The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. Fourth Edition

Ray (Wray), John.

Published by Smith & Co., London, 1704

About this Item

Very nice clean copy in original binding. Original end-pages. Frontispiece is an engraved portrait of Joannes Rajus (John Ray); small hole blots out the first ?n? of ?Joannes? -. not serious and does not influence any other part of the portrait. Back inside cover has notes in handwriting that is consistent with the date of publication. The book, first published in 1691, was a contentious book and caused John Ray to resign his Trinity College fellowship since he had refused to subscribe to the Act of Uniformity. Eventually the book went into thirteen editions and numerous imprints. It is believed that in its impact, the book can be compared to the Origin of Species and the importance of the book can hardly be exaggerated. In this book, Ray began to use classification to address questions in physiology, function, and behavior and the book is filled with excellent observations and questions about organisms' behavior and function.
John Ray (1618-1705) One of the most eminent naturalists of his time, John Ray was also an influential philosopher and theologian. Ray is often referred to as the father of natural history in Britain. A devout Christian, Ray expounded his belief in "natural theology," the doctrine that the wisdom and power of God could be understood by studying His creation, the natural world. This doctrine can be traced back to the Bible, but Ray expressed it so fully and clearly that he started a long tradition of natural theology in England and abroad. In two major works written late in his life, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation (1691) and Three Physico-Theological Discourses (1692), Ray expounded his views of the creation, organization, and eventual fate of the Earth and the life on it. The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation was especially popular and influential; it was translated into several foreign languages, and was reprinted for over fifty years after its publication. Both of these books were based on sermons Ray had delivered at Cambridge. Such deep religious feeling may seem out of place in scientific writing today, but Ray's work actually represented a huge advance for science.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1779064182176

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. Fourth Edition
• Publisher: Smith & Co., London
• Publication Date: 1704
• Language: English
• Edition: 4th Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dimensions: 4.5W x 7.75H x 2D inches 4.5 inches width by 7.75 inches height by 2 inches depth