Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-08-05
A CEN TENNIAL.

1t did not occur to the minds of the
majority of our readers perhaps when
going to the window to take in a
breath of the invigorating morning
air, that Friday was the centennial Of
discovery OF as great impor. to
science, a. the Declaration OF our Ma
tional Independence is supposed to b"
to the cause of human liberty. Yet, a
century ago from Friday morning,
that vital, invigorating principle of the
air which they went to seek,
was as great a mystery as
the essence of life itself. At that time
phlogiston was held to be the princi-
pal agent in the production of chem
ical changes, and the then Science of
Chemistry was built upon it as basis.
Bodies were 1hLogisticated or dephlO-
0isticdted according as they were pos
sessed or deprived OF this supposed
principle, and all speculations regard
ing the phenomenon of nature COM
pretended it as one of the necessary
constituents. The discovery of the
element oxygen, by Priestley, how
ever, on the first OF August, IVA
produced such O revolution that phlo.
giston has long been consigned to a
position alongside of the theories of
the old alchemists, and thence forth
Chemistry started on a new footing
and expanded into almost new
Science.
1t is not pertinent to this occasion to
enter into the details of how this was
wrought out, or to trace the almost
illimitable connection which it has
with the development of sister scien-
ces, and its influence on politics and
society. The personal history of the
man, however, is not without interest,
and for that matter, not without its
lesson, too.
| Joseph Priestley was born in Leeds
in England, in 1873. He was of hum
bic descent, his father being a poor me.
chanic, and his mother the daughter
of a farmer. For a boy in his position
he obtained good education and in
time became a dissenting minister, on
salary of $3.50 year. From the be
! ginning he always held advanced
views on all subjects. In religion
this was deemed heterodox, and as q
consequences he became immensely un
POPULAR so much so, that he was
obliged to leave the place where he
first located He soon became inter.
ested in scientific pursuits, and by
teaching, sometimes twelve hours g
day in addition to his preaching, he
was able to obtain some philosophical
instruments with which to carry or
his experiments.
Through the suggestion Of DIR.
Franklin whom he met in London
he began TO investigate the subject o
electricity, and in the course of yea
brought out book, which was 80 wei
received as to secure for him the it'll
of Doctor Of Laws from the University
Of scarborough, and also a media
} from the Royal Society.
He wrote, after this, many books, I
large portion of them of a theological
character, not one of which is perhaps
} read to-day. He was fond, 1t is said
OF disputes, but this charge can
, hardly be brought against him with
fairness, for in every case we find tina
he acted only on the defensive; bu
his opinions were so far ahead of tn,
: times in which he lived, that every
one he uttered found hundreds of op
posers, and generally men in high
r places. When once attacked he we
not slow to defend himself, and he al