Davy experimented on fragments of the Herculaneum papyri before his departure to Naples in 1818. His early experiments showed hope of success. In his report to the Royal Society Davy writes that: 
When a fragment of a brown MS. in which the layers were strongly adhered, was placed in an atmosphere of chlorine, there was an immediate action, the papyrus smoked and became yellow, and the letters appeared much more distinct; and by the application of heat the layers separated from each other, giving fumes of muriatic acid.
The success of the early trials prompted Davy to travel to Naples to conduct further research on the Herculaneum papyri. Accompanied by his wife, they set off on 26 May 1818 to stay in Flanders where Davy was invited by the coal miners to speak. They then traveled to Carniola (now Slovenia) which proved to become his favourite Alpine retreat before finally arriving in Italy. In Italy, they befriended Lord Byron in Rome and then went on to travel to Naples.
Initial experiments were again promising and his work resulted in partially unrolling 23 MSS., from which fragments of writing were obtained  but after returning to Naples on 1 December 1819 from a summer in the Alps, Davy complained that the Italians at the museum [were] no longer helpful but obstructive. Davy decided to renounce further work on the papyri because the labour, in itself difficult and unpleasant, been made more so, by the conduct of the persons at the head of this department in the Museum.