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Humphry Davy Biography

Sir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet PRS MRIA FGS (17 December 1778 – 29 May 1829) was a Cornish chemist and inventor, who is best remembered today for isolating a series of substances for the first time: potassium and sodium in 1807 and calcium, strontium, barium, magnesium and boron the following year, as well as discovering the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine. He also studied the forces involved in these separations, inventing the new field of electrochemistry. In 1799 Davy experimented with nitrous oxide and became astonished that it made him laugh, so he nicknamed it "laughing gas", and wrote about its potential anaesthetic properties in relieving pain during surgery.

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Humphry Davy Quotes

I suppose there was never yet a woman who had not somewhere set up on a pedestal in her brain an ideal of manhood. . . . He never is finished till the brain of his creator ceases to work, till she has added her last touch to him, and has laid down the burden of life and gone elsewhere, perhaps to some happy land where ideals are more frequently realised than ever happens here.

Burdens Of Life, Land, Brain, Laid, Manhood

By science calmed, over the peaceful soul, Bright with eternal Wisdom's lucid ray, Peace, meek of eye, extends her soft control, And drives the puny Passions far away.

Away, Bright, Control, Eye, Passion, Wisdom

Oh, most magnificent and noble Nature! Have I not worshipped thee with such a love As never mortal man before displayed? Adored thee in thy majesty of visible creation, And searched into thy hidden and mysterious ways As Poet, as Philosopher, as Sage?

Creation, Men, Mysterious Ways, Noble, Science, Searched

What is politeness in the home but the outcome of affection and self-respect, and the suppression of all those natural instincts of self-seeking that, allowed their way, produce the worst manners in the world?

Home, Self, Way, Worst

The beginning of civilisation is the discovery of some useful arts, by which men acquire property, comforts, or luxuries. The necessity or desire of preserving them leads to laws and social institutions. The discovery of peculiar arts gives superiority to particular nations. . . to subjugate other nations, who learn their arts, and ultimately adopt their manners;- so that in reality the origin as well as the progress and improvement of civil society is founded in mechanical and chemical inventions.

Art, Discovery, Improvement, Mechanical, Reality, Science

It must always be borne in mind that the assumption of woman's social superiority lies at the root of these rules of conduct.

Assumption, Lies, Lying, Root, Roots, Women

Every discovery opens a new field for investigation of facts, shows us the imperfection of our theories. It has justly been said, that the greater the circle of light, the greater the boundary of darkness by which it is surrounded.

Discovery, Imperfection, Light, Opens, Science, Shows

Profound minds are the most likely to think lightly of the resources of human reason, and it is the superficial thinker who is generally strongest in every kind of unbelief.

Generally, Mind, Minds, Profound, Resources, Thinking

The three states of the caterpillar, larva, and butterfly have, since the time of the Greek poets, been applied to typify the human being,--its terrestrial form, apparent death, and ultimate celestial destination.

Apparent, Butterfly, Greek, Poets, States, Three

The ideal life is that which has few friends, but many acquaintances.

Friends, Life Is, Ideal Life, Acquaintances, Ideal

The art galleries of Paris contain the finest collection of frames I ever saw.

Art, Collection, Finest, Paris, Saws

The well-mannered man never puts out his hand in greeting until a lady extends hers. This is a test of good breeding that is constantly applied. . . . The first move in the direction of cordiality must come from the lady, the whole code of behaviour being based on the assumption that she is the social superior.

Good, Hands, Man, Men, Move, Moving

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 the men of science soften the asperities of national hostility. Davy's remarks to Thomas Poole on accepting Napoleon's prize for the best experiment on Galvanism.

Civil, Country, Description, Men, Thomas, War

Language is not only the vehicle of thought, it is a great and efficient instrument in thinking.

Instrument, Language, Statistics, Thinking, Vehicle

There may be beings, thinking beings, near or surrounding us, which we do not perceive, which we cannot imagine. We know very little; but, in my opinion, we know enough to hope for the immortality, the individual immortality, of the better part of man.

Man, May, Men, Opinion, Thinking

This sentiment of self-contempt is a frequent one in young people of both sexes. Their valuation of themselves varies as much as the barometer, and is as much affected by outward causes.

Sex, Self, People, Sentiment, Frequent, Valuation

The ready apology covers a multitude of social sins.

Apology, Covers, Multitude, Sin, Sins, Social

Experimental science hardly ever affords us more than approximations to the truth; and whenever many agents are concerned we are in great danger of being mistaken.

Agents, Danger, Mistaken, Science

If I am allowed to give a metaphorical allusion to the future state of the blessed, I should imagine it by the orange-grove in that sheltered glen on which the sun is now beginning to shine, and of which the trees are at the same time, loaded with sweet golden fruit and balmy silver flowers. Such objects may well portray a state in which hope and fruition become one eternal feeling.

Sweet, Flower, Blessed, Loaded, Fruition

The most important of my discoveries have been suggested to me by failures.

Discoveries, Discovery, Failure, Failures, Important, Suggested

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