David Brewster
Who was David Brewster?
Scottish astronomer and mathematician (1781–1868)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on David Brewster (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Sir David Brewster (11 December 1781 – 10 February 1868) was a Scottish scientist, inventor, author, and academic administrator. Born in Jedburgh, he studied at the University of Edinburgh. He is best known for his work in physical optics, especially for his research on light polarization and his discovery of Brewster's angle, which pinpoints the angle where light hitting a surface is perfectly polarized. He also studied crystals under compression and discovered photoelasticity, laying the groundwork for optical mineralogy. English polymath William Whewell called him the 'father of modern experimental optics' and 'the Johannes Kepler of optics' because of these achievements.
Brewster was a prolific inventor. He created the kaleidoscope, which became a big hit in 1816, and later made an improved stereoscope, the lenticular stereoscope, the first portable device for 3D images. He also invented the stereoscopic camera, two types of polarimeters, the polyzonal lens, and a lighthouse illuminator. Brewster was also an early photography pioneer and communicated with many leading European figures working on its development.
Outside the lab, Brewster was a strong advocate for science and education. He edited the eighteen-volume Edinburgh Encyclopaedia and wrote many popular science books to educate a wide audience. He helped found the British Science Association and was its president in 1849. As a historian of science, he focused on Isaac Newton's life and work, publishing a detailed biography in 1831 and was the first to review many of Newton's unpublished papers. Brewster was Principal of the University of St Andrews from 1837 to 1859, then Principal of the University of Edinburgh until his death in Melrose in 1868.
Brewster was a devoted Presbyterian whose beliefs influenced his public life. He marched with his brother during the Disruption of 1843, which led to the establishment of the Free Church of Scotland. He married twice, first to Jane Kirke Pernell and then to Juliet Macpherson. Some of his many honors include the Copley Medal in 1815, the Rumford Medal in 1818, and the Royal Medal in 1830. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and was awarded the title of Knight Bachelor. He also received the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, a top honor from the Prussian state.
Before Fame
David Brewster was born on December 11, 1781, in Jedburgh, Scottish Borders, to James Brewster, the local grammar school's rector. He was exceptionally bright and started at the University of Edinburgh at twelve, initially planning to join the Church of Scotland's ministry. Although he was qualified to preach, he struggled with severe anxiety during public speaking, which led him to shift his focus to natural philosophy and science.
Brewster moved from theology to optics gradually but firmly. Even as a student, he began experimenting with optical instruments and lenses, growing increasingly fascinated by light. To support himself, he worked in journalism and editing, becoming the editor of the Edinburgh Magazine and later the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia, which connected him with top scientists of his time. His early research on optical phenomena gained the Royal Society of London's notice, and by his early thirties, he was recognized as one of Britain's leading experimental scientists.
Key Achievements
- Discovered Brewster's angle and made foundational contributions to the understanding of light polarization and photoelasticity
- Invented the kaleidoscope and the lenticular stereoscope, the first portable three-dimensional viewing device
- Served as Principal of the University of St Andrews and later the University of Edinburgh, shaping Scottish higher education for three decades
- Authored a landmark biography of Isaac Newton and was the first researcher to examine Newton's unpublished personal papers
- Co-founded the British Science Association and received the Copley Medal, Rumford Medal, and Royal Medal for scientific excellence
Did You Know?
- 01.Brewster applied for a patent on the kaleidoscope in 1817, but a manufacturing error caused the devices to reach shops before the patent was sealed, allowing competitors to copy the design freely and depriving him of significant financial gain from its enormous popularity.
- 02.He entered the University of Edinburgh at the age of approximately twelve, making him one of its youngest students, as was not entirely unusual in the educational conventions of late eighteenth-century Scotland.
- 03.His lenticular stereoscope was personally demonstrated to Queen Victoria at the Great Exhibition of 1851, after which royal interest helped drive its widespread commercial success across Britain and Europe.
- 04.Brewster was the first scholar to systematically examine the unpublished manuscripts and personal papers left behind by Isaac Newton, material that revealed Newton's extensive and secret interest in alchemy and biblical prophecy.
- 05.Although he spent decades investigating the science of light, Brewster never fully accepted the wave theory of light championed by Augustin-Jean Fresnel and Thomas Young, remaining skeptical of it well into the mid-nineteenth century despite the weight of experimental evidence.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fellow of the Royal Society | — | — |
| Copley Medal | 1815 | — |
| Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order | — | — |
| Royal Medal | 1830 | — |
| Rumford Medal | 1818 | — |
| Grand prix des sciences mathématiques | 1816 | — |
| Keith Medal | 1829 | — |
| Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences | — | — |
| Knight Bachelor | — | — |
| Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland | — | — |
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