Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/333

 that I have managed this matter so as to be worser than an infidel. I have been an Ant, but not an Ant which "ore trahit quodcunque potest," but only "quod Jure potuit, quod posset honore." Concerning alliances, that is lofty Marriages, I sett down with the Greek posey of my Romsey Schoolmaster King, which is in English: "he that is Married according to himself is well Married:" that is to say in parity or proportion of parts, person, parentage, and fortune. The common opinion of the world shall be my rule. I will not sweat to make my Daughter a fortune nor to be honey for Drones. And I desire to enable my Son to live within the compass of that wifes fortune which himself best loveth. Concerning leaving money or land to a son, I incline to your opinion: it is better to leave a Son 50l. worth of land well settled than 50l. in money. But if he be an ingenious active lad it is better to bestow 5 thousand pounds upon him in an office worth one thousand pounds per ann., than to sett him to plow upon a farm of 250 pounds per ann. Five thousand pounds will buy but 250 pounds per ann. in land, about 400 pound a year in houses. A thousand pound a year in offices will buy as many things as will bring in 2 thousand pounds per ann. and as many low priced houses as may be hyred for above 4l. Soe that it dependeth upon a good Judgment to determine with what species of effects to stock ones Children.'

In 1687 the 'Principia' of Newton appeared. Sir William was one of the few who at once perceived the transcendent merits and importance of the book. 'Poor Mr. Newton,' he wrote on July 9 of that year to Southwell, 'I have not met with one person that put an extraordinary value on his book. ... I would give 500l. to have been the author of it; and 200l. that Charles understood it.'

On August 16, 1687, he wrote to Southwell: 'I have had no letter from Charles, since the 8th instant from Amsterdam. I only say God send him luck; and then a little learning will serve his turn; for of the hundred prosperous men which we have seen since the year 1660, neither the learning nor parts of five have been admirable; and the forty