By the time he arrived in London de Moivre was a competent mathematician with a good knowledge of many of the standard texts. However after he made a visit to the Earl of Devonshire, carrying with him a letter of introduction, he was shown Newton 's Principia. He realised instantly that this was a work far deeper than those which he had studied and decided that he would have to read and understand this masterpiece.
Ng oras siya dumating sa London de Moivre ay isang maaasahan dalubbilang na may isang mabuting kaalaman ng marami sa mga standard na teksto. Gayunman siya ay ginawa matapos ang isang pagbisita sa Earl of Devonshire, pagdala sa kanya ng isang sulat ng pagpapakilala, siya ay ipinapakita Newton 's Principia. He realised agad na ito ay isang trabaho malayo kaysa sa mga mas malalalim na niya-aral at nagpasya na siya ay basahin at intindihin ito obra maestra.