fufpicion; but having cafually mentioned it as fuch, and a violent outcry being raised against me on that account, I was induced to give the greatest attention to the queftion, to examine it in every light, and to invite the fullest difcuffion of it. This terminated in as full a conviction with refpect to this fubject as I have with refpect to any other whatever. The reafons on which that conviction is founded may be feen in my " Dif. quifitions on Matter and Spirit," of which I have lately published a new and improved edition. "Being pow fully perfuaded that Christ was a man like ourselves, and confequently that his pre-existence, as well as that of other men, was a notion that had no foundation in rea. fon or in the feriptures; and having been gradually led (in confequence of wifhing to trace the principal corruptions of Chriftianity) to give particu. lar attention to ecclefiaftical history, I could not help thinking but that (fince the doctrine of the pre-existence of Chrift was not the doctrine of the Scriptures, and therefore could not have been taught by the Apoftles) there must be fome traces of the rife and progress of the doctrine of the Trinity, and fome hiftorical evidence that Unitarianifm was the general faith of Chriftians in the apoftolical age, independent of the evidence which arofe from its being the doc trine of the Scriptures. "In this ftate of mind, the reader will eafily perceive that I naturally expected to find what I was previoully well perfuaded was to be found, and ia time I collected much more evidence than I at first expected, confidering the early rife, and the long and univerfal fpread, of what I deem to be a radical corruption of the genuine Chriftian Doctrine. This evidence I have fairly laid before the reader. He muft judge of the weight of it, and alfo make whatever allow ance he may think neceffary for my particular fituation and prejudices." Having thus produced to our readers the Doctor's own account of the changes in his fentiments on thefe important fubjects, we fhall proceed to obferve, that from the tuition of Mr Scott he was removed to the care of Mr Afhworth, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, where he completed his education, and foon afterwards was ordained. On the attempt to eftablish a Diffenting Academy at Warrington, he was made choice of to teach the languages and Belles Lettres. During his continuance in this fituation, he applied himself to the duties of his office with great diligence and ability, as may be feen in his feveral courfes of Lectures, fome of which have been fince printed. From Warrington he returned to his native country, and took upon himfelf the paftoral office at Mill Chapel, Leeds, which he refigned May 16, 1773; and on that occafion both preached and printed a Sermon, which he delivered at parting with his flock. Before this period fome of his philofophical works had been printed and received with the approbation of the learned, and his name and character were generally mentioned with refpect. A fimilarity, it is fuppofed, in fome opinions led to an acquaintance with the Marquis of Lanfdowne, then Lord Shelburne, who prevailed on Dr Priestley to domefticate himfelf in his family, where he remained féveral years. To what caufes it was owing we are not informed, but after fome time a coolnels took place between the two friends,and Dr Priestley quitted his patron, and once more refumed the exercife of his clerical function. On the 31st of December 1780 he undertook the paftorship of the new meeting at Birmingham, and. preached and printed a Sermon on the occafion. From that period he continued at Birmingham, umil the late feenes of confufion drove him nefs of his private character. to feek another asylum. Of that transaction we cannot too ftrongly exprefs our deteftation, and we hope never to fee a recurrence of the like horrors. That we may not, it will be incumbent on thofe who fo long with impunity have been abetting fedition, to obferve fomething more of decorum in their conduct than we have lately witneffed. To form good fubjects, Preachers of the Gospel would with more propriety confider themselves bound to inculcate on their hearers the duties of men, which do not feem to be well understood, rather then their rights, which they are in complete poffeffion of without à probability of infringement. To writers like Dr Priestley, or Mr Gibbon, who feem careless about the confequences which their writings may produce, it may not be improper to recommend the fentiments of a great writer in this Century: "A free and impartial inquiry after truth, wherever it is to be found, is indeed a noble and moft commendable difpofition: a difpofition which, every man ought himself to labour after; and to the utmost of his power encourage in all others. It is the great foundation of all ufeful knowledge, of all true virtue, and of all fincere religion. But when a man, in his fear thes into the nature of things, finds his enquiries leading him towards fuch notions as, if they should prove true, would ma-, nifeftly fabvert the very effences of good and evil, the least that a foberminded man can in fuch a cafe poffibly be supposed to owe to God, to virtue, to the dignity of a rational creature, is, that he ought to be in the higheft degree fearful and fufpicious of himself, left he be led away by any prejudice, left he be deceived by any erroneous argument, left he fuffer himself to be impofed on by any wrong inclination. Too great an affurance in arguments of this nature, even though at prefent they seemed to him to be demonstrations, rejoicing in the ftrength of them, and taking pleasure in the carrying of fuch a caufe, is what a good mind can never be capable of. To fuch a person, the finding his own arguments unanswerable would be the greatest grief; triumphing in fo melancholy a field would be the highest diffatisfaction; and nothing could afford fo pleafings for agreable a difappointment, as to M m 2 Dr Priestley's political and theological writings have been varioufly poken of, and by many are fuppofed to be fraught with the most deftruc. tive principles to the well-being of fociety. Dr Johnfon ufed to fay they were calculated to unfettle every thing, but to fettle nothing. Their violence, however, counteracted their apprehended effect, and we believe they need not now create any alarm. It is remarkable, that their evil ten dency has been pointed out by one from whom the oblervation was least to be expected. Mr. Gibbon, in his Hiftory, remarks, that, the pillars of revelation are flaken by thofe men who preferve the name without the fubftance of religion, who indulge the licence without the temper of philofophy *." To the merit of Dr. Prieft ley's philofophical works, and fome few others, we rejoice to be able to bear our teftimony; and let us add, that his intimate friends fpeak in the most favourable terms of the amiable find To this obfervation he fubjoins the following note; "I fhall recommend to public animadverfion two paffages in Dr Priestley which Betray the ultimate tendency of his opi nions at the firit of thefe (Hift. of the Corruptions of Christianity, vol. i p. 275, 276,) the priest, at the second (vol. ii, p. 484.) the magiltrate may tremble." Gibban'ı Hiftory, vol. iv. p. 540. 4to. Edition. find his own reafonings fhewn to be inconclufive." Dr Samuel Clarke's Remarks on a Book entitled, " A Phi lofophical Enquiry concerning Human Liberty," p. 45. Obfervations on the State of Literature among the Fair Sex in the Sixteenth Century. By Dr Kippi». T has been remarked by Mr Wotton, that no age was fo productive of learned women as the fixteenth century. Speaking of the flourishing condition of learning in that century, he fays, it was fo very modifh, that the fair fex feemed to believe that Greek and Latinadded to their charms; and that Plato and Ariftotle untranffated were frequent ornaments of their clofets. One would think by the • effects, that it was a proper way of educating them, fince there are no accounts in hiftory of fo many great • women in any one age, as are to be found between the years 'fifte en and • fixteen hundred." Erafmus, alfo, defcribing thofe times, fays, " Scena rerum humanarum invertitur: monachi literas nefciunt, et fœmi næ libris indulgent.Bellum eft eum fexum ad prifca exempla fefe poftliminio recipere." The fcene of human aff. rs is changed: the • monks are ignorant of literature, and women are fond of books.It is a pleafing circumftance, that the female fex fhould at length haverecourfe to the ancient examples." Learning was then held in fuch high eftimation, that feveral great men were defirous that their daughters fhould be poffeffed of it, as well as fons. The examples of King Henry the VIII. in the education of the Princeffes Mary and Elizabeth, and of Sir Thomas More with regard to Mrs Roper, are thought to have chiefly contributed to the introduction of this cuftom. There can be no doubt but that the conduct of perfons fo illuftrious would have much effect upon the fentiments of our countrymen, and be productive of imitation. But, befides this, there was a concurrence of other caufes; fuch as the recent origin of printing; the curiofity hence excited in the human mind; the admiration with which the ancient writers, fo lately brought to light, were contemplated; and the diftinguifhed honour that arofe from literary pursuits. In fhort, the general fpirit of the age nourished the principle of training up women in learning. Nor was a flight degree of learning deemed fufficient for them. They were rendered complete miftreffes of the Greek and Latin, as well as of the modern languages. Their reading was not confined to the claffic authors, but comprehended the fathers of the Church. They could write Greek epiftles, and compofe Greek verfes. It fhould be remembered, however, that the litera ture of the women of that period extended comparatively but to a few perfors, and thofe only of confiderable rink, the generality of the female fex being in a ftate of ignorance. There was by no means that diffufion of knowledge, that cultivation of mind, that taite for books, which we their now with in almost every company of ladies. Neither do we find that the learned women of the fixteenth century produced fuch works as have continued to be read much by pofterity. The most important production of any of Sir Anthony Cooke's daughters, was Lady Bacon's tranflation of Bishop Jewel's Apology; and yet, who but an Antiquary would would now feek for it, or give himfelf the trouble of perufing it? Not a fingle Poetefs, deferving to be mentioned, arofe in this country till the feventeenth century. The Duchefs of Newcastle, Mrs Katherine Philips, and Mrs Behn, appear to have been the first who could, in any degree. merit that appellation. If we come down to later times, we shall be fenfible that, independently of poetry, the learned women of the fixteenth century have been far exceeded by the ingenious ladies of the prefent age, both in the general and extenfive utility of their writings, and in the elegancies of compofition. We pretend not to enumerate all thofe whofe works will be read and admired by fucceeding generations; but it is impoffible, whilft we are treating on fuch a fubject, to forget the names of a Cockburn, a Rowe, a Montagu, a Carter, a Chapone, a More, and a Barbauld. We are fpeaking of profe works only, fince otherwife we could not avoid adding to the catalogue a Seward and a Williams. Neither does novel-writing come under our immediate view, to which fo many, perhaps too many female authors, apply themselves, though none with a fuccefs equal to that of a Bur ney. There is a remark to be made concerning the difference between the literature of the ladies of the fixteenth century, and that of the women of more recent times. The former entered deeply into the ftudy of the ancient languages, whilft the latter, befides acquiring a skill in the modern tongues, efpecially the French and the Italian, have paid their principle attention to the culti tivation of general knowledge. Some of them, however, have been no small proficients in the learning of antiqui ty Mrs Carter ftands, without competition, at the head of her fex in this refpect; having difplayed her accurate acquaintance with the Greek writings and philofophy, in a manner highly honourable to herfelf, and advantageous to the world. How admirably Mrs Barbauld hath entered into the fpirit of the Latin claffics, is apparent from the uncommon propriety and beauty of her mottos. Mrs Montagu, in her admirable Effay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespeare, hath fhewn that, amongft the other qualifications neceffary to constitute a Critic of the first order, fuch as a penetrating mind, a fine tafte, and a correct and elegant ftyle, fhe is weff acquainted with ancient literature, and rich in the ftores of various knowledge. Another circumftance obfervable in the learned ladies of the fixteenth century is, that they were moft eminent for their piety. Religion was deeply impreffed upon their minds, and, agreeably to the fashion of the times, religion was almoft the fole topic of their writings. It is pleafing to reflect, that the beft female authors of the prefent day are not inferior to them in pious and virtuous principles and conduct. Thofe who have the happinefs of a perfonal intimacy with Mrs Montagu, Mrs Carter, Mrs Barbauld. Mrs Chapone, and Mifs Hannah More, will know that we fpeak the truth; to which may be added, that thefe ladies are unaffected in their manners, and that they do not efteena themselves above the ordinary duties of domeftic life. Obfervations on the Effects of the feveral Expeditions undertaken by Capt. Cook to the South Seas, &c. By the fame. T is juftly remarked, by the Bifhop tage accruing to the world from our of Carlisle, that one great advan- late furreys of the globe, is, that they have confuted fanciful theories, too likely to give birth to impracticable undertakings. The ingenious reveries of fpeculative philofophers, which have fo long amufed the learned, and raised the most fanguine expectations, are now obliged to fubmit, perhaps with reluctance, to the fober dictates of truth and experience. Nor will it be only by difcouraging future unprofitable fearches, that the late voyages will be of fervice to mankind, but alfo by leffening the dangers and diftreffes formerly experienced in thofe feas which are within the actual line of commerce and navigation. From the British difcoveries, many commercial improvements may be expected to arife in our own times; but, in future ages, fuch improvements may be extended to a degrée, of which, at prefent, we have no conception. In the long chain of caufes and effects, no one can tell how widely and beneficially the mutual intercourfe of the various inhabitants of the earth may hereafter be carried on, in confequence of the means of faciliating it, which have been explored and point ed out by Captain Cook. The interefts of fcience, as well as of commerce, stand highly indebted to this illuftrious Navigator. That a knowledge of the globe on which we live is a very defirable object, no one can call in queftion. This is an object which, while it is ardently purfued by the most enlightened philofophers, is fought for with avidity, even by those whofe ftudies do not carry them beyond the loweft rudiments of learning. It need not be faid what gratification Captain Cook hath provided for the world in this refpect. Before the voyages of the prefent reign took place, nearly half the furface of the earth was hidden in obfeurity and confufion. From the difcoveries of our Navigator, geography has affumed a new face, and become, in a great meafure, a new fcience; having attained to fuch a completion, as to leave only fome lefs important parts of the globe to be explored by future voyagers. Happily for the advancement of knowledge, acquifitions cannot be obtained in any one branch, without leading to acquifitions in other branches, of equal, and perhaps of fuperior confequence. New oceans cannot be traverted, or new countries vifited, without prefenting frefh objects of fpeculation and enquiry, and carrying. the practice, as well as the theory, of philofophy, to a higher degree of perfection. Nautical aftronomy, in particular, was in its infancy, when the late voyages were first undertaken; but, during the profecution of them, and efpecially in Captain Cook's laft expedition, even many of the petty officers could obferve the distance of the moon from the fun, or a star, the moft delicate of all observations, with fufficient accuracy. As for the officers of fuperior rank, they would have felt themselves afhamed to have it thought that they did not know how to obferve for, and compute the time at fea; though fuch a thing had, a little before, fcarcely been heard of among feamen. Nay, firft-rate philofophers had doubted the poffibility of doing it with the exactnefs that could be wifhed. It muft, however, be remembered, that a large fhare of praife is due to the Board of Longitude, for the proficiency of the Gentlemen of the Navy in taking obfervations at fea. In confequence of the attention of that 'Board to this important object, liberal rewards have been given to the Mathematicians for perfecting the lunar tables, and facilitating calculations; and artills have been amply encourag ed in the conftruction of inftrualents and watches, much more accurately and compleately adapted to the purpofes of navigation than formerly exifted. It is needlefs to mention what a quantity of additional information has been gained with refpect to the rise and |