Part 8 (1/2)

which was being hurled at him--

as a citizen of France.

One must read his correspondence to fully appreciate Priestley during the early days of 1799. What must have been his mental condition when he wrote Lindsey--

As to a public violent death the idea of that does not affect me near so much

and

I cannot express what I feel when I receive and read your letters.

I generally shed many tears over them.

There was no a.s.surance in financial and commercial circles. The hopes of neither the more sober, nor of the wild and fanatic reformers of humanity could be realized, and they got into such a war of hate and abuse that they themselves stamped their doctrines false.

Priestley was out of patience with the public measures of the country.

He disliked them as much as he did those of England, but added

Here the excellence of the Const.i.tution provides a remedy, if the people will make use of it, and if not, they deserve what they suffer.

The Const.i.tution was a favorite instrument with him. A most interesting lecture upon it will be found among the _Discourses_ which he proposed delivering in Philadelphia. This never occurred.

The Academy he expected to see in operation failed for support. The walls were raised and he feared it would go no further. The Legislature had voted it $3000, but the Senate negatived this act. He thought of giving up the presidency of it.

He wrote Dr. Rush that he was quite busy with replies to Dr. Woodhouse's attack on his confirmation of the existence of phlogiston, (p. 88). He relished his discussions with Woodhouse and was confident that eventually he would ”overturn the French system of chemistry.” He further remarked to Rush--

Were you at liberty to make an excursion as far as these _back woods_ I shall be happy to see you, and so would many others.

But at that particular moment Rush was too much engaged in combating yellow fever, which again ravaged Philadelphia, and all who could, fled, and the streets were ”lifeless and dead.” The prevalence of this fearful plague was a potent factor in Priestley's failure to visit the City during the year--the last year of a closing Century which did not end in the prosperity antic.i.p.ated for it in the hopeful months and years following the war. It seemed, in many ways, to be the end of an era.

Was.h.i.+ngton died December 14, 1799, and the Federalists' tenure of power was coming to a close. The Jeffersonians, aided by eight of the electoral votes of Pennsylvania, won the victory, amid outbursts of unprecedented political bitterness. It was, therefore, very wise that the Doctor remained quietly at home in Northumberland with his experiments and Church History.

The new Century--the 19th--found our beloved philosopher at times quite proud of the success he had with his experiments and full of genuine hope that ”phlogiston” was established; and again dejected because of the ”coa.r.s.e and low articles” directed against him by the prints of the day. To offset, in a measure, the distrust entertained for him because of the ”intercepted letters” he addressed a series of _Letters_ to the inhabitants of Northumberland and vicinity. These were explanatory of his views. At home they were most satisfying but in the city they brought upon him ”more abuse.” And, so, he translated a pa.s.sage from Petrarch which read--

By civil fueds exiled my native home, Resign'd, though injured, hither I have come.

Here, groves and streams, delights of rural ease; Yet, where the a.s.sociates, wont to serve and please; The aspect bland, that bade the heart confide?

Absent from these, e'en here, no joys abide.

And these were incorporated in his brochure.

Having alluded to the _Letters_ addressed to the Northumberland folks, it may be proper to introduce a letter which Priestley received from Mr.

Jefferson, whom the former was disposed to hold as ”in many respects the first man in this Country:”

Philadelphia, Jan. 18, 1800.

Dear Sir--

I thank you for the pamphlets (Letters) you were so kind as to send me. You will know what I thought of them by my having before sent a dozen sets to Virginia, to distribute among my friends; yet I thank you not the less for these, which I value the more as they came from yourself.

The papers of Political Arithmetic, both in yours and Mr. Cooper's pamphlets, are the most precious gifts that can be made to us; for we are running navigation-mad, and commerce-mad, and Navy-mad, which is worst of all. How desirable it is that you should pursue that subject for us. From the porcupines of our country you will receive no thanks, but the great ma.s.s of our nation will edify, and thank you.

How deeply have I been chagrined and mortified at the persecutions which fanaticism and monarchy have excited against you, even here!