BABELL or BABEL, WILLIAM (1690?–1723), musician, was the son of a bassoon-player, and received his first musical instruction from his father. He was for some time the pupil of Dr. Pepusch, under whose care he attained to great proficiency as a player both on the harpsichord and violin, and to some skill in composition. He was appointed one of George I's private musicians, and was also given the post of organist of All Hallows, Bread Street. Such celebrity as he attained was due rather to his arrangements for the harpsichord of popular airs from the operas of Handel and others,than to any original work of his own. He may claim to be regarded as the originator of those 'transcriptions' which have since his day been so fashionable in a certain circle of the world of music. Burney criticises him very severely, accusing him of 'wire-drawing the favourite songs of the opera of Rinaldo, and others of the same period, into showy and brilliant lessons, which by mere rapidity of finger in playing single sounds, without the assistance of taste, expression, harmony, or modulation, enabled the performer to astonish ignorance, and acquire the reputation of a great player at a small expense.' Hawkins, however, considers them to have deserved the celebrity which they attained. Besides these arrangements there exist several collections of solos for the violin, oboe, German flute, &c., and some concertos for 'small flutes' and violins mentioned by Hawkins. A Vivace with florid variations, and a Gavotte and Aria in manuscript, are contained in the British Museum (Add. MS. 31577). He died at Canonbury on 23 Sept. 1723, his early death being probably due to his intemperate habits. He was buried in All Hallows Church.
[Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, i. 287; Burney's History of Music; Hawkins's History of Music; Manuscript and Printed Music in Brit. Mus.]
BABER, HENRY HERVEY (1775–1869), philologist, was born in 1775. He was educated at Oxford, and took his degree as master of arts in 1805. Two years later he entered the service of the British Museum, and in 1812 was promoted to the office of keeper of the printed books, in the general duties of which post, and in work upon the catalogue of books in the collection, he was actively engaged for twenty-five years. Besides his keepership, Baber also held the rectory of Stretham in Cambridgeshire, to which he was appointed in 1827. In the year 1837 he resigned his post at the British Museum, and retired to his rectory. His resignation was partly made in consequence of a recommendation of a parliamentary committee in 1836, that officials of the museum should not hold any other situation conferring emoluments or entailing duties. Mr. Baber died on 28 March 1869, at the age of 94. His chief published work was an edition of the Old Testament portion of the Codex Alexandrinus, Vetus Testamentum Græcum e Codice MS. Alexandrino … typis ad similitudinem ipsius codicis Scripturæ fideliter descriptum cura et labore H. H. Baber 3 vols. London, 1816–21 [28], fol.
[Cowtan's Memories of the British Museum (London, 1872); Statutes and Rules of the Bristish Museum; Catalogue of Oxford Graduates; Clergy Lists.
BABER, Sir JOHN, M.D. (1625–1704), physician to Charles II, was the son of John Baber, recorder of Wells, Somersetshire, and was born 18 April 1625. He was educated at Westminster school, whence he was elected in 1642 a student of Christ's College, Oxford. He graduated bachelor of medicine 3 Dec. 1646, being admitted by virtue of the letters of Colonel John Lambert, governor of the garrison for Oxford. Proceeding to the continent, he studied medicine at Leyden, and on 10 Nov. 1648 took the degree of M.D. at Angers. On his return to England he was made M.D. at Oxford 18 July 1650, candidate of the College of Physicians, London, 4 July 1651, and a fellow 17 Aug. 1657. He commenced to practise in London, his residence being in King Street, Covent Garden. Through the recommendation of a near neighbour, Dr. Manton, rector of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, who, with other presbyterian divines, had taken a prominent part in the restoration of Charles II, he was made physician to the king, the honour of knighthood being also bestowed on him 19 March 1660. Baber was frequently made use of by Charles in his negotiations with the puritans. North, who styles him 'a man of finesse,' states that he was 'in possession of the protectorship at court of dissenting preachers.' In September 1669 he informed Dr. Manton of the king's intention to do his utmost to 'get them accepted within the establishment;' but it would appear that Charles made use of him to inspire trust in intentions which were at the best feeble and vacillating. Baber died in 1704. He was three times married, and had three sons by his first marriage, but no issue by the other two marriages.
