of the Centenary of the Birth of Dr. Priestley. 393 



that we owe that honour solely to our being established in the town 

 which was the residence of the great man the centenary of whose 

 birth we are this evening met to celebrate. I am afraid we cannot 

 claim him for our founder; but I have no doubt that the Institution 

 owes its origin to that attention to scientific pursuits which his dis- 

 coveries produced among our townsmen. » 



We have heard most interesting accounts of the merits of Dr. 

 Priestley : I will not call them eulogy, — simple truth is eulogy enough 

 when spoken of such a man. Will you allow me to deviate a little 

 from the chemical view of the subject ? While Dr. Priestley resided 

 near Birmingham, another very eminent man was resident there, the 

 late Dr. Parr; and though there was a repulsion between those two 

 great men on some subjects, yet the attractions of kindred genius 

 overcame all those feelings, and they were friends and associates 

 amid all the tumults of party. Dr. Parr stood forward as the advo- 

 cate of Dr. Priestley when he thought he was unjustly treated; he 

 stood forward to reprobate those who designed to defame the cha- 

 racter of an injured man. I think I shall not displease this company 

 if I repeat a very few sentences from an eulogy which Dr. Parr pub- 

 lished in the year 1792 on the character of Dr. Priestley. After de- 

 tailing the modes of attacking Dr. Priestley's principles, which had 

 been adopted by his opponents, he points out what would have been 

 justifiable modes of attack; and he concludes with saying, "Let no 

 one depreciate the acquirements of Dr. Priestley; — they are numerous, 

 and almost without parallel. Let no one ridicule his talents, for they 

 are superlatively great. Let no one vilify his merits, for they are cor- 

 rect without austerity, and exemplary without ostentation, because 

 they present to a common observer the innocence of the hermit and 

 the simplicity of the patriarch; and on the basis of philosophic truth 

 you can at once discern the solid edifice of virtuous character." This 

 eulogy is marked with the peculiar characteristics of Dr. Parr's style, 

 and many persons may admire it on that account; but all will allow 

 that it was deservedly merited by the intellectual and moral qualities 

 of Dr. Priestley. 



There was another and a solemn occasion on which Dr. Parr came 

 forward to honour the character and the memory of Dr. Priestley: 

 he composed the inscription which is placed on his tomb, and it must 

 gratify the feelings of Dr. Priestley's friends, and afford great satis- 

 faction to his admirers, that this is the testimony of a man who was 

 fully capable of appreciating Dr. Priestley's talents, and who at the 

 same time was the most unexceptionable judge of his merits. 



" Prosperity to the Society of Arts, and the health of Arthur Aikin, 

 Esq." having been proposed, Mr. Aikin addressed the Meeting to the 

 following effect. 



I can assure you that it was quite unexpected by me to receive the 

 honour which you have done me in drinking my health in connexion 

 with the Society of Arts. The only connexion which I can claim 

 with the business of this day is the circumstance of my having been 

 a pupil of Dr. Priestley, whose illustrious character and memory we 



Third Series. Vol. 2. No. 11. May 1833. 3 E 



