38 SIR ISAAC NEWTON. 



" he learned to go to bed at twelve, finding by expe- 

 rience that if he exceeded that hour but a little, it 

 did him more harm in his health than a whole 

 day's study." 



" He very rarely went to dine in the hall, except 

 on some public days, and then if he has not been 

 minded, would go very carelessly, with shoes down 

 at heels, stockings untied, surplice on, and his head 

 scarcely combed. ... At some seldom times when 

 he designed to dine in the hall, he would turn to 

 the left hand and go out into the street, when mak- 

 ing a stop when he found his mistake, would has- 

 tily turn back, and then sometimes, instead of 

 going into the hall, would return to his chamber 

 again. ... In his chamber he walked so very much 

 that you might have thought him to be educated 

 at Athens, among the Aristotelian sect." 



So absent-minded was he, the story is told 

 of him, that going home to Colsterworth, he led 

 his horse up a hill. When he designed to remount, 

 the animal had slipped the bridle and gone away 

 unperceived, though Newton held the bridle in his 

 hand all the time. He would often sit down on 

 his bedside after he rose, and remain there for 

 hours without dressing, so completely absorbed 

 was he in his thought. How few in all this 

 world have been so devoted to science ! And yet 

 how many expect success without this devotion ! 



The same gentleman writes of Newton, "His 

 carriage was very meek, sedate, and humble, never 

 pemingly angry, of profound thought, his counte- 



