The English polymath Joseph Priestley (1733 1804) defined grammar as nothing more complicated than a system of rules for the correct use of language. This enlarged second edition of his influential 1761 textbook first appeared in 1769; it had by then established him as one of the major grammarians of his age. With little patience for the confusing and superfluous application of Latin rules to English, Priestley champions a simple style of grammatical explanation here, questioning even such fundamental concepts as an English future tense. The text follows a clear question-and-answer structure...

"Experiments and Observations on Air" from Joseph Priestley. Natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist (1733-1804).

"Heads of Lectures of Experimental Philosophy Particularly" from Joseph Priestley. Natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist (1733-1804).