Sr. Iſaac was elected a fellow of the college; & also made Lucaſian professor of mathematics;
wherein he succeeded his tutor Dr. Barrow. then he put out a new edition of that curious piece, Varenius's geography. the method of that author pleaſd him; it is like his own. his chambers in Trinity college were thoſe in the great court, on the north ſide, between the maſters lodg, & the chapel.
in 1687 he ſhowd himself to the world indeed, in publiſhing that amazing production principia philoſophiæ mathematica. & the world was truly astoniſhd at it, almost afraid to look on ſo divine a work.
the ſame year k. James hanging over the priveleges of the Univerſity, he had ſpirit enough to oppoſe all violences of that ſort, & was nominated one of their Delegates to the high Commiſsion Court. he was alſo a Member of Parliament the next year, the great Convention on k. James deſerting the k.dom. 1688.
Dr. Newton of Grantham aforemention'd was ſizor to Sr. Iſaac; lived under his tuition 5 years: was aſsiſtant to him particularly in his chymical operations, wh he purſu'd many years. he often admir'd Sr. Iſaac's patience in his experiments, & operations; & his extreme accuracy; how ſcrupulously nice he was in weighing his materials: & that his fires were almoſt perpetual. in the year 1705 & 6, when I was at CC College, I went a courſe of chymical lectures with Seignior Vigani, in Sr. Iſaac's room, where he made his chymical operations, being backward, towards the maſters lodg.
Dr. Newton says, that all the time, he was with him, ſhe ſcarce ever obſerv'd him to laugh; but once: he remembers, it was on this occaſion. he aſkd a frd to whom he had lent an Euclid to read, what progreſs he had made in that author? & how he liked it? he anſwerd by deſiring to know what uſe, & benefit in life, that kind of ſtudy would be to him? upon which Sr. Iſaac was very merry.
