283 
of Edinburgh, Session 1867-68. 
of bis intention. Such a record of the achievements of a great 
philosopher has a much higher purpose than that of an eloge, for 
while they become landmarks in the progress of science over new 
and untrodden paths, they indicate the methods by which further 
progress is to be attained. Sir David Brewster entered this Society 
so long ago as 1808, and has been a constant contributor to its 
Transactions. It is worthy of notice that in the year 1808 the 
three candidates who became Fellows of the Society were, James 
Wardrop, surgeon, now in London, David Brewster, and Humphry 
Davy. In announcing to us at the opening of the session the 
death of Faraday, Sir David said that there was only one person 
living who had, like Faraday, taken all the medals of the Royal 
Society of London — the Copley, Rumford, and Royal medals. 
There is no one living now to claim this high honour, for the 
“ one ” so modestly hinted at was himself. In Brewster and 
Faraday the nation has suffered a heavy loss. Both were great 
philosophers and ardent Christians. We point to them as con- 
clusive proofs that science and infidelity are not akin. I dare not 
trust myself to speak of the last days of Brewster. The perfect 
calmness and kindly consideration with which he wrote farewell 
letters to the public bodies which had honoured themselves by 
honouring him during life, were perhaps to have been looked for 
in one who viewed death as a means of attaining a higher and 
purer knowledge of God and of His works. But it is given to few 
men to possess their mental faculties unclouded to the last. A 
week before his death I had a long letter in his own handwriting, 
showing the liveliest interest in the affairs of the University, and 
in some optical discoveries regarding which he frequently corre- 
sponded with me. A few days after, while his mind was still clear, 
but his bodily frame weaker, he dictated a letter to the Council of 
this Society, in which he took a touching leave of his old associates 
and of the Society itself, and left to it, as a precious legacy, a re- 
search, nearly completed, which formed the death-bed study of the 
old philosopher. I am sure that the Society would not have 
wished to commence the business of this evening without some 
allusion to the death of their venerable President, and without 
some expression of sympathy with his widow and family. I there- 
fore invite, from the body of the Society, a resolution which will 
