"Let no taste you may have for any of the polite arts, as music, painting, or poetry, nor a capacity for improvement in science, engage you to make them more than an amusement to you, or at the most, any more than an object of secondary consideration. Let not even the study of speculative theology prevent your applying yourself chiefly to the advancement of virtue among your hearers.

"Endeavour to be cheerful, polite (as far as that term conveys the idea of a reasonable desire to please), and free from affectation. Take no pains to conceal any natural peculiarity of manner, that is innocent in itself, and not offensive to others; for above all things, simplicity of character, and the greatest freedom from artifice and disguise, become the teachers of the religion of Jesus Christ."

Such were the principles, and such the practice of this extraordinary man; but we must regret indeed, that he turned his attention too much to the investigation of "speculative theology," and the revival of obsolete opinions concerning the soul, in his "Disquisitions relating to Matter and Spirits," in which he supported the material system, and considered the soul as homogeneous with the body.

As an author, Dr. Priestley is distinguished for the versatility of his talents, the perspicuity of his style, and the sagacity of his remarks. Neglecting or disdaining the elegant ornaments of the rhetorician, he wrote in a plain, familiar, and clear flow of language, equally intelligible to the man of taste and the illiterate. It is the sterling language of good sense, and when he occasionally calls in the aid of illustration, his figures are obvious, at once elucidating and adorning the subject.

It would be difficult to name another author in the long and illustrious list of English writers, who wrote with equal candour, simplicity, and energy. Truth was to him more precious than worldly emolument, or the praise of others, and even those who disapprove of his creed must venerate his virtues.

A critical analysis of the multifarious productions of Dr. Priestley would require a combination of talents, of which few human beings are in possession. If according to the principle laid down by Pope, they were to be investigated "With the same spirit as the author writ," it would require the united judgment of even our best critics, the Monthly Reviewers themselves,

to give a lucid, full, and satisfactory criticism on his voluminous publications. We shall, therefore, make cursory observations on the nature and tendency of his works, elucidated by several extracts.

His first publication was an English Grammar upon an improved plan, for the use of his pupils at Nantwich. This elementary work is at present but little known.

Soon after his removal to Warrington Academy, in 1761, he published a Chart of Biography, which was favourably received by the public, as was also his Chart of History.

His department in language, & as professor of the belles-lettres, called forth his critical powers; and he published "A Course of Lectures on Oratory and Criticism." In this work he displayed much erudition, and, as an admirer of the metaphysical philosophy of Hartley, he applied that philopher's theory of association to objects of taste, in a clear and satisfactory manner. This production, however, would never have established his fame, nor is it of such general and practical utility as Blair's Lectures.

Natural Philosophy, which had ever been his favourite study, was the department of science in which this ingenious man was destined to shine. Electricity was the first branch of physics, which engaged his attention.

Accordingly, he wrote "The History of Electricity," which was published at Warrington, in 1767, in one volume quarto. A circumstance which facilitated his success in this arduous undertaking, was his personal intercourse with the celebrated Dr. Franklin, and other philosophers.

This scientific history was read by men of taste, and passed through five editions. It is valuable not only for the facts recorded, respecting the rise and progress of the science, but also for several original experiments.

Encouraged by the success of this publication, the Doctor conceived the design of recording the rise and progress of the other sciences. Accordingly, his " History and Present State of Discoveries, relating to Vision, Light, and Colours," was published in 1772, in 2 volumes, quarto. This work was not so favourably received as his History of Electricity; the subjec

had been handled by men of the first rate talents; and consequently had not that charm of novelty which rendered his account of electricity so amusing. The failure of this publication, induced our philosopher to relinquish his plan, and to turn his attention to a subject little known, though of the utmost importance. His "Experiments and Observations on different Kinds of Air," immortalized his name, and placed him in the first rank of natural philosophers.

The first volume of this useful work was published in 1774, in octavo, and inscribed to his patron the Earl of Shelburne.

In the preface to the second edition, Dr. Priestley speaks of his researches with the candour and modesty of a philosopher, and with the humility of a pious man.

"I find it absoluty impossible," says he, "to produce a work on this subject that will be any thing like complete. My first publi cation I acknowledge to be very imperfect, and the present, I am as ready to acknowledge, is still more so. But, paradoxical as it may seem, this will ever be the case in natural science,