Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-08-26
Literary Gossip.-No. IL.
SIR DAVID BREWSTER.

= SIR DAVID BREWSTER.
Sir David Brewster who presided at the Peace Con-
gress of London Professor of Natural Philosophy in
the University Of St. Andrews, ancient but decayed
school of learning, in that ancient and decayed Scotch
provincial town, where about the middle of the sixteenth
century, eye godye Wishart" testified death, the
stake, for democratic christianity, where his murderer,
the volupuous Cardinal Bealon was stricken down by
young LisIies dagger, and where John Knox, for a
year, defed the power of Mary ofGuse. But although
Sir Davds apparent position is humble and obscure,
he occupies, next to Alexander Won Humboldt, the
loftiest station amongst the savants of the world.
Sir David was born in Jedburgh, Scottish border
town famous for the peculiar justice melted out by its
judiciary, persons accused of crime This peculiarly
consisted in hanging and then trying prisoners, pro-
cess which seriously modified the formula of law, but
which saved the burgh the expense of maintaining the
prisoner and prevented the possibility of bold reueS''
breaking prison
David Brewster's father minister of the Kirk
of Scotland, and he educated and licensed for The
calling, but the national bent of his mind led him
from the pulpit to the laboratory and rreyocaby kept
him there. From 1908 to 1880 the Edinburgh Ency-
clopedia published under the management of Mr.
Brewster, who prior to its commencement, had been
named Ii. D., and Fellow OF the ROYAL Society of
Edinburgh, account Of his singular scientific attain.
ments. Ii is to David Brewster that we owe the iu-
venton of the present lighthouse lenses, which are
built of zones of glass, and of unequalled uminerous
power. The kaleidoscope, that simple instrument to
which we indebted for the infinite variety Of ex-
quisite patterns which the calicoes and car
pets so grateful to modern taste invented by Mr..
Brewster. The world took it from him without giving
him the recompense Of even cent.
In 1915, he obtained the COPY medal Of the ROYAL
Society of London for his discoveries in OPTICS besides
being admitted Fellow of that body In 1916, the
Institute of France awarded him 1900 francs for one of
the most important scientific discoveries that had been
made during the two years preceding. And, in 1919,
he obtained the Rumord gold and silver medals from
the Royal Society, for his discoveries on the poarza
ton OF light 1t during this year that he establish
ed the &c Edinburgh Philosophical Jou nal % In 1926
DR.. Brewster elected a corresponding member of
the Institute of France; and subsequently of the Royal
Academies of Russia, Prussia Sweden, and Denmark,
besides having received the decoration of the Hano
veran GuephcOrder, and the rank of Knight from the
English King, William the Fourth.
This Iliustrious man. whose election the Chair of
Natural Philosophy, in the University of Edinburgh,
was ost in consequence Of the family influence of Mr..
Forbes, then boz, has contributed to almost
every scientific works. published in Europe, for the last
thirty years. besides adjoining the pages Of the Edn-
burgh Review with criticisms of the works Of men of
science couchcd in the most brilliant form Of rhetoric
and conceived in the beautiful spirit philosophy
and generosity. 1t is conceded, by all the scientific
cotories of Europe, that the Eight Associate Members
of the Institute Of Frances always the greatest scen
tifc celebrities in the world. One of the chairs oil
this ustrous Octovirate, became vacant in IS4S from
the death of NJ Barzeius, the great chemist and on the
second of January, 1919, Sir David Brewster wa:
unanimously called 10 fill it.
In his own country, where brute force has so Ions
been the of glory, and military success the
criterion of honor Sir David Brewster has been gene
rally regarded as only country pedagogue, amongst the
order OF European society," however, where moral ant
J intellectual worth chiefly estimabe, he stands al
most eemnentiy alone the ilustrous order
dignity and glory