The Riots at Birmingham in 1791. 659 



library was destroyed, the collection of 

 a long and assiduous life. 



But the greatest loss that Dr. Priest- 

 ley sustained, was in the destruction of 

 his philosophical apparatus, and his re- 

 marks. These can never be replaced. 

 I am inclined to think he would not have 

 destroyed his apparatus and manuscripts 

 for any sum of money that could have 

 been offered him. His love to man was 

 great, his usefulness greater. I have 

 been informed by the (acuity that his ex- 

 perimental discoveries on air, applied to 

 medical purposes, have preserved the 

 lives of thousands; and, in return, he 

 can scarcely preserve his own. 



Breaking the windows of the hotel, 

 burning the two raeetinjj-honses, and Dr. 

 Priestley's, finislied the dreadful work of 

 Thuisday night. To all this 1 was a perfect 

 stranger, for I had left tlie town early in 

 the evening, and slept in the country. 



When I arose the next morning, July 

 15, my servant told me vfhac had hap- 

 pened. I was inclined to believe it only 

 « report ; but, coming to the town, I 

 found it a melancholy truth, and matters 

 wore an unfavourable aspect, for one 

 mob cannot continue long unactive, and 

 tlure were two or three floating up and 

 down, seeking whom they might devour, 

 though I was not under the least appre- 

 hension of danger to myself. The af- 

 frighted inhabitants came in bodies to 

 ask my opinion. As the danger admitted 

 of no ffeiay, I gave this short answer : 

 *' Apply to the magistrates, and request 

 four tl)int;s. To swear in as many con- 

 stables Hs are willing, and arm ihem ; to 

 apply to the commanding officer u( the 

 recruiting parties for his assistance; to 

 apply to Lord Beauchamp to call out the 

 niiliiia in the neighbourhood; and to 

 write to the Secretary a' War for a mili- 

 tary force." What l.ecame of my four 

 hints is uncertain, but the result proved 

 they were lo^t. 



Towards noon a body of near a thou- 

 sand attacked the mansion of my friend 

 J..lin llylaiiH, E«q. at Ea»y-hill. He 

 was not at (he dinner. Every room Wiis 

 entfrcd with eagerness; hut the cellar, 

 ill wiiicli were wines to the amount of 

 2001., with ferocity. Here they regaled 

 nil the roof tell in with tlie fi.iines, and 

 six or seven lost their lives. 1 was sur- 

 prised at this rude attack, (or I considered 

 Mr. Ryland as a incnit to the wimle hu- 

 man race. He had done more pudlic 

 business than any othei within luyknotv- 

 ledge, and not only without a reward, 

 but without a fault. 1 thought an obe- 

 liak dugUt tailier to have been raued to 



his own honour, than his house burnt 

 down to the disgrace of others. 



About this time a person approached 

 me in tears, and told me, " my house 

 was condemned to fall." As I had ne- 

 ver, with design, offended any man, nor 

 heard any allegations against my conduct, 

 I could not credit the information. Being 

 no man's enemy, I could not believe I 

 had an enemy myself. I thought the 

 people, who had known me forty years, 

 esteemed me too much to injure me. 

 But I drew from fair premises false con- 

 clusions. My fellow-sufferers had been 

 guilty of one fault, but I of too. 1 was 

 not only a dissenter, but an active coma 

 missioner in the Court of Requests. With 

 regard to the first, my sentiments were 

 never rigid. There seems to me as 

 much reason to allow for a difference of 

 opinion as of face. Nature never de- 

 signed to make two things alike. Who- 

 ever will take the trouble to read mj 

 works, will neither find a persecuting, 

 disloyal, «r republican thought. In the 

 office of commissioner,! studied the gooii 

 of others, not my own. Three points i 

 ever kept in view : to keep order, do 

 justice tempered with lenity, and com- 

 pose differences. Armed with power, 

 I have put a period to thousands of 

 quarrels, have softened the rugged tem- 

 pers of devouring antagonists, and, with- 

 out expence to themselves, sent theia 

 away friends. But the fatal rock upon 

 vihich I split WAS, I never could Jind a 

 wuy to let both parties win. If ninety- 

 nine were content, and one was not, 

 that one would be more solicitous to 

 injure me than the ninety-nine to serve 

 me. 



About noon also some of my friends 

 adviseil me "to take care of my goods, 

 for my house must come down," I 

 treated the advice as ridiculous, and re- 

 plied, '' That was their duty, and the 

 duty of every inhahitaat, for my case was 

 theirs. I had only the power of an indi- 

 vidual. Bi sides, filty waggons could not 

 cany off my st 'ck in trade, exclusive of 

 the fuiniture of my house; and, if they 

 could, where must 1 deposit it?" I sent^ 

 iiowever, a siiiall quantity of paper to a. 

 neighbour, who returned it, and the whole, 

 adi-i wards (ell a prey to rapine. 



All business was no\y at a staotf. 

 The shops were shut. The town prisoii,, 

 and that of the Court of Requests, were 

 (III own open, and their strength were 

 added to that of their deliverers. Some 

 gentlemen advised tlie insurgents assemii 

 bled in New-street to disperse; whei^ 

 one, whom I well knew, said, " Do not 

 disperse* 



