ISAAC NEWTON'S PRINICIPIA MATHEMATICA

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V20 2017 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 20, Number 45, November 5, 2017, Article 10

ISAAC NEWTON'S PRINICIPIA MATHEMATICA

Another quite important book, currently on exhibit in Cambridge, has a distant connection to a numismatic figure. Its' author, famous far beyond numismatics, served as the Master of the Royal Mint from 1696 to 1727 - none other than Sir Isaac Newton. Jeff Rock of San Diego submitted this report. Thanks. The library did not allow picture-taking, but Jeff found these images, presumably taken by the library. WOW - what a bibliophile's dream! -Editor

Last month I visited the Wren Library at Trinity College in Cambridge, luckily at a time the library was open to the public, and it was a Newtonian's dream! A case was pretty much devoted to him, containing his walking stick, some of his hair, the actual prism he used to discover wavelengths and -- perfect for the bibliophile in all of us -- his personal copy of the first edition of his Prinicipia Mathematica, complete with annotations in his hand that were incorporated into the second edition. And, while you can't go in, you can at least see from the outside the room he occupied while he was at school there.

One of my other interests is the history of business, science and technology, and Newton's groundbreaking work is a Holy Grail of the scientific field. -Editor

Jeff adds:

For those interested in the historical fiction genre I HIGHLY recommend Neil Stephenson's "Baroque Trilogy" which is mostly in the 16th and 17th centuries and in which Newton plays a major role. But be warned -- each book is about a thousand pages long and insanely addictive (as well as erudite, earthy and funny at the same time!).

For more information on the Wren Library, see:
WREN LIBRARY (https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/library/wren-library/)

For more information on Newton's work at the Royal Mint, see:
Isaac Newton : Warden and then Master of the Royal Mint 1696-1727 (http://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/history/people/mint-officials/isaac-newton/#)
BOOK REVIEW: NEWTON AND THE COUNTERFEITER (http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n32a03.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum

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