When Sir Isaac Newton’s dog caused a fire

One of the most repeated stories about Isaac Newton has nothing to do with gravity. It is about his dog, Diamond.

Sir Isaac Newton, the acclaimed scientist, who found out what animals know since ages(read: gravity) had a pet dog named Diamond.  The archives reveal that Newton loved animals and his closest friend may well have been Diamond, the dog. 

Newton’s Dog

One day, as Newton was busy working on his research, Diamond knocked over a candle on Newton’s desk. The flame quickly spread, engulfing important papers and notes that contained years of Newton’s meticulous research. These weren’t just any papers; they were the foundations of some of Newton’s most significant discoveries.

Most people would have reacted with anger, frustration, or perhaps even despair. After all, these lost manuscripts could have meant years of work going up in smoke. But in a moment that speaks volumes about Newton’s character, the great scientist didn’t blame Diamond. Instead, he simply said:
“O Diamond, Diamond, thou little knowest the damage thou hast done.”

Why dog owners still tell it

Most of us have come home to chewed shoes or a scattered desk. The story lasts because Newton’s reply is the one we hope we’d give: a dog doesn’t know what a manuscript is.

For Newton, if it happened, the loss of his papers would have been a devastating blow.

Did Newton’s dog really start the fire?

Probably not. The story is widely treated as apocryphal, and some historians say Newton never kept pets at all. It appears in print long after his death: Walter Scott alludes to it in his 1816 novel The Antiquary, and David Brewster repeated it in his 1833 Life of Sir Isaac Newton. A rival version blames no dog at all, just a draught from a window Newton left open while he was at church. (Background on the legend.)

You may also like to read about another genius from a different century, Albert Einstein and his love for dogs!