(Newton and the). Voltaire tells us that Mrs. Conduit, Newton's
niece, told him that Newton was at Woolsthorpe, when, seeing an
apple fall, he was led into a train of thought which resulted in
his discovery of gravitation (1666). His mother had married a
Rev. B. Smith, and in 1656 had returned to Woolsthorpe. Her
granddaughter was the wife of Mr. Conduit, who succeeded Newton
in the Mint. Newton was on a visit to his mother. The apple of
discord. A cause of dispute; something to contend about. At the
marriage of Thetis and Peleus, where all the gods and goddesses
met together, Discord threw on the table a golden apple “for the
most beautiful.” Juno, Minerva, and Venus put in their separate
claims; and not being able to settle the point, referred the
question to Paris, who gave judgment in favour of Venus. This
brought upon him the vengeance of Juno and Minerva, to whose
spite the fall of Troy is attributed. The “apple” plays a large
part in Greek story. Besides the “Apple of Discord,” related
above, we have t