"ii the philosophical aberration of the age, and how ear-
ii< -tly be desired to place moral and metaphysical truth
upon a deeper and truer foundation. "Almost, the only writer," says Morell, " of this (the rationalistic) school whose works are likely to form a pari of our standard philosophy is Dr. Richard Price." In this high estimate of the merits "l Price's philosophical writings. Mr. .Mo- rell is not nil. ue. "Price investigated with acuteness and ability many important questions relative in doot- als. and controverted the doctrine of a moral sense as irreconcilable with the unalterable character of moral
ideas, w hidi. a- well as ti ■ of substance and cause, he
maintained to be eternal and original principle- ol the intellect itself, independent of the dii ine will" I l en nemann). "If, in England, you onlj look at Lon-
don in the 18th century, you will doubtless there see little else than sensualism. But even at London yon would find, by the side of Priestley. Price, that ardent friend of liberty— that ingenious and profound econo- mist, who renewed and brilliantly sustained the Pla- tonic idealism of Cudworth. 1 know that Price is an i.-olated phenomenon at London, but the whole Scotch school is more or less spiritualistic" (Cousin). But Mackintosh (utsup.) by no means Bhares in this enthusiasm; nor can it be expected that the admirers of Locke should discover much merit in his opponent. Sir James's estimate of the characteristics of Price will be found in the Edinburgh Review, June, 1815, p. 171, 172. See al-o Th* Land, Man. Rev. Ixxxiii. 77: and Boston Christ, ftisri],!,. ii, 1S4. Dr. Price's moral char- acter appears to have been a singularly beautiful one. "Simplicity of manners," says Dr. Priestley, "with such genuine marks of perfect integrity and benevolence, dif- fused around him a charm which the forms of polite- ness can but poorly imitate." See Morgan, Memoirs of the Life of Richard /'rice, D.D. (Lond. 1815); Hook. Eccles. Biog.viu, L62; Stephen. Hist, of Engl. Thought (1877, 2 vols. 8vo), voL i .and ii. especially ii, 3 sq.; Leckey, Hist, of th 18th Century (1878, 2 vols. 8vo), vol. ii. See also Tennemann. Hist. <f PhUos. (John- son's transl. ls.i-J) p. :;s| : <',,usin. llisl. of Mod. PhUos. (Wright's transl. 1854) ii. 132; Morell."//;,/. of Mod. Phihs. (2d ed. 1848) i. 215; Blakey, Hist. ofthePhilos. of Mind (1850) iii, 313-15; Blackwood's Magazine, xxx ix. 803.
Price, Thomas, one of the most distinguished
Welsh scholars of his age. was bom Oct 2, 1787, at Pencaerelin, in the parish of Llanafan Fawr, near Builth, in Brecknockshire. His father, the Rev. Rice Price, originally a stonemason, at the age of seventi i a formed an attachment to Mary Bower, the descendant of a long line of clergymen: acquired, by incessant diligence and frugality, the means of attending the college-school at Precknock: and linally obtained ordi- nation from the bishop of St. Davids, and. in 1784, the hand he sought, alter a courtship of twenty years. He was so fortunate as afterwards to be presented to three livings; but his income, like that of some other Welsh pluralists, was never believed to exceed fifty pounds a year, lie had two sous, both of whom were brought up to the Church, the elder taking hi- degree at Oxford,
while the second. Thomas, was obliged i-> finish Ids studies at the college of Precknock. Welsh was the language the two boys heard constantly in the family; English they acquired at their second school; the ele- ments "t Latin and Greek were learned subsequently; ami. from some French officers who were prisoners of war at Brecknock, Thomas acquired tut excellent knowl- edge "i French. In 1812 he received holy orders, ami in 1825, after performing for thirteen years the duties of various curacies near Crickhowel, he was appointed to the \ icarage of Cwmdu. This was his last prefer- ment. The rest of his life was pa— ed in historical and archaeological studies of his country. Ilewas regarded by his countrymen as one of the most accomplished champions of the Welsh language .and literature. lie died at Cwmdu Now 7. lsis. I Us writings are not of special interest t" theological readers. Many of his
English compositions are collected under the title of
Literary Remains of the /.'<>•. Thomas Price, with a
by .bine William- (Llandovery, 1854 .v.. ■_'
vols. 8vo). A me ir of Price i- found in the / '.
Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 1849, p. 212; see also / Cyclop, s. v.
Pricked Song is, in music, a term applied to a composition used in ecclesiastical service. It is divided into dt scant pricksong, counterpoint, and faburden, the last being a highly pitched key.
Pricket, an ecclesiastical term designating a spike on which candles were fixed. There are specimens from Kirk.-tall Abbey in the collection ol the Society of
PRICKETT
565
PRIDEAUX
Arts, London; and another, of Limoges enamel of the 13th century, is in the British Museum.
Prickett, Marmaduke, an English clergyman, was born about the year 1805. He was educated at Cambridge University, and held the appointment of chaplain to Trinity College, where he died in 1839. He published, Some Account of Barnwell Priory, in the Parish of St. Andrew the Less (Camb. 1837, 8vo):— An Historical and Architectural Description of the Priory Church of Bridlington (Lond. 1831, 8vo; 184G, 8vo). See Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and A mer. A uthors, s. v.