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view the just claim of the representatives of commodore Decatur, his officers and crew, arising from the re-capture of the frigate Philadelphia, under the heavy batteries of Tripoli. Although sensible, as a general rule, of the impropriety of executive interference under a government like ours, where every individual enjoys the right of directly petitioning Congress, yet, viewing this case as one of a very peculiar character, I deem it my duty to recommend it to your favourable consideration. Besides the justice of this claim, as corresponding to those which have been since recognized and satisfied, it is the fruit of a deed of patriotic and chivalrous daring, which infused life and confidence into our

infant navy, and contributed, as much as any exploit in its history, to elevate our national character. Public gratitude, therefore, stamps her seal upon it; and the meed should not be withheld which may hereafter operate as a stimulus to our gallant tars.

"I now commend you, fellowcitizens, to the guidance of Almighty God, with a full reliance on his merciful providence for the maintenance of our free institutions; and with an earnest supplication, that, whatever errors it may be my lot to commit, in discharging the arduous duties which have devolved on me, will find a remedy in the harmony and wisdom of your counsels.

"ANDREW JACKSON."

HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF SIR HUMPHRY DAVY, BART. LL.D. F.R.S. M.R.I.A.

IR HUMPHRY DAVY's father, Fobert Davy, possessed a small piece of land opposite St. Michael's Mount, called Bartel, and followed the profession of a carver in wood; in the town and neighbourhood of Penzance there remain many specimens of his art; and among others several chimney-pieces, curiously embellished by his chisel. His mother's maiden name was Grace Millett.

Sir Humphry Davy was born at Penzance, in Cornwall, on the 17th of December, 1778. Having received the rudiments of a classical education under Dr. Cardew of Truro, he was placed with a respectable professional gentleman of the name of Tonkin, at Penzance, in order that he might acquire a knowledge of the profession of a surgeon and apothecary. His master, however, soon became dissatisfied with his new pupil instead of attending to the duties of the surgery, Humphry was rambling along the sea shore, and often declaiming against the wind and waves, in order to overcome a defect in his voice, which, although only slightly perceptible in his maturer age, was, when a boy extremely discordant. At

&c.

length, a negotiation between the parents and the master menced, with a view of releasing the parties from their engagement; and Humphry returned home. It is, however, but fair to state, that he always entertained the highest respect for Mr. Tonkin, and never spoke of him but in terms of affectionate regard.

A person, endowed with the genius and sensibilities of Davy, would naturally have his mind directed to the study of mineralogy and chemistry by the nature and scenery of the country in which accident had planted him. Many of his friends and associates must have been connected with mining speculations; shafts, cross courses, lodes, &c. were words familiarised to his ears; he could not wander along the rocky coast, nor repose for a moment to contemplate its wild scenery, without being invited to geological inquiry by the genius of the place. "How often when a boy," said sir Humphry to a friend, upon shewing him a view of Botallack Mine, "have I wandered about those rocks in search after new minerals, and when tired, sat down upon those crags, and exercised my

fancy in anticipations of scientific renown!"

Such scenery also, in one who possessed a quick sensibility to the sublime forms of nature, was well calculated to kindle that enthusiasm so essential to poetical genius. It accordingly appears that Davy, when only nine years old, began to compose a poem on the Land's End; in which he powerfully describes the magnificence of its convulsed scenery, the ceaseless roar of the ocean, the wild shrieks of the cormorant, and those "caves where sleep the haggard spirits of the storm." This bias he cultivated till his fifteenth year, when he became the pupil of Mr. (since Dr.) Borlase of Penzance, an ingenious surgeon, intending to prepare himself for graduating as a physician at Edinburgh. At this early age Davy laid down for himself a plan of education, which embraced the circle of the sciences; and by his eighteenth year he had acquired the rudiments of botany, anatomy, and physiology, the simpler mathematics, metaphysics, natural philosophy, and chemistry. But chemistry soon arrested his whole attention. As far as can be ascertained, the first original experiment performed by him at Penzance was for the purpose of investigating the nature of the air contained in the bladders of sea-weed. His instruments were of the rudest description, manufactured by himself out of the motley materials which fell in his way the pots and pans of the kitchen were appropriated without ceremony, and even the phials and gallipots of his master were without the least remorse put in requisition. A French vessel

having been wrecked near the
Land's End, the surgeon became
acquainted with young Davy, and,
in return for some kind offices,
presented him with his case of
surgical instruments.
The con-
tents were eagerly turned out and
examined; not, however, with
any professional view of their
utility, but in order to ascertain
how far they might be convertible
to philosophical purposes. The
old-fashioned and clumsy clyster-
apparatus was viewed with exult-
ation, and seized with avidity;
and, in the brief space of an hour,
was converted into a complicated
piece of pneumatic apparatus.
Had Davy, in the commencement
of his career, been furnished with
all those appliances which he en-
joyed at a later period, it is more
than probable that he might never
have acquired that wonderful tact
of manipulation, that ability of
suggesting expedients, and of con-
triving apparatus, so as to meet
and surmount the difficulties which
must constantly arise during the
progress of the philosopher through
the unbeaten tracks and unex-
plored regions of science. In this
art Davy certainly stood uurival-
led; and, like his prototype Scheele,
he was unquestionably indebted
for his address to the narrowness
of his original circumstances.

The next prominent occurrence in Davy's life was his introduction to Mr. Davies Giddy, now Mr. Gilbert, the present distinguished and popular president of the Royal Society. Mr. Gilbert's attention was, from some trivial cause, attracted to the young chemist, as he was carelessly lounging over the gate of his father's house. A person in the company of Mr. Gilbert observed, that the boy in

question was young Davy, who was much attached to chemistry. "To chemistry!" said Mr. Gilbert; "if that be the case I must have some conversation with him." Mr. Gilbert soon discovered ample proofs of genius in the youth; and offered him the use of his library, or any other assistance that he might require, for the prosecution of his studies.

Another circumstance occurred, which afterwards contributed to introduce Davy to notice. Mr. Gregory Watt, who had long been an invalid, was recommended by his physicians to reside in the West of England; and he accordingly went to Penzance, lodged with Mrs. Davy, and became ac⚫ quainted with her son. Before the formation of the Geological Society of London, geologists were divided into two great parties,-Neptunists, and Plutonists; the one affirming that the globe was indebted for its form and arrangement to the agency of water, the other to that of fire. It so happened, that the professors of Oxford and Cambridge ranged themselves under opposite banners: Dr. Beddoes was a violent and uncompromising Plutonist, while professor Hailstone was as decided a Neptunist. The rocks of Cornwall were appealed to as affording support to either theory; and the two professors, adverse in opinion, but united in friendship, determined to proceed together to the field of dispute, each hoping that he might thus convict the other of his error. The geological combatants arrived at Penzance; and Davy became known to them, through the medium of Mr. Gilbert.

Mr. Watt was enthusiastic in his praise; and Dr. Beddoes

having just established at Bristol his "Pneumatic Institution," for the purpose of investigating the medical powers of the different gases, he proposed to Mr. Davy, who was then only nineteen years of age, and had prepossessed the professor in his favour by an essay propounding a new theory of heat and light, to undertake the superintendence of the necessary experiments. This proposal Davy eagerly accepted.

Such were the circumstances that first extricated Davy from the obscurity of his native town, and paved the way to an eminence which but very few philosophers in this or any other country have been able to attain. Davy was now constantly engaged in the prosecution of new experiments; in the conception of which, as he himself candidly informs us, he was greatly aided by the conversation and advice of his friend Dr. Beddoes. He was also occasionally assisted by Mr. W. Clayfield, a gentleman ardently attached to chemical pursuits, and whose name is not unknown in the annals of science; indeed it appears that to him Davy was indebted for the invention of a mercurial air-holder, by which he was enabled to collect aud measure the various gases submitted to examination. In the course of these investigations, the respirability and singularly intoxicating effects of nitrous oxide were first discovered; which led to a new train of research concerning its preparation, composition, properties, combinations, and physiological action on living beings; inquiries which were extended to the different substances connected with nitrous oxide, such as nitrous

gas, nitrous acid, and ammonia; when, by multiplying experiments, and comparing the facts they disclosed, Davy ultimately succeeded in reconciling apparent anomalies; and, by removing the greater number of those difficulties which had obscured this branch of science, was enabled to present a clear and satisfactory history of the combinations of Oxygen and Nitrogen.

These interesting results were published in a separate volume, entitled "Researches, Chemical and Philosophical, chiefly concerning Nitrous Oxide and its respiration; by Humphry Davy, Superintendant of the Medical Pneumatic Institution." Of the value of this production, the best criterion is to be found in the admiration which it excited; its author was barely twenty-one years old, and already he was hailed as a genius of high promise in science. Before the impression produced on the scientific world had subsided, count Rumford was seeking for some rising philosopher, who might fill the chemical chair of the recently-established institution of Great Britain ;-Davy was proposed, and immediately elected.

The crowds that repaired to the Institution were, day after day, gratified by newly-devised and instructive experiments, performed with the utmost address, and explained in language at once the most intelligible and the most eloquent. He brought down Science from those heights which were before accessible only to a few, and placed it within the reach of all. He divested the goddess of all her severity of aspect, and represented her as attired by the Graces. It has been said, that

his style was too florid and imaginative for communicating the plain lessons of truth. must be considered that the class of persons to whom Davy addressed himself were composed of the gay and the idle, who could be tempted to admit instruction only by the prospect of receiving pleasure.

On obtaining the appointment of professor at the Royal Institution, Mr. Davy gave up all his views of the medical profession, and devoted himself entirely to chemistry.

In 1802, Mr. Davy, having been elected professor of chemistry to the Board of Agriculture, commenced a series of lectures before its members; which he continued to deliver every successive session for ten years, modifying and extending their views, from time to time, in such a manner as the progress of chemical discovery required. These discourses were published in the year 1813, at the request of the president and members of the board; and they form the only complete work we possess on the subject of agricultural chemistry.

In the year 1803, Davy was elected a fellow of the Royal Society; he subsequently became its secretary, and lastly its president; and during a period of five and twenty years, he constantly supplied its Transactions with papers.

The first memoir presented to the Royal Society by Mr. Davy, was read on the 18th of June 1801; and is entitled, "An Account of some Galvanic combinations, formed by the arrangement of Single Metallic Plates and Fluids, analogous to the new Galvanic Apparatus of Volta; by

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