Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/803

BRI  about the year 1651; from whence he came to London, and was bound apprentice to a dealer in small-coal, in St. John Street, Clerkenwell. After he had served his time of seven years, his master gave him a sum of money not to oppose him in his calling, On this he returned into Northamptonshire; but after spending the money, he revisited London, and, forgetting his agreement, set up in business. He hired a stable in Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell, which he converted into a dwelling-house. Some time after he had been settled here, he became acquainted with his neighbour, Dr. Garenciers, through whose instructions and assistance he obtained an extensive knowledge of chemistry. He likewise attained a great degree of skill, both in the theoretical and practical parts of music, which obtained for him the name of the "musical small-coal man." He was also a great admirer and collector of old books, chiefly on the occult sciences, which he sold during his life-time for a considerable sum; and he claims to have been the first person who established weekly concerts in London, an account of which has been left us by his facetious neighbour Ned Ward, the author of the London Spy. At their first institution, Britton's concerts were held in his own house. "On the ground flour there was a repository for small-coal, and over that was the concert room, which was very long and narrow, and had a ceiling so low that a tall man could but just stand upright in it. The stairs to this room were from the outside of the house, and could scarcely be ascended without crawling. The house itself was very old and low-built, and in every respect so mean as to be a fit habitation for only a very poor man." Notwithstanding all these disagreeable circumstances, this mansion had such attraction as occasionally to draw together even the genteelest admirers. The principal performers at these concerts were Handel (who presided at the harpsichord), Dr. Pepusch, John Banister, Henry Needler of the excise office, John Hughes, author of the Siege of Damascus, Woolaston the painter, Philip Hart, Henry Symonds, Abel Whichello, Obadiah Shuttleworth, and many other artists and amateurs of eminence. The singularity of his conduct, the course of his studies, and the collections he made, induced suspicions that Britton was not the character he seemed to be. Some persons fancied his musical assembly was only a cover for seditious meetings, others for purposes of magic; and he was himself taken, by different persons, for an atheist, a presbyterian, and a jesuit. These, however, were all ill-grounded conjectures; for Britton was a plain, simple, honest man, perfectly inoffensive, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. The circumstances of Britton's death are not less remarkable than those of his life. A person named Honeyman, a blacksmith by trade, was celebrated at the beginning of the eighteenth century for his powers in ventriloquism. This man was secretly introduced into Britton's apartment for the purpose of terrifying him, and he succeeded but too seriously. Honeyman, without moving his lips or seeming to speak, announced, from a distant part of the room, the death of poor Britton within a few hours, unless, to avert the doom, he would fall on his knees immediately and repeat the Lord's prayer. The poor man did as he was told, but it did not answer the purpose. His nerves were so much shaken that he died within a few days afterwards. This event took place in September, 1714. He was interred in the churchyard of Clerkenwell, attended by a great concourse of people, particularly of the attendants of his musical club. His wife survived him, but he left very little property besides his books, his collection of manuscripts and printed music, and his musical instruments, all of which were afterwards sold by auction.—(Ward's London Spy; Hawkins' History of Music; Hearne's Hemingi Chartularii Ecclesiæ Wygorniensis, appendix.)—E. F. R.  BRIZE,, a Dutch artist, who excelled in representing ivory-bellied kites, yellow rooks, mirror shields, and bas-reliefs, highly-finished and elegantly grouped. In a picture by Gettes, at the old man's hospital at Amsterdam—the subject. Old Age persecuted by Poverty—the still life, which is even in Dutchmen's eyes wonderful, is by Brize. He died in 1679.  * BRIZEUX,, born at Lorient, September, 1806. The Bretons are looked upon by the French of other provinces as a peculiar people, and Brizeux is essentially a Breton. Like other families of the purely Celtic race, they are fondly attached to time-honoured traditions, loving story, poetry, and song. It has been remarked of the soldiers drawn by the conscription from Brittany, that many of them pine away in regret for home, and not a few fall victims to nostalgia. It is necessary to bear these peculiarities in mind to understand and appreciate Brizeux. Shortly after the revolution of 1830, in the height of the combat between the fresh young giants of the romantic school, and the sturdy adherents of the classic, a sensation was created by the appearance in literary saloons of a Breton peasant with a poem in his hands, the style and subject of which contrasted strangely with the author's behaviour and manner. As much as the man looked rustic and uncivilized, his poem, simply called "Marie," was polished and refined, almost to effeminacy—sentiments pure, gentle, and true, breathed through versification unusually soft and harmonious. The romanticists were enchanted. However eccentric some of their own forms were of presenting nature, in opposition to cold artificiality, yet had they inscribed "Nature" on their banners; and here was Brizeux, with his wood notes wild—here was an unspoiled peasant, who had, he knew not how, sung out of the fullness of an inspired heart. When "Marie" was published it became popular at once. Brizeux was, of course, turned into a lion. He was made put off his sabots and put on kid gloves, and turn gentleman. He was even sent to Italy to finish his education. Of course he translated Dante. After making all necessary sacrifices to the exigencies of his patrons, and becoming, as a matter of course, spoiled, Brizeux, happily yielding to the old native impulse, gave up Italian translation, and returned to the poetic traditions of his own land, which it was his mission to interpret. His poem, entitled "The Bretons," was in 1846 crowned by the French Academy. Since then he has been engaged in writing poems in his native dialect, with all good wishes for success in a path he need fear no rival.—J. F. C.  BRIZIO,, an Italian painter and engraver, born at Bologna in 1574. He studied first under Passerotti, then in the Caracci school, excelling in architecture and perspective. His prints are badly drawn. His son,, was a scholar of Guido's, and painted several Bologna altarpieces.—W. T.  BROADWOOD,, the founder of the celebrated house of Broadwood & Sons, the wide-world pianoforte makers, was born in Scotland in the year 1731; and when about twenty years of age, travelled up on foot from that country in search of employment in the great metropolis. He was a carpenter or joiner by trade, and entered the house of Tschudi, an eminent harpsichord-maker. Here he ingratiated himself so completely with his master, that he became in time his son-in-law, partner, and successor. The earliest notice of a pianoforte of the square form la Messrs. Broadwood's books is dated 1771; the earliest of the grand form is 1781. In 1783 the books of the great seal patent office contains an entry of a grant (July 18th), "To John Broadwood, of Great Pulteney Street, Golden Square, pianoforte maker, for his new-constructed pianoforte, which is far superior to any instrument of the kind hitherto made." This ingenious artist and worthy man died in 1812, at the advanced age of eighty-one. There is an excellent folio mezzotint engraving of him by Messrs. Harrison & Say. Between 1771 and 1851 the eminent firm of Broadwood & Sons made no fewer than 103,750 pianofortes. All the really important improvements in the pianoforte, during this period, have emanated from their house.—E. F. R.  BROCCHI,, a celebrated Italian naturalist, was born at Bassano in 1772. Sent to Pisa to study law, he acquired a taste for natural history, and having abandoned the uncongenial pursuit, he betook himself to Rome, where he resolved to devote his time to his favourite study. From Rome he visited Venice, where he made his first appearance in the literary world, by the publication of treatises on ecclesiastical sculpture in 1792, and on garden plants in 1796; and of "Letters to a lady on Dante" in 1797. In 1801 Brocchi became lecturer on natural history in Brescia. In 1808 the attention of the French government, then ruling Italy, was called to his qualifications by the publication of "Trattato mineralogico e chimico sulle miniere di ferro del dipartimento del Mella," &c., he was appointed a councillor of mines, and commissioned to investigate the mineral treasures of the country. In 1811 he published his "Memoria sulla valle di Fassa," and in the same year carried out his plan of investigating the fossil shells of the Apennines by travelling from Modena by way of Saffualo, Barigazzo, &c., to Rome, where he arrived in September, went to Naples in November, observed the celebrated eruption of Vesuvius on the 1st January, 1812, and returned to Modena at the end of May in the same year. A second journey with the same object was made 