fortune to the favour of one of Charles II's mistresses ; but the statement has no foundation in fact. Browne's professional success was due to his general capacity and interesting conversation. His note-books show that be laboured hard at his profession, and that through good introductions he early became known to many physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries. In 1673 he had already met in consultation thirteen physicians and ten surgeons (Sloane MS, 1895). A great many letters and notes in his handwriting are to be found among the Sloane MSS. Amongst them is the earliest known copy of the 'Pharmacopœia' of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. It is edited 1670, and some of its prescriptions were the subject of correspondence between Browne and his father. Browne died at Northfleet, Kent (Munk, Coll. of Phys. i. 376), on 28 Aug. 1708, and left a son Thomas (1672-1710) [q.v.] And a daughter. He is buried at Northfleet. Browne's travels are spoken of by Dr. Johnson with small respect, and their style cannot be commended. The best that can be said of them is that they contain many interesting facts, and that their information is exact. They may be read with pleasure if viewed as a table of contents of the mind of a well-read Englishman of King Charles II's days. Browne had read a good deal of Greek as well as of Latin, the fathers as well as the classical authors. He was also well versed in new books ; he had read Ashmole's 'Order of the Garter,' La Martinière's 'Arctic Travels,' and did not even despise the last new novel, but quotes the Duchess of Newcastle's 'New Blazing World' (Travels, ed. 1685, pp. 97, 99, 123) in the year of its publication. He loved his father, and inherited his tastes, and, if practice had not engrossed too much of his time, might have written books as good as the 'Vulgar Errors' or the 'Hydriotaphia.' Deeper editations like those of the 'Religio Medici' were probably foreign to his nature. In a taste for every kind of information, in regard for his profession, in warm family affections, and in upright principles and conduct, he resembled his father ; but the deeper strain of thought which is to be found in Sir Thomas Browne is nowhere to be traced in the writings of his eldest son.
[Sloane MSS. in British Museum, 1895-7; Wilkins's Works of Sir Thomas Browne ; Munk's Coll. of Phys. 1878 ; Works.]
BROWNE, EDWARD (d. 1730), an eminent quaker, son of James Browne of Cork, was a native of that city. He was long an inhabitant of Sunderland, where he served his apprenticeship and afterwards rose to considerable opulence. In 1727 he built himself a commodious mansion, with several other dwelling-houses adjoining, intended for the residences of the captains of his ships and other persons in his employment. The mansion-house afterwards became the customhouse for the port of Sunderland. Browne died at Cork 27 Aug. 1730. 'Some Account of Edward Browne of Sunderland, with copies of manuscripts respecting him,' was printed for private circulation at Sunderland, 1821, 12mo, and reprinted for sale London, 1842, 12mo.
[Joseph Smith's Cat. of Friends' Books, i. 329 ; Richardson's Local Historian's Table Book (Hist. Div.), i. 329.]
BROWNE, FELICIA DOROTHEA. [See Hemans.]
BROWNE, GEORGE, D.D. (d. 1556), archbishop of Dublin, the chief instrument of Henry VIII in the Irish reformation, was originally a friar, and first emerges into notice in 1534, when, as provincial of the whole order of Austin Friars, he was employed, in conjunction with Hilsey, the provincial of the Dominicans, to minister the oath of succession to all the friars of London and the south of England (Dixon, Hist. of the Church of England, i. 214). He is said to have recommended himself to the king by advising the poor, who were beginning to feel the distress caused by the religious revolution, to make their applications solely to Christ. Within a year he was nominated to the see of Dublin, vacant by the murder of Archbishop Allen in the rising of Kildare in 1534; but it was not until another year had elapsed that he arrived in Ireland on July 1536 (Hamilton, Cal. of State Papers for Ireland, p. 21; the life of Browne in the Harleian Misc. vol. v. places his arrival in December 1535). The Irish parliament, which had been sitting for two months, accepted all the principal acts by which England had declared herself independent of Rome. The only opposition to these sweeping measures was offered by the clergy, who claimed the power of voting in their own house upon bills which had passed the Irish commons, and carried this obstructive policy so far, under the leadership of their primate Cromer, the archbishop of Armagh, that it was found necessary to deprive them of their privilege (Dixon, ii. 179). A speech made by Browne on this occasion, declaring his vote for the king as supreme head of the Irish church, has been preserved (Harl. Misc. v. 559); and it was through him, as he boasted, that a separate act was passed
