Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/238

 Brandt  and in some parts of the United States, where it is still employed. These scientific pursuits and his removal to London, where he had no longer the legal connection, considerably reduced his practice, and though he was offered a judgeship at Jamaica, he decided to retire to Worthing and devote himself to the education of his children. He had married in 1822 a daughter of Mr. Ashton Byrom of Fairview, near Liverpool, and had, besides two daughters, five sons, who all distinguished themselves in the navy, at Cambridge, or in India. At Worthing he resumed his classical studies, and pursued a learned and difficult inquiry into the use of the digamma in the Homeric poems, and published the results in a treatise entitled 'A Dissertation on the Metre of Homer' (Pickering, 1844), and also a text of the 'Iliad' with the digamma inserted and Latin notes ('ΟΜΗΡΟΥ ΙΛΙΑΣ, littera digamma restituta, Pickering, 2 vols. 1841). This was followed by a translation of the 'Iliad' into blank verse, line for line (Pickering, 2 vols. 1846), which was well received as an accurate and scholarly version. He also took a lively interest in the affairs of the town, and was largely instrumental in perfecting the extensive water and drainage improvements of Worthing, where he was chairman of the first local board, and a justice of the peace for West Sussex. He died in 1873.

 BRANDT, FRANCIS FREDERICK (1819–1874), barrister and author, eldest son of the Rev. Francis Brandt, rector of Aidford, Cheshire, 1843-50, who died 1870, by Ellinor, second daughter of Nicholas Grimshaw of Preston, Lancashire, was born at Gawsworth Rectory, Cheshire, in 1819. He was educated at the Macclesfield grammar school, entered at the Inner Temple in 1839, and practised for some years as a special pleader. Called to the bar at the Inner Temple on 30 April 1847, he took the North Wales and Chester circuit. He was a successful and popular leader of the Chester and Knutsford sessions, had a fair business in London, especially as an arbitrator or referee, was one of the revising barristers on his circuit, and was employed for many years as a reporter for the 'Times' in the common pleas. About 1864 he was offered and declined an Indian judgeship. In his earlier days he was a writer in magazines and in 'Bell's Life.' The first of his books appeared in 1857, and was entitled 'Habet! a Short Treatise on the Law of the Land as it affects Pugilism,' in which he attempted to show that prize-fighting was not of itself illegal. His next work was a novel called 'Frank Morland's Manuscripts, or Memoirs of a Modern Templar,' 1859, which was followed by 'Fur and Feathers, the Law of the Land relating to Game, &c.,' 1859, 'Suggestions for the Amendment of the Game Laws,' 1862, and 'Games, Gaming, and Gamesters' Law,' 1871, a book of considerable legal and antiquarian research, which reached a second edition. He died at his chambers, 8 Figtree Court, Temple, London, on Sunday, 6 Dec. 1874, having suffered much from a neuralgic complaint, and was buried at Christ Church, Todmorden. He was a zealous and efficient member of the Inns of Court Rifle Corps. Brandt was never married.

 BRANDWOOD, JAMES (1739–1826), quaker, was born at New House in Entwisle, near Rochdale, on 11 Nov. 1739, where his parents were of yeoman stock. After a visit to the Friends' meeting at Crawshawbooth, Brandwood ceased to attend the services at Turton chapel. He never married, and practised as a land surveyor and conveyancer, and is also said to have acted as the steward of the Turton estate. He had the character of a plain, conscientious countryman, and after his death a selection from his letters on religious subjects was published. Brandwood joined the quakers in 1761, and a meeting was shortly afterwards settled at Edgworth, where he resided many years. His religious views deprived him of his fair share in the patrimonial inheritance, and he received only an annuity of 25l. As a recognised minister of the Society of Friends he visited various parts of England, and in 1787 went to Wales in company with James Birch. In the 'testimony' respecting him we are told: ' About the sixtieth year of his age, this, our dear friend, through a combination of circumstances, appeared to be in some degree under a cloud; he became less diligent in attending meetings, and in 1813 was discontinued as an acknowledged minister.' In 1824, when he settled at Westhoughton, he was reinstated as a minister, and visited many of the southern meetings. He died on 23 March 1826. He was buried in the Friends' burial-ground at Westhoughton. A selection was made from his letters and papers. These were edited by John Bradshaw of Manchester, and deal with matters of religious experience, ranging in date from 1782 to 1823. The earliest is an essay 'On War, Oaths, and Gospel Ministry,' and the latest is a letter to a clergyman of the church of England, written when the author was in his eighty-fourth year. They were published in 1828, two years after Brandwood's death.