A New Theory of the Earth, From its Original, to the Consummation of all Things. Wherein The Creation of the World in Six Days, The Universal Deluge, And the General Conflagration, As Laid Down In The Holy Scriptures, Are shewn to be perfectly agreeable to Reason and Philosophy. With a large Introductory Discourse concerning the Genuine Nature, Stile, and Extent of the Mosaick History of the Creation.
London. Printed by R. Roberts, for Benj. Tooke. 1696. 8vo., 19cm., [ii],388,[ii],[i].(errata page), plus frontis plate and 7 engraved plates (1 double page) all printed on one side, in original contemporary calf boards expertly rebacked in full tan calf, blind ruled raised bands, with blind decorations in the panels, black leather label, in the original paneled calf speckled boards, the text is clean throughout, a fine copy of The RARE FIRST EDITION, complete. Item #43759
Wing W-1696. ESTC R-20397.
Whiston was a theologian, mathematician and natural philosopher. Whiston's catastrophist [A catastrophist is someone who believes major geological, biological, or societal changes occur through sudden, violent, or cataclysmic events rather than gradual, evolutionary processes. They predict or study large-scale disasters, opposing the theory of uniformitarianism (gradual change). (theories were well-received by Newton (who he succeeded at Cambridge as Lucasian professor in 1702) and Locke, amongst others. He incorporated Newtonian laws of motion into his arguments).
The book is divided into: An introduction, discussing the text of Creation according to Genesis; Book I: Lemmata, discussing the premises and assumptions on which his argument is based; Book II: Hypotheses, discussing his model for the origin of the Earth; Book III: Phaenomena, discussing evidence predicted by his model; Book IV: Solutions, discussing how his model explains the evidence.
“… Studied Newton’s works and published 1696, ‘A New Theory…’, which confirmed the narrative in Genesis on Newtonian grounds; … deputy to Newton in the Lucasian professorship, 1701 … succeed Newton in 1703, … Boyle Lecturer, 1709, wrote1708, an essay in the ‘Apostolic Constitution’ with expounded Arian doctrines and occasioned his banishment from the University (1710) the loss of his professorship; published ‘Primitive Christianity Revived’ 1711, on which convocation vote an address for his prosecution; after some delay proceeding’s against dropped; started society for promoting primitive Christianity, 1715; lectured in London, Bristol, Bath, and Tunbridge Wells on various subjects, comprising meteors, eclipses, and earthquakes which he connected more or less with the fulfilment of prophecies; advocated in his last years a number of theories, the most famous of which was that the Tartars were the lost tribes. His portrait, by Mrs. Hoadly, is in the National Portrait Gallery. He issued more than fifty publications on religion, mathematical, and other subjests; his most successful work, a translation of Josephus appeared, 1737, and has since been the established version.” (DCB).
Price: $3,000.00