Editing David Brewster (section)

==Life==
David Brewster was born in the Canongate in [[Jedburgh]], [[Roxburghshire]], to Margaret Key (1753–1790) and James Brewster (c. 1735–1815), the [[Rector (education)|rector]] of [[Jedburgh Grammar School]] and a teacher of high reputation.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gordon |first1=Margaret Maria |title=The home life of Sir David Brewster |date=1881 |publisher=D. Douglas |location=Edinburgh |edition=3rd |url=https://archive.org/stream/homelifeofsirdav00gord#page/n5 |access-date=18 August 2018}}</ref> David was the third of six children, two daughters and four sons: James (1777–1847), minister at Craig, Ferryden; David; George (1784–1855), minister at Scoonie, Fife; and Patrick (1788–1859), minister at the abbey church, Paisley.<ref name=odnb/>

At the age of 12, David Brewster matriculated at the [[University of Edinburgh]] with the intention of becoming a clergyman.  He received his [[MA (Scotland)|MA]] in 1800, was licensed as a [[Ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland|minister of the Church of Scotland]], and then preached around Edinburgh on several occasions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wylie |first1=James Aitken |title=Disruption worthies : a memorial of 1843, with an historical sketch of the free church of Scotland from 1843 down to the present time |date=1881 |publisher=T. C. Jack |location=Edinburgh |pages=59–64 |url=https://archive.org/stream/disruptionworthi00wyli#page/n201 |access-date=18 August 2018}}</ref> By then, Brewster had already shown a strong inclination for the [[natural science]]s and had established a close association with [[James Veitch (minister)|James Veitch]] of [[Jedburgh|Inchbonny]]. Veitch, who enjoyed a local reputation as a man of science and was particularly skilled in making [[telescope]]s, was characterized by Sir [[Walter Scott]] as a "[[self-taught]] philosopher, [[astronomer]] and [[mathematician]]".{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Brewster is buried in the grounds of [[Melrose Abbey]], in [[Roxburghshire]].