CHAPTER XII.

Sir Humphry Davy suggests a chemical method for unrolling the ancient Papyri.--He is encouraged by the Government to proceed to Naples for that purpose.--He embarks at Dover.--His experiments on the Rhine, the Danube, the Raab, the Save, the Ironzo, the Po, and the Tiber, in order to explain the formation of mists on rivers and lakes.--His arrival and reception at Naples.--He visits the excavations at Herculaneum.--He concludes that it was overwhelmed by sand and ashes, but had never been exposed to burning matter.--He commences his attempt of unrolling the Papyri.--His failure.--He complains of the persons at the head of the department in the Museum.--He analyses the waters of the Baths of Lucca.--His return to England.--Death of Sir Joseph Banks.--He is elected President of the Royal Society.--Some remarks on that event.--He visits Penzance.--Is honoured by a public dinner.--Electro-magnetic discoveries of Oersted extended by Davy.--He examines Electrical Phenomena in vacuo.--The results of his experiments questioned.--He enquires into the state of the water, and aëriform matter in the cavities of crystals.--The interesting results of his enquiry confirm the views of the Plutonists 160