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" Superior Beings when of late they faw 
A mortal man unfold ail Nature's law, 
Admir'd fuch wifdom in an earthly fhape 
And fliew'd a Newton as we mew an Ape." 
Thefe lines, probably, are not new to 
you; but there is fo much originality in 
the idea, that it is almoft impoflible to think 
of NEWTON without repeating them. 
He was born on Chriftmas-day, 1642, at 
Woolftrop in Lincolnftiire; received th 
early part of his education in the grammar- 
fchool at Grantham, and was admitted, at 
the age of eighteen, of Trinity College, 
Cambridge. At this time mathematics were 
pretty generally taught by the Tutors. The 
firft book put into young Newton's hand, 
was Euclid's Elements. He caft his eye over 
it, and was immediately mafter of every 
propofition. He thought the book too eafy 
to deferve much attention; but he after- 
wards acknowledged his miftake, and was 
forry for it. In 1665, that is, in his 22d 
year, he invented the method of Fluxions, by 
the help of which, he is faid, in the fpace of 
two years, to have carried the doctrine of 
infinite feries almoft to perfection. You will 
know what this means, when you become 
acquainted with the writings of this human 
prodigy. 
