112 JOSEPH PRIESTLEY. 



der ; and though he was elected minister of a congrega- 

 tion at Hackney, he felt his position to be insecure, and 

 finally determined on emigrating to the United States. 

 He landed in America in 1794 ; lived quietly with his 

 sons at Northumberland, in Pennsylvania, where his pos- 

 terity still flourish ; and, clear-headed and busy to the 

 last, died on the 6th of February 1804. 



Such were the conditions under which Joseph Priest- 

 ley did the work which lay before him, and then, as the 

 Norse Sagas say, went out of the story. The work itself 

 was of the most varied kind. No human interest was 

 without its attraction for Priestley, and few men have 

 ever had so many irons in the fire at once ; but, though 

 he may have burned his fingers a little, very few who 

 have tried that operation have burned their fingers so 

 little. He made admirable discoveries in science; his 

 philosophical treatises are still well worth reading; his 

 political works are full of insight and replete with the 

 spirit of freedom ; and while all these sparks flew off 

 from his anvil, the controversial hammer rained a hail of 

 blows on orthodox priest and bishop. While thus en- 

 gaged, the kindly, cheerful doctor felt no more wrath or 

 uncharitableness towards his opponents than a smith does 

 towards his iron. But if the iron could only speak ! 

 and the priests and bishops took the point of view of the 

 iron. 



No doubt what Priestley's friends repeatedly urged 

 upon him that he would have escaped the heavier trials 



