late discoveries; but upon a candid review, these loose statements, or obscure hints, will generally be found wholly destitute of the pretensions which an unfair spirit of rivalry has too often laboured to support. Many of such hints, indeed, so far from advancing the progress of truth, had never even attracted notice, until after the discoveries to which they have been supposed to relate.

Although the importance of Davy's Electro-chemical discoveries could not for a moment be doubted; their claims to originality, it would seem, were not admitted without some question. The works of Ritter and Winterl, amongst many others, were quoted to shew that these philosophers had imagined or anticipated the relation between electrical powers and chemical affinities; but Davy very fairly observes, in a paper read before the Royal Society in 1826, that in the obscurity of the language and metaphysics of both those gentlemen, it is difficult to say what may not be found. In the ingenious though wild views of Ritter, there are hints which may more readily be considered as applying to Electro-magnetism, than to Electro-chemistry; while Winterl's Miraculous Andronia might, with as much propriety, be considered as a type of all the chemical substances that have been since discovered, as his view of the antagonist powers (the acid and base) be regarded as an anticipation of the Electro-chemical theory.

and whether fermentation does not loose these bands, and give them liberty to expand themselves again? Take a bottle of fermenting liquor, and tie a bladder on the mouth.-Quere. How much new air will it produce? and whether this has the quality of common air?"

Another instance equally illustrative of the manner in which important truths will sometimes elude notice, even after Science has approached so near as to touch them, is presented in the history of the Barometer. Toricelli, the pupil of Galileo, while reflecting upon the phenomenon which had so greatly perplexed his master, viz. that water could not be raised above thirty-two feet in the body of a pump, rightly conjectured that the water, under such circumstances, was not drawn, but pushed up into the barrel, and that it could only be so pushed up by the force of the atmosphere. It then occurred to him, that if mercury were used instead of water, being heavier, it would not be pushed up so high by the weight of the air. So, taking a glass tube of about three feet in height, made air-tight at one end, he first filled it completely with quicksilver, and then closing it with his finger, reversed it in a basin containing that metal, when he had the gratification of seeing the liquid in the tube descend, as he had anticipated. Here then was the discovery of the BAROMETER; but it was reserved for another to find out that such an instrument had been actually invented. Pascal first made the remark, that the inference of Toricelli, if true, might be confirmed by carrying the mercurial tube to a considerable elevation; when the atmospheric column being diminished, that of the mercury, which was supposed to be its balance, ought likewise to be shortened in a corresponding proportion. It followed then, that a measure of the weight of the atmosphere, in all circumstances, had been obtained, and consequently that of the height of any place to which the instrument could be carried. In this manner was a discovery completed, which had for ages escaped the greatest philosophers who had made the nearest approaches to its developement.

It would be worse than useless to speak of other works, which refer the origin of Electro-chemistry to Germany, Sweden, and France, rather than to Italy and England; and which attribute some of the views first developed by Davy, to philosophers who have not, nor ever could have made any claim of the kind, since their experiments were actually not published until many years after 1806, the date of the Bakerian Lecture.

With regard to the judgment of posterity upon these points, but little apprehension can be entertained. I well remember, in a conversation with Davy, he observed, that "a philosopher might generally discover how his labours would be appreciated in after ages, from the opinion entertained of them by contemporary foreigners, who, being unbiassed by circumstances of personality, will reduce every object to its just proportions and value."

If we acknowledge the truth of such a standard, and submit the posthumous fame of Davy to its measure, where is the philosopher, in our times, whose name is destined to attain a higher eminence in the history of science? Let the reader only recall to his recollection the bitter animosity which France and England mutually entertained towards each other in the year 1807, and he will be able to form some idea of the astounding impression which the Bakerian Lecture must have produced on the Savans of Paris, when, in despite of national prejudice and national vanity, it was crowned by the Institute of France with the prize of the First Consul! Thus did the Voltaic battery, in the hands of the English chemist, achieve what all the artillery of Britain could never have produced-A SPONTANEOUS AND A SPONTANEOUS AND WILLING HOMAGE TO BRITISH SUPERIORITY! — But let not this observation convey the slightest idea of disrespect, or be supposed to encourage any feeling to the disparagement of the chemists of France; on the contrary, it is even a question not readily answered, to which party the triumph fairly belongs, - to him who won the laurel crown, or to those who so nobly placed it on his brow? They have set an example to future ages, which may as materially advance the progress of science, as the researches which called it forth: -they have shown, to adopt the language of an eloquent writer, that "the Commonwealth of Science is of no party, and of no nation; that it is a pure Republic, and always at peace. Its shades are disturbed neither by domestic malice nor foreign levy; they resound not with the cries of faction or of public animosity. Falsehood is the only enemy their inhabitants denounce; Truth and her minister Reason, the only leaders they follow."

I shall avail myself of this opportunity to introduce the Report drawn up

by M. Biot, and made in the name of a Commission appointed by the Institute to accomplish the intention of Bonaparte, who, when First Consul, founded prizes for important discoveries in Electricity or Galvanism.

It is an opinion very generally received, that despotism is hostile to the progress of Philosophy- that the suspicion natural to tyranny, and the fear that light should expose its deformity, have, under such circumstance, inspired a dread of any thing approaching to freedom of enquiry. The conduct of Napoleon, not only during his Consulate, but even after he had assumed the Purple, is in direct opposition to such an opinion. Now that the excitements of national hostility have subsided, and the asperity of our feelings towards that extraordinary man has been softened by time and prosperity, we are enabled to discern the bright and sunny spots in his character.

Not to mention the immense plans which his genius suggested for the internal improvement of France, the annals of the Institute would furnish innumerable proofs of the zeal with which he encouraged Science, and promoted its interests.

His liberation of Dolomieu from the dungeons of Tarentum was an act not only remarkable for the considerate regard it displayed for Science, but for the spirit and eagerness with which it was effected. The French government had repeatedly made the most urgent demands for the liberty of one who had reflected so much credit on his country;-the Danes had also directed the interference of their Minister, and the King of Spain had added his solicitations in vain:—no sooner, however, had the astonishing campaign which terminated by the victory of Marengo, completely established the French Republic, than Bonaparte, in making peace with Naples, stipulated for the immediate deliverance of Dolomieu, as the first article of the treaty.

The following letter from Bonaparte, addressed to the Minister of the Interior, and by him transmitted to the Institute, expresses the intentions of the First Consul, in founding prizes for important discoveries in Electricity or Galvanism.

"I intend, Citizen Minister, to found a prize, consisting of a Medal of three thousand francs, (about one hundred and twenty pounds sterling,) for the best experiment which shall be made in the course of each year, on the Galvanic fluid.

"For this purpose, the Memoirs containing the details of the said experiments shall be sent before the First of Fructidor, to the class of the Ma

thematical and Physical Sciences, which in the complimentary days shall adjudge the prize to the author of that experiment which has been most useful to the progress of science.

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"I also desire to give, by the way of encouragement, the sum of sixty thousand francs to the person who, by his experiments and discoveries, shall, according to the opinion of the Class, advance the knowledge of Electricity and Galvanism as much as Franklin and Volta did.*

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Foreigners of all nations are admitted to the competition.

I beg you will make known these dispositions to the President of the First Class of the National Institute, that it may give to these ideas such developement as may appear proper; my particular object being to encourage philosophers, and to direct their attention to this part of philosophy, which, my opinion, may lead to great discoveries.

in

Upon the presentation of this letter, a Committee was appointed to consider the means for accomplishing the intentions of the First Consul; and after expatiating upon the extensive agencies of Electricity, their Report concludes in the following manner :—

"To fulfil the intention of the First Consul, and to give to the competition all the solemnity which the importance of the object, the nature of the Prize, and the character of the Founder require, the Commissioners unanimously propose as follows:

"The Class of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences of the National Institute, opens the general competition required by the First Consul.

"All the learned of Europe, and the Members and Associates of the Institute, are admitted to the competition.

"The Class does not require that the Memoirs should be immediately addressed to it. Every year it will crown the author of the best experiments which shall come to its knowledge, and which shall have advanced the progress of the science.

*" À celui qui, par ses expériences et ses découvertes, fera à faire à l'Electricité et au Galvanisme un pas comparable celui qu'ont fait faire à ces Sciences Franklin et Volta."

My French correspondent adds, " Ces soixantes mille francs n'ont pas été adjugés, le pas n'ayant point été fait."

"The present report, containing the letter of the First Consul, shall be

printed, and serve as a programme.

Done at the National Institute, Messidor 11, year 10.

(Signed)

LAPLACE, HALLE, COULOMB,
HAUY. BIOT, Reporter."

It was not until twelve months after the publication of his first Bakerian Lecture, that Davy received the intelligence that the prize of three thousand francs had been awarded him by the Institute of France, for his discoveries announced in the Philosophical Transactions for the year 1807.

Mr. Poole, in a late communication, informs me that he was in London soon after the letter, communicating this gratifying intelligence, had been received from France; and that Davy, upon shewing it to him, observed, "Some people say I ought not to accept this prize; and there have been foolish paragraphs in the papers to that effect; but if the two countries or governments are at war, the men of science are not. That would, indeed, be a civil war of the worst description; we should rather, through the instrumentality of men of science, soften the asperities of national hostility."

After Davy had been elected Secretary to the Royal Society, he appears to have been confined to town during the autumn of 1807, when he wrote the following letter.

TO THOMAS POOLE, ESQ.

MY DEAR POOLE,

August 28th, 1807.

I AM obliged to be in the neighbourhood of town during the greater part of the summer, for the purpose of correcting the press for the Philosophical Transactions.

I made a rapid journey into Cornwall for the sake of seeing my family, and it was not in my power, had I received your letter at Lyme, to have accepted your kind invitation.

If C is still with is still with you, will you be kind enough to say to him, that I wrote nearly a week ago two letters about lectures, and not knowing where he was, I addressed them to him at different places. I wish very much he would seriously determine on this point. The Managers of the Royal Institution are very anxious to engage him; and I think he might be of material service to the public, and of benefit to his own mind, to say nothing of the benefit his purse might also receive. In the present condition of society, his