mean to bring out any thing more till the account is fairly closed, and I can state the whole, with remarks on every part of it. I have some thoughts of doing it in the form of a letter to a person in France, rather than as a second part of my Appeal. I am concerned to hear of the rancour with which you continue to be treated at Birmingham, where your public spirit and disinterested services have been unexampled; but in this manner has not patriotism almost always been requited? We must not look for our recompence here.* DEAR SIR, TO REV. JOSHUA TOULMIN.† Clapton, July 5, 1792. I AM much concerned to hear of the timidity of some of the friends of Unitarianism in your part of the world, but hope you will be able to establish a society for the distribution of books, similar to that in London. We are all much obliged to you for your excellent discourse § at the opening of the Unitarian meeting. The cause will gain ground, notwithstanding all obstructions. I am thankful for having found a comfortable settlement here, though I see but little prospect of having Mr. Belsham for my colleague.¶ DEAR SIR, To MR. WILLIAM HUTTON. Clapton, July 7, 1792. I THANK YOU for the great pleasure I have had in reading your excellent Account of the Riots in Birmingham.** Though + Taunton. * Orig. MS. Among Dr. Toulmin's publications is "The Character of Christ, as the Witness to the Truth. A Sermon at Crediton, Sept. 6, 1792, on the formation of an Unitarian Society in the West of England." M. R. X. 672. § On "The Promise of Christ's Presence with his Disciples." Ibid. "Bridwell Chapel, near Ufculme, Devon., Jan. 4, 1792." Ibid. H ¶ Orig. MS. ** "A Narrative of the Riots in Birmingham, July 14, 1791, particularly as they affected the Author. Written in August that year," with a "Dedi written while the dismal scene, in which you were so great and undeserved a sufferer, was recent, you preserve the same cheerful and benevolent spirit that distinguishes every thing you have written, and even that pleasant humour that always delights me in your works. I think it cannot fail to do good with those who are capable of reading with candour; and some I hope there are of that class in all places, Birmingham itself not excepted. You will, however, excuse a few remarks. First. You are too complimentary to myself.* Second. You are candid, I think, to an excess, and seem to consider all religions as alike, which will make many persons imagine you are an unbeliever. Two opposite systems cannot both be true; and whatever any man deem to be important cation to the Lovers of Riot." When Mr. Hutton, in 1798, prepared his Life for a posthumous publication, he thus introduced the Narrative: "This year began prosperously, as many had done before it. My family loved me; were in harmony. I enjoyed the amusements of the pen, the court, [of Requests,] and had no pressure upon the mind but the declining state of health of her I loved. But a calamity awaited me I little suspected. The riots in 1791, which hurt my fortune, destroyed my peace, nearly overwhelmed me and my family, and not only deprived us of every means of restoring to health the best of women, but shortened her days. "I wrote a History of that most savage event at the time, with a view of publication, but my family would not suffer it to see the light. I shall now transcribe with exactness the manuscript copy." The Narrative thus concludes: "We have now taken a concise view of the rise and propress of a species of punishment inflicted on innocence, which would have been insufferable for the greatest enormities; and with a tear I record the sorrowful thought, that there appeared afterwards no more repentance on one side than there had been faults on the other." Mr. Hutton adds, "I entered Birmingham July 14, 1741, as a runaway apprentice, a forlorn traveller, without money, friend, or home; and that day fifty years began those outrages, which, when a wealthy inhabitant, drove me from it, and left me in a more deplorable state of mind than at the former period." See "Life of William Hutton," (1816,) pp. 150-213, 216. As a "Preface" to "the Riots in 1791,” in “ History of Birmingham,” (Ed. 3,) Mr. Hutton says, "I have celebrated that industry, civility, and peaceable turn, which does honour to a people; all founded in fact; but now we enter upon bigotry, licentiousness, disorder, insult, rapine, burnings, and murder. I am exceedingly sorry this is also true." History, (1806,) p. 389. * See supra, p. 150, ad fin. truths, he must wish that others would embrace. * Hence you should not condemn the spirit of proselytism. You cannot, indeed, do it without condemning the conduct of the apostles and reformers in all ages. If you think there is any thing worth your notice in this remark, you will shorten one part of your work, which I think I will well bear it. I often speak of your case as the hardest of any of the sufferThere was an ostensible and plausible reason for attacking me, but you had done nothing amiss.† Every trial, how ers. • Dr. Priestley must refer to a digression commencing with an expression of surprise," that men of a liberal education should persevere in the ancient mode of quarrelling for religion;" then, proceeding to declare "that every religion upon earth is right," that "the different modes of conducting worship are only ceremonials, which are in themselves indifferent," and concluding with the following passage: "However just might have been Dr. Priestley's sentiments, yet had he not promulgated them on one side, and party violence opposed them on the other, perhaps the peace of my life had never been wrecked in the dreadful tempest of ninety-one, but I had continued upon an equal footing with my fellow-townsmen. If the doctor chooses to furnish the world with candles, it reflects a lustre upon himself, but there is no necessity to carry one. It is the privilege of an Englishman to walk in darkness if he chooses." Life, pp. 164-168. Mr. Hutton had before observed, that "to dispute with the doctor was deemed the road to preferment. He had already made two bishops; and there were still several heads which wanted mitres." Ibid. p. 161. Having remarked that "if one religion merits a preference to another, that preference ought to arise from an extension of benevolence," Mr. Hutton adds, "This character, I am told, belongs to the disciples of the celebrated Emmanuel Swedenborg, for they with open arms enfold the whole human race, and treat them as brethren." Ibid. p. 166. ↑ As expressed in the Appeal, adding, “Mr. Hutton suffered the extreme of injustice himself, for nothing but his unwearied endeavour to procure justice for others," having become "obnoxious to the lower classes of the people on account of the strict and exemplary discharge of his duty in the Court of Requests." W. XIX. 393, 495, 496. Mr. Bage thus writes to Mr. Hutton," Elford, Jan 24, 1793:" "In Dr. Priestley's late publication he makes just and honourable mention of thee. I am pleased to see the good doctor in print on any subject except theology; but at present nothing from him will be attended to. No man's ear is open to any thing but damn the French, and damn the Presbyterians. I abstain from all society, because respect for my moral principles is scarcely sufficient to preserve me from insult, on account of my political." See "Life of Hutton," Addenda, p. 7. ever, in which we behave as we ought, will be of use, both to ourselves and others. By the help of my friends, I have once more furnished my laboratory, and am beginning to work again. If it be a second time demolished, I shall not make a third attempt. With my best respects to your son and daughter, I am, dear Sir, yours sincerely.* DEAR SIR, To MR. RUSSELL.† Clapton, July 19, 1792. I REJOICE much in the prospect of seeing you, and receiving you into my house; and come when you will, I shall be fully at liberty, as I do not intend to go any whither this summer. This too will be a motive with me to set about answering Mr. Burn, which, however, I wish to put off as long as I can; and indeed it is the most irksome business I ever undertook, though I do not apprehend there will be any difficulty in it. If Mr. Edwards's fourth number § be tolerable, encourage him to print it; and surely, called upon as we are to produce our facts, no unfair advantage will be taken of it, though all the affidavits be printed. They appeal to the public, and we only answer to their call. All indifferent people will cry shame of them, if they do. I have arranged all the affidavits in order, and intend to give the substance of them. I congratulate you on the fourteenth having passed so well with you, as it did with us. We are at the mercy of our enemies; but they may think it prudent to abstain from doing us any * Ibid. p. 3. + Birmingham. See supra, p. 120. § Of "Letters to the British Nation." See W. XIX. 441. "An "erroneous report that a second commemoration of the French Revolution was intended at Birmingham," called forth Dr. Parr's "Letter from Irenopolis to the Inhabitants of Eleutheropolis." It is, says Mr. Field, "full of just reasoning, noble sentiment, and fine writing; and one knows not whether to admire most the fair, the candid, the conciliatory spirit of the writer, or the beauty, the energy, and the dignity of the composition. It has been pronounced by many competent judges the best of Dr. Parr's publications, and it was begun and finished in the course of a single day." See "Memoirs of the Life, Writing, and Opinions of the Rev. Samuel Parr, LL. D.," (1828,) p. 326. * farther injuries at present. I did not doubt the propriety of your daughter's behaviour, any more than your own increase of alarm. They are now pretty well trained to it; but do not ascribe all this to my instruction. Their minds have been formed by yourself and their excellent mother.† It is enough for me to have aided your efforts; and it will be happpy to meet all whose virtuous exertions we have in any measure aided, in that world for which all the discipline in this is intended to train us. I every day think more of that state, and feel less interested in this. Otherwise, indeed, the late events would be lost upon me. I have this moment received Mr. Thompson's letter, aud shall return the "History of Corruptions," as I am determined he shall print it. I am now in haste, but at all times most entirely yours and Miss Russell's.+ SIR, To M. RABAUD.S Sept. 21, 1792 (4th year of Liberty). I HAVE just received, and consider as a very distinguished honour, the invitation of your Department to sit in the approaching National Convention of France. Such an office is certainly at this time of the utmost importance on the theatre of the world, as the peace and happiness, not only of your country, but of all Europe, and perhaps of the whole human race, are very particularly interested in every thing which may be decided in that Assembly; but my imperfect knowledge of your language, local circumstances, and the important duties of my present situation, prevent me from accepting your invitation. Besides, my studies having been principally directed towards philosophy and theology, and not particularly towards legislation, little could be expected from me in respect to that science; but in every case in which my abilities will permit me to ad Yet, in the preface to his " Fast Sermon, 1794," Dr. Priestley says, "On the 14th of July, 1792, it was taken for granted by many of my neighbours that my house was to come down, just as at Birmingham the year before." W. XV. 521. + See supra, p. 86. ↑ Orig. MS. § One of the Electoral Assembly of the Department of L'Orne." |