of the Centenary of the Birth of Dr. Priestley. S91 



which could be easily moved from what it had held to the reception 

 of new thoughts and notions; and I will venture to say that all his 

 discoveries followed from the facility with which he could leave a 

 preconceived idea. 



Men have degraded Dr. Priestley, or tended to do so, by saying 

 that there was a sort of uncertainty and unsteadiness in his mind. I 

 say not so ; and I may affirm, without any derogation from Dr. Priest- 

 ley's talents, that the very point on which his mind was most firmly 

 fixed was that where he has the least credit, — the doctrine of Phlo- 

 giston. His constancy there was a constancy in error ; and where 

 he changed, it was generally to truth. By that spirit he discovered, 

 and advanced upon his discoveries to new results ; and instead of re- 

 maining fixed like a nail, he ran on before his time, and gained a 

 character which now, a hundred years after his birth, you are met 

 to celebrate and applaud. I hope we shall be led by his example, in 

 like manner, to carry on our various pursuits, not confining ourselves 

 to this very moment of time, but having our thoughts directed for- 

 ward. And inasmuch as there is abundant discovery before us, so 

 there is also the greatest reason for caution and sound judgement : 

 there are as many theories and false views put forth now as there 

 were in Priestley's day. I trust we shall all consider him as a man 

 whose example we ought in that respect to follow, holding our minds 

 in a state ready to receive at any time new impressions of truth, and 

 not of necessity chaining them down to what we conceive to be truth 

 at any instant. For my own part I must acknowledge that I cannot 

 but attribute much of my late experimental success to an endeavour 

 to follow the candid method of investigation pursued by Priestley, 

 and to apply the principles of philosophical logic which I found in 

 Sir John Herschel's " Preliminary Discourse." 



Prosperity to the ' King's College,' and the Health of Professor 

 Daniell, having been drunk, J. Guillemard, Esq. briefly returned 

 thanks on the part of that Institution, in the absence of Mr. Daniell. 



A corresponding tribute of respect having been offered to the 

 University of London connected with the name of Dr. Turner, the 

 Professor of Chemistry in that Establishment, Dr. Turner addressed 

 the company as follows. 



I rise to return thanks for the honour now done to the Friends and 

 Professors of the University of London. I can assure the company, 

 in the name of the Professors, that they are engaged in promoting the 

 best interests of science and literature ; I can assure them that they 

 are heartily engaged in communicating sound instruction to youth. 



It would ill become me, occupying the Chair of Chemistry in that 

 Institution, were I to offer a silent return of thanks on this occasion. 

 I rejoice to have an opportunity of expressing my admiration of the 

 scientific character of Dr. Priestley. I rejoice to express thus pub- 

 licly my gratitude to Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, — to Priest- 

 ley, the founder of pneumatic chemistry. His various merits have 

 been proclaimed this evening; but I would say a few words more on 



