SIR HUMPHRY DAVY.

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CHAPTER III.

His reception as a Lecturer at the Royal Institution — Circumstancesfavouring his success—His manner as a Lecturer—As anExperimenter—His Habits at this time, and manner of living—Notice of his principalScientific Labours and Discoveries between 1801 and 1807—DangerousIllness in 1807—Lines written after his Recovery—Farther Notice ofhis Labours and Discoveries, from 1807 to 1812—Circumstances of hisPersonal History—His Marriage in 1812, and Relinquishment of theProfessorship of Chemistry at the Royal Institution—Extracts fromhis Note-Book in Verse and Prose , whilst at the Institution.

The duties upon which he entered at the Royal Insti-tution were those of assistant lecturer on chemistry,and director of the laboratory; but, according to theterms on which he accepted the situation, this wasmerely a temporary arrangement, and to last only tillhe had prepared himself for filling the higher appoint-ment of professor of chemistry. In a letter to hismother, the last referred to, after specifying the condi-tions, he says, “I hope to be able to undertake theprofessorship next year;” and the next year he didundertake it. On the 31st of May, 1802, he wasformally appointed to this office by a resolution of themanagers.

In the spring of 1801, six weeks after his arrival, hegave his first lecture. I shall transcribe an account ofit from the Philosophical Magazine, a contemporaryjournal. Under the head of the “ Royal Institution ofGreat Britain,” the editor remarks,—

“ It must give great pleasure to our readers to learn