SIR,
I had the honour of communicating your letter to the President and Council of the Royal Society, who have desired me to express to you, Sir, and through you, to the Dublin Society, the lively interest they feel in the prosperity of that useful public body, and the desire that they have to promote its important object.
On these grounds, they have been pleased to permit me to be absent from the meetings of the Royal Society, during the period that may be necessary for delivering a Course of Lectures at the Laboratory of the Dublin Society, in the month of November next.
Be pleased to express to the Dublin Society my grateful acknowledgments for the honour they have done me in making such a proposition; and assure them that I shall use my best exertions to promote their views for the extension of Chemical Science, and every other species of useful knowledge.
I beg to be permitted to thank you, Sir, for the flattering manner in which you had the goodness to convey to me their proposal.
I am, Sir, with great respect,
Your obliged and obedient servant,
H. Davy, Sec. R. S.
On the commencement of the Course, on the 8th of November 1810, three hundred and seventy-one admission tickets had been issued; and the Committee of Chemistry having expressed their opinion to the Society, that the lecture-room would not afford accommodation for a greater number of persons, the Assistant Secretary was directed to limit his tickets to that number. On the 15th instant, however, the number was increased to four hundred, without inconvenience.
At the close of the Course, on the 29th of November, the Dublin Society passed the following Resolutions:—
"Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be communicated to Mr. Davy for the excellent Course of Lectures which, at their request, has been delivered by him in their Laboratory; and to assure him that the views which led the Society to seek for these communications, have been answered even beyond their hopes;—that the manner in which he has unfolded his discoveries has not merely imparted new and valuable information, but further appears to have given a direction of the public mind towards Chemical and Philosophical enquiries, which cannot fail in its consequences to produce the improvement of the Sciences, Arts, and Manufactures in Ireland.
"That the thanks of the Society be communicated to the Royal Society for their ready compliance with our request, in dispensing with the engagements of Mr. Davy, during the last six weeks.