SIR DAVID BREWSTER FRS “NARRATIVE HISTORY” AMOUNTS TO FABULATION, THE REAL STUFF BEING MERE CHRONOLOGY “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Sir David Brewster HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1781 December 11, Tuesday: David Brewster was born at Jedburgh, where his father was rector of the grammar school. At the age of twelve, he would be sent to the University of Edinburgh as a candidate for the clergy. He was already, however, more interested in natural science due to his childhood contact with a local telescope maker, James Veitch of Inchbonny. Though he would duly finish his theological studies and would indeed be licensed to preach, His scientific interests would distract him from the duties of this calling. NOBODY COULD GUESS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT Sir David Brewster “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1799 The Reverend David Brewster became a regular contributor to the Edinburgh Magazine, of which he acted as editor at the age of 20. Fellow-student Henry Brougham would persuade Brewster to study the diffraction of light. The results of his investigations would be communicated from time to time in papers to the Philosophical Transactions of London and other scientific journals. Other philosophers, notably Etienne Louis Malus and Augustin-Jean Fresnel, were also pursuing such investigations contemporaneously in France and also receive credit for discoveries. In this line of investigation, the prime importance belongs to the discovery of the connection between the refractive index and the polarizing angle of biaxial crystals, and of the production of double refraction by irregular heating. The most important subjects of his inquiries would be: • The laws of polarization by reflection and refraction, and other quantitative laws of phenomena • The discovery of the polarizing structure induced by heat and pressure • The discovery of crystals with two axes of double refraction, and many of the laws of their phenomena, including the connection between optical structure and crystalline forms • The laws of metallic reflection • Experiments on the absorption of light HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1807 The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon the Reverend David Brewster by Marischal College, Aberdeen. He undertook the editorship of the newly projected EDINBURGH ENCYCLOPAEDIA, of which the first part would appear in 1808 (the final volume would appear in 1830). LIFE IS LIVED FORWARD BUT UNDERSTOOD BACKWARD? — NO, THAT’S GIVING TOO MUCH TO THE HISTORIAN’S STORIES. LIFE ISN’T TO BE UNDERSTOOD EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Sir David Brewster HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1812 Augustin Jean Fresnel would receive much credit for the improvement of the British lighthouse system, but at this point the Reverend David Brewster was already describing the dioptric apparatus which Fresnel would eventually choose. CHANGE IS ETERNITY, STASIS A FIGMENT Sir David Brewster “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1815 The Reverend David Brewster rediscovered the kaleidoscope.1 He was made a member of the Royal Society of London and received its Copley medal. 1.When Sir Charles Wheatstone would discover the principle of the stereoscope in 1838, combining the two images by means of mirrors, Brewster’s contribution would be to suggest the use of lenses instead of mirrors. It may be fairly said, therefore, that the lenticular stereoscope would also be his invention. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1816 The French Institute awarded David Brewster FRS half of the prize of 3,000 francs for the two most important discoveries in physical science made in Europe during the two preceding years. THE SCIENCE OF 1816 DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? GOOD. Sir David Brewster “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1818 David Brewster FRS received the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society of London. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1819 David Brewster FRS and Robert Jameson (1774-1854) began the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, which would replace the Edinburgh Magazine. Ten volumes (1819-1824) were published under the joint editorship of Brewster and Jameson and four (1825-1826) would be edited by Jameson alone. Augustin-Jean Fresnel devised a lens and burner for the lighthouses of the French Ministry of Marine which would vastly increase their effective candlepower beyond the 24-candle display of such major older lights as the Eddystone Lighthouse in the English Channel (he had adopted the dioptric apparatus that had been being recommended by David Brewster FRS). THE FUTURE IS MOST READILY PREDICTED IN RETROSPECT “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Sir David Brewster HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1820 Although Augustin-Jean Fresnel would receive much credit for improvement of the British lighthouse system, during this year David Brewster FRS was already pressing for adoption of a dioptric apparatus, fully two years before Fresnel’s adoption of such a device. THE FUTURE CAN BE EASILY PREDICTED IN RETROSPECT “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Sir David Brewster HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1824 David Brewster FRS provided notes and an introduction to Carlyle’s translation of Legendre’s ELEMENTS OF GEOMETRY. Parting company with Robert Jameson, Brewster started the Edinburgh Journal of Science, 16 volumes of which would appear under his editorship during the years 1824-1832. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1831 David Brewster FRS prepared THE LIFE OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON for MURRAY’S FAMILY LIBRARY (New-York: J. & J. Harper). BREWSTER’S NEWTON A copy of this would find its way into the library of Henry Thoreau. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER In this year also, Brewster’s TREATISE ON OPTICS. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER In a review of Charles Babbage’s DECLINE OF SCIENCE IN ENGLAND in John Murray’s Quarterly Review, he had suggested the creation of “an association of our nobility, clergy, gentry and philosophers,” and this had been taken up by various Declinarians. The initial meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science therefore took place at this point at York. David Brewster FRS, Charles Babbage, and Sir John F.W. Herschel were primarily responsible for shaping the constitution of this new grouping of scientists. In the same year Brewster was knighted and awarded the decoration of the Guelphic order of Hanover. THE SCIENCE OF 1831 HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1832 Sir David Brewster FRS’s LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. ADDRESSED TO SIR WALTER SCOTT, BART. BREWSTER’S MAGIC HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1836 Sir David Brewster FRS’s LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. ADDRESSED TO SIR WALTER SCOTT, BART. (New York: Harper & bros.). A copy of this would be purchased by the Concord Town Library and would be read by Henry Thoreau, who in about 1857 would make notes on it in his Fact Book. BREWSTER’S MAGIC HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1838 Sir David Brewster FRS was appointed principal of the united colleges of St Salvator and St Leonard, University of St Andrews. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1841 Sir David Brewster FRS’s THE MARTYRS OF SCIENCE, OR THE LIVES OF GALILEO, TYCHO BRAHE, AND KEPLER.2 2. It is interesting that at one time Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler were considered to be similarly “martyrs of science” — since we now know that Kepler used the occasion of Brahe’s mysterious and painful death in order to obtain access to his closely held records of astronomical observations, and since we suspect that if these events had happened in today’s, say, Texas, Kepler would almost certainly be executed by lethal injection on the suspicion that he poisoned Brahe. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1849 Sir David Brewster FRS acted as president of the British Association and was elected one of the eight foreign associates of the Institute of France in succession to J.J. Berzelius. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1854 Sir David Brewster FRS’s MORE WORLDS THAN ONE. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1855 Sir David Brewster FRS’s MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE, WRITINGS AND DISCOVERIES OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON. HDT WHAT? INDEX SIR DAVID BREWSTER SIR DAVID BREWSTER 1856 June 2, Monday: Per Waldo Emerson this was “the finest day, high noon of the year.” He and Henry Thoreau rode in a wagon to Perez Blood’s auction and found his telescope sold for $55.00 which had “cost ninety-five plus ten.”3 Thoreau noted that according to Professor Louis Agassiz, the intestinal worms in the mouse are not developed except in the stomach of the cat.4 He also noted that according Sir David Brewster’s biography of Sir Isaac Newton, with one of the early telescopes it had been possible to read from Philosophical Transactions at a distance of five hundred feet. BREWSTER’S NEWTON ASTRONOMY June 2. Carum, i.e. caraway, in garden. Saw most hummingbirds when cherries were in bloom, — on them. P. M. — With R.W. E. to Perez Blood’s auction. Telescope sold for fifty-five dollars; cost ninety-five plus ten. See Camilla on rye, undulating light and shade; not 19th of April.5 Returned by bridle-road.