Catalogue Entry: ALCH00136

Series of Latin anagrams of Newton's name and lists of authors cited in the Ludus Puerorum, Scala Philosophorum, and Rosarium Magnum, in the last case followed by page numbers.

Author: Isaac Newton

Metadata: Not yet dated, 1 p. on 1 f.

Source: Ms. 1006, The Babson College Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California, USA

Custodial History

Bought at the Sotheby sale for £10 by C.K. Ogden. In 2006, following the closure of the Dibner Institute, the holdings of the Babson Collection were transferred on permanent loan to the Hungtington Library, San Marino, California.

Sotheby Lot

SL297

Contents

The last and (in Newton's eyes) obviously most satisfactory anagram, 'Ieova sanctus vnvs,' is used on a paper in Keynes Ms. 13 (SL2/R18). On reverse: rough draft of a letter (probably mid-1699), presumably to the Treasury, objecting to plans by the Ordnance Office to build a smith's house on Mint territory (cf. Mint Catalogue MINT00818 (III.416-17)).

Notes

The handwriting of the draft letter is markedly different from that on the recto, which was probably written a good deal earlier.