BREWSTER, SIR David, Scottish natural philosopher: b. Jedburgh, 11 Dec 1781; d. Al lerby, near Melrose, 10 Feb. 1868. He entered the University of Edinburgh, was educated for the ministry and was licensed by the Presby tery of Edinburgh; but gave up the ministry to engage in scientific pursuits. His first inves tigations were on the subject of polarization of light, upon which he communicated some im portant observations to the 'Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.' In 1881 he be came editor of the Edinburgh (Encyclopedia,' to which he contributed a number of valuable articles. In 1816, while repeating the experi ments of Biot on the action of fluids on ligbt, he made those observations which resulted in the invention of the kaleidoscope. In 1819, in conjunction with Jameson, he founded the Ed inburgh Philosophical Journal, of which he was sole editor (1824-32). Brewster was one of the founders of the British Association, whose first meeting was held in York in 1831, and he presided over it on the occasion of its 20th meeting held at Edinburgh in 1850. In 1832 he received the honor of knighthood along with a pension from the government. Both before
and after this time his services to science ob tained from many quarters the most honorable recognition. The French Institute, of which he had been a corresponding member since 1825, appointed him one of its eight foreign associ ates in 1849. From Prussia he received the Order of Merit in 1847, and in 1855 the cross of an officer of the Legion of Honor was be stowed on him by Napoleon III. From 1838 to 1859 he was principal of the united colleges of Saint Leonard's and Saint Salvador at Saint Andrews, and in the latter year he was unani mously chosen principal of the University of Edinburgh—an office which he held till his death. His chief works are
on the Kaleidoscope' ;