Chapter Berners to Blackie of B by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Berners to Blackie

Berners, Bernes, or Barnes, Juliana (born 1388?).—Writer on heraldry and sports. Nothing of her real history is known, but statements more or less mythical have gathered round her name. The work attributed to her is The Boke of St. Albans (1486). It consists of four treatises on Hawking, Hunting, The Lynage of Coote Armiris, and The Blasynge of Armis. She was said to be the daughter of Sir James Berners, and to have been Prioress of Sopwell Nunnery, Herts.

Berners, John Bourchier, 2nd Lord (1467-1553).—Translator, born at Sherfield, Herts, and educated at Oxford, held various offices of state, including that of Chancellor of the Exchequer to Henry VIII., and Lieutenant of Calais, where he died He translated, at the King’s desire, Froissart’s Chronicles (1523- 25), in such a manner as to make a distinct advance in English historical writing, and the Golden Book of Marcus Aurelius (1534); also The History of Arthur of Lytell Brytaine (Brittany), and the romance of Huon of Bordeaux.

Besant, Sir Walter (1836-1901).—Novelist and historian of London, born at Portsmouth and educated at King’s Coll., London, and Cambridge, was for a few years a professor in Mauritius, but a breakdown in health compelled him to resign, and he returned to England and took up the duties of Secretary to the Palestine Exploration Fund, which he held 1868-85. He published in 1868 Studies in French Poetry. Three years later he began his collaboration with James Rice (q.v.). Among their joint productions are Ready-money Mortiboy (1872), and the Golden Butterfly (1876), both, especially the latter, very successful. This connection was brought to an end by the death of Rice in 1882. Thereafter Besant continued to write voluminously at his own hand, his leading novels being All in a Garden Fair, Dorothy Forster (his own favourite), Children of Gibeon, and All Sorts and Conditions of Men. The two latter belonged to a series in which he endeavoured to arouse the public conscience to a sense of the sadness of life among the poorest classes in cities. In this crusade Besant had considerable success, the establishment of The People’s Palace in the East of London being one result. In addition to his work in fiction Besant wrote largely on the history and topography of London. His plans in this field were left unfinished: among his books on this subject is London in the 18th Century.

Other works among novels are My Little Girl, With Harp and Crown, This Son of Vulcan, The Monks of Thelema, By Celia’s Arbour, and The Chaplain of the Fleet, all with Rice; and The Ivory Gate, Beyond the Dreams of Avarice, The Master Craftsman, The Fourth Generation, etc., alone. London under the Stuarts, London under the Tudors are historical.

Bickerstaffe, Isaac (circa 1735-1812?).—Dramatic writer, in early life a page to Lord Chesterfield when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, produced between 1756 and 1771 many dramatic pieces, which had considerable popularity, the best known of which are Love in a Village (1762), and The Maid of the Mill. Owing to misconduct he was dismissed from being an officer in the Marines, and had ultimately, in 1772, to fly the country. The remainder of his life seems to have been passed in penury and misery. The date of his death is unknown. He was alive in 1812.

Bird, Robert Montgomery (1803-1854).—Novelist, an American physician, wrote three tragedies, The Gladiator, Oraloosa, and The Broker of Bogota, and several novels, including Calavar, The Infidel, The Hawks of Hawk Hollow, Peter Pilgrim, and Nick of the Woods, in the first two of which he gives graphic and accurate details and descriptions of Mexican history.

Bishop, Samuel (1731-1795).—Poet, born in London, and educated at Merchant Taylor’s School and Oxford, took orders and became Headmaster of Merchant Taylor’s School. His poems on miscellaneous subjects fill two quarto vols., the best of them are those to his wife and daughter He also published essays.

Black, William (1841-1898).—Novelist. After studying as a landscape painter, he took to journalism in Glasgow. In 1864 he went to London, and soon after published his first novel, James Merle, which made no impression. In the Austro-Prussian War he acted as a war correspondent. Thereafter he began afresh to write fiction, and was more successful; the publication of A Daughter of Heth (1871) at once established his popularity, which reached its highest mark in A Princess of Thule (1873). Many other