Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/184

 In 1794 he collected into two volumes the moral tales which he had written for the 'General Magazine,' adding some verses, unpublished tales, and a life of Parsons, the comedian. These 'Miscellanies in Prose and Verse' were dedicated to Charles Dibdin, with whom the author afterwards quarrelled. Later he projected the 'Monthly Mirror,' which was chiefly concerned with the stage. When this periodical had run its race, he established a circulating library. On the death of his mother he became possessed of some property, which enabled him to retire from business and devote himself to literary pursuits. But he did not long enjoy his leisure; seized with a sharp and sudden illness he died, after four days' suffering, on 29 Aug. 1800.

In addition to the works already mentioned he wrote: 1. 'The Benevolent Planters,' a dramatic piece performed at the Haymarket in 1789, and printed in the same year. 2. 'Sadaski, or the Wandering Penitent,' 2 vols., 12mo, 1798. 3. 'Lessons from Life, or Home Scenes.' 4. 'The Beggar Boy,' a novel in three volumes, published posthumously in 1801, to which is prefixed a biographical memoir of the author by Mrs. Villa-Real Gooch.

[Mrs. Villa-Real Gooch's Memoir, prefixed to the Beggar Boy; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; British Museum Catalogue.]

 BELLAMY, THOMAS LUDFORD (1770–1843), son of [q. v.], was born in St. John's parish, Westminster, in 1770. He learned singing and music from his father and Dr. Cooke, and (when his voice had broken) from Tasca. In 1784 he sang amongst the trebles at the Handel commemoration in Westminster Abbey, and in 1791 he sang in the so-called oratorios at Drury Lane. In 1794 he went to Ireland, as it is generally stated, to manage a nobleman's estate, but it is more probable that his visit was connected with the Irish property which had been bequeathed him by his maternal grandfather in 1776 ('s Westminster Registers p. 421). In 1797 he was in Dublin, where he acted as stage manager at the theatre; but in 1800 he bought shares in the Manchester, Chester, Shrewsbury, and Lichfield theatres. Three years later he sold his interest in these undertakings, and became sole proprietor of the Belfast, Londonderry, and Newry theatres. This speculation turning out a failure, he returned to London, where he obtained an engagement to sing at Covent Garden for five years. In 1812 he was engaged for a similar period at Drury Lane. On the expiration of this engagement he started an academy of music on the Logerian system; but this does not appear to have been successful, as in 1819 he obtained the appointment of master of the choir of the Spanish chapel. Two years later he succeeded Bartleman as principal bass singer at the Ancient concerts. Bellamy died 3 Jan. 1843.

[The Georgian Era, iv. 637; Grove's Dictionary, i. 211a; Burney's Account of the Handel Commemoration (1786); Musical Examiner for 7 Jan. 1843.]

 BELLASIS. [See .]

 BELLASIS, EDWARD (1800–1873), serjeant-at-law, only son of the Rev. George Bellasis, D.D., of Queen's College, Oxford, rector of Yattendon and vicar of Basilden and Ashampstead, Berkshire, by his second wife, Leah Cooper, only surviving child and heir of Emery Viall, of Walsingham, Norfolk, was born 14 Oct. 1800, in his father's vicarage at Basilden. From 1580 his family were well known as of Long Marton, Westmoreland ; while from 1763, when his uncle General John Bellasis, commander of the forces at Bombay, first went to India, several members of it won distinction in the militaiy and civil service of the company. Conspicuous among these were the two half brothers of Serjeant Bellasis, General Joseph Harvey Bellasis, who, in 1799, was killed while storming a fort at Sondah in Bundelcund, and Colonel George Bridges Bellasis, who, in the same year, received a medal for gallantry at the battle of Seringapatam.

Bellasis was a student at Christ's Hospital from the Easter of 1808 to the October of 1815. He was entered as a student at the Inner Temple on 8 Nov. 1818, and was called to the bar 2 July 1824. For several years he practised in the court of chancery and in the county palatine of Lancaster. In 1836 he was engaged to watch over the interests of his friend Mr. Wood, of Hanger Hill, when Brunel first projected the Great Western Railway. He became thenceforth, as a barrister, exclusively employed in parliamentary business until his formal retirement in 1866 from professional practice. Briefs and retainers soon began to pour in upon him. The cases of grave importance in which he was engaged before the committees of the Lords and Commons reached at last a grand total of 342. He was employed in many of the great railway and navigation bills. His sagacity influenced the reconstruction of the laws regulating the salmon fisheries, and the acts directing the supply of water to Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow, and London. He was employed in 1838 in the Salford and Shaftesbury election petitions. On 10 July 1844 he became serjeant-at-law. 