Contents Acknowledgements List of Figures 1 Isaac Newton and the University of Leiden 1 ''L''amour de la vérité m''avait conduit à Leyde'': the Academia Lugduno-Batava and Its Role in the Diffusion of Isaac Newton''s Natural Philosophy 2 The Religious Uses of Newton''s Natural Philosophy 3 Early-to-Mid-Eighteenth-Century Dutch Interest in Newton''s Natural Philosophy: a Fresh Look 4 Overview and Structure Part 1: The Diffusion of Isaac Newton''s Natural Philosophy in and around Amsterdam, c.1687-1720 2 Adriaen Verwer and the First Edition of Isaac Newton''s Principia in the Dutch Republic 1 Preamble: One of Newton''s ''Most Valiant Soldiers'' 2 A doopsgezind Merchant in Amsterdam 3 ''Chaining the Hellhound'' 4 Entering the Republic of Letters 5 Verwer as a Reader of the First Edition of the Principia 6 The Foundations of Christian Faith and Natural Reason 7 Conclusion3 Using One''s Talents to Honour God: Lambert ten Kate and Newton''s Natural Philosophy 1 Lambert ten Kate: a Versatile Amsterdam Doopsgezinde 2 Worldly Vanities and Christian Virtues 3 The Impact of the Second Edition of the Principia 4 Improving on Newton''s Musical Division of the Spectrum and Fortifying the Proof of God''s Being and Governing with ''More Than a Hundred Pillars'' 5 Conclusion4 Countering the ''Pernicious Pride to Know Everything:'' Bernard Nieuwentijt on Newton as a Mixed Mathematician 1 Curing pansophia through ''Learned Ignorance'' 2 Medicine, Mathematics and Experimental Philosophy: 1675-96 3 Het regt gebruik der werelt beschouwingen (1715): Nieuwentijt''s Physico-Theological and Biblical Attacks on Spinoza 4 The Appropriation of Newton''s Principia in Het regt gebruik der werelt beschouwingen 5 Gronden der zekerheid (1720): Nieuwentijt''s Epistemological-Methodological Attack on Spinoza 6 Newton as a Mixed Mathematician 7 Conclusion Part 2: The Blossoming of Newton''s Natural Philosophy at the University of Leiden, c.1710-1762 5 Herman Boerhaave, the Introduction of Newton''s Natural Philosophy at the University of Leiden, and the Unshackling ''the Bondage of Sectarianism'' 1 Introduction 2 Descartes''s Philosophy at the University of Leiden 3 Burchard de Volder and the Theatrum physicum 4 Wolferd Senguerd''s Anglophilia 5 The Education of the ''communis Europæ sub initia hujus seculi Præceptor'' 6 Medicine, Method, and Boerhaave''s ''Mathematicorum via'', 1701-1708 7 The Introduction of Newton''s Work in Leiden: Boerhaave''s 1710-1711 ''Praelectiones de methodo addiscendae medicinae'' 8 Boerhaave''s 1715 Rectoral Address 9 Conclusion6 Willem Jacob ''s Gravesande, physica, and ''NEWTONI vestigiis insistere'' 1 Introduction 2 From ''s-Hertogenbosch to Leiden, 1688-1707 3 The Hague, Mathematics, the 1715-1716 Diplomatic Trip to England, and ''loix particulières'' 4 ''[V]ous faire voir l''estime que j''ai pour vous'': Defending Newton in the Journal litéraire de la Haye, 1713-c.1717 5 Newton, ''veræ Philosophiæ Instaurator'', and Moral Certainty: 1717 and Beyond 6 Epistemological and Methodological Considerations in the Preface to the First Edition of Physices elementa mathematica: 1719 and Beyond 7 ''s Gravesande''s Magnum Opus: a Bird''s-Eye View 8 Machinae and Experiments Galore 9 Conclusion7 ''Nullius partes sequor:'' Pieter van Musschenbroek and the Provisionalism and Fallibilism of Natural Philosophy 1 Van Musschenbroek, ''the Greatest Natural Scientists of Our Time'' 2 The Contours of Van Musschenbroek''s Life and Career 3 Newton in Van Musschenbroek''s Orations and Writings for Students and Compatriots, 1723-1741: Nihil novi sub sole 4 Beyond 1741: The Plot Thickens 5 ''The Doctrine of Firmness Will Always Escape the Sagacity of Mathematicians:'' Van Musschenbroek on Cohesion 6 Conclusion8 Conclusion Bibliography General Index.