s _Les Lacs de l'Afrique equatoriale_ (Paris, 1890)
and Livingstone's _Last Journals_ (1874) may also be consulted.

BANIM, JOHN (1798-1842), Irish novelist, sometimes called the "Scott of
Ireland," was born at Kilkenny on the 3rd of April 1798. In his thirteenth
year he entered Kilkenny College and devoted himself specially to drawing
and painting. He pursued his artistic education for two years in the
schools connected with the Royal Society at Dublin, and afterwards taught
drawing in Kilkenny, where he fell in love with one of his pupils. His
affection was returned, but the parents of the young lady interfered and
removed her from Kilkenny. She pined away and died in two months. Her death
made a deep impression on Banim, whose health suffered severely and
permanently. In 1820 he went to Dublin and settled finally to the work of
literature. He published a poem, _The Celts' Paradise_, and his _Damon and
Pythias_ was performed at Covent Garden in 1821. During a short visit to
Kilkenny he married, and in 1822 planned in conjunction with his elder
brother MICHAEL (1796-1874), a series of tales illustrative of Irish life,
which should be for Ireland what the Waverley Novels were for Scotland. He
then set out for London, and supported himself by writing for magazines and
for the stage. A volume of miscellaneous essays was published anonymously
in 1824, called _Revelations of the Dead Alive_. In April 1825 appeared the
first series of _Tales of the O'Hara Family_, which achieved immediate and
decided success. One of the most powerful of them, _Crohoore of the Bill
Hook_, was by Michael Banim. In 1826 a second series was published,
containing that excellent Irish novel, _The Nowlans_. John's health had
given way, and the next effort of the "O'Hara family" was almost entirely
the production of his brother Michael. _The Croppy, a Tale of 1798_ (1828)
is hardly equal to the earlier tales, though it contains some wonderfully
vigorous passages. _The Denounced_, _The Mayor of Windgap_, _The Ghost
Hunter_ (by Michael Banim), and _The Smuggler_ followed in quick
succession, and were received with considerable favour. John Banim,
meanwhile, had become much straitened in circumstances. In 1829 he went to
France, and while he was abroad a movement to relieve his wants was set on
foot by the English press, headed by John Sterling in _The Times_. A
sufficient sum was obtained to remove him from any danger of actual want,
and to this governm