His being president may induce me to visit the federal city, and
perhaps his seat in Virginia.
The seat of government, as may be inferred, had been removed to
Washington from Philadelphia. But to the latter center, which still
offered many attractions, Priestley journeyed for the third time early
in 1801. He was not especially desirous of making this third visit, but
as his son and daughter came down a distance of 130 miles on business,
he determined to accompany them. True, Congress was no longer there, but
there were many interesting people about with whom he had great
pleasure. With Bishop White, who was most orthodox and whom he saw
frequently, he enjoyed much "Christian and edifying conversation." John
Andrews was another favorite. He was a violent Federalist and informed
Priestley that the latter
had done them (the Federalists) more mischief than any other man,
yet these two noble spirits lived in amity, and Priestley several times
announced that Dr. Andrews was a Unitarian, which is not the thought
today in regard to the latter.
It was an eventful year--this year of 1801. Much that was unexpected
happened. It brought joy and it brought sorrow.
Perhaps it would be just as well to note the scientific progress of the
Doctor during this year, for he gave forth the statement that he had
succeeded in producing air by freezing water. This production of air was
one of his earlier ideas (p. 62), and now he wrote--
The harder the frost was the more air I procured.
Further, he announced that on heating manganese (dioxide) in inflammable
air
no water is formed,
and what is rather astounding, he was certain that _azote_ consisted of
hydrogen and oxygen.
To the _Medical Repository_, which he regarded highly, there was sent a
rather thoughtful disquisition on dreams. In it the idea was expressed
that dreams have their seat in some region of the brain more
deeply seated than that which is occupied by our waking thoughts.
A "Pile of Volta" had been sent out from England. It amused him and he
studied it carefully when he was led to remark upon the theory of this
curious process as follows:
The operation wholly depends on the calcination of the zinc, which
suffers a great diminution in weight, while the silver is little
affected, and all metals lose their phlogiston in calcination,
therefore what remains of the zinc in metallic form in the pile
and everything connected with that end of it, is supersaturated
with phlogiston.
More need not be quoted. It was phlogiston and that only which
occasioned the electric current. It may properly be added that in this
connection he wrote:
It is said the inventor of the galvanic pile discovered the
conducting power of charcoal, whereas it was one of my first
observations in electricity, made in 1766.
Some additional attention to air was also given by him, and in so doing
he reached the conclusion that
The diamond and charcoal of copper are, as nearly as possible,
pure phlogiston.
One wonders how he could so persuade himself, for these bodies surely
possessed weight. Why did he not rely more upon his balance?
With Woodhouse he discussed the product from passing water over heated
charcoal. He had been endeavoring to refute certain statements made by
Cruikshank. There is no question but that he had carbon monoxide in
hand, and had it as early as 1799, and that he had obtained it in
several different ways. Observe this statement:
I always found that the first portion of the heavy inflammable
air, resulting from the passage of steam over heated charcoal was
loaded with fixed air (CO_2), but that in the course of the
process this disappeared, the remaining air (CO) burning with a
lambent flame.
Scarcely had Priestley set foot in Philadelphia on his third visitation
than the _Port Folio_, devoted usually to literature and biography,
printed the following unkind words:
The tricks of Dr. Priestley to embroil the government, and disturb
the religion of his own country, have not the merit of novelty.
To which the _Aurora_ replied:
When Porcupine rioted in the filth of a debauched and corrupt
faction in this city, no person experienced so much of his obscene
and vulgar abuse as Dr. Priestley. There is not a single fact on
record or capable of being shewn, to prove that Dr. Priestley was
guilty of any other crime than being a dissenter from the church
of England, and a warm friend of American Independence. For this
he was abused by Porcupine--and Denny is only Porcupine with a
little more tinsel to cover his dirt. It is worthy of remark, that
after a whole sheet of promises of "literary lore" and "products
of the master of spirits" of the nation--the first and second
numbers of the _Portable Foolery_, are stuffed with extracts from
British publications of an ordinary quality.
The attack of the Port Folio was most ungracious. It may have been due
to irritation caused by the appearance of a second edition of
Priestley's "Letters to the Inhabitants of Northumberland." Nevertheless
the thoughtful and dignified men of the City--men who admired
Priestley's broad catholic spirit and brave attitude upon all debatable
questions, men who appreciated his scientific attainments, invited him
to the following subscription dinner, as announced in the _Aurora_,
March, 6th:
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon about one hundred citizens sat down
to an elegant entertainment prepared by Mr. Francis to celebrate
the commencement of the administration of Mr. Jefferson. The
Governor honored the company with his presence. Several
respectable Foreigners were invited to partake of the festival....
A variety of patriotic songs were admirably sung; and the
following toasts were drank with unanimous applause.