Ambitious of distinction in his
new office, Mr. Montagu addressed himself to the improvement of the
current coin, which was then in a very debased condition. It
fortunately happened that an opportunity occurred of appointing a new
official in the Mint; and Mr. Montagu on the 19th of March, 1695,
wrote to offer Mr. Newton the position of warden. The salary was to
be five or six hundred a year, and the business would not require
more attendance than Newton could spare. The Lucasian professor
accepted this post, and forthwith entered upon his new duties.
The knowledge of physics which Newton had acquired by his experiments
was of much use in connection with his duties at the Mint. He
carried out the re-coinage with great skill in the course of two
years, and as a reward for his exertions, he was appointed, in 1697,
to the Mastership of the Mint, with a salary between 1,200 Pounds and
1,500 Pounds per annum. In 1701, his duties at the Mint being so
engrossing, he resigned his Lucasian professorship at Cambridge, and
at the same time he had to surrender his fellowship at Trinity
College. This closed his connection with the University of
Cambridge. It should, however, be remarked that at a somewhat
earlier stage in his career he was very nearly being appointed to an
office which might have enabled the University to retain the great
philosopher within its precincts.
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