Gazette Of The United States

Dr. Priestley, in his preface to his Sermons lately preached in Philadelphia, has the following remarks.

"The second part of Mr. Paine's Age of Reason being published in this city, during the delivery of these discourses, I thought proper to animadvert upon such parts of it as appeared to me most deserving of notice. I had once thought of replying to this part of the work more at large, as I did to the first part; but I afterwards thought that assertions so extravagant and ill founded, as Mr. Paine's generally are, may be safely left to have their full effect, as it can only be upon the minds of persons so extremely ignorant and prejudiced, that no refutation would be attended to by them, so it would only be throwing pearls before swine."

Having considered the favourable character of the Scriptures, as given by Sir William Jones, one of the greatest scholars of the age, a character which has been already published in this Gazette, Dr. Priestley concludes, "When I compare the decided opinion of such a man as Sir William Jones, in which all men of learning will concur, with the confident assertions of Mr. Paine, who says the books of scripture are but modern compositions, I think of a man, either really blind, or wilfully shutting his eyes, and declaring that there is nothing to be seen."

Dr. Priestley had dedicated the above volume to the Vice-President of the United States.