17 "a Coffin "a Coffin," floating: Ibid., p.11.

17 "this comet portends pestiferous" "this comet portends pestiferous": Moote and Moote, The Great Plague The Great Plague, p.20.

17 clouds of flies clouds of flies: J. Fitzgerald Molloy, Royalty Restored Royalty Restored (London: Downey, 1897), p.167. (London: Downey, 1897), p.167.

17 "A deformed monster" "A deformed monster": Neil Hanson, The Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London, p.28.

18 Robert Boyle Robert Boyle, renowned today renowned today: Westfall, Science and Religion in Seventeenth-Century England Science and Religion in Seventeenth-Century England, p.124. The historian Frank Manuel discusses Boyle's belief in the imminence of the apocalypse in Portrait of Isaac Newton Portrait of Isaac Newton, p.129.

18 "The fourth beast [in the book of Revelation]" "The fourth beast [in the book of Revelation]": Isaac Newton, Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John and the Apocalypse of St. John, part 1, ch. 4, "Of the vision of the four Beasts." This posthumous work by Newton can be found, along with seemingly everything else Newton-related, at the indispensable Newton Project website, http://www.newtonproject.suss.e.x.ac.uk/prism.php?id=1. This essay is at http://www.newtonproject.suss.e.x.ac.uk/view/texts/normalized/THEM00198.

CHAPTER 4. "WHEN SPOTTED DEATH RAN ARM'D THROUGH EVERY STREET"

20 "like cheese between layers" "like cheese between layers": Norman Cantor, In the Wake of the Plague In the Wake of the Plague, p.8.

20 "Oh happy posterity" "Oh happy posterity": Barbara Tuchman, A Distant Mirror A Distant Mirror (New York: Ballantine, 1978), p.99. (New York: Ballantine, 1978), p.99.

21 "Great fears of the sicknesse" "Great fears of the sicknesse": Samuel Pepys's diary entry for April 30, 1665, available at www.pepysdiary.com.

22 "A nimble executioner" "A nimble executioner": Margaret Healy, "Defoe's Journal Journal and the English Plague Writing Tradition," quoting the seventeenth-century pamphleteer Thomas Dekker. and the English Plague Writing Tradition," quoting the seventeenth-century pamphleteer Thomas Dekker.

22 "the surest Signes" "the surest Signes": This quote and the description of plague symptoms in the next several sentences come from Rich.e.l.le Munkhoff, "Searchers of the Dead: Authority, Marginality, and the Interpretation of Plague in England, 15741665," Gender and History Gender and History 11, no. 1 (April 1999). 11, no. 1 (April 1999).

23 despised old women called "searchers" despised old women called "searchers": Ibid.

24 "Death was the sure midwife" "Death was the sure midwife": Nathaniel Hodge, Loimolgia Loimolgia, or An Historical Account of the Plague in London in 1665. An Historical Account of the Plague in London in 1665. See http://rbsche.people.wm.edu/H111_doc_loimolgia.html. See http://rbsche.people.wm.edu/H111_doc_loimolgia.html.

24 "Poor Will that used to sell" "Poor Will that used to sell": Pepys's diary, August 8, 1665.

CHAPTER 5. MELANCHOLY STREETS.

25 "Mult.i.tude of Rogues" "Mult.i.tude of Rogues": Roger Lund, "Infectious Wit: Metaphor, Atheism, and the Plague in Eighteenth-Century London," Literature and Medicine Literature and Medicine 22, no. 1 (Spring 2003), p.51. 22, no. 1 (Spring 2003), p.51.

25 kill "all their dogs" kill "all their dogs": Moote and Moote, The Great Plague The Great Plague, p.177.

26 "when we have purged" "when we have purged": Tinniswood, His Invention So Fertile His Invention So Fertile, p.115, quoting Henry Oldenburg, secretary of the Royal Society.

26 "Little noise heard day or night" "Little noise heard day or night": Letter written September 4, 1664, by Pepys to Lady Carteret, in Correspondence of Samuel Pepys Correspondence of Samuel Pepys, vol.5, p.286. See http://tinyurl.com/y2aqoze.

27 "A just G.o.d now visits" "A just G.o.d now visits": John Kelly, The Great Mortality The Great Mortality, p. xv.

27 "But Lord "But Lord, how empty" how empty": Pepys's diary, October 16, 1665.

28 Builders would one day Builders would one day: Raymond Williamson, "The Plague in Cambridge," Medical History Medical History 1, no. 1 (January 1957), p.51. 1, no. 1 (January 1957), p.51.

CHAPTER 6. FIRE.

29 Iron bars in prison cells Iron bars in prison cells: Hanson, The Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London, p.165, quoting John Evelyn.

30 what Robert Boyle called what Robert Boyle called: Moote and Moote, The Great Plague The Great Plague, p.69.

30 "Pish!" he said "Pish!" he said: Christopher Hibbert, London (London: Penguin, 1977), p.67, and Hanson, (London: Penguin, 1977), p.67, and Hanson, The Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London, p.49.

31 Even on the opposite sides Even on the opposite sides: G. M. Trevelyan, English Social History (New York: Penguin, 1967), p.305. (New York: Penguin, 1967), p.305.

32 Slung over his shoulder Slung over his shoulder: Antonia Fraser, Royal Charles Royal Charles, p.245.

32 "A horrid noise the flames made" "A horrid noise the flames made": Pepys's diary, September 2, 1666.

32 Stones from church walls exploded Stones from church walls exploded: Hollis, London Rising London Rising, p.121.

32 "G.o.d grant mine eyes" "G.o.d grant mine eyes": John Evelyn, The Diary of John Evelyn The Diary of John Evelyn, vol.2, p.12. This is from Evelyn's diary entry for September 3, 1666, available at http./www.pepysdiary.com/indepth/archive/2009/09/02/evelynsfire.php.

33 People wandered in search People wandered in search: Hollis, London Rising London Rising, p.122.

33 "The ground was so hot" "The ground was so hot": Hanson, The Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London, p.163.

33 "Now nettles are growing" "Now nettles are growing": Ibid., p. xv, quoting from a pamphlet by Thomas Vincent, G.o.d's Terrible Voice in the City G.o.d's Terrible Voice in the City.

CHAPTER 7. G.o.d AT HIS DRAWING TABLE.

35 G.o.d had fashioned the best G.o.d had fashioned the best: Philosophers still debate precisely how Leibniz reconciled his belief that G.o.d had created the best possible world with his (apparent) belief in a day of judgment. One notion is that divine punishment was a feature of even the best possible world, because harmony required both that virtue be rewarded and sin punished.

36 Newton and many of his peers Newton and many of his peers: J. E. McGuire and P. M. Rattansi, "Newton and the 'Pipes of Pan,' " p.135. See also Piyo Rattansi, "Newton and the Wisdom of the Ancients," in John Fauvel et al., eds., Let Newton Be! Let Newton Be!, p.187; Force and Popkin, Newton and Religion Newton and Religion, p. xvi; Steven Shapin, The Scientific Revolution The Scientific Revolution, p.74.

37 By far the most important By far the most important: The only challenges to the mainstream view came from the much-feared, much-reviled Thomas Hobbes and Baruch Spinoza.

37 "All disorder "All disorder," wrote Alexander Pope: Pope, "An Essay on Man."

37fn "this continued sterility" "this continued sterility": Jane Dunn, Elizabeth and Mary Elizabeth and Mary (New York: Vintage, 2005), p.17. (New York: Vintage, 2005), p.17.

38 "too paganish a word" "too paganish a word": Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic Religion and the Decline of Magic, p.79.

38 The very plants in the garden The very plants in the garden: Lorraine Daston and Katharine Park, Wonders and the Order of Nature Wonders and the Order of Nature, 11501750 11501750, p.296, quoting Walter Charleton, The Darkness of Atheism Dispelled by the Light of Nature The Darkness of Atheism Dispelled by the Light of Nature.

38 "People rarely thought of themselves" "People rarely thought of themselves": Jacques Barzun, From Dawn to Decadence From Dawn to Decadence, p.24.

38 Atheism was literally unthinkable Atheism was literally unthinkable: People called their enemies "atheists," but the charge had to do with behaving badly-acting in ways that offended G.o.d-rather than with denying G.o.d's existence. Atheist Atheist was a catch-all slur directed at the immoral and self-indulgent. was a catch-all slur directed at the immoral and self-indulgent.

38 Even Blaise Pascal Even Blaise Pascal: Arthur Lovejoy, The Great Chain of Being The Great Chain of Being, p.153.

40 Plato proposed that a free man Plato proposed that a free man: Morris Kline, Mathematics Mathematics: The Loss of Certainty The Loss of Certainty, p.22. See Plato's Laws Laws, book 11. "He who in any way shares in the illiberality of retail trades may be indicted for dishonouring his race by any one who likes... and if he appear to throw dirt upon his father's house by an unworthy occupation, let him be imprisoned for a year and abstain from that sort of thing; and if he repeat the offence, for two years; and every time that he is convicted let the length of his imprisonment be doubled." See http://cla.s.sics.mit.edu/Plato/laws.11.xi.html.

41 "It is ye perfection" "It is ye perfection": Richard Westfall, Never at Rest Never at Rest, p.327.

CHAPTER 8. THE IDEA THAT UNLOCKED THE WORLD.

42 "decipher the page and chapter" "decipher the page and chapter": John Carey, John Donne John Donne, p.128.

42 the mysteries of multiplication the mysteries of multiplication: Pepys's diary, July 4, 1662.

43 a mathematics of change a mathematics of change: Ernst Ca.s.sirer, "Newton and Leibniz," p.381. See also Karen Armstrong, A History of G.o.d A History of G.o.d, p.35.

44 "the most truly revolutionary" "the most truly revolutionary": I. Bernard Cohen, Revolution in Science Revolution in Science, p.90.

44 a widow a widow, not yet thirty not yet thirty: Hannah Newton's birth date is unknown. The Newton biographer Frank Manuel suggests that she was probably around thirty when she married for the second time, three years after Isaac's birth. See Manuel, A Portrait of Isaac Newton A Portrait of Isaac Newton, p.24.

45 "When one "When one . . . . . . compares" compares": Matthew Stewart, The Courtier and the Heretic The Courtier and the Heretic, p.12.

45 Frederick the Great declared Frederick the Great declared: Daniel Boorstin, The Discoverers The Discoverers, p.414.

46 "I invariably took" "I invariably took": Stewart, The Courtier and the Heretic The Courtier and the Heretic, p.43.

46 His favorite wedding gift His favorite wedding gift: Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy A History of Western Philosophy (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1945), p.582. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1945), p.582.

46 slept in his clothes slept in his clothes: Gale Christianson, Isaac Newton Isaac Newton, p.65.

46 seventeen portraits seventeen portraits: Peter Ackroyd, Newton Newton, p.98.

46 so much time working with mercury so much time working with mercury: Milo Keynes, "The Personality of Isaac Newton," p.27.

46 "It's so rare "It's so rare," the d.u.c.h.ess: Stewart, The Courtier and the Heretic The Courtier and the Heretic, p.12.

47 "a Machine for walking on water": The drawing comes from a 1637 text by Daniel Schwenter, a German mathematician and inventor, t.i.tled The drawing comes from a 1637 text by Daniel Schwenter, a German mathematician and inventor, t.i.tled Deliciae physico-mathematicae. Deliciae physico-mathematicae. Leibniz witnessed (and was much impressed by) a similar demonstration several decades later. Leibniz witnessed (and was much impressed by) a similar demonstration several decades later.

47 "To remain fixed in one place" "To remain fixed in one place": Ibid., p.53.

47 walk on water walk on water: Philip Wiener, "Leibniz's Project," p.234.

48 "his cat grew very fat" "his cat grew very fat": Westfall, Never at Rest Never at Rest, p.103.

48 "His peculiar gift" "His peculiar gift": John Maynard Keynes, "Newton, the Man," p.278.

49 "I took a bodkin" "I took a bodkin": Westfall, Never at Rest Never at Rest, p.94.

CHAPTER 9. EUCLID AND UNICORNS.

50 "weapon salve" "weapon salve": Liza Picard, Restoration London Restoration London, p.78.

50 "a living chameleon" "a living chameleon": Charles Richard Weld, History of the Royal Society History of the Royal Society (London: John W. Parker, 1848), v. 1, p.114. (London: John W. Parker, 1848), v. 1, p.114.

51 The spider The spider, unfazed unfazed: Ibid., p.113.

51 Newton's paper followed Newton's paper followed: Robert Crease, The Prism and the Pendulum The Prism and the Pendulum, p.72.

51 Visitors ogled such marvels Visitors ogled such marvels: Christopher Hibbert, London London, p.100.

51 the best cure for cataracts the best cure for cataracts: Stone, The Family The Family, s.e.x s.e.x, and Marriage and Marriage, p.65.

52 a "flying chariot" a "flying chariot": Marjorie Nicolson and Nora Mohler, "Swift's 'Flying Island' in the Voyage to Laputa Voyage to Laputa, " p.422.

52 Since reliable men vouched Since reliable men vouched: John Henry, "Occult Qualities and the Experimental Philosophy," p.359. The highly regarded member of the Royal Society was Joseph Glanvill.

52 the seas contained mermaids the seas contained mermaids: John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, book 3, ch. 6, "Of the Names of Substances" (London: Thomas Tegg, 1841), p.315.

52 an ancient an ancient National Enquirer: Daston and Park, National Enquirer: Daston and Park, Wonders and the Order of Nature Wonders and the Order of Nature, p.231.

53 The "Tyburn tree" The "Tyburn tree": The gallows stood near what is now Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park.

53 "All the Way "All the Way, from Newgate to Tyburn" from Newgate to Tyburn": Simon Devereaux, "Recasting the Theater of Execution," Past & Present Past & Present 202, no. 1 (February 2009). 202, no. 1 (February 2009).

53 a hand's "death sweat" a hand's "death sweat": Hanson, The Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London, p.216, and Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic Religion and the Decline of Magic, p.204.

54 the corpse "identified" the corpse "identified": Daston and Park, Wonders and the Order of Nature Wonders and the Order of Nature, p.241.

54 painstakingly dissected one witch's painstakingly dissected one witch's: Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic Religion and the Decline of Magic, p.644.

55 the "philosopher's stone" the "philosopher's stone": Christianson, Isaac Newton Isaac Newton, p.55.