Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/439

 MOLYNEUX. 435 dial invented by him; another edition of which was pub lished at London in 1700, 4to. On the publication of Sir Isaac Newton’s “Principia,” the following year, 1687, our author was struck with the same astonishment as the rest of the world; but declared also, that he was not qualified to examine the particulars. The celebrated Halley, with whom he constantly corresponded, had sent him the several parts of this inestimable treasure as they came from the press, before the whole was finished, assur ing him that he looked upon it as the utmost effort of human genius. In 1688, the Philosophical Society at Dublin was broken up and dispersed by the confusion of the times. Mr. Molyneux had distinguished himself as a member of it from the beginning, by several discourses upon various subjects; some of which were transmitted to the Royal Society at London, and afterwards printed in the “Philosophical Transactions.” In 1689, among great numbers of other protestants, he withdrew from the dis turbances in Ireland, occasioned by the severities of Tyr connel's government; and, after a short stay in London, fixed himself with his family at Chester. In this retire ment he employed himself in putting together the materials he had some time before prepared, for his “Dioptrics,” in which he was much assisted by Flamstead; and, in August 1690, went to London to put it to press, the sheets being revised by Halley, who, at our author's request, gave leave for printing in the appendix, his celebrated theorem for finding the face of optic glasses; accordingly the book made i t s appearance i n 1692, i n 4to, under the title o f “Dioptrica Nova.” Before h e left Chester, h e lost his lady, who died soon after she had brought him a son. Illness had deprived her o f her eye-sight twelve years before, and she had always been very sickly, and afflicted with extreme pains o f the head. As soon a s the public tranquillity was settled i n his native country, h e returned home; and upon the con vening o f a new parliament i n 1692, was chosen one o f the representatives for the city o f Dublin. H i s the next parliament, i n 1695, h e was chosen t o represent the Uni