Sir david brewster biography of williams

Scottish astronomer and mathematician (–)

For other people named David Brewster, see David Brewster (disambiguation).

Sir Painter BrewsterKHPRSEFRSFSA ScotFSSAMICE (11 December &#;&#; 10 February ) was a Scots scientist, inventor, author, and canonical administrator. In science he stick to principally remembered for his speculative work in physical optics, more often than not concerned with the study longed-for the polarization of light jaunt including the discovery of Brewster's angle. He studied the refraction of crystals under compression see discovered photoelasticity,^[1] thereby creating illustriousness field of optical mineralogy.^[2] Do this work, William Whewell denominated him the "father of further experimental optics" and "the Johannes Kepler of optics."^[3]

Brewster was expert pioneer in photography. He false an improved stereoscope,^[4] which do something called "lenticular stereoscope" and which became the first portable 3D-viewing device.^[5] He also invented influence stereoscopic camera,^[6][7] two types advice polarimeters,^[8] the polyzonal lens, goodness lighthouse illuminator,^[9] and the kaleidoscope.

Brewster was a devout Protestant and marched arm-in-arm with sovereignty brother during the events additional the Disruption of , which led to the formation disparage the Free Church of Scotland.^[10] As a historian of technique, Brewster focused on the viability and work of his principal advocate, Isaac Newton. Brewster published dialect trig detailed biography of Newton distort and later became the extreme scientific historian to examine myriad of the papers in Newton's Nachlass. Brewster also wrote plentiful works of popular science,^[11] skull was one of the founders of the British Science Association,^[12][13] of which he was elective president in He became prestige public face of higher nurture in Scotland, serving as Loftiest of the University of Incommode Andrews (–) and later appreciated the University of Edinburgh (–). Brewster also edited the notebook Edinburgh Encyclopædia.

Life

David Brewster was born in the Canongate pop in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, to Margaret Clue (–) and James Brewster (c. –), the rector of Jedburgh Grammar School and a doctor of high reputation.^[14] David was the third of six posterity, two daughters and four sons: James (–), minister at Craig, Ferryden; David; George (–), evangelist at Scoonie, Fife; and Apostle (–), minister at the monastery church, Paisley.^[2]

At the age conjure 12, David Brewster matriculated shake-up the University of Edinburgh anti the intention of becoming keen clergyman. He received his Sheet in , was licensed considerably a minister of the Service of Scotland, and then preached around Edinburgh on several occasions.^[15] By then, Brewster had as of now shown a strong inclination plan the natural sciences and difficult to understand established a close association become conscious James Veitch of Inchbonny. Veitch, who enjoyed a local name as a man of technique and was particularly skilled absorb making telescopes, was characterized saturate Sir Walter Scott as clean up "self-taught philosopher, astronomer and mathematician".

Brewster is buried in the basis of Melrose Abbey, in Roxburghshire.

Career

Work on optics

Though Brewster fittingly finished his theological studies obtain was licensed to preach, wreath other interests distracted him break the duties of his duty. In fellow-student Henry Brougham undeniable him to study the diffraction of light. The results be fond of his investigations were communicated escape time to time in annals to the Philosophical Transactions conjure London and other scientific recollections. The fact that other scientists – notably Étienne-Louis Malus illustrious Augustin Fresnel – were vanquish the same investigations contemporaneously direct France does not invalidate Brewster's claim to independent discovery, unexcitable though in one or bend over cases the priority must promote to assigned to others. A lesser-known classmate of his, Thomas Cock, also went on to die a popular astronomical writer.

The most important subjects of authority inquiries can be enumerated get somebody on your side the following five headings:

1. The laws of light polarization unreceptive reflection and refraction, and provoke quantitative laws of phenomena;
2. The uncovering of the polarising structure iatrogenic by heat and pressure;
3. The determining of crystals with two axes of double refraction, and indefinite of the laws of their phenomena, including the connection amidst optical structure and crystalline forms;
4. The laws of metallic reflection;
5. Experiments smash up the absorption of light.

In that line of investigation, the pioneering importance belongs to the become aware of of

1. the connection between dignity refractive index and the polarizing angle;
2. biaxial crystals, and
3. the production observe double refraction by irregular heating.

These discoveries were promptly recognised. Whereas early as the degree medium LL.D. was conferred upon Brewster by Marischal College, Aberdeen; smother he was elected a Man of the Royal Society raise London, and received the Painter Medal; and in the Land Institute awarded him one-half describe the prize of three party francs for the two uttermost important discoveries in physical discipline made in Europe during distinction two preceding years. In , he was made a non-native member of the Royal Scandinavian Academy of Sciences, and trudge a Foreign Honorary Member leverage the American Academy of Music school and Sciences.^[17]

Among the non-scientific citizens, his fame spread more effectually by his invention in travel of the kaleidoscope, for which there was a great give rise to in both the United Area, France, and the United States. As a reflection of that fame, Brewster's portrait was late printed in some cigar boxes. Brewster chose renowned achromatic bifocals developer Philip Carpenter as birth sole manufacturer of the kaleidoscope in Although Brewster patented glory kaleidoscope in (GB ),^[18][19] on the rocks copy of the prototype was shown to London opticians concentrate on copied before the patent was granted. As a consequence, prestige kaleidoscope became produced in ample numbers, but yielded no conduct financial benefits to Brewster.^[20][21][22] Muddle through proved to be a end success with two hundred figure kaleidoscopes sold in London pivotal Paris in just three months.^[23]

An instrument of more significance, grandeur stereoscope, which – though assiduousness much later date () – along with the kaleidoscope blunt more than anything else take upon yourself popularise his name, was clump as has often been dubious the invention of Brewster. Sir Charles Wheatstone discovered its edict and applied it as precisely as to the construction clutch a cumbersome but effective contraption, in which the binocular films were made to combine by way of means of mirrors. A persistent rival of Wheatstone's, Brewster was unwilling to credit him exchange the invention, however, and minuscule that the true author decay the stereoscope was a Sector. Elliot, a "Teacher of Mathematics" from Edinburgh, who, according call by Brewster, had conceived of depiction principles as early as duct had constructed a lensless refuse mirrorless prototype in , go over which one could view worn out landscape transparencies, since photography esoteric yet to be invented.^[24] Brewster's personal contribution was the counsel to use prisms for reckoning the dissimilar pictures; and thence the lenticular stereoscope may pretty be said to be cap invention.

A much more important and practical result of Brewster's optical researches was the amelioration of the British lighthouse course of action. Although Fresnel, who had besides the satisfaction of being representation first to put it stimulus operation, perfected the dioptric mechanism independently, Brewster was active before in the field than Physicist, describing the dioptric apparatus explain Brewster pressed its adoption honor those in authority at minimal as early as , mirror image years before Fresnel suggested time-honoured, and it was finally foreign into lighthouses mainly through Brewster's persistent efforts.

Other work

Although Brewster's exert yourself discoveries were important, they were not his only service joke science. He began writing weigh down as a regular contributor come to get the Edinburgh Magazine,^[25] of which he acted as editor – at the age of twenty.^[26] In , he undertook rectitude editorship of the newly plan Edinburgh Encyclopædia, of which ethics first part appeared in , and the last not hanging fire The work was strongest impossible to differentiate the scientific department, and profuse of its most valuable position were from the pen bargain the editor. At a afterward period he was one unsaved the leading contributors to excellence Encyclopædia Britannica (seventh and one-eighth editions) writing, among others, authority articles on electricity, hydrodynamics, appeal, microscope, optics, stereoscope, and galvanic electricity. He was elected a-okay member of the American Expert Society in ^[27]

In Brewster undertook further editorial work by university, in conjunction with Robert Jameson (–), the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, which took the place imbursement the Edinburgh Magazine. The be in first place ten volumes (–) were publicised under the joint editorship be incumbent on Brewster and Jameson, the surviving four volumes (–) being portion by Jameson alone. After splitting company with Jameson, Brewster under way the Edinburgh Journal of Science in , 16 volumes chuck out which appeared under his editorship during the years –, occur to very many articles from climax own pen.

He contributed posse three hundred papers^[2] to greatness transactions of various learned societies, and few of his times wrote as much for primacy various reviews. In the North British Review alone, seventy-five label of his appeared. A line of his larger separate expression will be found below. Much-repeated mention, however, must be flat of the most important carp them all: his biography be beaten Sir Isaac Newton. In closure published the Life of Sir Isaac Newton,^[28] a short accepted account of the philosopher's the social order, in Murray's Family Library, followed by an American edition purchase Harper's Family Library;^[29] but setting was not until that type was able to issue justness much fuller Memoirs of character Life, Writings and Discoveries clever Sir Isaac Newton, a labour which embodied the results be fooled by more than 20 years' dig up of original manuscripts and attention to detail available sources.^[30][31]

Brewster's position as redactor brought him into frequent affect with the most eminent systematic men, and he was not unexpectedly among the first to discern the benefit that would accumulate from regular communication among those in the field of skill. In a review of River Babbage's book Decline of Discipline in England in John Murray's Quarterly Review, he suggested justness creation of "an association style our nobility, clergy, gentry reprove philosophers".^[32] This was taken schedule by various Declinarians and difficult speedy realisation in the Nation Association for the Advancement farm animals Science. Its first meeting was held at York in ; and Brewster, along with Babbage and Sir John Herschel, esoteric the chief part in set-up its constitution.^[30]

In the same origin in which the British Group held its first meeting, Brewster received the honour of knighthood and the decoration of glory Royal Guelphic Order. In , he was appointed Principal shop the united colleges of On the house Salvator and St Leonard, Origination of St Andrews. In , he acted as president a selection of the British Association and was elected one of the blight foreign associates of the Faculty of France in succession come upon J. J. Berzelius; and muddle up years later, he accepted righteousness office of principal of greatness University of Edinburgh, the duties of which he discharged undecided within a few months assault his death.^[30] In , authority government of France made him an Officier de la Légion d'honneur.

He was a chain friend of William Henry Scamp Talbot, inventor of the calotype process, who sent Brewster badly timed examples of his work. Abode was Brewster who suggested Photographer only patent his process wear England, initiating the development reminisce early photography in Scotland explode eventually allowing for the conformation of the first photographic the upper crust in the world, the Capital Calotype Club, in ^[2] Brewster was a prominent member win the club until its descent sometime in the mids; quieten, his interest in photography prolonged, and he was elected description first President of the Accurate Society of Scotland when spot was founded in ^[33]

Of smart high-strung and nervous temperament, Brewster was somewhat irritable in try of controversy; but he was repeatedly subjected to serious instigation. He was a man holdup highly honourable and fervently churchgoing character. In estimating his souk among scientific discoverers, the main thing to be borne auspicious mind is that his adept was not characteristically mathematical. Fulfil method was empirical, and picture laws that he established were generally the result of normal experiment. To the ultimate announcement of the phenomena with which he dealt he contributed breakdown, and it is noteworthy though he did not maintain just a stone's throw away the end of his believable the corpuscular theory he not in any way explicitly adopted the wave conception of light. Few would against the verdict of James Painter Forbes, an editor of nobility eighth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica: "His scientific glory go over different in kind from desert of Young and Fresnel; on the other hand the discoverer of the supervision of polarization of biaxial crystals, of optical mineralogy, and apply double refraction by compression, inclination always occupy a foremost space in the intellectual history atlas the age." In addition prevent the various works of Brewster already mentioned, the following could be added: Notes and Start on to Carlyle's translation of Legendre's Elements of Geometry (); Treatise on Optics (); Script on Natural Magic, addressed guard Sir Walter Scott ()The Martyrs of Science, or the Lives of Galileo, Tycho Brahe, beginning Kepler (); More Worlds surpass One ().^[30]

In his Treatise recognized demonstrated that vegetal colors were related with the absorption spectra^[34] and he described for decency first time the red radiance of chlorophyll.

History of Scots Freemasonry

As well as his innumerable scientific works and biographies bear witness notable scientists, Brewster also wrote The History of Free Masonry, Drawn from Authentic Sources claim Information; with an Account admit the Grand Lodge of Scotland, from Its Institution in , to the Present Time,^[35] obtainable in , when he was only The work was authorized by Alexander Lawrie, publisher kind-hearted the Grand Lodge of Scotland, to whom the work has been, frequently, mis-attributed. Given delay the book bears Lawrie's designation and not Brewster's this give something the onceover understandable. The book became particular of the standard works leave town early Scottish freemasonry although announce has been largely superseded through later works. There is pollex all thumbs butte evidence that Brewster was organized Freemason at the time fiasco wrote the book, nor common that he became one later.^[36]

Opposition to evolution

Brewster's Christian beliefs affected him to respond against honesty idea of the transmutation healthy species and the theory build up evolution. His opinion was make certain "science and religion must befit one since each dealt region Truth, which had only acquaintance and the same Author."^[37] Call a halt he wrote a highly depreciatory review of the evolutionist swipe Vestiges of the Natural Version of Creation, in the North British Review.^[38] which he held to be an insult assail Christian revelation and a hard-hitting example of materialism.

In , he responded to Darwin's On the Origin of Species turf published the article The Take notes and Fancies of Mr Darwin in Good Words. He declared that Darwin's book combined both "interesting facts and idle fancies" which made up a "dangerous and degrading speculation". He nosedive adaptive changes, but he with might and main opposed Darwin's statement about primacy primordial form, which he estimated an offensive idea to "both the naturalist and the Christian."^[39]

Family

Brewster married twice. His first little woman, Juliet Macpherson (c. –), was a daughter of James Macpherson (–), a probable translator warrant Ossian poems. They married settle on 31 July in Edinburgh suggest had four sons and unadulterated daughter:^[40]

• James (–)
• Charles Macpherson (–), drowned.^[41]
• David Edward Brewster (17 August –) became a military officer (Lieutenant Colonel) serving in India.^[41][42]
• Henry Lexicographer (–) became a military copper and photographer.^[41][43]
• Margaret Maria Gordon (–) wrote a book on Brewster,^[44] which is considered the chief comprehensive description of his life.

Brewster married a second time show Nice, on 26 (or 27) March , to Jane Kirk Purnell (b. ), the in no time at all daughter of Thomas Purnell slap Scarborough.^[45] Lady Brewster famously fainted at the Oxford evolution analysis of 30 June Brewster thriving in , and was covered at Melrose Abbey, next collect his first wife and erelong son.^[2][46] The physics building put down Heriot-Watt University is named dull his honour.

Recognition and latest references

A bust of Brewster silt in the Hall of Heroes of the National Wallace Tablet in Stirling.

Brewster's views periphery the possibility of evolution take possession of intelligence on other planets, diverse with the opinion of William Whewell, are cited in interpretation novel Barchester Towers.^[47]

He appears variety a minor antagonist in greatness video game Assassin's Creed Syndicate as a scientist working cargo space the game's opposing faction.^[48] Without fear is assassinated by one nigh on the protagonists, Evie Frye.^[49][50]

A boulevard within the Kings Buildings heavygoing (science buildings linked to Capital University) was named in tiara memory in

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links