the marquis de l'Hopital, one of the first genius's of the French nation: "I represent him to myself as totally disengaged from matter." In the midst of these profound researches, the privileges of the university of Cambridge being attacked by James II., Newton proved himself one of the most zealous defenders of his alma mater; and soon after was chosen one of its members in the convention parliament, 1688, in which he sat till it was dissolved. Since he had first discovered the heterogeneous mixture of light, and the production of colours arising thence, much of his time had been employed in perfecting and ascertaining the theory on which his discovery was founded. It seems to have been his favourite invention; and he spent no less than thirty years in verifying his own experiments. At last his "Optics" appeared in 1704; and here he stands unrivaled and alone. In his fluxions, and his principle of gravity, as applied to the solar system, there had been some obscure hints from others; but, in dissecting a ray of light into its primary constituent particles, which then admitted of no further separation; in the discovery of the different refrangibility of these particles when thus separated; and that these constituent rays had each its own peculiar colour inherent in it; that bodies are rendered transparent by the direction of their pores, and not by their magnitude; that a transparent body, by thinness, will become more pervious to the light: in all these, which compose his " Arcana of Optics," he was the original inventor and the finisher. Of a man whose genius embraced nothing less than the universe, it is difficult to convey an adequate idea: his virtues appear to have been as solid as his understanding, and as extraordinary as his powers; whilst his modesty surpassed that of every other philosopher in ancient or in modern times. "It was greater," says a celebrated writer," than can easily be imagined or readily believed, and continued to be the prominent feature in this terrestrial luminary, though all the scientific world conspired by uni b 2 versal versal praises to remove it." He declared to a friend, "that, if ever he had produced any thing worthy notice, it was not owing to superior sagacity, but to patient industry of thought." Such was the estimate of Newton respecting himself!-the estimate of a man, whose invention rendered even memory unnecessary, and all aid from other minds superfluous! He was of a meek disposition: peace was his element; a sphere in which eminent learning and abilities are never permitted to remain. He was unavoidably drawn into controversy; and though he would have been contented that others should gain the reputation of his discoveries, and with great reluctance was prevailed upon to claim them, he refuted only by publishing a Demonstration of his Propositions. When the chancellor of the exchequer (Montague, afterwards earl of Halifax) undertook the great work of recoining the money, he fixed upon Newton for his assistant, who quitted his favourite studies and academic bowers to discharge the duties of a public station. He was appointed warden of the mint; and, three years after, raised to be master of it; in which office he rendered signal service to his country, in the depreciated state of the coinage, affording the highest proof of vast and various powers, not to have been disqualified by etherial studies, abstruse investigation, and predominant taste, for a citizen of the world! In society he had no singularity, but humility: never was he heard to speak well of himself, or ill of others: amiable, candid, and benevolent, it was not in the power of envy or of malice to charge him with a shade of vanity in his life or conversation. Though attached to the church of England, he was strenuously averse to the persecution of the non-conformists. In his enlightened mind the schismatics and the intolerant were the vicious. Thoroughly convinced of the truth of revelation, this able judge of the force of moral certainty, as well as strict demonstration, studied studied with intense and unwearied diligence the holy scriptures, and declared that he knew uo book so well authenticated as the Bible. He was œconomical upon principle. Of his generosity and munificence, however, there are striking instances, when the revenues of his patrimony and a lucrative employment enabled him to display his disposition. After enjoying a uniform state of health (the result of temperance and regularity), to the advanced period of eighty, he was afflicted with an incurable disease; and under the most violent paroxysms of the stone, the philosopher and the Christian were equally conspicuous: not a murmur was ever heard; not a symptom of impatience was ever seen; and, in the shortest intervals of pain, he conversed with his accustomed cheerfulness. Nature being at length worn out, in the eighty-fifth year of his age he terminated his mortal existence. His funeral was splendidly attended, and an elegant Latin inscription inscribed upon his monument in Westminster Abbey. There is a print of him engraved by Bickham, which may be placed as a memorial in this reign: it is a head radiated like the sun in the midst of a planetary system. The following lines of Lucretius, which are much better suited to his character than to that of Epicurus, would be appositely affixed to it: "Qui genus humanum ingenium superavit, et omnes John Locke, who was in metaphysics what Newton was in the higher mathematics, finished his "Essay on Human Understanding" in this æra. He was descended from a genteel family in Somersetshire, which had been considerably reduced. His father originally was bred to the law; but, on the commencement of the war, took up arms. in the service of the parliament, and rose to be captain. He educated his son in great strictness, and sent him to Westminster school, whence he became student of Christ Church, Oxford, and soon distinguished himself in polite literature, and variety of acquirements. Having taken his degree in arts, he studied physic, intending to practise it in that city; but his constitution disqualified him for the profession, and he readily accepted an offer of being secretary to sir William Swan, who was appointed envoy to the court of Brandenburg. This employment was not of long duration, but it had its advantages; and, by affording him a knowledge of the world, opened a way to his better reception in it. Returning to Oxford, with a design of resuming his professional studies, an accident introduced him to lord Ashly, afterwards the famous earl of Shaftsbury. His lordship was advised to drink the mineral waters at Astrop, and sent to a physician at Oxford to procure a quantity of them against his arrival there. The doctor being summoned by other business, delegated the commission to Locke, with his apologies for non-attendance. Lord Ashly was so much pleased with his manners and conversation, that he invited him to his house, and introduced him to the acquaintance of many distinguished persons. By his medical advice, he was instruinental, under Divine Providence, in saving the life of his patron, who never would again allow him to practise physic but in his own family. In this situation of elegance and retirement he remained several years, and was appointed secretary of presentations when lord Ashly was raised to the dignity of chancellor. By his advice Locke applied to the study of state affairs and political subjects. He had taken an early disgust to the method of Aristotle, and the system of metaphysics taught in the schools., In this disposition, he first read Des Cartes' philosophy with pleasure; but finding it, on mature examination, deficient in basis, he formed the plan of his Essay; but, by the nature of his public employment, was prevented from making any considerable progress in it. When Lord Shaftsbury was deprived of the seals, Locke, who who had enjoyed his most unreserved confidence, fell into disgrace with him: he was, however, appointed secretary to the board of trade, over which his lordship still presided, and retained it till the commission was dissolved. About this period he took his bachelor's degree in physic at Oxford; and in the following year went to Montpelier. Here he continued till his noble patron, being recalled into favour, sent for him; but being again disgraced and imprisoned in a few months after, he had no opportunity of serving his friend, but remained firmly attached to him in all circumstances; and followed him, on his prosecution, into Holland. Thus Thus implicated in the charges brought against lord Shatftsbury, Locke became so obnoxious to the court as to be removed from his studentship by a stretch of royal authority a measure equally irregular and unjust. He remained in exile till the accession of James II., when, by the friendly interference of William Penn the quaker, he was offered a pardon, which, with the spirit of a man conscious of innocence, he rejected, alleg ing that its acceptance would be an acknowledgement of a crime. On the duke of Monmouth's invasion, he was again the object of jealousy; and the English envoy at the Hague demanded him to be delivered up. Receiving timely intelligence of this, he absconded, and employed himself on his grand work till the suspicion appeared to be wholly groundless. At Amsterdam he became a member of a literary society, composed of Limbroch, Le Clerc, and others, who met to discuss subjects of universal learning. In this place he concluded his Essay, the work of nine years, and published an abridgement of it in French ;-when, finding the expec tation he wished to raise confirmed, he put the entire work to press on his arrival in England with the princess of Orange. |