436:, collected in an anthology of Dick's works in 1851, as being an inspiration for Richard Adams Locke's moon hoax. It is worth noting that the earliest appearance of Locke's so-called Moon Hoax was a serialization of the story in August 1835 in a New York newspaper The Sun under the title of Great Astronomical Discoveries Lately Made by Sir John Herschel, LL.D, F.R.S., &c at the Cape of Good Hope. Following publication in the Sun, the five part series was collected in a pamphlet of the same year which is said to have sold more than 20,000 copies almost instantly. It would seem that Griggs would be in error in attributing Dick's 1837 Celestial Scenery as an inspiration for Locke's 1835 serialization, particularly since Dick condemns Locke's hoax. The hoax was republished in 1859 by New York publisher William Gowans as
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421:, among many other topics he computed that the Solar System contained 21,894,974,404,480 (21+ trillion) inhabitants. This was done using the surface area of each planet and the population density of England. One of his articles that speculated about the possibility of communication with lunar inhabitants inspired the
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Despite the success of his books, however, Dick made such loose bargains with his publishers, that he derived little profits from them, and his poverty was relieved in 1847 by a pension of 50 pounds a year, and by a local subscription of 20 or 30 pounds. He died at the age of eighty-two, on 29 July
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manufacturer, and he raised Thomas to work in this trade. When he was nine years old, he saw a brilliant meteor and this sparked a passion for astronomy. He read, sometimes even when seated at the loom, every book on the subject within his reach. He acquired an old pair of spectacles, contrived a
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machine for grinding the lenses to the proper shape, mounted them in pasteboard tubes, and began celestial observations. His parents, at first afflicted by his eccentricities, let him choose his own lifestyle when he was sixteen years old.
402:, near Dundee. Here he wrote a number of works, scientific, philosophical, and religious, which acquired prompt and wide popularity both in the United Kingdom and the United States, and which are available on the internet and in print.
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during 1842. Its success determined the author's vocation to literature. He finally gave up school teaching in 1827, and built himself a small cottage, fitted up with an observatory and library, on a hill overlooking the Tay at
338:, supporting himself by private tuition. His philosophical and theological studies terminated, he set up a school at Dundee, took out a licence to preach in 1801, and officiated as probationer during some years at
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and elsewhere. After about fifteen months, he was excommunicated and lost his job there due to an affair with his servant. An invitation from the patrons to act as teacher in the
Secession School at
562:, New York: 1836, developing a train of thought familiar to the writer during his upwards of twenty-six years, and partially indicated in several contributions to periodical literature.
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resulted in a ten years' residence there, distinguished by efforts on his part towards popular improvement, including a zealous promotion of the study of science, the foundation of a
584:, London: 1845, giving plain descriptions and instructions for the use of astronomical instruments; besides several small volumes published by the Religious Tract Society on the
462:, giving the results of a series of observations on stars and planets in the daytime with a small equatorial at Methven in 1812–1813, was communicated by him in 1855 to the
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544:, Glasgow: William Collins; London: Whittaker & Co; (1823). His first popular work, from which he was sometimes known as "the Christian Philosopher".
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in 1814; and, a year or two later, a society was organised near London on the principles there laid down, of which he was elected an honorary member.
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Dick worked with the
Religious Tract Society to publish three of his books on science and religion, including one of his most successful books,
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The
Personal Life of David Livingstone, LL.D., D.C.L.: Chiefly from His Unpublished Journals and Correspondence in the Possession of His Family
522:, who later would describe Dick as "an abolitionist... who is willing that the world should know that he hates the "peculiar institution" ".
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who advocated "a progressive and continuously increasing mastery over nature through the systematic and uninterrupted pursuit of knowledge."
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Celestial
Scenery: Or, The Wonders of the Planetary System Displayed; Illustrating the Perfections of the Deity and a Plurality of Worlds
393:, was published first during 1823. Several new editions were published during the next few years, the eighth edition being published in
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Celestial scenery; or, The wonders of the planetary system displayed; illustrating the perfections of deity and a plurality of worlds
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moral and religious thinking. They influenced many scientists, engineers, politicians, writers and thinkers. For instance
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Table of population of the planets in the Solar System, based on their surface area and the population density of
England
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and practical philosophy, combining science and
Christianity, and arguing for a harmony between the two.
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Astore, William J. (23 September 2004). "Dick, Thomas (1774–1857), writer on science and philosopher".
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Literary and
Philosophical Societies, adapted to the middling and lower ranks of the community
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An honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him early in his literary career by
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The
Christian Philosopher, or the Connexion of Science and Philosophy with Religion
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The Moon Hoax: Or, A Discovery that the Moon Has a Vast
Population of Human Beings
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The Moon Hoax: Or a
Discovery That The Moon Has A Vast Population of Human Beings
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The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of
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389:. During this interval he made his first independent appearance as an author.
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466:(xv. 222). He had written on the same subject forty-two years previously in
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The Christian Philosopher, or the Connection of Science with Religion
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Dick became assistant at a school in Dundee, and in 1794 entered the
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Brashear, John A. (1913). "A Visit to the Home of Dr. Thomas Dick".
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Celestial scenery, or, The Wonders of the planetary system displayed
350:, and what was substantially a mechanic's institute. Under the name
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As an undergraduate, Dick had several noteworthy classmates at the
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The Sidereal Heavens, and other subjects connected with Astronomy
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Thomas was brought up in the strict tenets of the Presbyterian
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On leaving Methven, Dick spent another decade as a teacher in
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745:"Three Years in Europe by William Wells Brown, Letter XIV"
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The Mental Illumination and Moral Improvement of Mankind
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Thomas Dick's books enabled the advances made by the
300:, science teacher and writer, known for his works on
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The Celebrated Moon Story: its Origins and Incidents
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Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
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The Celebrated Moon Story: Its Origin and Incidents
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852:
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464:Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
321:of Scotland. His father, Mungo Dick, was a small
296:(24 November 1774 – 29 July 1857), was a British
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828:. Vol. 15. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
499:in the previous century to flourish alongside
428:Author William N. Griggs, in his 1852 booklet
647:Complete Works of Thomas Dick, Parts 1 and 2.
620:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
413:Dick believed in the plurality of worlds or
848:. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). p. 178.
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
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183:Learn how and when to remove this message
165:Learn how and when to remove this message
103:Learn how and when to remove this message
940:Scottish Protestant ministers and clergy
590:The Atmosphere and Atmospheric Phenomena
570:, New York, Harper & brothers, 1838.
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128:This article includes a list of general
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617:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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134:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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762:Blaikie, William Garden (2004) .
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31:This article has multiple issues.
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825:Dictionary of National Biography
549:The Philosophy of a Future State
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458:on 14 January 1853. A paper on
39:or discuss these issues on the
925:Scottish Christian theologians
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1:
795:Locke, Richard Adams (1859).
790:. New York: Bunnel and Price.
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472:Journal of Natural Philosophy
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634:UK public library membership
529:is named after Thomas Dick.
509:Philosophy of a Future State
445:The Telescope and Microscope
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801:. New York: William Gowans.
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581:The Practical Astronomer
518:In 1851, Mr. Thomas met
483:1857, and was buried at
889:Thomas Dick (scientist)
845:Encyclopædia Britannica
363:University of Edinburgh
336:University of Edinburgh
319:United Secession Church
149:more precise citations.
945:Pluralism (philosophy)
915:Scientists from Dundee
497:Scottish Enlightenment
432:, credits Dick's 1837
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773:Dick, Thomas (1838).
626:10.1093/ref:odnb/7597
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234:29 July 1857 (age 82)
920:Scottish astronomers
891:at Wikimedia Commons
839:"Dick, Thomas"
819:"Dick, Thomas"
768:. Project Gutenberg.
650:Kessinger Publishing
491:Influence and legacy
268:, Christian ministry
869:1913JRASC...7...19B
520:William Wells Brown
950:Clergy from Dundee
834:Clerke, Agnes Mary
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887:Media related to
680:978-0-7661-7068-1
632:(Subscription or
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468:William Nicholson
434:Celestial Scenery
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245:Nationality
147:introducing
93:August 2009
899:Categories
720:Locke 1859
694:, p.
667:. Part 2:
636:required.)
601:References
527:Thomasdick
478:Later life
365:including
313:Early life
130:references
85:footnoting
36:improve it
863:: 19–30.
692:Dick 1838
513:the Bible
501:Victorian
330:Education
302:astronomy
292:Reverend
277:Signature
266:Astronomy
155:July 2019
42:talk page
836:(1911).
340:Stirling
249:Scottish
225:, Dundee
223:Hilltown
81:citation
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