which so many derive emolument, &c., &c., I should have no great objection to the business. You should see my discourse in good time, and you know I always listen to your admonitions.

In this case, I leave it to you to inform Dr. Kippis of my consent; but I think that, when my reasons are considered, you will allow the force of them. To deliver common-place matter on education would not do. It would disappoint every body on such an occasion. I leave the whole business to you. Dispose of me as you think proper.

Tell Mr. Johnson he should send me the answers to Mr. Burke, that have come out since mine, as well as those before. it, and the Reply to us all. How does the third edition sell? I should think that Dr. Kippis's lectures may be given by Mr. Belsham and Mr. Wakefield jointly. When I was at Warrington I taught the languages, and taught all Dr. Kippis's lectures besides.*

DEAR FRIEND,

TO THE SAME.

Birmingham, Feb. 13, 1791. I THANK you for mentioning my situation to the Duke of Grafton; but till I hear from you again, I own I do not see the propriety of thanking him for his intention. It looks like catching at his favours, and binding him to the performance of what he may not have absolutely promised.

I have seen the "Vindication" of Mr. Burke.† For sophistry and impudence I never saw any thing equal to it. Part of it, I think, must have been written by himself. Such defences will do no service to any cause with men of sense; but it will please the many admirers of Mr. Burke's own book.

Here I receive yours, and one from Mr. Belsham. My answer to him on the subject of the sermon I send open to you. It will give me a little time.

* Orig. MS. See I. 51-54.

+ "In answer to all his opponents." Burke was also defended by Drs. Tatham and Cooper, " and by other light troops who occasionally made their appearance in the field." N. A. Reg. XII, 259,

I have just made an experiment of great consequence, and shall soon send an account of it to the Royal Society. It proves that water and the nitrous acid consist of the same elements. I shall lay it before our Lunar Society* on Monday.†

DEAR FRIEND,

To DR. PRICE.

Birmingham, Feb. 16, 1791. I SHALL think myself happy if my Letters to Mr. Burke have done any service to the common cause of civil and religious liberty, and especially if they have given any pleasure to yourself. Every friend of liberty is interested in defending you, who are the great champion in the cause.

My memoirs are not to be published till after my death, and what I wished you to do was something of the same kind, as you would then write with greater freedom, and a greater confidence of an unprejudiced perusal. However, any sketch of your own life, written by yourself, will be very useful.

I am concerned to hear of the difficulties attending the New College, but have not as yet any clear idea how they have arisen. Whatever they be, I hope they are not insurmountable.

I am invited to preach your annual sermon, but have rather wished to decline it, thinking that the preference should have been given to Mr. Wakefield, and that it would be difficult to find any thing that would be new, and at the same time proper for the occasion, after so many had gone before me. However, I have since thought of a subject, and if no other person be applied to, shall not object to my appointment. It will lead me, however, to say several very strong things on the subject of civil and religious liberty, which may not please some of the hearers. I shall send the discourse to Mr. Lindsey, who will shew it to you for your opinion beforehand.

I have received your generous benefaction, and that of Mr. Brown, to whom I beg my compliments and thanks when you see him. It gives me, however, real concern to take from

you.

* See I. 339.

+ Orig. MS.

+ Hackney.

I shall soon send to the Royal Society, through your hands, or those of Dr. Heberden, a paper of new experiments, in which I produce acid, by the explosion of dephlogisticated air, without any mixture of phlogisticated air whatever.*

With every good wish, and expecting the pleasure of seeing you pretty soon, I am, &c.t

TO REV. T. LINDSEY.‡

DEAR FRIEND,

Birmingham, Feb. 23, 1791.

I WISH much too see Mr. Paine's answer to Mr. Burke; and if Mr. Johnson send me that, with M. Du Pont's, the Sober Reflections, another by Mr. Hudson, a justice of peace, near Worcester, the title of which I have forgotten, I think I shall have all from the time he left off sending them to me.

We want to see the new plan of the Unitarian Society.§ I expect much advantage from it.

I do not see any occasion for more than three tutors at the college, as we were at Warrington. My department included those of Mr. Wakefield and Dr. Kippis, and a good deal

more.

TO THE SAME.

DEAR FRIEND,

Birmingham, Feb. 28, 1791. I SEND With this my paper for the Royal Society, which I wish you would deliver to Dr. Heberden.

I like much the introduction to the plan of the Unitarian Society, and hope much good from the thing itself. If any person want evidence of my being a Christian, they must for ever want it, and my discourse on the resurrection will not satisfy them.

I am glad to hear of the proceedings of the deputies in London. We have a committee of the district on Wednesday next, which, I am sorry to find, falls out on the same day with another meeting in London, as there may be some interference,

+ Orig. MS.

See infra, p. 108. § See Mem. of Lindsey, pp. 296-304.

↑ Essex Street. Orig. MS.

though we shall endeavour to avoid it by doing very little. Mr. Walker* is expected to-night. When I see Mr. Russell, which will be to-morrow, I shall read him the part of your letter relating to him.

Mr. Russell greatly apprehends a fall of the stocks, in consequence of appearances of war; and Mr. Garbet shewed him a letter from Lord Lansdowne, in which he told him he might depend upon it that Mr. Pitt was determined to risk one.†

TO THE SAME.

DEAR FRIEND, Birmingham, March 7, 1791. I HAVE just received an alarming account, from Mr. S. Palmer, of Dr. Price's illness, occasioned by a neglected cold. I flatter myself, however, that as I heard from you by the same post, and you had been at Mr. Vaughan's, that, if there had been much danger in the case, you would have heard of it, and have mentioned it. You will not fail to give me all the intelligence you can procure concerning a thing that interests us so much. Next to yourself, I should feel the loss of him the most sensibly.

I thank you for the trouble you have taken about my commissions. I shall have occasion to send you another paper for the Royal Society, to be given to Dr. Heberden.

I have heard nothing about my sermon, but I infer from a letter of Mr. Belsham's to Mr. Russell, that I am expected to preach. If so, I wish you would send me the sermon, as soon as you can get it, with your remarks. I have put down several hints for improvement.

I have no confidence in any clergyman's writing the life of Mr. Wesley properly, and it is a thing of some consequence. The father would have done it better.‡

I hope care will be taken to prevent the repetition of the riots, in 1780, and that nothing will prevent the relief of the Catholics. We have formed a strong resolution in their favour, as you will soon see. §

* Of Nottingham. See I. 422.

+ Orig. MS.

To this Life by Hampson, Dr. Priestley had supplied some materials. See Pref. to Wesley's Letters, W. XXV. 327.

§ Orig. MS.

DEAR FRIEND,

TO THE SAME.

Birmingham, March 9, 1791. I HAVE received yours, inclosing Mr. Duncombe's benefaction, for which I beg you would return him my thanks, which I hope to do in person ere long.

I forgot to send the inclosed along with my paper for the Royal Society, and must give you another trouble to deliver this to Dr. Heberden, or Mr. Planta. I have now completed an important, and, I believe, decisive set of experiments, and they will lead to several others.

I am glad to find, by yours, that you have some hopes of Dr. Price. May they be confirmed!

I hope you will send my sermon soon. Mr. Hawkes is just come to breakfast with me, so I must conclude.*

DEAR FREIND,

TO THE SAME.

Birmingham, March 11, 1791. I REJOICE that Dr. Price is out of danger.

I wish you would send, in a parcel, my papers for the Royal Society sent to Dr. Heberden, who has written to me on the subject, and pointed out some things that require correction.

What is the case with respect to Mr. Paine's pamphlet? Is the edition cancelled, or will it be sold in France and America, and a new one printed for England? Was Mr. Johnson threatened, or did he take the alarm of himself?†

I rejoice that the Catholic bill goes on so well. I do believe the court and the high-church party are much embarrassed. * Orig. MS.

+ I heard the crown prosecutors of the proscribed, but never answered, "Rights of Man,” take advantage of this "alarm" on the trial at Guildhall, Dec. 19, 1792.

For the Relief" of Catholic Dissenters who had protested against the temporal and dispensing power of the Pope," introduced, "Feb. 21," by Mr. Mitford. "Mr. Fox asserted his opinion as formerly stated to the House, that the state had no right to inquire into the opinions of people, either political or religious; in his mind they had a right only to take cognizance of their actions.'

"He entreated that the Bill might be made general; mentioned the ex