Torchbearer of Freedom: The Influence of Richard Price on 18th Century Thought

229 Pages·1952·7.872 MB·English

by  Carl B. Cone

Torchbearer of
Freedom \
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The Influence of
RICHARD PRICE
on
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
THOUGHT
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By
CARL B. CONE
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OF KENTUCKY PRESS
LEXINGTON
__ 3028721
COPYRIGHT, 1952, BY THE
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PRESS
PRINTED AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY BY
THE KERNEL PRESS AND BOUND BY
THE KINGSPORT PRESS, INC.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:
52-5902
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To Mary Louise
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PREFACE
It is surprising how little mention is made of Richard Price
in the histories of the last half of the eighteenth century when
he was, in fact, one of the better known men of the era. The
two previous biographies of Price, by his nephew William
Morgan, and by Dr. Roland Thomas, are too brief to do jus­
tice to their subject. Neither portrays Price fully enough. My
chapters on the American Revolution and the Constitution of
the United States, for example, expand events upon which
these earlier biographers scarcely touch. The burden of the
chapter on the Constitution appeared in the American Histori­
cal Review (July, 1948), whose editor has kindly consented
to the use of that article. I have discussed Price’s writings
fully because they are not widely read or readily available
today and because so much of Price’s career was literary.
Among the persons who assisted me in gathering material
for this book are Mr. Colton Storm of the William L. Clements
Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Dr. J. H. Powell; Miss H. J.
Williams of the County Library, Bridgend, Glamorganshire,
Wales; Mr. D. C. Martin, Assistant Secretary of the Royal
Society, London; Mr. Robert F. Metzdorf; and Miss Norma
Cass, reference librarian at the University of Kentucky. Mrs.
Donald Burt typed the manuscript. The research committee
of the University of Kentucky gave me some financial assist­
ance. Dr. J. Merton England, my office mate, offered useful
advice, though he doubtless grew tired of hearing about Price.
Carl B. Cone
Lexington, Kentucky
February 17, 1951
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE vii
I THE GOOD DR. PRICE 1
II THE DISSENTING INFLUENCE 6
HI CLERGYMAN AND MORALIST 14
IV PRICE IN THE PULPIT 28
V MATHEMATICS AND LIFE INSURANCE 37
VI FRIENDSHIPS 52
VII THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 69
VIII ANSWERING CRITICS AT HOME 91
IX THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES 103
X GLOOM YIELDS TO HOPE 125
XI THE SINKING FUND 142
XII' AFFAIRS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 152
XIII THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 177
XIV THE LAST YEAR 196
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 201
INDEX 203

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
RICHARD PRICE Frontispiece
Facing page
LORD SHELBURNE 62
“MOST FAMOUS BRITISH TRACT ON THE
AMERICAN WAR” 76
JOSEPH PRIESTLEY 96
PLAQUE ON THE BRIDGEND
PUBLIC LIBRARY 186
'SMELLING OUT A RAT” 192
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