musical instruments. The latter, together with his music, were sold by auction at his friend Ward's on 6, 7, and 8 Dec. 1714, and fetched about 180l. The catalogue is still extant, and has been reprinted in Hawkins's 'History of Music.' His books, which numbered about fourteen hundred volumes, were sold later. Britton's intimacy with so many persons of high rank gave rise to all sorts of rumours as to his being a Jesuit, a magician, and such like, though in reality 'he was an extraordinary and a very valuable man, much admired both by the gentry, even of those of the best quality, and by all others of the more inferior rank that had any manner of regard for probity, ingenuity, diligence, and humility.' In person he was short, stout, and of 'an honest, ingenuous countenance.' He was twice painted by Woolaston: (1) in his smock with his coal-measure in his hand, and (2) in the act of tuning a harpsichord. The former is in the National Portrait Gallery, and was engraved by J. Simon in mezzotint. Under the print are some eulogistic verses by Britton's friend, the poet Hughes, beginning
- Tho' mean thy rank, yet in thy humble cell.
From this portrait is derived the engraving by Haddocks in Caulfield's 'Remarkable Persons' (i. 77). The second picture seems to have disappeared, but it is known by a mezzotint engraving by Thomas Johnson, under which are verses attributed to Prior, the first line of which runs
- Tho' doom'd to small-coal, yet to Arts ally'd.
The head from this portrait was copied by C. Grignion for Hawkins's 'History.' There is a small full-length of Britton, with his coal-sack over his shoulder, in the 'London Magazine' for February 1777.
[Pohl's Mozart in London, p. 47 ; Bingley's Musical Biography, p. 375 ; Thoresby's Diary, 5 June 1712 (ii. Ill); Noble's Continuation of Granger, ii. 345 ; Reliquiæ Hearnianæ (ed. Bliss), p. 339 ; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 277 ; Pinks's History of Clerkenwell (ed. Wood), pp. 11, 94, 196, 277-9; Ward's Compleat and Humorous Account of all the remarkable Clubs in the Cities of London and Westminster, &c., p. 299; Gent. Mag. 1773, p. 437; Notes and Queries' 2nd series, xi. 445, 3rd series, vii. 421 ; Burney's Hist. of Music, iii. 470; Hawkins's Hist. of Music (ed. 1853), p. 788 ; Catalogue of the National Portrait Gallery; Registers of St. James's, Clerkenwell.]
BRIWER, WILLIAM. [See Brewer.]
BRIXIUS. [See Bricie.]
BROADBENT, WILLIAM (1755–1827), Unitarian minister, the son of William and Elizabeth Broadbent, was born 28 Aug. 1755. He was educated for the ministry at Daventry academy (August 1777–June 1782), first under Thomas Robins, who resigned the divinity chair in June 1781 from loss of voice, and afterwards under Thomas Belsham [q.v.] Broadbent became classical tutor to the academy in August 1782, and in January 1784 he exchanged this appointment for that of tutor in mathematics, natural philosophy, and logic. Belsham resigned the divinity chair in June 1789, having become a Unitarian, and the academy was removed in November to Northampton. Broadbent continued to act as tutor till the end of 1791, when he became minister at Warrington (he took out his license on 18 Jan. 1792), and removed to Cockey Moor. At this time his views were of the average Daventry type. But at Warrington he re-examined his theological convictions, and becoming a Unitarian of the Belsham school, he succeeded in carrying nearly all his congregation with him. Broadbent from his eighteenth year kept up a close friendship with Belsham ; in Williams's chaotic 'Memoirs' of Belsham (1833, 8vo) are some fragments of their correspondence. Biblical exegesis was Broadbent's favourite study, and textual interpretation played a prominent part in his preaching. He resigned his Warrington charge in the spring of 1822, induced by broken health and the depressing effects of the loss of his son. He died at Latchford, near Warrington, on 1 Dec. 1827, and was buried in the Warrington chapel on 6 Dec.
Thomas Biggin Broadbent (1793–1817), only child of William Broadbent, born at Warrington on 17 March 1793, entered Glasgow College in November 1809. After graduating in April 1813 he became classical tutor in the Unitarian academy at Hackney, an office he filled till 1816, preaching latterly at Prince's Street Chapel, Westminster, during a vacancy. His pulpit powers were remarkable. Resigning his London work, he returned to Warrington to pursue his ministerial training as his father's assistant. He died of apoplexy on 9 Nov. 1817. He prepared for the press, in 1816, portions (1 and 2 Cor., 1 Tim., and Titus) of Belsham's 'Epistles of Paul the Apostle,' published 1822, 4 vols. 8vo. He also edited the fourth edition, 1817, 8vo, of the 'Improved Version' of the New Testament, originally published 1808, 8vo, under Belsham's superintendence. Two of his sermons, published posthumously in 1817, reached a second edition.
