discoverer of the planet Neptune, of Professor Edward Forbes—of which copies are to be found in the Isle of Man and in the Museum of Practical Geology—and of William Makepeace Thackeray, which Burnard gave to the Plymouth Library, where it now stands, outside the doors of the Cottonian Museum, among other works of much value. He exhibited at the Royal Academy in the years 1855, 1858, 1866, and 1867. Gifted as Burnard was, he failed to secure for himself the position which his genius appeared to have appointed for him. The latter portion of his life was a struggle with difficulties. He lost his friends through irregularities, which made him a most amusing companion, but which led him to fail in completing his engagements, and finally he died in the infirmary at Redruth in Cornwall, on 27 Nov. 1878.
[Reports of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society; Fox's Historical Synopsis of the Polytechnic Society; Academy, xiv. 549, 1878; personal knowledge.]
BURNE or BOURN, NICOL (fl. 1581), controversialist, published in 1581, at Paris, a volume which supplies the main particulars of his life which are now known. This work is entitled ‘The Dispvtation concerning the Controversit Headdis of Religion, haldin in the Realme of Scotland, the yeir of God ane thousand fyue hundreth four scoir yeiris, betuix the pretendit ministers of the deformed kirk in Scotland and Nicol Burne, Professor of Philosophie in S. Leonardis College, in the citie of Sanctandrois, brocht up from his tender eage in the peruersit sect of the Calvinistis and nou, be ane special grace of God, ane member of the halie catholic kirk, Dedicat to his Souerane the Kingis M. of Scotland, King James the Saxt.’ There is a copy of the book in the British Museum, and a copy was sold at the Rev. Fuller Russell's sale on 20 June 1885 for 25l. In the epistle to the reader Burne states that he was brought up from his youth in the Calvinistic doctrines, and followed them with equal affection and zeal until ‘the time it pleased God through reiding of sum catholik orytharis to illuminate my hairt.’ He declared to ‘a minister called Smeton, in Paisley,’ his desire to defend the catholic doctrines before the general assembly of Scotland, expressing his willingness to suffer punishment unless he performed that which he ‘had tane in hand;’ but Smeton, after admitting the reasonableness of his proposal, proceeded, without any warning, to excommunicate him, upon which he was apprehended and confined in the castle of St. Andrews, whence he was conveyed to the Tolbooth, Edinburgh. Here he remained from 15 Oct. 1580 till the last day of the ensuing January. He complains of his treatment in the Tolbooth, and especially of the removal of a purse which he had hung out of the window to obtain alms. The register of the privy council of Scotland contains an entry on 29 Jan. of a ‘caution in 500l. by Andrew Burne, in Leith, for Mr. Nicoll Burne, that he shall, within a month hence, depart this realm, and in the mean time do nothing in prejudice of the present religioun presenthe professit,’ George Burne in Gogar, brother of Nicol, being cautioner in relief. The work of Burne repeats some outrageous calumnies against Knox, and also against the foreign reformers, the assertion being even gravely made that Luther was begotten of the devil as to his carnal as well as to his spiritual generation.
[Work as above; Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, iii. 328, 355; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.]
BURNE, ROBERT (1755?–1825), general, entered the army as an ensign in the 36th regiment in 1773, and remained with that regiment until 1811. In 1783 he went to India with the regiment. In 1784 he was promoted captain, and commanded the grenadiers of the 36th regiment throughout the campaigns of 1784-6 against Tippoo Sultan. He served at Sattimungulum, at Showera, and was present at the capture of Bangalore, the storming of the hill fortress of Nundydroog, and the siege of Seringapatam. In 1793 he was conspicuous at the siege of Pondicherry, and was promoted brevet-major in consequence on 1 March 1794, and in 1796 he purchased a majority in the regiment. In 1798 he was promoted lieutenant-colonel by brevet, and the same year the officers and headquarters of the regiment returned to England. On reaching England in 1799 he became lieutenant-colonel of the 36th. In 1800 he accompanied the regiment to Minorca, and went on leave for his health in 1801, the first occasion for twenty-eight years on which he had left his regiment. In 1802 he rejoined it in Ireland, served in the expedition to Hanover in 1805, and in the attack on Buenos Ayres on 5 July 1807, where his services so impressed his brother officers that he was presented by them with a sword of honour and 120 guineas. In April 1808 he was promoted colonel, and in July accompanied Sir Arthur Wellesley to Portugal. Burne, after doing good service at Roliça, received special notice in Wellesley's report to Sir Harry Burrard on the battle of Vimeiro (Wellington Despatches, iii. 92). Sir Arthur also wrote to Lord Castlereagh: ‘You will see in
