Letter to Professor Robert Smith, dated 16 January 1727/8

Wickins's letter to Mr Professor Smith giving some account of S^r Is. N. particularly of sending bibles to be dispersed

To

M^r Professor Smith

at Trinity College

In {Hall}

Cambridge

<2>

Stoke Edith Ian: 16^th 1727/8

Dear Sir

It was an unspeakable pleasure to me to see y^e Hand of my old Acquaintance, & I wish in return I could send something considerable, to give you a pleasure, relating to y^t Great Man you write ab^t.: But I am so unhappy as to find very little under S^r. Isaac's own hand, of what past between Him & my Father.

I guess, by a small Book I find amongst my Fathers papers y^t he had a design to collect into one all y^t he had of S^r. Isaac's writing; But he went no farther than y^e transcribing three short Lett^rs he received from Him & a Common Place of His part of w^ch. I find under S^r. Isaac's own hand, y^e rest together with y^e originals of those three Lett^rs, is lost: Besides those transcribed Lett^rs and y^e Common place, I can meet w^th. nothing but four or five Lett^rs under S^r. Isaac's own hand very short, & relating to Dividends & Chamber Rent w^ch. he was so kind as to receive for my Father when at Monmouth where he was most part of y^e time he continu'd Fellow. There being so little in these Lett^rs I do not now send them, but wait for your Commands, for whatever I can meet with of This worthy Man, shall be at your Service.

My Father's Intimacy with Him came by meer Accident <3> My Fathers first Chamber-fellow being very disagreeable to him he retired one day into y^e walks, where he found M^r Newton solitary & dejected; Upon entering into discourse they found their cause of Retirem^t y^e same, & thereupon agreed to shake off their present disorderly Companions & Chum together, w^ch. they did assoon as conveniently they could & so continued as long as My Father staid at College.

I have heard my Father often say that he has been a Witness to what y^e World has so often heard of S^r. Isaac's forgetfullness of his food, when intent upon His Studies; And of his Rising in a pleasant manner w^th. y^e satisfaction of having found out some Proposition; without any concern for, or seeming want of his Nights sleep, w^ch. he was sensible he had lost thereby.

He was turning Grey, I think, at Thirty, and when my Father observed y^t to him as y^e Effect of his deep attention of Mind; He would jest w^th y^e Experim^ts. he made so often w^th. Quick Silver as if from thence he took so soon that Colour:

He sometime suspected Himself to be inclining to a Consumption, & y^e Medicine He made use of was y^e Lucatellus Balsam w^ch. when he had compos'd Himself, He would now & then melt in Quantity ab^t. a Q^r. of a Pint & so drink it.

It is now Eight Years since my Fathers death in w^ch. time many things my Father used to relate of Him are sliped out of my Memory; but being mostly of such a Nature as what I have now <4> I suspect would be of no Service could I recollect any more.

But there is one thing upon Acc^t of w^ch not only my Father did but my Self also shall always pay a peculiar Regard to His Memory; w^ch was a Charitable Benefaction, w^ch. has privately pass'd from Him through My Fathers & since his Death through my own hands. We have been y^e Dispersers of many Dozens of Bibles sent by him for poor people, & I have now many by me sent from Him for y^e same purpose; w^ch. as it shews y^e great regard he had to Religion, I cannot but desire y^t by you it may be made publick to y^e World.

Dear Sir, my Thoughts dwell with wonderfull delight upon the Memory of this Great, & Good Man, and therefore I have troubled you with so long a Lett^r, which I now beg pardon for; and in hope of hearing again soon from you conclude, with my Brothers hearty Service & respect to you. I beg my humble Service to all My old Acquaintance & am

Dear Sir

Your much Obliged

humble Serv^t.

Nic: Wickins