Concept:
The development of polarization microscopy is based on discoveries related to polarized light and its manipulation.
Step 1: Malus (A).
Etienne Louis Malus (1808) discovered plane-polarized light. This is the foundational discovery.
Step 2: Fresnel (D).
Fresnel expanded the theory and explained interference and wave nature of polarized light.
Step 3: Nicol (B).
William Nicol developed the Nicol prism (1828), which produces polarized light practically.
Step 4: Nachet (C).
Camille Nachet later introduced crossed-polarized illumination in microscopes.
Step 5: Chronological arrangement.
\[
A \rightarrow D \rightarrow B \rightarrow C
\]
Final Conclusion:
Hence, the correct answer is option (4).