ISAAC NEWTON iii 



He also always remained an active member of the Royal 

 Society, becoming its President in 1703, and remaining in 

 this office until his death. 



Newton was the first great and comprehensive investi- 

 gator in history, to whom age brought no modifications of 

 the convictions which he had expressed during his life. 

 Although he had still many battles to fight, since doubts 

 arose concerning his priority in the invention of the method 

 of fluxions - doubts which he would not allow to be held as 

 being contrary to the truth - he nevertheless had everyone 

 on his side in his own country, and his position as Master 

 of the Mint ensured him a comfortable old age. His house- 

 hold, since he himself did not found a family, was conducted 

 by his married niece; he kept a carriage and three male and 

 three female servants. He was hospitable and amiable, and 

 delighted in great generosity. 



Newton was not above the middle height, and somewhat 

 stout in his old age. He had long and wavy hair, which was 

 vigorous and silver white in his old age, so that he did not 

 wear a wig. In his eightieth year he became infirm. He 

 died at the age of eighty-five, and was buried in Westminster 

 Abbey with all the honour due to one of the greatest of the 

 land. A fine memorial with a suitable epitaph is dedicated 

 to his memory. 



GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ {1646-1716) 

 DIONYSIUS PAPIN {1647-1712) 



Leibniz's personality and life cannot here be described as 

 completely as those of Newton and Guericke, although he 

 has much similarity with these, since his achievements as a 

 scientist are in the main indirect, concerned as they are with 

 the great tool of scientific investigation, mathematics. 



