URE, ANDRES, M.D., a distinguished chemical philosopher, was born in Glasgow, 18th May 1778. He studied at the university of his native city, and subsequently at that of Edinburgh. Afterwards he engaged in the establishment of the Glasgow Observatory, where he resided for some time, and where he was honoured with a visit from the celebrated Sir William Herschell. In the year 1806, on the resignation of Dr. Birkbeck, he was appointed professor of chemistry and natural philosophy in the Andersonian university of Glasgow. Eloquent as a lecturer, he was most successful in his class experiments. In 1818 he brought forward his ‘New Experimental Researches on some of the leading doctrines of Caloric, particularly on the relation between the elasticity, temperature, and latent heat of different vapours, and on thermometric admeasurement and capacity,’ which was read before the Royal Society, and published in their ‘Transactions’ for that year, Sir James Ivory, Mr. Daniel, and other philosophers, adopted the conclusions offered in this paper, as the bases of their meteorological theories.

In 1821, Dr. Ure published the first edition of his well-known ‘Dictionary of Chemistry,’ which procured him the friendship of Sir Humphrey Davy, Dr. Wollaston, and Dr. E.D. Clarke. In 1822, in which year he became a fellow of the Royal Society, his paper on the ‘Ultimate Analysis of Vegetable Substances’ appeared in the Philosophical Transactions. In 1829 he published his System of Geology; in 1835, his Philosophy of Manufactures; and in 1836, his work on the Cotton Manufactures of Great Britain, -- the latter in two volumes. His next great work, one of immense labour and research, was the ‘Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines,’ the last edition of which in his lifetime, appeared in 1852. This work has been translated into several of the continental languages.]

Dr. Ure was remarkable for accuracy in chemical analysis, and it has been stated by competent authority, that none of his results have ever been overturned. He was one of the original fellows of the Geological Society. He also belonged to the Astronomical Society, and was a member of several continental societies. In 1830 he went to reside in London, where he died 2d January 1857.