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BRENTON BRESCIA 251 BRENTON. Edward IVlham. captain in the British navy, born July 18, 1774, died April 6, 1839. He was on active service during the wars with France, 1793-1815. He wrote a life of the first Earl St. Vincent, and a " Naval History of Great Britain from 1783 to 1822." He founded the "Children's Friend Society." BRESCHET, Gilbert, a French physician, born at Clermont-Ferrand, July 7, 1784, died in Paris, May 10, 1845. lie was professor of anatomy in the school of medicine at Paris, at- tending surgeon to the H6tel Dieu, and mem- ber of the academy of sciences. He wrote much upon various anatomical, physiological, and surgical subjects; his most valuable work is that upon the spinal veins, published in 1819 and enriched with carefully executed plates. BRESCIA. I. A province of Italy, in Lom- bardy, bounded X. by Bergamo and Tyrol, E. by Verona and Mantua, S. by Cremona, W. by Lodi and Bergamo ; area, 1,784 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 450,750. The province is mountainous or hilly in the north, and level in the south. It is watered by the Oglio, and its affluents the Mella and Chiese. It embraces Lake Iseo and borders on Lake (iarda. The soil is highly fer- tile. One of the most important branches of in- dustry is the production and manufacture of silk ; wool of superior quality is also produced. There are manufactures of woollen und cotton goods, metals, and porcelain. Brescia has long been famous for its iron and steel manufactures, especially of weapons and firearms, whence it was called in former times VArmata. Wheat, maize, hay, butter, cheese, flax, wine, oil, and chestnuts are important productions. The trade of the province is principally carried on in the capital. Among the principal towns are Lonato, Montechiaro, and Salo. II. A city (anc. Brixia), capital of the province, 50 m. E. by N. of Milan ; pop. in 1871, 38,906. It stands on the rivers Mella and Garza, at the foot of a hill. The strong castle on the top of the hill was in former times called the falcon of Lombardy. It is a well built town, noted for its numerous fountains. It is connected by railway with Ve- rona and other Italian cities, and by the railway through the Brenner pass of the Alps with Austria and the rest of Europe. The ancient cathedral and the other churches contain many paintings of the great Italian masters. The new cathedral, or duomo n-uovo, was begun in 1604, but the vaulting of the cupola was only completed in 1825. The chief ornament of the church of Santa Afra is " The Woman taken in Adultery," by Titian. Among the public buildings is the palazzo della Loggia in the piazza Vecchia, intended for the town hall, the beautiful facade of which suffered much from bombardment in 1849. The palazzo Tosi contains, among many famous pictures, the "Saviour," by Raphael. The picture galle- ries in the palazzi Averoldi, Fenaroli, Lecchi, Martenigo, and in other palaces, are noted for their artistic attractions. A whole street, the corso del Teatro, lias the fronts of the second stories decorated with Scriptural, mythological, and historical paintings. The Quirini library, founded in the middle of the 18th century by Cardinal Quirini, contains nearly 100,000 vol- umes, besides a vast collection of manuscripts and objects of antiquity. The most unique monument of Brescia is the cemetery (campo santo), the finest in Italy, built in 1810. Bres- cia is the seat of the provincial government, of a bishopric, and of a tribunal of commerce. There are various charitable institutions, a theological seminary, gymnasia, a lyceum, a botanical gar-