Page:Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's life.djvu/105

 he was little practis'd in the exercise, & at other times outdone by many; yet this day was surprizingly superior to them all. which they much wondered at, but could not discover the reason; which was this. Sr. Isaac observed the gusts of wind, & took so proper an advantage of them, as to carry him far beyond the rest of the boys.

when Sir Isaac had been about 7 years at school at Grantham, his father in law, Mr Smith, dyed. His mother lived all this while at north witham, in her husbands rectory house. but now she went back to her own house, at Wulsthorp. this house being the present one, was built by Mr. Smith but not of so large a form as the old one, which was become very runious; that wherein Sr. Isaac was born. she was left with three children by Mr Smith, all very young. she thought fit to recall her son Isaac Newton from school, intending to make him serviceable to her, in management of farming & country business, at Wulsthorp. accordingly we must suppose him attending the tillage, & grazing; following the plow, dungcart & the like works; or driving sheep to markets, & fairs. thus were we in danger of losing this prodigious man!

but these employments ill suited Sr. Isaac's