1804.] Sketch of the Life and Character of the late Dr. Priefiley. 351 
been done by others, and to clear up re- 
maining doubts and obfcurities. It ap- 
pears from his preface, that, while engaged 
in this design, he had enjoyed the advan- 
tage of perfonal intercourfe with fome 
eminent philoiophers, among whom he 
acknowledges as coadjutors, Drs. Watfon 
and Franklin, and Mr. Caron. The 
work firft appeared at Warrington, in 
1767, 4to. and fo well was it received, 
that it underwent a fifth edition, in 4to. 
in 1794. It is indsed an admirable model 
of {cientific hiftory: full without fuper- 
fluity ; clear, methodical, candid and 
unaffected. Its original experiments are 
highly ingenious, and gave a foretafte of 
that fertility of contrivance and fagacity 
of obfervation which afterwards fo much 
diflinguifhed the author. 
It may be proper in this place to {peak 
of Dr. Priefiley’s general charaéter as an 
experimental philofopher. No perfon 
in this clais can be met with who engaged 
in his enquiries with a more pure and 
fimpie love of truth, detached from all 
private and felfifh :onfiderations of fame 
or advantage. Hence he was [clicitous 
only that difcoveries fhould be made, re- 
gardlefs by whom they were made; and 
he was placed far beyond all that petty 
jealouly and rivalry which has fo often led 
to the iupprefiion cf hints trom cafual 
obfervations, till the proprietor fhould 
have made the moft of them for himfeif, 
On the contrary, he was impatient till all 
engaged in fimilar purfuits fhould be put 
upon the track which appeared to him moft 
‘ likely to lead to fuccefstul inveftigation. 
_ Having no favourite theories to fupport, 
he admitted indifferently faéts of all ap- 
parent tendencies; and felt’ not the leat 
hefitation in renouncing an opinion haftily 
formed, for another, the refult of maturer 
examination. He regarded the whole 
field of knowledge as common ground, to 
be cultivated by the united labour of indi- 
viduals for the general benefit. In thefe 
refpeéts he feems molt to have refembled 
the excellent Stephen Hales, whom Hailer 
juftly entitles “* wir indefefus, ad inveni- 
éndum verum natus.” 
His connection with the Warrington 
academy ceafed in 1768, when he ac- 
cepted an invitation to officiate as pator 
to a large and refpectable congregation of 
proteftant diffeaters at Leeds. Confidering 
himfelf now as more elpecially devoted to 
theology,he fuffered that, which had always 
been his favourite object, to take the lead 
amid his iatelleGtual purfuits, though not 
to the exclufion of others. _ 
From infancy his mind had been ftrone- 
ly impreffed with devotional fentiments 5 
and although he had widely deviated from 
the doétrinal opinions which he had firft 
imbibed, yet all the pious ardour and re- 
ligious zeal of the feét among whom be. 
was educated remained undiminifhed. -He 
likewife retained in tull force the principles 
of a diffenter from the Eftaljlifhment, and 
thofe ideas of congregational diicipline 
which had become oblolete among many 
of the richer and more relaxed of the fe. 
paratilts.. Numerous publications rela- 
tive to thefe points foon marked his new 
refidence. His ‘© Inititutes of Natural 
and Revealed Religion”’ gave, in a popu- 
Jar and concile form, his 1y{tem of divinity 
with its evidences. His ‘* View of the 
Principles and Conduct of the Proteftant 
Diffenters’’ exhibited his notions of the 
grounds of diflent and the proper charac~ 
ter and policy of a religious fect; anda 
variety of controverfial and polemic writ- 
ings prefented to the world his views of 
the Chriftian dilpenfation. 
As a divine, if poffible, ftill more than 
as a philofopher, truth was his fole aim, 
which he purfued with a more exalted 
ardour, in proportion to the greater im- 
portance of the fubject. Naturally fan- 
guine, and embracing the conclufions of his 
reafon with a plenitude of conviction that 
excluded every particle of doubt, he incul- 
cated his tenets with an earneftne(s limited 
by nothing but a facred regard to the 
rights of private judgment in others as 
weil as himielf. The confiderations of 
human prudence were nothing in his eye, 
nor did he admic the policy of introducing 
noveltics of opinion by flow degrees, and 
endeavouring to conciliate a tavourable 
hearing, by foftening or fuppreffing what 
was moft likely to fhock prejudiced minds, 
«de boldly and plainly uttered what he con- 
ceived to be the truta and the whole truth, 
fecure, that by its own native ftrengih it 
would in fie prevail, and thinking him. 
felf little refponfible for any temporary 
evils that might be incurred during the 
interval. To adopt the beautiful and 
happy fimile of one of his late vindicaters, 
«< he followed truth as a man who hawks, 
follows his fport ; at full {peed, ftraight 
forwards, looking only upwards, and 
regardlefs into what difficulties the chace 
may lead him.”’ 
As pure religion was the great end of 
Dr. Prieftley’s labours, fo perfect freedom 
of difcaffion was the means ; and fince he 
was convinced that this could not be at- 
tained under the domiiation of powerful 
and jealous ettablifhments, interefed in 
maintaining the particular fyftcm oa 
which 
