MEMOIU ()! 1)15 WRIGHT. ",:> 



tv, and several of bis papers had appeared in sue* 



tvssive volumes of their Transactions, published at 

 Philadelphia; but it was not until the year 1786 

 that he was formally elected a member, bis diplo- 

 ma bearing- the signature of Dr Fit AN KLIN, the Pre- 

 sident of the Society, and several other individuals, 

 distinguished for their efforts in the cause of indepen- 

 dence. 



About this period, Dr WiUGHT appears to have 

 formed the resolution of withdrawing from the more 

 laborious duties of his profession. The fortune which 

 he had earned during his first residence in Jamaica, 

 and which he had at length been able to realize, he 

 believed to be sufficient for all his wants. He, resolved 

 to establish himself in Edinburgh, where, in that 

 retirement from the cares of the world, which so 

 many propose to themselves as the chief object of 

 pursuit, he could find the books, the society and the lei- 

 sure, which his tastes and his habits had so well 

 qualified him to enjoy. But, however desirable in 

 prospect, something more is necessary to the enjoy- 

 ment of life, than the mere immunity from applica- 

 tion to professional employments. To a mind like 

 that of Dr Wright, naturally vigorous, and habitu- 

 ally active, some definite object must be combined 

 with the otium cum digmtate of literary retirement. 

 Such an object he happily found in the superintend- 

 ence of the education of his nephew ; and when the 

 extent of his correspondence is taken into view, it is 

 clear that no one was ever less prone to indulge in 

 ennui, or less in danger of suffering from listlessness 



