The Life of Sir Isaac Newton - David Brewster - Google Boeken

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CONTENTS.

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 Water-clock-His Self-moving Cart-His Sun-dials-His

Preparation for the University

Newton enters Trinity College, Cambridge-Origin of his Propen

sity for Mathematics-He studies the Geometry of Descartes unas-

sisted-Purchases a Prism-Revises Dr. Barrow's Optical Lec-

tures-Dr. Barrow's Opinion respecting Colours-Takes his De-

grees-Is appointed a Fellow of Trinity College-Succeeds Dr.

Barrow in the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics

Newton occupied in grinding Hyperbolical Lenses-His first Ex-

periments with the Prism made in 1666-He discovers the Com-

position of White Light, and the different Refrangibility of the

Rays which compose it-Abandons his Attempts to improve Re-

fracting Telescopes, and resolves to attempt the Construction of

Reflecting ones-He quits Cambridge on account of the Plague-

Constructs two Reflecting Telescopes in 1668, the first ever exe-

cuted-One of them examined by the Royal Society, and shown

to the King-He constructs a Telescope with Glass Specula-Re-

cent History of the Reflecting Telescope-Mr. Airy's Glass Specula

-Hadley's Reflecting Telescopes-Short's-Herschel's-Ram-

age's-Lord Oxmantown's

He delivers a Course of Optical Lectures at Cambridge-Is elected

Fellow of the Royal Society-He communicates to them his Dis-

coveries on the different Refrangibility and Nature of Light-

Popular Account of them-They involve him in various Contro-

versies-His Dispute with Pardies-Linus-Lucas-Dr. Hooke

and Mr. Huygens-The Influence of these Disputes on the mind

Mistake of Newton in supposing that the Improvement of Refract-

B

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ing Telescopes was hopeless-Mr. Hall invents the Achromatic

Telescope-Principles of the Achromatic Telescope explained-It

is reinvented by Dollond, and improved by future Artists-Dr.

Blair's Aplanatic Telescope-Mistakes in Newton's Analysis of

the Spectrum-Modern Discoveries respecting the Structure of

Colours of thin Plates first studied by Boyle and Hooke-Newton

determines the Law of their Production-His Theory of Fits of

easy Reflection and Transmission-Colours of thick Plates

Newton's Theory of the Colours of Natural Bodies explained-Ob-

jections to it stated-New Classification of Colours-Outline of a

new Theory proposed ·

Newton's Discoveries respecting the Inflection or Diffraction of

Light-Previous Discoveries of Grimaldi and Dr. Hooke-Labours

of succeeding Philosophers-Law of Interference of Dr. Young-

Fresnel's Discoveries-New Theory of Inflection on the Hypothe-

sis of the Materiality of Light.

Miscellaneous Optical Researches of Newton-His Experiments on

Refraction-His Conjecture respecting the Inflammability of the

Diamond-His Law of Double Refraction-His Observations on

the Polarization of Light-Newton's Theory of Light-His "Op-

Astronomical Discoveries of Newton-Necessity of combined Exer-

tion 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-Kepler, 1571-1631-Galileo, 1564

-1642.

The first Idea of Gravity occurs to Newton in 1666-His first Specu-

lations upon it-Interrupted by his Optical Experiments-He

resumes the Subject in consequence of a Discussion with Doctor

Hooke-He discovers the true Law of Gravity and the Cause of

the Planetary Motions-Dr. Halley urges him to publish his Prin-

cipia-His Principles of Natural Philosophy-Proceedings of the

Royal Society on this Subject-The Principia appears in 1687-

General Account of it, and of the Discoveries it contains-They

meet with great Opposition, owing to the Prevalence of the Carte-

sian System-Account of the Reception and Progress of the New-

tonian Philosophy in Foreign Countries-Account of its Progress

and Establishment in England .......

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CHAPTER XIL

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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 Un

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

Invention of Fluxions-Commercium Epistolicum-Report of the

Royal Society-General View of the Controversy.

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

the most ancient Year

Theological Studies of Sir Isaac-Their Importance to Christianity

-Motives to which they have been ascribed-Opinions of Biot

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

of Nature and that of Revelation

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

Newtonian Telescopes-His Experiments on Impressions on the

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

of his Property-His Successors

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

APPENDIX, No. I.-Observations on the Family of Sir Isaac New-

APPENDIX, No. II.-Letter from Sir Isaac Newton to Francis Aston,

Esq., a young Friend who was on the eve of setting out on his

APPENDIX, No. III.-" A Remarkable and Curious Conversation be-

tween Sir Isaac Newton and Mr. Conduit."

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