Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 10.djvu/526

LEFT WRIGHT 456 WRIGHT (q. v.), born in Dayton, O., in 1871. With his brother Wilbur, he was pro- prietor of a machine shop, and in 1903 became interested in the development of the flying machine. After months of study and experiment, they finally suc- ORVILLE WRIGHT ceeded in actually flying, and followed this with perfecting a biplane of their own manufacture. Orville Wright made numerous flights in the United States and abroad, especially in France, where he and his brother were recognized as geniuses of a high order. In 1909 he was awarded a gold medal by the French Academy of Sciences, and received honorary degrees from several colleges. He organized the Wright Aeroplane Company, but in 1915 sold out his in- terests. He was awarded many trophies and prizes for the development of the aeroplane. He also invented other de- dees to be used on aeroplanes, including the automatic stabilizer. He was a member of many societies relating to aeronautics. See Aeronautics. WRIGHT, THOMAS, an English antiquary and historian; born near Lud- low, England, April 21, 1810. He was one of the founders of the British Archaeological Association, and directed the excavation of Uriconium. A prolific worker, he wrote "Queen Elizabeth and Her Times" (1838); "Essays on the Literature, Popular Superstitions, and History of England in the Middle Ages" (1846) ; "Narrative of Sorcery and Magic" (1851) ; "Wanderings of an An- tiquary" (1854) ; "Essays on Archaeolog- ical Subjects" (1861); "Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages" (1862); "Caricature His- tory of the Georges" (new ed. 1868) ; "Womankind in Western Europe" (1869) ; "History of Caricature and the Grotesque" (2d ed. 1875) ; "The Celt. the Roman, and the Saxon" (5th ed. 1890) ; etc. He edited "Early English Poetry" (1836) ; "Piers Plowman" (1842); "The Chester Plays" (1843- 1847); "The Canterbury Tales" (1847- 1851) ; "Works of James Gillray" (1873) ; etc. He died in London, Dec. 23, 1877. WRIGHT, WILBUR, an American inventor, brother of Orville Wright (q. v.), born in Millville, Ind., in 1867. The work of the tv.'o brothers is so closely associated that it is impossible to relate it separately. He went with his brother to France in 1908, where he won the Michelin prize for sustained flight. During the Hudson-Fulton celebration he flew from Governor's Island to the Hudson river, which was considered a remarkable feat in those days. He re- ceived a gold medal from the French Academy of Sciences in 1909. He died in 1912. For a detailed account of the WILBUR WRIGHT Wright brothers in the perfection of tha aeroplane, see Aeronautics. WRIGHT, WILLIAM ALDIS, an English editor, noted as a Shakespeare scholar; born about 1836. He was the principal contributor in Biblical geog-