rd.r:
I have sent you according to my promise, some memoirs of the life of our great
friend r:
he was born: among antient people, from their own knowledg or unquestionabl
tradition, some are alive that were his schoolfellows, several are but lately dead
from whom, I apprehend, a larger information might have been expected. but
I omitted no opportunity left, to contribute what I can, in doing justice to the
memory & history of so illustrious a person, the ornament of his country, or
rather of human nature. & if it chance that I should be any way serviceabl
therein, it will be a particular addition to the pleasure I have reap'd, in chusing
this for the place of my abode, & that so opportunely; whilst tis not altogether
too late: it being the place where he spent the early part of his life, & near
that of his nativity. You will observe that I have been very circumstantial,
perhaps now & then descended too low for the dignity of the subject, in the sub
sequent t.
which I took it, nor would I omit any thing that was not absolutely improper. I
have added a few things from my own knowledg, or what I have formerly
heard. Mr Conduit, no doubt, will have many ts.t.
will clear up some circumstances, & perhaps overthrow others. for my part
I took what care I could to find out & relate the truth.
Apr. 15. 1726. I pass'd the whole day with r:
Orbels building, Kensington: which was the last time I saw him. he told me then
that he was born on Christmas day 1642. I have made enquiry at Colsterworth
for the old Registers which have been very ill kept, the bare name of a person
being commonly noted without fathers & mothers, or such other marks as are
necessary to ascertain descents & the like. but what is worse, they are for
the most part, lost & destroyed, or obliterated thrô carelessness, Mr Mason the
present minister searching in the old town chests met with a few leaves, being
the parish register from o.r:
but there is intermitted, not lost, from o.
a space of time wherein his fathers marriage happened, & doubtless, other
circumstances in his family or relations, which would have assisted us in the
present affair. however very luckily upon the last leaf, which has been mi
serably abused, is this memorable account. Under the title Baptizd o.
Isaac sonne of Isaac & Hanna Newton Ian. 1.
Tis probabl that the civil wars then beginning, may be the reason why it
ends here. from these leaves I have extracted an account of all the Newtons
therein, which are numerous, but for the reasons aforementioned, they are of no
great service in drawing out his genealogy, as was my intention. r:
been curious himself formerly in this enquiry. for at Colsterworth in pos
of Iohn Newton his heir at Law, I saw a half sheet of paper of r:
own hand writing, being a draught thereof; as far as he knew it, with orders
for searching Registers to make it more perfect. this was when he lived in
Iermyn Street. but I believe his orders were never answered, & that he never
saw thes leaves of the reigster. I send you here a copy of this writing, with
my additions to it, as far as I could do it with any certainty.
r:
N.B. what has a line drawn immediately under the writing, is of my addition.
a paragraph to be inserted next to the genealogy in the first sheet. p.2.
It has been observ'd by some that many considerabl men were born about the same
time as r:
has its name from Newton a boroughtown in Lancashire. I have set down in the
genealogy one Isaac Newton born in 1578. from the register, which does not particu
larize his r.r.
i.e. rr.
with. another Isaac Newton dy'd somewhat above 20 year agoe at Colsterworth. whose
line ended with a r.r.r
considerable in this country. one of them built great Paunton steeple, a curious fabric
between Grantham & Colsterworth where was the old roman city Causennis. r.
Newtons family are of the younger branch, & was first rais'd by that coheiress of
Hickson who was very rich. the other sister raisd the Welbys an antient & wealthy
family in our neighborhood.
r:
in the great road from London into the north. Wolsthorp is a pleasant little hollow or convallis in the west side of the valley of the river Witham which arises near there
one spring thereof in this hamlet. it has a good prospect d.
the country hereabout is thought to be the Montpelier of England, the air is exceed
ing good, the sharpness of the mediterranean being tempered by the softness of the
low parts of Lincolnshire, which makes a fine medium agreabl to most constitu
tions. I have seen many parts of England & think none of a pleasanter view
than about Colsterworth. & nothing can be imagind sweeter than the ride
betweeen it & Grantham. this country consists much of open heath oregrown
with the fragrant serpyllum much like the downs in Wiltshire; differing chiefly
in this, that our soil lyes upon a white limestone good for building, that upon
chalk. the valleys are gravelly, very delightful. woods plentiful, springs
& rivulets of the purest water abound.
Such is the place that produc'd the greatest genius of human race. he
was born in the Mannor houe which was the family estate, where they hold a Court
leet & Court baron. the old copys & records of this Court have been lost thro' negligence.
but they say, it has been in the Newton family ever since
bably was upon their first coming hither from Westby. that it was purchasd of the Ce
cils to whom
when the
hard by. this Mannor which is r:
has another Estate at Sustern adjacent which came by his mother. so that the whole
was near £80
his fathers second brother. I visited this place 13 Oct. 1721. & took a prospect of the
church of Colsterworth, & of his house at Wolsthorp. tis built of stone as is the way
of the country hereabouts, & a reasonably good one. they led me up stairs, & showd
me r.
days, as perhaps, when he visited his mother from the University. I observd the
shelves were of his own making, being pieces of deal boxes, which probably he
agoe 2 or 300 books in it, of his father in law Mr Smiths, which r:
to Dr. Newton of our town.
r:r Barnabas Smith
Minister of Northwitham by whom she had three children, as I have noted in the gene
alogy. the decendants of these all come in for a share of r:
he was sent at proper age to Grantham school which was founded & well endow'd
by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester, born at Ropesly near here, the same person
as founded
opinion, that Mr Walker the famous author of the book of particles, was his master
& they led me into that mistake in my Itinerar. page 49. but since upon enquiry
I find Mr r
Sisson & he by Mr Walker. the last was an intimate acquaintance of r.
being minister of Colsterworth where he dy'd 1684. Mr Stokes was reputed to be a
very good scholar, & an excellent schoolmaster.
r.r Clarks house, an apothecary,
grandfather to Mr Clark now an apothecary here. 'twas the next house to the George
P.S. I know not what hast Mr Conduit might be in, which made me
send you this sheet as soon as I could; the remainder, you shall
have with convenient speed. but now I am in the road of this
enquiry, I frequently meet with more matter; that enlarges
or corrects the account. If any thing of that sort happens to be
material you shall have it. I took of notice of your seal of
Hercules's head which is a very fine one. I am with my most
humble service to your good family
Your most obedient
humble servant
Wm. Stukeley
Grantham 24 Iun. 1727.
Pray favor me to remind Mr m:
to speak to
guineas due to me.
To Dr Mead
Ormond Street
London
George Inn northward in highstreet, which was rebuilt about 16 year agoe. Dr:
Clarke MD. brother to Mr Clark was usher of the school at this time, he was a
pupil of the famous Henry Moore of Christs College, born in Mr Bellamys
house, over against me. Dr. Clark when he left the school practisd Physick in
this town, with success & emolument. Every one that knew r:
heard of him, recount the pregnancy of his parts when a boy, his strange inven
tions & extraordinary inclination for mechanics. that insted of playing among the
other boys, when from school, he always busyd himself in making knick knacks, &
models of wood in many kinds: for which purpose he had got little saws, hatchets,
hammers & a whole shop of tools, which he would use with great dexterity. in par
ticular they speak of his making a wooden clock. about this time a new wind
mill was set up near Grantham in the way to Gunnerby, which is now demolished,
this country chiefly using watermills. our lads imitating spirit was soon excited
& by frequently prying into the fabric of it, as they were making it, he became
master enough to make a very perfect model thereof, & it was said to be as clean
& curious a piece of workmanship as the original. this sometime he would set
upon the house top where he lodg'd, & clothing it with sailcloth the wind would
readily take it. but what was most extraordinary in its composition, was, that he put
a mouse into it which he calld the miller, & that the mouse made the mill turn
round, when he pleasd, & he would joke too upon the miller eating the corn that
was put in. some say he tyd a string to the mouses tail, which was put into a wheel
like that of turnspit dogs, so that pulling the string made the mouse goe forward
by way of resistance, & this turn'd the mill. others suppose there was some corn
plac'd above the wheel, this the mouse endeavoring to get to, made it turn.
moreover r:
of Mr Clarks (his landlord) wives brother. as describ'd to me, it resembled pretty much
our common clocks & clockcases, but less: for it was not above 4 foot in height
& of a proportionable bredth. there was a dyal plate at top with figures of the
hours. the index was turnd by a piece of wood, which either fell or rose by
water dropping. this stood in the room where he lay, & he took care every mor
ning to supply it with its proper quantity of water. & the family upon occasion
would goe to see what was the hour by it. & it was left in the house long after
he went away to the University.
I remember, once when I was deputy to Dr: Halley Secretary at the Royal
Society: r:
convenience in them, was that the hole thrô which the water is transmitted,
being necessarily very small, was subject to be furr'd up by impuritys in the
water, as those made with sand will wear bigger: which at length causes an in
equality in time.
These fancys sometime engrossed so much of his thoughts that he was apt to
neglect his book, & dull boys were now & then put over him in form. but this made
him redouble his pains to overtake them; & such was his capacity that he could
it & outstrip them when he pleas'd. & it was taken notice of by his master. still
nothing could induce him to lay by his mechanic experiments: but all holydays &
what time the boys had allowd to play, he spent intirely in knocking & hammering
in his lodging room, pursuing that strong bent of his inclination, not only in things
serious but ludicrous too, & what would please his schoolfellows as well as himself. still
may call it, to play philosophically, & in which he might willingly bear a part.
kind. as for instance, in making paper kites, which he first introduced here. he took
pains, they say, in finding out their proportions & figures, & whereabouts the
string should be fastned to greatest advantage, & in how many places. likewise
he first made lanthorns of paper crimpled which he us'd to goe to school by, in
winter mornings with a candle. & ty'd them to the tails of the kites in a dark
night, which at first affrighted the country people exceedingly, thinking they were
comets. its thought he first invented this method, I can't tell how true. they tell
us too how diligent he was in observing the motion of the sun, especially in the
yard of the house where he liv'd, against the walls & roofs, wherein he would
drive pegs, to mark the hours & half hours made by the shade. which by degrees
from some years observations, he had made very exact. & any body knew what
a clock it was by Isaacs dyal, as they ordinarily calld it. thus in his youngest
years did that immense genius discover his sublime imagination, that since
has filld or rather comprehended the world.
The lad was not only very expert with his mechanical tools, but he was
equally so with his pen. for he busyed himself very much in drawing, which
I suppose he learnt from his own inclination & observation of nature. by in
quiry, I was inform'd that one old Barley (as he was calld) was his writing-
master, who livd where now is the millstone
member that he had any knack in drawing. however by this means r:
furnished his whole room with pictures of his own making, which probably
he copyd from prints, as well as from the life. they mention particularly
several of the kings heads, Dr. Donn & likewise his master Stokes. under
the picture of king rs.
Vincent, by memory, who fancys he made them; if that be true, its most
likely he design'd the print too, which is common to this day.
these pictures he made frames to, himself & color'd them over workmanlike.
Mrs. Vincent is a widow gentlewoman living here aged 82. her maiden
name was Storey sister to Dr. Storey a physician at Buckminster near Col
sterworth. her mother who was a handsom woman was second wife to Mr
Clark the Apothecary where r:
same house all the time of his being at Grantham, which was 7 years.
her mother & r:
reason of his lodging at Mr Clarks. she gave me much of the foregoing
account. she says r.
known scarce to play with the boys abroad at their silly amusements, but
would rather chuse to be at home even among the girls, & would frequently make
little tables, cupboards & other utensils for her & her playfellows, to set their
babys & trinkets on. she mentions likewise a cart he made with four wheels
around the house whither he pleasd. r:
its said that he entertaind a love for her, nor dos she deny it. but her portion being
not considerabl, & he being fellow of a College, it was incompatibl with his fortunes
to marry, perhaps his studys too. tis certain he always had a kindness for her, visited
her whenever in the country, in both her husbands days, & gave her forty shillings
upon a time, when it was of service to her. she is a little woman, but we may with
ease discern that she has been very handsom.
Mr Clark tells me that the room where r:
too when a lad, & that the whole wall was still full of the drawings he had made
upon it with charcole, & so remain'd till pulled down about 16 year agoe, as I said
before. there were birds, beasts, men, ships & mathematical schemes. & very
well designd.
We must understand all this while that his mother had left Wolsthorpe &
liv'd with her second husband at North Witham. but upon his death after she had
three children by him, she returned to her own house, which likewise as it ought to
be remembered, was rebuilt by him. she upon this was for saving expence as
much as she could, & recalld her son Isaac from school. intending to make him
serviceabl to her in t.
I doubt not but she thought it would turn more to his own account, than being a
scholar. accordingly we must suppose him attending the tillage, grazing & the like. & they
tell us he frequently came on saturdays to Grantham mercat with corn & other commoditys
to sell. & to carry home what necessarys were proper to be bought for a family at mer
cat towns. but being young his mother usually sent a trusty old servant along with him,
to put him into the way of business. their inn was at the Saracens head in Westgate.
where as soon as they had set up their horses, Isaac generally left the man to manage
the mercatings & retired instantly to Mr Clarks garret, where he usd to lodg, near where
lay a parcel of old books of Mr Clarks, which he entertaind him self withal whilst
it was time to goe home again. or else he would stop by the way between home &
Grantham & lye under a hedg studying, whilst the man went to town, & did the busi
ness & calld upon him in his return. no doubt, the man made remonstrances of this
to his mother.
likewise when at home, if his mother orderd him into the fields, to look after
the sheep, the corn, or upon any other rural employment, it went on very heavyly
thro' his manage. his chief delight was to sit under a tree with a book in his hands.
or to busy him self with his knife, in cutting wood for models of somwhat or other
that struck his fancy. or he would get to a running stream & make little mill
wheels to put into the water, some in the nature of overshot mills, as they call
You shall
I had a letter today from Mr Conduit, & I refer'd him
to You for the papers.
Dear r
Your most obedient
humble Servant
Wm: Stukeley
Grantham 26. Iun. 1727.
I got t'other day an old edition
in octavo of Plinys epistles,
Panegyric, Iulius Obsequens
prodig. & some other small
pieces, put out by Aldus pius
Manutius Paris. 1518.
To Dr Mead
Ormond Street
London
call them, some undershot mills, the dams, sluices & other like hydrostatic exper
iments, were his care without regarding the sheep, corn or such matters under his
charge, or even remembring dinner time.
his mother could not but observe this. & even the servants would pronounce
the lad foolish & say that he would never be good for any thing, meaning in their
own way. in the mean time Mr Stokes who had a great value for him, often &
strongly sollicited his mother to return him to his learning, the proper channel
of his inclinations. he told her, it was a great loss to the world as well as a vain
attempt, to bury so promising a genius in rustic employment, which was notor
riously opposite to his temper, that the only way whereby he could either preserve or
raise his fortune, must be by fitting him for the University: that if she sent him
to school again he would remit his salary, which is 40s. a year for those boys not
born in the town or a mile distant, which would alleviate the charge. in short, he
prevaild upon her, & he remain'd at school till he went to the University.
thus in the main, the world is indebted to Mr Stokes, for the incredibl advances in
philosophy, which this age has reapd from the studys of r:
ding him away, we are told, that his master set him in a conspicuous place in the
school, & made a speech to the boys in praise of him, with tears in his eyes.
At this time Dr. Babington was senior fellow of Trinity College in Cambridg,
a person of learning & worth. he was own uncle to Mrs. Vincent i.e. brother to her
mother Mr Clarks wife where r:
went to this College. the r.
probably was owing to his own ingenuity. I have very little to say about r:
life whilst he lived in the university, nor any opportunity of informations here about
it. I suppose Dr. Bently may be able to procure those. I have heard that Dr. Cole
back may doe it. Mr Newton of this town, was five year under r.
ition there. he says r:
he admired his nicety & constancy in making his experiments. in weighing things
he would
like wise all the time he was with him, he never observed him to laugh but once.
'twas upon occasion of asking a friend to whom he had lent Euclid to read, what pro
gress he had made in that author, & how he liked him? he answerd, by desiring to
know what use & benefit in life that study would be to him? upon which r.
was very merry. he adds that he constantly went to church on Sundays, tho' not
often to the College chappel. he supposes the reason to be because he could not
rise soon enough in the mornings, seldom going to bed at that time till 2 or 3 in
the morning. the attachment to his studys equally hinderd him frequenting
the chappel in the evening too. likewise he seldom went to the hall to dinner,
but had his victuals brought into his chamber, & then he was so deeply engagd
in study, that he often never thought of it till supper time. the same reason
is to be given for several other pieces of inadvertency he was frequently
guilty
his surplice to goe to t
if he went into his study to fetch a bottle of wine, there was danger of his for
getting them. when he has been at dinner in the hall, the victuals
taken away without his eating any thing; & the like. & in the country such storys
have been told me, as that going home to Colsterworth from Grantham, he
to remount, his horse had slipt the
ing it, & he had only the bridle in his hand all the while.
I have heard it as a tradition whilst I was student at Cambridg
that when r.
posing, or lost his groats, as they call it, which is lookd upon as disgraceful. I
cant vouch for the truth of it, but it seems no strange thing, notwithstanding r.
parts of learning, to allow of much time to be master of words only, or the trifling
nicetys of logic, which the universitys still make the chief test of a lads
qualification for a degree.
The famous Dr. Barrow Master of Trinity, was r.
& tis likely he took a byass in favor of mathematical studys from him.
the Dr. had a vast opinion of his pupil, & would frequently say that he
himself truly knew somewhat of the mathematics, still he reckon'd himself
but a child in comparison of Newton. & he faild not upon several occasions
to give a prognostic of his superlative eminence. it seems very like
ly that r.
culty of drawing were of great service to him, in his experimental way
of philosophizing. in making experiments there is a certain knack if we
may so call it, which depends not upon learning only, but a mechanical art
& invention in this kind. & we may well suppose that for want of this
handycraft, many people of good learning have contented themselves to
sit down in their studys & invent hypotheses, thinking they have per
form'd their parts egregiously. but
or ministers of state must take to their assistance arts low & sordid.
as succcess in war depends upon the arm of the scum of mankind, as
well as the head of the general. doubtless drawing was no little
furtherance to him in his studys. such as are masters of that qualifica
tion, see farther into things than others, they take the ideas of things
stronger & more perfect, & it enlarges their invention. tis however of
particular assistance in geometry. I have thought likewise that being
brought up in an apothecarys shop, might in some measure, inspire
him with a love of natural enquirys & promote his rising genius.
Mrs. Vincent says in particular, he was a great simpler. when he was
at Cambridg he made speaking trumpets, polished glasses to make teles
copes. & that famous reflecting telescope, of his, now in the repository
of the royal society, which he ground & made him self, as well as in
vented, is an instance of his curiosity in workmanship, equally as in
optics.
I have heard that he had gone considerabl lengths in his exper
iments upon sounds, which doubtless he would have brought to as great
perfection as his optics. but they say he left it off, when he came to live
at London. & perhaps saw sufficiently that study impaired his health,
&
age where few Mecænass are to be found, that are able to distinguish
merit, or willing to reward it.
r:
p. 10.
I wrote to Mr Leneve Norroy, to send me what account they had in the heralds
office relating to r.
he says r.
differs in nothing from the foregoing than
here William, in r.
be enquir'd after.
N.B. here are difficultys to be cleard. Iohn Newton is said to be son & heir of
Iohn, which seems to indicate the first name ought to be Iohn as in the first
genealogy. Robert Newton settles his Mannor of Wolsthorp by him purchasd
upon his eldest son Isaac, where Robert is said to inherit it. the deeds re
fer'd to, will settle these matters.
Supply the blank, Corpus Christi College in Oxford founded by
Hannah Smith = Carrier Thompson, in the genealogy.
I shall send you another sheet as soon as conveniently
I can & am
Dear r
Your most obedient servant
Wm: Stukeley
Grantham 1 Iuly 1727.
To
Dr: Mead
Ormond Street
London
To
Dr: Mead
Ormond Street
London
r:
Benjamin Smith, & was brought to Colsterworth to be buryed in the north
isle of the church, where this family is generally interr'd.
r.
wherein he succeeded Dr. Barrow. at this time he put out a new edition of that
curious piece Varenius's geography, whose method he has some measure imitated in
his own works. he wrote likewise a piece of chymistry, explaining the principles
of that mysterious art upon experimental & mathematical proof, & he valu'd it
much. but it was unluckily burnt in his laboratory which casually took fire, he would
never undertake that work again. a loss much to be regretted. Mr Newton of this
town tells me likewise, that several sheets of his optics were burnt, by a
candle left in his room, but I suppose he could recover them again.
he left the university, upon being calld to town in
with r.r.
of the mint. I have heard him say he came to London in the year 1696.
when I was in the university, r.
senting them in parliament. at which time the Queen visited them & knighted him.
twas said one of her views in coming thither was to recommend him.
I was with him in the year 1720. when he sat for his picture to r:
to r.r:
In august that year he went to Oxford in company with Dr. Iohn Kiel, he having
not been there before. 23 feb. 1721. I breakfasted with him in company with Dr. Halley. r.
motion. Mr Flamsted would not communicate any of his observations to him. that he
could as then finish it, if he would goe about it, but that he left for others. he
showd us at that time the famous Hygenian glass of 170 foot radius, which he had
lately bought & since presented to the royal society. he complaind of the custom
house officers making him pay £20 for the duty. he bought soon after, the
great maypole set up in the Strand & had it carryd to Wansted for Mr Pound to use this
glass upon, in astronomical observations.
I discoursd with him christmas was twelvemonth, about Solomons temple, having
studyd that affair. I find he had formerly drawn it out & considerd it. we were not
very particular, but both agreed in this, that it was nothing like any drawings or des
criptions yet publick, he says it was older than any other great temple. that Sesos
tris from this model built his temples in Egypt, one in each nomos. & that from
thence the Greeks borrowd their architechture, as they had their religious rites. I
have likewise had some small conference with him about the first plantation of
thes western parts of the world, after the flood, & had the satisfaction to find I had
fallen into the same notion as he. twas surprizing to consider that he was master
of every part of curious learning, & equal in particulars to such as had studyd
which confirmd me in a notion, that a man must be well skilled in all, that would
excell in any one science.
r:
& the infinit expence of spirits consequent to his severe studys promoted it. So that
tis a wonder he liv'd to such an age. tis owing, no doubt, to a great strength of nature
conserv'd by great temperance, & understanding. for all long liv'd people may in some
sort be presu pronounc'd wise: it requiring some share of prudence, under any cir
cumstances, to conduct life to long age. the last time I was with him he told me, his
sugar, & with bread & butter. he thinks this dissolves phlegm. he drinks more
water now than formerly, vizt. morning & night. he drinks wine only at dinner
with any kind of freedom. when ever he gets a cold, I heard it from my lord
& this carrys off the illness by perspiration. I have heard him say that during
the course of his most intense studys, he learnt to goe to bed at 12. finding
by experience that if he exceeded that hour but a little, it did him more
harm in his health than a whole days study.
r:
in youth, & was the reason of his seeing so well in age, the eye being better'd
by growing flatter, whence the visual rays unite at a convenient distance.
just before t
accounts of the royal society, being a whole sheet of paper full, without
spectacles or pen & ink, an argument of the strength of his memory as well
as sight. at the same time he wrote down a new list of the council
for the year ensuing, among whom he put me. I have the paper still by me
in a fair & smallish hand.
infinite instances may be given of the extensiveness of his charity. Mr
Clark of this town says he gave £100 bank bill into his hands for one of the
Pilkingtons, as a portion when she marryd. Mr Newton says he maintaind
her mother & her children, when her husband was dead. his next heir
Iohn Newtons father he bought & gave land to of £30 per
agoe. for Robert Newton he bought a farm.
to Mr Calcroft of this town, he gave £100, & other benefactions, he was
a relation of his mothers, & r:
general & numerous enough have partaken largely of his bounty. he was
generally present at the womens marriages with a present of £100. the
men he set up r Short of Keal who
was a relation of r:r:
in the tower, he entertained them very splendidly & gave each a gold medal.
he gave a sum of money toward the repairs of Colsterworth church, & pro
mised them more. many donations he made to the royal society from time
to time, & when I was last in the council, he would have given them £100,
but we persuaded him against it, as not needing it.
in conversation he was good humor'd pleasant & witty. in discourse of my
lord r:
call them my lords old-fashioned babys.
I have heard that when Dr. Woodward quarreld with r:
royal society, & was so troublsom that they were obligd to turn him out of
the council, r:r. we allow you to have natural philosophy
but expell you for want of moral.
once I met him at a Lincolnshire club feast at the ship tavern
without temple bar. where he appeard to be mightily pleasd to be in com
pany with his countrymen, & set his name down in their books. he told me
at that time, speaking of operas. that he never saw but one, there was
I heard with pleasure, the 2d. stretched my patience – at the 3d. I ran away.
I have heard from Dr. Harwood, that upon admitting a learned foreigner
into the royal society, who made a speech in latin to thank him for that honor, r.
This r:
I am making what further enquirys are likely to be
shall hear of them. I know not how to fill the paper up as usuall, unless
I should give you an account of a wall I lately built between my gar
den, & a lesser garden filld with all sorts of odoriferous herbs. next
the garden it is made after the manner of the front of a greek temple
within upon the wall which is plaisterd, I have painted r:
Newtons profile, which I had taken very exactly, it is done in the
manner of your Cæsar's head. it stands upon a pedestal somewhat
like a tomb or cenotaph, with this inscription
MAGNO
it represents the ruins of some old religious house, & there is made
in the wall a cell or grotto, which I call the hermitage, like those I
have frequently seen in travels. upon the top of it, is plac'd an iron
cross with a fane which I pulld off the remains of Oseney abby, before
it, is a stone globe upon a pedestal, painted with the geography, & set in
its due elevation & regard to the heavens, corresponding exactly with
the true globe, & when the sun shines, is affected in a similar manner,
showing where it rises, sets, is in its meridian &c. the whole is over
grown with moss, camamile, ivy, phyllitis, & such sort of plants, to
make it more natural, & in the wall is this inscription cut in a handsom
stone & in imitation of roman letters
W. STVKELEY
I am r:
Your most obedient humble servant
Wm. Stukeley
Grantham 15 Iuly 1727.