TO REV. JOSHUA TOULMIN.*

DEAR SIR,

Birmingham, June 25, 1791. I AM Very confident that I sent my name as a subscriber to your History of Taunton, and though I thank you for your kindness, I desire to pay for the book. Your friend is welcome to my name on the same terms.

I am glad my late publications gave you satisfaction, and shall be glad to see your sermon at the opening of the chapel, Plymouth Dock, which I hear was well received.

Mr. Wesley's letters will, I hope, afford you some amusement. They were those that Mr. Badcock gave me.† I have prefixed to them "An Address to the Methodists," which was well meant, whether it be well received or not.

TO REV. J. BRETLAND.§

DEAR SIR, Birmingham, June 26, 1791. I AM ashamed not to have answered your former letter sooner; but I really was not able to give you any satisfaction with respect to what you saw of animal magnetism. All that I ever saw was a poor woman thrown into an hysteric fit, which is a nervous affection, produced by many trifling causes. I have conversed with several persons conversant in the business, and have read a small publication, said by one of them to contain the true principle of the practice, and see nothing in it but what is usually called imagination, the power of which is very great. It is acknowledged, however, that many persons

* Taunton.

+ See I. 381.

Orig. MS. It was censured, and its doctrines controverted, by Philalethes," Sept. 6, 1791.” Arminian Mag. XIV. 625–634.

§ Exeter.

|| "The following curious occurrence took place whilst Dr. Priestley was residing at Leeds: A poor woman unfortunately imagined herself to be possessed by a devil, and having heard that Dr. Priestley was a great philosopher, who could perform miracles, she applied to him to take away the evil spirit that tormented her. The doctor attentively listened to her statement, and being aware of her delusion, with his usual mildness and benevo lence, he endeavoured to convince her that she was labouring under a mis

cannot be affected by any treatment, as it is called. These I suppose have very strong nerves. However, every thing should be brought to the test of fair and repeated experiment. What was pretended to be done in France, whence it was brought hither would not stand this test, when it was inquired into by a deputation from the Academy of Sciences.

Mr. Reynell cannot be joined with myself, as we are already provided with a successor to Mr. Blythe, Mr. Edwards,* from Gateacre, near Liverpool, who studied under Mr. Belsham; but I expect a vacancy in this neighbourhood soon, and perhaps it may suit him. It is, however, only a place in a country village, ten miles from Birmingham, and not more than fifty or sixty pounds per annum. The minister we are persuading to resign, as he and the congregation do not agree.

I have seen Mr. Barham, and heard from him. You will be very happy in his society. If I read German with more ease, I should be glad to avail myself of the books he mentioned. We know too little of German literature, though the Germans read every thing of ours.

I have not seen Mr. Toulmin's sermon at the opening of the Unitarian chapel. We have in contemplation something of the same kind here, where Dissenters increase amazingly.

take. However, all his efforts proved unavailing, for the poor creature still persisted that the fact was as she stated; in order, therefore, to ease her mind, the doctor good-humouredly told her to call upon him the next day, and in the mean time he would consider her case.

"Agreeably to his request, the unhappy woman was punctual in her attendance, when the doctor, with a smile, informed her that he truly pitied her situation, but he hoped that he should be able to afford her some relief. His electrical apparatus being in readiness, with great gravity he desired the woman to stand upon the stool with glass legs, at the same time putting into her hand a brass chain connected with the conductor, and having charged her plentifully with electricity, he told her, very seriously, to take particular notice of what he did. He then took up a discharger, and applied it to her arm, when the escape of the electricity gave her a pretty strong shock. 'There,' says she, the devil's gone; I saw him go in that blue flame, and he gave me such a jerk as he went off. I have at last got rid of him, and I am now quite comfortable.' Dr. P. related the above at the table of one of his friends at Birmingham."-Communicated by Mr. W. Matthews.

See I. 192, ad fin.

Last Sunday the Swedenborgians opened a most elegant place of worship. I was there in the evening. Nothing can be more attractive than every thing about it. We shall see what appearance will be able to do.

I have desired Mr. Johnson to send you a copy of the Letters relating to Mr. Wesley, which Mr. Badcock gave me. I have prefixed to them an "Address to the Methodists." My best respects to your good father.*

REV. SIR,

TO REV. JOSEPH JEVANS.†

I am not able to read the letter you was so good as to write to me, as I use a different short-hand, but Mr. Scholefield read it to me.

I am far from saying that it is impossible that Christ may have pre-existed; but I say it is both unscriptural and improbable that it should have been for the purpose of creation. While he was on earth, he declared that he could do nothing of himself, but that the Father within him did the works. He himself, therefore, could do no more than Moses or any other prophet; and of what use could Moses have been in the creation of the world, if he had pre-existed? That God should perform a miracle at the dictation of a man, may be of use as a part of the divine mission of that man, but the other could not have been of any imaginable use.

If that part of my History of Early Opinions relating to the Gnostics could be of use for the purpose you mention, I am far from having any objection to you or any other person making that use of it; but I have too many other pursuits to attend to it.

TO REV. T. LINDSEY.S

DEAR FRIEND,

Birmingham, June 29, 1791. I AM perfectly satisfied with your suppressing my Letter to Lord L——, and shall not at present think of any Address to the Bishops.

I inclose a copy of my Political Tract, which will not be printed off till I hear from you. There is nothing in it that is at all objectionable, being the calmest discussion of important subjects. We are forming a Constitutional Society here, similar to that in Manchester, and I inclose the rules and principles of it. We propose to have two annual dinners, viz. the 14th of July and 4th of November.

Our anxiety during the King of France's escape, and our joy on his capture,† cannot be described. I hope the new consitution is now effectually established, and that all attempts to overturn it will be in vain. The high-party here are mortified in the extreme. They would have had France involved in a most ruinous civil war, for the imaginary rights of one man. A majority, I fear, of Englishmen are in these sentiments, so that we are far indeed behind the French. In spite of all we can write or do, an attachment to high maxims of government gains ground here, and the love of liberty is on the decline. Such is the influence of the court. Nothing but public difficulties will open our eyes.

I rejoice in the prospect of seeing you and Mrs. Lindsey this summer. I really should not know how to do without it. While Mr. Tayleur lives, at least let us never neglect to see him annually. His time, and indeed ours, cannot be long. Let us often meet, and encourage one another. The enemy is powerful, though we must not despair.

I hope the Preamble will now stand. to omit it entirely, than alter it any more. see what Mr. Belsham§ wrote, to add to it?

It

would be better When shall we

I do not think that I shall go any whither this summer. I have much to do, and have no excuse, I thank God, on the score of bad health.

Dialogue on the First Principles of Government." W. XXV.81. + See N. A. Reg. XII. 111-115.

t To the rules of the Unitarian Society. See supra, p. 103.

§ To whom Mr. Lindsey had thus written, "March 26: I have considered, again and again, the language objected to, the creature and messenger of God, and I do not see how we can relinquish it. And, not his vicegerent, seems to have a particular propriety in it, as opposed to the worship which Socinus paid to Christ." Orig. MS.

Orig. MS.

CHAPTER II.

(1791-1794.)

I Now enter, though with unavoidable reluctance, on that period of Dr. Priestley's history, when, like holy men of old, whose faith and patience have been the worthy objects of Christian imitation, he endured severe "trials of cruel mockings," and of irreparable "wrongs,' yet cherishing towards his bitterest persecutors the lenient spirit of his divine Exemplar, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."* Still further to aggravate those heavy inflictions, he had too much reason to complain, in common with his fellow-sufferers, of their country's tardy and imperfect justice.

Forty years have elapsed, since Birmingham was thus disgraced, not only throughout Great Britain, but to the extent of the civilized and scientific world. Happily, during the interval, the civic character of that great mart of ingenious industry has been redeemed. Her magistracy no longer exhibits a Spencer or a Carles. On her priesthood the mantle of a Curtis, or even of a Madan,† has not descended; and one of her clergy, who survives that period, has done honour to himself, amidst a very public assembly, by ranking the spirit of his controversy

* The text of Dr. Priestley's sermon on "The Duty of Forgiveness of Injuries," which he designed to have delivered at Birmingham, could he have safely returned. Mr. Coates kindly supplied his place, when "the hearers consisted of the congregations of both the Old and New Meeting." See W. XV. 476.

+ See W. XIX, 468-491.