city of the rioters, that small parties of three or five actually levied contributions of meat, drink and money.

On Sunday the rioters proceeded to Kingswood, seven miles distant from the town, and destroyed the meeting-house, and the dwelling of the Dissenting minister, together with the premises of Mr. Cox.

The arrival of three troops of the 15th Light Dragoons on Sunday night, soon after ten, was announced by the sound of their trumpets, and the acclamations of the inhabitants. Anxiety which had been strongly depicted in every face during the day, was succeeded by the smiles of joy, and the congratulations of neighbours. The town was illuminated; the rioters, conscious of their delinquency, soon dispersed, and order was happily restored without bloodshed. The loss of the different individuals by this riot was estimated at £60,000. and an act of parliament was obtained in 1793, to reimburse them.

In the month of August, at the assizes at Warwick, several of the rioters stood their trial, and Mr. Coke, counsel for the prosecution, in

his address to the jury, justly observed-" that there never was an occasion where government had acted more honourably; for they had undertaken, to the relief of the individual sufferers, the expence of those prosecutions. If a man was to be persecuted, because he held this or that religion, or this or that political opinion, he ought to leave this country: it did not deserve the name of his country. Dr.. Priestley both in his private and public character was an honour to society, and held forth as bright an example of every virtue as any man in the country. But if a man's property was to be destroyed, and his life put in iminent danger, because he held certain political opinions, or because he preached certain doctrines, he ought to sell his country and leave it directly. The Dissenters were as respectable and quiet subjects as any in the country, and unless the jury convicted, and convicted with great attention, those who had been clearly guilty, persecution would make the Dissenters increase. It was manifest that they had been lately persecuted in the most infamous manner.

"Gentlemen" he continued, "I have told you, and you know the fact to be so, that Dr. Priestley's house was pulled down, merely be

cause he was a Dissenter. You know that this is no reason at all. Dr. Priestley's life is ir reproachable; and I believe that he would not have escaped with his life, if he had remained half an hour longer."

Of three men, who were tried for begin ning to demolish the house of Joseph Priestley, LL. D. two were found guilty, one of whom was afterwards pardoned, and the other executed. Thus two unfortunate men perished in consequence of the destruction of the Doctor's house, one being accidentally killed on the spot, and the other put to death. Unhappy deluded mortals, they were the victims of their own enthusiasm, while their instigators conti nued secure behind the curtain.

Soon after Dr. Priestley found an assylum in London, he was appointed successor to his friend Dr. Price, as pastor in the Dissenting Meeting at Hackney; but even here the demon of persecution pursued him; his political opinions had given great offence to men in power, who doubtless dreaded the farther animadversions of his keen sarcastic genius. He therefore received a polite intimation, that his removal to another country was requisite, and

consequently bade a final adieu to his native land, and embarked for America in 1794.

We cannot contemplate the departure of this philosopher to the western hemisphere without emotion. The future historian will record the fact with indignation, and posterity will hardly believe it. But Priestley, whose discoveries diffuse a brilliancy over his age and nation, only shared the fate of the great and good of the most celebrated nationsAristides, Socrates, and Cicero were also proscribed or banished.

It is to be regretted that we are in posses sion of so few documents respecting the pursuits of this philosopher, in the country where he found a pleasing retreat. His reception on the shore of Columbia, was certainly not equal to the expectations of his friends in this country. Yet he was treated with respect, and offered the place of chemical professor at Philadelphia, but he declined that honour..

He settled at Northumberland Town, on the banks of the Susquehannah, about 120 miles from Philadelphia, and purchased an estate of considerable extent, it is said not less than

E

200,000 acres.

In a letter from Mr. Thompson to his friend Mr. Derry of Birmingham, the rural pursuits of the Doctor are thus described:

"Dr. Priestley's reply to Tom Paine, will reach you before it can be printed in England, and therefore will be a treat to his friends. The good man is happy in his retirement in this land of freedom, nor can the earnest entreaties of his friends, nor the most splendid offer from the university of this State, draw him again into the busy world. He is busied in the most rural scenes, and now superintending the building of his house on the banks of the Susquehannah,

"I have been thus particular respecting Dr. Priestley, because I know the esteem in which you hold him. Calumnies, I doubt not continue to be raised against him in Birmingham; they followed him here, in a most scandalous pamphlet published upon his arrival; and said to be written by an Englishman purposely sent by *********, who destroyed his hive of literary treasure in Birmingham. The motive for the publication was seen through, and treated with the contempt it deserved, by