Our understanding of the universe evolved over time, as work generated by one generation of thinkers was expanded and further developed by the next. Isaac Newton’s Principia describes the universal physical laws of gravitation and motion, rooted in the discoveries made by his predecessors Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler. During the course of Newton’s 60 years of intense intellectual activity, he undertook chemical and alchemical research and theological and biblical studies as well as the mathematics and physics work that he is perhaps best known for. He was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705, only the second scientist to receive this honor, after Francis Bacon.
This special exhibition at the Folger features rare books from the collection of Stuart and Mimi Rose that present literary, cultural, and historical high points.
