Many of these notes are written in the rather crude form of secretary hand that the young Newton practised. It is dated on the flyleaf, ‘Isaac Newton/ Trin: Coll Cant/ 1661’ and contains notes and occasional exercises relating to Newton’s reading, compiled in the manner of summarising and glossing recommended by most tutors. Together with some books that he bought in the early 1660s, this notebook bears witness to Newton’s first steps in the Aristotelian curriculum of the early modern university. At Cambridge, it was also usual for undergraduates to study ethics, metaphysics, physics, and mathematics. These initially focussed on the traditional skills of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Undergraduate education at this time consisted largely of following courses of reading directed by a tutor, in Newton’s case Benjamin Pulleyn. Although this is not the earliest of Newton’s surviving notebooks, it may well be the one that he purchased, together with some ink, on his arrival in Cambridge. In this notebook we see Newton, in his independent reading, reflection and observations of the world around him embarking on his career as a natural philosopher. Newton also makes his own observations on a comet. It includes his notes on books he was recommended to read for his studies, but it also shows him starting to read for himself and comment not only on classical sources, but also contemporary natural philosophical writing, such as the works of René Descartes or the Dutch mathematician Willebrord Snell. 3996 was used by him as an undergraduate, from about 1661 to 1665. Newton’s ‘Trinity College Notebook’ MS Add. Perhaps because of some reluctance of his mother’s to waste money on education, perhaps in order to assist Babington, Newton entered Trinity as a sub-sizar, that is a student who was to supplement his income by acting as a servant either for the fellows or for other wealthier students, and who was allowed to pay lower fees for attending lectures. His uncle had been educated at Trinity and one of the fellows of the College, Humphrey Babington, was related to a family with whom Newton had lodged while at school in Grantham. Despite opposition from his mother, who wanted him to stay at home and farm, Newton was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge, on 5 June 1661, and matriculated on 8 July. Newton’s youthful interest in learning was encouraged by his uncle, William Ayscough, and by the schoolmaster at Grantham, John Stokes. 3996 is a notebook that Newton used as a young student. ![]() Newton Papers : Trinity College Notebook Newton, Isaac, Sir, 1642-1727 Newton PapersĪdd.
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