OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bonnycastle, Richard Henry

1904 Errata appended.
​BONNYCASTLE, Sir RICHARD HENRY (1791–1848), lieutenant-colonel royal engineers, was the son of Professor John Bonnycastle [q. v.], and was born in 1791. He studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, as a cadet, and passed out as a second lieutenant of the royal engineers 28 Sept. 1808, becoming a first lieutenant in the following year. He served at the siege of Flushing in 1809, and in the American campaigns of 1812-14, during which he was present at the capture of Fort Castine, and the occupation of the part of the state of Maine east of the Penobscot, and was commanding engineer at the construction of the extensive works thrown up by the British on the Castine peninsula. He attained the rank of captain in 1814, in which year he married the daughter of Captain W. Johnstone. Subsequently he served with the army of occupation in France. As commanding royal engineer in Upper Canada, he rendered very important services during the Canadian rebellion in 1837-9, particularly in February 1838, when, at the head of a force of militia and volunteers, in the absence of regular troops, he defeated the designs of the insurgents at Napairee, and the brigands at Hickory Island, for an attack on the city of Kingston. For these services he was knighted. He was afterwards commanding engineer in Newfoundland. He became a brevet-major in 1837, a regimental lieutenant-colonel in 1840, and retired from the service in 1847. He died in 1848. Sir Richard, who was an excellent and painstaking officer and much esteemed, was author of: 1. ‘Spanish America, a Descriptive and Historical Account,’ &c., 2 vols. 8vo, with maps (London, 1818), a work which appears to have been compiled by the author, who was a good Spanish scholar, when at Woolwich after his return from France. 2. ‘The Canadas in 1842,’ 2 vols. 12mo (London,1842). 3. ‘Newfoundland in 1842,’ 2 vols. 8vo (London, 1842), in which the author sought to call attention to the resources of that oldest and, at the time, least known of British colonies. 4. ‘Canada and the Canadians in 1846,’ 12mo (London, 1846). At his death he left a mass of interesting writings relating to Canada, which were afterwards published under the editorship of Lieutenant-colonel (since General) Sir J. E. Alexander, C.B., with the title ‘Canada as it was and as it may be,’ 2 vols. 8vo (London, 1852).
[Hart's Army Lists; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Canada as it was and as it may be (London, 1832).]
H. M. C.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.31 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bonnycastle, John

​BONNYCASTLE, JOHN (1750?–1821), author of several works on elementary mathematics, was born (probably about 1750) at Whitchurch, in Buckinghamshire. At an early age he went to London ‘to seek his fortune,' and afterwards ‘kept an academy at Hackney.' On the title-pages of the earlier editions of his first work (‘The Scholar’s Guide to Arithmetic') he is described as ‘private teacher of mathematics.' He was at one time private tutor to the sons of the Earl of Pomfret. Between 1782 and 1785 he became professor of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He died on 15 May 1821. His chief works are: 1. ‘The Scholar’s Guide to Arithmetic.' The first edition of this book appeared in 1780. In 1851 appeared an eighteenth edition, ‘edited by J. Rowbotham, corrected with additions hy S. Maynard] 2. ‘Introduction to Algebra,' 1782. A thirteenth edition appeared in 1824, ‘with addenda by Charles Bonnycastle,' the author’s son. 3. ‘Introduction to Astronomy,’ 1786. This book is intended as a popular introduction to astronomy rather than as an elementary treatise. An eighth edition appeared in 1822. 4. An edition of Euclid’s ‘Elements,’ with notes, 1789. 5. ‘Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry,' 1782 (thirteenth edition 1823). This book and the last were translated into Turkish. 6. ‘A Treatise on Algebra,' 2 vols., 1813. 7. ‘A Treatise on Plane and Spherical Trigonometry,’ 1806. Besides elementary mathematical books, Bonnycastle was in early life a frequent contributor to the ‘London Magazine.' He wrote also the introduction to a translation (by T. O. Churchill) of Bossut’s ‘Histoire des Mathématiques,’ and a ‘chronological table of the most eminent mathematicians from the earliest times’ at the end of the book (1803). He seems to have been a man of considerable classical and general literary culture. Leigh Hunt, who used to meet him in company with Fuseli, of whom Bonnycastle was a great friend, has left a description of him in his book on ‘Lord Byron and his Contemporaries.' He describes him as ‘a good fellow,' and as ‘passionately fond of quoting Shakespeare and of telling stories.' In conclusion, he suggests that, in common with scientific men in general, Bonnycastle ‘thought a little more highly of his talents than the amount of them strictly warranted;' but, he adds, ‘the delusion was not only pardonable but desirable in a man so zealous in the performance of his duties, and so much ​of a human being to all about him, as Mr. Bonnycastle was.’
[Gent. Mag. 1821, i. 472, 482; Leigh Hunt's Lord Byron and his Contemporaries, ii. 32-6; Brit. Mus. Cat.; De Morgan’s Arithmetical Books, p. 76; Dict. of Living Authors, 1816.]
T. W-r.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bonner, Richard

​BONNER, RICHARD (fl. 1548), was the author of a black-letter treatise on ‘The Right Worshipping of Christ in the Sacrament of Bread and Wine,' published in 1548. In the preface, addressed to Thomas (Cranmer), archbishop of Canterbury, the author styles himself ‘your obedyent diocesan and dayly orator.’
[Maunsell's Cat. of English Bookes, 1595, p. 22; Ames's Typographical Antiqq.. ed. Herbert, 1790, ii. 752; Strype's Eccles. Memorials, 1822, ii. i. 229.]
A. R. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromhall, Andrew

​BROMHALL, ANDREW (fl. 1659), divine, was one of the 'triers' for the county of Dorset commissioned in 1653-4 to eject immoral and inefficient ministers. He had been previously presented by the parliament to the substantial rectory of Maiden-Newton, Dorsetshire, then vacant by the sequestration of Matthew Osborn, M. A. (Hutchins, Dorset, ii. 253), or Edward Osbourn, A.M. (Walker, Sufferings of the Clergy, p. 322). Hutchins records that 'Bromhall died before the Restoration.' Calamy is apparently in error in stating that Bromhall was ejected from Maiden-Newton in 1662, and was afterwards resident in London. He contributed Sermon xxvii. (probably preached before the Restoration) to the first volume (1661) of 'The Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, St. Giles-in-the-Fields, and in Southwark: being Divers Sermons preached a.d. mdclix-mdclxxxix by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London,' 6 vols. 8vo, London, fifth edition, 1844.
[Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy; Calamy's Nonconformist's Memorial (1802), ii. 102; Hutchins's Dorsetshire (1803), vol. ii.; Neal's History of the Puritans.]
A. H. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromley, James

​BROMLEY, JAMES (1800–1838), mezzotint-engraver, was the third son of William Bromley, A.R.A. [q. v.], the line-engraver. Little is known respecting his life. Among his best plates may be enumerated portraits of the Duchess of Kent, after Hayter; John, earl Russell, after Hayter; and the Earl of Carlisle, when Lord Morpeth, after Carrick; 'Falstaff,' after Liversege; 'La Zingarella,' after Oakley, &c. He exhibited twelve of his works at the Suffolk Street Gallery between 1829 and 1833. He died on 12 Dec. 1838.
[Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists of the English School, London, 1878, 8vo.]
L. F.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromley, Richard Madox

1904 Errata appended. Note: Later edition showed his death to be in 1865.
​BROMLEY, Sir RICHARD MADOX (1813–1866), civil servant, traced his descent to Sir Thomas Bromley (1530-1587) [q. v.], lord chancellor of England in the reign of Elizabeth. He was the second son of Samuel Bromley, surgeon of the royal navy, and Mary, daughter of Tristram Maries Madox of Greenwich, and was born on 11 June 1813. He was educated at Lewisham grammar school, and in 1829 entered the admiralty department of the civil service. In 1846 he was appointed to visit the dockyards on a confidential mission, shortly after which he was named accountant to the Burgoyne commission on the Irish famine. Here the prompt and correct system which he introduced ​into the accounts had the effect of bringing more than half a million sterling back to the exchequer, and attracted the special attention of the House of Commons. The success with which he had discharged his duties led to his being in 1848 appointed secretary to the commission for auditing the public accounts, into which he introduced improvements which in a great degree remodelled the working of the department. From this period he was frequently employed on special commissions of inquiry into public departments, including that appointed in 1849 for a revision of the dockyards, and that of 1853 on the contract packet system. In recognition of his services he was in 1854 nominated a civil commander of the Bath. On the outbreak of hostilities with Russia he was appointed accountant-general of the navy, the affairs of which he administered with marked ability and success. In 1858 he was created knight commander of the Bath. On retirement from his office through ill-health he was on 31 March 1863 appointed a commissioner of Greenwich Hospital. He died on 30 Nov. 1866.
[Gent. Mag. 4th ser. i. 277-8.]
T. F. H.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.37 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 399 400 | ii i | 23 f.e. 18 | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ Bromley, Sir Richard M.: for 1866 read 1865 |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Brome, Thomas

​BROME, THOMAS (d. 1380), Carmelite divine, was brought up in the monastery of his order in London, whence he proceeded to Oxford and attained the degree of master, and also, as it seems, of doctor in divinity. There he seems to have distinguished himself as a preacher. Returning to London, he was made prior of his house, and at a general chapter of the order, held at Cambridge in 1362, was appointed its provincial in England. This office he resigned in 1379, and died in his monastery a year later. Bale (Script. Brit. Cat. vi. 61, p. 486) enumerates his works as follows : 'Lectura Theologiæ ;' 'Encomium Scripturæ Sacræ ;' an exposition 'in Paulum ad Romanes' (also on the preface by St. Jerome to that epistle) ; 'Sermones de Tempore ;' 'Quæstiones variæ.' Another work mentioned by Tanner (Bibl. Brit. p. 130), and entitled 'Lectiones pro inceptione sua Oxonii MCCCLVIII.' (perhaps identical with the 'Encomium' above referred to), is of value as giving the date of Brome's procession to the degree, apparently, of D.D. None of these productions are now known to exist. Brome is probably the Thomas Brunaeus described by Tanner (Bibl. Brit. 132) as a native of Dunbar.
R. L. P.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromfield, Edmund de

​BROMFIELD, EDMUND de (d. 1393), bishop of Llandaff, was a monk of the Benedictine monastery of Bury St. Edmunds. Gaining the reputation of being the most learned member of this community, he at the same time aroused the jealousy of the other monks, who, calling him factious and a disturber of the peace, determined to get rid of him by some means. This was done by getting Bromfield to proceed to Rome as ​public procurator not only for the establishment at Bury St. Edmunds, but for the whole Benedictine order, a promise being at the same time extorted from him that he would seek no preferment in his own community. His reputation for learning followed him to Rome, where he was appointed to lecture on divinity. On the death of the abbot of Bury St. Edmunds he sought and obtained the appointment from the pope in spite of his oath. The monks, however, with the sanction of King Richard II, chose John Timworth for abbot, and on Bromfield's arrival in England to claim his appointment he was seized and imprisoned on a charge of violating the statute of Provisors, a precursor of the statute of Præmunire. The pope did not interfere, but after an imprisonment of nearly ten years Bromfield was released, and, with the king's concurrence, appointed bishop of Llandaff in 1389 on the translation of William Bottesham to Rochester. In the royal brief confirming to him the temporalities of the see Bromfield is designated abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Silva Major in the diocese of Bordeaux, and 'Scholarum Palatii Apostolici in sacra theologia magister.' Bromfield died in 1393, and was buried in Llandaff Cathedral. He is said to have been the author of several works, but not even the titles of any of them are now extant.
A. M.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromley, John

​BROMLEY, JOHN (d. 1717), translator, was a native of Shropshire, and received an academical education. Probably he was the John Bromley of Christ Church, Oxford, who graduated B.A. in 1685 and M.A. in 1688. In the beginning of James II's reign he was curate of St. Giles's-in-the-Fields, London, but soon afterwards he joined the Roman catholic church and obtained employment as a corrector of the press in the king's printing-house. On being deprived of this means of subsistence he established a boarding-school in London which was attended by the sons of many persons of rank. 'He was well skilled in the classics,' says Dodd, 'and, as I am informed, Mr. Pope, the celebrated poet, was one of his pupils.' Afterwards Bromley was appointed tutor to some young gentlemen, and travelled with them abroad. His death occurred, at Madeley in Shropshire, 10 Jan. 1716-17. He published 'The Catechism for the Curats, composed by the Decree of the Council of Trent, faithfully translated into English,' Lond. 1687, 8vo, and probably he was also the translator of 'The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent,' Lond. 1687, 4to.
[Dodd's Church Hist. iii. 459; Cat. of Oxford Graduates (1851), 87; Jones's Popery Tracts (Chetham Soc.), 117; Watt's Bibl. Brit; Carruthers's Life of Pope (1857), 21 n; Chalmers's Biog. Dict. xxv. 164.]
T. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromfield, William (1712-1792)

​BROMFIELD, WILLIAM (1712–1792), surgeon, was born in London in 1712, and, after some years' instruction under a surgeon, commenced at an early period to practise on his own account. In 1741 he began a course of lectures on anatomy and surgery which attracted a large attendance of pupils. Some' years afterwards he formed, along with Mr. Martin Madan, the plan of the Lock Hospital for the treatment of venereal disease, to which he was appointed surgeon. For a theatrical performance in aid of its funds he altered an old comedy, the 'City Match,' written in 1639 by Jaspar Maine, which in 1755 was acted at Drury Lane. He was also elected one of the surgeons of St. George's Hospital. In 1761 he was appointed one of the suite to attend the Princess of Mecklenburg on her journey to England to be wedded to George III, and after the marriage he was appointed surgeon to her majesty's household. Besides contributing some papers to the 'Transactions of the Royal Society,' he was the author of: 1. 'An Account of English Nightshades,' 1757. 2. 'Narrative of a Physical Transaction with Mr. Aylet, surgeon at Windsor,' 1759. 3. 'Thoughts concerning the present peculiar Method of treating persons inoculated for the Small-pox,' 1767. 4. 'Chirurgical Cases and Observations,' 2 vols., 1773. In his later years he retired from his profession, and resided in a house which he had built for himself in Chelsea Park. He died on 24 Nov. 1792.
[Rees's Encyclopædia, vol. v.; Brit. Mus. Catalogue.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromfield, William Arnold

​BROMFIELD, WILLIAM ARNOLD (1801–1851), (1801–1851), botanist, was born at Boldre, in the New Forest, Hampshire, in 1801, his father, the Rev. John Arnold Bromfield, dying in the same year. He received his early training under Dr. Knox of Tunbridge, Dr. Nicholas of Ealing, and Rev. Mr. Phipps, a Warwickshire clergyman. He entered Glasgow University in 1821, and two years later he took his degree in medicine. During his university career he first showed a liking for botany, and made an excursion into the Scottish highlands in quest of plants.
He left Scotland in 1826, and, being independent of professional earnings, travelled through Germany, Italy, and France, returning to England in 1830. His mother died shortly afterwards, and he lived with his sister at Hastings and at Southampton, and finally settled at Ryde in 1836. He published in the ‘Phytologist’ some observations on Hampshire plants, and then began to amass materials for a Flora of the Isle of Wight, which he did not consider complete even after fourteen years of assiduous labour. In 1842 he spent some weeks in Ireland, and in January 1844 he started for a six months' tour to the West India Islands, spending most of the time in Trinidad and Jamaica. Two years later he visited North America, publishing some remarks in Hooker's ‘Journal of Botany.’
In September 1850 he embarked for the East, and spent some time in Egypt, penetrating as far as Khartoum, which he described in a letter as a ‘region of dust, dirt, and barbarism.’ Here he lost two of his companions, victims to the climate, and he returned to Cairo in the following June, after an absence of seven months. Continuing his journey, he passed by Jaffa, and stated his intention of leaving Constantinople for Southampton in September, but his last letter was dated ‘Bairout, 22 Sept.,’ when he was expecting a friend to join him on a trip to Baalbec and Damascus. At the latter place ​he was attacked by malignant typhus, and died on 9 Oct., four days after his arrival. His collections were sent to Kew, some of the contents being shared amongst his scientific friends. The Flora of the Isle of Wight was printed by Sir W. J. Hooker and Dr. Bell Salter in 1856, under the title of 'Flora Vectensis,' in 8vo, with a topographical map and portrait of the author. His manuscript Flora of Hampshire was never published. His herbarium is now at Ryde in the Isle of Wight, but his manuscripts are in the library of the Royal Kew Gardens. He left behind him the memory of a most amiable man and zealous naturalist.
[Hooker's Kew Gard. Misc. (1851) iii. 373-382; Proc. Linn. Soc. ii. 182-3; Royal Soc. Cat. Sci. Papers, i. 644; Townsend's Fl. of Hampshire, xvi. xvii.]
B. D. J.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bromley, Henry

​BROMLEY, HENRY. [See Wilson, Anthony.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Horsley, Charles Edward

​HORSLEY, CHARLES EDWARD (1822–1876), musical composer, son of William Horsley [q. v.], was born in London 16 Dec. 1822. Both his maternal grandfather, Dr. Callcott, and his father were composers. He received his earliest musical training from his father, and, when sufficiently advanced, studied the piano under the guidance of Moscheles. By the advice of Mendelssohn, who during his first visit to England became very intimate with the Horsley family, he was sent to Cassel, where he was under the tuition of Hauptmann. From Cassel he went to Leipzig. There he enjoyed the great advantage of personal instruction from Mendelssohn, and contracted a friendship with the composer Spohr. ​Horsley wrote, while in Germany, several instrumental works, including a trio for piano, violin, and violoncello, and an overture which was produced at Cassel in 1845.
On his return to England he devoted himself to teaching music, and won considerable distinction as a performer on the piano and the organ. Shortly after he settled in London, at the age of twenty-four, he achieved a success with an oratorio, ‘David;’ and again, three years later, with a second oratorio, ‘Joseph.’ Both works were written for the Liverpool Philharmonic Society. From 19 Sept. 1853 till June 1857 he was organist of St. John's, Notting Hill. In 1854 he composed an anthem for the consecration of Fairfield Church, and in 1860 produced at the Glasgow musical festival a third oratorio, ‘Gideon.’
In 1868 he went to Australia, and lived for some time in Melbourne. For the opening of the Town Hall in that city, in 1870, he wrote an ode, ‘Euterpe,’ for solos, chorus, and orchestra. A selection from this was performed at the Crystal Palace in March 1876. From Melbourne he proceeded to the United States, and died in New York, 28 Feb. 1876.
Besides the compositions already mentioned, Horsley's writings include: music to ‘Comus,’ which was much praised on its production; a song, ‘The Patriot Flag,’ and an anthem written while he was in America; and a number of songs, anthems, pianoforte pieces, and sonatas for piano, piano and flute, and piano and violoncello. He edited a ‘Collection of Glees,’ by his father, in 1873, and his own ‘Text-Book of Harmony’ was published posthumously in London in 1876.
[Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 754; Harper's Weekly Journal, 18 March 1876; information from Mr. J. C. Horsley, R.A.; Vestry Minutes of St. John's, Notting Hill; Cat. of music in Brit. Mus.]
R. F. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Horsman, Nicholas

​HORSMAN, NICHOLAS (fl. 1689), divine, is stated to have been born in Devonshire and to have been the son of a minister. He matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford, on 15 March 1653–4 (Bloxam, Reg. Magd. Coll. i. 72–3), from which he removed in the same year to Corpus Christi College. He proceeded B.A. in January 1655–6, and M.A. in March 1658–9. After taking orders he became fellow, and in 1667 proceeded B.D. About two years later his mind became permanently affected, and an allowance was made him from the college. He resided for some time in Bath, and thence removed to Plymouth, where he was living in 1689. He wrote ‘The Spiritual Bee; or a Miscellany of Spiritual, Historical, Natural Observations and occasional Occurrences applyed in Divine Meditations,’ Oxford, 1662, 8vo, and Wood states that he made additions and corrections to Wheare's ‘Method of Reading History,’ Oxford, 1662.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, iv. 616, 617; Bloxam's Reg. Magdalen College, i. 72–3.]
A. C. B.