Draft of a circular letter soliciting material for Conduitt's Life of Newton, dated 16 February 1728

Author: John Conduitt

Source: Keynes Ms. 131a, King's College, Cambridge, UK

Published online: June 2004

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- Revision History
  - 1 January 2001
    - Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young
  - 1 June 2004
    - Tagged transcription by Rebekah Higgitt
  - 6 August 2004
    - Checked against microfilm by John Young
  - 25 October 2006
    - Coding audited and updated to Newton v2.0 DTD by Michael Hawkins
  - 20 April 2009
    - Updated to Newton V3.0 (TEI P5 Schema) by Michael Hawkins
  - 29 September 2011
    - Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins
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<1>

6. February 172 $\frac{7}{8}$ —

Sir

I have taken the liberty to trouble you with some short hints of that part of our honoured freind Sir I. Newton's life which I must beg the favour of you to undertake, there being no body without dispute so well qualified to do it as your self — I send you at the same time Fontenelle's Eloge wherein you will find a very imperfect attempt of the same kind but I fear he had neither abilities nor inclination to do justice to that great man who had eclipsed the glory of their Hero Descartes. <2> As Sir I. Newton was a national man I think every one ought to contribute to a work intended to do him justice, particularly those who had so great a share in his esteem as you had, & as I pretend to nothing more than to compile it I shall acquaint the publick in the preface to whom they are indebted for each particular part of it.

I am perswaded that the hints I have sent you are very imperfect & that your own genius will suggest to you many others much more proper & significant, & I beg of you to put down euery thing that occurs to your thoughts & you think fit to be inserted <3> in such a work ——

I conjure you not to put off what I take the liberty to recommend to you – As on one hand the complying with my request will be a mark of your gratitude to your old friend & an eternal obligation on me, so your delaying it will be the most mortifying disappointment to

Sir

Your most humble servant.

Iohn Conduitt.