of a clergyman, but before the anniversary of his wedding, he was a widower. In 1732 Mr. Birch was presented with a living in Essex, and he shortly afterwards entered on the career in which he was destined to gain his literary laurels. He united with several other writers, the most famous being Mr. George Sale, the translator of the Koran, in bringing out a new edition of Bayle's Historical and Critical Dictionary. The work was begun in 1734, and it was completed in 1741. This publication gave Birch a very respectable standing in the literary world, and various preferments in the church soon fell to his share, mostly through the kindness of his early and steady patron, the lord chancellor Hardwicke. In 1752 Birch was elected one of the secretaries of the Royal Society; he had been a member for several years, both of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries. In the following year Marischal college, Aberdeen, sent him the honorary degree of D.D., and Dr. Herring, archbishop of Canterbury, almost simultaneously promoted him to the same degree. Dr. Birch now devoted much attention to the business of the secretaryship, to which he had been elected, and in 1756-57 he published "A History of the Royal Society of London," which is still considered a standard work on the subject. He was soon nominated one of the trustees of the British Museum, and to that noble institution he finally bequeathed his extensive and valuable library, as well as the interest of £500, to increase the salaries of the assistant librarians. He edited the prose works of Milton, and wrote a new life of the great poet. Dr. Birch's labours as an editor were long-continued, and of the most varied order. He gave to the world a splendid edition of the works of the Hon. Robert Boyle, accompanied by a full and accurate memoir. Some idea of the labour of this latter task may be formed, when it is stated that Boyle's works—treating on the most various subjects—extend to six 4to volumes, averaging 800 pages each. In 1744 he commenced a series of biographical memoirs, and the work was not completed till the year 1752. These are a mere specimen of the works that Dr. Birch gave to the world, and if they have not sufficed to raise him to the first dignity in the republic of letters, they at least entitle him to the praise of useful diligence. The great Dr. Johnson did not disdain occasionally to ask information and to take advice from this useful pioneer in literature. In the preface to the Hon. Robert Boyle's works, Dr. Birch says of himself, very modestly, "the only qualities I engage for are industry and fidelity." These it is universally allowed that he possessed, and used to good purposes. Towards the end of the year 1764 Dr. Birch's health began to decline, and he was recommended to take exercise on horseback. It was in one of his rides, in January 2, 1765, that he was thrown from his horse on the road between Hampstead and London, and almost immediately expired.—C. W. C.
* BIRCH-PFEIFFER, Charlotte, a celebrated German actress and dramatic writer, was born at Stuttgard in 1800, where her father (Pfeiffer) held an office under government. She began her theatrical career, when only thirteen years old, at Munich, travelled for several years in Germany, and in 1825 was married to Mr. Christ. Birch of Copenhagen. In 1838 she undertook the management of the Zurich theatre, and in 1849 was permanently engaged at the Royal Theatre of Berlin. Besides a number of novels and tales, she has written upwards of sixty dramatic pieces, which, although of no great merit, yet are highly popular. She is particularly famous for her skill in dramatizing novels. The best known of her dramas are: "Pfeffer-Rösel;" "Hinko;" "Der Glöckner von Notre Dame;" "Dorf und Stadt;" "Die Waise von Lowood;" "Die Grille," &c.—K. E.
BIRCKNER, Michael Gottlieb, born at Copenhagen in 1756, was a philosophic writer of the Kantian school. His works, collected after his death, and published at Copenhagen in 1798-1800, occupy four volumes. The most remarkable of these is an able advocacy of the freedom of the press, under the title, "Om Torykke friheden og dens Love," published at Copenhagen in 1797-98, excited great applause, and passed rapidly through three editions. Birckner died in 1798 at Korsöer, where he was minister.—M. H.
BIRD, Edward, was born at Wolverhampton, that cyclopian town, in 1772, and died at Bristol in 1819. This remarkable colour painter, who anticipated Wilkie in subjects of domestic humour, began with that low branch of art, tea-trays, but soon rose into higher and purer air. Unhappily for himself, he came too soon on the stage, and died before national art was patronized. His first success was a picture called "Good News," founded on a scene he had witnessed in an ale-house, a spot where Hogarth also used to study in. The "Blacksmith's Shop" and the "Country Auction" quickly followed. "Meg Merrilees," "Game of Put," and the "Gipsy Boy," grew under his creative brush, fresh and original enough for those early times, but never approaching the consummate art and graceful touch of Wilkie, compared with whom Bird is dull, dry, and mannered, though his colour is cool, mellow, and harmonious. The tradition of Bird's age being that greatness and bigness are synonymous, he foolishly took to painting enormous historical pictures: the "Surrender of Calais," the "Death of Elizabeth," and "Chevy Chase." This last picture was considered peculiarly pathetic, natural, reflective, and chivalrous, but of course defied all rules of costume and local truth. Turning from this ill-assumed grandeur, Bird once more returned to his ragged gipsies, wind-blown travellers, picturesque waggoners, heavy-armed blacksmiths, and young recruits. In an evil hour, however, he began a large portrait picture to meet a nine-days' wonder, of the "Embarkation, of Louis XVIII. after the defeat of Napoleon." This picture killed him; for the French noblemen, with the usual unselfish politeness of the nation, at once sat to him; the English noblemen gave him their promises, but after all would not sit. The poor and depressed painter, already ill, died of a broken heart at King's Parade, Bristol, in 1819. He was buried in state in the dark-vaulted cloisters of the cathedral: three hundred merchants followed his corpse to its rest. Bird was very rapid in his mode of painting. He once painted the portrait of his friend, Cumberland, in fifteen minutes during breakfast. He used to begin his pictures without any previous sketch, and in several places at the same time. His earliest patron was the marquis of Stafford. The Princess Charlotte called him her painter. For the prince regent he painted the "Psalm-Singers in a Country Church;" for Lord Bridgewater, the "Debarkation of the French King." Mr. Willhouse and Mr. Baugh were also liberal patrons of his art. He was elected a member of the Royal Academy without solicitation. Bird was a simple-hearted, true man, thoughtlessly liberal, and a bad economist. He was social in his habits, but no runner into excess. The last five years of his life were darkened by disease. Though often a dupe from his good nature. Bird was kind to young artists, and delighted to direct their efforts.—W. T.
* BIRD, Edward Joseph, entered the royal navy of Britain in 1812, and was present at the bombardment of Algiers, by Lord Exmouth, in 1816. He sailed with Parry in two of that officer's voyages in search of the north-west passage—first in 1821, as midshipman on board the Hecla, and again in 1824, in a similar capacity in the Fury. In 1827 he accompanied Parry, for the third time, in the fruitless endeavour to reach the pole by passing over the ice to the northward of Spitsbergen, and was promoted on his return to the rank of lieutenant. After various intervening services at home and abroad, Lieutenant Bird accompanied Sir James Ross, during the years 1839-1843, on his well-known voyage of antarctic discovery. Five years later (having in the interim been advanced to the rank of captain), he was the companion of Ross in the first of the searching expeditions after Franklin, whose prolonged absence from England was then beginning to excite anxiety among his countrymen. The Enterprise and Investigator—the former commanded by Sir James Ross, and the latter by Captain Bird—were the vessels employed on this occasion, but without the accomplishment of any important result. The ships left England in the summer of 1848, and passed the succeeding winter in the harbour of Port-Leopold, near the junction of Prince Regent Inlet with Barrow Strait (lat. 73° 50´, long. 90° 20´ W.), returning to England late in the autumn of 1849.—W. H.
BIRD, Golding, a distinguished physician. He was educated in London for the medical profession, and was a student of Guy's Hospital. He was distinguished for his application to his profession; and, after having received his license as a general practitioner, he took his degree of M.D. at the university of St. Andrews, and became a licentiate, and was afterwards made a fellow, of the London College of Physicians. He first lectured in connection with the Guy's Hospital medical school on natural philosophy, and afterwards on materia medica and botany in the same school. He was also appointed one of the physicians of Guy's Hospital, having previously held a similar appointment
