put a period to my present labours and pursuits.

The advantages we enjoy in this country are indeed very great.
Here we have no poor; we never see a beggar, nor is there a family
in want. We have no church establishment, and hardly any taxes.
This particular State pays all its officers from a treasure in the
public funds. There are very few crimes committed and we travel
without the least apprehension of danger. The press is perfectly
free, and I hope we shall always keep out of war.

I do not think there ever was any country in a state of such rapid
improvement as this at present; but we have not the same
advantages for literary and philosophical pursuits that you have
in Europe, though even in this respect we are every day getting
better. Many books are now printed here, but what scholars chiefly
want are old books, and these are not to be had. We hope, however,
that the troubles of Europe will be the cause of sending us some
libraries and they say that it is an ill wind that blows no
profit.

I sincerely wish, however, that your troubles were at an end, and
from our last accounts we think there must be a peace, at least
from the impossibility of carrying on the war.

With every good wish to my country and to yourself, I am, dear
sir,

Yours sincerely,

J. PRIESTLEY.

Gradually the news went forth that the Doctor contemplated a second
visit to the metropolis--Philadelphia, the Capital of the young
Republic. He wrote--

Having now one tie, and that a strong one, to this place
(Northumberland) less than I have had I propose to spend more time
in Philadelphia.

As long as he was capable of public speaking it was his desire to carry
forward his missionary work,

but the loss of my fore teeth (having now only two in the upper
jaw) together with my tendency to stammering, which troubles me
sometimes, is much against me.

Accordingly in early January of 1797 he might have been found there. He
alludes in his correspondence to the presence in the city of C. Volney,
a French philosopher and historian, who had been imprisoned but regained
liberty on the overthrow of Robespierre when he became professor of
history in the _Ecole Normal_. Volney was not particularly pleased with
Priestley's discourse