no GREAT MEN OF SCIENCE 



of Cambridge University. The University refused. But 

 when the King's command was repeated with threats, it 

 was already near to giving way, but nevertheless formed a 

 committee from among those of its members who stood 

 firm, to defend its rights. Newton was also elected to this 

 committee, and it was successful; the King retracted his 

 command. A further result of this was that Newton was 

 elected, in 1688, Member of Parliament for Cambridge 

 University, but he only sat for two years. 



Newton's Cambridge professorship did not make great 

 demands upon him, and gave him the freedom necessary 

 for his extensive researches; but it also only afforded him a 

 very modest livelihood. It appears often to have happened 

 in England at that time that men distinguished at the Univer- 

 sity were given another and higher field of activity in their 

 later days. So Newton was offered in 1696 the position of 

 Warden of the Mint, being regarded as particularly suited 

 for the post, not only as a person of established reputation 

 and a mathematician, but especially as a metallurgist, by 

 reason of his numerous experiments with alloys for making 

 telescope mirrors, and also in many other and varied 

 chemical matters. 



In this position, which was important at the time on 

 account of the reformation in the coinage which was taking 

 place, he was able to perform important services. The 

 change in the coinage was completed in two years, whereupon 

 Newton was made Master of the Mint, which position he 

 retained for the rest of his life. In the meantime, he was 

 able to supply a deputy for his Cambridge professorship, 

 until he gave it up in the year 1703. The leisure afforded 

 him by his position as Master of the Mint, was used for 

 supervising the republication of his work, and for historical 

 study, which however he did not intend for publication.^ 



* Such studies were in part published during his life against his will; 

 their full publication only occurred after his death. 



