42 LIFE OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON, Tn the winter of 1691-2, on returning from chapel, one morn ing, Newton foima tnat a favourite little dog, called Diamond, had overturned a lighted taper on his desk, and that several pa pers containing the results of certain optical experiments, were nearly consumed. His only exclamation, on perceiving his loss, was, " Oh Diamond, Diamond, little knowest thou the mischiel thou hast done," Dr. Brewster, in his life of our author, gives the following extract from the manuscript Diary of Mr. Abraham De La Pryme. a student in the University at the time of this oc currence. " 1692. February, 3. — What I heard to-day I must relate. There is one Mr. Newton (whom I have very oft seen), Fellow of Trinity College, that is mighty famous for his learning, being a most excellent mathematician, philosopher, divine, &c. He has been Fellow of the Royal Society these many years ; and among other very learned books and tracts, he:s written one upon the mathe matical principles of philosophy, which has given him a mighty name, he having received, especially from Scotland, abundance of congratulatory letters for the same ; but of all the books he ever wrote, there was one of colours and light, established upon thou sands of experiments which he had been twenty years of making, and which had cost him many hundreds of pounds. This book which he vaiued so much, and which was so much talked of, had the ill luck to perish, and be utterly lost just when the learned author was almost at pitting a conclusion at the same, after this manner : In a winter's morning, leaving it among his other papers on his study table while he went to chapel, the candle, which he had unfortunately left burning there, too, catched hold by some means of other papers, and they fired the aforesaid book, and ut terly consumed it and several other valuable writings ; arid which is most wonderful did no further mischief. But when Mr. New ton came from chapel, and had seen what was done, every one thought he would have run mad, he was so troubled thereat that he was not himself for a month after. A long account of this his system of colours you may find in the Transactions of the Royal Society, which he had sent up to them long before this sad mis chance happened unto him."