Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton: Manuscripts, 1660-1750, bulk 1660-1726

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Summary

Creators:
Newton, Isaac, 1642-1727
Abstract:
Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton: Manuscripts contains research notes, correspondence, and documents of Isaac Newton. The collection also includes correspondence and legal documents related to Newton written by his contemporaries.
Extent:
12.66 Linear Feet (8 boxes); (54 items)
Language:
The records are primarily in English and Latin, with a few items in French.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.

The collection also contains correspondence and documents written by Newton's contemporaries. Of particular note is a letter from Gottfried Leibniz to Nicolas Bernoulli written in June 1713, in which Leibniz entreats Bernoulli to help justify his claim to priority over Newton in the discovery of the calculus.

The collection maintains the arrangement in which it was received from The Burndy Library at The Dibner Institute for the History of Science. Items are arranged in the following order:

Boxes 1–4: Manuscripts, arranged sequentially according to the Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton catalog numbers.

Boxes 5-7: Oversize Manuscripts, arranged sequentially according to the Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton catalog numbers.

Box 8: A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple.

Biographical / historical:

Sir Isaac Newton, an English polymath, is one of the most influential scientists of all time. His Principia Naturalis Principia Mathematica of 1687 set forth a new system of the world based on universal gravitation, and revolutionized the study of physics, mechanics and astronomy. Newton discovered the principles of the calculus before he was 25 years of age (along with co-discoverer Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz). He also made fundamental contributions to optics, including the nature of light and color, and the invention of the first practical reflecting telescope.

Newton devoted an extensive amount of research to theology and the Bible, as well as chemistry and alchemy. He kept most of these studies hidden from his contemporaries, who were largely unaware of his deep interest in these subjects.

Newton was the second Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1669 to 1702. He also held the office of Master of the Royal Mint from 1669 until his death in 1727. He was President of the Royal Society from 1703 until 1727.

Acquisition information:
On long-term loan: Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton, November 2006.
Processing information:

Processed by Laura R. Rips in 2015. In 2023, Mari Khasmanyan updated the finding aid to include linear feet and links to digitized material.

Arrangement:

The collection maintains the arrangement in which it was received from The Burndy Library at The Dibner Institute for the History of Science. Items are arranged in the following order:

Boxes 1–4: Manuscripts, arranged sequentially according to the Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton catalog numbers.

Boxes 5-7: Oversize Manuscripts, arranged sequentially according to the Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton catalog numbers.

Box 8: A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

RESTRICTED. Available with curatorial approval. Requires extended retrieval and delivery time. Please view digital surrogates.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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