Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-18
4 NICE OLD GENTLEMAN.

laws tlOOIJ llC 1SiI dSb1OL VI 1ISul, VI IlIS
laws of the higher mathematics. How
could there be anything great Ito boy
in a man who wrote algebraically con-
corning the Differential Calculus?
And as for that law of gravitation-Of
who wore wig and lived in library
with globe and instruments about him,
and with window opening on an apple
orchard, where he couldn't help seeing
the apples fall. Or if one man of this
sort didn't discover the law of gravita-
ton, some other man in wig probably
would
think it was in this way, at any rate,
that the matter struck us boys when our
old master undertook to make a point
about the greatness of Sir Isaac Newton.
If he had spoken in the same solemn way
about Alexander and Bucephalus, or
about Richard Cnur de Lion, with his
big battle-aX, or about William Wallace
ah, indeed, that were quite another mat
teri think we should have pricked up
our ears along the benches and shifted
the OdOr of battle. We should never have
COMPOUNDED those characters; but some
of US did cOnfound Sir Isaac Newton and
that most excellent old gentleman, Dr.
Isaac Watts. I don't know why-except
the Isaac. But have a vivid recollec-
ton of how one Of US, in a splendid COM
position, introduced little poetic quota
ton, beginning
LET dogs delight to bark and bite
with from the well-knOwn British poet,
Sir Isaac Newton"
The truth is, at the age of fifteen we
measure differently the work that makes
men great from the way in which we
measure it when we are fifty. The din Of
the great battle-axes goes down, and Blu
cephalus is not so grand figure.
But at the age when good "alleys" are
in demand e. alley" was the name we
used to give to a good solid marble that
would make havoc in a ring full of
lighter meta), there isn't much account
made of the laws Of gravitation, or of
their discoverer. We kept Franklin in
mind, because he made kites and flew
them; and if our old teacher, instead of
harping on gravitatiOn, had told us how
Isaac Newton, when he was a lad, made
mill with his jack-knife, copied wheel
by wheel from windmill that ground
corn upon a hill near to Grantham, in
Lincolnshire, where he went to school,
we should have kept Isaac Newton bet
ter in mind; and better still, if we had
known how he made his little mill at
last, so perfect that, by turning mouse
into its door, by some curious system of
tread-wheels the machinery would begin
10 move, and the mill to grind. He made
also a little water-clock, which kept time
perfectly; and he placed a dial on the
wall of the house where he was born,
which only few years back was in place
still.
don't suppose he won any triumphs
at marbles or in wrestling bouts. He was
never strong climbed but quiet, shy lad,
Flooding and thinking by himself And
50 sure was he of his own drift that be-
fore he was twenty-seven he had thought
out and ripened all his great discoveries.
shan't try to explain to you what those
discoveries were, for it would make too
long a story, and, besides, [ do not think
l should do it so we'll as you will find IL
done for you in your schOOl-bOOks.
There were quarrelsOme, enviOus people
in that time (nearly two hundred years
ago., who said that Mr.. Newton didn't
deserve all the honor he received, and
who said that other philosophers had
more than halfdiscovered the same things
before Newton did.
But half-doing things doesn't count in
the long rum so the world thought then,
dIIu 81 LuG "OIlu Iu1ukS now. YOU may
have a great many happy and wise
thoughts; but if you don't follow them
up with industry and patience they will
never come to any great show of blossom.
Newton himself said that industry and
patience had done much more Tor him
than all beside. He didn't think much
of that swift cleverness which boys are
too apt to admire and strive after-which
makes little squirt in a speech or poem,
and then is lost.
There were other jealous and unwise
people in Newton day, who said that he
was undermining religion. There are
Just such unwise people nowadays, who
are shocked by the discovery Of any new
laws in nature. They are very weak and
blind. All the little truths men can find
out will never shut out or alter the big
Truth, which is past finding out.
Sir Isaac Newton was called very ab-
| sentminded man-that is to say, he forgot
common things because he was thinking
so keenly and so constantly of uncommon.
things. They tell story of his table be-
ing served one day with a nice broiled
chicken; but he forgot his dinner-hour,
and forgot it for so long time that a
friend came in and ate up his chicken.
Presently after Sir Isaac came busting in,
and, seeing the remnants of the dinner,
exclaimed, I" How stupid of me! l quite
forgot that | had dined!"
On another day, when he went out for
an airing, he got off his horse at the bot
tom Of high hill to lead him up. When
he reached the top and would have mount
ed again he found he had only the bride
in his hand! The horse had Slipped his
| head-gear quietly and trotted home. This
was stupid; but if you can think as stead
lily as Sir Isaac Newton thought, you can
afford to be stupid at times.
| sir Isaac was never married, and a.
ways possessed a calm and unrufied tenn
/ per. declare solemnly to the elderly
people who may read this that joined
! the above two statements in one sentence
| by sheerest accident
| An incident in the life of Sir Isaac New
ton, that is often spoken OF, illustrates his
mild temper. His dog Diamond, which
was a great favorite with him, and had
the privilege of his library, one day over
set a candle among his most valuable
| papers, and before rescue could be made
they were utterly burned. ooh, Diamond
Diamond" said Sir Isaac, "thou little
| knoWest the mischief thou hast done!"