Memoirs of Dr Joseph Priestley, Written by Himself, to the Year 1795 ...

MEMOIRS OF PRIESTLEY.had been, and, after an imperfect education, took up theprofession of a minister among the Independents, in which henow continues.%(24.) While I was at the grammar school, I learned '' Mr.Annet's Shorthand," and, thinking I could suggest someimprovements in it, I wrote to the author, and this was thebeginning of a correspondence which lasted several years.He was, as I ever perceived, an unbeliever in Christianity,and a Necessarian. On this subject several letters,.writtenwith care on both sides, passed between us, and these Nr.Annet often pressed me to give him leave to publish, but Iconstantly refused. I had undertaken the defence of philosophicalliberty, and the correspondence was closed withoutmy being convinced of the fallacy of my arguments, thoughupon studying the subject regularly, in the course of myacademical education afterwards, I became a confirmedNecessarian, and I have through life derived, as I imagine,the greatest advantage from my full persuasion of the truthof that doctrine.(25.) My aunt and all my relations being strict Calvinists, itwas their intention to send me to the academy at NiZe End,then under the care of Dr. Cawder. But, being at that timean Arminian, I resolutely opposed it, especially upon findingthat if I went thither, besides giving an experieisnce, I mustsubscribe my assent to ten printed articles of the strictestCalvinistic faith, and repeat it every six months. My opposition,however, would probably have been to no purpose, andI must have adopted some other mode of life if Mr. Eirkby(above-mentioned) had not interposed, and strongly recommendedthe academy of Dr. Doddridge, on the idea that I" Rev. Timothy Priestley.. .'S. \AT DAVENTRY, 1752-1755.IF should have a better chance of being made a scholar. He hadreceived a good education himself, was -a good classicalscholar, and had no opinion of the mdde of education amongthe very orthodox Dissenters ; and, being fond of me, he wasdesirous of my having every advantage that could be procuredfor me. My good aunt, not being a bigoted Calvinist,entered into his views, and, Dr. Doddridge being dead, I wassent to Daventry, and was the first pupil that entered there.My step-mother also, who was a woman of good sense, aswell as of religion, had a high opinion of Dr. Doddridge,having been some time housekeeper in his family. She hadalways recommended-his academy, but died before I wentthither.(26.) Three years-viz., from September, 1752, to 1755-[ spent at Daventry, with that peculiar satisfaction with.which young persons of generous minds usually go through acourse of liberal study, in the society of others engaged in thesame pursuits, and free from the cares and anxieties whichseldom fail to lay hold on them when they come out into theworld.(2'7.) In my time the academy was in a state peculiarlyfavourable to the serious pursuit of truth, as the studentswere about equally divided upon every question of muchimportance, such as Liberty and Necessity, the sleep of thesoul, and all the articles of theological orthodoxy and heresy ;in consequence of which all these topics were the subject ofcontinual discussion. Our tutors also were of differentopinions, Dr. Ashworth taking the orthodox side of everyquestion, and Mr. Clark," the sub-tutor, that of heresy,though always with the greatest modesty.S, .b- bL" Rev. Samuel Clark, aftervards minister at Birmingham.