IS 13.] Br. Joseph Priestley, 8S 



much more agreeably than he had done at Needham. His 

 opinions were not obnoxious to his hearers, and controversial 

 discussions were never introduced. Here he estabh'shed a 

 school, and found the business of teaching, contrary to his 

 expectation, an agreeable and even interesting employment. He 

 taught from seven in the morning till four in the afternoon ; and 

 after the school was dismissed he went to the house of Mr. 

 Tomlinson, an eminent attorney, in the neighbourhood, where 

 he taught privately till seven in the evening. Being thus en- 

 gaged in teaching twelve hours every day, he had but little 

 leisure for his private studies. Here, however, his circumstances 

 began to mend. x\t Needham it required the utmost economy 

 to keep out of debt ; but at Nantwich he v/as able to purchase a 

 few books, and some philosophical instruments, as a small air- 

 pump, an electrical machine, &c. These he taught his oldest 

 scholars to keep in order and to manage ; and by entertaining 

 their parents and friends with experiments, in which the scholars 

 were generally the operators, and sometimes the lecturers too, 

 he considerably extended the reputation of his school. It was 

 at Nantwich that he wrote his grammar for the use of his 

 scholars; a book of considerable merit, though its circulation 

 was never extensive. This, I presume, was owing to the supe- 

 rior reputation of Dr. Lowth, who published his well-known 

 grammar about two years afterwards. 



Being boarded in the house of Mr. Eddowes, a very sociable 

 and sensible man, and a lover of music. Dr. Priestley was 

 induced to learn to play a little on the English flute ; and though 

 he never was a proficient, he informs us that it contributed more 

 or less to his amusement for many years. He recoinmends the, 

 knowledge and practice of music to all studious persons; and 

 thinks it rather an advantage for them if they have no fine ear or 

 exquisite taste, as they vvill in consequence be more easily 

 pleased, and less apt to be offended when the performances they 

 hear are but indifferent. 



The academy at Warrington was instituted while Dr. Priestley 

 was at Needham, and he was recommended by Mr. Clark, Dr. 

 Benson, and Dr. Taylor, as tutor in the languages; but Dr. 

 Aikin, whose qualifications were considered as superior, was 

 preferred before him. However, on the death of Dr„ Taylor, 

 and the advancement of Dr. Aikin to be tutor in divinity, he 

 was invited to succeed him. This offer he accepted, though his 

 school at Nantwich was likely to be more gainful : but the 

 employment at Warrington was more liberal and less painful. 

 In this situation he continued six years actively employed in 

 teaching and in literary pursuits. Here he wrote a variety of 

 ivorks, particularly his History of Electricity^ which first 

 brought him into notice as an experimental philosopher^ and 



