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The life of Sir Isaac Newton / By David Brewster.

  • David Brewster
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life of Sir Isaac Newton / By David Brewster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    134/392 page 112
    CHAPTER X. Astronomical Discoveries of Newton—Necessity of combined exertion to the completion of great discoveries—Sketch of the History of Astronomy previous to the time of Newton— Copernicus, 1473-1543— Tycho Brahe, 1546-1601—Kep- ler, 1571-1631—Galileo, 1564-1642. From the optical labours of Newton we now pro- ceed to the history of his astronomical discove- ries—those transcendant deductions of human rea- son by which he has secured to himself an immor- tal name, and vindicated the intellectual dignity of his species. Pre-eminent as his triumphs have been, it would be unjust to affirm that they were achieved by his single arm. The torch of many a preceding age had thrown its light into the strong- holds of the material universe, and the grasp of many a powerful hand had pulled down the most impregnable of its defences. An alliance, indeed, of many kindred spirits had been long struggling in this great cause, and Newton was but the leader of their mighty phalanx,—the director of their combined genius,—the General who won the vic- tory, and therefore wears its laurels. The history of science presents us with no ex- ample of an individual mind throwing itself far in advance of its contemporaries. It is only in the
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