Sir Isaac Newton’s unpublished papers are expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds at an auction at Sotheby’s in Britain, which closes on Tuesday. In Burnt Papers, Newton attempted to decipher the secret of the Egyptian pyramids, wanting to calculate the unit of length the Egyptians used because he believed it could be unlocked through a wealth of ancient knowledge. According to Newton, the Egyptians knew the circumference of the Earth, and by deciphering the mystery of the pyramids, this can also be revealed, and from this it is possible to deduce the dimensions of the former place of the Ark of the Covenant, the Temple of Solomon, and the exact time of the Apocalypse. Newton said that data from Solomon’s Temple would also have revealed hidden messages in the Bible.
The notes Newton wrote in the 1880s were burned because the scientist’s dog, Diamond, once jumped on the table and covered the candle on it.
The papers now being auctioned are also said to be of particular value because they show that Newton was a founder of modern science and an alchemical theologian who also conducted research we now believe to belong to occultism. But in Newton’s time, they did not diverge sharply.
The banknotes are expected to be purchased by a private collector, although public collections may also bid at auction. However, they probably won’t have the same amount of money on paper as a private collector. (Watchman)
