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Isaac Newton
From The Gulliver Code
Newton and Pope
Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: / God said, Let Newton be! and all was light.
- Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man
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Yet O! my sons, a father's words attend |
But O! with One, immortal One dispense, |
Newton died in London on March 20, 1727 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, the first scientist to be accorded this honor. His famous monument, an elaborate tomb completed in 1731 by the Flemish sculptor Michael Rysbrack, was funded by a committee that included Alexander Pope. I suspect Pope wrote the epitaph (see below). Pope was also involved in setting up the Abbey monument to William Shakespeare, which may or may not contain Masonic symbols and an anagram that suggests Shakespeare's works were in fact those of Francis Bacon.
Newton published his manuscripts only if put under pressure by his friends. At the time of his death, he was preparing for publication "The Chronology of the Ancient Kingdoms Amended". It was put out shortly after his death by his nephew John Conduit, and Alexander Pope took care of formally editing the text.
Newton's Monument in Westminster Abbey From the Westminster Abbey Web site:
"Newton’s monument stands against the choir screen, to the north of the entrance to the choir. It was executed by the sculptor Michael Rysbrack (1694-1770) to the designs of the architect William Kent (1685-1748) and dates from 1731.
"The monument is of white and grey marble. Its base bears a Latin inscription (see below) and supports a sarcophagus with large scroll feet and a relief panel. The latter depicts boys using instruments related to Newton’s mathematical and optical work (including the telescope and prism) and his activity as Master of the Mint. Above the sarcophagus is a reclining figure of Newton, in classical costume, his right elbow resting on several books representing his great works. They are labelled ‘Divinity’, ‘Chronology’, ‘Opticks’ [1704] and ‘Philo. Prin. Math’ [Philosophia Naturalis Principia Mathematica, 1686-7)]. With his left hand he points to a scroll with a mathematical design, held by two standing winged boys. The background is a pyramid on which is a celestial globe with the signs of the Zodiac, of the constellations, and with the path of the comet of 1680. On top of the globe sits a figure of Astronomy leaning upon a book.
"The monument originally stood out against the flat front of the choir screen, but was enclosed within a decorative arch when Edward Blore re-modelled the screen in 1834.
The inscription reads:
H. S. E. ISAACUS NEWTON Eques Auratus, / Qui, animi vi prope divinâ, / Planetarum Motus, Figuras, / Cometarum semitas, Oceanique Aestus. Suâ Mathesi facem praeferente / Primus demonstravit: / Radiorum Lucis dissimilitudines, / Colorumque inde nascentium proprietates, / Quas nemo antea vel suspicatus erat, pervestigavit. / Naturae, Antiquitatis, S. Scripturae, / Sedulus, sagax, fidus Interpres / Dei O. M. Majestatem Philosophiâ asseruit, / Evangelij Simplicitatem Moribus expressit. / Sibi gratulentur Mortales, / Tale tantumque exstitisse / HUMANI GENERIS DECUS. / NAT. XXV DEC. A.D. MDCXLII. OBIIT. XX. MAR. MDCXXVI
This can be translated as follows:
Here is buried Isaac Newton, Knight, who by a strength of mind almost divine, and mathematical principles peculiarly his own, explored the course and figures of the planets, the paths of comets, the tides of the sea, the dissimilarities in rays of light, and, what no other scholar has previously imagined, the properties of the colours thus produced. Diligent, sagacious and faithful, in his expositions of nature, antiquity and the holy Scriptures, he vindicated by his philosophy the majesty of God mighty and good, and expressed the simplicity of the Gospel in his manners. Mortals rejoice that there has existed such and so great an ornament of the human race! He was born on 25th December, 1642, and died on 20th March 1726/7.
Translation from G.L. Smyth, The Monuments and Genii of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and of Westminster Abbey (1826), ii, 703-4.
