78 MEMOIR OF 1)11 WRIGHT. 



poiiitment for which he was eminently qualified by 

 the nature of the studies he had been pursuing under 

 the fostering care of his uncle. 



A very interesting account of the boiling fountains 

 of Geyzer and Rykum, was communicated by Mr 

 Stanley to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in the 

 year 1791, and, with an analysis of the waters by Dr 

 Black, appears among the papers of the physical class 

 in the third volume of the Society's Transactions. The 

 party embarked at Leith, in Mr Stanley's yacht, on 

 the 23d of May; and, after touching at the Faro, 

 Shetland, and Orkney Islands, arrived in Edinburgh, 

 on their return, in the month of November 1789. 

 Writing soon afterwards to his brother, Dr Wright 

 observes, that " James has completed his journal, and 

 given the copy to Mr Stanley, with specimens of 

 every thing collected. I am happy to acquaint you that 

 he has acquitted himself to the entire satisfaction of 

 that gentleman, with advantage to himself, and infor- 

 mation, as well as benefit, to the public." 



Having established himself in a house in the new 

 town of Edinburgh, Dr Wright began to lay the 

 foundation of that valuable library, which, in the sub- 

 sequent years of his life, contained almost all that was 

 rare and curious in his favourite departments of study. 

 His time was also a good deal occupied by the guar- 

 dianship of several young gentlemen who had been 

 sent to Edinburgh to enjoy the advantage of his ad- 

 vice in the progress of their education ; and his ne- 

 phew, who was now in his twentieth year, with a be- 

 coming spirit of independence, began to be impatient 



