CHAPTER V.
Sir Thomas Bernard allots Davy a piece of ground for Agricultural Experiments.—History of the Origin of the Royal Institution.—Its early labours.—Davy's Letters to Mr. Gilbert and to Mr. Poole.—Death of Mr. Gregory Watt.—Davy's Passion for Fishing, with Anecdotes.—He makes a Tour in Ireland: his Letters on the subject.—His Paper on the Analysis of the Wavellite.—His Memoirs on a new method of analysing Minerals which contain a fixed Alkali.—Reflections on the discovery of Galvanic Electricity [188]
CHAPTER VI.
The History of Galvanism divided into six grand Epochs.—Davy extends the experiment of Nicholson and Carlisle.—His Pile of one metal and two fluids.—Dr. Wollaston advocates the doctrine of oxidation being the primary cause of Voltaic Phenomena.—Davy's modification of that theory.—His Bakerian Lecture of 1806.—He discovers the sources of the acid and alkaline matter eliminated from water by Voltaic action.—On the nature of Electrical decomposition and transfer.—On the relations between the Electrical energies of bodies, and their Chemical affinities.—General developement of the Electro-chemical Laws.—Illustrations, Applications, and Conclusions [216]
CHAPTER VII.
The unfair rivalry of Philosophers.—Bonaparte the Patron of Science—He liberates Dolomieu.—He founds a Prize for the encouragement of Electric researches.—His letter to the Minister of the Interior.—Proceedings of the Institute.—The Prize is conferred on Davy.—The Bakerian Lecture of 1807.—The Decomposition of the Fixed Alkalies—Potassium—Sodium.—The Questions to which the discovery gave rise.—Interesting Extracts from the Manuscript notes of the Laboratory.—Potash decomposed by a chemical process.—Letters to Children, and Pepys.—The true nature of Potash discovered.—Whether Ammonia contains oxygen.—Davy's severe Illness.—He recovers and resumes his labours.—His Fishing Costume.—He decomposes the Earths.—Important views to which the discovery has led [253]
CHAPTER VIII.
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.