The life of Sir Isaac Newton, the great philosopher / by Sir David Brewster.

  • David Brewster
Date:
[1900?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The life of Sir Isaac Newton, the great philosopher / by Sir David Brewster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    213/362 (page 201)
    mmNWG Of MANUSCfcrPTS. extract is written by Huygens himself, with whose hand- writing I am well acquainted, having had occasion to peruse several of his manuscripts and autograph letteis* ‘ On the 29«/t of May, 1694, M. Colin, * a Scotsman, informed me that, eighteen months ago, the illustrious geometer, Isaac Newton, had become insane, either in conse- quence of his too intense application to his studies, or from excessive grief at having lost, by fire, his chemical laboratory and several manuscripts. When he came to the ArcJibisliop of Cambridge,] he made some observations which indicated an alienation of mind. He was immediately taken care of by his friends, who confined him to his house, and applied remedies, by means of which he had now so far recovered his health that he began to understand the Principia. ’ Huygens mentioned this circumstance to Leibnitz in a letter, dated 8th of June, 1694, to which Leibnitz replies in a letter dated the 23rd, ‘I am very glad that I received information of the cure of Mr. Newton at the same time that I first heard of his illness, which doubtless must have been very alarming. It is to men like you and him, Sir, that I wish a long life, and much health, more than others, whose loss, comparatively speaking, would not be so great.’” The first publication of the preceding statement produced a strong sensation among the friends and admirers of Newton. They could not easily believe in the prostration of that intellectual strength which had unbarred the strong- holds of tho universe. The unbroken equanimity of * This M. Colin was probably a young Bachelor of Arts whom Newton seems afterwards to have employed in some of his calculations. These bachelors were distinguished by the title of Dominus, and it was usual to translate this word, and to call them, Sir. In a letter from Newton to Flamsteed, dated Cambridge, June 29th, 1695, is the following passage: “ I want not your calculations, but your observations only; for besides myself, and my servant, Sir Collins (whom I can employ for a little money, which I value not) tells me that he can calculate an eclipse, and work truly.” f Conjectured to mean Canterbury,