Meditation on Newton: A Poetic Tribute

1. Maurice Quentin de la Tour(1704-1788) Slečna Ferrandová medituje nad Newtonem

2. Titulní stránka německého překladu knihy Francesca Alagarottiho Newtonianismo per la Dame (1738), která románovpu formou popularizuje dílo I. Newtona

3. Báseň Jamese Thomsona věnovaná památce I. Newtona. Červeně jsem vyznačil místa, která by se mohla reprodukovat (+ úvodních 6 veršů) James Thomson (1700-1748) A Poem Sacred to the Memory of Sir Isaac Newton 1Shall the great soul of Newton quit this earth,               2To mingle with his stars; and every muse,               3Astonish'd into silence, shun the weight               4Of honours due to his illustrious name?               5But what can man?--Even now the sons of light,               6In strains high-warbled to seraphic lyre,               7Hail his arrival on the coast of bliss.               8Yet am not I deterr'd, though high the theme,               9And sung to harps of angels, for with you,             10Ethereal flames! ambitious, I aspire             11In Nature's general symphony to join.             12     And what new wonders can ye show your guest!             13Who, while on this dim spot, where mortals toil             14Clouded in dust, from motion's simple laws,             15Could trace the secret hand of Providence,             16Wide-working through this universal frame.             17     Have ye not listen'd while he bound the suns             18And planets to their spheres! th' unequal task             19Of humankind till then. Oft had they roll'd             20O'er erring man the year, and oft disgrac'd             21The pride of schools, before their course was known             22Full in its causes and effects to him,             23All-piercing sage! who sat not down and dream'd             24Romantic schemes, defended by the din             25Of specious words, and tyranny of names;             26But, bidding his amazing mind attend,             27And with heroic patience years on years             28Deep-searching, saw at last the system dawn,             29And shine, of all his race, on him alone.             30     What were his raptures then! how pure! how strong!             31And what the triumphs of old Greece and Rome,             32By his diminish'd, but the pride of boys             33In some small fray victorious! when instead             34Of shatter'd parcels of this earth usurp'd             35By violence unmanly, and sore deeds             36Of cruelty and blood, Nature herself             37Stood all subdu'd by him, and open laid             38Her every latent glory to his view.             39     All intellectual eye, our solar-round 40First gazing through, he by the blended power             41Of gravitation and projection saw             42The whole in silent harmony revolve.             43From unassisted vision hid, the moons             44To cheer remoter planets numerous pour'd,             45By him in all their mingled tracts were seen.             46He also fix'd the wandering Queen of Night,             47Whether she wanes into a scanty orb,             48Or, waxing broad, with her pale shadowy light,             49In a soft deluge overflows the sky.             50Her every motion clear-discerning, he             51Adjusted to the mutual main, and taught             52Why now the mighty mass of water swells             53Resistless, heaving on the broken rocks,             54And the full river turning; till again             55The tide revertive, unattracted, leaves             56A yellow waste of idle sands behind.             57     Then breaking hence, he took his ardent flight             58Through the blue infinite; and every star,             59Which the clear concave of a winter's night             60Pours on the eye, or astronomic tube,             61Far-stretching, snatches from the dark abyss,             62Or such as farther in successive skies             63To fancy shine alone, at his approach             64Blaz'd into suns, the living centre each             65Of an harmonious system: all combin'd,

4. James Thomson (1700-1748) A Poem Sacred to the Memory of Sir Isaac Newton 1Shall the great soul of Newton quit this earth,               2To mingle with his stars; and every muse,               3Astonish'd into silence, shun the weight               4Of honours due to his illustrious name?               5But what can man?--Even now the sons of light,               6In strains high-warbled to seraphic lyre,               7Hail his arrival on the coast of bliss.               8Yet am not I deterr'd, though high the theme,               9And sung to harps of angels, for with you,             10Ethereal flames! ambitious, I aspire             11In Nature's general symphony to join.             12     And what new wonders can ye show your guest!             13Who, while on this dim spot, where mortals toil             14Clouded in dust, from motion's simple laws,             15Could trace the secret hand of Providence,             16Wide-working through this universal frame.             17     Have ye not listen'd while he bound the suns             18And planets to their spheres! th' unequal task             19Of humankind till then. Oft had they roll'd             20O'er erring man the year, and oft disgrac'd             21The pride of schools, before their course was known             22Full in its causes and effects to him,             23All-piercing sage! who sat not down and dream'd             24Romantic schemes, defended by the din             25Of specious words, and tyranny of names;             26But, bidding his amazing mind attend,             27And with heroic patience years on years             28Deep-searching, saw at last the system dawn,             29And shine, of all his race, on him alone.             30     What were his raptures then! how pure! how strong!             31And what the triumphs of old Greece and Rome,             32By his diminish'd, but the pride of boys             33In some small fray victorious! when instead             34Of shatter'd parcels of this earth usurp'd             35By violence unmanly, and sore deeds             36Of cruelty and blood, Nature herself             37Stood all subdu'd by him, and open laid             38Her every latent glory to his view.             39     All intellectual eye, our solar-round 40First gazing through, he by the blended power             41Of gravitation and projection saw             42The whole in silent harmony revolve.             43From unassisted vision hid, the moons             44To cheer remoter planets numerous pour'd,             45By him in all their mingled tracts were seen.             46He also fix'd the wandering Queen of Night,             47Whether she wanes into a scanty orb,             48Or, waxing broad, with her pale shadowy light,             49In a soft deluge overflows the sky.             50Her every motion clear-discerning, he             51Adjusted to the mutual main, and taught             52Why now the mighty mass of water swells             53Resistless, heaving on the broken rocks,             54And the full river turning; till again             55The tide revertive, unattracted, leaves             56A yellow waste of idle sands behind.             57     Then breaking hence, he took his ardent flight             58Through the blue infinite; and every star,             59Which the clear concave of a winter's night             60Pours on the eye, or astronomic tube,             61Far-stretching, snatches from the dark abyss,             62Or such as farther in successive skies             63To fancy shine alone, at his approach             64Blaz'd into suns, the living centre each             65Of an harmonious system: all combin'd,

5.           159Her every sweet in studious ease you walk,           160The social passions smiling at thy heart           161That glows with all the recollected sage.           162     And you, ye hopeless gloomy-minded tribe,           163You who, unconscious of those nobler flights           164That reach impatient at immortal life,           165Against the prime endearing privilege           166Of being dare contend,--say, can a soul           167Of such extensive, deep, tremendous powers,           168Enlarging still, be but a finer breath           169Of spirits dancing through their tubes awhile,           170And then for ever lost in vacant air?           171     But hark! methinks I hear a warning voice,           172Solemn as when some awful change is come,           173Sound through the world--" 'Tis done!--the measure's full;           174And I resign my charge."--Ye mouldering stones           175That build the towering pyramid, the proud           176Triumphal arch, the monument effac'd           177By ruthless ruin, and whate'er supports           178The worship'd name of hoar antiquity--           179Down to the dust! What grandeur can ye boast           180While Newton lifts his column to the skies,           181Beyond the waste of time. Let no weak drop           182Be shed for him. The virgin in her bloom           183Cut off, the joyous youth, and darling child--           184These are the tombs that claim the tender tear           185And elegiac song. But Newton calls           186For other notes of gratulation high,           187That now he wanders through those endless worlds           188He here so well descried, and wondering talks,           189And hymns their Author with his glad compeers.           190     O Britain's boast! whether with angels thou           191Sittest in dread discourse, or fellow-blest,           192Who joy to see the honour of their kind;           193Or whether, mounted on cherubic wing,           194Thy swift career is with the whirling orbs,           195Comparing things with things, in rapture lost,           196And grateful adoration for that light           197So plenteous ray'd into thy mind below           198From Light Himself; oh, look with pity down           199On humankind, a frail erroneous race!           200Exalt the spirit of a downward world!           201O'er thy dejected country chief preside,           202And be her Genius call'd! her studies raise,           203Correct her manners, and inspire her youth;           204For, though deprav'd and sunk, she brought thee forth,           205And glories in thy name! she points thee out           206To all her sons, and bids them eye thy star:           207While, in expectance of the second life,           208When time shall be no more, thy sacred dust           209Sleeps with her kings, and dignifies the scene. Notes 1] First published in June 1727, three months after Newton's death. "The enthusiasm of the early eighteenth century over Newton's discoveries and ideas was intense and widespread, and this poem of Thomson is a representative expression.

6. Romantická reakce John Keats (1795-1821): Newton podřízl krk poezii • William Blake (1757-1827): • Věda je ďábel, jehož velekněžími jsou Newton a Locke Obraz Williama Blake: Newton. Blake je autorem výroku „Věda je dábel a jeho velekněží jsou Newton a Locke.“

7. W. Blake - Africa • Thus the terrible race of Los & Enitharmon • gave Laws & Religions to the sons of Har binding them more • And more to Earth: closing and restraining: • Till a Philosophy of Five Senses was complete • Urizen wept & gave it into the hands of Newton & Locke • Úryvek z básně W. Blakea Afrika

8. Alexander Pope ( 1688 - 1744 ) – epitaf I. Newtona • Isaacus Newtonus: • Quem Immortalem • Testantur Tempus, Natura, Coelum: • Mortalem • Hoc Marmor Fatetur. • Nature and Nature’s laws lay hid in night • God said, Let Newton be! and all was light.