Oeuvres complètes. Tome VII. Correspondance 1670-1675

N^o 1957.
I. Newton à H. Oldenburg.
3 juillet 1673.
Appendice II au No. 1955.

La lettre se trouve à Londres, Royal Society.
Elle est la continuation du No. 1956, et a été publiée par J. Edleston¹⁾.

Pray w^th these Notes return my thanks to Mr. Hugens for his book.

By a former letter of yo^rs, I was a little dubious whether Mr. Slusius might not

1) Correspondence of Sir Isaac Newton and Professor Cotes, including Letters of other eminent men, now first published from the originals in the library of Trinity college, Cambridge; together with an Appendix, containing other unpublished Letters and Papers by Newton; with Notes, Synoptical view of the Philosopher's Life, and a variety of details illustrative of his history, by J. Edleston, M.A. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. London: John W. Parker, West Strand. Cambridge: John Leighton. m.dccc.l. in-8^o. Page 251.

[p. 333]

apprehend by w^t you wrote to him concerning me, y^t I pretended to his Method of drawing tangents; untill I understood by M. Collins y^t you signified to him y^t you thought it here of a later date. ffor it seems to me that he was acquainted w^th it some yeares before he printed his Mesolabum & consequently before I understood it. But if it had been otherwise, yet since he first imparted it to his friends & y^e world, it ought deservedly to be accounted his. As for y^e Methods they are y^e same, though I believe derived from different principles. But I know not whether his Principles afford it so generall as mine wh^ch extends to Equations affected w^th surd terms, w^thout reducing them to another form. But if you please let this pass²⁾.

The incongruities you speak of, I pass by. But I must, as formerly, signify to you y^t I intend to be no further sollicitous about matters of Philosophy. And therefore I hope you will not take it ill if you find me cease from doing any thing more in y^t kind, or rather y^t you will favour me in my determination by preventing so far as you can conveniently any objections or other philosophical letters, that may concern me. For your profer about my Quarterly payments I thank you. But would not have you trouble yo^r self to get them excused if you have not done it already. And now being tired w^th this long letter, I must in haste write my self.

Yo^r humble servant I. Newton.

Cambridg. June 23. 73.

2) Consultez, sur ce passage, la lettre de de Sluse à Oldenburg, imprimée par M. Le Paige sous le N^o. 109 de la Correspondance de de Sluse. Elle a été reproduite dans l'article cité dans la Lettre N^o. 1954, note 9, où le nom de Newton est remplacé par Vir Clarissimus.