Written by Dr. Joseph Priestley to Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchill, Member of Congress, dated Jan. 5, 1802

Priestly, Joseph

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210 Breaking Ground for the New Laboratory devoted to  a science of which he was one of the founders and fathers. And so I commit to your care the letter, which, as I said, is precious to me, a very precious document; and I pray that the spirit of Dr. Priestley that shed so much light on the people up there in Pennsylvania, may also continue to enlighten people down here in this wide open country. You know the persecutions he underwent in his own coun- try, and later in this country, but he loved America, he believed in its future, and the future of our people. H e  said, among other things, that the American people would act wisely-that was in 1797- that if they followed the teachings of their constitution they would be happy and, eventually obtain what they deserved. EDGAR FAHS SMITH. NoTE.--bt the conclusion of these remarks, which were made immediately after the ninth commencement convocation of the Rice Institute on Monday morning, June 4, 1923, Dr.  Smith lifted the first spadeful of earth for the foundation of the new laboratory for chemistry, and from his hands the spade passed in turn to Mr, William M. Rice, Jr., Vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees; Professor Harry B. Weiser, Director of the Laboratory; Joseph L. Gillman, Jr., Bachelor of Science, first president of the Rice Chemi- cal Society; and to Professor William W. Watkin, associated in the preparation of the plans for the building with Messrs. Cram and Ferguson, Supervising Architects of the Rice Institute. T h e  benediction was pronounced by Dr. Edward S. Ames. TEXT OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY DR. JOSEPH PRIESTLEY TO DR. SAMUEL LATHAM MITCHILL, MEMBER OF CONGRESS Dear Sir I think myself much obliged t o  you and Dr. Mil ler  for so early an admission of my Paper on Gatwanism into the Medical Repository. I have sent another article. in answer Breaking Ground for the New Laboratory 211 t o  Mr. Cruikshank in Nicholson’s Journal t o  Dr. Wood- house, to be forwarded t o  the Repository, which I hope you will insert when it is convenient. I am very glad to hear of the extenstwe circulation o f  that valuable work, which does so much credit t o  the conductors, and the coun- try. I shall always think myself honoured by the publica- tion of any article o f  mine in it. I wish much t o  see this new NO, especially on account o f  the article of  your own on the colour of black, and the other contents that you mention. Dr .  Woodhouse is so good as to forward the NOa to me the first opportunity after their arrival in Philadelphia, and therefore I hope I shall not be long without it. My bookseller in London hwing disappointed me I am at present much behindhand in philosophical intelligence, by which I suffer much. In wJnter also I am not fond of going much into my laboratory, so that I do very little in the way of experiments, at present, tho in other respects I am not quite idle. I feel, however, the effect o f  years, and am by no meant so actiwe as I kawe been. Neither h w e  I recovered from the effects of the fewer that I had in Philadelphia. I am much thinner and weaker, aod this I fancy has been in some measure the cause o f  the ague which I h w e  had lately, and which I never had before. Y o u  will oblige me if you will call on Mr. Smith the printer, and desire him t o  send me not the National, but the Uniwersal Intelligences. As I do not want the adwer- tisements, and the Universal contains every thing of value besides. A h  I wish he would let me know how I am t o  pay him. I t  must be t o  some person in Philadelphia, as we have no direct communication with Washington. I should be glad to know how y o u  are accommodated this winter, and what is the price o f  boarding and lodging, Mc. T h e  last winter I heard the members of Congress complained much. I n  what state is the building of  the city, and the pawing, Mc. W h a t  matters of importance have you  in discussion? As I know your time must be fully occupied, I ought not t o  give you this trouble, but if y o u  h m e  leisure to notice these queries, you will oblige me very much. --I am, Dear Sir, Yours sincerely J .  Priestley Northumberland Jan. 5 ,  1802. 

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