MOTOR FORCE OF THE WORLD MACHINE 265 



prestidigitateur had learned to admire English institutions and 

 English thinkers. When, with a comfortable fortune acquired 

 in clever speculation in corn, he was allowed to return, it was 

 to publish his celebrated Lettres Philosophiques sur les Anglais, 

 and the Epitome of the Newtonian philosophy. European 

 thought was still dominated by the fantasies of Descartes. In 

 the battle royal that followed the militant pen of the Newtonian 

 protagonist found an able lieutenant in his charming companion 

 at arms, the learned and amiable Marquise du Chatelet. It 

 was the latter who translated the Principia into French, adding 

 thereto a highly creditable commentary of her own. 



Newton's neglect or disregard of feminine society or associa- 

 tion during his life appears to have been complete. It was his 

 fate to be introduced to the larger audience of Europe through 

 the pen of one of the most interesting adornments of her sex. 

 The volume of Madame du Chatelet to-day commands a con- 

 siderable price, testimony to one of the rare episodes in philo- 

 sophy touched with any colour of romance. 



As to the judgments of Newton's immediate contemporaries, 

 it scarce needs be said, since the fact is universal, that their 

 rejection of the ideas of the Principia was all but unanimous. 

 Strangest of all was that of Huyghens, whose law of centrifugal 

 force was one of the strongest weapons in the Newtonian argu- 

 ment. It was simply the old story ; for mystery Newton had 

 substituted simplicity and law, and to mystery purblind authority 

 will cling so long as it may. But soon the generation of re- 

 jection will pass ; a newer generation will come which accepts. 

 In another century a man who doubts what the greatest mathe- 

 maticians, thinkers, and philosophers in Europe had doubted 

 or flouted will be regarded simply as a fool. 



What Newton taught will not cease to be the truth so long 

 as the world lasts. Unto him it was given to unveil a secret 

 of the universe. Until Newton came man could scarce have 

 any rational conception of the world into which he is born. 

 The event was worthy of the sumptuous phrase it found in 

 the epigram of Pope : 



" Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in Night ; 

 God said, Let Newton be, and all was light." 



There yet remained an absorbing mystery which must be 

 solved before the description of the celestial machine was com- 



