1. NEWTON, ISAAC, (1642–1726) was the son of a smallholder. He was one of the greatest, if not the greatest personality of physics. From 1669 to 7701 he was Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, and he later became Master of the Royal Mint in London. In 1705 he became an earl. He was a President of the Royal Society. Newton's most notable achievements were the introduction of differential and integral calculus, as well as the derivation of the basic laws of mechanics and optics. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
2. NEWTON, I., Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica. London (1687); Optics or a treatise of the reflection, refractions, inflections and colours of light. London (1704); New theory of light and colours. Philos. Transact. (1672)
3. MARGGRAF A. S., Opuscules chimiques. Paris (1762) 2 338 374
4. HERSCHEL, FRIEDRICH WILHELM, (1738–1822) was born in Hanover. The princes of Hanover at that time were also the Kings of England. Herschel came to London as a member of an orchestra of the guards. After leaving the army he remained in London as an organist. He studied astronomy as a hobby and in 1781 he discovered the planet Uranus. As a result of this he became famous and from then on devoted all his time to astronomy. The King appointed him Astronomer Royal. He was a member of the Royal Society.
5. XIII. Investigation of the powers of the prismatic colours to heat and illuminate objects; with remarks, that prove the different refrangibility of radiant heat. To which is added, an inquiry into the method of viewing the sun advantageously, with telescopes of large apertures and high magnifying powers