From Humphry Davy   6 mars 1813

Sir, till this moment I had no opportunity of replying to your obliging letter.

The fulminating oil which you mentioned roused my curiosity and nearly deprived me of an eye. After some months confinement I am again well. I hope soon to have some results[262] to communicate to you respecting fluorine. I shall send with this note a paper on the detonating compound. I did not mention your name in it, because I had not an opportunity of asking your permission and I did not think it right to do so without a permission.

The paper was rather to caution the english chimists against the oil, then to communicate any striking results.

Your ingenious views respecting fluorine may be confirmed. I have every reason to conclude from my experiments that there is no oxygen combined with the potassium in the experiment on the combustion of potassium in silicated fluoric gas ; and that[263] the first view which I formed on the subject is incorrect ¹. I have many new experiments on the subject ; but I have only a moment in which I can make this communication.

I will not lose the opportunity of saying that I am very sincerely, Sir, with esteem your obliged.

My kind remembrances to M. Underwood. H. DAVY