BANIM, JOHN (1798-1842).--Novelist, began life as a miniature painter, but was led by the success of his first book, _Tales of the O'Hara Family_, to devote himself to literature. The object which he set before himself was to become to Ireland what Scott has been to Scotland, and the influence of his model is distinctly traceable in his writings. His strength lies in the delineation of the characters of the Irish lower classes, and the impulses, often misguided and criminal, by which they are influenced, and in this he has shown remarkable power. The first series of the _O'Hara Tales_ appeared in 1825, the second in 1826. Other works are _The Croppy_ (1828), _The Denounced_ (1830), _The Smuggler_ (1831), _The Mayor of Windgap_, and his last, _Father Connell_. Most of these deal with the darker and more painful phases of life, but the feeling shown in the last-named is brighter and tenderer. B. latterly suffered from illness and consequent poverty, which were alleviated by a pension from Government. He also wrote some poems, including _The Celt's Paradise_, and one or two plays. In the _O'Hara Tales_, he was assisted by his brother, MICHAEL BANIM (1796-1874), and there is difficulty in allocating their respective contributions. After the death of John, Michael wrote _Clough Fionn_ (1852), and _The Town of the Cascades_ (1864). BANNATYNE, RICHARD (_d._ 1605).--Secretary to John Knox, compiled _Memorials of Transactions in Scotland from 1569 to 1573_. BARBAULD, ANNA LETITIA (1743-1825).--Poetess, etc., _dau._ of Dr. John Aikin (_q.v._), was _b._ at Kibworth-Hencourt, Leicestershire. Her _f._ kept an academy for boys, whose education she shared, and thus became acquainted with the classics. In 1773 she _pub._ a collection of miscellaneous poems, which was well received, and in the following year she married the Rev. R. Barbauld, a French Protestant and dissenting minister, who also conducted a school near Palgrave in Suffolk. Into this enterprise Mrs. B. threw herself with great energy, and, mainly owing to her talents and reputation, it proved a success and was afterwards carried on at Hampstead and Newington Green. Meantime, she continued her literary occupations, and brought out various devotional works, including her _Hymns in Prose for Children_. These were followed by _Evenings at Home_, _Selections from the English Essayists_, _The Letters of Samuel Richardson_, with a life prefixed, and a selection from the British novelists with introductory essay.