Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/566

NEWTON. 490 NEWTON. important works during this time was the super- intendence of the publication of Flamsteed's (Jreeturivh Ohscriiili(m.i — a task, however, not accomplished without nmcli controversy and some bitterness between himself and that astronomer. The controversy between Kewton and Leibnitz, as to priority of discovery of the differential cal- culus, or the method of llu.xions, was raised rather through the partisanship of jealous friends than through the anxiety of the philosophers tliemselves, who were, however, induced to enter into and carry on the dispute with some degree of bitterness and mutual recrimination. The de- tails of these controversies, with all other in- formation of the life of this philosopher, will he found admirably collected in the biography by Brewster, who wrote, not only with an intimate acquaintance with Newton's works, but in ])os- session of all the materials collected in the hands of his family. Newton died on March 20, 1 727, and his remains received a resting-place in West- minster Abbey, where a monument was erected to his memory in ^. magnificent full-length statue of the philosopher, executed by Rmiliilliac, was erected in 17").t in the antechapel of Trinity College, Cambridge. This work was assisted by a cast of the face taken after death, which is preserved in the University Library at Cam- bridge. In IGOO Newton was elected a for- eign associate of the Academy of Sciences, and in 1705 he received the honor of knighthood from Queen Anne, Among the best editions of New- ton's principal works are the quarto edition of the Optics (London, 1704), and the quarto edi- tion of the Principia. ])ublished at Cambridge, England, in 1713. Consult: Brewster, Memoirs of thr Life. ^VritinrJ!!. and Dincoreries of Sir Isaac Netrlon (London, I8o.5-G0) ; Pemberton, View of fiir Isaac yewtoii's Phiiosophii (ib., 1728) ; Ball. History of Mathematics (ib., 1893) ; id.. Essay on Newton's Princi])ia (ib., 180."!) ; and Olazebrook, in the Dielinnori/ of Xational Biography, xl, (New York, 1804), NEWTON, .Toiix (1022-78). An English mathematician and astronomer, born at Oundle, Northamptonshire. He studied at Oxford and remained loyal to the King under Cromwell. New'ton was something of an educational reformer, urged intelligent instruction in mathematics, and wrote textbooks on arith- metic, geometry, astronomy, logic, and rhetoric. But his most important labors were for the facilitation of the decimal system and of logarithms. His histittitio Mathematica. with its logarithmic tables and descriptions of ap- plications to astronomy, dialing, and navigation (115.14). is one of the earliest books of its kind in KMgli>h. NEWTON, .John (1725-1807). A Church of England divine. He was born in London, .luly 24, 1725, son of a sea-captain. After a little time at a boarding-school in Essex, he went to sea with his father at the age of eleven. During the next six years he ma<le other voyages with his father and adopted infi<lel opinions. lie became midshipman on a man-of-war. but de- .serted, was caught. Hogged, and degraded. In 1745 he set sail for India as a common sailor, and was landed penniless on the African coast near Sierra Leone. In 1747 an English captain, arriving nt Sierra I^one with a request from his father to look oit for him, rescued him from a most degraded condition, and took him home. On the voyage during a storm he became con- verted, and thenceforth was a changed man. Soon afterwards he was appointed commander of an -Vfrican slaver, and for four years con- tinued in the slave trade, the cruelties of which afterwards he labored earnestly to expose. In 17.54 a sudden attack of sickness led him to abandon a seafaring life, and from 1775 to 1760 he was tide-surveyor at Liverpool. At this time he studied Greek and Hebrew, and the best theological works in Latin, French, and English. In 1704 he was ordained and appointed curate of the parish of Olney. Buckinghamshire, where he remained sixteen years. He entered heartily into the religious work and views of Wesley and Whitefield. At Olney he published in 1704 .In Authentic Xarratire of Some KemarUable and Interesting Particulars in the Life of the Rev. John Xenton. Here, too, he formed an intimate friendship with Cowper, and in connection with him proiluced the Olney Flymns (1770). Most of them were written by himself for the use of his congregation. In 17S0 he became rector of the unitcil parishes of Saint JIary Wonlnoth and Saint Mary WooUluirch, Lombanl Street, Lon- don, where he remained till his death, in London, December 21, 1807. His works, besides those already mentioned, were a Review of Ecclesias- tical History (1770) ; Omicron's Letters (1774) ; Canliphonia, or the Utterances of the Ileart (1781) ; Messiah: Fifty Discourses on the Scrip- tural Passages of the Oratorio of Handel ( 1780) ; and numerous sermons, discourses, tracts, and letters. His collected works were e<lited with memoir by Cecil (London, 1808). Consult, also, the memoir by Bickersteth (ib., 1843). NEWTON, .Jonx (1823-05). An American niililary and civil engineer and soldier. He was born in Virginia and was educated at West Point, receiving a connnission in the Corps of Engineers on his graduation in 1842. After serving as assistant professor of engineering at the L'nited States Military Academy for three years, he was occupied with the construction of fortifications and river and harbor improve- nient on the Atlantic coast. During the Civil War, after receiving the rank of brigadier-gen- eral of volunteers, he was sununoiu'd to assist in constructing the defenses of Washington. He took part in the battles of Gaines's MilLGlendale, South .Mountain, and Antietam, and in command of a division he was present at Fredericksburg, at Salem, and at Gettysburg. In the invasion of Georgia he led a division of the Army of the Cumberland through all the engagements preced- ing the capture of Atlanta, and March 13, 1865, he was made brevet major in the United States .rmy. After the war he was occupied in strengthening the defenses of New York Harbor, in removing the obstacles to navigation at Hell Gate (q.v. ) and other portions of the East River, in harbor im]irovements at Lake Cham- plain, and New York Harbor. .June 30, 1879, he attained the rank of colonel in the corps of engineers; in 1884 was maile brigadier-general and chief of engineers: retired in 1880. He was commissioner of public works. New York City, 1887- 88. a position which he resigned to become presi- dent of the Pananui Railroad Company in 1888. NEWTON, Richard Hkukr (1840—). A clcrgynian of the Protestant Kpiscopal Church.