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Nothing tends so much to the advancement of knowledge as the application of a new instrument. The native intellectual powers of men in different times are not so much the causes of the different success of their labours, as the peculiar nature of the means and artificial resources in their possession.

Humphry Davy

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Humphry Davy
Age: 50 †
Born: 1778
Born: December 17
Died: 1829
Died: May 30
Chemist
Geologist
Inventor
Photographer
Physicist
Poet
Penzance
Cornwall
Sir Humphy Davy
Nothing
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Different
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More quotes by Humphry Davy

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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.
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I envy no quality of the mind or intellect in others not genius, power, wit, nor fancy but, if I could choose what would be most delightful, and, I believe, most useful to me, I should prefer a firm religious belief to every other blessing.
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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.
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It must always be borne in mind that the assumption of woman's social superiority lies at the root of these rules of conduct.
Humphry Davy
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The ideal life is that which has few friends, but many acquaintances.
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James Watt was equally distinguished as a natural philosopher and chemist his inventions demonstrate his profound knowledge of those sciences, and that peculiar characteristic of genius - the union of them for practical application.
Humphry Davy
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The art galleries of Paris contain the finest collection of frames I ever saw.
Humphry Davy
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The most important of my discoveries have been suggested to me by failures.
Humphry Davy
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Nature is beautiful, and you are in her bosom. That voice of comfort which speaks in the breezes of morning, may visit your mind, that the delightful influences which the green leaves, the blue sky, the moonbeams and clouds of the evening diffuse over the universe, may in their powers of soul-healing, visit your day visions, is my desire and hope.
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Nothing is so dangerous to the progress of the human mind than to assume that our views of science are ultimate, that there are no mysteries in nature, that our triumphs are complete and that there are no new worlds to conquer.
Humphry Davy
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When two elements combine and form more than one compound, the masses of one element that react with a fixed mass of the other are in the ratio of small whole numbers.
Humphry Davy
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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.
Humphry Davy
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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.
Humphry Davy
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Mr. Dalton's permanent reputation will rest upon his having discovered a simple principle, universally applicable to the facts of chemistry - in fixing the proportions in which bodies combine, and thus laying the foundation for future labors... his merits in this respect resemble those of Kepler in astronomy.
Humphry Davy
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Consistency in opinion is the slow poison of intellectual life, the destroyer of its vividness and energy.
Humphry Davy
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Language is not only the vehicle of thought, it is a great and efficient instrument in thinking.
Humphry Davy
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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.
Humphry Davy
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The wealth and prosperity of the country are only the comeliness of the body, the fullness of the flesh and fat but the spirit is independent of them it requires only muscle, bone and nerve for the true exercise of its functions. We cannot lose our liberty, because we cannot cease to think.
Humphry Davy
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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?
Humphry Davy
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Nothing tends so much to the advancement of knowledge as the application of a new instrument.
Humphry Davy