PRIESTLEY. 421 



them. He removed to London, and succeeded his 

 friend, Dr. Price, as Principal of the Hackney 

 Academy. Late in the month of September, 1792, 

 he was elected by the department of the Orne a 

 member of the National Convention, about to assemble 

 after the subversion of the French monarchy. This 

 singular honour bestowed on him, as well for his 

 philosophical fame as for his political services and the 

 persecutions to which they had exposed him, he re- 

 spectfully declined, giving as his reason that he was 

 not familiar with the French language, and had not 

 devoted his time sufficiently to legislative duties. But 

 this moderation disarmed not his enemies he was pur- 

 sued by the intolerant spirit of the times. He found 

 himself shunned by his former associates in science. 

 Even the Royal Society did not afford an exception 

 to this persecuting loyalty, or a shelter from its effects ; 

 and in the spring of 1794 he withdrew to America. 

 Here he again suffered considerable disappointment. 

 His religion was too much for those who had ceased to 

 care for sacred things, and far too scanty for those who 

 still were Christians, while his republican opinions 

 were exceedingly distasteful because they were tinged 

 with a decided admiration of France. He continued, 

 however, to inhabit the country, and to prosecute his 

 studies, chiefly theological. He received contributions 

 regularly from his benefactors in England, Mrs. Rayner 

 and the Duke of Grafton ; but these, though acknow- 

 ledged by him in the same unpleasant style as eleemo- 

 synary (" very acceptable benevolences"), were for the 

 most part on a different footing from the English 



