Joseph Priestley, 1733-1804 / by Robert Martin Caven.

  • Caven, R. M. (Robert Martin), 1870-1934.
Date:
1933
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Joseph Priestley, 1733-1804 / by Robert Martin Caven. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    he was nine he was adopted by his Aunt Sarah, Mrs. Keighley, “a truly pious woman who knew no other use of wealth, or of talents of any kind, than to do good, and who never spared herself for this purpose/’ Mr. Keighley was a churchman, but Mrs. Keighley, though a Calvinist, entertained dissenting ministers to a dish of tea, and made honest heretics welcome. No doubt young Priestley learnt much from those heretical divines. He was sent to several private schools, also to Batley Grammar School; and at the age of twelve or thirteen he began to make progress with Latin and Greek, whilst learning Hebrew from John Kirkby, a Congregational minister. His aunt, whom he describes as in all respects as perfect a human character as I have yet been acquainted with,” designed him for the ministry; but, being delicate, he was removed from school and spent two years at home. During his schooldays, at the age of eleven, he performed his first scientific research by confining spiders in bottles and seeing how long they could live without fresh air. That he was not idle while absent from school, however, is shown by the fact that he acquired a knowledge of geometry, algebra, and other branches of mathematics, and taught himself French, German, and Italian, with a view to entering trade. He also read books on Natural Philosophy and Logic, as well as Locke’s Essay on the Human Understanding, and studied Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. These intellectual exercises led him to doubt the narrow Calvinism in which he had been brought up, and particularly he was troubled because he could not feel a proper repentance for the sin of Adam. Notwithstanding his growing heterodoxy, and the fact that he was refused admission as a communicant at his aunt’s church, he was still encouraged by that worthy woman to prepare for the ministry; and as his health had improved he was sent at the age of nineteen to Daven- try Academy, where he remained three years. The Principal spoke of the new student as one who seemed to be a good, sensible young fellow, though he has unfortunately got a bad name—Priestley; those who gave him it I hope were no prophets.” Certainly they were not; he hated priestcraft. Here he was very happy, and he ever cherished the memory of his alma mater. Free discussion on many questions was encouraged, and in 1754, at the age of 21, Priestley announced that he was a deter- minist. In spite of, or perhaps because of, his heterodoxy— and he was heterodox in many things—he was very earnest and