SIR ISAAC NEWTON.

THIS prodigy of philosophical and mathematical science was born at Woolsthorpe, in the parish of Colsterworth, Lincolnshire, on Christmas-day 1642, three months after the decease of his father.

At Grantham school, he gave strong proofs of uncommon genius: amusing himself, instead of playing with other boys, in mechanical contrivances, and making curiosities and models in wood. In short, he made wind-mills and water-clocks; and, having placed a mouse in one of the former, called it his miller, and joked about the miller's eating the corn put into the mill. Owing to these, and innumerable other fancies, which sometimes engrossed all his thoughts, he relied too much on his capacity, and was but low in his class; but a boy above him having given him a violent kick, he not only beat his antagonist, but resolved to get before him; and, from that time, continued rising, till he became head scholar. His mother, on the death of her second husband, the Rev. Barnabas Smith, rector of North Witham, returned to Woolsthorpe, and wished him to assist in managing the farm: but a short trial convinced her, that his attachment to study was invincible; and, prudently cherishing the laudable propensity, he was, at length, June 5, 1660, sent to Trinity College, Cambridge. The progress of his superlative genius was here marked with astonishment; and, before he reached his twenty-fourth year, he had laid the foundation of all his wonderful discoveries. In 1665, he produced his New Method of Infinite Series and Fluxions; the first fruit of his boundless invention. In 1668, while meditating in a garden, the accidental fall of some apples first led his thoughts to the subject of gravity, and gave rise to his noble System of the Universe.

In 1662, he was chosen a Fellow of the Royal Society; and, having brought his Theory of Light and Colours to great perfection, published it in their Transactions. The novelty of this system subverting the settled opinions of the world, he was attacked by a host of disputants; whose haste in performing his experiments, and their fallacious deductions, long harassed our philosopher. Thus he lost that tranquillity of life, which his native modesty preferred to the glory of philosophy, and was greatly deterred from communicating his farther discoveries. A visit from Dr. Halley encouraged him to give his celebrated Principia. This new system of philosophy, though built on the sublimest geometry, did not immediately meet with general applause. The fanciful theory of Descartes chiefly prevailed: his was the pleasing offspring of a fine imagination; while that of Newton was a painful and tedious pursuit of Nature through her most secret abodes. His wonderful merit, however, was at length recognized by all the world; and that famous French geometrician, the Marquis l'Hospital, scarcely believing him to be a mere mortal, inquired if he eat, or drank, or slept, like common men.

. He was appointed Warden of the Mint, in 1696; in 1703, became President of the Royal Society; and, in 1704, published his Optics, which had engaged his attention for more than thirty years. He received the honour of knighthood from Queen Anne; and Caroline, queen of George II. by whose request he was induced to draw up his abstract of Chronology, frequently said, that she thought herself happy to have come into the world at a time which enabled her to converse with Sir Isaac Newton. On Monday, March 20, 1727, after long suffering the severest pangs of disease, which he bore with inconceivable fortitude, this great philosopher, who was never married, died at the age of 84, and was interred, with the utmost magnificence, at the public expense, in Westminster Abbey. Among all his books, the Bible was Sir Isaac Newton's chief favourite, and he was fully persuaded of the truth of Revelation; a praise which we could wish every mathematician equally merited!

FREDERICK LORD NORTH.

THIS celebrated premier of England during the American war, was born in April 1732; and succeeded his father in the estates and title of the earl of Guildford in 1790. His lordship was one of those characters, whose private life, had it been still less obscure or retired, would have been concealed in the splendour and importance of his public character. Endowed with great abilities, natural and acquired, he figured in the house of commons 'till 1767, when he succeeded the honourable Charles Townshend, as chancellor of the exchequer; his knowledge of business was extensive, and his integrity unimpeached. Upon the resignation of the duke of Grafton in 1770, he became first lord of the treasury, and continued in this station nearly throughout the American war. Though, as prime minister, his lordship's measures had been long and ably supported, the first symptoms of his declining influence were observed in consequence of the loan he proposed in 1781, when his terms to the holders were by several of his friends declared to be extremely high. In the house of lords his plan was vigorously opposed by lord Rockingham, the duke of Portland, and several other peers. At length, in 1782, just as sir John Rous was about to rise in the commons, lord North, addressing the speaker, said, that as he understood the earl of Surry's motion to be the removal of ministers, he wished to prevent the necessity of further trouble by an explicit declaration, "That His Majesty had come to a determination to make an entire change in the administration," and that he and his colleagues only retained their official situations 'till other ministers were appointed to occupy their places. He then thanked the house for the indulgence he had experienced from them in the discharge of his duty, and declared himself ready to answer to his country for his conduct, whenever he should be called upon for that purpose.

In January 1783, after the preliminary articles of peace were signed between Great Britain, France, and Spain, a circumstance occurred, which revived all the rancour formerly conceived against lord North, as the adviser of the American war; namely, his reconciliation with his most formidable opponent, the hon. Charles Fox. This coalition was esteemed by the public as one of the most unnatural ever entered into by any political characters. When this unexpected event first transpired in the house of commons, Mr. Fox, though he reprobated the peace, agreed with Mr. St. John, member for Bedford, not to vote for the punishment of those who made it. Mr. Fox, being accused of having formed an union with the noble lord, whose principles he had opposed for several years of his life, said, that as the American war, the grounds of their opposition, was removed, he did not conceive it honourable to keep up animosities for ever. He was happy at all times to have a proper opportunity to bury his resentments, and it was the wish of his heart that his friendships should never die. Yet this declaration was, by a very great part of the house, indignantly received, and it was called nothing less than a monstrous coalition. Lord North, no doubt elated by what had occurred, dared his enemies, whatever might be their influence and their character, to be decisive, and proceed against him! Though no investigation followed, the expression of the public opinion against the coalition ministry was such, as to effect their removal, especially as one of them had personally declared," he would pursue, even to the scaffold, the authors of the public ruin ;" and lord North was forced into a political obscurity, from which he never after emerged, though no man was ever more beloved in private life. His lordship paid the debt of nature on the 5th of August, 1792.