other fantastic devices representing the horrors of hell, was born at Brussels about 1568, and was the pupil of Giles Van Koningsloo. He became a member of the academy in 1609. There is a remarkable specimen of his painting in the gallery at the Hague.
Breughel, Jan, called also Velvet Breughel, from his winter dress of that material, was born at Brussels about 1569, and was taught painting by Pieter Goekindt, an amateur. Jan first painted fruit and flowers; he then visited Italy, and devoted himself chiefly to landscapes with figures, which he finished with great delicacy and extraordinary minuteness of detail, but with an unpleasant prevalence of blue in his colouring, especially in the distance. He became a member of the Antwerp Academy of St. Luke, of which he was one of the deans in 1602. According to some accounts he died young, leaving two daughters, whom Rubens took under his charge. He painted several pictures in which Rubens painted the figures; "Adam and Eve in Paradise" is the most celebrated of these joint productions. Many fine examples of his work are in the Pinacothek at Munich. Jan is said to have died January 13, 1625; other accounts prolong his life to 1642, but this is incompatible with the story of Rubens having taken charge of the education of his daughters after their father's death. There seems to be no accurate record of the dates of the birth or death of any of this family of painters.—(Van Mander; Immerzeel.)—R. N. W.
BREVINT, Daniel, born at Jersey in 1616. He studied logic and philosophy among the protestants at Saumur in France, and on the foundation of three fellowships in the colleges of Pembroke, Exeter, and Jesus at Oxford, by Charles I., for natives of Jersey and Guernsey alternately, was elected to the latter college, and incorporated M.A. as he had stood at Saumur. Being ejected from his fellowship by the parliament visitors for refusing to take the covenant, he retired to Jersey and afterwards to Normandy, where he became pastor to a protestant congregation. During his residence on the continent he gained the notice of the viscount de Turenne, who made him his chaplain, and of Charles II., who, after the Restoration, gave him a prebend in the cathedral of Lincoln. In 1681 he was promoted to the deanery of that town. Died in 1695. His works, Latin and English, principally turn on points of controversy.—J. S., G.
BREWER, Anthony, a dramatic writer of the reign of James I., only known as a favourite with the wits of that time, and as the author of a play entitled "Lingua," in a representation of which, it is said, Oliver Cromwell played the part of one ambitious for a crown, and thus for the first time became conscious of his destiny. The story, as Chalmers observes, is doubtful on two grounds—that Brewer wrote "Lingua" is doubtful, and that Cromwell played in it is very doubtful.—J. S., G.
BREWER, Samuel, a botanist, born at the end of the seventeenth century, was a native of Trowbridge in Wiltshire, where he had a small estate. He was at first engaged in the woollen manufactory of that place, but subsequently devoted his attention to science. He assisted Dillenius, professor of botany at Cambridge. In 1726 he accompanied the professor into Wales, Anglesea, and the Isle of Man. He afterwards examined the botany of Wales, making excursions to Snowdon and other places, with the Rev. Mr. Green and Mr. William Jones. He was fond of cryptogamic botany, and assisted Dillenius in his History of Mosses. In 1728 he went to Yorkshire, and took up his residence at Bradford. He died in 1743.—J. H. B.
BREWER, Thomas, a musician, educated at Christ's hospital, London, and brought up to the practice of the viol. He flourished in the time of Charles I., the Protectorate, and part of the reign of Charles II. He composed several excellent fantasias for the viol, and was the author of many rounds and catches inserted in Hilton's "Catch that Catch Can," 1652. He was also the composer of the pretty three-part song, "Turn, Amaryllis, to thy Swain," printed in Playford's "Musical Companion." In the Harleian MS., No. 6395, entitled "Merry Passages and Jests," compiled by Sir Nicholas Lestrange, is the following anecdote:—"Thom. Brewer, my musical servant, through his proneness to good fellowshippe, having attained to a very rich and rubicund nose, being reprov'd by a friend for his too frequent use of strong drinkes and sacke, as very pernicious to that distemper and inflammation in his nose—'Nay, faith,' says he, 'if it will not endure sacke, it is no nose for me.'"—E. F. R.
BREWSTER, Sir David, D.C.L., LL.D., Knight of the Guelphic order, and of the United Kingdom; principal of the university of Edinburgh; one of the most distinguished physical inquirers of his day: there have been few men in Scotland of whom their country has more reason to be proud. The life of Sir David Brewster was one of untiring industry, issuing in signal success. Ever occupied by trains of thought leading to capital discovery, he also, in no ordinary degree, benefitted the practical arts; and his literary enterprises were so various and important, that they alone might have filled up the lives of several ordinary men. In many things he may have had worthy rivals, but we believe it can be said of Brewster alone, that without patrimony, and, until a comparatively late period of his life, without aid from public institutions or scientific endowments, he succeeded through effect of integrity, of prudence, and of labour that never flagged, in achieving and maintaining during long years a position of distinguished ease, and personal and social independence.—We shall glance rapidly at the incidents of Sir David's life, the character of his leading discoveries, and the extent of his literary labours.
I. The subject of our memoir was born at Jedburgh in Roxburghshire, on 11th December, 1781. His father, the esteemed rector of the grammar school of that town—himself zealously attached to the church of Scotland—intended his four sons for the clerical profession. Sir David's three brothers entered the church, and obtained livings in it. Two of them. Dr. Brewster of Craig and Dr. Brewster of Scoonie, died comparatively recently, distinguished for piety, superior intelligence, and fidelity to their important charge. The third brother, Patrick, who occupied for many years the respectable and responsible position of minister of the abbey church of Paisley, died in 1859. Of this very able family. Sir David was the second in order of birth, but he abandoned what may be termed the family profession, avowedly through considerations of health, although, perhaps, also because of inclinations drawing him irresistibly towards the cultivation of science. He began his career of experiment so early as 1799 and 1800, while still considerably under twenty years of age; and these early investigations on the inflection of light were a worthy first-fruit of his services to a branch of science to which he attached himself through life, and wherein he earned so wide and permanent a renown. In 1806 Sir David projected and began that most laborious work, the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, of which he continued editor until its completion in 1830. In 1813 he published his "Treatise on New Philosophical Instruments;" and essays and memoirs were continually issuing from his pen, advancing our knowledge of Light, along those new and strange directions, which, unknown to him (intercourse being prevented by the unhappy French war) were also absorbing the attention of the great physicists of the Continent. It was most pleasing to find—when the commerce and blessings of peace returned—that no one of these distinguished men had left Brewster behind him. In 1819 Sir David started the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, in conjunction with Professor Jameson; and he afterwards carried it on alone for a good many years, under the title of the Edinburgh Journal of Science. He had thus the merit of establishing our first regular Scottish scientific review. Among other services in this direction, the merit cannot be withheld from him of pressing towards realization, if not of suggesting the idea of those annual scientific congresses, now so well known and everywhere so warmly welcomed, under the name of the "British Association."—It is grateful to record that to activity thus marked, and desert thus unquestionable, social as well as scientific honours were not slow in being awarded. Brewster obtained from the learned societies more medals and prizes, we believe, than any other living Inquirer. He received an important prize from the French Institute; the Copley and Rumford medal from the Royal Society; also, Royal medals; and twice the Keith medals from the Royal Society of Edinburgh—all for distinctive discoveries. These and many similar associations hastened to enrol him among their members. The Institute of France elected him corresponding member in 1825, and in 1849 he had the honour to succeed the illustrious Berzelius as its Associate. Nor were his services overlooked by the British State. In 1830 he received the decoration of the Guelphic order, and in 1832 he was knighted by King William IV. In 1855 the Emperor Napoleon conferred on him the cross of the Legion of Honour. He was nominated in 1838 principal of the united college of St. Salvador and St. Leonards, St. Andrews, and in 1859, on the death of Principal Lee, was transferred to Edinburgh.
