25-37 IN compiling this Life of Sir Isaac Newton, there has been considerable difficulty experienced from the scantiness of maOterials collected by preceding biographers, both as regards the particulars of the early life and the historical details of the discoveries of one of the greatest men whom England has had the honour of having produced-a person alike distinguished for the great originality and depth of his philosophic views, and the simplicity and amiableness of his character-one whom we are perhaps called on to admire more than to imitate, yet one whose virtues and piety may well serve as an example to individuals in every sphere of life. How frequently are the lives of men of ordinary talent recorded for our instruction. It certainly must be much more interesting to follow the most exalted genius through the incidents of common life;—to remark the steps by which he attained his lofty pre-eminence ;-to observe 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 Jife and writings of Sir Isaac Newton abound with the richest counsel; and in them the philosopher, the moralist, and the divine, will find instruction. Aware that several eminent and talented authors have preceded him, the editor acknowledges himself under many obligations for much valuable information; their works are more extended, and although he unhesitatingly admits, they possess much greater merit than the present unpretending volume, yet they are also more expensive, and consequently beyond the reach of the working-classes, who are now thirsting after scientific knowledge. The object of the present publication is to present to the world a cheap edition of the Life of Sir Isaac Newton, and it is confidently hoped that it will meet with the approbation of a liberal and enlightened public. London, November, 1849. CONTENTS. tham School. His Attachment to Mechanical Pursuits in his youth. His Windmill; his Water-Clock; his self-moving Carriage. His Sun-Dials. Preparations for the University. Enters Trinity College, Cambridge. His propensity for Mathe- matics. His Geometrical Studies. Purchases a Prism. ployed to revise Dr. Barrow's Optical Lectures. PAGE, 15 Newton engaged in forming lenses. His first experiments with the prism. Discovers the composition of White Light, and the different refrangibility of the rays which compose it. Aban dons his attempts to improve Refracting Telescopes, and re- solves upon the construction of Reflecting ones. Quits Cam- bridge on account of the Plague. Constructs the Reflecting Telescope, the first ever executed. One of them examined by the Royal Society and shown to the king. Constructs a Teles cope with Glass Specula. Delivers a course of Optical Lectures. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Communicates to Artists. Blair's Achromatic Telescope. Mistakes in Newton's Analysis of the Spectrum. Structure of the Spectrum. Colours of thin Plates. Newton determines the law of their produc- tion. His Theory of fits of easy reflexion and transmission. New Classification of Colours. Outline of a New Theory. Newton's Discoveries respecting the Inflexion or Diffraction of Light. Previous Discoveries. Labours of succeeding Philoso- phers. New Theory of Inflexion. Miscellaneous Optical Re- searches of Newton. Experiments on Refraction. Conjec- ture respecting the Inflammability of the Diamond. Law of Double Refraction. Observations on the Polarization of Light. Newton's Theory of Light. His "Optics." Astronomical Newton's first speculations on Gravity. He discovers the true law of Gravity and the cause of the Planetary Motions. His principles of Natural Philosophy. His Principia" appears in 1687. Account of it and the Discoveries it contains. They meet with great opposition. The reception of the Newtonian Philosophy. Doctrine of Infinite Quantities. Discovers the Binomial Theorem. Doctrine of Fluxions. His Mathematical |