SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



65 



the honey-glands which most flowers possess are 

 thought to have originated for the sole purpose of 

 attracting insects. In some orchids in particular, 

 long-tongued moths are the carriers of pollen : in 

 a few American plants, small humming-birds have 

 been found to be the agents ; and quite recently 

 bats also have, in one case, been found to carry the 

 pollen from flower to flower. 



When we study the structure of flowers in this 

 light, it is wonderful how every part seems to be 

 fashioned and set forth as a lure to insects, the 

 gaudy colours of the petal, the sweet scent of the 



bloom, the delicious honey of the nectary, all 

 appear but as contrivances for this one end. 

 Insects too seem to be to some extent formed so 

 that they can fully benefit by the enticements held 

 out by the flower. Altogether it is a wonderful 

 association between two different and remote 

 classes of living things, a partnership more per- 

 fect than anything we know in our human lives, 

 and it presents us with a picture whose beautiful 

 harmony makes a pleasing and suitable close to 

 our subject. 



Elmwood, Bickley, Kent; April ^th, 1896. 



SCIENCE AT THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY. 

 By John T. Carrington. 



(Continued from page 39.) 

 Sir David Brewster (1781-1868). 

 'T^HE celebrated natural philosopher, David 

 ■*■ Brewster, was a younger son of James 

 Brewster, rector of the Jedburgh Grammar 

 School, where David was born on December nth, 

 1781. Though his mother was a highly-cultured 

 woman, she could not have exercised any great 

 influence upon forming the character of her 

 talented son, for she died when 

 he was barely nine years old. 

 The father's rule in the house was 

 far from conducive to the develop- 

 ment of talent, for its rigid severity 

 would have been more likely to 

 crush out any budding ability. 

 The elder and only sister of 

 David Brewster soon discovered 

 his genius, and, though only three 

 years his senior, did all in her 

 power to foster it in her brother. 

 The remaining three brothers, 

 James, George and Patrick, were 

 also clever, the latter becoming 

 an eminent preacher connected 

 with the Abbey Church at Paisley. 

 Sir David's earliest teaching in 

 scientific subjects was given to him 

 by a self-taught astronomer and 

 mathematician of Jedburgh, named James Veitch. 

 Together, when David was ten years old, they 

 made a telescope. When only twelve years old, he 

 left the paternal charge and was placed in Edin- 

 burgh for University training, attending the lectures 

 of Playfair, Robinson and others. Theology was 

 the aim of his father for David's profession, and he 

 was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh, 

 preaching his first sermon in 1S04, before a large 

 congregation. Although said to have shown signs 

 of becoming a successful preacher, he never 



D 



Sir D.'WID Brewster 



overcame a constitutional nervousness at appearing 

 before his congregation. This was so severe that 

 he had to relinquish his career in the Church and 

 abandon his profession. 



After a short tutorship David Brewster became 

 twice an unsuccessful candidate for the Chair of 

 Mathematics, once at Edinburgh and again at St. 

 Andrew's. His worth was, nevertheless, recognized 

 by both Universities, for he was 

 made honorary M.A. of Edinburgh 

 and LL.D. of St. Andrew's; Cam- 

 bridge following with its M..\. 

 degree. In 1807, he was ap- 

 pointed editor of the " Edinburgh 

 Encyclopaedia," which post he oc- 

 cupied for twenty-two years. In 

 1815 Brewster was made a F.R.S., 

 having two years previously read 

 his first paper, which was on 

 " Some Properties of Light." He 

 took the Copley, Rumford and 

 one of the Royal Medals of that 

 Society. 



In 1S16 Brewster invented the 

 kaleidoscope, and in the follow- 

 ing year became joint editor of 

 the Edinburgh " Philosophical 

 Journal," which later became 

 "The Edinburgh Magazine," and again, in 1S19, 

 " The Edinburgh Journal of Science." 



From this period for some time Brewster was 

 most active in his scientific investigations and 

 literary work. Still he found time to push the 

 cause of science and art in other directions, and 

 was largely instrumental in founding the Royal 

 Scottish Society of Arts and the British Associa- 

 tion, and was interested in the development of 

 the science of photography from its earliest 

 practice. 



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