with John Evelyn and William Dugdale. The correspondence with Evelyn was begun at the request of Mr. (afterwards Sir) Robert Paston, created earl of Yarmouth in 1673. At this time (January 1657-8) Evelyn was preparing for publication a work to be entitled 'Elysium Britannicum,' and he was anxious to receive assistance from Browne. The tract, 'Of Garlands,' and perhaps the 'Observations on Grafting,' were written at Evelyn's request. Though only a few letters have been preserved, the correspondence appears to have been kept up for some years. In Sylva' Evelyn gives an extract from a letter which Browne addressed to him in 1664. The correspondence with Dugdale relates to the treatise On Embanking and Draining,' which Dugdale was then preparing for publication.

In 1658 appeared (1 vol. 8vo) 'Hydriotaphia. Urn Burial; or a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk' and 'The Garden of Cyrus; or the Quincuncial Lozenge, net-work plantations of the Ancients, artificially, naturally, mystically considered.' The former treatise is dedicated to Thomas Le Gros of Crostwick; the latter to Sir Nicholas Bacon of Gillingham. In 'Hydriotaphia' Browne discusses with great learning the burial-customs that have existed in various countries at various times. More than one quotation is made from Dante; he was among the very few men of his time who had read the 'Inferno.' The concluding chapter is a solemn homily on death and immortality, unsurpassed in literature for sustained majesty of eloquence. Lamb was an enthusiastic admirer of Hydriotaphia.' The Garden of Cyrus' is the most fantastic of Browne's writings. Beginning with the garden of Eden, he traces the history of horticulture down to the time of the Persian Cyrus, who is credited with having been the first to plant a quincunx, though Browne discovers the figure in the hanging gardens of Babylon, and supposes it to have been in use from the remotest antiquity. The consideration of a quincuncial arrangement in horticulture leads him to a disquisition on the mystical properties of the number five. He finds (in Coleridge's words) 'quincunxes in heaven above, quincunxes in earth below, quincunxes in the mind of man, quincunxes in tones, in optic nerves, in roots of trees, in leaves, in everything.' At the end of the 'Garden of Cyrus' Browne inserted a note disclaiming the authorship of a book called 'Nature's Cabinet unlocked,' which had been impudently published under his name.

Browne took a lively interest in the training of his children. His eldest son was

Edward [q. v.] Thomas, the second son, was sent in 1660 at the age of fourteen, unaccompanied, to travel in France. Among the Rawlinson MSS. (D. 391) are transcripts made by Mrs. Elizabeth Lyttleton of letters written by Browne to 'honest Tom' (as the address always runs) between December 1660 and January 1661-2. The postscript of one letter concludes: You may stay your stomack with little pastys sometimes in cold mornings, for I doubt sea larks will be too dear a collation and drawe too much wine down; be warie, for Rochelle was a place of too much good fellowship and a very drinking town, as I observed when I was there, more than other parts of France.' There appears to have been a perfect understanding between father and son. The youth joined the navy in 1664, and had a brief but brilliant career. He disappears from 1667. There are extant two of his letters to his father, written in May 1667, which prove him to have been a man of scholarly attainments as well as a gallant officer. Browne cherished the memory of his lost son, and often alludes to him in letters of later years. Whitefoot states that two of Browne's daughters were sent to France, but we have no account of their travels. In 1669 Browne's daughter Anne had been married to Edward Fairfax, grandson of Thomas, lord viscount Fairfax. She and her husband spent the Christmas of 1669 under her father's roof, and the visit was either prolonged or repeated, for the registers of St. Peter's, Norwich, contain entries of the birth and burial of their first child, Barker Fairfax, on 30 Aug. and 5 Sept. 1670.

An unfortunate practical illustration of Browne's credulity was given in 1664, when Amy Duny and Rose Cullender were arraigned for witchcraft before Sir Matthew Hale at Bury St. Edmunds. Browne, who was in court at the time of the trial, having been requested by the lord chief baron to give his opinion on the case, declared 'that the fits were natural, but heightened by the devils co-operating with the malice of the witches, at whose instance he did the villainies;' and he mentioned some similar cases that had lately occurred in Denmark. is supposed that this expression of opinion helped in no slight degree to procure the poor women's conviction (HUTCHINSON, Historical Essay concerning Witchcraft, 118-20).

It

In December 1664 Browne was admitted socius honorarius of the College of Physicians, receiving his diploma on 6 July 1665. In 1666 he presented to the Royal Society some fossil bones found at Winterton in Norfolk. Two years afterwards he sent some informa

tion on the natural history of Norfolk to Dr. Christopher Merrett, who was then contemplating a third and enlarged edition (which never appeared) of his 'Pinax Rerum Naturalium Britannicarum.' He also lent a number of coloured drawings to Ray, who acknowledged in his editions of Willoughby's 'Ornithology' and 'Ichthyology' the assistance that he had received from Browne, but was at no pains to return the drawings.

On 28 Sept. 1671, Charles II paid a state visit to Norwich. He was anxious to confer the dignity of knighthood as a memorial of the visit on one of the leading inhabitants. As the mayor declined the honour, Browne was knighted. Early in October Evelyn, who was staying at Euston as the guest of the Earl of Arlington, drove over with Sir Thomas Clifford to join the royal party at Norwich. His chief desire was to see Browne, and he has left a brief but interesting account of a visit paid to 'that famous scholar and physitian.' He found the house and garden a paradise and cabinet of rarities, and that of the best collections, especially medails, books, plants, and natural things.' He took particular notice of Browne's extensive collection of birds' eggs. After inspecting the rarities, he was conducted round the city by Browne, who pointed out to him whatever was worthy of observation. In the following year Browne bore personal evidence (in a note dated 20 July 1672) to the marvellous precocity of William Wotton [q. v.] He communicated in March 1672-3 to Anthony à Wood through Aubrey some notices concerning his former tutor, Dr. Lushington, and others, also some biographical particulars about himself. In answer to inquiries of Elias Ashmole respecting Dr. John Dee, he sent some curious information that he had derived from the alchemist's son, Dr. Arthur Dee, himself a firm believer in alchemy, who had resided at Norwich for many years.

Browne published nothing after 1658, but he appears to have had the intention of collecting his scattered manuscript tracts for publication. In the biographical notice of himself that he sent through Aubrey to Wood, he says that he had 'some "Miscellaneous Tracts" which may be published.' To the close of his life he continued to make observations and experiments. His last extant letter to his son Edward was written on 16 June 1682. It is a gossipy letter, relating to his daughter Elizabeth, who had married Captain George Lyttleton, and was settled in Guernsey. Dr. Edward Browne wrote on 3 Oct. to ask his father to 'thinke

of some effectuall cheape medicines for the hospitall.' A few days afterwards Browne was seized with a sharp attack of colic, to which he finally succumbed on 19 Oct., the day on which he completed his seventyseventh year. He was buried in the church of St. Peter Mancroft at Norwich, where a mural monument was erected to his memory by his widow. In August 1840, while some workmen were digging a vault in the chancel of the church, his coffin-lid was broken open by a blow from a pickaxe. The bones were found to be in good preservation, and the fine auburn hair had not lost its freshness (Proceedings of the Archæological Institute, 1847). On the brass coffin-plate was found a curious inscription (perhaps written by his son) which supplied matter for antiquarian controversy. His skull is now kept under a glass case in the museum at the Norwich hospital.

Browne left considerable property, both real and personal. On 2 Dec. 1679 he prepared a will, by which ample provision was made for his widow and his two unmarried daughters, Elizabeth and Frances. Elizabeth was married some time before his death to Captain Lyttleton. At the request of Dame Dorothy Browne 'Some Minutes for the Life of Sir Thomas Browne' were drawn up by his old and intimate friend the Rev. John Whitefoot, rector of Heigham. In these Minutes' we are told that Browne's 'stature was moderate, and habit of body neither fat nor lean, but evoарkos.' He was simple in his dress, and kept himself always very warm, and thought it most safe so to do.' His modesty was visible in a natural habitual blush, which was increased upon the least occasion, and oft discovered without any observable cause.' He attended church very regularly and read the best English sermons, but had no taste for controversial divinity. He was liberal in his house entertainments and in his charity.' It has been already mentioned that he subscribed towards building a new library in Trinity College, Cambridge. Kennet (Register, p. 345) records another instance of his generosity-that he contributed 130l. towards the repairs of Christ Church, Oxford. From Rawlinson MS. D. 391 we learn that he gave 127.' towards the building of a new school in the college near Winton.'

Various writings of Browne were published posthumously. In 1684 appeared a collection of Miscellany Tracts, 8vo, under the editorship of Archbishop Tenison, who states in the preface that he selected them out of many disordered papers and disposed them into such a method as they were capable of.'

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These tracts chiefly consist of letters in reply to inquiries of correspondents. A copy that belonged to Wilkin contains a manuscript note by Evelyn: Most of these letters were addressed to Sir Nicholas Bacon.' The contents are: 1. Observations upon several Plants mentioned in Scripture.' 2. 'Of Garlands and Coronary or Garland Plants,' against which in Evelyn's copy is the note: "This letter was written to me from Dr. Browne; more at large in the Coronarie plants.' 3. Of the Fishes eaten by our Saviour with his Disciples after his Resurrection from the Dead. 4. An Answer to certain Queries relating to Fishes, Birds, and Insects.' 5. 'Of Hawks and Falconry, ancient and modern.' 6. 'Of Cymbals,' &c. 7. 'Of Ropalic or Gradual Verses,' &c. 8. 'Of Languages, and particularly of the Saxon Tongue.' 9. Of Artificial Hills, Mounts, or Burrows in many parts of England,' addressed to E. D.,' an evident mistake for W. D.,' i.e. William Dugdale. 10. 'Of Troas,' &c. 11. Of the Answers of the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos to Croesus, King of Lydia,' from which tract (as from a passage of Religio Medici ') it appears that Browne believed in the satanic origin of oracles. 12. A Prophecy concerning the Future State of several Nations.' 13.Musæum Clausum, or Bibliotheca Abscondita,' a whimsical jeu d'esprit, suggested (as Warburton supposed) by Rabelais' catalogue of the books in the library of St. Victor. These tracts were republished in the 1686 folio of Browne's works. The fine and solemn Letter to a Friend upon occasion of the death of his intimate friend' was issued in 1690 as a folio pamphlet by Dr. Edward Browne. It closes with a string of maxims which reappear with slight variations in Christian Morals.' A manuscript copy of the Letter,' differing largely from the printed text, is preserved in Sloane MS. 1862. In 1712 appeared 'Posthumous Works of the learned Sir Thomas Browne, knt., M.D., late of Norwich: printed from his original manuscripts,' &c. The volume opens with a short life of Browne, to which are appended Whitefoot's Minutes,' and the diploma given to Browne by the College of Physicians when he was chosen socius honorarius. The miscellanies embrace: 1. An Account of Island, alias Iceland, in the year 1662. 2. Repertorium, or some Account and Monuments in the Cathedral Church of Norwich,' written in 1680. In the preface to the 1684 collection Archbishop Tenison, speaking of Browne's unpublished manuscripts, referred to this tract in the following terms: Amongst these manuscripts there

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is one which gives a brief account of all the monuments of the cathedral of Norwich. It was written merely for private use, and the relations of the author expect such justice from those into whose hands some imperfect copies of it are fallen, that, without their consent first obtained, they forbear the publishing of it. The truth is, matter equal to the skill of the antiquary was not there afforded.' 3. 'Concerning some Urnes found in Brampton Field, Norfolk, ann. 1667,' a supplement to Urn Burial.' 4. Some Letters which pass'd between Mr. Dugdale and Dr. Browne, ann. 1658; a letter "Concerning the too nice curiosity of censuring the Present or judging into Future Dispensations; " a note "Upon reading Hudibras." 5. A Letter to a Friend,' &c. (originally published in 1690). The first edition of Christian Morals' was published in 1716 by Archdeacon Jeffery. It is supposed that this treatise was intended as a continuation of Religio Medici.' A correspondent of the European Magazine' (xi. 89) found in a copy of the 1686 edition of Browne's works a manuscript note by White Kennet stating, on information derived from Mrs. Lyttleton, that when Tenison returned Browne's manuscripts to Dr. Edward Browne the choicest papers, which were a continuation of his 'Religio Medici,' could not be found. This note is supported by the statement of Jeffery in the preface, that the reason why the treatise had not been printed earlier was because it was unhappily lost by being mislaid among other manuscripts for which search was lately made in the presence of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, of which his grace, by letter, informed Mrs. Lyttleton when he sent the manuscript to her.' It may be assumed with certainty that Browne never intended Christian Morals' for publication in its present shape. Of all his works it is the weakest, and has the appearance of being a collection of fragmentary jottings from notebooks-a piece of patchwork. Of course it contains some noble passages, but too often the thought is thin and the language turgid.

The manuscripts of Browne and of his son and grandson, Dr. Edward Browne and Dr. Thomas Browne, were sold after the death of the grandson. Most of them were purchased by Sir Hans Sloane, and are now preserved in Sloane MSS. 1825-1923. A full list of these manuscripts is given by Wilkin at the end of the fourth volume of the 1835 edition of Browne. All the pieces in the collection that could be shown to be by Browne were printed by Wilkin. Among these are: 1. Account of Birds, Fish, and

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information unexplored. The three-volume reprint, 1852, of Wilkin's edition is far inferior to the 1835 edition; some of the most interesting portions of the correspondence and several miscellaneous pieces are omitted. Dr. Greenhill's edition of Religio Medici,' 1881, displays great care and learning.

Portraits of Browne are preserved in the Royal College of Physicians, in the vestry of St. Peter's, Norwich, and at Oxford.

[Wood's Athena (Bliss), iv. 56-9; Wood's Fasti, i. 426, 451, 498; Life, and Whitefoot's Minutes, prefixed to Posthumous Works, 1712; Life by Dr. Johnson and Supplementary Memoir by Simon Wilkin; Blomefield's Norfolk, iii. 414, iv. 193– 194; Works (ed. Wilkin), 1835-6; Greenhill's editions of Religio Medici, 1881 and 1883; Coleridge's Literary Remains, i. 241-8, ii. 398; Proceedings of the Archæological Institute, 1847; The Palatine Note-book, vol. iii. No. 34.]

A. H. B.

BROWNE, THOMAS (1672-1710), physician, was the son of Dr. Edward Browne [q. v.], president of the College of Physicians, and thus grandson of the author of Religio Medici.' He was born in London, and baptised on 21 Jan. 1672-3. His childhood was spent with his grandfather at Norwich, as is known from the numerous references to 'Tomey' in Sir T. Browne's correspondence with his son. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge, and proceeded M.B. in 1695, M.D. 1700. He was admitted a candidate of the College of Physicians on 30 Sept. 1704, and a fellow on 30 Sept. 1707 (MUNK). In 1698 he married his cousin Alethea, daughter of Henry Fairfax, but had no issue. He inherited his father's estate at Northfleet, Kent, and (according to a statement in Le Neve's pedigree of the Brownes, printed in Wilkin's 'Life and Works of Sir T. Browne') died in 1710, in consequence of a fall from his horse. Browne was not eminent as a physician, and what interest attaches to his memory is chiefly through his family connections. He wrote, however, a curious account of an antiquarian tour through England in company with Dr. Robert Plot (historian of Oxfordshire, &c.), which exists in manuscript in the British Museum (Sloane 1899), and is printed in Wilkin's work above cited.

[Wilkin's Life and Works of Sir Thomas Browne, London, 1836, i.; Munk's Coll. of Phys. 2nd ed. ii. 18.] J. F. P.

BROWNE, THOMAS (1708 ?-1780), Garter king-of-arms, the second son of John Browne of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, became Bluemantle pursuivant in 1737, Lancaster herald in 1743, Norroy king-of-arms in 1761,

and Garter in 1774. He was the most eminent land surveyor in the kingdom, and was called 'Sense Browne,' to distinguish him from his contemporary, Lancelot Brown [q. v.], who was usually called 'Capability Brown.' At first he resided at his seat of Little Wimley, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire, which he received with his wife; afterwards he removed to Camville Place, Essendon, in that county. But he died at his town house in St. James's Street (now called Great James Street), Bedford Row, on 22 Feb. 1780. His portrait has been engraved by W. Dickinson, from a painting by N. Dance.

[Noble's College of Arms, 394, 395, 415, 422, 439; Evans's Cat. of Engraved Portraits, 13196; Bromley's Cat. of Engraved Portraits, 340; Gent. Mag. 1. 103.] T. C.

BROWNE, WILLIAM (1591-1643 ?), poet, second son of Thomas Browne, who is supposed by Prince to have belonged to the knightly family of the Brownes of Browne Ilash in the parish of Langtree, near Great Torrington, Devonshire, was born at Tavistock in 1591. Wood states that he was educated at the grammar school of his native town, and about the beginning of the reign of James I' was sent to Exeter College, Oxford. On leaving Oxford (without a degree) he entered himself at Clifford's Inn, whence he migrated (November 1611) to the Inner Temple. A certain William Browne was granted on 18 April 1615 the place of pursuivant of wards and liveries during life; but we cannot be sure that it was the poet who received the sinecure, for at this time there were other William Brownes belonging to the Inner Temple. A William Browne of Chichester was admitted student in November 1588, and another of Walcott, Northants,' in November 1579 (Students of the Inner Temple, 15711625, pp. 32, 57). Browne's earliest publication was an elegy on Prince Henry, who died in November 1612. It was printed in 1613, with an elegy by Christopher Brooke [q.v.], in a small quarto, entitled Two Elegies, consecrated to the never-dying memorie of the most worthily admyred: most hartily loued; and generally bewayled Prince, Henry Prince of Wales,' 17 leaves. There is a manuscript copy of this elegy in the Bodleian. It was afterwards introduced, in a somewhat altered form, into the fifth song of the first book of 'Britannia's Pastorals.' The first book of the 'Pastorals' appears to have been composed before the poet had attained his twentieth year; for in the fifth song he writesO how (methinkes) the impes of Mneme bring Dewes of Invention from their sacred spring! Here could I spend that spring of Poesie Which not twice ten sunnes have bestow'd on me.