Isaac Newton's New Theory of Light - photo 1

Isaac Newton's New Theory of Light

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$ 75 600
Auction dateClassic
25.04.2022 10:00UTC -04:00
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CHRISTIE'S
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ID 743666
Lot 17 | Isaac Newton's New Theory of Light
NEWTON, Isaac (1642-1726). [A complete set of Newton's lifetime contributions to the Philosophical Transactions, on his New Theory of Light] London: John Martyn, 1670-1676.“I procured me a Triangular glass-Prisme to try therewith the celebrated Phaenomena of Colours”Isaac Newton's complete contributions to the Royal Society's Philosophical Transactions published in his lifetime, debuting his new Theory of Light—Newton at the beginning of his illustrious career. Radically reversing the traditional conception of light, Newton launched his publishing career with “A New Theory about Light and Colours” in volume VI of the Philosophical Transactions. Newton, using a series of elegant and now-iconic experiments with prisms to decompose sunlight, demonstrated that white light is neither simple nor homogeneous, but rather a compound of heterogeneous rays, and that color stands in an unalterable 1-to-1 correspondence with the refrangibility of light. Newton developed his new theory of light in 1666—his annus mirabilis—and this publication is the first fruit of that year to be made public. Alongside the Principia and his work on calculus (two other products of that year spent isolating due to plague), Newton’s theory of light is a pillar of modern science. The 17 articles published by Newton in the Philosophical Transactions between 1672 and 1676 are all of a piece and constitute an integral suite of works debating, refining, and augmenting his original submission, sharpened on the whetstone of public criticism. This includes his two articles on the invention of the reflecting telescope, which provide a practical proof of the validity of his theory of the heterogeneity of light. As most of these articles comprise Newton’s refutation of his critics, they also provide a witness to early modern science in action, as the greatest minds of the 18th century wrestled with the secrets of the universe. Their significance extends beyond the science of optics, touching at the core of scientific methodology and experimental design. Taken as whole, they reveal one of Newton’s most important statements on the role of hypothesis in science (in his refutations of Pardies), as well as his first public affirmation of the particle theory of light (in his refutation of Hooke). Many of the critical responses relate to an inability to repeat Newton's experiments (possibly caused by varying qualities of glass in different cities), and thus his letters addressing his critics provide excruciating detail on the exact nature of his experimental approach. There is evidence that Newton considered a collected edition of these papers which never came to fruition; Derek Price identified two sets of proof sheets containing the text of Newton’s first paper, reset with extensive notes—but the publication seems to have been aborted. These papers only saw print in the Philosophical Transactions in Newton’s lifetime, a publication with a limited print run and mostly institutional subscribers. According to Huxley, "if all the books in the world except the Philosophical Transactions were destroyed, it is safe to say that the foundations of physical science would remain unshaken, and that the vast intellectual progress of the last two centuries would be largely, although incompletely, recorded." These volumes contain not only the work of Newton, but other luminaries important in their own right from across Europe including Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Jean-Dominique Cassini, Robert Boyle, and Christiaan Huygens. Looked at only for Newton’s contributions, however, these volumes stand alongside the Principia and the Opticks as an essential work of one of the greatest scientists of his own or any age. Babson 165; cf. Dibner Heralds 144; Gray 231.1-18; see PMM 148 (vol 1).Seven volumes in four [vols V-XI], quarto (216 x 158mm). 32 folding engravings, engraved and woodcut diagrams in text (lower edge shaved in some vols, worming to gutter occasionally in text in vol XI, a few ink stains or small tears). Contemporary English paneled calf (vols 3 and 4 rebacked). Provenance: significant pencil underlining and marginal marks – Sir Walter Halsey (1868-1950; Gaddesden bookplate). A complete listing of the Isaac Newton articles in Philosophical Transactions:Vol. VINo. 80pp. 3075-3087; A Letter of Mr Isaac Newton, Professor of the Mathematicks in the University of Cambridge; containing his New Theory about Light and Colors. Gray 231.1Vol. VIINo. 81pp. 4004-4009; An accompt of a New Catadioptrical Telescope invented by Mr Newton. Gray 231.3pp. 4009-4010; Extract of a Letter, receipted very lately, from the Inventor of this new Telescope. Gray 231.3No. 82pp. 4032-4034; Mr. Newton’s Letter to the Publisher of March 26 1672 containing some more suggestions about his New Telescope, and a Table of Apertures and Charges for the several Lengths of that Instrument. Gray 231.4pp. 4034-4035; An Extract of another Letter of the same to the Publisher, dated March 30, 1672, by way of answer to some Objections, made by an Ingenious French Philosopher to the New Reflecting Telescope. Gray 231.5No. 83pp. 4056-4059; Mr Isaac Newton’s Considerations upon part of a Letter of Monsieur de Berce printed in the Eight French Memoire, concerning the Catadroptrical Telescope, pretended to be improv’d and refinsed by M. Cassegrain. Gray 231.6pp. 4059-4062; Some Experiments propos’d in relation to Mr. Newtons Theory of light, printed in Numb. 80, together with the Observations made thereupon by the Author of that Theory; communicated in a letter of his from Cambridge, April 13, 1672. Gray 231.7No. 84pp. 4091-4093; Mr Newtons Letter of April 13 1672, written to the Publisher, being an answer to the fore-going Letter of P. Pardies. Gray 231.8No. 85pp. 5004-5007; A Serie’s of Quere’s propounded by Mr Isaac Newton, to be determin’d by Experiments, positively and directly concluding his new Theory of Light and Colors. Gray 232.2pp. 5014-5018; Mr Newton’s Answer to the foregoing Letter. Gray 231.9No. 88pp. 5084-5103; Mr Isaac Newtons Answer to some Considerations upon his Doctrine of Light and Colors. Gray 231.10Vol. VIIINo. 96pp. 6087-6092; Mr Newton’s Answer to the forgoing Letter further explaining his Theory of Light and Colors, and particularly that of Whiteness; together with his continued hopes of perfecting Telescopes by Reflections rather than Refractions. Gray 231.11 and Gray 231.12No. 97pp. 6108-6111; An Extract of Mr Isaac Newton’s Letter; written to the Publisher from Cambridge April 30, 1673, concerning the Number of Colors, and the Necessity of mixing them all for the production of white… Gray 231.13Vol. IXNo. 110[pp. 217-219; A letter of Learn’d Franc. Linus, to a Friend of his in London, animadverting upon Mr Isaac Newton’s Theory of Light and Colors.] pp. 219; An answer to this letter [of Franc. Linus] Gray 231.14Vol. XNo. 121pp. 500-502; Mr Isaac Newton’s Considerations on the former Reply; together with further Directions, how to make the Experiments controverted aright. Gray 231.15pp. 503-504; An Extract of another Letter of Mr Newton, written to the Publisher…relating to the same argument. 231.16Vol. XINo. 123pp. 556-561; A particular answer of Mr Isaak Newton to Mr Linus his letter … about an Experiment relating to the New Doctrine of Light and Colours. 231.17No. 128pp. 698-705; Mr Newton’s Answer to the precedent Letter [of Anthony Lucas]. Gray 231.18
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