The Digital Ark :: Sir Isaac Newton

The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

Sir Isaac Newton, Sir (1642 - 1727)

English physicist and mathematician, president of the Royal Society in his later years. He presented to the Royal Society an "object-glass" made by Christaan Huygens "of 170 feet focal length" (Weld I.330 n.4). Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20059 Other biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_newton Relationships: Sir Isaac Newton was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Christiaan Huygens (14 Apr 1629-8 Jul 1695)
Sir Isaac Newton was a benefactor of James Petiver (c. 1665-Apr 1718)
Sir Isaac Newton was a member of Royal Society (-)
Sir Isaac Newton was a donor to Royal Society (-)

Francis Ashton (1644 or 1645-1715) was a friend of Sir Isaac Newton
Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - An accompt of a new catadioptrical telescope invented by Mr. Newton, Fellow of the R. Society, and Professor of the Mathematiques in the University of Cambridge.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Mr. Newton's letter to the publisher of March 26. 1672. containing some more suggestions about his new telescope, and a table of apertures and charges for the several lengths of that instrument.
as Mentions or references - London in 1710, from the Travels of Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach .
as Subject of/in a document - John Woodward, Hans Sloane, and Johann Gaspar Scheuzer: A Re-Examination .
References in Documents:

MS Book of the dean of Christ Church (MacGregor, ed.) 173 Isaacus Newton Eq: Aur: Sir Isaac Newton.

Petiver, Musei Petiveriani (1695-1703) 49. Erica marina quibusdam Chabr. fig. 571. J. B. v. 3. l. 39. p. 799. fig. Tamarisco similis maritima C. B. 365. Fucus folio Ericæ Bot. Monsp. Raii H. Pl. & Synops. 8. Found about MompelierMontpellier, and on our own Sea-Coasts, by Mr. Newton.

Petiver, Gazophylacii Naturæ (1702-1706) TAB: XXXIX

[Fig: figures of objects in Table 39] To the Honourable ISAAC NEWTON, Esq; President of the Royal Society. This Table is humbly dedicated by JAMES PETIVER, F. R. S.

Petiver, Gazophylacii Naturæ (1702-1706)

[Fig: figures of objects in Table 89] To Sr ISAAC NEWTON, President of the Royal Society, This Table is humbly Dedicated by JAMES PETIVER, F. R. S.

Grew, Musaeum Regalis (1685)

TOTo Astronomy. A REFLECTING TELESCOPE. Contrived by Mr. Isaac Newton, Professor of the Mathematicks at Cambridge. Whereby not only the cumber and charge of other Telescopes is avoided; one of these less than a foot long, magnifying as much as another of six feet: but the Object likewise, both by a more regular Refraction, and a less expence of Rays, is much more clearly represented.

Grew, Musaeum Regalis (1685) A List of those who have Contributed to this Musæum: excepting some Names which are lost. His Highness Prince RUPERT, Count Palatine of the Rhine. THomasThomas Allen M. D. John Aubrey Esq. WILLIAM L. Visc. BROUNCKER. Hon. ROBERT BOYLE, Esq. Dr. Erasmus Bartholine. John Bembde Esq. Sign. Paul Boccone. Mons. Olaus Borrichius. Joseph Bowles Merch. Sir Thomas Brown Edward Brown. M. D. JONH JOHN late Lord B. of CHESTER. EAST-INDIA COMPANY. ROYAL AFRICAN COMPANY. Walter Charleton M. D. Walter Chetwynd Esq. Andrew Clench M. D. Samuel Colepress, Esq. Thomas Cox, Esq. Edward Cotton M. D. Thomas Crispe Esq. Ellis Crispe, Esq. William Crone M. D. John Evelyn Esq. George Ent Esq. Captain Thomas Fissenden. Nehemjah Grew M. D. Hon. CHARLES HOWARD of N. Esq. Theodore Haac Esq. Thomas Henshaw Esq. Abraham Hill Esq. Mr. Hocknel. Luke Hodgson M. D. Robert Hook Geom. Pr. Anthony Horneck B. D. Sir John Hoskins. John Houghton Pharm. L. Edmund King M. D. Mons. Lannoy. Mr. Langerman Mr. Linger. Fath. Hieronim. Lobus. Richard Lower M. D. Martyn Lyster Esq. Mr. John Malling. Sign. Malpighi. Christopher Merret M. D. Sir Thomas Millington. Sir Jonas Moore. Sir Robert Moray. Mr. S. Morgan. HENRY Duke of NORFOLK. Walter Needham M. D. Isaac Newton Math. Prof. Henry Oldenburge Esq. Philip Packer Esq. Dudley Palmer Esq. Sir William Petty. Robert Plot L L. D. Walter Pope M. D. Thomas Povey Esq. SETH Lord B. of SALISBURY. Mr. Scotto Merch. Mr. John Short. Sir Philip Skippon. Francis Slare M. D. George Smith M. D. Mr. John Somner. Sir Robert Southwell. Dr. Swammerdam. Captain Tayler. George Trumbal T. D. Edward Tyson M. D. WILLIAM late L. WILLOUGHBY of Parham. Sir Christopher Wren P. R. S. George Wheeler Esq. Daniel Whistler, M. D. Henry Whistler Esq. Sir Joseph Williamson. Francis Willughby Esq. John Winthrop Esq. Robert Witty M. D.

London in 1710, from the travels of Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach

[5 July 1710 at Gresham College]

On 5 July, Saturday morning, we drove to Gresham ColledgeCollege.[*]

Gresham College. This, in 1710, was the former dwelling-house of the founder, Sir Thomas Gresham, in Bishopsgate Street. The work of the college began in 1597. The old house was demolished in 1768. Dr. Robert Hooke, the renowned mathematician, lived thirty-nine years in the old college and died there on 3 March, 1703.

The Royal Society met in the college from 1660 to 1710, in which year the Society removed to 2 Crane Court, Fleet Street, and carried on its affairs there till 1780, the date of the Society's removal to Somerset House.

It is really a Grammar School, named after its founder, Gresham, v. Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 664 sq. Many excellent persons of good parts have been professors there, and, as is well known, the Royal Society uses it as its headquarters. It is an old building, extensive and irregular; and the inner part, where the Society has its apartments, is still the best. Both in Germany and elsewhere an exalted idea of this Society has been formed, both of it and of the collections they have in their Museum, especially when one looks at the Transactions of this Society and the fine description of the Museum by Grew.[*]

GREW. This was Nehemiah Grew, 1641-1712, the professor of the anatomy of plants. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 30 November, 1671. In 1672 he was appointed Curator to the Society. He had taken his degree as a doctor of medicine at Leyden in 1671.

Thus foreigners have just grounds for amazement when they hear how wretchedly all is now ordered. But it is the sight of the Museum that is most astounding. It consists of what appear to be two long narrow chambers, where lie the finest instruments and other articles (which Grew describes), not only in no sort of order or tidiness but covered with dust, filth and coal-smoke, and many of them broken and utterly ruined. If one inquires after anything, the operator who shows strangers round—v. Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 687—will usually say: 'A rogue had it stolen away,' or he will show you pieces of it, saying: 'It is corrupted or broken'; and such is the care they take of things! Hardly a thing is to be recognized, so wretched do they all look. But that is the way with all public societies. For a short time they flourish, while the founder and original members are there to set the standard; then come all kinds of setbacks, partly from envy and lack of unanimity and partly because all kinds of people of no account become members; their final state is one of indifference and sloth. This has been the case with this Society too. The first six years of its Transactions are better and contain more than all the rest put together. They can be purchased complete for twelve pounds. Now scarcely anything is done by them. The Society does not meet during the whole of the summer and very little from Michaelmas onwards. The present Secretary, Dr Sloane,[*]

Von Uffenbach refers shortly here to SIR HANS SLOANE, who was Secretary of the Royal Society from 30 November, 1693, till 1712, and to SIR ISAAC NEWTON, 1642-1727, who was President of the Society from 1703 to 1728. He mentions the name of the noted Dr. John Woodward here, and interviews and describes him later.

is certainly an honest fellow of great parts, but he is very much occupied by his own extensive Praxi medica as well as with his own great collection. The President, Newton, is an old man and is prevented both by his office as Director of the Mint and by the management of his own affairs from concerning himself much about the Society. For the rest, if one excepts Dr Woodward[*]

JOHN WOODWARD, 1665-1728, the physician and geologist; F.R.S., 30 November, 1693; F.R.C.P., 22 March, 1703. He died at Gresham College on 25 April, 1728.

Von Uffenbach was greatly edified with Woodward's characteristics and peculiarities.

and one or two other Englishmen as well as the foreign members, there are none but apothecaries and other such people who know scarce a word of Latin. Such members contribute little to the honour and usefulness of the Society. But to return to the subject of the Museum, I will mention one or two of the things that pleased us most, although they have all been described by Grew, and some of them also in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 666. The great magnet with thirty-two compasses made by Dr Wren for the purpose of research on variationes and delineationes is one of the most remarkable articles. The magnet itself is round and nearly six inches in diameter and is not mounted. The two poles are marked with a cross. The operator did two charming experiments for us with this magnet. First he took a paper of filings and held the north pole of the magnet over it, so that for the moment the filings piled themselves up on top of each other and stood up on end, being also churned up like water. The other was more notable: having placed the magnet in a hole cut in a board, he strewed this with file-dust; when he struck the lower side of the board in one or two places, all the filings divided themselves into lines, which stretched from each pole round the circumference of the magnet to the middle point of the pole; and in this position they remained, however much and often he might strike the board. It looked exactly like the copper engraving made by the Cartesians to illustrate their hypothesis of the effect of the magnet, for which they have been mocked by Thomasio and others. This is much more clearly shown by Fig. XLII and the following description and elucidation of it: the letter a refers to a great round figure which represents a table with thirty-two small holes in its circumference, c, in which there are placed magnetic needles, these being covered with glasses like other compasses. In the middle a round hole had been cut, and in this was placed a spherically cut loadstone, 6, the two poles of which are marked with a cross, d. After this stone had been set in position with its north pole, all the needles standing round revolved towards e along the lines f and e. The dots round the loadstone represent filings, m, which had been thinly sprinkled about; and these range themselves neatly in accurate semi-circles when one knocks underneath the table, so that they move and raise themselves. Straight lines radiated from either pole; but the nearer it was to the sides, the better was the semi-circle formed—better, indeed, than it is here represented. If one then altered the stone with the poles, setting them for example by the line gh, having been formerly on that from ef, and knocked again on the table, the semicircle and figures made by the filings altered their position and lay in the former order with lines due north and south along the line gh, which was all prodigiously curious. We also noticed the chair made of some special root, which is spoken of in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 319p. 685 n.319. There was a label hung on it with these words: 'This Chair given by John Lord Sommers Baron of Evesham President of the Royal Society from Chusan in China, 30 Juny June 1702'. The root looks almost as full of veins as our walnut wood, of which cupboards are made. Moreover it is maintained both in that passage in Vieu of London and by the operator that the chair is not jointed but made from a single block of wood, so it is certainly very curious; but I cannot possibly believe that art did not come to assist, so elegantly is it carved. We saw also the ovula of a female who had died of the dropsy, some of them being as big as a cherry. They were in glasses filled with spirit. There were other things there too, mostly of a common sort; I was delighted at the way in which all these things were fastened to small glass balls and floated in the spirit, so that all may be seen with ease. Even when the spirit is somewhat evaporated, the things sink with the balls and do not hang without moisture and perish, which they do when fastened to the glass or the stopper, as they usually are. We also found notably ana uterus with the bladder and other parts appertaining thereto; all had been excellently preserved, so that all the veins, ligaments, nerves, etc. were clearly to be seen. We also noticed the four black boards, on which all the venae arteriae and nerves of the human body are very well arranged, v. Vieu of London, p. 666, n. 3. But because these boards hang quite unprotected on the wall, they are ruined by dust and smoke, so that they look utterly black and wretched, which is indeed a pity. We also saw an incomparably fine Nautilum petrefactum. But there is no need to mention anything more, for all is described in detail in the works to which I have referred, especially in that of Grew. I only wish that all had been in good condition and that we could have observed it at our leisure.

Then I asked to be shown the Library. Like the Museum it is shut away in small cupboards in a very long narrow passage. As is known and can be read in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 686, it was presented by the Duke of Norfolk, and I have the printed catalogue in quarto. There are some good manuscripts which I found in two cupboards standing together. But we could scarce glance at them—in such haste was the operator in his English fashion, thinking indeed that he had already spent too much time with us in the Museum. We saw also, standing on one of the book cupboards, the iron oven with which Dr HoockHooke had succeeded in hatching out some eggs in the Egyptian manner, v. Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 683, n. 253. This too was spoiled. On the ground lay the prodigiously large antlers of a fallow deer, which had been found in a bog in Ireland. On either side there were eight wide branches and the antlers were seven feet one inch apart in diameter. We also saw here the model of a fortress which a clergyman called Christner had made extremely accurately and well. It was very large and, when all had been put together, would probably measure two surveyor's rods.

Finally we were shown the room where the Society usually meets. It is very small and wretched and the best things there are the portraits of its members, of which the most noteworthy are those of Boyle and HoockHooke.[*]

ROBERT HOOKE, the experimentalist, astronomer, inventor and chemist; F.R.S., 3 June, 1663. He was perpetual Curator of the Royal Society. In 1667 he was appointed surveyor of the City of London. He was an extraordinarily able mechanic. He was Secretary of the Royal Society from October 1677 to November 1682.

John Aubrey wrote: 'He is but of middling stature, something crooked, pale faced, and his face but little belowe, but his head is lardge: his eie full and popping, and not quick; a grey eie.' Aubrey had the highest opinion of Hooke, eccentric as Aubrey's views were.

He was born on 19 July, 1635, according to John Aubrey.

Hooke was a leading inventor of balance-springs for watches. The Posthumous Works of Robert Hooke, by RichardWailerWaller, 1705, should be referred to.

We saw here also two fine globosglobes and a wooden model of an invention by which one man can move two oars with the help of a cord as swiftly and evenly as two men could. This was done by means of half a wheel fastened to an axle, which lies on two bars. It will be described in the Transactions and engraved there in copper, so there is no need for me to remark on it further here. At the side of this room stood a large and handsome pendulum-clock, on which this inscription might be read: Societati Regali Ad Scientiam Naturalem promovendam institutae dono dedit Reverendus in Christo Pater Sethus Episcopus Exon. ejusdem societatis Sodalis in memoriam Laurentii Rook, viri omnium litterarum genere instructissimi in Collegio Greshamensi primum astronomiae dein Geometriae Professoris dictaequae societatis nuper Sodalis qui obit 1662. In the afternoon we were at Mareschall's, where my brother cut glass.

London in 1710, from the travels of Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach

British Curiosities in Nature and Art (1713)

The Scull of a Sea Horse; The Horns of a Spanish Ram 3 yards long, and 1 between the Tips— The Tail of an Indian Cow, whose Hair is about a yard and quarter long: (This Creature is worshipped by the People, near the Ganges.) A Camelions Skin (which Creature is said to live by the Air.) A Skeleton of a Crocodile near 5 yards long; And a Salamander. The Rib of a Triton (or Merman;) One joint of the Back-bone of a Whale 30 l. in weight; the Horn of a Sea Unicorn; the Head of a Manati (or Sea Cow.) Several kinds of curious Shells, particularly one of a Muscle, 3 quarters of a Foot in length. The Webb of a Bermudas Spider, so strong as to snare a Bird: part of a Stinking Tree, smelling like Humane Dung: a Palmeto Leaf, 1 yard and a half long; a Bulchafer, (the biggest of Insects) this is about 5 inches long, and 2 and a quarter broad. A Coco Nut in length 1 Foot, and in Compass 1 and 3 quarters: it is a most useful Tree, for of it the Indians make these uses: of the husk they make Ropes; of the Shell, Ladles, &c. The cover next the Kernel, is a pleasant Meat; the Liquor, Drink; the Blossom, Vinegar; the Kernel, a Milk to eat with their Rice, also Oyl to eat and burn; of the Leaves of the Tree, they make Sails; covers for Houses, and Huts; and of the Wood they make Ships. A Cane of the Cedar of Mount Lebanon (some on this Mount are said to be 12 or 14 Fathom circumference.) Part of the upper Jaw, and 8 very great double Teeth, and the Fragments of other Bones; all petrified and found near Canterbury, 17 Foot under Ground. A petrified Crab, hard as a Pebble, dissolvable with Acids: a great double Tooth, 5 inches long and 2 broad Petrified; a Sherks Tooth, that to which this belonged must be 36 Foot long. A piece of Chrystal 39 pound weight: a Load-stone 60 l. weight; it moves a needle at 9 Foot distance, and was dug out of the Ground in Devonshire; an Instrument whereby the quantity of Rain that falls at any time, on any piece of Ground is measured. The Model of a Geometrical Floor, composed only of 4 pieces of Timber: another of the Hull of a double bottomed Ship: a Wind Gun, contrived by Bishop Wilkins: a Gun that discharges, 7 times one after another, presently; a Machine for Plowing, Sowing, and Harrowing, all at once. A Box of Cups (turned work) being 100 one within another, the Bowl of the outmost is but 2 Inches and a half Diameter: a Prism, and the Head of a Princess, with her Hair both turned Work; a Roman urn of Glass, above 1500 Years old: Mosaick work found under Ground, in Holbourn and near the Bath. A Roman Money-pot, with several Roman Coins in it, (they are particularly mentioned by Dr. Grew,) found in 1651, in Weekfield, in the Parish of Hedington, in the County of Wilts. A Burning Glass, contrived and given by Sir Isaac Newton; it melts any kind of Metal, held in the Focus, and even vitrifieth Brick and Tile. A swiming Stone, about a Foot and a half solid. A Cane 26 Foot long; a Chusan chair, a wonderful curiosity; being of natural growth and shape, with Rails, Pillars, Seat, Back, Elbows, &c. It was given by my Lord Somers in 1702, and was brought from China. The Model of the Temple of Jerusalem; a large Cylindrical piece of a Petrified Tree, 14 Inches diameter: and about the like depth, brought from Antegoa in 1695, by Benjamin Middleton Esq; The Horns of a Red Deer, 7 Foot 1 Inch between the Tips, found in Ireland, 14 Foot deep in a bog, given by an Irish Bishop. A Cinnamon Staff about 7 Foot long, and 1 and a quarter in the Diameter.