Draft of a circular letter soliciting material for Conduitt's Life of Newton, dated 16 February 1728 John Conduitt c. 287 words Newton Project London 2006 Newton Project, Imperial College

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 16 Feb. 1728, in English, c. 292 words, 3pp. 3pp.

in English

 Keynes Ms. 131a, King's College, Cambridge, UK UKCambridgeKing's College Keynes Mss Keynes Ms. 131a SL214

17

 16 Feb. 1728 English Holograph Biography Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Tagged transcription by Rebekah Higgitt Checked against microfilm by John Young Coding audited and updated to Newton v2.0 DTD by Michael Hawkins Updated to Newton V3.0 (TEI P5 Schema) by Michael Hawkins Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins

6. Febry.February 17278 —

SrSir I have taken the liberty to trouble you with some short hints of that part of our honoured freind SrSir I. Newton's life wchwhich 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. As SrSir 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 in such a work —— I conjure you not to put off The thinking of what I take the liberty to recom̄mmend 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 SrSir YrYour most humble sertservant. Iohn Conduitt.