on his
scientific travels, but that he would not engage Mr. Faraday
if the Professor of Chemistry considered his services as at
all essential to the Institution, or if the Managers had the
slightest objection to the measure.”
Mr. Brande reported that arrangements could be made to allow Mr.
Faraday to leave,
“and that as he had shown considerable diligence and attention
in cleaning and arranging the mineral collection he recommended
his services to the Managers’ attention, as this was not his
immediate duty.”
A few days afterwards the party, consisting of Sir H. and Lady Davy,
Mr. Faraday, and Lady Davy’s maid, together with the chemical cabinet,
crossed in a cartel from Plymouth to Morlaix. Here they were arrested,
but after a week’s detention, allowed to depart for Paris, where they
arrived on October 27th. Nothing could exceed the cordiality and
warmth of Davy’s reception by the French _savants_. On November 2nd he
attended a sitting of the First Class of the Institute, and was placed
on the right hand of the President, who announced to the meeting that
it was honoured by the presence of “Le Chevalier Davy.” Each day saw
some reception or entertainment in his honour. On November 10th he
dined with Rumford at Auteuil. How much had happened in the ten years
since last they met, and how different their situations now! Davy at
the very summit of his scientific eminence, courted and caressed by
society, honoured and admired by his intellectual peers; Rumford, his
former patron, a broken-hearted, disappointed man about to sink into
the grave, worried to death, in fact, by his wife, and the victim of
the spiteful persecutions she instigated. Of the remarkable men of
science whom Davy met on these occasions he has left us some slight
sketches composed during his last illness, some of which are of
interest to the student who desires to know something of the men whose
names are as household words in the history of chemistry. Guyton de
Morveau--who played such a leading part in the political Revolution
of France, as well as in the revolution of its chemistry, and who,
with Fourcroy, popularised the doctrines of Lavoisier whilst bringing
his head to the scaffold--was found to be a gentleman of mild and
conciliatory manners.
Vauquelin gave him the idea of the French chemists of another age,
belonging rather to the pharmaceutical laboratory than to the
philosophical one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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