BROWN (Sir William)

, a noted physician and miscellaneous writer, of the 18th century. He was settled originally at Lynn in Norfolk, where he published a translation of Dr. Gregory's Elements of Catoptrics and Dioptrics; to which he added, 1. A Method for finding the Foci of all Specula and Lenses universally; as also Magnifying or Lessening a given object by a given Speculum or lens, in any assigned proportion.—2. A Solution of those Problems which Dr. Gregory has left undemonstrated.—3. A particular account of Microscopes and Telescopes, from Mr. Huygens; with the discoveries made by Catoptrics and Dioptrics.

Having acquired a competence by his profession, he removed to Queen's Square, Ormond Street, London, where he resided till his death, in 1774, at 82 years of age; leaving by his will two prize-medals to be annually contended for by the Cambridge poets.

Sir William Brown was a very facetious man; and a great number of his lively essays, both in prose and verse, were printed and circulated among his friends. The active part taken by him in the contest with the licentiates, in 1768, occasioned his being introduced by Mr. Foote in his Devil upon Two Sticks.— Upon Foote's exact representation of him with his identical wig and coat, tall sigure, and glass stiffly applied to his eye, he sent him a card complimenting him on having so happily represented him; but as he had forgot his muff, he had sent him his own.— This good-natured way of resenting disarmed Foote.— He used to frequent the annual ball at the ladies boarding-school, Queen Square, merely as a neighbour, a good-natured man, and sond of the company of sprightly young folks. A dignitary of the church being there one day to see his daughter dance, and finding this upright sigure stationed there, told him he believed he was Hermippus redivivus who lived anhelitu puellarum. —When he lived at Lynn, a pamphlet was written against him; which he nailed up against his house-door. —At the age of 80, on St. Luke's day 1771, he came to Batson's coffee-house in his laced coat and band, and fringed white gloves, to shew himself to Mr. Crosby, then lord mayor. A gentleman present observing that he looked very well, he replied, he had neither wise nor debts.

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Entry taken from A Mathematical and Philosophical Dictionary, by Charles Hutton, 1796.

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BREREWOOD (Edward)
BRIDGE
BRIGGS (Henry)
BRIGGS (William)
BROUNCKER
* BROWN (Sir William)
BULLIALD (Ismael)
BURNING
BUSHEL
BUTMENTS
BUTTRESS