I cannot find any language sufficiently strong to express my thanks to the gentlemen for the manner in which they have distinguished my exertions in their cause, and in the cause of humanity. I have the honour to remain, &c. H. DAVY. To revert once again to the faction--for such I must denominate it--which, in opposition to the most unequivocal evidence, continued to support the unjust claims of Mr. Stephenson; it would appear from various letters in my possession, that the feelings of Davy were greatly exasperated by this ungenerous conduct. I shall introduce one of these letters, playful in the midst of its wrath, addressed to Mr. Lambton, the friend[46] of his youth, and the manly and kind supporter of his scientific character, in the hour of persecution. [46] It will be remembered that they resided together in the house of Dr. Beddoes. See page 59, vol. i. of these memoirs. In the library at Lambton, there is a goodportrait of Sir Humphry. TO J. G. LAMBTON, ESQ. M.P. Queen Square, Bath, Oct. 29, 1816. MY DEAR SIR, The severe indisposition of my wife has altered my plans. Your letter slowly followed me here. Mr. ---- is one of the persons who, after I had advanced a principle of security for a lamp, came upon the ground to endeavour to jockey me. I was not looking to a prize, I merely came forward to show an animal, the breed of which might be useful, when Mr.----, Dr.----, &c. brought their sorry jades, which had never before been seen or heard of, to kick at my blood mare. I never heard a word of George Stephenson and his lamps till six weeks after my principle of security had been published; and the general impression of the scientific men in London, which is confirmed by what I heard at Newcastle, is, that Stephenson had some loose idea floating in his mind, which he had unsuccessfully attempted to put in practice till after my labours were made known;--then, he made something like a safe lamp, except that it is not _safe_, for the apertures below are four times, and those above, twenty times too large; but, even if Stephenson's plans had not been posterior to my principles, still there is no analogy between his glass exploding machine, and my metallic tissue, permeable to light and air, and impermeable to flame. I am very glad that you attended the meeting; your conduct at no very distant period will be contrasted with that of some great coal-proprietors, who find reasons for their indifference, as to a benefit conferred upon them, in insinuations respecting the claims of Dr. Clanny, Mr. Stephenson, and others. Where men resolve to be ungrateful, it is natural that they should be illiberal; and illiberality often hardens into malignity.