OF DR. JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, TO THE YEAR 1795, WRITTEN BY HIMSELF: WITH A CONTINUATION, TO THE TIME OF HIS DECEASE, BY HIS SON, JOSEPH PRIESTLEY: AND OBSERVATIONS ON HIS WRITINGS, BY THOMAS COOPER, PRESIDENT JUDGE OF THE 4TH DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA: AND THE REV. WILLIAM CHRISTIE. wit. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, NO. 72, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 1806. THE Analysis of my father's Theological writings mentioned in the Preface to this work, is in the press and will be printed in the same manner as the Memoirs now presented to the public, and may be purchased with the Catalogue of his writings separately to bind with the present Volume, or may be had bound up with four Sermons which my father desired me to print, making therewith a second volume. I had an expectation of presenting the public with an Engraving of a striking likeness of my father, to be prefixed to the present volume. In this expectation I have been disappointed. I hope however to be able to do it, by the time the second Volume will make its appearance, J. P, PREFACE. My Y father, Dr. Priestley, having taken the trou ble of writing down the principal occurrences of his life, to the period of his arrival in this country, that account is now presented to the public in the state in which he left it, one or two trifling alterations excepted. The simple unaffected manner in which it is written, will be deemed, I have no doubt, far more interesting, than if the narrative itself had been made the text of a more laboured composition. Independent of the desire, so universal among mankind, to know somewhat of the private as well as the public history of those who have made themselves eminent among their fellow citizens, the life of my father is likely to be more useful as well as more interesting than those of the generality of literary men; not only as it is an account of great industry combined with great abilities, successfully 'exerted for the extension of human improvement, but because it affords a striking proof of the value of |