Memorabilia Mathematica; or, the Philomath's Quotation-Book
Science
Memorabilia Mathematica; or, the Philomath's Quotation-Book
Mathematics; Mathematics -- Quotations, maxims, etc.
=1018.= On the day of Cromwell’s death, when Newton was sixteen,
a great storm raged all over England. He used to say, in his old
age, that on that day he made his first purely scientific
experiment. To ascertain the force of the wind, he first jumped
with the wind and then against it; and, by comparing these
distances with the extent of his own jump on a calm day, he was
enabled to compute the force of the storm. When the wind blew
thereafter, he used to say it was so many feet strong.
--PARTON, JAMES.
_Sir Isaac Newton._
=1019.= Newton lectured now and then to the few students who
chose to hear him; and it is recorded that very frequently he
came to the lecture-room and found it empty. On such occasions he
would remain fifteen minutes, and then, if no one came, return to
his apartments.--PARTON, JAMES.
_Sir Isaac Newton._
=1020.= Sir Isaac Newton, though so deep in algebra and fluxions,
could not readily make up a common account: and, when he was
Master of the Mint, used to get somebody else to make up his
accounts for him.--REV. J. SPENCE.
_Anecdotes, Observations, and Characters
of Books and Men (London, 1858), p.
132._
=1021.= We have one of his [Newton’s] college memorandum-books,
which is highly interesting. The following are some of the
entries: “Drills, gravers, a hone, a hammer, and a mandril, 5s.;”
“a magnet, 16s.;” “compasses, 2s.;” “glass bubbles, 4s.;” “at the
tavern several other times, £1;” “spent on my cousin, 12s.;” “on
other acquaintances, 10s.;” “Philosophical Intelligences, 9s.
6d.;” “lost at cards twice, 15s.;” “at the tavern twice, 3s.
6d.;” “to three prisms, £3;” “four ounces of putty, 1s. 4d.;”
“Bacon’s Miscellanies, 1s. 6d.;” “a bible binding, 3s.;” “for
oranges to my sister, 4s. 2d.;” “for aquafortis, sublimate, oyle
pink, fine silver, antimony, vinegar, spirit of wine, white lead,
salt of tartar, £2;” “Theatrum chemicum, £1 8s.”--PARTON, JAMES.
_Sir Isaac Newton._
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