We have now to revert to the original stock—the family of the rev. John Gregory and Jane Anderson. James Gregory, inventor of the telescope, and founder of the line of distinguished men which we have just followed, had an elder brother of the name of DAVID—a remarkable man, skilled in medicine, philosophy, and mathematics, and known as DAVID GREGORY of Kinardie—the first man in Scotland who kept a barom eter, a circumstance which, to Dr. Hutton, nearly led to his being tried by presbytery as a wizard. This David had three sons, named respectively, DAVID. JAMES, and CHARLES. The first of these became Savilian professor of astronomy, Oxford. He was born at Aberdeen in 1661, and there received the early part of his education, which was completed at Edinburgh. He is supposed to have been disposed to mathematical studies, by having been appointed literary executor of his uncle James—of the telescope —more likely it is that he was so appointed because he had already manifested an apti tude for such studies. With the executry, at any rate, his uncle's " mantle" descended upon 'him. In his 23d year be was appointed professor of mathematics in the university of Edinburgh, and by his lectures in this chair, he had the honor of being the first to introduce the Newtonian philosophy into the schools. In 1691. through the friendship of Newton and Flamsteed, he obtained the vacant Savilian professorship of astronomy at Oxford, for which the illustrious Halley was a competitor. Halley, however, soon after abtained the professorship of geometry in the same university. and became a great friend and fellow-worker of Gregory's. Dr. David died at Maidenhead in 1710, in his 49th year.
Among the works of Dr. David Gregory may be mentioned, Exereitatio Geomdrica de Dimensione liligurarum (Edin. 1684); 'a/top/Hem et Thoptricce Sp/la:TULE Mementa (Ox ford, 1605), which contained the substance of his Edinburgh lectures, and in which, among other ingenious matters, Dr. Hutton thinks there is an anticipation of Dolland's
achromatic telescope. Astronomice Physics et Geometries Memento, Oxford. 1792. An edition of Euclid in Greek and Latin, which is highly valued, 1703. Towards the end of his life he worked with Dr. Halley on an edition of the Conies of Apollonius, but did not live to see it finished. He was the first who considered the Catenary, on which he left a paper in MS., besides a short treatise on the Nature and Arithmetic of Logarithms; a treatise on Practical Geometry. published in 1745 by Maclaurin; and many memoirs which were published in the Phil. Trans., vols. Of his four sons, the eldest, David Gregory, became regius professor of modern history at Oxford, and dean of Christ's church. On Dr. David Gregory removing to Oxford, he was succeeded, in 1691, in the Edinburgh chair, by his brother James. who filled it for 33 years. when be retired, and gave place, in 1725, to Maclaurin. His brother Charles, in 1707, became professor of mathematics at St. Andrews, an office which he held for 32 years. when he resigned it, and was succeeded by his son, another DAVID, who died 1763.—The three sons of David of Kinardie were thus, at the same time, professors of mathematics in three universities, while two of them left sons who obtained professorships. Dr. Thomas Reid of Glasgow, it may be mentioned, was a nephew, through his mother, of these illustrious brothers. Altogether, it is said .(Chaltner's Riogrvphical Dictionary. p. 289) that no less than 16 members of this family have British .profeSsorsbips.—Mention must be made, in conclusion, of R. F. GREGORY, late fellow of Trinity college, Cam bridge, author of Examples in Differential and _Integral Calculus, and other valuable works, who died before bearing the full fruits of his genius, and who is understood to have belonged to the family of Scottish Gregories.