Volume 2

The history of chemistry / By Thomas Thomson.

  • Thomas Thomson
Date:
1830-31
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of chemistry / By Thomas Thomson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    years, it cannot fail to strike us with astonishment ; and it must be owned, I think, that it reflects an indelible stain upon that period of the history of Great Britain. To suppose that he was in the least degree formidable to so powerful a body as the church of England, backed as it was by the aristocracy, by the ministry, and by the opinions of the people, is perfectly ridiculous. His theo- logical sentiments, indeed, were very different from those of the established church; but so were those of Milton, Locke, and Newton. Nay, some of the members of the church itself entertained opinions, not indeed so decided or so openly expressed as those of Dr. Priestley, but certainly having the same tendency. To be satisfied of this it is only neces- sary to recollect the book which Dr. Clarke pub- lished on the Trinity. Nay, some of the bishops, unless they are very much belied, entertained opinions similar to those of Dr. Clarke. The same observation applies to Dr. Lardner, Dr. Price, and many others of the dissenters. Yet, the church of England never attempted to persecute these re- Spectable and meritorious men, nor did they con- sider their opinions as at all likely to endanger the stability of the church. Besides, Dr. Horsley had taken up the pen against Dr. Priestley’s theological opinions, and had refuted them so completely in the Opinion of the members of the church, that it was thought right to reward his meritorious services by a bishopric. It could hardly, therefore, be the dread of Dr. Priestley’s theological opinions that induced the clergy of the church of England to bestir them- selves against him with such alacrity. Erroneous opinions advanced and refuted, so far from being injurious, have a powerful tendency to support and strengthen the cause which they were meant to
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