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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

In this elegant and absorving biography of Isaac Newton (1642-1727), Rupert Hall surveys the vast field of modern scholarship in order to interpret Newton's mathematical and experimental approach to nature. Mathematics was always the deepest, the most innovative and the most productive of Newton's interests. However, Newton as historian, theologian, chemist, civil servant and natural philosopher is also part of the picture. Clearly these many diverse studies were to some extent unified in Newton's single design as Christian to explore every facet of God's creation, not least his ways and purposes in relation to humanity. The story of Isaac Newton's life and discoveries has been greatly altered by exploration of his huge manuscript legacy during the last thirty to forty years. This research has thrown new light upon both his personality and his intellect. Rupert Hall's discussion of this research shows that Newton cannot simply be explained as a Platonist, mystic, or magus. He remains a complex and enigmatic genius with a mind both immensely imaginative and immensely commonsensical.

(Extracted from the back cover.)

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Contents.

-List of Figures.

-General Editor's Preface.

-Foreword.

-Acknowledgement.

-1- The Hopeful Youth, 1642-1664.

-2- "The prime of my age for invention", 1664-1667.

-3- Widening Horizons, 1667-1669.

-4- The Professor of Mathematics, 1669-1673.

-5- Publication and Polemic, 1672-1678.

-6- Life in Cambridge, 1675-1685.

-7- The Chemical Philosopher, 1669-1695.

-8- The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, 1679-1687.

-9- Private and Public Life, 1685-1696.

-10- Fluxions and Fury, 1677-1712.

-11- Optiks, or a Treatise of Light, 1687-1704.

-12- Life in London, 1696-1718.

-13- A Man of Authority and Learning, 1692-1727.

-14- Later Books, 1706-1726.

-15- Kensington, 1725-1727.

-Appendices.

-A- Newton's Alchemical Studies and his Idea of the Atomic Structure of Matter.
-B- Newton's Portraits.
-C- Newton's London Homes.
-D- Jonathan Swift and Catherine Barton.
-E- The Fate of Newton's Papers and his Library.

-Notes.

-Bibliography.

-Index.

OUR REVIEW

A. Rupert Hall is a veteran science writer as well as a researcher in the history of Science. His first book appeared more than forty years ago, which attests to his experience. In this occasion he has chosen to deal with one of the great (and scarce) geniuses that Humanity has produced. Newton's presence not only caused a revolution in the knowledge of his age but also opened numerous paths to which modern rocketry and so many other sciences owe a great deal. The author examines his biography step by step, in great detail, yet he does so in a very pleasant way for the reader. The life of the great Newton is thus fluently developed, and his discoveries, works and social contacts are likewise explained in a very nice manner.

Therefore this will be a good addition to our library. If in the last few years we have seen several works about this great British scientist being published, this may well be one of the most accessible ones to the general readership, a fact that will surely render this book a most widespread one.