The greatest part of the time that I spent with Lord Shelburne I passed
with much satisfaction, his Lordship always behaving to me with uniform
politeness, and his guests with respect. But about two years before I
left him, I perceived evident marks of dissatisfaction, though I never
understood the cause of it; and until that time he had been even lavish
on all occasions in expressing his satisfaction in my society to our
common friends. When I left him, I asked him whether he had any fault
to find with my conduct, and he said _none_.
At length, however, he intimated to Dr. Price, that he wished to give
me an establishment in Ireland, where he had large property. This gave
me an opportunity of acquainting him, that if he chose to dissolve the
connexion, it should be on the terms expressed in the writings which we
mutually signed when it was formed, in consequence of which I should
be entitled to an annuity of an hundred and fifty pounds, and then
I would provide for myself, and to this he readily acceded. He told
Dr. Price that he wished our separation to be amicable, and I assured
him that nothing should be wanting on my part to make it truly so.
Accordingly, I expected that he would receive my visits when I should
be occasionally in London, but he declined them.
However, when I had been some years settled at Birmingham, he sent
an especial messenger, and common friend, to engage me again in his
service, having, as that friend assured me, a deep sense of the loss
of Lord Ashburton (Mr. Dunning) by death, and of Colonel Barre by
his becoming almost blind, and his want of some able and faithful
friend, such as he had experienced in me; with other expressions more
flattering than those. I did not chuse, however, on any consideration,
to leave the very eligible situation in which I now am, but expressed
my readiness to do him any service in my power. His Lordship’s
enemies have insinuated that he was not punctual in the payment of my
annuity; but the contrary is true: Hitherto nothing could have been
more punctual, and I have no reason to suppose that it will ever be
otherwise.
At Calne I had another son born to me, whom, at Lord Shelburne’s
request, I called Henry.
It was at the time of my leaving Lord Shelburne that I found the
great value of Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey’s friendship, in such a manner as
I certainly had no expectation of when our acquaintance commenced;
especially by their introducing me to the notice of Mrs. Rayner, one of
his hearers, and most zealous friends.
Notwithstanding my allowance from Lord Shelburne was larger than that
which I had at Leeds, yet my family growing up, and my expences, on
this and other accounts, increasing more than in proportion, I was
barely able to support my removal. But my situation being intimated to
Mrs. Rayner, besides smaller sums, with which she occasionally assisted
me, she gave me an hundred guineas to defray the expence of my removal,
and deposited with Mrs. Lindsey, which she soon after gave up to me,
four hundred guineas, and to this day has never failed giving me every
year marks of her friendship. Her’s is, indeed, I seriously think,
one of the first christian characters that I was ever acquainted
with, having a cultivated comprehensive mind, equal to any subject
of theology or metaphysics, intrepid in the cause of truth, and most
rationally pious.
Spending so much of my time in London was the means of increasing my
intimacy with both Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Lee, our common friend; who
amidst the bustle of politics, always preserved his attachment to
theology, and the cause of truth. The Sunday I always spent with Mr.
Lindsey, attending the service of his chapel, and sometimes officiating
for him; and with him and Mrs. Lindsey I generally spent the evening of
that day at Mr. Lee’s who then admitted no other company, and seldom
have I enjoyed society with more relish.
My winter’s residence in London was the means of improving my
acquaintance with Dr. Franklin. I was seldom many days without seeing
him, and being members of the same club, we constantly returned
together. The difference with America breaking out at this time, our
conversation was chiefly of a political nature; and I can bear witness,
that he was so far from promoting, as was generally supposed, that
he took every method in his power to prevent a rupture between the
two countries. He urged so much the doctrine of forbearance, that for
some time he was unpopular with the Americans on that account, as too
much a friend to Great Britain. His advice to them was to bear every
thing for the present, as they were sure in time to out grow all their
grievances; as it could not be in the power of the mother country to
oppress them long.
He dreaded the war, and often said that, if the difference should come
to an open rupture, it would be a war of _ten years_, and he should
not live to see the end of it. In reality the war lasted near eight
years but he did live to see the happy termination of it. That the
issue would be favorable to America, he never doubted. The English,
he used to say, may take all our great towns, but that will not give
them possession of the country. The last day that he spent in England,
having given out that he should leave London the day before, we passed
together, without any other company; and much of the time was employed
in reading American newspapers, especially accounts of the reception
which the _Boston port bill_ met with in America; and as he read
the addresses to the inhabitants of Boston from the places in the
neighbourhood, the tears trickled down his cheeks.[16]
It is much to be lamented, that a man of Dr. Franklin’s general good
character, and great influence, should have been an unbeliever in
christianity, and also have done so much as he did to make others
unbelievers. To me, however, he acknowledged that he had not given
so much attention as he ought to have done to the evidences of
christianity, and desired me to recommend to him a few treatises on
the subject, such as I thought most deserving of his notice, but not
of great length, promising to read them, and give me his sentiments
on them. Accordingly, I recommended to him Hartley’s evidences of
christianity in his Observations on Man, and what I had then written
on the subject in my Institutes of natural and revealed religion. But
the American war breaking out soon after, I do not believe that he ever
found himself sufficiently at leisure for the discussion. I have kept
up a correspondence with him occasionally ever since, and three of his
letters to me were, with his consent, published in his Miscellaneous
Works, in quarto. The first of them, written immediately on his landing
in America, is very striking.
[16] For two letters written by my father relating to Dr. Franklin and
Mr. Burke see appendix No. 4.
About three years before the dissolution of my connection with Lord
Shelburne, Dr. Fothergill, with whom I had always lived on terms of
much intimacy, having observed, as he said, that many of my experiments
had not been carried to their proper extent on account of the expence
that would have attended them, proposed to me a subscription from
himself and some of his friends, to supply me with whatever sums I
should want for that purpose, and named a hundred pounds per annum.
This large subscription I declined, lest the discovery of it (by the
use that I should, of course, make of it) should give umbrage to Lord
Shelburne, but I consented to accept of 40 £. per annum, which from
that time he regularly paid me, from the contribution of himself, Sir
Theodore Jansen, Mr. Constable, and Sir George Saville.
On my leaving Lord Shelburne, which was attended with the loss of
one half of my income, Dr. Fothergill proposed an enlargement of my
allowance for my experiments, and likewise for my maintenance, without
being under the necessity of giving my time to pupils, which I must
otherwise have done. And, considering the generosity with which this
voluntary offer was made by persons who could well afford it, and who
thought me qualified to serve the interests of science, I thought it
right to accept of it; and I preferred it to any pension from the
court, offers of which were more than once made by persons who thought
they could have procured one for me.
As it was my wish to do what might be in my power to shew my gratitude
to my friends and benefactors that suggested the idea of writing
these Memoirs, I shall subjoin a list of their names. Some of the
subscriptions were made with a view to defray the expence of my
experiments only; but the greater part of the subscribers were persons
who were equally friends to my theological studies.
The persons who made me this regular annual allowance were Dr. Watson
and his son, Mr. Wedgwood, Mr. Moseley, Mr. S. Salte, Mr. Jeffries, Mr.
Radcliffe, Mr. Remington, Mr. Strutt of Derby, Mr. Shore, Mr. Reynolds
of Paxton, Messrs. Galton, father and son, and the Rev. Mr. Simpson.
Besides the persons whose names appear in this list, as regular
subscribers, there were other persons who, without chusing to be known
as such, contributed no less to my support, and some considerably more.
My chief benefactress was Mrs. Rayner, and next to her Dr. Heberden,
equally distinguished for his love of religious truth, and his zeal
to promote science. Such also is the character of Mr. Tayleur of
Shrewsbury, who has at different times remitted me considerable sums,
chiefly to defray the expences incurred by my theological inquiries and
publications.
Mr. Parker of Fleet street very generously supplied me with every
instrument that I wanted in glass, particularly a capital burning
lens,[17] sixteen inches in diameter. All his benefactions in this way
would have amounted to a considerable sum. Mr. Wedgwood also, besides
his annual benefaction, supplied me with every thing that I wanted
made of pottery, such as retorts, tubes, &c. which the account of my
experiments will shew to have been of great use to me.
[17] Though his sight was not much worse than before during the last ten
years of his life it had been much injured by his experiments with the
burning Lens of which he made much use in summer time.
On my removal to Birmingham commenced my intimacy with Mr. William
Russell, whose public spirit, and zeal in every good cause, can hardly
be exceeded. My obligations to him were various and constant, so as not
to be estimated by sums of money. At his proposal I doubt not, some of
the heads of the congregation made me a present of two hundred pounds,
to assist me in my theological publications.
Mr. Lee shewed himself particularly my friend at the time that I left
Lord Shelburne, assisting me in the difficulties with which I was
then pressed, and continuing to befriend me afterwards by seasonable
benefactions. By him it was hinted to me during the administration of
Lord Rockingham, with whom he had great influence, that I might have
a pension from the government, to assist in defraying the expence of
my experiments. Another hint of the same kind was given me in the
beginning of Mr. Pitt’s administration by a Bishop in whose power
it was to have procured it from him. But in both cases I declined
the overture, wishing to preserve myself independent of every thing
connected with the court, and preferring the assistance of generous and
opulent individuals, lovers of science, and also lovers of liberty.
Without assistance I could not have carried on my experiments at all,
except on a very small scale, and under great disadvantages.
Mr. Galton, before I had any opportunity of being personally
acquainted with him, had, on the death of Dr. Fothergill, taken up his
subscription. His son did the same, and the friendship of the latter
has added much to the happiness of my situation here.[18] Seldom, if
ever, have I known two persons of such cultivated minds, pleasing
manners, and liberal dispositions, as he and Mrs. Galton. The latter
had the greatest attachment imaginable to my wife.
[18] Birmingham.
Mr. Salte was zealous in promoting the subscriptions to my experiments,
and moreover proposed to take one of my sons as an apprentice without
any fee. But my brother-in-law making the same offer, I gave it the
preference: Mr. Wedgwood, who has distinguished himself by his
application to philosophical pursuits, as well as by his great success
in the improvement of his manufactory, was very zealous to serve me,
and urged me to accept of a much larger allowance than I chose.
The favours that I received from my two brothers-in-law deserve my most
grateful acknowledgments. They acted the part of kind and generous
relations, especially at the time when I most wanted assistance. It was
in consequence of Mr. John Wilkinson’s proposal, who wished to have us
nearer to him, that, being undetermined where to settle, I fixed upon
Birmingham, where he soon provided a house for me.
My apology for accepting of these large benefactions is, that besides
the great expence of my philosophical and even my theological studies,
and the education of three sons and a daughter, the reputation I had,
justly or unjustly, acquired brought on me a train of expences not
easy to describe, to avoid or to estimate; so that without so much as
keeping a horse (which the kindness of Mr. Russel made unnecessary) the
expence of housekeeping, &c. was more than double the amount of any
regular income that I had.
I consider my settlement at Birmingham as the happiest event in
my life, being highly favorable to every object I had in view,
philosophical or theological. In the former respect I had the
convenience of good workmen of every kind, and the society of persons
eminent for their knowledge of chemistry, particularly Mr. Watt, Mr.
Keir, and Dr. Withering. These with Mr. Boulton, and Dr. Darwin, who
soon left us by removing from Litchfield to Derby, Mr. Galton, and
afterwards Mr. Johnson of Kenelworth and myself dined together every
month, calling ourselves the _lunar society_, because the time of our
meeting was near the full moon.
With respect to theology, I had the society of Mr. Hawkes, Mr. Blyth,
and Mr. Scholefield, and his assistant Mr. Coates, and, while he lived
Mr. Palmer, before of Macclesfield. We met and drank tea together,
every fortnight. At this meeting we read all the papers that were sent
for the Theological Repository, which I revived some time after my
coming hither, and in general our conversation was of the same cast as
that with my fellow tutors at Warrington.
Within a quarter of a year of my coming to reside at Birmingham,
Mr. Hawkes resigned, and I had an unanimous invitation to succeed
him, as colleague with Mr. Blyth, a man of a truly christian temper.
The congregation we serve is the most liberal, I believe, of any in
England; and to this freedom the unwearied labours of Mr. Bourne had
eminently contributed.
With this congregation I greatly improved my plan of catechizing
and lecturing, and my classes have been well attended. I have also
introduced the custom of expounding the scriptures as I read them,
which I had never done before, but which I would earnestly recommend to
all ministers. My time being much taken up with my philosophical and
other studies, I agreed with the congregation to leave the business
of baptizing, and visiting the sick, to Mr. Blyth, and to confine my
services to the Sundays. I have been minister here between seven and
eight years, without any interruption of my happiness; and for this I
am sensible I am in a great measure indebted to the friendship of Mr.
Russell.
Here I have never long intermitted my philosophical pursuits, and I
have published two volumes of experiments, besides communications to
the Royal Society.
In theology I have completed my friendly controversy with the Bishop
of Waterford on the duration of Christ’s ministry, I have published a
variety of single sermons, which, with the addition of a few others,
I have lately collected, and published in one volume, and I am now
engaged in a controversy of great extent, and which promises to be of
considerable consequence, relating to the person of Christ.
This was occasioned by my _History of the Corruptions of Christianity_,
which I composed and published presently after my settlement at
Birmingham, the first section of which being rudely attacked in
the Monthly Review,[19] then by Dr. Horsely, and afterwards by Mr.
Howes, and other particular opponents, I undertook to collect from
the original writers the state of opinions on the subject in the age
succeeding that of the apostles, and I have published the result
of my investigation in my _History of early opinions concerning
Jesus Christ_, in four volumes octavo. This work has brought me more
antagonists, and I now write a pamphlet annually in defence of the
unitarian doctrine against all my opponents.
[19] Written by Mr. Badcock. Mr. Badcock was originally a dissenting
minister. He came to pay his respects to my father at Calne, at which
time he agreed with him upon most subjects. He afterwards found reason
to change his opinions, or at least his conduct, connecting himself
with the Clergy of the Church of England, and became my father’s bitter
enemy.
My only Arian antagonist is Dr. Price, with whom the discussion of the
question has proceeded with perfect amity. But no Arian has as yet
appeared upon the ground to which I wish to confine the controversy,
viz. the state of opinions in the primitive times, as one means of
collecting what was the doctrine of the apostles, and the true sense of
scripture on the subject.
Some years ago I resumed the _Theological Repository_ in which I first
advanced my objections to the doctrine of the miraculous conception of
Jesus, and his natural fallibility and peccability. These opinions gave
at first great alarm, even to my best friends; but that is now in a
great measure subsided. For want of sufficient sale, I shall be obliged
to discontinue this Repository for some time.
At present I thank God I can say that my prospects are better than they
have ever been before, and my own health, and that of my wife, better
established, and my hopes as to the dispositions and future settlement
of my children satisfactory.
I shall now close this account of myself with some observations of a
general nature, but chiefly an account of those circumstances for which
I have more particular reason to be thankful to that good being who has
brought me hitherto, and to whom I trust I habitually ascribe whatever
my partial friends think the world indebted to me for,
I. Not to enlarge again on what has been mentioned already, on the
fundamental blessings of a religious and liberal education, I have
particular reason to be thankful for a happy temperament of body and
mind, both derived from my parents. My father, grand father, and
several branches of the family, were remarkably healthy, and long
lived; and though my constitution has been far from robust, and was
much injured by a consumptive tendency, or rather an ulcer in my lungs,
the consequence of improper conduct of myself when I was at school
(being often violently heated with exercise, and as often imprudently
chilled by bathing, &c.) from which with great difficulty I recovered,
it has been excellently adapted to that studious life which has fallen
to my lot.
I have never been subject to head-achs, or any other complaints that
are peculiarly unfavourable to study. I have never found myself less
disposed, or less qualified, for mental exertions of any kind at one
time of the day more than another; but all seasons have been equal to
me, early or late, before dinner or after, &c. And so far have I been
from suffering by my application to study, (which however has never
been so close or intense as some have imagined) that I have found my
health improving from the age of eighteen to the present time; and
never have I found myself more free from any disorder than at present.
I must, however, except a short time preceding and following my leaving
Lord Shelburne, when I laboured under a bilious complaint, in which I
was troubled with gall stones, which sometimes gave me exquisite pain.
But by confining myself to a vegetable diet, I perfectly recovered;
and I have now been so long free from the disorder that I am under no
apprehension of its return.
It has been a singular happiness to me, and a proof, I believe, of a
radically good constitution, that I have always slept well, and have
awaked with my faculties perfectly vigorous, without any disposition
to drowsiness. Also, whenever I have been fatigued with any kind of
exertion, I could at any time sit down and sleep; and whatever cause of
anxiety I may have had, I have almost always lost sight of it when I
have got to bed; and I have generally fallen asleep as soon as I have
been warm.[20]
I even think it an advantage to me, and am truly thankful for it, that
my health received the check that it did when I was young; since a
muscular habit from high health, and strong spirits, are not, I think,
in general accompanied with that sensibility of mind, which is both
favourable to piety, and to speculative pursuits.[21]
[20] My father was an early riser. He never slept more than six hours.
He said he did not remember having lost a whole night’s sleep but once,
though when awake he often had to suffer much from pain and sickness as
well as from other circumstances of a very afflictive nature.
[21] Though not a muscular man he went through great exertion at
various times of his life with activity. He walked very firmly, and
expeditiously.
To a fundamentally good constitution of body, and the being who gave
it me, I owe an even chearfulness of temper, which has had but few
interruptions. This I inherit from my father, who had uniformly better
spirits than any man that I ever knew, and by this means was as happy
towards the close of life, when reduced to poverty, and dependent upon
others, as in his best days; and who, I am confident, would not have
been unhappy, as I have frequently heard him say, in a workhouse.
Though my readers will easily suppose that, in the course of a life so
full of vicissitude as mine has been, many things must have occurred to
mortify and discompose me, nothing has ever depressed my mind beyond
a very short period. My spirits have never failed to recover their
natural level, and I have frequently observed, and at first with some
surprize, that the most perfect satisfaction I have ever felt has been
a day or two after an event that afflicted me the most, and without any
change having taken place in the state of things. Having found this to
be the case after many of my troubles, the persuasion that it _would_
be so, after a new cause of uneasiness, has never failed to lessen the
effect of its first impression, and together with my firm belief of
the doctrine of necessity, (and consequently that of every thing being
ordered for the best) has contributed to that degree of composure
which I have enjoyed through life, so that I have always considered
myself as one of the happiest of men.
When I was a young author, (though I did not publish any thing until I
was about thirty) strictures on my writings gave me some disturbance,
though I believe even then less than they do most others; but after
some time, things of that kind hardly affected me at all, and on
this account I may be said to have been well formed for public
controversy.[22] But what has always made me easy in any controversy
in which I have been engaged, has been my fixed resolution frankly
to acknowledge any mistake that I might perceive I had fallen into.
That I have never been in the least backward to do this in matters of
philosophy, can never be denied.
[22] Though Dr. Priestley has been considered as fond of controversy
and that his chief delight consisted in it, yet it is far from being
true. He was more frequently the defendant than the assailant. His
controversies as far as it depended upon himself were carried to with
temper and decency. He was never malicious nor even sarcastic or
indignant unless provoked.