Joseph Priestley

An Essay on the First Principles of Government (Dodo Press) Joseph Priestley

Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) was an 18th-century British theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works. During his lifetime, Priestley's considerable scientific reputation rested on his invention of soda water, his writings on electricity, and his discovery of several gases. Priestley's science was integral to his theology, and he consistently tried to fuse Enlightenment rationalism with Christian theism. The controversial nature of Priestley's publications combined with his outspoken support of the French Revolution aroused public and governmental suspicion. He was eventually forced to flee to the United States in 1791. A scholar and teacher throughout his life, Priestley also made significant contributions to pedagogy, including the publication of a seminal work on English grammar and the invention of modern historiography. These educational writings were some of Priestley's most popular works. It was his metaphysical works, however, that had the most lasting influence. His works include: An Essay on the First Principles of Government (1768), Letters to the Right Honourable Edmund Burke (1791) and Unitarianism Explained and Defended (1796).