PRICE, RICHARD, was h. at Tynton, in Wales, Feb. 22, 1723. His father, Bice Price, was it dissenting minister, possessed of some wealth, and remarkable for his intolerance. A leading characteristic of his son's mind, on the other hand, was the calm resolution with which, from his youth, lie declared his own opinions, and advocated freedom of thought for others. He declined to bend his convictions to paternal authority; accord ingly, on his father's death, Richard was so poorly provided for, that, having resolved to prosecute his studies in London, lie was obliged to make the journey chiefly on foot. He obtained admission to a ctissenting academy, where he acquired it good knowledge of mathematics, philosophy, and theology. At the end of four years be engaged him self as chaplain to a Mr. Streatfield, with whom lie lived for 13 years. Mr. Streatfield, on his death, left Price some property; and his circumstances having been further improved by the death of an uncle in 1757, lie was enabled to carry out a matrimonial engagement which he had formed with a Miss Blundell.
He then settled as a preacher at Hackney; but being shortly afterward chosen minis ter at Newington Green, he removed to that place, where he lived till the death of his wife iu 1786, when he returned to Hackney. Meanwhile, his life had been one of con• siderable literary and scientific activity. His Review of the Principal Questions and Difficulties in _Morals (Lond.; 1758), though a somewhat heavy work, established his reputation as a metaphysician and a moralist. In 1760 the degree of doctor of divinity was conferred on him by the university of Glasgow. In the same year he published his
Treatise on Reversionary Payments; this was followed by the compilation and publica tion of the celebrated Northampton Mortality Tables, and various other works relating to life-assurance and annuities. forming most valuable contributions to the branch of science to which they refer. In 1776 appeared his on Civil Liberty and the Justice and Policy of the War with America. Of this work 60.000 copies are said to have been sold in a few months. So greatly was it admired in the United States, that, in 1778, the American congress, through Franklin, communicated to him their desire to consider him a fellow-citizen, and to receive his assistance in regulating their finances; an offer declined principally on the ground of age. He died April 19, 1791. Price was a believer in the immateriality' of the soul, holding that it remained in a dormant state between death and resurrection. Their difference of opinion on this snbject led to a controversy of some celebrity between loin and Ids friend Dr. Priestley. His views respecting the Son of God were what is called low or semi-Arian. His moral character appears to have been a sin gula.rly beautiful one. " Simplicity of manners," says Dr. Priestley, "with such genuine marks of perfect integrity and benevolence, diffused around him a charm which the forms of politeness can but poorly imitate." See Hentoirs of the Life of Richard Price, D. I)., by William Morgan, F. R. S. , Lond., 1815.