Newton and Leibniz both inherited substantial estates from their upper middle class parents.
Neither was fabulously wealthy, but they were both able to bootstrap their academic careers with inherited money until they became famous enough to receive patronage.
"Individuals choosing voluntarily to spend their own money researching mathematical puzzles and curiosities and pure knowledge" is a very different ethical proposition than modern academia, which depends heavily on compulsory tax payments levied on everyone.
Neither was fabulously wealthy, but they were both able to bootstrap their academic careers with inherited money until they became famous enough to receive patronage.
"Individuals choosing voluntarily to spend their own money researching mathematical puzzles and curiosities and pure knowledge" is a very different ethical proposition than modern academia, which depends heavily on compulsory tax payments levied on everyone.