Transcriber's note:
This book was published in two volumes, of which this is the first. Thesecond volume was released as Project Gutenberg ebook #45395, availableat http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45395.Only references within this volume are hyperlinked. Please see the end ofthis Project for further notes.
THE LIFE
OF
SIR HUMPHRY DAVY,
BART. LL.D.
LATE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, FOREIGN ASSOCIATE
OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE,
&c. &c. &c.
BY
JOHN AYRTON PARIS, M.D. Cantab. F.R.S. &c.
FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY,
NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
MDCCCXXXI.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,
Dorset-street, Fleet-street.
TO
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
PRINCE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK,
DUKE OF SUSSEX, K.G. D.C.L.
&c. &c. &c.
PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY;
THESE MEMOIRS OF A PHILOSOPHER
WHOSE SPLENDID DISCOVERIES
ILLUMINED THE AGE IN WHICH HE LIVED,
ADORNED THE COUNTRY WHICH GAVE HIM BIRTH,
AND OBTAINED FROM FOREIGN AND HOSTILE NATIONS
THE HOMAGE OF ADMIRATION AND
THE MEED OF GRATITUDE,
ARE,
BY THE GRACIOUS PERMISSION OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS,
DEDICATED WITH SENTIMENTS OF PROFOUND RESPECT,
BY
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
The reflecting portion of mankind has ever feltdesirous of becoming acquainted with the origin,progress, habits, and peculiarities of those whom thepowers of genius may have raised above the planeof intellectual equality; but neither the nature ofthe information, nor the extent of the detail thatmay be necessary to satisfy so laudable a curiosity,can ever be estimated by any common standard,since it is not in our nature to contemplate an objectof admiration, but with reference to our ownpredilections and sympathies; and hence everyreader will form a scale for himself, according tothe degree of interest he may feel for the particularcharacter under review. The Poetical enthusiast,who could not sufficiently express his gratitude onbeing told that Milton wore shoe-buckles, wouldvery probably not have given 'four farthings,' asGray says, to know that the shoes of Davy werevitanned by catechu; and yet if the relative value ofthis information were fairly estimated, it must be admittedthat the former is a matter of barren curiosity,the latter, a fact of some practical utility. In aword, we very naturally connect the man with hisworks, and we care not to extend our acquaintancewith the one, but in proportion as we have derivedpleasure from the other.
In like manner, very different estimates will beformed of the degree of praise d