To the 'Philosophical Transactions' of this society he continued to contribute papers on different branches of experimental philosophy; and it is on these papers that his claims to celebrity almost entirely rest. From 1802 to 1805, Davy published several minor papers; but in the following year appeared his first Bakerian lecture, read to the Royal Society in November, 1806, in which he detailed the phenomena of electro-chemical decomposition, and laid down its laws; while in his second lecture, read in the November following, he announced the successful application of these principles, and the discovery of the metallic bases of the fixed alkalies, witnessed by the production of two new metals, which he named potassium and sodium.[18] This splendid discovery was fully confirmed by Guy Lussac and Thenard, who, in the following year, succeeded in decomposing potash by iron filings, in a red-hot gun barrel. From 1808 to 1810, Davy gave three more lectures, in which he announced the results of his further chemical investigations. It may be interesting to remark that the original batteries of the institution were so worn during the course of his experiments, as to be unserviceable; a liberal voluntary subscription, however, amongst the members, in July 1808, put him in possession of the most powerful voltaic battery ever constructed, consisting of 2000 double plates, with a surface equal to 128,000 square inches. The results produced by this tremendous power did not, however, add to science one new fact of any importance. All Davy's great voltaic discoveries were made before it was in use, and it only served to show the phenomena of galvanism with greater brilliancy. Mr. Davy's reputation was now at its height, and he was invited by the Dublin Society to give a course of lectures on electro-chemical science. For these lectures, which were commenced on the 8th, and concluded on the 29th of November, 1810, he received 500 guineas. In the following year he was invited to give two more courses, on the Elements of Chemical Philosophy, and on Geology, for which he received 750_l._,--the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College also conferring on him the degree of LL.D. In 1812, Davy dissolved his connection with the Royal Institution, by giving a farewell lecture on the 9th of April; on the preceding day he had received the honour of knighthood from the hands of the Prince Regent, and on the 11th of the same month was married to Mrs. Apreece, daughter and heiress of Charles Kerr, of Kelso, and the possessor of an ample fortune. During the next two or three years, Sir Humphry communicated several papers to the Royal Society, but they contained little of importance to science.