Given how Sir Isaac Newton never married, the "wife" in this scenario was likely a hallucination brought on by mercury poisoning (from a lifetime of alchemical experiments in poorly ventilated spaces), she "dropped" the plate because she was incorporeal. Sad, really. I cri evrytiem ;o;

Wingardium leviosa...aaaa
I mean I have been told I have magic fingersWingardium leviosa...aaaa