Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Ivii. (19 13), No. 10. 41 



made, was an effort to oppose the proposals of the Govern- 

 ment to free Ireland from the commercial restrictions 

 which had been imposed upon her since the Revolution. 

 Wedgwood was unsuccessful in his opposition to the 

 Government.'^" 



Priestley, too, soon found himself at variance with the 

 Government, and his very life was endangered, as we 

 shall see. 



In November, 1790, Edmund Burke had published his 

 ' Reflections on the French Revolution,' and our philo- 

 sopher, who believed in the doctrines of Thomas Paine, 

 the author of ' The Rights of Man,' answered Burke in a 

 pamphlet, which favoured the French revolutionists. 



Burke replied in the House of Commons, and Priestley 

 thus acquired the reputation of a dangerous character. 

 On PI. X. can be found a contemporaneous caricature. 

 Priestley is seen here with his foot on a book on which 

 is written, ' The Bible explained away.' 



This refers to his doctrines, in which he attributed 

 such a power in religious matters to reason, that he had 

 fallen into disfavour with the Established Church. 



He lost all credit with the King and Church Party, 

 and was certainly one of the most unpopular men of the 

 day, especially as the Dissenters endeavoured to obtain a 

 repeal of the Test Act. As a theologian he was ridiculed, 

 as the caricature shows. Even his more peaceful occupation 

 was the subject of the caricaturist's satire. {PI. AY.) 



Whatever his true or imaginary faults and mistakes 

 may have been, the punishment which followed was 

 excessive. 



On the 14th July, 1790, the signal for the French 

 Revolution had been given by the capture of the Bastille. 

 In the following year this memorable event was to be 

 •"^ See ' Life of Josiah Wedgwood,' vol. xi,, p. 535 — 36. 



