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William Stevenson. By Professor Duns, D.D., F.R.S.E. 



William Stevenson was torn at Duns, 12tli August, 1820, 

 and died at Paisley, 20th January, 1883. The main object of 

 this paper is to put on record Mr Stevenson's labours as a scien- 

 tific worker, and his contributions to the literature of science. 

 Mr David E. Stevenson has kindly sent to me many letters to 

 his father from distinguished men of science, and, also, much 

 unpublished MS. These might supply ample materials for a 

 very interesting biography, but I shall refer to them only in so 

 far as they fall in with the point of view of this notice. The 

 earliest written record I have found of his scientific leanings is a 

 Register of Barometrical Observations made at 9 a.m., 2 p.m., 

 and 8 p.m., with a column for the direction of the wind and an- 

 other for the weather. The terms, clear, cloudy, cloud with rain, 

 fair with occasional cloud, rainy, stormy, frost, and snow serve 

 his purpose for characterisation. This Register, begun on the 

 18th of September, 1837, was continued more than forty years 

 with comparatively few breaks. As a record of close, pains- 

 taking, and acute observation in a department in which at the 

 time of its commencement there were no easily available helps, 

 and which grows in scientific accuracy and interest year after 

 year, it bears full testimony to his ability as a meteorologist. It 

 shews us his habit of the eye increasing in quickness as his 

 range of observation widens, nd his skill in the use of signs to 

 serve for words keeping pace with enlarging knowledge of 

 phenomena for whose description clearness and brevity are indis- 

 pensable. The mode in which he both musters data and masters 

 them in order to generalisation is equally note worthy. Mr 

 Stevenson had early begun to think that there was a close con- 

 nection between Cirri and Aurora, and in 1840 he communicated 

 his views to Sir David Brewster, from whom he received the 

 following note : — 



" Sir, 



I beg to thank you for your very interesting observations on 

 Cirri and their connection with the appearance of the Aurora. The sub- 

 ject is a most important one and well worthy of being systematically 

 pursued. I read the substance of your letter at a Meeting of the tSt. 

 Andrew's Phil. Society yesterday ; and we had the pleasure of electing 



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