Nicolas Fatio de Duillier and Newton correspondence in Newton Collection at Trinity Library provides strong evidence of a more than friends relationship between them.Originally Posted by snake
Some of the letters from Fatio mention things like never being able to marry or indeed Fatio saying that he could spend the rest of his life with Newton... and so on.
Now if Plague were to send me a letter of that kind I'd probably not be all that impressed. Newton on the other hand - he showered Fatio with gifts and money.
When the relationship did end [Fatio started a relationship with another man] Newton fell deeply into depression..... and so on.
There is no evidence that Newton and Fatio actually had a sexual relationship but anyone thinking they didn't would also have been shocked when Freddie Mercury or Ian Thorpe came out.
With respect to religion: Dissenters were not offered fellowships at any of the colleges at Cambridge until the later stages of the 19th Century. As such if you wanted a fellowship you got on board the religion train or they left you at the station - regardless of your talent.
As such, Newton like anyone else in his position would always declare themselves to be a Christian.
Again. go though Newtons papers or indeed the diaries of others and you will find he probably never lectured even though it was a requirement of the Lucasian Chair and he very rarely if ever attended any religious ceremonies - something most unusual for a fellow at Cambridge let alone a Lucasian Professor.
Obviously I haven't been through Newtons entire catalog - nobody has to my knowledge. However, we probably know more about him now than we did 200 years ago.
If I get bored and decide to crack open some boxes I might shoot a few direct quotes from Newtons papers [ copies of course] - although by now they would probably be on the interwebs...
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