Sir Isaac Newton is said to have been much attached to Philosophical sports when a boy; he was the first to introduce paper kites at Grantham, where he was at school. He took pains to find out their proper proportions and figure, and the proper place for fixing the string to them. He made lanterns of paper crimpled, which he used to go to school by in winter mornings with a candle, and he tied them to the tail of his kites in a dark night, which at first frightened the country people exceedingly, who took his candles for comets.--_Thomson’s Hist. of R.S._ Footnote 5: The colours which glitter on a soap-bubble are the immediate consequence of a principle the most important from the variety of phenomena it explains, and the most beautiful from its simplicity and compendious neatness in the whole science of Optics.--_Herschel’s Preliminary Discourses._ Footnote 6: “I yield, my son, and no longer refuse to become your companion.”--ÆN. ii. 704. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: Seven people gathered around a well.] CHAPTER II. _On Gravitation.--Weight.--The Velocity of Falling Bodies.--At what Altitude a Body would lose its Gravity.--The Tower of Babel.--The known Velocity of Sound affords the means of calculating Distances.--An Excursion to Overton Well.--An Experiment to ascertain its Depth.--A Visit to the Vicarage.--The Magic Gallery.--Return to the Lodge._ It was about two o’clock, when Mr. Twaddleton, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Seymour, joined the children on the lawn. “Tom,” said his father, “are you prepared to commence the proposed examination?” “Quite ready, papa.” “Then you must first inform me,” said Mr. Seymour, taking the ball out of Rosa’s hand, “why this ball falls to the ground, as soon as I withdraw from it the support of my hand?” “Because every _heavy_ body that is not supported, must of course fall.” “And every _light_ one also, my dear; but that is no answer to my question; you merely assert the fact, without explaining the reason.” “Oh! now I understand you; it is owing to the force of gravity; the earth attracts the ball, and the consequence is, that they both come in contact;--is not that right?” “Certainly; but if the earth attract the ball, it is equally true that the ball must attract the earth; for you have, doubtless, learnt that bodies mutually attract each other; tell me, therefore, why the earth should not rise to meet the ball?” “Because the earth is so much larger and heavier than the ball.”