Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/196

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7. ‘Lander Africanus. A musical drama,’ Penzance, 1834. 8. ‘Reliquiæ Seriæ, or Christian Musings. By Ἐλάχιστος,’ Lond. 1836.

[Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornubiensis, i. 12, iii. 1049; Pitman's Memorial of Francis Barham, 20, 121–3.]

T. C.

BARHAM, THOMAS FOSTER, M.B. (1794–1869), physician and classical scholar, was the eldest son of Thomas Foster Barham [q. v.] The younger Barham was born at Hendon, in Middlesex, 10 Sept. 1794, and sent to Queens' College, Cambridge, qualifying as M.B. in 1820. After taking this degree he returned to Penzance, where he was physician to the dispensary, and in general practice for several years. About 1830 he removed to Exeter and became physician to the Exeter dispensary and institution for the blind. From early life he had been attached to the doctrines of unitarianism, and during the first part of his residence at Exeter actively supported the unitarian congregation which met at George's Chapel, Exeter. After a time he expressed an aversion to all dogmatic theology, as well as to the adoption of any sectarian name, and embodied his views on these points in a pamphlet entitled ‘Christian Union in Churches without Dogmatism.’ He moved to Newton Abbot, where he conducted religious service for himself, adhering in the main to the religious tenets of his old sect. Being possessed of considerable means, he abandoned the practice of medicine on his removal from Exeter, and gave himself up to good works and the pleasures of literature. He died at Highweek, near Newton Abbot, 3 March 1869, and was buried in Highweek churchyard 8 March. Dr. Barham published many theological works, including ‘A Monthly Course of Forms of Prayer for Domestic Worship’ and (in union with the Rev. Henry Acton) a volume of ‘Forms of Prayer for Public Worship.’ His chief work, which dealt with many social questions—such as temperance, cultivation of waste lands and small farms—was entitled ‘Philadelphia, or the Claims of Humanity’ (1858). The fame of his knowledge of the Greek language was not confined to his own country; his mastery of Greek was shown in his ‘Introduction to Greek Grammar, on a new plan,’ 1829; ‘Greek Roots in English Rhymes,’ 1837; and ‘The Enkheiridion of Hehfaistiown, with Prolegomena’ (highly commended in Grote's ‘Greece,’ iv. 107) ‘on Rhythm and Accent.’ A translation, in English hexameters, of the first book of the ‘Iliad’ was published after his death. He was a contributor to the ‘Monthly Repository’ from 1818, to the Transactions of the Cornish scientific societies, and to the Devonshire Association. The full titles of his books and his papers may be read in the ‘Bibliotheca Cornub.’ i. 13–14, iii. 1050.

[The Inquirer, 6, 13, 20 March 1869; Western Morning News, 15 March 1869; Register and Mag. of Biog. 1869, i. 306; Munk's Physicians, 1878, iii. 243.]

W. P. C.

BARHAM, WILLIAM FOSTER (1802–1847?), poet, third son of Thomas Foster Barham (1766–1844) [q. v.], was born at Marazion, Cornwall, 22 Oct. 1802. He was educated in the grammar schools of Bodmin and Leeds, and then proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge. He won the Porson prize in 1821 and 1822, and graduated B.A. in 1824 as twenty-second senior optime, second in the first class of the classical tripos, and second chancellor's medallist. He went out M.A. in 1827. His death occurred in Kent about 1847. He was the author of an unpublished poem on ‘Moskow.’ His Greek versions of portions of ‘Othello’ and ‘Julius Cæsar’ are printed in a volume of ‘Translations which have obtained the Porson Prize from 1817 to 1856,’ 2nd edit., Camb. 1857, pp. 16–23.

[Notes and Queries, 3rd series, iii. 266, 399, 455; Pitman's Memorial of Francis Barham, 20, 21, 23, 24, 28; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornubiensis, iii. 1050; Romilly's Graduati Cantab. (1856) 18.]

T. C.

BARING, ALEXANDER, first Baron Ashburton (1774–1848), financier and statesman, the second son of Sir Francis Baring [q. v.], who died in 1810, was born on 27 Oct. 1774. As his elder brother received an appointment in the service of the East India Company, Alexander was trained from early life in his father's financial house. The firm had numerous connections with the United States, and he was sent thither to strengthen and extend its business operations. While resident in America he married (23 Aug. 1798) Anne Louisa, eldest daughter of William Bingham, of Philadelphia, a member of the Senate of the United States. To this alliance, and to his acquaintance with the chief mercantile firms of America, he was much indebted in later life. Although he continued to assist in the management of the house, and became the head of the firm on the death of his father in 1810, he took an active part in the debates in the House of Commons on commercial affairs. He represented in turn Taunton (1806–26), Callington (1826–31), Thetford (1831–32), and North Essex (1833–35); of two of these