Manuscripts

Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton: Manuscripts

Description

Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.

The collection also contains correspondence and documents written by Newton's contemporaries. Of particular note is a letter from Gottfried Leibniz to Nicolas Bernoulli written in June 1713, in which Leibniz entreats Bernoulli to help justify his claim to priority over Newton in the discovery of the calculus.

The collection maintains the arrangement in which it was received from The Burndy Library at The Dibner Institute for the History of Science. Items are arranged in the following order:

Boxes 1–4: Manuscripts, arranged sequentially according to the Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton catalog numbers.

Boxes 5-7: Oversize Manuscripts, arranged sequentially according to the Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton catalog numbers.

Box 8: A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple.

Type

Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)

Date

1660-1750

Call number

mssBAB

Creator

Newton, Isaac (1642-1727)(Opens in new tab)

Provenance

On long term-loan from Babson College's Grace K. Babson Collection of the Works of Sir Isaac Newton, November 2006.

Restrictions

RESTRICTED. Available with curatorial approval. Requires extended retrieval and delivery time.

Rights

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining permission rests with the researcher.

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Image not available
Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.
mssBAB
Image not available
Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.
mssBAB
Image not available
Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.
mssBAB
Image not available
Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.
mssBAB
Image not available
Oversize Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.
mssBAB
Image not available
Oversize Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Most of the manuscripts in this collection came from Sotheby's 1936 Portsmouth sale of Newton's papers. They include correspondence, research notes, and documents, over 30 of which are in Newton's hand. The collection demonstrates the wide range of Newton's activities: his extensive studies of alchemy and theology, his work for the Royal Mint and the Royal Society, as well as his personal records. Highlights include: "A Treatise or Remarks on Solomon's Temple," with commentary and six sketches of plans and architectural details drawn by Newton, "Praxis," considered one of his most important alchemical manuscripts, and an illustrated alchemical text picturing the Philosopher's Stone. Another notable manuscript is "Lib. Chem," Newton's inventory of over 100 alchemical books in his personal library, with shelf marks.
mssBAB