vately in 1818 for distribution in the infirmaries of the town, and published in 1816. He was also connected with Dr. Dibdin in the publication of the 'Director,' a weekly periodical, chiefly devoted to notices of lectures at the Royal Institution, and to criticisms of pictures in the British Gallery. A number of manuscripts of Sir Thomas Bernard are in the British Museum, including a 'Letter to the Right Hon. N. Vansittart on Repeal of the Salt Duties' (MS. Add. 29233); 'Letters to W. Hastings' ('MS. Add. 29191 ); and 'Letters to H. Boase (MS. Add. 29281).
[Gent. Mag. lxxxviii. pt. ii. pp. 82-3; Baker's Life of Sir Thomas Bernard (1819); Dr. Dibdin's Reminiscences of a Literary Life (1836), pp. 230-234.]
BERNARD, WILLIAM BAYLE (1807–1876), English dramatist, by birth an American, but a British subject and the son of British parents, was born on 27 Nov. 1807 at Boston, where his father, John Bernard [q, v.], was then manager of the theatre. In 1820 his family returned to England, and he completed his education at a school at Uxbridge. In 1826 he was appointed to a clerkship in the army accounts oftice by Canning, whose mother had been a leading actress in the elder Bernard's company at Plymouth. The office was abolished in 1830, and young Bernard was thrown upon his resources. He had already begun to write for the stage, having in 1827 produced his nautical drama, 'The Pilot,' for which he received 3l., and when the piece reached the hundredth night 2l. more, 'to prompt him to further exertions.' In 1828 he wrote a novel, 'The Freebooter's Bride,' in five volumes, a production of the Minerva Press school; and in 1829 he compiled 'Retrospections of the Stage' from memoranda left by his father, bringing the life of the latter down to his departure for America in 1797. In 1830 he became a professional dramatist, and produced plays and farces with such rapidity that, notwithstanding an eight year interruption of his dramatic labours, the total number amounted to 114. Many were written for America, and not half have been printed. The best-known are: 'Rip Van Winkle,' 1832; 'The Nervous Man,' 1833; 'The Man about Town,' 1836; 'Marie Ducange,' 1837; 'His Last Legs,' 1839; 'The Warding School,' 1841; and 'The Round of Wrong.' 1846. His last piece was 'The Doge of Venice,' 1867. He collaborated with Dr. Westland Marston in the production of 'Trevanion,' 1849, and wrote much dramatic and other criticism for the press. In 1874 he published the biography of Samuel Lover, an uninteresting book, owing to the entire dearth of material. He died at Brighton on 6 Aug. 1875. Bernard was a highly accomplished man, a prolific and efficient playwright, an excellent dramatic critic, thoughtful, studious, and interested in serious subjects.
[Men of the Time, 9th ed.; Era Newspaper; private information.]
BERNARDI, JOHN (1667–1736), major, a suspected conspirator in the 'assassination plot' against William III, was the son of Count Francis Bernardi, a Genoese nobleman who, after representing the republic of Genoa for some years in London, took up a permanent residence in Worcestershire. The chief authority for the son's life is a narrative written by himself, which, although inaccurate in certain particulars, and pervaded throughout by a tone of exaggeration and boastfulness, must in its main outlines be accepted as trustworthy. He was born at Evesham in 1657. In childhood he occasionally received such severe treatment from his father, that at last, at the age of thirteen, he resolved to escape to Packington Hall, the seat of Sir Clement Fisher, whose wife had previously expressed sympathy for his misfortunes. Finding, when he reached Packington Hall, that Sir Clement and his lady were in London, he followed them thither, was kindly received, and was recommended to their relative. Captain Clent, then in garrison at Portsmouth, who caused him to be taught military exercises along with his company. When the regiment was disbanded at the close of the Dutch war, Bernardi, having received from the captain a parting gift of 20l., went to London, where he caught the small-pox, and was reduced to such hard straits, that he addressed himself to his godfather. Colonel Anselme. The colonel, being about to set out for Holland, invited Bernardi to accompany him, and shortly after his arrival he entered as a private the service of the states, exchanging afterwards into one of the English independent regiments. He was present at many of the principal battles and sieges of the war, receiving an English commission in 1674 under Sir John Fenwick, and being promoted captain in 1685 in Colonel Monk's company. He was wounded at the siege of Grave in 1674, was again wounded in 1675 in parting two gentlemen in a duel, and at the siege of Maestricht in 1676 lost the sight of an eye, was shot through the arm, and, but for the devotion of one of his company, would have been left for dead. When in 1687 James II resolved to recall the English troops from Holland, he was one of the sixty
