laws, and the punishment of crime, on which subjects he published works in 1817 and 1819. In 1822 he was called to the bar, after studying; at the middle temple. He became a fellow of the Linnæan Society in 1812, and was elected secretary in 1824. He showed a great taste for natural science in various departments. After the death of his father in 1831, be quitted London, and retired to Tymaen, near Pyle, in Glamorganshire, where he had become a partner in iron-works, which turned out an unsuccessful speculation. In 1829 he visited Ireland, and published a work on "Ireland and its Economy." In 1836 the marquis of Lansdowne appointed him one of the commissioners for inquiry into the expediency of introducing poor laws into Ireland, and in 1842 he was appointed by Lord Stanley colonial secretary of Van Diemen's Land. He died at Hobart Town on 28th February, 1851, after a short illness. Botany was his favourite pursuit, and several of his papers on this department of science appear in the Linnæan Society's Transactions, such as "Observations on the Orchis militaris of Linnæus," "On the Linnæan Genus Juncus," and "On Systems and Methods in Natural History."—J. H. B.
BICKERSTAFF, Isaac, a very successful dramatic writer, was born in Ireland, probably about the year 1735, and we find him appointed to be one of the pages to Lord Chesterfield, when lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1746. He produced "Love in a Village," "The Maid of the Mill," and "Lionel and Clarissa," three genuine English comic operas, which will continue to be popular as long as the language in which they are written lasts, and would still hold their ground as most amusing comedies, even if the incidental songs, beautiful, simple, and national, as many of them are, were omitted. The first of these operas in particular, though borrowing largely from Johnson's Village Opera and other sources, was so favourably received in London during its first season, 1762-63, that it was played nearly as often as the Beggars' Opera had been at an earlier period, and established a permanent reputation equally brilliant. "The Maid of the Mill" was first produced at Covent Garden, on the 31st of January, 1765, and had a run of thirty-five nights during the season. "Lionel and Clarissa" was also very successful, and still holds its place in popular favour. In addition to these, Bickerstaff wrote "The Padlock," "The Sultan," and "The Spoiled Child," all farces still upon the acting list. It is right to mention that the authorship of the last is attributed to Mrs. Jordan, W. Forde, and others, but the weight of authority and evidence is all in favour of Bickerstaff. He also wrote some comedies, and altered several pieces of other authors, and he composed an oratorio called "Judith," which was set to music by Dr. Arne, and performed at the Lock Hospital chapel on the 6th of February, 1764. Upon the whole Bickerstaff may be pronounced one of the most successful writers for the stage during his time. His dramas, original and adapted, amount to the number of twenty-two, though it must be admitted he availed himself very freely of the plots of other writers. Bickerstaff served for some time as an officer of marines, and died abroad in extreme old age and reduced circumstances; but the place and date of his decease have not been ascertained.—J. F. W.
BICKERSTETH, Edward, a clergyman of the church of England, and for many years secretary to the Church Missionary Society, was born in 1784 at Kirkby-Lonsdale, Westmoreland. His father was Henry Bickersteth, Esq., a surgeon of the place. At the age of fourteen he entered a situation in the post-office, London; but at the close of his nineteenth year, desirous of more congenial employment, he entered a lawyer's office as an articled pupil, and such were his ability and integrity that in less than three years he was appointed the managing clerk of an extensive law establishment. In 1812 he removed to Norwich in connection with his profession, and there married his partner's sister. It was while there that he wrote his "Scripture Help," and that he established the Norwich Christian Missionary Association. It had long been his desire to engage in ministerial labour, and to enter the missionary field. At the end of his third year of residence at Norwich, and in the twenty-ninth year of his age, he was appointed to visit the West African mission of the Church Missionary Society; and having obtained, in December, 1815, both deacon's and priest's orders at the hands of the bishop of Norwich and Gloucester, he sailed for Africa on the 3rd of the following month. In his actings during his stay of three months in that country, he fully realized all the expectations of those who sent him forth. He returned to England on the 17th of August, 1816. The personal knowledge which he now brought with him of the character, circumstances, and feelings of the missionaries, of the degradation of long-neglected and injured Africa, and of the actual success already vouchsafed, peculiarly qualified him for the position which awaited him here at home, and the important duties which he discharged for the space of fifteen years. Such was the force of his appeals, and the interest he excited, that new associations sprang up in various parts of the united kingdom, and the annual income of the society was largely increased. Nor was he inactive with his pen; he sent from the press, in the years 1819 and 1821, his admirable treatises on Prayer and the Lord's Supper; whilst, moreover, for several years he ably directed the theological pursuits of the missionary students who resided under his own roof, as well as conducted mainly the widespread correspondence of the society, both for home and foreign parts. Mr. Bickersteth latterly began to wish for some more quiet post, in which, whilst he could throw the weight of his mellowed experience into the interests of christianity generally, he might give more personal attention to the teaching of his own children. In the year 1830, a gentleman was led to put him in possession of the living of Watton, Herts, where he found the very quiet which he needed for study and writing; and in whose population he had the joy to form that sweet connection which subsists between a faithful pastor and a grateful flock. It would be grateful to the feelings of the writer to give here, in minute and chronological detail, our author's proceedings during the period of twenty years in which he was the rector of this parish; to do this, however, must require a volume instead of our limited space. After a lingering dissolution of some weeks' length, our valued friend departed at Watton, on the 24th February, 1850. "May my last end be like his!" We here affix a list of his published works; and in doing so may just add, that few men, since the days of the apostles, have more completely left the impress of their own great character upon their generation than the subject of our sketch. The following are the principal works published by Mr. Bickersteth, and now in print—"A Scripture Help, designed to assist in reading the Bible profitably;" "A Treatise on Prayer, designed to promote the spirit of devotion;" "A Treatise on the Lord's Supper." Of this one portion has been printed separately, entitled "A Companion to the Holy Communion;" "The Christian Student, designed to assist in acquiring religious knowledge;" "Christian Truth, a Family Guide to the Chief Truths of the Gospel;" "The Chiet Concerns of Man for Time and Eternity;" "Family Prayers, a course for eight weeks, with occasional prayers;" "A Practical Guide to the Prophecies;" "The Signs of the Times in the East, a Warning to the West;" "The Promised Glory of the Church of Christ;" "The Restoration of the Jews to their own Land;" "A Treatise on Baptism;" "Family Exposition of the Epistles of St. John and St. Jude;" "The Divine Warning to the Church." "The Christian Hearer" is not at present in print; and the following works were adopted or compiled by him from older writers—"The Testimony of the Reformers, from Cranmer, Jewell, Bradford, and others;" "The Book of Private Devotions, chiefly compiled from the works of the Reformers;" "Practical Reflections on the Four Gospels, arranged as a Warning;" "The Christian Fathers of the First and Second Centuries;" "A Manual of Prayers for the Young;" "Christian Psalmody, a collection of psalms and hymns for public worship." Besides the above, Mr. Bickersteth published many single sermons, addresses, &c., which were afterwards collected into a volume, entitled "Occasional Works."—J. W. D.
BICKERSTETH, Henry, Baron Langdale of Langdale, brother of the preceding, was born on the 18th of June, 1783, at Kirkby-Lonsdale, Westmoreland. After being educated at the grammar school of his native place, he was apprenticed to his father, and became medical attendant to the earl of Oxford, by whom he was encouraged and enabled to enter Caius college, Cambridge, where in 1808 he graduated as senior wrangler. He was called to the bar on the 22d November, 1811, became a king's counsel and a bencher of the inner temple in 1827, and filled the office of treasurer in 1836. He rose to great eminence in the equity courts, to which he confined his practice, and, in spite of his liberal opinions, was offered by Sir Robert Peel in 1835 a seat on the bench, which, however, he gratefully declined. In 1836 he was appointed to succeed Lord Cottenham as master of the rolls, was called to the house of peers and sworn a privy
