Editing David Gregory (mathematician) (section)

==Biography==
[[File:Gregory, David – Astronomiae physicae et geometricae elementa, 1726 – BEIC 1496003.jpg|thumb|''Astronomiae physicae et geometricae elementa'', 1726]]

The fourth of the fifteen children of [[David Gregory (physician)|David Gregorie]], a doctor from Kinnairdy, Banffshire, and Jean Walker of Orchiston, David was born in Upper Kirkgate, Aberdeen. The nephew of astronomer and mathematician [[James Gregory (astronomer and mathematician)|James Gregory]], David, like his influential uncle before him, studied at [[Aberdeen Grammar School]] and [[Marischal College]] ([[University of Aberdeen]]), from 1671 to 1675. The Gregorys were [[Jacobitism|Jacobites]] and left Scotland to escape religious discrimination. Young David visited several countries on the continent, including the Netherlands (where he began studying medicine at [[Leiden University]]) and France, and did not return to Scotland until 1683.

On 28 November 1683, Gregory graduated M.A. at [[University of Edinburgh]], and in October 1683 he became Chair of Mathematics at University of Edinburgh. He was "the first to openly teach the doctrines of the ''Principia'', in a public seminary...in those days this was a daring innovation."<ref name=ES>[http://www.electricscotland.com/history/other/gregory_david.htm David Gregory] from Significant Scots at electricscotland.com.</ref>

Gregory decided to leave for England where, in 1691, he was elected [[Savilian Professor of Astronomy]] at the University of Oxford, due in large part to the influence of [[Isaac Newton]]. The same year he was elected to be a [[Fellow of the Royal Society]]. In 1692, he was elected a Fellow of [[Balliol College, Oxford]].

Gregory spent several days with [[Isaac Newton]] in 1694, discussing revisions for a second edition of Newton's [[The system of the world|Principia]]. Gregory made notes of these discussions, but the second edition of 1713 was not due to Gregory.<ref>{{cite book | title=Never at Rest |first=Richard S. | last=Westfall|authorlink=Richard S. Westfall|year=1980|page=506|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]}}</ref>

In 1695 he published ''Catoptricae et dioptricae sphaericae elementa'' which addressed [[chromatic aberration]] and the possibility of its correction with [[achromatic lens]].

In 1705 Gregory became an Honorary Fellow of the [[Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh]]. At the [[Union of 1707]], he was given the responsibility of re-organising the [[Scottish Mint]]. He was an uncle of philosopher [[Thomas Reid]].

Gregory and his wife, Elizabeth Oliphant, had nine children, but seven died while still children.

On his death in [[Maidenhead]], Berkshire he was buried in Maidenhead churchyard.