Newton possessed many of the characteristics usually ascribed to Hooke, but in an intensified form. He was neurotic, self-centred, ambitious, intolerant, oversensitive, secretive, unforgiving and highly argumentative. It is hard to imagine Newton spending his evenings drinking coffee with a large group of congenial companions, or forming lifelong friendships with laundresses, sea captains, clerks and scientists. None of this should affect our opinion of Newton’s matchless scientific genius one jot, but it is essential to our understanding of his relationship with Hooke.
