In prose he wrote Wit’s Trenchmour, The Wil of Wit (1599), A Mad World, my Masters, Adventures of Two Excellent Princes, Grimello’s Fortunes (1604), Strange News out of Divers Countries (1622), etc.  His mother married E. Gascoigne, the poet (q.v.).  His lyrics are pure and fresh, and his romances, though full of conceits, are pleasant reading, remarkably free from grossness.

BREWSTER, SIR DAVID (1781-1868).—­Man of science and writer, b. at Jedburgh, originally intended to enter the Church, of which, after a distinguished course at the Univ. of Edin., he became a licentiate.  Circumstances, however, led him to devote himself to science, of which he was one of the most brilliant ornaments of his day, especially in the department of optics, in which he made many discoveries.  He maintained his habits of investigation and composition to the very end of his long life, during which he received almost every kind of honorary distinction open to a man of science.  He also made many important contributions to literature, including a Life of Newton (1831), The Martyrs of Science (1841), More Worlds than One (1854), and Letters on Natural Magic addressed to Sir W. Scott, and he also edited, in addition to various scientific journals, The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia (1807-29).  He likewise held the offices successively of Principal of the United Coll. of St. Salvator and St. Leonard, St. Andrews (1838), and of the Univ. of Edin. (1859).  He was knighted in 1831.  Of high-strung and nervous temperament, he was somewhat irritable in matters of controversy; but he was repeatedly subjected to serious provocation.  He was a man of highly honourable and fervently religious character.

BROKE, or BROOKE, ARTHUR (d. 1563).—­Translator, was the author of The Tragicall Historie of Romeus and Juliett, from which Shakespeare probably took the story of his Romeo and Juliet.  Though indirectly translated, through a French version, from the Italian of Bandello, it is so much altered and amplified as almost to rank as an original work.  The only fact known regarding him is his death by shipwreck when crossing to France.

BROME, RICHARD (d. 1652?).—­Dramatist, the servant and friend of Ben Jonson, produced upwards of 20 plays, some in conjunction with Dekker and others.  Among them are A Fault in Friendship, Late Lancashire Witches (with Heywood and Dekker), A Jovial Crew (1652), The Northern Lass (1632), The Antipodes (1646), City Wit (1653), Court Beggar (1653), etc.  He had no original genius, but knew stage-craft well.