BREWSTER
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BRIDE OF LAMMERMOOR
Brews'ter, Sir David, a noted Scottish natural philosopher and student of science, was born in 1781. He was for years editor of the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia, and at the same time was engaged in scientific studies and in writing on kindred subjects. He was a member of a number of societies, was knighted, and received many medals for his discoveries in science. The last few years of his life were spent as principal of Edinburgh University. He died in 1868. His name is lastingly connected with the study of optics and the polarization of light. The beautiful and scientific toy called the kaleidoscope was invented by] him, and he made many improvements in the stereoscope. He was also a fine writer, and has left behind him several works besides his articles in magazines and encyclopaedias. Letters on Natural Magic, addressed to Sir Walter Scott; More Worlds Than One; Martyrs of Science; a Life of New-ton; and Tycho Brake and Kepler are among his most interesting books.
Brews'ter, William (1560-1644), one of the most notable of the Pilgrim Fathers who, in 1620, came to Plymouth, Mass., in the Mayflower, and was a ruling elder in the historic body. Born at Scrooby in Nottinghamshire, England, he for a time studied at Cambridge, and then attached himself to the Separatists or Nonconformists, who, to escape persecution, fled to Holland; and he taught at Ley den. With William Bradford, subsequently governor of Plymouth colony, he came to the New World and formed one of the first settlements of Pilgrims in New England, and until his death was a preacher in the community and a loyal and revered leader in the colony. See Steele's Chief of the Pilgrims and Life of William Brewster.
Briareus (bri-d're-us ), in the Greek myths one of the sons of Uranus and Gsea (goddess of the earth), is supposed to have been a symbol of such portents as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Thus he had fifty heads and one hundred arms, and was imprisoned in the earth by his father. Jupiter released Briareus and his two brothers and by their help won the victory over the Titans. Homer refers to Briareus as helping Jupiter against the plots of Neptune, Minerva and Juno, and as living in the depths of the sea; while Vergil makes him a guardian of the Titans in Hades.
Brick. The earliest made bricks we know anything about were the sun-dried bricks of Egypt, Assyria and Babylonia. Many of these have been preserved for 4,000 years. The burning of bricks in kilns is also quite ancient, some burnt bricks having been found among the ruins of Babylonia. The ancient bricks, whether baked by the sun or IB kilns, were made of clay, mixed with grass or straw. The Romans used brick in most of their buildings, and probably introduced them into England. The people of Holland are great brickmakers, and many of their
bricks were brought to America in ships, and "are still to be found in buildings in New York. All kinds of clay can be used for brick if it has the right materials in it. It must not have too much sand, for then the bricks will fall to pieces; but if there is too little sand, the bricks are apt to crack open. After the clay is dug from the ground, it is usually left iri the air, and if it can be exposed through the winter it is all the better, as the frost breaks it up, so that the different materials of the clay can be evenly mixed. When it has been in the air long enough, water is poured on it and it is thoroughly mixed, usually in a mill, though it used to be done by having men tramp it with their bare feet. Anthracite coal-dust is generally mixed with the clay to help in the burning of the bricks. When thoroughly mixed, and all stones and sticks taken out, the clay is put into molds and exposed to the sun to dry. When dried, the bricks are taken to kilns to be burned. Sometimes they are piled up so as to make their own kiln and a fire started inside; by this method half a million or more bricks can be burned at once. The time required to burn bricks varies from a few days to two weeks, according to the method used. Machines are often used to press the clay into the molds before burning, which makes the bricks smoother and firmer; but the expense is so much greater that pressed bricks are used only for fine buildings. The red color of bricks is due to the iron in the clay. In some parts of the United States, clay is used which has so little iron that the bricks are cream or buff color. Fire-bricks are made from clay which has in it very little, if any, material which burns easily. They are used for house-grates and other places where there is strong heat. The size of bricks in America varies from 7! to 8J inches in length, and from 4 to 4^- inches in width and from 2j to 2j inches in thickness. Their weight is usually about four pounds. English bricks are 9 inches long, 4^- inches wide and 2^ inches thick.
Bride of Lammermoor, The, a strong and most finished piece of fiction by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1819, and forming one of the famous series of the Waverley novels. Its era is that of William III, and it relates the tragic results of an affection mis-mated by compulsion. The heroine of the story, Lucy Ashton, daughter of Sir W. Ashton, lord-keeper of Scotland, is in love with Edgar, the young master of Ravens-wood, and they plight their troth at the Mermaid's Fountain. Lucy, however, is compelled to marry Frank Hayston, laird of Bucklaw, whom the bride, in a fit of insanity, attempts to murder and then dies in convulsions. Bucklaw, nevertheless, recovers and goes abroad, while Colonel Ashton, Lucy's father, appoints a hostile meet* ing with Edgar, but young Ravenswood, on
