Isaac Newton: 1642-1727 - Notes and...

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IS A A C N E W T O N

1642-1727 /

r I ^HE three hundredth anniversary of the birth of Sir Isaac Newton I fell at a time when world circumstances prevented all possibility

of celebrating the event as it deserved. O n 20 December 1942, the President, attended by the Physical Secretary and the Assistant Secretary, on behalf of the Society, laid a wreath on the grave of Sir Isaac Newton in Westminster Abbey, by arrangement with the Dean and Chapter. The Anniversary Meeting held on 30 November 1942 was associated with the tercentenary, and was the occasion for special addresses by the President, Professor E. N. da C. Andrade, Lord Rayleigh and Sir James Jeans. These addresses have been printed in the Society’s Proceedings. The meeting was held in the lecture theatre of the Royal Institution by kind permission of the managers. The Society also exhibited various Newtoniana, including relics lent by the Deputy Master of the Mint, the Astronomer Royal and Lord Keynes. By all these means, the Society endeavoured to do its utmost under prevailing conditions to render homage to the memory of its most distinguished President, until such time as the organization of celebrations worthy of the occasion might be possible.

Meanwhile, it is most pleasing to record that the keenest interest in the Newton tercentenary was shown by men of science in other countries, and particularly in the U.S.S.R. The Academy of Sciences at Moscow, and several other scientific academies and societies in the U.S.S.R. set apart special meetings in honour of Newton and sent greetings to the Royal Society. The Central Government of the U.S.S.R. created a number of Newton studentships in Newton’s own branches of science, tenable at the universities. The Council of the Royal Society, therefore, thought it fitting to purchase a first edition of Newton’s Principia, and a holograph letter from Newton to Menshikov, the first Russian Fellow, announcing the latter’s election

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into the Fellowship in 1714, for presentation to the scientists of the U.S.S.R. The Principia, handsomely bound in red morocco leather and containing a suitable dedication signed by all the members of the Council, and the holograph letter were forwarded by His Majesty’s Government to Moscow and presented to the Academy of Sciences of the U .S.S.R. by His Majesty’s Ambassador, acting for the Society.

The following are the texts of messages exchanged between Russian scientific bodies and the Royal Society on this occasion.

‘ From The Academy of Sciences, Moscow, to The Royal Society:‘ Academy of Sciences of U SSR assembled on Jubilee meeting

dedicated to the 300th birth anniversary of the greatest English scientist Isaac Newton sends its greetings to the Royal Society and wishes to our brothers in arms the British scientists of successful activity for the rapid destruction by the freedom loving people of the worst fiend of humanity culture and progress German fascism—on behalf of the meeting, Vladimir Komarov President Academy of Sciences of U SSR .’

‘ From The Royal Society to The Academy of Sciences, Moscow:‘ Greetings to Academy of Sciences of U SSR on its jubilee

celebration of tercentenary of birth of Royal Society’s greatest President Isaac Newton whose work belongs to mankind—British men of science eager to work in close fellowship with yours and with those of all united nations—together we shall defeat those who hate science and freedom and destroy human life and achievement—together we shall build a civilization which will use science for enlightenment healing and enrichment of all men.’

* From Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, to The Royal Society:‘ Newton conference held by Department of Physics Mathematics

Chemistry of Ukrainian Academy of Sciences congratulates Royal Society on occasion of tercentenary of birth of your great fellow countryman Societys permanent president Isaac Newton genius who was true embellishment of mankind. We are observing anniversary of this great light of science during historic days when Soviet troops on river Don and Angloamerican troops in Northern Africa are



conducting successful offensives and we may express firm belief that day is not far off when ultimate victory of United Nations arms will be achieved over dark forces of Hitlerism. Then path of scientific progress to which Newton’s life was devoted will once more be opened to all mankind liberated for ever from nightmare of brown plague. Signed on behalf of conference by Academicians P. Budnikov, Leipunsky, G. Dneiffer.’

‘ From The Royal Society to Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.‘ Your cable of 26 December gratefully received. Such men as

Newton belong to all nations. Their work endures for ever. The heroic endeavours of your countrymen encourage United Nations to believe that time is not now far distant when we can again co-operate fully for the advancement of civilization and when the destructive forces of Hitlerism will be dissipated in the clouds of history.

‘ From Moscow Naturalists Society, Moscow, to The Royal Society:

‘ Moscow Naturalists Society sends Royal Society London heartiest new year greetings. We are confident that 1943 will be year when forces of democracy science culture embodied in coalition of Allied powers will triumph over powers of evil and violence of fascist Germany. Moscow Naturalists Society expresses sincerest wishes for success of your fruitful work. Vice President Professor Ogniev, Scientific Secretary Professor Lipschitz Moscow Naturalists Society.

‘ From The Royal Society to Moscow Naturalists Society, Moscow ’‘ Royal Society London sends cordial New Year Greetings to

Moscow Naturalists Society with confident hope for early victory of nations defending science and freedom and for collaboration of their scientists in rebuilding civilization.’

‘ From Institute of Experimental Medicine, Moscow, to The Royal Society:

‘ On behalf of scientists of Institute of Experimental Medicine I am sending cordial New Year Greetings to English scientists in your

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person. Confident of further strengthening of friendship between scientists of U SSR and England for purpose of hastening victory over Nazi Germany our common enemy Professor Propper^Grashchenkov.’

4 From The Royal Society to Institute of Experimental Medicine, Moscow:

‘ For British scientists I send to those of Moscow Institute of Experimental Medicine and to all in U SSR warm New Year Greetings and assurance of desire for closest collaboration in winning the war and building the peace.’

‘ From Committee of Scientists of Novosibirsk to The Royal Society:

‘ Revering memory great English scientist Isaac Newton on tercentenary his birth, Committee Scientists Novosibirsk sends heartiest greetings Royal Society. In Soviet Siberia work many eminent men Russian science who, like advanced men learning whole world, regard this genius inspired son English Nation as their teacher. Soviet savants in Siberia work indefatigably together with whole people creating new weapons for heroic Red Army, thereby bringing nearer hour victory United Nations. We are sure that English scientists are united with us in striving wipe out modern barbarians and ensure all freedonvloving mankind possibility continued development its inteh lectual and material culture.’

4 From The Royal Society to Committee of Scientists of Novosi' birsk:

‘ Royal Society sends greetings to Scientists of Novosibirsk on their celebration of Newton Tercentenary and welcome news that Soviet Scientists are working in Siberia for victory of heroic Red Army and United Free Nations by which science will retain its beneficent task for all mankind.’

‘ From Moscow Bauman Institute for Mechanics and Machine Building to The Royal Society:

‘ The Academic Council Scientific Workers and students of O ctober 1946 k



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oldest highest technical school of USSR, the Moscow Bauman Mechanics and Machine/building Institute bearing Labour Red Banner Order, in meeting assembled to celebrate tercentenary anniver^ sary of birth of highly^gifted Isaac Newton, pride and glory of English people, send their greeting to the British Royal Society.

‘ A ll members, workers, students of Institute are firmly convinced that English and Soviet scientists working in close co-operation will direct all their gifts and knowledge towards quickest possible annihila/ tion of Fascist barbarians, enemies of mankind and of world culture, to the progress of which famous author of “ Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy ” had contributed so much.’

‘ From The Royal Society to Moscow Bauman Institute for Mechanics and Machine Building:

‘ Royal Society of London sends greetings to Moscow Bauman Institute for Mechanics and Machine Building and welcomes news of the celebration by the Academic Council of the tercentenary of the birth of the Royal Society’s greatest President Isaac Newton. Newton’s achievements belong to all mankind and so must the work of all men of science of our nations when we have freed the world from those who have used science for destruction and enslavement. We salute the magnificent victories of the soldiers and the scientists of U SSR.’

In Havana, a public function was held on 22 January 1943 in honour of Newton’s tercentenary under the auspices of the Cuban Geographical Society. The following message from the Royal Society was delivered to the meeting by His Majesty’s Minister in H avana:

‘ To Dr S. Massip, President of the Cuban Geographical Society, H avana:

‘ Royal Society of London on behalf of British men of science sends greetings to those of Cuba on the occasion of their celebration of the tercentenary of the birth of Isaac Newton. Newton was the Royal Society’s greatest President but his discoveries belong to all mankind. Men of science in all countries look with confidence to a



victory which will allow Science to resume its proper and beneficent activities for the wole world.

4 H enry D ale, f President the Royal

A despatch from His Majesty’s Minister contains the following account of the celebration :

‘ A very successful function in honour of the tercentenary of Sir Isaac Newton was held on January 23 rd in the Cuban Academy of Science, under the auspices of the Cuban Geographical Society. The Minister of State and most of the diplomatic representatives of the United Nations were present at this tribute to Britain’s greatest man of Science. The hall was full of university students and in the course of my address I delivered the message of the President of the Royal Society, which was warmly appreciated. A specially satisfactory feature of this celebration was that the speakers emphasized that it was a tribute not only to Sir Isaac Newton but also to British culture and to the British people in general. The other speakers were Dr Salvador Massip, the President of the Cuban Geographical Society, Dr Carlos Millas, the Director of the National Observatory, who described the career of Sir Isaac Newton, Dr Mario Filippi Ferrari, a professor of Physics at the University of Havana, who performed some of his experiments and Dr Jose Isaac del Corral, Director of Mines and Forests at the Ministry of Agriculture, who spoke on Newton’s contribution to the science of mathematics.

‘ I would request that the President of the Royal Society and the British Council be informed.’



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N E W T O N T E R C E N T E N A R Y C E L E B R A T IO N S

15-19 JU L Y 1946

r I 'H E war prevented an international celebration in 1942 of the X 300th anniversary of the birth of Isaac Newton. The Royal

Society of London therefore took the opportunity of inviting the national academies of science of the world to join with it in paying homage to his memory during the period 15-19 July 1946.

C alendar of the C elebrations

Monday, 15 July

11.00 a.m. Reception of the Delegates by the President of the Royal Society, Sir Robert Robinson, and Presentation of Addresses by leaders of the delegations from foreign academies. The Apartments of the Royal Society, Burlington House, W .i.

2.00 p.m. Lecture on ‘ Isaac Newton ’ by Professor E. N. da C. Andrade, F.R.S., at the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street, W .i.

6.45 p.m. Visit to Covent Garden Opera House for a performance by the Ballet Theatre of New York.

Tuesday, 16 July

11.30 a.m. Reception by the Society for Visiting Scientists at 5 Old Burlington Street, W .i.4.00 p.m. A Garden Party given by Their Majesties, the King and

Queen, at Buckingham Palace.8.00 p.m. Conversazione in the Apartments of the Royal Society.



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Wednesday, 17 July

A visit to Cambridge as guests of Trinity College.

Programme

11.30 a.m. Arrived at the Cavendish Laboratory.11.30 a.m. Delegates conducted over the Cavendish Laboratory by

to Sir Lawrence Bragg, F.R.S., Cavendish Professor of12.45 p.m. Experimental Physics in the University of Cambridge.

1.00 p.m. To Trinity College, where the Master (Dr G. M. Treveb yan, O.M.) met the delegates at the Great Gate.

1.15 p.m. Lunch in the College Hall.2.00 p.m. Address of Welcome by the Master of Trinity. Mr

Geoffrey Keynes, F.R.C.S., read a paper by the late Lord Keynes, entitled ‘ Newton, the man.’

2.35 p.m. Visit to the Library, Bowling Green, Master’s Lodge and to Chapel in small parties conducted by Fellows of the

4.00 p.m. College.3.30 p.m. Garden Party in the Fellows’ Garden,

to5.00 p.m.5.00 p.m. Returned to London.

Thursday, 18 July

10.30 a.m. Lectures at the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street, W .i. ‘ Newton and the infinitesimal calculus,’ by Professor J. Hadamard, For.Mem.R.S. (France). ‘ Newton’s Atomism,’ by Sergei Vavilov (U.S.S.R.), read on his behalf by Sir Henry Dale, F.R.S.

2.55 p.m. Visit to the Royal Mint. The Deputy Master of the Mint had to limit the number of this party to 50 persons.

8.00 p.m. Conversazione in the Apartments of the Royal Society.



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Friday, lg Ju ly

10.30 a.m. Lectures at the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street, W .i. ‘ Newton’s principles and modern atomic mechanics,’ by Professor Niels Bohr, For.Mem.R.S. (Denmark). 4 Newton: the algebraist and geometer,’ by Professor H. W . Turnbull, F.R.S. (U .K .).2.45 p.m. Lectures at the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street, W .i.

‘ Newton’s contributions to observational astronomy,’ by Dr Walter Adams (U .S.A .). ‘ Newton and fluid mechanics,’ by Dr Jerome C. Hunsaker (U .S.A .).

8.00 p.m. Reception by the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of the City of London at Guildhall.

The proceedings of the Newton Tercentenary Celebrations will form the subject of a separate publication.

LIST OF DELEGATES TO THE NEWTON TERCENTENARYCELEBRATIONS

A lgeria Professor Bourion

A ustralia Dr E. H. Booth Dr A . Maccoll

Belgium Professor J. Cox Professor C. Manneback Professor J. Timmermans

Brazil

H.E. The Brazilian Ambassador

C anada Professor J. S. Foster Dr P. Gagnon

Professor O. Maass Dr E. S. Moore

C hina

Professor Y. R. Chao Professor P. Y. Chou Professor T. Y. W u

C olonial Empire Mr A . G. Beattie Mr R DaubneyProfessor W . A . E. Karunaratne Dr H. SmitlvBracewell Dr H. H. Storey

C zechoslovakia Professor B. Bydzovsky Professor E. Cech Professor V. Trkal



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D enmark Professor N. Bohr Professor A . Krogh Professor J. Nielsen Professor N. E. Norlund

Ecuador

Dr H. V. Lafronte (Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary of the Republic of Ecuador in Great Britain)

Eire

Dr F. E. Hackett Dr A . J. McConnell Dr J. J. Nolan

Finland

Professor J. Wasastjerna

France

Dr E. Borel M. L. Blaringhem Le Due de Broglie M. J. Chazy Professor A . Denjoy Professor J. Hadamard Professor G. Julia M. E. de Margerie

G reece

M. Th. Aghnides (H.E. The Greek Ambassador)

India

Professor H. J. BhabhaSir Kariamanikkam Krishnan

Professor M. N. Saha Mr D. N. Wadia

Iran

Dr M. Hessaby

Italy

Professor G. Abetti

N etherlands

Professor J. Clay Professor H. R. Kruyt Professor M. W . Woerdeman

N ew Zealand

Professor C. E. Hercus Dr E. M. Marsden Sir Theodore Rigg

N orway

Professor V. Bjerknes Professor O. Holtedahl Professor H. Solberg Professor C. Stromer

Palestine

Professor S. Brodetsky

Peru

Col. G. Dienderas Lt./Col. M. Suarez

Portugal

Professor V. H. Duarte de Lemos



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Scotland

Professor J. Kendall Sir Edmund Whittaker

South A frica

Dr J. JacksonProfessor B. F. J. Schonland Professor K. Smeath/Thomas

Spain

Professor S. Chapman Sir Henry Dale Sir Alfred Egerton Professor F. E. Fritsch Professor S. Goldstein Professor A . V. Hill Professor W . V. D. Hodge Dr G. M. Holmes Sir Harold Spencer Jones Professor H. W . Melville Sir Thomas Merton Professor R. A . Peters

Don Dr J. M. Otero de Navascues Professor H. H. PlaskettDon E. Torroja

Sweden

Professor B. Lindblad Professor T. Svedberg Professor N. E. Svedelius Professor I. Waller

Professor H. C. Plummer Dr D. R. Pye Lord Rayleigh Sir Robert Robinson Sir Edward Salisbury Professor H. W . Turnbull Professor S. Zuckerman

Switzerland

Professor A . Mercier Professor M. Lugeon Professor L. Ruzicka Professor G. Tiercy

U nited K ingdom

Professor E. N. da C. Andrade Dr C. H. Andrews Sir Edward Appleton Professor W . T. Astbury Professor P. M. S. Blackett Professor D. Brunt

U ruguay

Senor R. MacEachen (H.E. The Uruguayan Ambassador)

U .S .A .

Dr W . S. Adams Professor T. M. Bogert Dr F. E. Brasch Dr J. C. Hunsaker Dr H. E. Ives Dr T. von Karman Professor W . R. Miles Dr Peyton Rous



U.S.S.R.

Professor V. Ambartsumian Professor A . Arbusov Dr B. Vedenski Professor I. Vinogradov

V aticanSir Edmund Whittaker

V enezuela

Dr H. J. Duarte Dr E. Rohl

Yugoslavia

Dr Z. Markovic Dr V. V. Michkovitch

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A n extraordinary meeting of the Society was held on Thursday, 18 July 1946, at 5.30 p.m., in the library at Burlington House for the purpose of admitting into the Society the Foreign Members elected in recent years who were in London in connexion with the Newton Tercentenary Celebrations.

The following were admitted as Foreign Members of the Society:Professor V. E. K. Bjerknes Le Due de Broglie Professor T. von Karman Professor M. Lugeon Professor N. E. Norlund

Dr F. Peyton Rous Professor L. Ruzicka Professor T. Svedberg Professor N. E. Svedelius Professor I. M. Vinogradov



i 58

A N E W T O N LETTER

yTR R O G ER N O R T H has placed on indefinite loan with the I V I Society a letter from Sir Isaac Newton, dated 21 April 1677,

to the Rev. the Hon. John North, afterwards Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. A facsimile of this letter appears on the accompanying plates ( | actual size), and a transcription is given below.

The book referred to by Newton in this letter was probably A Philosophical Essay on Music by Francis North, Lord Guilford. It was written by him while still at school but was not published until 1677. *

Cambridge Apr 21.1677 Sr

The esteem you express of my judgment I must impute to yor goodness who are willing to make yfc best of every thing. Yet since it is yor desire to have my opinion about this new Treatise of Musick, I shall give it you, though perhaps not so largely as you may expect, there being some things which I cannot speak positively to for want of experiments 8c skill in Musick.

Pag 5 lin 14 8c pag 6 lin 30, the Author asserts yl sound is produced in ye Torricellian vacuum, 8c thence seems to collect yl ye medium of sound is not grosser A ir but some subtiler aerial fluid of a middle nature between yl Air 8c AEther, wch can penetrate glass 8c other gross bodies. But it is to be suspected y* this experinf of ye Torricellian Vacuum holds only when ye glass is not well emptied of Air. For Mr Boyle (Exp1 27) repeating it wth a watch hung in his Receiver, found that as ye receiver was more 8c more emptied, ye noise made by ye Ballance wheel grew fainter 8c fainter till at last it was not heard at all though ye handle 8c wheels of ye watch were still seen to continue their motion as freely as at first. Yet ye louder sound of a Bell com tinued audible when ye air was drawn out, though perhaps it would not have done so could ye Receiver have been fully exhausted of Air,



.

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long as ye sound lasts: but ye pulses are rather to be conceived like so many spherical concentrick waves whose center is ye sounding body & wch arising continually from y* center dilate & flow on from thence with that swiftness we find sound propagated till they arrive at ye ear; new pulses from ye center continually succeeding them after ye manner of undulations made by throwing a stone into water.

Let therefore A & B represent two sounding bodies of like tones, c, d, e, f, &c ye pulses continually propagated from A ; & k, 1, m, n, See ye pulses propagated from B. A nd if ye ear be placed at x, or y, or z, or any place where ye pulses at any time intersect, they will strike ye ear at ye same time, but if it be placed between x, y suppose at v, ye puls xn wch comes from ye Body B will strike it in ye intervall of ye pulses xf Sc yg wch come from ye body A . A nd the like will happen if ye ear be placed between y Scz as at w, or in any pulse of one body Sc between two pulses of ye other. So that ye ears of two men or ye two ears of ye same man according to their position from ye sounding bodies may be struck the one at once ye other successively by ye pulses, Sc yet in all positions of ye ear ye sounds Sc their harmony are heard ye same. The like of bodies tuned to a fift or any other Concord. Seing therefore ye pulses of two sounds may at ye same time strike one ear both together Sc another ear alternately Sc yet do exhibit ye same concord to all ears, it follows Ist that concords arise not from ye coinci/ dence of pulses at ye ear nor have any dependance on such coincidences, Sc 2dIy that unisons are rather a harmony of two like tones then a single tone made more loud and full by ye addition as ye author would have it, p. 8.1.20.

The explication of ye sound of whistles pag 12 is very ingenious, but I fear not altogether substantial. Yet for want of apposite experiments I can neither sufficiently confute it nor confirm any new Hypothesis.

The discours also about breaking of Tones into higher notes seems very ingenious Sc judicious, but I want experience to discern whether altogether solid, Sc much more do I want experience Sc skill to enable me sufficiently to judge of what follows about Tunes, ye scale of Music, Sc consort; this requiring a combination of musical Sc mathematical skill, Sc therefore I shal content my self wth having thus far animad/ verted upon ye Author.



I6l

I am much obliged to you for giving me notice of the objection made against my notion about colours. But ye experiment succeeds otherwise then tis reported. If you place your eye where ye blew light falls on ye wall so yl a by/stander see your eye of a blew colour you will at ye same time see ye Prism of a blew colour; & so if you place you eye in ye red light you will see ye Prism red. What colour a By stander sees fall on yor eye you will see at ye Prism : as I can affirm by iterated experience.

The last week I called at yor Lodgings & hope ere long to have an opportunity to wait on you again. In ye meane time I rest wth my thanks to you for yor kind acceptance of my former Letters

Yor humble Servant 8c honourer

For the Rnd 8c Honble Is. NewtonDr North, to be leftat Mr Pawley’s atthe Bible inChancery LaneLondon



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