My understanding is that some people think that Newton meant it as a nasty swipe and others disagree. But if you've read a few biographies of Newton then you know a lot more about this then I do.
Edit: there's a hilarious story about Freud that revolves around the quote. Freud was angry that one of his acolytes - I think it was Wilhelm Stekel - had published a book in which he had presumed to modify one of the master's ideas. Stekel defended himself by saying: A dwarf standing on the head of a giant sees a little further than the giant. Freud replied: A louse on my head sees no further than I do.
Edit: there's a hilarious story about Freud that revolves around the quote. Freud was angry that one of his acolytes - I think it was Wilhelm Stekel - had published a book in which he had presumed to modify one of the master's ideas. Stekel defended himself by saying: A dwarf standing on the head of a giant sees a little further than the giant. Freud replied: A louse on my head sees no further than I do.