Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/243

 devoted himself, on leaving Oxford, to the study of the works of Auguste Comte. His friends at Wadham, Professor E. S. Beesly and Mr. Frederic Harrison, shared the faith which he developed in positivism. Bridges became one of the foremost leaders of the positivist movement in England. When an English positivist committee was nominated by Pierre Laffitte, Comte's successor in Paris, in 1879, Bridges was chosen the first president. From 1870 until his retirement in 1900 he constantly lectured to the Positivist Society in London and elsewhere. He had great familiarity with French language, society, and literature, and enjoyed the intimacy of all French positivists. He translated into English Comte's 'Politique Positive I.' (1865 and 1875) and published 'The Unity of Comte's Life and Doctrine—a reply to J. S. Mill' (1866; reprinted 1911), as well as 'Five Discourses on Positive Religion' (1882). To the 'Positivist Review' (1893-1906) he contributed a hundred articles. For the 'New Calendar of Great Men' (1892) Bridges wrote 194 biographies of very varied range, and also the general 'Introductions' on philosophy and science.

At the same time history, science, and social reform also occupied his pen. In 1866 he delivered before the Philosophical Institution of Edinburgh a course of lectures on 'Richelieu and Colbert' which were published, and obtained high praise from J. A. Cotter Morison [q. v.] and Mr. James Bryce. In 1869 he lectured to the Royal Institution of London on 'Health,' a subject on which he wrote and discoursed incessantly, publishing: 'Influence of Civilization on Health,' 1869; 'A Catechism of Health for Primary Schools,' 1870; and 'Moral and Social Aspects of Health,' 1877. In 1892 he delivered and published the annual Harveian oration before the Royal College of Physicians.

In 1897 Bridges edited for the Clarendon Press the text of Roger Bacon's 'Opus Majus' in two volumes. This work, of great importance to the history of science, occupied Bridges from 1893, but on its publication critics detected errors in the text duo to Bridges' misreading of the MSS. and to his dependence on Samuel Jebb's edition of 1733. He had also overlooked an important MS. at the Vatican. The volumes were withdrawn from circulation by the Clarendon Press, stock and copyright being transferred to Bridges, who reissued them in 1900 through Messrs. Williams & Norgate, with a new third volume, which presents parts i. and iii. of the 'Opus Majus' from a photographic copy of the Vatican MS. and a full list of corrections and emendations of the previously issued text with additional notes.

Bridges published, in addition to the works cited : 1. 'History an Instrument of Political Education,' 1882. 2. 'Centenary of the French Revolution,' 1890. 3. 'Harvey and Vivisection,' 1896. For a volume called International Policy' (1866) he wrote 'England and China,' and for Mr. Bryce's 'Two Centuries of Irish History,' 1888, a chapter called 'Ireland from the Union to Catholic Emancipation, 1801-1829.' He was a contributor to the 'Fortnightly Review,' 'La Revue Occidental,' and the ' Sociological Review,' 1905-6. In 1907 Professor L. T. Hobhouse, his brother-in-law, collected, with biographical 'Introduction' by Mr. Frederic Harrison, a selection of his 'Essays and Addresses,' including a commemorative address on Roger Bacon. Mrs. Bridges also issued in 1908 a collection of friends' 'Recollections' of her husband.

 BRIGGS, JOHN (1862–1902), Lancashire cricketer, was born at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, on 3 Oct. 1862. His elder brother Joseph (1860-1902) played in a few Nottinghamshire matches in 1888. The family moved to Lancashire in his childhood. Briggs showed an aptitude for cricket as a boy, and at seventeen was a professional member of the Lancashire county team, showing promise as a fieldsman and batsman. Subsequently he developed a high reputation as a bowler. At Lord's in 1886, when playing for England v. Australia, he became famous by taking 5 wickets for 29 runs. Thenceforth his position as a first-rate bowler was assured. In 1890 he took 158 wickets for 12 runs apiece. Briggs paid six visits to Australia, thrice with Shaw and Shrewsbury's teams in the winters of 1884, 1886 and 1887, with Lord Sheffield's team in 1891-2, and twice with Mr. A. E. Stoddart's teams of 1894 and 1897. Briggs was the best all-round Lancashire player of his time, and for some twelve seasons (1883-1894) was a tower of strength to the team. Short and stout of build, he made himself popular on the cricket field by his humour, nonchalance and energy 