Unpublished paper, 'Abstract of experiments on light' by David Brewster

Description

Brewster explains several experiments in brief, including on the action of metals on polarised light, the production of complementary colours, the reaction of muriate of soda [sodium chloride] and fluor spar [fluorite] on polarised light, and optical properties shown during propagation of heat.

Corrections appear throughout in graphite. An ink inscription at top of first page reads 'This paper was withdrawn by the Author'. Another ink inscription last page verso reads 'Dr Brewster's to follow Sir H Davy's Two Papers'. A small map, unrelated to the paper, is drawn in the bottom left corner.

Brewster explains in a footnote of a later paper titled 'On the phenomena and laws of elliptic polarization, as exhibited in the action of metals upon light' that he had sent this abstract to Sir Joseph Banks privately in 1815 as evidence of his claims, but Banks happened upon the manuscript again in 1817 and mistakenly thought it was for publication, presenting it before the Royal Society. Brewster was not aware that the paper had been read to the Society, and only discovered this when a proof sheet was sent to him for corrections. He withdrew the paper immediately.

Subject: Physics

Written by Brewster in Edinburgh [Scotland]. Read to the Royal Society on 23 January 1817.

Reference number

AP/9/5

Earliest possible date

28 July 1815

Physical description

Ink on paper

Page extent

8 pages

Format

Manuscript