Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-14

young financier, Montague, chancellor of
the exchequer, who either by wisdom or
good fortune had sanctioned the founding
of the Bank of England was at this very
time addressing himself to the question Of
a recoinage Of the specie Of the realm Of
England He needed help, he demanded
ideas; nor was he too particular whence he
obtained either the one or the other.
John Law was in London on no such
blind quest as he had himself declared He
was here by the invitation, secret, yet none
the less obligatory. of Montague. controller
OF the financial policy Of England. And he
was to meet, here upon this fair morning,
none less than my Lord Somers. keeper of
the seals; none less than Sir Isaac Newton,
the greatest mathematician of his time;
none less than John Locke. the most learned
philosopher Of the day. Strong company
this for young and unknown man, yet in
the belief Of Montague. himself young
man and a gambler by instinct, not too
strong for this young Scotchman, who had
startled the parliament of his own land by
some or the most remarkable theories Of
finance which had ever been proposed in
any country or to any government. As
Law had himself arrogantly announced, he
was indeed philosopher and a mathema-
tician. young as he was; and these things
Montague was himself keen enough to
know.
1t promised. then to be strange and in
teresting council, this which was to meet
today at the Bank of England. to adjust the
value or Eng1ands coinage; two philoso-
piers one pompous trimmer and two gam
blerS the younger and more daring Of
whom was now calmly threading the streets
Of London on his way to q meeting which
might mean much to him.
To John Law, adventurer. mathematic
ian philosopher, gambler, 1t seemed a nat :
urai enough thing that he should be asked
to sit at the council table with the ablest
minds of the day and pass upon questions
the most important. This was not what
gave him trouble. This matter of the coin
age, these questions OF fnance-they were
easy. But how to win the interest Of the
tall and gracious English girl whom he had
met by chance that other morn. who had
left no way open for a further meeting: how
to gain access to the presence of that fair
one-these were the questions which to
John Law seemed of greater import ance
and Of greater difficulty in the answering.
The chair drew up at the somber quar-
ters where the meeting had been set. Law
knew the place by instinct. even without
seeing the double row of heavy-visage
London constabulary which guarded the en-
trance. Here and there along the street
were carriages and chairs and multiplied
conveyanceS OF persons OF consequence
Upon the narrow pavement, and within the
entrance way that led to the inner ROOM
there hustled about important-looking men.
some with hooked noses, most with f1orid
faces and well-fed bodies. but all with a
certain dignity and sobriety Of expression.
Montague himself, young, smooth-faced,
dark-eyed. Of active frame. Of mobile and
pleasing features. sat at the head Of q long
table The high-strunS quality Of his ner-
vous system was evidenced In his restless
hands his attitude frequently changed.
At the left OF Montague sat Somers. lord
Keeper: older, OF more steady demeanor. Of
fuller figure. Of bold face and full HIGHT eye
politician. not q ponderer. At the right Of
Mohtague grave. silent, impressive. now
about him. sat that great man. Sir Isaac
Newton. known then to every nobfeman