Review of `Newton and the counterfeiter: the unknown detective career of the world's greatest scientist' by Thomas Levenson.
Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2009).
Reviewed by William P. Palmer
There are a huge number of books on Newton's life. Amongst the more well-known are: Memoirs of the life, writings and discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton (Brewster, D., 1855): Sir Isaac Newton his life and work (Andrade, E. N. da C.,1954): In the presence of the creator: Isaac Newton & his times (Christianson, G. E., 1984): The Foundations of Newton's Alchemy or, The Hunting of the Greene Lyon (Dobbs, Betty Jo Teeter, 1984): The Newtonian revolution (Cohen, I. B., 1987): Isaac Newton: the last sorcerer (White, M., 1997): Coffee with Isaac Newton (White, M., 1998) Isaac Newton (Westfall, R. S. 2007): Introducing Newton (Rankin, W. 2007). This brief listing of biographies of Newton or of aspects of his work includes the scholarly and the introductory.
It is difficult for any current biographer to find some new angle on Newton as such exceptional scholars and communicators of the history of science have covered the options so thoroughly. Thomas Levenson has written a book about one specific part of Newton's life ' his tenure as Warden of the Mint, with the idea of seeing how well `the world's greatest scientist' succeeded in becoming a successful detective entrapping the criminal low-life of his times. Sir John Craig's book, Newton at the Mint (1946) and some of his academic articles also explore the idea of Sir Isaac Newton as a detective, but these are not easily accessible to today's reader. How well does Thomas Levenson's book succeed at this task?
I enjoyed the book though it did not contain much that was new about Newton. However with the considerable scholarship that has been devoted to Newton's life and works, novelty is not easy. The book is 318 pages long and this includes acknowledgements, informative notes and an index. There are six main sections in the book (parts I to VI) with a preface and an epilogue. The first three sections are introductory to Isaac Newton about his early years and scientific career and also about William Challoner and his background and criminal career.
The story is set up with Newton (Master of the Mint) as the hero and Challoner (master criminal) as the villain. But we are reminded throughout that life is not that simple as that; for both Newton and Challoner there are other factors intervening. Not all those on whom Newton relies are entirely honest. Chaloner's friends are prepared to betray him for reward or to save themselves.
It is an interesting story, though it should be remembered that Newton's importance in the history of science (or indeed in the history of the world) is due to his scientific discoveries. The author also makes some good and thought provoking points about the nature of money and Newton's brilliant administrative talents in running the Mint. It is a good book, thoroughly recommended.
BILL PALMER
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