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    also introduced to an acquaintance with the writings of Dr . Hartley , which exerted a powerful and lastinginfluence over ' his whole train of thinking . On quitting the academy , he accepted an invitation to officiate as minister to a small congregation at Needham-market iu Sutiblk . Not

    having the talents of a popular preacher , and becoming suspected of heretical opinions , he passed his time at this place in discountenance and obscurity ; but he was assiduously employed in theological and scriptural studies , of which the result was a farther departure from the received systems , and particularly a total

    reander , of Birmingham / ' about three years younger than himself , who died suddenly in 1765 , before he had completed his 30 th year . He is mentioned in the Jffemoir with great regard . Of Mr . Alexander there is an interesting' account , by Dr , Kippis , in a note to the life of his uncle , Dr . Benson

    ( B . Biog . ii . 206 ) . He is also known by a posthumous publication , entitled , " A Paraphrase upon the 15 th Chapter of the 1 st Epistle to the Corinthians ; with Critical Notes , &c . &c . ta which is added a Sermon on Eccles . ix . 10 , composed by the author the day preceding' his death . By John Alexander . " 4 to . 1766 .

    9 Priestley ( Mem . p . 15 ) ascribes his first acquaintance with Hartley's Obserrations on Man , " to a reference made by the lecturer to that work , " which , " he adds , " immediately engaged my closest attention , and produced the greatest and , in my opinion , the most favourable effect

    on my general turn of thinking through life .--Indeed I do not know whether the consideration of Dr . Hartley's Theory contributes more to enlighten the mind , or improve the heart ; it effects both in so super-eminent a degree . " The name of Hartley is in Priestley ' s Chart of Biography , first published in 1765 , and there can he no doubt that he is designed in the following passage of the Description :

    "I recollect only one instance ( in the class of divines , moralists and metaphysicians ) in which I have departed from my general rule of giving place to present fame in favour of extraordinary merit , and what I presume will be great future reputation . If I be mistaken in my presumption I hope

    I shall be indulged a little partiality for one favourite name . " Description , 1785 , p . 17 . The subjects , on which reference is made to Hartley in the Lectures of Boddridge , ere ihe intermediate state , the final resto , ration , hnd the renovation of the earth . See **** . 4 to . 1763 . pp . 501 > « , 574 , 5 . 581 .

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    " jection of the doctrine of atonement . After a residence of three years at Needham , he undertook the charge of a congregation at Namptwich , in Cheshire , to which he joined a school . In the business of education he was indefatigable ; and he added to the

    common objects of instruction , experiments in natural philosophy , which were the means of fostering in himself a taste for pursuits of that kind . His first publication was an English Grammar on a new plan , for the use of his scholars , printed in 1791 . His reputation as a man of various

    knowledge and active inquiry now began to extend itself , and in 1761 he was invited by the trustees of the dissenting academy at Warrington to occupy the post of tutor in the languages . * Not long after his acceptance of this

    office , he married the daughter of Mr . Wilkinson , an iron-master , near Wrexham , a lady of an excellent understanding , and great strength of mind , who proved his faithful partner in all the vicissitudes of life .

    At Warrington Dr . Priestley began to distinguish himself as a writer in various branches vof science and literature . Several of these had a relation to his department in the academy , which , besides philology , included

    » ° In M . Repos . Vol . ii . p . 638 , &c . see an interesting- communication respecting" Dr . Priestley ' s explicit conduct at thin period , occasioned by some misrepresentations in a sermon preached by bis brother on the occasion of his death .

    11 Here he assiduously pursued his theological inquiries and adopted some of those opinions respecting * the apostle Paul ' s reasonings , which he afterwards published , to the alarm of not a few serious Christians , who had hastily supposed that divine truth could be impaired by any logical inaccuracy of those who were appointed to

    declare it . Dr . Priestley ( Mem . p . 34 ) relates how at this time he had committed to the press a book which contained his free thoughts on this subject . The Work when partly printed he suppressed , at the instance of his friend , Dr . Kippis , till he

    u should be more known , and his character better established . " The writer of these notes had the same account many years ag-o , from Dr . Kippis , who mentioned the readiness with which Priestley attended tq his suggestion and that of Dr . Furneaux , from which they justly argued his future

    eminence . 12 See M . Repos . Vol . viii . pp .. 1 ZC>—231 .

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    Memoir of the Rev . Joseph Priestley , LL . P . F . R . S . fyc .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1815, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1756/page/3/