Essay on the First Principles
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
Summary
The Preface
This publication owes its rise to the Remarks I wrote on Dr Brown's proposal for a code of education. Several persons who were pleased to think favourably of that performance, (in which I was led to mention the subject of civil and religious liberty) were desirous that I should treat of it more at large, and without any immediate view to the Doctor's work. It appeared to them, that some of the views I had given of this important, but difficult subject, were new, and showed it, in a clearer light than any in which they had seen it represented before; and they thought I had placed the foundation of some of the most valuable interests of mankind on a broader and firmer basis, than Mr Locke, and others who had formerly written upon this subject. I have endeavoured to answer the wishes of my friends, in the best manner I am able; and, at the same time, I have retained the substance of the former treatise, having distributed the several parts of it into the body of this.
In this second edition, I have also introduced what I had written on Church-authority, in answer to Dr Balguy's sermon on that subject, preached at Lambeth chapel, and published by order of the Archbishop.
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- Information
- Priestley: Political Writings , pp. 1 - 128Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1993