Consolations in Travel: Or, The Last Days of a Philosopher (Cambridge Library Collection - Physical Sciences) - Softcover

Davy, Humphry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1108064248 ISBN 13: 9781108064248

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2013

Synopsis

Arguably the first celebrity scientist, and the epitome of the 'Romantic' natural philosopher, Sir Humphry Davy (1778–1829) was a brilliant lecturer whose popularising of science made him famous. He pioneered electrochemistry, befriended the Romantic poets, invented a safety lamp for miners and even wrote on angling (see On the Safety Lamp and Salmonia, also reissued in this series). Described as 'the last words of a dying Plato', Consolations in Travel was published posthumously in 1830. It is an intriguing mixture of poetry, autobiographical sketches, descriptions of dreams, philosophical musings on the afterlife and, in the view of one contemporary review, 'some [matter] which sober reason must dissent as extravagant, and almost bordering on the absurd'. Here, in his final months, Davy turns to the eternal, believing that through science all the questions of the universe could be answered. It remains a poignant and controversial postscript to an illustrious life.

About this title

Book Description:

Published posthumously in 1830, this collection of poetry, autobiographical sketches, descriptions of dreams, philosophical musings on the afterlife and, in the view of one contemporary review, 'some [matter] almost bordering on the absurd' proved a poignant and controversial postscript to the illustrious life of perhaps the first celebrity scientist.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1108064248
• ISBN 13: 9781108064248
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 298