The Cosmology of Thomas Wright of Durham

An original theory or new hypothesis of the universe, founded upon the laws of nature, and solving by mathematical principles the general phaenomena of the visible creation: And particularly the via lactea, by Wright Thomas , of Durham (London, 1750). The work aroused very little interest in England, but in Germany there was an abortive attempt to produce a translation (see Hastie W. , Kant's cosmogony (Glasgow, 1900), p. lxx). An inferior reprint of the text, but without the fine plates, was issued with additional notes by C. S. Rafinesque (Philadelphia, 1837). A facsimile of the first edition with analytical introduction by the present writer is in the press, as is a facsimile of Kant's cosmogony with introduction by Whitrow G. J. .

It is surprising how many readers of An original theory have misunderstood Wright. A partial exception is Vera Gushee in her posthumous “Thomas Wright of Durham, Astronomer”, Isis, xxxiii (1941), 197–218. Paneth F. A. was puzzled as to why his interpretation of Wright's text was inconsistent with the plates (correspondence with Harlow Shapley, in the Harvard Archives).

On the first half of his life we are well informed by Wright himself; see Hughes Edward , “The early journal of Thomas Wright of Durham”, Annals of science, vii (1951), 1–24.

A convenient list of Wright's publications is given in Paneth F. A. , Chemistry and beyond, edited by Dingle Herbert and Martin G. R. with the assistance of Eva Paneth (New York, 1964), 114–16. See also the introduction to the reprint of An original theory.

Hughes , op. cit., 4.

A discussion of the likely texts is given in the introduction to the reprint of An original theory.

Whiston William , Praelectiones astronomicae (Cambridge, 1707), translated as Astronomical lectures (London, 1715, 1728).

Whiston , Astronomical lectures, 2nd English edition, 42. Cf. Wright, An original theory, 50: “we may reasonably expect, that the Via Lactea … will prove at last the Whole to be together a vast and glorious regular Production of Beings … and that all its Irregularities are only such as naturally arise from our excentric View”; and ibid., 62: “… in like manner, as the planets would, if viewed from the Sun, there may be one Place in the Universe to which their [the stars'] Order and primary Motions must appear more regular and most beautiful”.

Whiston William , Astronomical principles of religion, natural and reveal'd (London, 1717 and 1725).

Astronomical principles, 2nd ed., 25, 131–2, 154 seq.

Clavis cœlestis. Being the explication of a diagram entituled a synopsis of the universe: Or, the visible world epitomized (London, 1742). For evidence that Wright had studied Whiston's Astronomical principles in writing Clavis cœlestis, see the present writer's Preface to the facsimile edition of Clavis cœlestis (London, 1967), viii–ix.

Astronomical principles, 88–9; cf. Whiston , “A discourse … of the Mosaic history of the Creation”, 37, in his A new theory of the earth (London, 1696).

Halley E. , “Considerations on the Change of the Latitudes of some of the principal fixt Stars”, Philosophical Transactions, xxx (1717–19), 736–8.

In the sixth letter of An original theory Wright cites Halley's paper as evidence of motions among the stars and argues that it is by these motions that the stars are prevented “from rushing all together, by the common universal Law of Gravity” (57).

By Knight D. M. Dr The documents are in Volume 7 of the Wright Papers, and a transcription by the present writer is included with the facsimile reprint of An original theory.

Pp. 2–3.

Hughes , op. cit., 5.

Pp. C. 2–3.

Clavis cœlestis, 75.

An original theory, 30.

Ibid., 62.

Ibid., 63.

This work was ready for publication in 1755, but owing to the bankruptcy of the publisher its release was delayed. The story is told and the work translated into English by Hastie (op. cit., note 1).

Freye Urtheile, Jahr Achtes (Hamburg, 1751), translated by Hastie , op. cit., Appendix B.

de Maupertuis P. L. M. , Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (Paris, 1742); Hastie , op. cit., 32–3.

Hastie , op. cit., 190.

Wright gave this title to a carelessly-assembled manuscript which came to light only after the chaotic mass of Wright papers auctioned by Messrs Sotheby on 19 July 1966 were sorted by the present writer. An edition of the manuscript with introduction and notes by the writer was recently published (London, 1968); references below are to this edition. All the papers auctioned in 1966 have since joined the fine collection of Wright material in Durham University Library.

An original theory, 43. Cf. Second thoughts, 21–2.

Second thoughts, 27.

Halley Edmond , “An account of the cause of the change of the variation of the magnetical needle; with an hypothesis of the structure of the internal parts of the Earth”, Philosophical Transactions, xvi, no. 195 (1692), 563–78.

Second thoughts, 28.

Whiston , Astronomical principles, 2nd ed., 95–6.

Second thoughts, 79; cf. ibid., 39.

One of numerous drafts incorporated into the manuscript entitled Second thoughts.

Cf. note 27. The latest datable item of the manuscript is the reference (1968 edition, 55) to The nautical almanac for the year 1773 (London, 1771).

Second thoughts, 63.

Ibid., 45, 50.

Ibid., 42.

Ibid., 72.