DAVITT. was opposed to Parncll's land nationalization scheme, and at that leader's deposition in IS'JO Davitt became a prominent Anti-Pa niellile. After a visit to Aiistralia, he published his Ini- picssions of Attstralasiun Veinociacy, in 18'J8, and the same year his letters to The Timrs occasioned interest by his contention that the dominating Knglish-speaking race in America is largely of Celtic origin, and therefore anti-Saxon in feeling. Besides a vast number of jovirnalistic articles, including "Prisons Revisited" in the Daily Chronicle (1889). his works include Leavef! from a Prison Diary (1884) and Defence of the Land League (1891). His popularity in Ireland was testified by the national present of the "Land League Cottage,' near Dublin, on the occasion of his marriage in 1887 to Miss May Yore, of Oak- land, Cal. Consult Cashman, Life of Michael Dai^itt (Boston, 1881). DAVOS, dii'vfis. A RhiV'tian-Alpine valley in the Canton of Grisons, Switzerland, 5115 feet above sea-level. Stretching about 20 miles from east to southwest, between wooded moimtains, it is traversed by the Davos Laudwasser, which flows from Lake Davos; the lake has an area of one- tifth of a square mile, and a depth of 175 feet. The sheltered situation and pure, dry air of the valley have made it a favorite winter and sum- mer lesort for invalids, especially consumptives. Davos Platz and Davos Dorf, its former villages, are now thriving and fully equipped health re- sorts with hotels, sanatoriums, etc. Davos Platz (population, in 1900, 8334) is the chief town of the district, and in the fifteenth century was the capital of a confederation of ten tirison re- publics. Consult Symonds. Our Life in the Su-iss tlightamU (London", 1892). DAVOTJT, da'voo', Louis Xicolas. Duke of AuEliSTADT and Prince of Eckmuhi, ( 1770-1823). One of Xapoleon's most celebrated marshals. He was born May 10, 1770, at Annoux, in Bur- gundy, of a noble provincial family. After being educated at Brienne he entered the army as lieutenant of cavalry in 1788, but his revolu- tionary leanings led to his dismissal in 1790. He soon reappeared, however, in the Army of Xational Defense, and during the Revolutionary wars served with distinction under Dumouriez, Pichegru, and Moreau. In 1798 he rose to be general, and accompanied his chief, Desaix, to Egypt. There he soon attracted the attention of Bonajiarte l)y the skillful way in which he handled his troops at .-lmkir. On returning to France in 1800, Davout was made a general of division and commanded the cavalry in the Italian campaign of that year. Shortly after- wards he became inspector-general of cavalry and commander of the Consular (Juard, Soon after the Empire was proclaimed he became a marshal of France (1804), a member of the Legion of Honor ( 1805) , and commander of the Third Army Corps, In all of Xa))oleon's campaigns ^larshal Davout distinguished himself. At Auerstadt (I80C) his generalship won the day against superior forces. After the Peace of Tilsit Davout was left as Governor of the Grand Duchy of War- saw, His harsh administration provoked numer- ous complaints on the part of theinhabitants;but he appears to have merely carried out the in- stnidions of Xapoleon, who, in 1808. created him Duke of .Sucrstiidt, The brilliant victory won at Eckmiihl in 1809 earned for him the 6 DAVY. further title of Prince. At TVagram (q.v.) he practically won the battle by turning the enemy's left. He took a prominent part in the Rus- sian campaign of 1812, gaining a victoiy at Mohilev and being wounded at Borodino. After the retreat he was made commandant of the Thirty-second ^Military District, with headquar- ters at Hamburg; but after defending the city for several months against 80,000 Germans, he surrendered and made his submission to Louis XVllI. His loyalty, however, was not proof against the return of Xapoleon, and during the Hundred Days he acted as Minister of War and showed remarkable genius in organizing troops and procuring supplies. After Waterloo he was forced to surrender the command he had as- siuned under the walls of Paris, and for a time was in deep disgiace and deprived of his titles and estates. Xevertheless he protested vigor- ously against the proscription of 1815, and made praiseworthy efforts to save Xey's life. In 1817 liis rank was restored to him, and in 1819 he took a seat in the House of Peers, where he fre- quently protested his lovaltv to the Bourbon line. He died in Paris, .June" I, 1823. Consult: Blocqueville, Le marechal Davout (Paris, 1879- 80) ; Correspondance du marechal Darout. ed. ilazade (4 vols., Paris. 1885) ; Jomini, Life of apoleon, trans. 1)V Halleck (5 vols., Xew York, 1864). DA'VITS (Lat,, a Dacian). The name of the conventional slave in Latin comedy. DA'VY, Sir Humpiiby (1778-1829). A cele- brated English natural philosopher. He was liorn December 17, 1778, at Penzance, in Corn- wall, where his father was a carver in wood. At the school of Truro, where he was educated until he was fifteen, he .showed little relish for classical learning, but was distinguished for a highly retentive memory and an early passion for poetry, which never forsook him. In 1795 he became apjirentieed to a surgeon and apothe- cary at Penzance, At the same time he entered upon a course of study all but universal: specu- lations on religion and politics, on metaphysics and morals, are placed in his note-books in juxtaposition with stanzas of poetry and frag- ments of romance," A system of mathenatical study, .skeptical philosophy, Scotch metaphysics, and German transcendentalism successively en- gaged his attention. The study of natural phi- losophy brought him nearer to that department which was to be his own: but it was not till he liad reached his nineteenth year that he entered seriously upon the study of chemistry. He now made the acquaintance of Dr, Beddoes, who had established a pneumatic instittition at Bristol, and who took him as his assistant. Here Davy car- ried out a course of experiments (m the curative etfeets of difTerent gases, in which he had more than once nearly sacrificed his life. He thus dis- covered the singular exhilarating efl'ect of nitrous oxide (laughing-gas). The accovnit which he published of his researches established his repu- tation, and Icil to his appointment, at the age of twenty-two, as lecturer at the Royal Institution of London. He delivered his first lectiire in 1801, and his eloqiumce, and the novelty and variety of experiments, soon attracted large and brilliant atulicnces. In 1802 he was made pro- fessor of chemistry at the Royal Instittition. In 1803 he began researches connected with agri-
