and friendship of some of the best and wisest of men in the age in which he lived, and the satisfaction he derived from having led an useful as well as happy life. He this day gave directions about printing the remainder of his Notes on Scripture (a work in the completion of which he was much interested), and looked over the first sheet of the third volume, after it was corrected by those who were to attend to its completion, and expressed his satisfaction at the manner of its being executed. On Sunday, the 5th, he was much weaker, but sat up in an arm chair for a few minutes. He desired that John xi. might be read to him. He stopped the reader at the 45th verse, dwelt for some time on the advantage he had derived from reading the scriptures daily, and recommended this practice, saying, that it would prove a source of the purest pleasure. "We shall all," said he, "meet finally: we only require different degrees of discipline, suited to our different tempers, to prepare us for final happiness." Mr. coming into his room, he said, "You see, Sir, I am still living." Mr. observed that he would always live. "Yes, I believe I shall; we shall meet again in another and better world." He said this with great animation, laying hold of Mr.'s hand in both his own. After evening prayers, when his grand-children were brought to his bed-side, he spoke to them separately, and exhorted them to continue to love each other, &c. "I am going," added he, "to sleep as well as you; for death is only a good long sound sleep in the grave; and we shall meet again.". 66 On Monday morning, the 6th of February, on being asked how he did, he answered, in a faint voice, that he had no pain; but appeared fainting away gradually. About eight o'clock he desired to have three pamphlets, which had been looked out by his directions the evening before. He then dictated, as clearly and distinctly as he had ever done in his life, the additions and alterations which he wished to have made in each. Mr. took down the substance of what he said, which was read to him. He observed, "Sir, you have put it in your own language; I wish it to be in mine." He then repeated over again, nearly word for word, what he had be-: fore said; and when it was transcribed, and read over to him, he said, "That is right; I have now done." About half an hour after he desired that he might be re'moved to a cot. About ten minutes after he was removed to it he died; but breathed his last so easily, that those who were sitting close to him did not immediately perceive it. He had put his hand to his face, which prevented them from observing it. He was born March 24, 1733. Perhaps no man was ever mpre conscious of the approach of death than Dr. Priestley, or made more exact arrangements for that solemn event. In one of his letters to Dr. Mitchill, dated January 9, 1802, he expressed himself thus:-" I am at present very much behind-hand in philosophical intelligence, by which I suffer much. In winter also I am not fond of going much into my laboratory, so that I do very little in the way of experiments at present, though in other respects I am not quite idle. I feel, however, the effect of years, and am by no means so active as I have been. Neither have I recovered from the effects of the fever that I had in Philadelphia. I am much weaker and thinner, and this, I fancy, has in some measure been the cause of the ague I have had lately, and which I never had before." His attachment to the administration under Mr. Jefferson was strong and ardent. In another letter to Dr. Mitchill, of January 8, 1803, he has this paragraph:-" I think myself much honoured by the respectful mention of me by your friends in Congress, and could wish to pay them a visit; but at my time of life, the inconvenience of a journey at this season of the year would be too great for me. As to the chaplainship to Congress, I should not think of it. They have my best wishes, and prayers too, without any salary. I rejoice greatly in the present aspect of public affairs, and hope it will be long continued. Our excellent President will, I doubt not, put war and every other evil as far as he can from us." On the 25th January, a few days before his death, he wrote the following to Dr. Logan:-"By means of various illnesses I am reduced to a state of extreme debility; and if the swelling that began at my feet, which has now reached my knees, should continue to advance as it has done, my continuance here cannot be long. But I have lived a little beyond the usual term of human life, and am content and thankful. Few persons, I believe, have enjoyed life more than I have done." "Tell Mr. Jefferson that I think myself happy to have lived so long under his excellent administration, and that I have a prospect of dying in it. It is, I am confident, the best on the face of the earth, and yet, I hope, to rise to something more excellent still.” To those who are desirous of tracing the scientific progress of Dr. Priestley, since his arrival in America, it may be matter of pleasing information to learn, that a very large part of his publications on these subjects are contained either in their original forms, or in review, in the first Hexade of the Medicai Repository. J |