Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 23.djvu/113

Gregory and was buried in the parish church of his manor of How Capel, Herefordshire. Gregory had purchased this manor in 1677 and built the southern transept of the church, known as the Gregory Chapel, as a burying-place for himself and his family. He also bought the manor and advowson of Solers Hope, and the manor of Fownhope, but he resided chiefly in London. Besides largely rebuilding the church at How Capel, he gave a garden in Bowsey Lane, Hereford, for the benefit of the Lazarus Hospital. In 1653 Gregory became the third husband of Katharine Smith, by whom he was father of two children: James, who married Elizabeth Rodd and died 1691, and Katharine, who died in infancy. His descendants in the male line failed in 1789.

[Foss's Judges of England, vii. 318; Cooke's additions to Duncumb's Herefordshire, ii. 355, 359, 361, iii. 102, 139, 229; Manning's Speakers, p. 374; North's Examen, p. 460; Kennett's Hist. of England, iii. 372, 528; Cobbett's Parliamentary History, iv. 1112, v. 312; Luttrell's Diary, i. 9, 10, 166, 255, ii. 277, 379, iv. 64; Sir John Bramston's Autobiography (Camd. Soc. publications), p. 221; Pearce's Inns of Court, p. 344.]  GREGORY, WILLIAM (1803–1858), chemist, fourth son of James Gregory (1753-1821) [q. v.], professor of medicine in the university of Edinburgh, was born at Edinburgh on 25 Dec. 1803. After a medical education he graduated at Edinburgh in 1828, but he had already shown a strong bent for chemistry, and he soon decided to make it his specialty. In 1831 he introduced a process for making the muriate of morphia, which came into general use. After studying for some time on the continent he established himself as an extra-academical lecturer on chemistry at Edinburgh. He successively lectured on chemistry at the Andersonian University, Glasgow, and at the Dublin Medical School, and in 1839 was appointed professor of medicine and chemistry in King's College, Aberdeen. In 1844 he was elected to the chair of chemistry at Edinburgh in succession to his old master Charles Hope. He was a successful expository lecturer, but in his later years suffered much from painful disease, and died on 24 April 1858, leaving a widow and one son.

Having been a favourite pupil of Liebig at Giessen, Gregory did much to introduce his researches into this country, translating and editing several of his works. His own chemical works were useful in their day, especially from the prominence they gave to organic chemistry. He was skilled in German and French, and kept well abreast of chemical advances on the continent. A list of forty chemical papers by him is given in the Royal Society's ‘Catalogue of Scientific Papers.’ Being compelled to adopt a sedentary life, he spent much time in microscopical studies, chiefly on the diatoms, and wrote a number of careful papers on the subject. His character was simple, earnest, and amiable. Some thought him much too credulous in regard to animal magnetism and mesmerism. His views have much in common with the recent theory of telepathy. Besides editing the English editions of Liebig's ‘Animal Chemistry,’ ‘Chemistry in its Applications to Agriculture and Physiology,’ ‘Familiar Letters on Chemistry,’ ‘Instructions for Chemical Analysis of Organic Bodies,’ ‘Agricultural Chemistry,’ ‘Chemistry of Food,’ and ‘Researches on the Motion of the Juices in the Animal Body,’ Gregory translated and edited Reichenbach's ‘Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, &c., in their relation to Vital Force,’ 1850. He also, with Baron Liebig, edited Edward Turner's ‘Elements of Chemistry.’

His own works were: 1. ‘Outlines of Chemistry,’ 1845; 2nd edition, 1847; divided subsequently into two volumes, ‘The Handbook of Inorganic’ and ‘Organic Chemistry’ respectively, 1853; the latter was issued in Germany, edited by T. Gerding, Brunswick, 1854. 2. ‘Letters to a Candid Inquirer on Animal Magnetism,’ 1851.

[Edinb. New Philosophical Journal. 1858, new ser. viii. 171-4; Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb. iv. 121.]  GREGSON, MATTHEW (1749–1824), antiquary, son of Thomas Gregson, shipbuilder, of Liverpool, previously of Whalley, Lancashire, was born at Liverpool in 1749. He was many years in business as an upholsterer, and when he retired in 1814 had amassed considerable property. Although of deficient education he took a deep interest in literature and science, and especially devoted attention to the collection of documentary and pictorial illustrations of the history of Lancashire. These he used in compiling his ‘Portfolio of Fragments relative to the History and Antiquities of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster,’ which he brought out in 1817 in three folio parts. The second and enlarged edition is dated 1824, and the third, edited and indexed by John Harland, came out in 1867. This work led to his election as a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and to his honorary membership of the Newcastle-on-Tyne Society of Antiquaries. He was offered knighthood by the prince regent on presenting a copy of the book, but declined 