an Autograph Manuscript by Sir Isaac Newton. 73 



warrant so harsh and uncharitable a conclusion. It appears from 

 his own statement to LOCKE, that during the early part of the 

 year 1693, NEWTON laboured under some bodily indisposition, 

 attended with loss of sleep for a considerable time ; and that his 

 health had farther suffered by a disorder which had been epide- 

 mical during the summer of that year. The state of mental ex- 

 haustion, and probably of nervous irritability, brought on by this 

 disorder of his health and want of rest, would, of itself, I conceive, 

 go far under any circumstances to account for what it might 

 otherwise appear difficult to explain in these letters. But when 

 we take, at the same time, into consideration, that NEWTON, with 

 all his boldness of conception and his extraordinary sagacity, was 

 a man of a peculiarly timid and apprehensive character, and per- 

 haps suspicious temper, or as LOCKE (certainly a very competent 

 judge) expresses it, " a nice man to deal with, and a little too apt 

 to raise in himself suspicions where there is no ground *;" I 



* These remarkable expressions occur in a very curious and interesting letter, 

 also contained in Lord KING'S Life of LOCKE. As it relates to the character of 

 NEWTON, and appears to me to throw considerable light on the subject under discus- 

 sion, I shall make no apology for inserting it here, especially as it seems to be but 

 little known. It is a confidential letter from LOCKE to his friend and relation Mr 

 King, afterwards Lord Chancellor ; and it can scarcely be doubted that, had there 

 been any truth in the supposition of NEWTON'S previous derangement, he would 

 have made some allusion to it on this occasion. 



" DEAR COUSIN, Oates, April 30. 1703. 



" I am puzzled in a little affair, and must beg your assistance for the clearing 



of it. Mr NEWTON, in autumn last, made me a visit here ; I showed him my essay 



upon the Corinthians, with which he seemed very well pleased, but had not time to 



look it all over, but promised me if I would send it him, he would carefully peruse 



it, and send me his observations and opinion. I sent it him before Christmas, but 



hearing nothing from him, I, about a month or six weeks since, writ to him, as the 



inclosed tells you, with the remaining part of the story. When you have read it, 



and sealed it, I desire you to deliver at your convenience. He lives in German 



VOL. XII. PART I. K 



