CHAPTER XIL Doctrine of Infinite Quantities-Labours of Pappus-Kepler-Cava- leri-Roberval-Fermat-Wallis-Newton discovers the Bino- mial Theorem and the Doctrine of Fluxions in 1666-His Manu- script Work containing this Doctrine communicated to his Friends -His Treatise on Fluxions-His Mathematical Tracts-His Uni- versal Arithmetic-His Methodus Differentialis-His Geometria Analytica-His Solution of the Problems proposed by Bernouilli and Leibnitz-Account of the celebrated Dispute respecting the Page James II. attacks the Privileges of the University of Cambridge- Newton chosen one of the Delegates to resist this Encroachment -He is elected a Member of the Convention Parliament-Burning of his Manuscript-His supposed Derangement of Mind-View taken of this by foreign Philosophers-His Correspondence with Mr. Pepys and Mr. Locke at the time of his Illness-Mr. Milling- ton's Letter to Mr. Pepys on the subject of Newton's Illness- Refutation of the Statement that he laboured under Mental De- No Mark of National Gratitude conferred upon Newton-Friendship between him and Charles Montague, afterward Earl of Halifax- Mr. Montague appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1694- He resolves upon a Recoinage-Nominates Mr. Newton Warden of the Mint in 1695-Mr. Newton appointed Master of the Mint in 1699-Notice of the Earl of Halifax-Mr. Newton elected Asso- ciate of the Academy of Sciences in 1699-Member for Cambridge in 1701-and President of the Royal Society in 1703-Queen Anne confers upon him the Honour of Knighthood in 1705--Second Edition of the Principia, edited by Cotes-His Conduct respecting Mr. Ditton's Method of finding the Longitude... Respect in which Newton was held at the Court of George I.--The Princess of Wales delighted with his Conversation-Leibnitz en- deavours to prejudice the Princess against Sir Isaac and Locke- Controversy occasioned by his Conduct-The Princess obtains a Manuscript Abstract of his System of Chronology-The Abbé Conti is, at her request, allowed to take a Copy of it on the prom- ise of Secrecy-He prints it surreptitiously in French, accompa- nied with a Refutation by M. Freret-Sir Isaac's Defence of his System-Father Souciet attacks it, and is answered by Dr. Halley -Sir Isaac's larger Work on Chronology published after his Death-Opinions respecting it-Sir Isaac's Paper on the Form of and La Place considered-His Theological Researches begun be- fore his supposed Mental Illness-The Date of these Works fixed -Letters to Locke-Account of his Observations on Prophecy- His Lexicon Propheticum-His Four Letters to Dr. Bentley-Ori- gin of Newton's Theological Studies-Analogy between the Book The Minor Discoveries and Inventions of Newton-His Researches on Heat-On Fire and Flame-On Elective Attraction-On the Structure of Bodies-His supposed Attachment to Alchymy-His Hypothesis respecting Ether as the Cause of Light and Gravity -On the Excitation of Electricity in Glass-His Reflecting Sex- tant invented before 1700- His Reflecting Microscope-His Pris- matic Reflector as a Substitute for the small Speculum of Reflect- ing Telescopes-His Method of varying the Magnifying Power of His Acquaintance with Dr. Pemberton-Who edits the Third Edi- tion of the Principia-His first Attack of ill Health-His Recovery -He is taken ill in consequence of attending the Royal Society- His Death on the 20th March, 1727-His Body lies in state-His Funeral-He is buried in Westminster Abbey-His Monument de- scribed-His Epitaph- A Medal struck in honour of him-Roubil- iac's full-length Statue of him erected in Cambridge-Division Permanence of Newton's Reputation-Character of his Genius- His Method of Investigation similar to that used by Galileo- Error in ascribing his Discoveries to the Use of the Methods recommended by Lord Bacon-The Pretensions of the Baconian Philosophy examined-Sir Isaac Newton's Social Character-His great Modesty--The Simplicity of his Character-His Religious and Moral Character-His Hospitality and Mode of Life-His Generosity and Charity-His Absence-His Personal Appear- ance Statues and Pictures of him-Memorials and Recollections HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. LIFE OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON. CHAPTER I. The Pre-eminence of Sir Isaac Newton's Reputation-The Interest attached to the Study of his Life and Writings-His Birth and Parentage-His early Education-Is sent to Grantham School-His early Attachment to Mechanical Pursuits-His Windmill-His Waterclock-His Selfmoving Cart-His Sundials-His Preparation for the University. THE name of Sir Isaac Newton has by general consent been placed at the head of those great men who have been the ornaments of their species. However imposing be the attributes with which time has invested the sages and the heroes of antiquity, the brightness of their fame has been eclipsed by the splendour of his reputation; and neither the partiality of rival nations, nor the vanity of a presumptuous age, has ventured to dispute the ascendency of his genius. The philosopher,* indeed, to whom posterity will probably assign the place next to Newton, has characterized the Principia as pre-eminent above all the productions of human intellect, and has thus divested of extravagance the contemporary encomium upon its author, Nec fas est propius mortali attingere Divos. So near the gods-man cannot nearer go. HALLEY. * The Marquis La Place.-See Systême du Monde, p. 336. The biography of an individual so highly renowned cannot fail to excite a general interest. Though his course may have lain in the vale of private life, and may have been unmarked with those dramatic events which throw a lustre even round perishable names, yet the inquiring spirit will explore the history of a mind so richly endowed,-will study its intellectual and moral phases, and will seek the shelter of its authority on those great questions which reason has abandoned to faith and hope. If the conduct and opinions of men of ordinary talent are recorded for our instruction, how interesting must it be to follow the most exalted genius through the incidents of common life;-to mark the steps by which he attained his lofty pre-eminence; to see how he performs the functions of the social and the domestic compact; how he exercises his lofty powers of invention and discovery; how he comports himself in the arena of intellectual strife; and in what sentiments, and with what aspirations he quits the world which he has adorned. In almost all these bearings, the life and writings of Sir Isaac Newton abound with the richest counsel. Here the philosopher will learn the art by which alone he can acquire an immortal name. The moralist will trace the lineaments of a character adjusted to all the symmetry of which our imperfect nature is susceptible; and the Christian will contemplate with delight the high-priest of science quitting the study of the material universe,-the scene of his intellectual triumphs,—to investigate with humility and patience the mysteries of his faith. Sir Isaac Newton was born at Woolsthorpe, a hamlet in the parish of Colsterworth, in Lincolnshire, about six miles south of Grantham, on the 25th December, O. S., 1642, exactly one year after Galileo died, and was baptized at Colsterworth on the 1st January, 1642-3. His father, Mr. Isaac New ton, died at the early age of thirty-six, a little more than a year after the death of his father Robert Newton, and only a few months after his marriage to Harriet Ayscough, daughter of James Ayscough of Market Overton in Rutlandshire. This lady was accordingly left in a state of pregnancy, and appears to have given a premature birth to her only and posthumous child. The helpless infant thus ushered into the world was of such an extremely diminutive size,* and seemed of so perishable a frame, that two women who were sent to Lady Pakenham's at North Witham, to bring some medicine to strengthen him, did not expect to find him alive on their return. Providence, however, had otherwise decreed; and that frail tenement which seemed scarcely able to imprison its immortal mind was destined to enjoy a vigorous maturity, and to survive even the average term of human existence. The estate of Woolsthorpe, in the manor-house of which this remarkable birth took place, had been more than a hundred years in the possession of the family, who came originally from Newton in Lancashire, but who had, previous to the purchase of Woolsthorpe, settled at Westby, in the county of Lincoln. The manorhouse, of which we have given an engraving, is situated in a beautiful little valley, remarkable for its copious wells of pure spring water, on the west side of the river Witham, which has its origin in the neighbourhood, and commands an agreeable prospect to the east towards Colsterworth. The manor of Woolsthorpe was worth only 30l. per annum ; but Mrs. Newton possessed another small estate at Sewstern, which raised the annual value of their property to about 801.; and it is probable that the cultivation of the little farm on which she resided *Sir Isaac Newton told Mr. Conduit, that he had often heard his mother say that when he was born he was so little that they might have put him into a quart mug. † In Leicestershire, and about three miles south-east of Woolsthorpe. |