Meanwhile, the History of Brunswick being interrupted by other works, which he wrote occasionally, he found, at his return to Hanover in 1714, that the Elec tor had appointed Mr..Eccard for his col league in writing that history. The Elect. tor was then raised to the throne of Great Britain, which place Leibnitz visited the latter end of that year, when he received particular marks of friendship from the King, and was frequently at court. He now was engaged in a dispute with Dr. Samuel Clarke, upon the subjects of free will, the reality of space, and other philo sophical subjects. This was conducted with great candour and learning, and the papers which were published by Clarke will ever be esteemed by men, of genius and learning. The controversy ended only with the death of Leibnitz, ber 14, 1716, which was occasioned by the gout and stone, in the 70th year of his age.
As to his character and person : he was of a middle stature and a thin habit m. body. He had a. Studious air, and a sweet aspect, though near-sighted. Ile was in defatigably industrious to the end of' his life. He eat and drank little. Hunger alone marked the time of his meals, and his diet was plain and strong. He had a very good memory, and it is said, could repeat the Eneid from beginning to end. What he wanted to remember he wrote down, and never read it afterwards. He always professed the Lutheran religion ; but he never went to sermons; and when in his last sickness his favourite servant desired to send for a minister, he would not permit it, saying he had no occa sion for one. lie was never married,
nor ever attempted it but once, when he was about fifty years old ; and the lady desiring time to consider of it, gave him time to do the same : lie used to say, "that marriage was a goon thing ; but a wise man ought to consider of it all his life." Leibnitz was author of a great multi. tude of writings, several of which were published separately, and many others in the memoirs of different academies. He invented a binary arithmetic, and many other ingenious matters. His claim to the invention of fiuxions was the sub ject of much controversy, for which the authors of the time may be consult. ed.
IIanschius collected with great care every thing which Leibnitz. had said in different passages of his works on the principles of philosophy ; and formed of them a complete system, under the ti tle of " G. G. Leibnitzii Principia Phi losophise more geometrico demonstrata, &c." 1728, in 4to. There came out a collection of our Author's letters in 1734 and 1735, entitled "Epistolic ad diversos theologici, juridici, medici, philosophici, mathematics, historici, et philologici aug. mentile MSS. auctores : cum annotation. ibus suis primum divulgavit Christian Cortholtus." But all his works were collected and distributed into classes by Dutens, and published at Geneva in six large volumes, 4to., in 1768, entitled " Gothofredi Gulielmi Leibnitzii Opera Omnia, &c."