Page:Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's life.djvu/113

 exclusive of any thought of dinner, any regard to market business. there he staid till, the servant calld upon him to goe home.

another story I have heard told of him. south of Grantham is Spittlegate hill pretty steep, & high. tis usual to lead a horse up it. Sr. Isaac has been so intent in thought, that he has never minded remounting his horse at the top of the hill; & so has led his horse home all the way, being 5 miles.

once, they say, as he went home in this contemplative manner, the horse, by chance, slipt his bridle & went home. but Sr. Isaac walked on with the bridle in his hand, never missing the horse.

his mor.mother [sic], as well as the servants, complained how little serviceable he was to them, in any of their branches of business; & were not a little offended at his bookishness. the servants said, he was a silly boy, & would never be good for any thing. but his old master, Mr Stokes, who was now become rector of Colsterworth, judg'd much better: he saw the uncommon capacity of the lad, & admir'd his surprising inventions, the dexterity of his hand, as well as his wonderful penetration, far beyond his years. he never ceasd remonstrating to his mother what a loss it was to mankind, as well as a vain attempt, to bury so uncommon a talent, in