C. B.
Sir Isaac Newton's discovery was the law of universal gravitation, viz. that the solar system is kept together by the gravity of the heavenly bodies towards the sun. This was founded on terrestrial gravitation, of which the falling apple put him in mind, applied first to the moon, and then universally to the universe. (See Penny Cyclopædia, art. "Gravitation;" Biot, "Life of Newton," in the Biographie Universelle; or the translation of it in the "Life of Newton" in the Library of Useful Knowledge, p. 5.) This is very different from Cicero's words; in which[5] (sc. the earth) all things borne downwards by their weight ever seek to reach the middle point of the universe, which is also the lowest point in the earth (qui est idem infimus in rotundo).
[5] Moser's text has in qua, &c. terra.
ED. S. JACKSON.
Saffron Walden.
DEFERRED EXECUTIONS.
(Vol. iv., pp. 191. 243.)
Although your correspondent E. S. attempts to throw discredit on M. W. B.'s narration of a deferred execution at Winchester, and carps at the mention of a "warrant," as if that militated against the fact; yet doubtless, in times when carelessness among official personages was not uncommon, many deferred executions may have taken place.
It must be evident, that in the case of a convict respited during pleasure, that an order must at last be formally made for such person's execution or commutation of punishment; during which interval the prisoner would remain in custody of the gaoler. This in effect would be tantamount to a warrant, and of course communicated to the unfortunate delinquent.
A case somewhat similar to the Winchester one was told me by an old and respectable inhabitant of Worcester, who was himself cognisant of the circumstance, and had frequently seen the convict. It occurred in the gaolership of the father of the present governor of the city gaol. A boy of only thirteen or fourteen had been convicted of some capital offence, but on account of his youth was respited indefinitely. He remained in the gaol, was found to be a docile lad, and much liberty was accorded to him; the authorities expecting that he would receive a pardon. Time flew on, many months—I think my informant said nearly two years elapsed, and his case seemed forgotten. If he was not actually sent on errands out of the gaol, so loose was his captivity, that he might easily have slipt away at any time, and been scarcely missed. In fact, he had the full run of the prison, and was a great favourite with the debtors, whose sports and amusements he joined in, for discipline was very lax in those days. He was playing at ball one day in the yard with some debtors, full of life and glee, when suddenly, to the utter astonishment of the gaoler, and the awe of his associates, there came an order from London for his execution. Why he had remained so long forgotten, or why such extreme severity fell on him so unexpectedly at last, none could tell; but his case was considered a very hard one, and was commiserated by the whole city. My informant saw the poor boy conducted to execution. The old citizen who gave me this account is dead, or I could have recovered the date of its occurrence.
AMBROSE FLORENCE.