Chapter Beaumont to Behn of B by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Beaumont to Behn

Beaumont, Sir John (1582-1627?).—Poet, elder brother of Francis Beaumont, the dramatist (q.v.). His poems, of which the best known is Bosworth Field, pub. by his son, 1629. Another, The Crown of Thorns, is lost.

Beckford, William (circa 1760-1844).—Miscellaneous writer, only son of William Beckford, Lord Mayor of London, the associate and supporter of John Wilkes, inherited at the age of 9 an enormous fortune. In these circumstances he grew up wayward and extravagant, showing, however, a strong bent towards literature. His education was entrusted to a private tutor, with whom he travelled extensively on the Continent. At the age of 22 he produced his oriental romance, Vathek (circa 1781), written originally in French and, as he was accustomed to boast, at a single sitting of three days and two nights. There is reason, however, to believe that this was a flight of imagination. It is an impressive work, full of fantastic and magnificent conceptions, rising occasionally to sublimity. His other principal writings are Memoirs of Extraordinary Painters (1780), a satirical work, and Letters from Italy with Sketches of Spain and Portugal (1835), full of brilliant descriptions of scenes and manners. Beckford’s fame, however, rests nearly as much upon his eccentric extravagances as a builder and collector as upon his literary efforts. In carrying out these he managed to dissipate his fortune of £100,000 a year, only £80,000 of his capital remaining at his death. He sat in parliament for various constituencies, and one of his two daughter became Duchess of Hamilton.

Beddoes, Thomas Lovell (1803-1849).—Dramatic poet and physiologist, son of Dr. Thos. Beddoes, an eminent physician, and nephew of Maria Edgeworth. Editor at the Charterhouse and Oxford, he published in 1821 The Improvisatore, which he afterwards endeavoured to suppress. His next venture was The Bride’s Tragedy (1822), which had considerable success, and won for him the friendship of “Barry Cornwall.” Thereafter he went to Göttingen and studied medicine. He then wandered about practising his profession, and expounding democratic theories which got him into trouble. He died at Bale in mysterious circumstances. For some time before his death he had been engaged upon a drama, Death’s Jest Book, which was published in 1850 with a memoir by his friend, T. F. Kelsall. Beddoes had not the true dramatic instinct, but his poetry is full of thought and richness of diction. Some of his short pieces, e.g.: “If there were dreams to sell,” and “If thou wilt ease thine heart,” are masterpieces of intense feeling exquisitely expressed.

Bede Or Bæda (673-735).—Historian and scholar. Bede, who is sometimes referred to as “the father of English history,” was in his youth placed under the care of Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, and of Ceolfrith, afterwards Abbot of Jarrow. Ordained deacon in 692 and priest in 703, he spent most of his days at Jarrow, where his fame as a scholar and teacher of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew brought him many disciples. Here likewise he died and was buried, but his bones were, towards the beginning of the 11th century, removed to Durham. The well-deserved title of “Venerable” usually prefixed to his name first appears in 836. He was the most learned Englishman of his age. His industry was marvellous, and its results remain embodied in about 40 books, of which about 25 are commentaries on books of Scripture. The others are lives of saints and martyrs, and his two great works, The Ecclesiastical History of England and the scientific treatise, De Natura Rerum. The former of these gives the fullest and best information we have as to the history of England down to the year 731, and the latter is an encyclopædia of the sciences as then known. In the anxious care with which he sought out and selected reliable information, and referred to authorities he shows the best qualities of the modern historian, and his style is remarkable for “a pleasing artlessness.”

History of Early Engl. Lit., Stopford Brooke (2 vols., 1892), etc.

Beecher, Henry Ward (1813-1887).—Orator and divine, son of Lyman Beecher and brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, was one of the most popular of American preachers and platform orators, a prominent advocate of temperance and of the abolition of slavery. His writings, which had a wide popularity, include Summer in the Soul and Life Thoughts.

Behn, Aphra (Johnston) (1640-1689).—Novelist and dramatist, daughter of a barber named Johnston, but went with a relative whom she called father to Surinam, of which he had been appointed Governor.