360 Sketch of the Life and Charaéter of the late Dr. Priefiley. | May 1, 
parts were accumulated upon him. The 
votaries of phvfical fcience now, doubtlefs, 
flattered themfelves, that the ardour of his 
powerful mind was durably fixed upon the 
advancement of natural philofophy and 
chemiftry ; but an intimation at the clofe 
of the Jaft volume, of his intention to in- 
termit thofe puriuits in order to engage in 
other {pecuiative topics, fufficiently proved 
to all who knew him, that experimental 
enquirics could occupy only a fecondary 
place in his mind. ‘Thefe other and more 
favourite topics, were the metaphyfical 
theories, which have been already men- 
tioned, and the theological difcuflions 
which he refumed with frefh zeal and in- 
duftry. The continuation of his ‘ In. 
ftitutes of Religion ;” his ‘ Letters to 
a Philofophical Unbeliever;’’. his ‘ Har- 
mony of the Evangelifts;” and various 
traéts on moral and religious topics, 
marked his return to his former ftudies. 
The term of his engagement with Lord 
Shelburne having expired, Dr. Priettley, 
witha penfion for life of 150]. per annum, 
was at liberty to choofe a new fituation. 
He gave the preference to the neigh- 
bourhood of the populous town of Bir- 
mingham, chiefly induced by the advan- 
tages it afforded, from the nature of its 
manufactures, to the purfuits of\chemical 
experiments. It was alfo the refidence of 
feveral men of fcience ; among whom the 
names of Watt, Withering, Bolton; and 
Keir, are well known to the public. With 
thefe he was foon upon terms of friendly 
reciprocation of knowledge and mutual 
aid in refearch; and their Lunarian Club 
prefented a contftellation of talent which 
would not eafily have been aflembled even 
in the metropolis. 
He had not long occupied his new habi- 
tation, before he was invited to undertake 
the office of paftor to a congregation of 
Diffenters in Birmingham, upon which 
he entered with great fatisfaétion towards 
the clofe of 1780. He found a fociety 
cordially attached to his perfon and doc- 
trines; and he merited their efteem by the 
moft affiduous performance of all the pafto- 
zal duties. Some of the moft important 
of his theological works foon iffued from 
the Birmingham prefs. Of thefe were 
his “Letters to Bifhop Newcome, on the 
Duration of Chrift’s Miniftry ; and his 
« Hiftory of the Ccorruptions ‘of Chri 
tianity ; afterwards followed by his 
«« Hiftory of Early Opinions.” Contro- 
verfies upon theological topics multiplied 
around him; to all of which he p4id the 
attention they feemed to require. The 
warm difputes which took place on 
occafion of the appl cations of the Dil- 
fenters for relief from the difabilities and 
penalties of the Corporation and Teft 
Aéts, fupplied a new fubjeét of conteft, 
into which he could not forbear to enter, 
both as a friend to toleration im general, 
and as one of the body aggrieved. His 
hoftility to the eftablifhment became more 
decided, and he appealed to the people on 
the points of difference, in his ‘* Familiar 
Letters to the Inhabitants of Birming- 
ham,” written with much force, but with 
his ufual difregard of caution. 
Little has hitherto been faid of the po- 
lical exertions of Dr. Prieftley, which, in- 
deed, form no confpicuous part of his li- 
terary life. He had difplayed his attach- 
ment to freedom by his ‘* Effay on the 
Firt Principles of Government,” and by 
an anonymous pamphlet on the ftate of 
public Jiberty in this country; and had 
fhewn a warm intereft in the caufe of Ame- 
rica at the time of its unfortunate quar- 
rel with the mother country. The French 
Revolution was an event which could 
fcarcely fail of being contemplated by 
him with fatisfaétion. His fanguine hopes 
faw in it the dawn of light and hberty over 
Europe; and he particularly expected 
from it the eventual downfal of all efta- 
blifhments inimical to the fpread of truth. 
Such expestations he was at no pains to. 
conceal; and as parties now began to take 
their decided ftations, and to be infpired 
with all the ufual rancour of opponents in 
civil contefts, he was naturally rendered a 
prominent mark of party hatred. 
In this ftate of mutual exafperation, the» 
celebration of the anniverfary of the de- 
ftruStion of the Baftille, bya public dinner, 
on July 14, 1791, at which Dr. Prieftley 
awas not prefent, gave the fignal of thoie 
favage riots, which have thrown Jatting 
difgrace on the town of Birmingham, ard 
in fome degree on the national character. 
Amid the conflagration of houfes of wor- 
fhip and private dwellings, Dr. Priefley 
was the great object of popular rage; his 
houfe, library, manufcripts, and appara- 
tus, were made a prey to the flames ; he 
was hunted like a proclaimed criminal, 
and experienced ot only the furious out- 
rages of a mob, but the moft unhandfome 
treatment from fome who ought to have 
fuftained the parts of gentlemen, and. 
friends of peace and order. 
It would be painful to dwell upon thefe 
{cenes. Suffice it to fay, that he was 
driven for ever from his favourite ref- 
dence; that his loffes were very inade- 
quately compenfated ; and that he pafled 
fome time as a wanderer, till an mvita- 
tion to fucceed Dr. Price in a congrega- 
tion at Hackney gave him a new fettie- 
ment. 
