GRAVITATION. 



which he called his miller, and by means of whose action 

 he could turn the mill round when he chose. He exe- 

 cuted also a water clock, about four feet high, with a 

 dial plate at the top for indicating the hours. The index 

 was turned by a piece of wood, which either rose or fell 

 by the dropping of water. The passion for these me- 

 chanical occupations, often withdrew his attention from 

 his regular studies ; and in consequence of this, the other 

 boys gained places above him, till he was roused to 

 outstrip them all by a little extraordinary exertion. The 

 intermission of his mechanical pursuits, which was thus 

 rendered necessary, rather increased than abated his 

 ardor for them. He introduced the use of paper kites 

 among his school-fellows. He made paper lanterns, by 

 the light of which he went to school in the winter morn- 

 ings; and he frightened the country people by tying 

 them to the tails of his kites, in a dark night. He 

 watched too the motions of the sun with great diligence ; 

 and by means of pegs placed in the wall of the house 

 where he lived, and marks for the hours and half hours, 

 the time of the day was shown to every person, on what 

 went by the name of Isaac's dial. He had also a great 

 turn for drawing; and, according to the account of Mrs 

 Vincent, who was niece to the wife of Sir Isaac's land- 

 lord, at Grentham, he frequently made little tables and 

 cupboards for her and her play-fellows. She mentions 

 also his having made a cart with four wheels, in which 

 he could drive himself by turning a windlass.' 



Young Newton was, before a long time, recalled from 

 school, to assist his mother in managing the farm. But 

 he did not succeed very well in this employment. His 

 taste for mechanical employments continued, and he felt 

 very little interest in the labors of the plough and the 

 hoe. Sometimes he went, with another person who was 

 employed upon the farm, to a neighboring town to mar- 

 ket, to sell their produce. In such cases he frequently 

 left his charge, and spent his time at an apothecary's, 

 where he found books which interested him, leaving his 

 business in the hands of his attendant. He was not al- 

 ways faithful to his duties at home. ' The study of a 

 book, the execution of a model, or the superintendence 



