of the late Dr. Priestley. 1C9 



These were reprinted, with many importarjt additions, in 

 the first vohunc of his Experiments and Observations on 

 different Kinds of Air, 8vo, 1/74. A second vokune of 

 this work appeared in 1775, and a third in 1777. Some of 

 the most striking of his discoveries were those of nitrous 

 and dcphlogisticated air, or oxygen gas ; of the restoration 

 of vitiated air by vegetation ; of the influence of li^ht on 

 vegetables ; and of the effects of respiration on the blood. 

 By these publications Dr. Priestley's fame was spread 

 throughout all the enlightened countries of Europe, and 

 most of the scientiiic bodies of Europe were ambitious to 

 rank him among the number of their members. 



The term of his engagement with lord Shelburne having 

 expired, Dr. Priestley, with a pension of ]50l. per annum, 

 was at iibcrtv to choose a new situation. He gave the pre- 

 ference to the populous town of Birruiugham, induced chiefly 

 by the advantages it afforded from the nature of its manu- 

 factures to the pursuits of chemical knowledge. It was also 

 the residence of several men of science, among whom the 

 names of Watt, Withering, Eolton, and Keir, are well 

 known to the public. With these he was soon upon terms 

 of friendly intercourse ; and their Lunarian Club presented 

 a constellation of talent which would not easily have been 

 collected even in the metropolis. 



He had not resided long at Birmingham when he was 

 invited to undertake theoflice of pastor to a congret!;ation of 

 dissenters near that town, upon which he enccred'towards 

 the close of the year 17 SO. The disgraceful scenes which 

 took place at Birmingham in 17.(1, and which con)pellcd Dr. 

 Priestley to leave this situation as a fugitive, are well known 

 to the public, and it is not our intention to revive the re- 

 men)brancc of them by entering into particulars. Suflice it 

 to say, that the doctor's house, library, manuscripts, and ap- 

 paratus, became a prey to the flames; and, ihouirh he re- 

 ceived an indemnity for this loss, it was far from^'beinf an 

 adequate compensation. The result of many years' painful 

 research and scientilic labour perished by this shameful out- 

 rage, which every friend to good order and justice deplored. 

 For some time after this event Dr. Priestley lived as a wan- 

 derer, till he was invited to succeed Dr. Price in a congre- 

 gation at Hackney ; but the persecution he had experienced 

 from the infatuated rabble, added to some family reasons, 

 mduced him to leave his native country, and to embark for 

 America in 1794. The place he fixed on for his residence 

 in the new world was Northumberland, a town in Penn- 

 sylvania, v/here having collected, by indefatigable pains, a 



valuable 



