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 CHAPTER IX. Davy's "Elements of Chemical Philosophy" examined.--His Memoir on some combinations of Phosphorus and Sulphur, &c.--He discovers Hydro-phosphoric gas.--Important Illustrations of the Theory of Definite Proportionals.--Bodies precipitated from water are Hydrats.--His letter to Sir Joseph Banks on a new detonating compound.--He is injured in the eye by its explosion.--His second letter on the subject.--His paper on the Substances produced in different Chemical processes on Fluor Spar.--His work on Agricultural Chemistry 358 Octr. 19{th} When Potash was introduced into a tube having a platina wire attached to it so & fixed into the tube so as to be a conductor ie. so as to contain just water enough though solid--& inserted over mercury, when the Platina was made neg--No gas was formed & the mercury became oxydated--& a small quantity of the athalyer was produced around the plat: wire as was evident from its gassy alteration by the action of water --When the mercury was made the neg: gas was developed in great quantities from the pos: wire, & some from the neg mercury & this gas proved to be pure? _oxygene_ Capil Expr.-- proving the decompr of _Potash_ London, Published by Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley 1831 [Illustration] THE LIFE OF SIR HUMPHRY DAVY, BART. &c. &c. CHAPTER I.