then thought that he would become one of the first Calviniftical teachers of his day. But as the Priestleys were then in a flourishing ftate, and acquired a certain degree of opulence and confideration by trade, they were inclined to bring him up to bufinefs. He, however, was at last sent to the academy at Daventry, under the care of Dr. Ashworth, with an intention of being bred to the diffenting ministry, and his uncle dying, his aunt paid the expences of his education,

But while the zealots for Calvinifm were looking forward with complacency to the time when their apostle was to commence his pious labours, a change took place, from conviction in his religious tenets; for at this period he became acquainted with fome Arian and Baxterian minifters, whofe arguments appeared to be stronger than those with whom he had heretofore been accustomed to associate.

When about twenty years of age, he fettled, for a little time, with a congregation at Needham in Suffolk; but as the opinions of the teacher did not correfpond with those of his flock, and he was too honeft to conceal his fentiments, he was foon deferted. In this fituation, he accepted of an invitation to Namptwich in Cheshire; although those who wished for his moral and spiritual afsistance, were not able to promise him more than 30l. per annum. In order to eke out this fcanty income, he acted as a schoolmaster; and happening to attract the notice of men capable of appreciating his worth, he foon acquired celebrity.

At this time, there exifted a college at Warrington, in which the fons of many respectable diffenters were brought up, and where also a great number of young men were qualified for the miniftry. Thither Mr. Priestley was invited, and taught the belles lettres in that inftitution, then in the zenith of its reputation.

As

As it was now a proper time for him to fettle in life, and the means of maintaining a family prefented itself, he determined to marry; and was accordingly united to Mifs Wilkinson, daughter of Mr. Wilkinson, of Bristol.

But the period had now arrived, however, when a great revolution was to take place in this once celebrated and flourishing feminary. The principal fupporters of the academy, and thofe who had been moft liberal in their fubfcriptions, being cut off in the courfe of nature, and not being fucceeded by men equally warm in their zeal, a speedy diffolution was threatened.

At this time, the Doctor received an invitation to prefide over a flourishing and opulent congregation at Leeds, and was advised by his friends to remove thither.

After fome years refidence there, Lord Shelburne, now Marquis of Lanfdowne, engaged him to fuperintend the education of his eldeft fon, Lord Wycomb, and he continued in that capacity during feven years. At the end of that period, he retired with an annuity of 150l. per annum. had he remained ten years, the fum would have amounted to 250l.; and fourteen year's attendance, would have raifed it to 300l. according to previous agreement.

Soon after this, he had an invitation to Birmingham, where he continued until his place of refidence, and the meeting-house in which he officiated, were both burnt to the ground!

A little fubfequent to this catastrophe, Dr. Priestley fucceeded his old friend, Dr. Price, in the diffenting meeting at Hackney; but his fituation being rendered particularly unpleasant, and even unfafe, on account of the times, he purchased an estate in America, and removed thither in 1794.

X. 2

Since

Since his arrival in America, he has experienced many distinguished acts of favour and civility, but thefe have been counterbalanced by fevere afflictions, for he has buried a wife and a fon.

The publications of Dr. Prießtley are so numerous, that a bare analysis of them would fill a volume of itself. Hiftory, Divinity, Education, Politics, Philofophy, Metaphyfics-all thefe, at different times, have been the fubject of his lucubrations. But it is as an experimental philofopher, that his name and his works will be handed down to pofterity. His chemical labours do honour to the nation that produced and exiled him. It is to him we are indebted for a knowledge of the element in which we exift; and, alas! at the very moment he had extended the empire of fcience, and analyfed the properties of air, he was, in a manner, interdicted that of his native country, and forced to breath the atmosphere of another hemisphere!

MISS HANNAH MORE.

THE controverfy refpecting the intellectual talents of women, as compared with thofe of men, is nearly brought to an iffue, and greatly to the credit of the fair fex. The prefent age has produced a most brilliant constellation of female worthies, who have not only displayed eminent powers in works of fancy, but have greatly diftinguished themselves in the higher branches of literary composition. Our own country has the honour of enrolling among its literary ornaments many females, to whom the interefts of poetry, morality, and the fciences, are greatly indebt

ed.

ed. Among illuftrious living ladies may, with juftice, be mentioned the names of Barbauld, Robinson, Cowley, Smith, Radcliffe, Piozzi, Seward, Lee, Hays, Inchbald, Cappe, Plumptre*, Trimmer, Yearfley, Williams, D'Arblay, Bennet, Linwood, Cofway, Kauffman, and Siddons. The female who is the subject of the present notice is well known to the literary world, by feveral elegant, ingenious and ufeful publications. A few particulars refpecting her, therefore, will not only be amusing to those who have read her works, but will also be instructive to young perfons in the way of example.

Mifs Hannah More is the eldest of three maiden fifters, who were the daughters of a poor but very worthy peafant at Hanham, a village near Bristol.

Hannah, notwithstanding the domeftic drudgery which neceffarily fell to her lot, improved her mind during the few leisure hours fhe could fpare in reading. It may be well fuppofed that her stock of books was but fall. The first which fell in her way was the Pamela of Richardfon, the humble fource of an innumerable offspring: happy it would have been for the interefts of virtue and literature, had the progeny been but as innocent as the parent.

The literary attainments, fobriety, modefty, and induftry of Hannah More, were fpoken of with general respect in her native place, and at length raised her, through the patronage of fome refpectable perfons there, to the useful and comparatively important station of the village schoolmistress. Her genius struggled above all the obstacles of that lowly condition, and fhe acquired fuch a degree of knowledge, as to enable her, with her fifters, to enlarge the school, and to undertake the education of young perfons

The able translator of Kotzebue's "Natural Son."

fons above the fituation of thofe to whofe improvement their attention had hitherto been directed. So great, at length, was their reputation, that feveral ladies of fortune and difcernment prevailed upon them to remove to Bristol, about the year 1765, where they opened a boardingschool in Park-street. This feminary, in a short time, became the most refpectable of its kind in the Weft of England; and many females of rank received their education in it.

Among others, who had the advantage of profiting by the inftruction of Mifs More and her fifters, was the celebrated Mrs. Robinson, well known for her various elegant publications in profe and verfe.

Mifs More had the good fortune of having for a nextdoor neighbour the Reverend Dr. Stonehoufe; who perceiving her merits, diftinguished her by his friendship, which he manifested by his inftructions and his recommendation. Both of thefe were of the most effential fervice to her interests in the line of her profeffion; and also in the cultivation of her literary tafte. The doctor was a man of extenfive acquaintance, general knowledge, and elegant manners. He condefcended to examine the occafional effufions of her pen, and alfo to correct them, and through his hands all her, early efforts paffed to the prefs. The first of thefe was entitled "The Search after Happiness, a Poem," which was printed, at Bristol, under the doctor's eye; and on its publication in London was fo favourably received, as to encourage the author to further exertions of her powers. She next published "Sir Eldred of the Bower, and the Bleeding Rock; a legendary Tale;" which style of writing was become fashionable, through the fuccefs of Dr. Goldfmith's fweet story of Edwin and Angelina.