Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Ivii. ( 191 3), A^,?. 19. 47 



It is thus evident that Lavoisier, who had many a 

 scientific rencontre with his English contemporary ,"^showed 

 himself a staunch friend in the hour of need. 



Before entering into the details of the relations which 

 existed between Priestley and Lavoisier, I shall, in just 

 one or two sentences, bring the history of the former's life 

 to an end. 



In 1794 Priestley sailed, with his wife, from London 

 to New York, where he was well received. A professor- 

 ship at Philadelphia was offered to him, but refused. P'or 

 ten years he lived at Northumberland, occupied until the 

 day of his death with theological and scientific studies. 



Thus, after all, his adventurous life ended peacefully. 



But the great Lavoisier had met his death on the 

 guillotine even before Priestley had reached the shores of 

 America. 



The French people, which had always stood, as 

 Lavoisier himself wrote, on the side of tolerance, liberty, 

 and philosophy, had sent him to the guillotine. 



With the exception of the tragic finale, his life's 

 history was simple enough.'' 



Born in 1743, the son of a respected lawyer, he had 

 an excellent education, and became alread}', in 1768, 

 " adjoint" to the French Academy. He inherited a large 

 fortune from his mother, and grew still wealthier as a 

 result of his marriage. Besides his scientific pursuits, he 

 was most active in public life. He had become associated 

 with the body known as "fermiers." These were financiers, 

 whose duty it was to collect the state taxes, for which 

 they paid a fixed sum to the Crown. 



°i This most unpleasant chapter has been treated fully in the works by 

 Grimaux and Berthelot from the French point of view. Compare Sir E. 

 Thorpe's ' Essays,' pp. 149 — 1S4. 



^- See 'Lavoisier,' by E. Grimaux. 3rd ed. Paris, 1899. 



