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A NEW AND GENERAL
B I O G RAPH IC AL
DICTIONARY.
1798.
VOL. II. ^
j1 -
A
NEW AND GENERAL
BIOGRAPHICAL
DICTIONARY:
CONTAINIKO
AN HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL ACCOUNT
-^•J ^ \ OF THE
LIVES and WRITINGS
OF THE
Moft Eminent Perfons
IN EVERY NATION;
PAariCULARLY THE BRITISH 'AND IRISH;
From the Earlieft Accounts of Time to the prefent Period.
W R X K t IN
Their remarkabSjl AcarioNa/atid: 3fe*FERiNGS,
• ,» • •• » > •*,,*■*'*■»
Their Virtues',' PA i(ts,. znd'LtAvCsivG,
ARE ACCVVJiTEp:t\lil9itAYEV.
With a Catalogue 61 ilkfitpi^ETtiS^t Productions.
A NEW EDITION, IN FIFTEEN V^^MES,
GREATLY ENLARGED AND IMPROVE^T
YOL. IL
LONDON:
Prioted lor G. G. and J. Robihson, }. JoHMtoN, I. Nicholi, }. Siwxll«,
H. L. Gardmse, F. and C. Rivinotom, W. Otridcc and Sow,
G. NicoL, £. Nbwbsry, Hookbam and CARPIKTER9.
R. Faulder, W. Chapman and Son, ]. DiiohtoNj
P.Walkkr, J. Anderson, T. Payne, J. LowNDKa,
P*MaC<^UEBN, J.T^ALKtE, T. ECERTON, T,
Cadell jun. and W. Davies, R. Edwards^
Vernor and Hood, J. Nvnn, Murray
RDdHiOHLSY,T. N. I^NGMAN, Lbs ' '^'
aod HoRST, and J. White,
THE NEW YC;;K
PUBLIC LirRARY
720 1 44
ASTOR, LLhOX AND
TiLDtN FOUNDATIONS
*t " 1910 t.
^
NEW AKD GENERAL
BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.
BAART (Peter), a latin and flemlfli poet, is the author of si
poem in confiderable repute, intituledi La pratique des
laboureurs dc Frife, or Flcmiih Georgi,cs. .,Thje people of that
h^ country compare him tq: Virgji* hut* ftriigOer^, without difpa«
\ ragement to Baart, place him fomewhat betow the Mantuan.
I He likewife is author of the p9^tt^, Ije Triton de Frife. He.
L was alfo a phyfician. We are ignorant of the year of his death.
\ BABAKOUSCHI, rutnm^tve tide:' i>f /Abdalrahman Moft-^
V hafa, mufti of the city of Caflk'rn thcTaurida, who died in the
ij\ year 783 of the hcgira. He is author of the book intituledji
^ Anis al moluk, the friend and the favourite of princes^ in which
he treats of politics. There is another Babakoufchi, who is faid
L' to have died in 974, author of the book intituled, Boftan al
^ fchakaik| Tlie garden of anemones; which is nothing but moral
^ eflays. ITiis author is perhaps the fame with the foregoing ; for
^ he is alfo (tyled mufti of Caf^a, and there may be a miftake in the
f dates of the hegira.
BABINGTON (Gerv ase), was bom in Nottinghamflrire, and
k/ educated at Trinity college in Cambridge, of which he became
fellow : he took a doftor's degree in divinity,- and was appointed
\j ' - domeftic chaplain to Heriry earl of* Pembroke proGdent of the ^
^ council in the Marches of Wales. By his intcreft he became
^ trcafurer of the chyrch pf LandafF, prebendary of Wellington in
J the cathedral of iieiefor4; and, in 1591, was advanced to the.
\ biihopric of Landdff.v . In 1594, he was tranflated to the fee o£
l^ txetcr; aad, in 1597; to that of Worccfter : he was likewife 1
made one of the queen*s council for the Marches of Wales. To |
t the Hbrary of his cathedral at Worccitcr he was a very great bct J
Vq^II. B ncf^a^r.
a BACHELIER.
nefa£l;or> not only repairing the edifice, but alfo bequeathing to it
all his books, a gift of confiderable value. He died of the jaun*
dice, May 17, 161 o [a].
B ACAI, the furname of Borhaneddin Ibrahim ben Omar, who.
died in the year of the hegira 885. He is author of fcvcral con-
fiderable works, the chief of which are : i . Nadhm al dorar. The
firing of pearls, a commentary on the koran, which he compofed
in the year of the hegira 875. 2. Beian al egma a la men aleg-
tema, &c. a treatife in which he maintains that concerts and
jnuQcalaiTemblies are forbidden by the mufulman law. 3. Adab
u akoval al hocama al kndimah, a diflertation on the manners and
maxims of the ancient philofophers. 4. Bahat fi elm al heiTab^
&c. a treatife on the art of divination by numbers. 5. Anarat al
fekr. The praifes of poverty. 6. Enbaal gomr, &c. The hiilory
of illuftrious men.
BACALANI, the furname of an Abubecre who is author of
a book intituled, Kgiaz al koran, Of the matters difficult to be
underftood and explained that are found in the koran.
BACCALAR Y SANNA (Vincent), marquis of St. Philip,
acquired much reputation by feveral important employment*
under Charles 11. and Philip V. kings of Spain, in the ifland of
Sardinia, his natiV^ ^&^e- \X)i*cdia/1^2EiK5d in 1 72(5. His Mo-
narchy of the I-|eB9ews*iia6 been*1trarf(Iftted into french, 4 vols*
i2mo, as well as his MgfUoitsrpfiRhlKp V. 4 vols. i2mo.
BACCALI, the fumjHijejQfjilbwJ IJadhl Mohammed ben Caf-
fcna al Kliovarezmi,\tr»HhtUn;th^ Jtfohammedans jive the title
of Zein al Mefchaikl^ I'^P^'Q^WW.pf the Sheiks' or Doftors j.
he died in the year of the hegira 562. We have by him the fol*^
lowing books: i. Adkhar afialavat, a traft on the prayer of the
mufulmans. 2. Eftekhar al Arab •, Of the glory and excellence
©f the Arabs.. He is alfo furnamed Zeideddrn, and fome authors
place his death in the year 573 of the hegira.
BACCIO (Andreas),, a celebrated phyfician^ who flourifhed
at the end of the xvith century. He was born near Ancona, be-
came profelTor of medicine at Rome, and was firft phyfician to
pope Sixtus V, He was the author of fome very curious and
karned works,, printed at Rome : as> i. De Venenis ct Antidoiis*
a, De Gemmis ac Lapidibus pretiofi^. 3. De narurali Vinoruna
Hiftoria. 4. De Thermis. Wq know not when he died.
BACHELIER (Nicholas), of Thouloufe, oripnally frora
[a] His wi itinp wTre printed at firft in cnomy. As alfo ^n Eipofitlon upon tht
quarto; then, with additions, in foiio* in Creed, the Comitfbndmants, the Lord*!
161^; and aznn m ?*«;7> under ch'K title: Prayer; with a Conference betwixt Man's
•*The Works ol f he right reverend Father Frailty and Faiih. And three Sermons.
in Cod, Geiv^fr JJ.if)i(igton, ijie '-((hop of With alphaheti<Ml tables of the principal
\V0rccr4er; co;:ta;ning coinfort;ib!e nolcs matter* of c*ch feveral work.*' Biogr^
Upon tlie five hooks of Mofes> viz. (Jenefis, Brit.
C»^ii9v JLe^'iticuSf Numbcis, Dc^iiei*
5 * Lucca>
» AC I CI. 3
Lu^esi, ftlictied fcutpture and archite£lure at Rome und^r Mi-
thael Angelo. On returning to his native country, he intro-
duced a true tafte in thofe artS} inftead of the gothic manner
vhicH had till then prevailed. His works in fculptute that ftill
fubfift in feveral churches of that city, always excite admiratipn,
though fome of them have Gnce been gilt, which has deprived
them of that grace and delicacy which Bacheliethad given them.
He wa$ ftill excrcifing his art in 1553.
BACHINI (Bernardine), a confidetable Italian author,
Vas bom at Borgo San Domino, Aug. 31, 165 1. He was of
the benedictine order, and preached with fuccefs in Italy ; but
the Weakncfs of his conftitution obliged him to renounce the
pulpit, and he refigned himfelf up to ftudy and retirement. The
^orld is indebted to him for many learned latin and italian
ivorks,.th€ moft cpofiderable of which are, A literary journal fronx
1686 to 1697, 9 vols. 4to. De fiftrorum figuris ac differentia,
Bologna, 4to. 1691, reprinted with TolHus^s notes, at Utrecht,
4to. i6g6, &c. He died at Bologna, Sept. i, 1721, aged 70.
BACCHYLIDES, the gteek lyric poet, was born at Julis, ^
town In tlie ifle of Ceos. He wrote the Apodemics, or the travela
of a deity. The emperor Julian was a great admirer of his writ-
ings, and Hiero the Syracufan preferred him to Pindar. He
flouriflied 452 B« C. and was the lad of the nine lyric poets fa
famous in Greece. There arc fome fragments of his ftill in
being.
BAQCI (John Baptist GauLi), furnamed the Painter, born
at Genoa in 1639, went to Rome about his 14th year, where he
f>]aced himfelf with a dealer in p:£tures, at whofe houfe he had
roquent opportunities of feeing Bernini ; of whom he received
good counfels in his art arid affiftances in his fortune. His fir{(
eflays were ftfokes of a mafterly pencil. Bacici was thencefor-
ward employed in copital works ; among others the cupola of
Jefus at Rome, a grand and complicated performance, which it
is impoffiWe fufhciently to admire. But Bacici's chief excel-
lence lay in portrait-painting. He drew that of a man who had
been dead twenty years. He began by chalking out a head from
his own imagination ; then, retouching his work by little and
little, according to the fuggeftions of thofe who had feen the
perfon while alive, he at length fucceeded in finifliing a portrait
acknowledged to be a complete refemblance. Bacici painted
with fo much eafe, that his hand, in fome fort, kept pace with
the impetuofity of his genius. His ideas were great and bold,
fometimes fantaftical ; his figures have an aftonifhing relief. He
was a good colourift, and excellent in forefhortening. He is re-
proached with much incorfednefs in his drawing, and a bad tafte
in his draperies. Neverthelefs his works are much cftecmed-
Bacici was fpiritcd and gay in his convcrfation. But his
B 2 paffionat*
'^
A NEW AND GENERAL
B I O G RAPH IC AL
DICTION A RY,
1798.
V O L. II. '^
fcorpus Ckrifti or Bcnnct college in Cambridge, where \i6 aftefi
vrards founded fix fcholiirihips, appropriating three of them to
the fchool which he built at Botefdale^ and gave two hundred
pounds cowards crefting a new chapel [l]. After leaving col-
lege, he travelled to FtanCe, and at his return applied to the ftudy
6f the law in Gray's Inn. In 1537, he was appointed folicitor
pf the court of augmentation. He prefented to Henry VIII. a
fcheme for a feminary of ftatefmeh, by founding a college for the
ftucfy of the civil law, and th6 teaching of the latin and french
languages in their purity [m]. Young gentlemen of diftinguiihed
tzxtSy after being fufficiently inftru&ed in thcfe things, were to
be fent abroad with ambafladors 5 vt^hilft others were to writd
the hiftory of all embaffies, treaties, and other foreign tranf-*
aftions, and of all arraignments and public trials ixt home [»].
This plan was never carried into execution ; but at the diflb-
lution of the monafteries, the king gave its author a grant of fe-
veral manors ih Suffolk, to be held in Capita by knight *s fervice;
ind, in 1 546, nAade him attorney of the court of wards.
Upon the accefiiori of queen Elizabeth he was knighted ; and
t)r. Heath, archbiftiop of York and chancellor of England, rc-
fufing to concur with the queen's meafures, the great feal was
taken from him arid delivered to fir Nicholas Bacon, with the
title of lord keeper, and all the powers of a chancellor : thcfe no
former lord keeper ^everjiad, being only empowered to put the
feal to fuch writs or patents as pafled of courfe ; and not to heat
caufcs, or prefide in the houfe bf- lords. His known diflike to
popery, and hisfavourihg for this teafon the title of the Houfe of
Suffolk to the crown, tather than that of the queeti of Scots,
drew upon him a fufpicion of being concerned in a traft writ-
ten by one Mr. John Hales, in favour of the Sufibtk title ; and,
in confequcnce thereof, an order from the queen not to appear at
court, or intermeddle in any other public bufinefs than that of
chancery : even the feal would, at the inftigation of the earl of
Leicefter, have been taken from him, alid given to fir Anthony
Brown, who had been Jord chief juftice of the common pleas in
queen Mary's time, if this gentleman's religion, which was that
of the church of Rome, would have permitted his accepting of
it. By the intereft of fir William Cecil, who by fortie is thought
to have been alfo privy to Hales's book, fir Nicholas was reftored
to the queen's good opinion, and died lamented by her and the
nation on the 20th of February 1579. He was interred in the
cathedral of St. Paul's, where a monument was erefted to him,
which was deftroyed by the fire of London, in 1 666. His fon,
the great Francis Bacon, fays [o], that his father the lord keeper
[M j Dr.
Srrype's Annals. [n] Burnet*s H'lft. of the Refarmit.
Dr. Uirch's flcm. ofQ^HIisabeth; vol. i. p. 269. fiiog^ Brit. ait. Bacon.
f\. I. p. la. ^ [oj Works, vol. i p- 533 .
7. '^**
bacok» 9
#is ^ a Man plaiiii dire£^y and conftant^ witlioat ill linelte and
doublenefs ; and one'that was of the mind that a man in his pri-
tate proceedings and eftate, and in the proceedings of ftace,
Ihould reft upon the foundnefs and ftrength of his own courfes^
and not upon pra&ice to cir<^umvent others, according to the fen-
tence of Solomon, Firprudem advertitod grtjfus fms ; JIultus an^
tern divertit ad d^os : infomuch that the biihop of Rofs [the
fcotch ambaflador^ who n^ade the complaint againft him in ths
affair of Hales's book], a fubtle and obfetving man, faid of him«
that he (^ould faften no words upoit him^ and that it was impof-
fible to come within him, becaufe he offered no play : and the
queen-mother of France, a very politic princefs, faid of him, that
he Ihould have been of the council of Spain, becaufe he defpifed
the occurrents, and refted upon the firft plot/' He was twic;
married; and by his firft wife, Jane, daughter of William Feme-^
ley, of Wtft-Crcting in Suffolk, efq.'hb hstd iflue, i. fir Nicholas
Bacon, his eldeft fon ; 2. Nathaniol^Bacon, of Stiffkey in Nor-
folk, efq. 3. Edward Bacon, of Shr^bUnd-hall in Suffolk, efq.
and three daughters. By his fecond' wifo Anne, one of the
daughters of fir Anthony Cook, tutor to king- Edward VI. hb
had two fons, Anthony and Fratlcis. •
BACON (Anne), a lady diftinguilhcd by her piety, virtue,
and learning, was the fecond daughter of fir< Anthony Cook, pre^*
Ceptor to king Edward VI. and wad bbrfi about the year 1538*
She had a very liberal edatation, and became eminent for her
fkill in the greek, larin, ahd Italian languages. She was married
to the above-mentionM fir Nicholas Bacbnj by whom (he had two
fons, AAthony and Francis, whofe diftinguiftied abilities were
greatly improved by the tender care of fo accompliflied a mother.
She tranflate(f, from the Italian into engliih, twenty-five fermons
written by Bernardine Ochine, on predeftiAation ^nd ele£^ion ;
and, from the latin, biftiop Jewel's Apology for the Church of
England^ She furvived her hufband fir Nicholas,* and is Tup*
po&d to have died about the beginning of the retgn of king
James I. at Gorhambury, near St. Alban's.
BACON (Francis), vifcount St. Alban's,and lord high chan-
cellor of England, one of the greateft and moft univerfal gcniufcH
diat any age or coUhtry has produced^ was fon of fir Nicholas
Bacon lord keeper of the great feaJ, and born at York-houfe in
the Strand, on the 22d of January 1561. Being thus dcfcended,
he was early initiated in a court life; and, as he himfelf cxpreffes
it, both by family and education, tinged with civil affairs [p].
His extraordinary parts, evep when a child,' were fo confpicuous^
at court, that the queen would often delight to talk. with him ;
Atd was wont to term him her young lord keepor : one faying of
.(f] WorIb% vol. in. p. 5 1<. e44l. 1753,. LloyU's State Wortbiet, p %%g.
*^' his
lo B A C O Ni
his (he was particularly pleafed with ; having aiked him his age^
when he was yet a boy, he anfwered her readily, that he was two
years younger than hjer majefty's happy reign [q^]. On the i6th
of June 15 73, being then in his twelfth year, he was entered of
Trinity college, Cambridge, under Dr. John Whitgift, afterwards
archbifhop of Canterbury. Before he was full Cxteen [rJ, he
not only underftood Ariftotle's philofophy, but was even then
come to a diflike of it, upon finding it rather contentious thaa
vfefuL At this early age his father called him from the uni-
Tcrfity to attend into France the queen's ambaifador, fir Amyas
Pawlet, whofe efteem and confidence he gained to fuch a degree,
that he was foon after charged by him with a commiflion to the
queen, which he executed with great approbation, and returned
again to* France to finiih his travels. During his flay in that,
kingdom his father died, without making that feparate provifioa
for liim he had intended : .which obliging him to think of fome
profellion for his fubfiftehce^ he applied himfelf, more through
neceffity than choice, to the ftudy of the common law \ and for
that purpofe entered himfelf of Gray's Inn [s]. At the age of
twenty-eight he was chofen by that honourable fociety for their
lent-reader, and afterwards their double reader. At this time he
appears to have drawn the fird outlines of his grand inflauration
of the fciences, in a treatife intituled Temporis partus mafculus,
which is loft. He now bent his endeavours to obtain fome ho-
nourable pod in the government. With a view, as himfelf de-
clares, to procure the greater aOiftance to his capacity and in-
duftry in perfecling his philofophical defigns : and lord Burleigh
interefted himfelf fo far in his behalf as to obtain for him, not
without oppofition, the reverfion of the office of regifter to the
ftar-chamber, worth about itooh a year ; but it did not fall to
him till near twenty years afterwards [t]. The court and mi-
niftry of queen £Iizabeth were, through her whole reign, divided
into two faAions : at the head of one were the two Cecils; and
at the head of the other, firft the earl of Lcicefter, and afterwards
the earl of Eflex. The coldnefs which the Cecils fliewed to
Bacon, and -the early friendfiiip he contrafted with Eflex, edu*
cated at the fame college, were probably the firft caufe of his
attachment to this nobleman, whom he cQnfidered, not as the
likolieft perfon to procure his own advancement, but as the fit-
tcft perfon to do good to the Rate [u). Sir Robert Cecil in par-
ticular,, who bore a mortal hatred to Eflex, and entertained a fc-
cret jealoufy of Bacon on account of his fuperior talents, threw
iiifurmountable obftacles iu his way to preferment, fuggefting
[ qj R awUy 's Lifft ^ Lord Bacon. to faiher Fulgcntto^ Workf, vol. iii. p. 748*
[rJ Ravvley*s Life of Bacon, p. 5. Ibid. p. 516.
Tepiibn's Baconians, p. 18. [t] Rawlcy,
[i} Rawlcy. Dugdalc. "See his letter [u] JBacon's WoriOy vol, i. p. 606.
to
BACON. II
|o the i|ueen, that he was a fpec^lative. mzn, wKofe head was
filled With philofophical notions, and therefore more likely to
perplex than to forward public bufinefs : hence, the utmoft in-
tereft of Efiex, who, with all the warmth of an afFeflionate friend,
had loDE follicic Jd his preferment, could not procure for him the
flace of attorney or that of folicitor-gcneral to her majedy [xj.
lis anxiety on account of the narrownefs of his citcumftanceS|
being increafcd by this failure of his expc<£lations of preferment,
had a^very bad cffeft upon his conftitution of body, which was
naturally not firm, and weakened (till more by the intemperance
of hia night ftudies ; his'difappoiatracnt even funk fo deep into
bisfpirit, that he was upon the point of hiding his grief and re-
fentment in fomc foreijjh country [yj. He was diverted fuom
his purpofe by his friends ; and frequently coniidering that he
was not performing his duty whiift he left thofe ftudies unpro-
fecuted by which he might do fervice to mankind, and followed
thofe that depended upon the will of others, he laid afide, for a
time, all further thoughts of rifuig in life, and more vigorouily
profecuted the deficn of his Inftauration. .
In 1597, h(! publiflied his Eflays, or Counfcls [z], a, work
which, by difplaying his uncompnon ikill in all the oliices of civil
life, proved of great fervice to his charafter.
TJpon the d.ath of queen Elizabetli, and the acceflion of king
James, his former views returned ; and he made, though not
without difficulty, conGderable advances in dignity and prefer-
ment. On the 23d of July 1603, he received tne honour of
knighthood: and on the 25th of Auguft 1604, was conftituted
by patent one of the king's learned counfel, with a fee of forty
pounds a year : he had alfo on the fame day a penfion of fixty
pounds^ a year afligned him for life, in confideration of the fpe-«
cial fervices received by the king from him and his brother Mr.
Anthony Bacon [a].
In 1605 he publi(hed a preparative or introdu£lion to hi^
great work, in a treatife, of the Advancement and Proficiency
of Learning. The general defign of this book was to give a
fummary account of that flock of knowledge whereof mankind
were poflefTed ; to lay down this knowledge under fuch natural
brancnes, or fcientilical diviGons, as might mod commodioufly
admit of its farther improvement; to point out its deiiciences,
or defiderata ; and, laftly, to fliew, by examples, the direft ways
of fupplyiug thefe deficieuces [b]. He, after his retirement,
fxl Works, Tol.ii. p. 43 -. edit. 17 %^. IM^cIjr to come into the world in print with
^Y^ Dr. Birch's Mem . or Q^fiiUabeth. more impert'edionsthan the auchor thought
[»] Thercafbn why }jAr. BUcon.pub}i{hf itjuft to take upon himrelf.
ed thefe Eifays at this time, he tHls us in [a J Dugilale, vol. ii. p. 438.. Kymer,
the <iedKa(ton of them to his brother Mr. vol. xv, p. 596.
Aotliony Bacon, was, thut many of them [s] Shaw'sAbridgmcotofZ^rd Bacon's
had ^len gbfoad ia writings and were very Works, vol* i. p. 67.
very
n BACOtJ.
Very much enlarged and corrcftcid the original ; atid, with the
Jiffillancc of fomc friends, turned the whole into latin [c]. Thii
is the edition of 1623, and ftatids as the firft part to bis grand
** Inftauration of the Sciences/* ^
Sir Robert Cecil, now earl of Salifbury, who had oppofed
Bacon's preferment under Elizabeth, feems to have obferved the
fame conduft in this reign ; and joined with himfclf fir Edward
Coke, the king's attorney-general, who was jealous of Bacon'j
ircputatioA in many parts of knowledge, and envied and feared
his abilities as a ftatefman. It was not therefore till after many
fervlces rendered to the king, and repeated follicitations mad&
to his miniflers, that fir Francis Bacon obtained, in 1607, the
plate he had fo long expefted of folicitor-general. This year
he fent his treatife, intituled, Cogitata et Vifa, which was the
foundation of his Novum Organum, to Dr. Andrews, bilhop of
Ely, defiring his opinion of it[D3, In x6io he publiflied, in
latin, another tteatife, intituled De fapientia veterum. This
fiece, a very ingenious writer obferves [e], appears like a rich
cabinet of antiques opened and fet to view, Xhe happy talent
which the author in his phyfical works employs to interpret
nature, is here employed to interpret the dark oracles of men :
and to fay the truth, he feems to have ufed the like artifice in
both, proceeding according to the induftivc method delivered
in the fccond part of the Novum Orgatlum, without which, or
fomcthinff of the kind, it would not be eafy to derive fuch
depths ot knowledge from the enigmas or dark parables of an-
tiquity. What the author is forced on may occafions to ftifle,
or at moft to fpeak only by halves, for fear of offending, is openly
avowed here in a mann-er that is fcarce liable to exception : he
appears indeed to have chofen the prefent fubjeft die rather,
becaufe the courfe and nature of decyphering the mythology of
the ancients would give him an opportunity of freely, or left
offenfively, expreffing his fentiraents for the improvement of
arts and fciences, and the general advantage of mankind.
In 161 1' he was conftituted judge of the matftiars court
jointly with fir Thomas Vavafor then knight -marflial [f]. In
1613 he fuccecded fir Henry Hobart, advanced to the place of
chief juftlce of the common pleas, as attorney-general. The
next year, an objedion was ftarted in the houfe of commons,
%hat a feat there was incompatible with the oflice of attorney*
rcneral, which required his frequent attendance in the upper
houfe •, but the commons, from their particular regard for Bacon,
over-ruled it.
When fir George Villiers became poffeffed of king James's
ff] Works, vol. i. p. 7:1. of Bacon's Works, vol. i. p. 54T.
i>l Vol.ii. p. 4O }. i>] Dugdalc** Baronage, vol. ii. p. 4.3 S.
,j Dr. iihavir'sPJcf^c* tc abiW^meftt *
coniidsnce^
[
BACON. 13
confidence, BacoQ> confcious that none could lerve tho new fa*
vourite, and through him his country, more nobly or ufefully
than himfelf, entered into a And friendfhip with Villiers, and
gave an admirable proof of the fincerity thereof on his part, in
that letter of advice how to difcharge eVery part of the difficult
office of prime minifter, which is ftill extant among his' works.
June 9, 1616, he was raifed to the dignity of a privy counfellorn
whilfl he was Aill in the office of attorney -general : and as he
had now more leifure from private caufes, he was deCrous to
dedicate more time to public fervice ; and therefore made au
offer to the king of a new digeft of the laws of England [g].
March 7, 161 7, upon the chancellor's voluntary refignation
of the fcals, they were given to fir Francis Bacon, with the titlQ
of lord keeper.
The king went foon after to Scotland, and in his abfence the
prince of Wale^s marriage with the Infanta of Spain was brought
upon the carpet [h]. The lord keeper forefaw the difficulties and
inconveniences that would attend this meafure, and honeftly
reprefented them both to his majcfty and to Villiers. Whilll
the king was in Scotland, another affair happened, which gave
Bacon no fmall uneafinefs : fecretary Winwood, out of diflike
to the lord keeper, was defirous ot bringing fir Edward Coke
into favour, and with this view prevailed with fir Edwards to
confent to his daughter's marrying fir John Villiers, brother to
the favourite, which alliance he had before reiefted, not without
marks of difrefpe£l. Bacon, apprehenfive that if Coke fliould
be brought ag^in into the council, all his great defigns for the
nation's welfare, the executing whereof was his principal motive
for folliciting the office gf keeper, would be thwarted, and his
power greatly lellened by the lofs of Villiers's favour, remon-*
ftrated againft the projefted marriage, both to that lord and to
the king. Ncverthclefs, as the lady was a great fortune, Villiers
highly approved of the match, and both he and the king took
o&nce at Bacon's oppofition to it. Their refentmcnt of hia
condu£t on this occafion appears, however, to have been of
fliort continuance-, for, January 4, i(Ji8, he was conftituted lord
bigh chancellor of England, and on the nth of July following
created baron of Verulam in Hertfordfliire [1].
The defire pf introducing and eftablilhing his new and better
philofophy, one capital end of which was to difcover methods
of procuring remedies for all human evils, feems to have been
his ruling paffiotl through life : in 1620, amidft all the variety
of weighty bufinefs in which his high office neceflarily involved
him, he publiihed the moft finilhed and important, tnough the
' fol Camien. [i] See Bacon's Works, vol.. ii« p. 555,
{nj Worki, vol. ii. f. 544. Fat. 15. Jac. i. p. 4.
Jeaft
14 -BACON-
lead read, of all his pliilofoptical frafts, the " Novum otgAmti
fcientiarum." The defign of this piece was to execute thd
fecond part of the Inftauration, by laying down a more perfeft
method of ufing the rational faculty than men were before ac*
quainted with ; in order to raife and improve the underftanding
as far as its prefent impcrfedl (late admits, and enable it to con*
quer the difficulties and interpret the obfcurities of nature. The
next year he was accufed of bribery and corruption. The king
found it impoffible to fave both his chancellor, who was openly
accufed of corruption, and Buckingham, his favourite, who
was fecretly and therefore more dangeroufly attacked as the en*
courager of whatever was deemed moil illegal and oppreffive :
he therefore forced the fofrfier to abandon his drfence, giving
him pofitive advice to fubinit himfelf to his peers, and promifing,
upon his princely word, to fcreen him in the lafl determination,
or, if that could not be, to reward him afterwards with ample
retribution of favour [k]. The chancellor, though he forefaw
his approaching ruin, if he did not plead for himfelf, refolved
to obey, and took leave of his majefty with thefe words, ** Thofe
that will ftrike at your chancellor, it is Qiuch to be feared, will
ilrike at your crown ;" ^nd wifhed, as he was the firft, fo he
might be the lad of facrifices. The houfe of peers, on the 3d
of May 1 62 1, gave judgement agaiuft him, " That he fhould
be fined 40,000!. and. remain prifoner in the Tower during the
kingV pleafure : that he fhould for ever be incapable of any
oiBce, place, or employment in the flate or commonwealth ;
and that he fliould never (it in parliament, or co'ine witliin the
verge of the court.'* But he was foon reilored to his liberty, had
his fine remitted, and was fummoned to the firft parliament of
king. Charles [l]. Aftqr this fentence, he retired from civil
affairs, and for five years gave himfelf wholly up to philofophy
[k] The author of the ** Eflayon Spirit hiftorical collections, " That he trcafurcd
(Dr. Clayton biihop of Clogher) in his up nothing for himfelf or family > but wat
Defence of that EHay^ p. 34, fnyij that over> indulgent to his fervaats, and con*
)oid Bacon had too much learning and nired at thtir takings, and their ways be-^
too much honelly to be a favourite with trayed him to that error : they were pro^
the c1cn;y of ihofe days; and that to their fufe and expenfive, and had at their conftA
influence with king James he probably mand whatever he Was maAer of. The
Qfwcd his difgrace, and was pitched upon gifts taken were for the moll part for in«
as a fcape-goat to fave the head of Buck- lerlocutory order ; his decrees irtrere gene-
iogham. rally made with fo much equity, ihxt
[l] The grcateft blame is generally thougli gifts rendcted him fufpeded fcrt
laid en his fervants ; and there is no doubt injuilice, yet never any decree made by
that fome of them were guilty, and that liim was rcverfed as ur.juft," It was pe-
their lord had this opinion of them: one culiar to this great mm (fays the author
day, during his trial, pafldng tlirough a of the Biogr. Brit.) to have nothing nar«
room where fcveral of his domeftics were row and felfifti in his compijiition ; he gav»
fitting, upon their riting up to falute him, away w-uhoutconcernwhateverhepottelTed,
he faid, " Sit down, my ma(lrrs^ your rife and^ believing other men of the £im«
hath been my fall." Stephens, p. ^4. mould, he received with as little con&*
And we are told by Rufli>^oitb.4 in bis deraiioa.
BACON. 15
and writing ; fo that during this time he executed fcveral por-
tions of his grand Inftauration, but did not live to finifli the
whole, according to his plan. Though he enjoyed, after bis
fall, 1800I. a year put of the broad-feal and alie^iftion-crEce^
and his lands brought him about a third move j yet his great
liberality when in place, and his expence*;iii procuring and
making experiments, reduced him to ftfaits, which led him to
make fuch applications to king James, as.prove his great addrefs
and perfeft knowledge of tjiat prljite's difpofition. He died,
April 9, 1626, at the earl of Arundtl'g houfe at Highgate, of a
fever, attended with a Heftuxion upon.his breaft ; and lies buried
in St. Michael's church at St. Alban's, where a monument was
crcfted for Rim 6f f^^ Thomas Meautys, once his fccretary,
and after\v5rds clerk ^the council. He was of a middling ftature:
his forehead fpacious and open, early impreffed with the marks
of age ; his eye lively and penetrating ; his whole appearance
venerably pleafmg. He continued fingle till after forty, and
then took to wife a daughter of alderman Barnhara of London,
with whom he received a plentiful fortuye, but had by her no
children: and (he outlived him upwards of twenty years. His
work^, colleflfed into 5 vols. 4to, were beautifully and accurately
printed, by Bowyer and Strahan, in 1765.
BACON (Anthony), elder brother to fir Francis, was edu-
cated at home, and afterwards fent abroad for improvement.
At his return, he diftinguifhed himfelf by his extraordinary
abilities : but though he was deeply flcilled in politics, and the
bed verfed in foreign affairs of any man in his time, yet he was
rcferved in converfarion, and remained contented with the re-
putation he acquired among the circle of his private acquaint-
:rnce, and the intercft he had with feme pcrfons of the firfl
diflinflion, who valued and made ufe of his abilities. He had the
misfortune to be fo very lame, that he was unable to move about
his room j on which account the carl of Eflejc, who relied much
upon his advice,' and confulted him in affairs that required the
greateft fecrccy,took him into his houfe, and gave him a hand--
fome allowance for his fcrviccs. He was diligent in his en-
deavours to ferve that unfortunate nobleman, when he moil
required his affiftance; and prcft^rved a fnicere fricndfhip to-
wards his brother the lord Verulam, to whom he left hi$
cftate.
BACON (Sir NATiiANiEt), knight of the bath, and an ex-
cellent painter, was one of the fons of the lord-keeper Bacon,*
and half-brother to the vifcount St. Alban's. He travelled into
Italy, and ftudied painting there ; but his manner mid colour-
ing approach nearer to the (lyle of the flemifli fchool. Mr.
Walpole obfcrves, that at Culford, where he lived, are preferved
fome of his works i and at Gorhajnbury, his father's feat, is a
large
x& BADCOCK.
tsirge pi£lure by him in oil, of a cook-maid with dead fowl^ad-.
mirably paintea, with great nature, neatnefs^ and luftre of co*
louring. In the fame houfe is a whole? length of him, by him-
felf> drawing on a paper. Mr. Granger fays, he wad anceftor
to the prefent lord Townfhend.
BACON (Phanuel) [m], reftor of Balden in OaUordlhirc,
and vicar of Bramber in Suflex* was of Magdalen college, Ox-
ford 5 where he took the degree of M. A, April j 7, 1 72a j B. D*
April 29, 1731; D. D. December 7, 1735. He pofleffes aa
cxquifite fund of humour j was a famous punfter, and wrote an
admirable poem, called the "Artificial Kite,** firft printed in 1 7 1 9,
and preferred in the Gentleman^s Maga^jne for 1758* In the year
1757, he pubhfhed nolefs than five dramatic performances, viz*
I. The taxes. 2. The infignificants. 3. The trial of the twin^
killers. 4. The naval quack. 5. The bgulift. He died at
Bildeu, January a, 1783.
BACOUE (Leo), the only proteftant who went back ta
lopery that was made bifhop in the reign of Louis XIV. wa*
irn at Caftelgeloux, in Gafcony. After having, quitted hi*
religion, he entered hhnfelf of the francifcan order, was then
made biflxop of Glandeve, and afterwards of Pamiers, whwre he -
died in 1694, at the age of 94. HisJatin poem on tho^ Educa-
tion of a Prince, 1671, 4to, procured him the epifcopal dignity.
It was the duke of Montaufier Who folHcitcd it for him.
BACQUERRE (Benedict de). We have of this phyficianji
eoncerniHg whom nothing more is known, a work, in great
efteem, intituled, Seaum Mcdicus, printed at Cologne in 1673.
BAD AKSCHI, a perfiaa poet, native of the province of Ba-.
dakfchian. He lived under the reign of the khalif Modafi.
There ts come down to us by him, a divan, or «ollcclion of
poems in the perfian language. He wrote verfea on occafion
of a revcrfc of fortune that happened in the families of fcveraj
magnates of the court of the khalif; in which he fays that wo
are not to be aftoniflied at the alternative obfcrved in the affairs
of the world, fince the life of man is meafured by an hour glafs,
where there is always an hour above and an hour below, tha^
altcrnatcW follow. In felek kemgiu fchifchch fietefl. Sa^ti zir
ve ficti zibcrcft.
B \DASCH, or BADESCH. Ali ben Ahmed bcu Badafch
is the author of a commentary on the book that Ben Sarragi*
^ompofcd on tlie arabic grammar, and which he intituled, Oliul
fil n.ilui. This author died in the year of the hegira 528.
BADCOCK (Samuel), was the fon of a creditable butcher
at South Molton, in Devonlhirc, where he was born February 23,
^747. Ali his friends being diilcnters, he was defigned by them
[mJ Gci^t. M45, 1783, 9. 9».
B A D C O C K^ 17
tat the minifterial fun£lion ; and, after receiving the firft rudi-
ments of his education undeV his maternal uncle, a Mr. Plake,
I * Who was minifter of the' congregation of diflenters at South
Molton, and for whom Mr. Badcock always retained a lively
fenfe of gratitude, he was placed m an academy fet apart for
the training up of candidates for the diiTenting miniftry, at St.
Mary Ottery in the fame county, then fuperintended by a Mr.
Rooker, fucceflbr to a Mr. Lavington [n]. From habitual in-
tercourfe with feme of the (Indents at this place he concra£bed
fome of thofe tenets which compofe the gloomy fanaticifm of
the methodifts. Some of his letters while at the academy,
written to a friend oihis, are ftill in being : they run chiefly on
the topics of frce-gra<5e, cleft ion, jufHfication by imputed right-
coufnefs, final perfeverance, the fubordination of fan£lification
to juftification, and the like. In ihort, they are fufEcient evi-
dences of a warm im<igination and great dudlility of mind.
How long he continued at the academy we know not y but, on
leaving it, he preached occafionaDy as a probationer ; and, after
fome ihort time, accepted of a call to be paftor of a diflenting
congregation at Winbourne in Dorfetlhirc ; to which fociety he
was ordained, but did not remain long in that iituation, as the
ftipend was too fmall for a neccflary fupport. From Winbourne
he was invited to Barnftaple in Devon $ which was a much more
eligible place for him, as the income was fufficiently comfort-
able, and the diflance but a few miles from his native town.
He accordingly removed thither in 1769, and continued there
nine or ten years. Previouily to this, however, it fhould be
obferved, he had quitted thofe narrow and unworthy notions
irhich he had imbibed from the methodifts, and confidered the
deity and religion in a more amiable view. While at Barnftaple
he met with fome of Dr. Frieftley's theological productions 5
from the perufal of which he was more and more confirmed in
the fcriptural notion of the unity of God and the rational fyftem
of the gofpel. In .the fituation of Mr. Badcock's mind, now
emerged from the flavery of methodiftic darknefs, it is not fur-
prifing that thefe enlarged and fenfible ideas (hould charm him.
The tranfition from fuperftition to the pure and exalted fenti-
ments of piety is not uncommon in men of generous hearts and
elevated underftandings. When fuch an one is once convinced
of the abfurdity and pernicious influence of opinions which he
had long maintained as facred, it is by no means wonderful
that he fliould endeavour to get as far away from them as pdf-
fible. This was the cafe with Mr. badcock ; who became fo
[tt] This Mr. Latfngtonwaia greataf- for Don-conforintty; and» accompanying
liftiac to Dr. Edmund Catamy in compiU that divine into Scotland, received at £iin*
iof hit account of the miniftart cje£ied burgh tht honorary dcgrea of M . A.
Vol. XL C charmed
i9 BADCOCK.
cliarmed with the writings of Df. Pricftley, that he paid^a ridt
to the dodlor at Calne in Wiltfhire, and eftabliihed an intimacy
and correfpondence with him, that did honour to them both.
Nor was this ftep any thing to his difadrantage in the minds of
the general part of the congregation at Barnftaple, as Mr.
Walrond, the minifter whom he fucceeded, was much beloved
by h'n people, and a man of enlarged fentiments. However, it
muft be eonfeffcd that his removal from Barnftaple was not
much to the credit of his flock. The gaiety of his difpofition,
the moral elegance of his fermons, and the unreferTednefs of
his manners, conld not be agreeable to a fet of people who were
formed upon the model of the rigid non-conformifts of the laft
age. He was difmifled by them on a fcandak>as but falfe im-
putation; and the fhame of his difmiilion at length recoiled
upon themfelves. From thence he removed to South Molton^
the diflcnting congregation of which place readily accepted his
miniftration. This was about 1777. The number of diflenters
there being but few, his ftipend was confequently very fmall;^
and had it not been for the kindnefs of friends, many of them
perfons of diltinguiihed rank, who properly valued his great
merit and eminent talents, his fituation muft have been exceed-
ingly irkfome. About the year 1780 he engaged aps a writer in
the Monthly Review ; though, we believe, he had before been
a contributor to periodical publrcation^, particatarly the Londorv
Magazine. In tliis fame year, 1 7 80, when the fubjcd was ftarted
concerhing the materiality or immaterialty of the human foul
by fevcral of our metaphyfical writers, ^4r. Badcock alfo pub-
liOicd a pamphlet upon it. It was intkuled, A flight (ketch
of the controverfy between Dr. PtiefUey and his opponents, Sva.
The tra£l wss (hrewd, and difcoyered the author to be acquainted
with his fubj eel. In 1781 he diftinguifhed himfelf as the re-
viewer and cenfurer of the late Mr. Martin Madan's weak but
popular T.hclyphthora. In this criti<f«e Mr. Badcock evinced a
remarkable force of genius, (kill of argument, and difplay of
learning; and judly engaged the attention and admiration of
the public upon his criticifms. In the controverfy concerning
the authenticity of Rowley's poems, Mr. Badcock took a con-
fiderable part in his capacity of reviewer. Whether he was on
the right fide of the queftion, he being an anti-rowleian, i»
not for us to determine ; certain tt is, however, that his elucida-
tions were ingenious, and that he was far from being the leafl of
the formidable group who afl'ailed the pretenfions of the Briflol
prieft. — On the publication of Dr. Prieilley's Hiflory of the
Corruptions of Chriftianity, Mr. Badcock undertook the reply to
that part which was .the mofl laboured and important of the
whole v/ork, viz the hi (lory of opinions relative to Jefus Chrift.
This he accordingly did in the Monthly Review for June 178^.
Ui»
B A D C O C K. 19
Hh critique wa^ loxlg, but ;)cute ; and dlfcovered an uncommon
extent of reading in the old fathers, ecclefiafticai hiiloryi and
the advocates for one only God. Dr. Prieftley felt this attack
fo feverely, and efpecially as it was made from a quarter fo
unexpected as the Monthly Review, that, with his ufual celerity^
in lefs than a month he brought out a reply to the animad-
veriions } though the remainder of the article upon his work
had not yet appeared. When he publiihed this reply, he did not
know who his antagonift was ; and therefore, unbiafled by pre-
1*udice or refentment, he bellowed this eulogium on him ; ^' The
[nowledge and ability of the prefent reviewer make him a
much more formidable, and therefore a more refpedlable an*
tagonift." In the number for September 1783, Mr. Badcock
entered into a full examination both of the doctor's hillory
and the above-mentioned defence of it. This critique took up
more than thirty-three pages of the Review ; and, though fo
long, was thought fo interefting as to occafion the reprinting
of the number in which it was contained. Dr. Prieftley's
work drew forth a champion from another quarter. Dr. Horf-
ley, then archdeacon of St. Alban's, now bifhop of Ro-
chefter, in a charge delivered to the clergy of that archdea-
conry, vehemently inveighed againft the opinions of Prieftley
touching the one Supreme Being. This charge was publiflied ;
and, as might judly be expedted, was praifed by Dr. Badcock
in the Review. Dr. Prieftky replied to the archdeacon in a
feries of letters, which were very clofelv and fmartly examined
in the Review for January 1784. By tnis time the do£tor had
got the knowledge of his critic ; and this drew from him a pam-
phlet intituled. Remarks on the Monthly Review of the Letters
to Dr. Horfleyi in which the Rev. Mr. Samuel Badcock, the
iJVTiter of that Review, is called upon to defend what he has
advanced in it. Dr. Prieftley charges his reviewer with volun-
tary ignorance and Uliberality *, to this Mr. Badcock was prudent
enough to make no reply. The original controverfy lafted fome
time, till it became tirefome to every body except the doughty
agoniftics ; when the conteft ended greatly to the advantage of
the archdeacon; who retired from the field to repofe in a
bifhopric, while the do£lor went to fhift on the fcanty remains
of a plundered fortune.
While Mr. Badcock was at Barnftaple he became acquainted
with a daughter of Mr. Samuel Wefley, matter of Tiverton-
fchool, and elder brother of the famous John Wefley j from her
he received a confiderable quantity of papers, confilting chiefly
of letters and pieces of poetry. Some of thefe he publifhed en-
tire*; and from the whole, with what particulars that donor
favoured him with orally, he drew up that account of the fa-
mily which was publiihed in the aoth number of the Bibliotheca
C 2 Topographica
20 B A D C O C K.
Topographica Britannica. He was favoured alfo at 6ani(!ap{^
with a co»iiderabIe number of manufcriptSy which had been the *
property of Mr. Jonathan Hanmer, who was ejeftcd from the
living of Banidaple in 1662, and was a noted man in his day*
But the books and papers of Mr. John Berry, an eminent non-
conformift minifter at Barnftaple in the lad century, falling into
Mr. Badcock's hands, proved an invaluable treafure to him«
Among them were fome letters of Dr. Jeremy Taylor, bifliop
of Down.
Mr. BadcocVs family was always refpeftablc in South Molton j
and in the laft century one of his anceftors was mayor of the
town : but what diftinguifted him the mod was his animofity to
ihe non-conformifts, particularly the noted Mr. John Flavel, of
fpiritualizing fame, who was cjedcd from the living of Dart-
mouth, and took up his abode for fome years at Hudfcott, a feac
belonging to the family of Rollc, near South Mohon ; where he
\ifc6 to preach in the hall at midnight to very crowded audi-
ences. Mr. Badcocky having mentioned this anceftor of his in,
a letter to a friend, obferves, that *• he exercifed with unabated
ardour and feverity all the power which the vengeance of tit
church and Ji ate in aitrance had given hrm, to fcourge the gene-
rous oppofers of tyranny and ufurpation.**
At v/nat time Mr. Badcock's acquaintance commenced with
Mr. (now Dr.) White, laudian profeflbr of arable at Oxford, is
uncertain ; though it was moft probably fome time in 1782. By
what means too that intimacy began is alfo now unknown. Dr.
Gabriel, indeed [o], obfer\'es, fomcwhat remarkably, ** that Dr.
White introduced himfelf to Mr. Badcoek's acquarntance." This
conncftion however proved of very eflential fervice to both : for
Mr. Badcock gained by ic pecuniary affif^anccs, of which he too
frequently ftood in need \ and Dr. White procured to himfelf a
degree of literary celebrity, to which, in all likelihood, he
would not otherwife have attained. The profeflbr was ap-
pointed Bampton lefturcr in Eafter term 1783^ ami, as he in-
forms us himfelf r^, '* it was not long before he difcovcr^,
that to complete the left tires on the plan he had formed, it was
expedient to avail himfelf of the bed aid he could procure,^ *
This made him turn his attention to Dr. Badcock ; and, about
November foHowing,*he paid him a vifTt at South Molton, for
the exprefs purpofe, as it evidently appears, of folliciting his
affiflance in the execution of a work that (houl4 be worthy the
attention of the public The phn being fettled between them y
and the ** doctor's mind,*^ as he fays hrmfelf, " being thereby re-
lieved from a great load of anxiety," Mr. Badcock undertook
his part with alacrity, performed it fpeedily, and in a manner
[c-l Pads, p. 47. [pX- ^^» Wi^te'ft Sutcment of lui Literary OUigationi. .
that
BADCOCK- 2f
Aat did him infinite honour. The portions of the leftures *
written by Mr. Badcock are, the greateft fhare of the fit-ft, the
bed part of the third, about a fourth of the fifth, almoft the
whole of the feventh, and a fraall part of the eighth. Of the
nofcs appended to the lectures, Mr. Badeock is acknowledged
to have finiOicd about one fourth. That Mr Badcock received
fome pecuniary aids from Dr. White in confequence of the cx-
tcnfive fale of thefe ledures, is certain ; but it appears that he
was not perfeclly fatisfied with the do£lor's conduit to him,
fince he declared to more than one friend, that the dodlor had
failed in many promifes made to him. What thefe promifes
were, are now known only to him who made them. Genius
and poverty are an ill afforted but too common an alliance ;
for, while the former raifcs a man to a fuperiority over the
bulk of mankind, the other generally fubjeds him to the infults
of the proud or the' fnares of the crafty. Mr. Badcock quitted
the diflenting minidry fome time toward the end of the year
1786-
In 1787 he loft his mother, a very excellent woman and
moft afTedionate parent. His behaviour to her was exemplarily
filial, and his grief at her death exquifitely tender. In the fpring
of 1787 he was ordained in Exeter cathedral by bifliop Rofs.
The title upon which he was ordained was the curacy of Broad
CIvft near kxetcr. On account of his repeated and violent head-
acfis, he was obliged ihortly after to refign the curacy upon
which he was ordained, and then engaged himfelf as afiiltant to
Dr. Gabriel of the Odogon chapel, Bath. He there preached
a charity fermon, which was afterwards printed, but not pub-
lifhed. At the Lent affize 1788 he preached in the cathedral of *
Exeter, before the judges, a fermon which was much admired
by thofe who heard it. May the 19th following he died, of a
bilious complaint, at the houfe of his clofe, affe6lionate, and
worthy friend, fir John Chichefter, baronet, in Queen-ttreet,
May-Fair.
He was for many years troubled with dreadful head-achs, fo
that, fometimes, he v/as in a Hate of delirium. This made him
frequently exprefs his apprehenfion of fome time or other lofing
his reafon, an event which he juftly confidered as far more to be
dreaded tlian death itfelf. His circumftances were feldom eafy,
and often he flood in need of the aflillance of friends to relieve
him from the embarraflments of penury. In his perfon Mr,
Badcock was (hort but well made, adlive, lively, and agreeable ;
his eyes were peculiarly vivacious, and his whole countenance in-
dicated ftrpng intefleftual powers far above the general run of
mankind, and a difpoGtion replete with fenfibility, tendernefs,
^nd generofity.
^ • C 3 BAFKAR-
12 B A G L I y r.
BAFEARKAH, the fun^ame of Abu Zohal, an author who
wrote upon Euclid.
BAGFORD (JoHv), the antiquary and great colleftor of
old englifh books, prints, &c. was born in London [c^]. He
had been in his younger days a (hoe maker, afterwards a bbok-
feller ; and laftly, for the mjny curiofitics wherewith he enriched
the famous library of Dr. John Moore, bifliop of Ely, his lord-
ftiip got him admitted into the Charter-houfe. He was feveral
times in Holland, and in other foreign parts, where he procured
many valuable old books, prints, 6ic, fome of which he difpofed
of to the late earl of Oxford, who, after his death, purchafed all
his colleftions, papers, &c. for his library. In 1707, werepub-
lifhedj'in the Philofophical Tranfaftioils, his propofals for a
General Hiftory of Printing. He died at Iflington, a little be-
fore fix in the morning, May 15, 1 7 16, aged 65 years; and was
buried the Monday following in the cemetery belonging to thq
Charter-houfe. In 1728, a print was engraved bf him, from a
painting of Mr. Howard, by George Vertue. See an account
of his entries, which w6rc defigncd for a general hiftory of.
printing, in the catalogue of the Harleian colleflion of MSS,
vol. ii. fol. London, I75v> from No. 5892 to No. 9910. His
MSS. may be of ufe to fuch as will take pains to extraft good
matter from a bad hand and worfe orthography. This may
be eafily forgiven to his education,' far from learned, and all
his improvements owing to the ftrength of genius, feconded
by unufual diligence and JnduftVy [r]. * A number of his let-
ters to Humphry Wanley may be feen in the Britiih Mufeum ;
and a large patt of his colleftions is in the Public Library
at Cambridge, where they are locked up in a large cubical deal
box, and probably have never been opened finqe they were
there.
BAGI ZADEH, the furname of Abdal Halim ben Mo-
hammed, author of a commentary on tlie book intituled, Ef-
charat u al nadhair, who died in the year of the hegira 1013J
Bagi Zadc-i fignifits the fon of Bagi.
BAGLIVI (Georck), an illufirious phyfician of Italy, was
a native of Apulia, and born about the year 1668 [$]. He
ftudied at Padua, where he became doftor ; and then went to
Rome, where he was chofen profciTor of anatomy. He was a man
of uncommon force of underftanding, of which he gave ample
proofs in many curious and accurate produftions, philofophical
as well as medicinal. He died at Rome, 1 706, in the very flower
of his age, being no more than 38. A collection of his works
[qj Anecdotes of Bowycr, by Nichols, p. 506.
p. 50 >. ' • • [a] Margcti BLblioth. Medic. Genc».
Lk] Aoecdotes of Bowycr, by Nichols, 1731- ' - ■ f
- va&
BAHAR AL HEFDH, tj
vas printed iirft in 1710, 410; and have fmce been reprinted,
in -the fame fizc, ai various places. His Praxis Medicii, and De
F4bra Matricis, are the principal pieces. He wrote a diilertation
upon the anatomy, bice, and efFedU of the Tarantula, which is
the produ£lion of his country ; and gave a particular account of
the earthquake at Rome, ^Qd the adjacent cities, in 1703. His
works are all in latin.
BAGNIOLI (Julius Cjesar), an italian poet, mod known
at prcfent by his poem of the judgment of Paris, and the tra-
gedy of Aragonois. He was a native of Bagna Cabano, and
wrs nuich attached to Michael Perreti, prince of Vencfro, who
vas a mofl generous patron to him. He died about 1600.
BAGSHAW (William), born at Litton in the parifh of
Tidfwell 1628, and educated in Corpus Chrifti college, Cam-
bridge ; after which he entered into orders, and preached with '
great applaufe in dit^erent parts of Derbyfliire. He obtained the
living of Gleflbp, which he held till 1662, when he wa$ obliged
to refign it, becaufe he would not comply with the a£l of uni-
formity ; and then he preached privately at diflerent places till
the revolution, when a large meeting-houfe was built for him,
and he continued paftor of a numerous congrej^ation till his
death in 1 702. He was the author of feveral fniall practical
treatifes, much efteemed in that age.
BAGURI, furname of Mohammed ben Ifliak, author of the
book intituled, Ethlaa ala almonademah ; a treatife on conver-
fations and convivial companies, an4 of intemperance. He
^ied in the year of the hcgira 679.
BAHA AI- HAKH U ALDIN. The ornament of jufticc
and religion. This is the title borne by Omar Nakhfchbcruii,
reputed a great faint by the mufulmans. He died at liafara
in the year of the hcgira 857. Babur iVlirza fultan, of the race
of Tamerlane, who reigned in Khoraflan, carried his coffin on
his (houlders. His life and his miracles were written by Salah
ben Mobarek al Bokhari, in the book he calls Anis al Thalebin.
This fcheik is author of a book intituled, Mecamat.
BAHALI, thfi furname of Abu Nafr Ahmed ben Ganem,
author of a book intituled, Efchtekak al Efma, The derivation
of arabic names. H-e died in the year 220 of the hegira. — Ba-
hali is alfo the furname of Mohammed ben Mohammed, who
abridged the book intituled, Ekhtelaf al olama^ a treatife on the
diversity and contrariety of the opinions of tlie niufulman doclors.
He died in the year 321 of the hegira.
BAHAR AL HEFDH, The fea of memory. Surname of
Abu Othman ben Amru, author of the book intituled, Akhlak
al moluk. Of the manners and qualities of princes. He died
iq the year of the hcgira 255.
C 4 BAHIER
»4 BAILLET.
BAHIER (John), pricft of the Oratory, native of Chitilloiiii
died, fecretary of the congregation, in 1 707, had a name among
thofe who employ thcmfclvcs in piaking latin verfcs. One of
his pieces may be feen in the Poefics diverfcs, coUcftcd by Lo-
menie de Brienne. His poem Fuquetius in vinculis, compofed
on the arreflation of the furintendant Fouquet, had a run in it^
day. The author, however, will never be clafled among the
good latin poets.
BAIER (Jean Jaquks), a celebrated phyfician, born at
Jena in 1677, prailkifcd his art in feveral towns of Germany;
among others at Nuremberg, Ratiibon, and Altorf. He was
prpfeflbr at this lall mcntione/il place, member of the Academy
dcs Curieux de la Nature, in 1720. He was chofen prefidcnt
of it in 1730, and died at Altorf the 14th of July 1735. He
was author of, i . Thefaurus Gemmarum affabre fculptarum,
coUecbus a J. M^ ab Ebermayer, Nuremberg 1720, folio, 2.
Horti mediei acad. Altorf. hifloria, Altorf 1727, 4to. 3. A
great number of Difiertations, or Thefes, on particular plantS||
in 4to. from 1 7 1 o to 1 72 1 .
BAIF (Lazarus), abbot of Charroux and of Grenetiere, con-
fciller au parlement de Paris, maitic des requfetes, was born at
the eilate of Fins, near la Fleche, of a noble family, and died
1" *S45- Francis 1. fent him amhaflador to Venice in 1530,
and employed him on divers other occafions. We have of his :
De re vcftiaria, and De re navali, printed at Bale in 1541, in
4to. full of erudition, but without order and without choice.
BAILIES (William), one of the phyficians to the king of
PrufTia, and member of the colleges of phyficians of London and
Edinburgh. ' He was author of " An Eflay on the Path Waters,
J 757," and of " A narrative of fails dernonilrating the exift-
«nce and caufe of a Phyficai Confederacy, made known in the
printed letters of Dr. Lucas and Dr. Oliver, 1757," whereby he
was excluded from confultations at Bath, where as well as in
London he formerly pradifed phyfic. It is related of him that
when he was firft introduced to the late king of Pruflia, to whom
much had been fnid of his medical ikill, the king obferved to
him, " That to have acquired fo much experience, he muft ne-
cefTarily have killed a great many people." To which the dotior
replied, " Pa$ tant que votre majefte,** ** Not fo many as your
majcfly."
bAlLLET (Adrian), a learned french author, bom June
13, i64g, at Ncuvilie, a village near ficauvais in Picardy. His
father was very poor, and could not afford to give him a pro-
per education ; but there being a con%ent not far from Neu-
ville, young Baillet ufcil to go thither frequently : in the morn-
ing he a flitted the prieils at mafs, and the reft of the day uled
to do all the little oiEces in his power to the fexton and the other
2 father
BAILLET, as
Others of the houfc. The fexton vrzs fo pleafed with Ms beha-^
vtour, that he conceived an ailb^^ion for him, and taught him
to read and write [t]. He was afterwards recommended to
the bifliop of BeguvaLs, who fent htm into the little feminaryof
Ceauvais^ where he ftwdied jjreek and latin, and nfter«-ards apw
plied himfelf to philofophy, hillory, chronolDgy, and geography.
In 1670, he went into the great leminary, where he lludied di-
vinity. In 1672, he was appointed to teach the fifth form in
the college of fieauvais, and the fourth two years after : this
employment, befides his board, brought him in about 60L per
^nnum, part of which he gave towards the fupport of Iiis poor
relations, and the reft he fpent in books.
In 1676, he entered into orders ; and the bifliop of Beauvaii
prcfented him to the vicirage of Lardieres, which, though only
worth about 30I. per annum, yet fo temperate was Mr. Baillet
in his way of living, that he maintained his brother and himfclf
with this allowance, gave fome alms to the poor, and went
once a year to buy books at Paris [u]. In 1680, being appointed
library keeper to M. dc Lamoignon, advocate-general to the
parliament of Paris, he applied himfelf with great afliduity to draw
up an index of all the fubjeds treated of in this gentleman's
library, and finifhed it in Auguft 1682. The additions he conti-
nued to make increafed it at length fo much, that it contains 35
folio volumes, all written in Mr. Bail let's own hand. He wrote
a latin preface, which was publifhed : in this he promifes ano-
ther index, or catalogue, of all the authors in M. de Lamoignon's
library. If you knew the fubje£b treated of, but not the name
of the author, you might find it in the fir It index ; if you knew
the author's name, and not the fubjedl he wrote upon, this was
to be looked for in the fecond index. When he had finilhed
this laborious undertaking, he applied himfelf to his ** Jugc-
mens des Savans ;" and having completed the firft four volumes,
he gave them to the bookfellcr, demanding nothing for them,
except a few copies for his friends. The bookfeller printed a
large number of them, which were fold off in a very fiiort time.
Mt. Baillet had written a plan of his dcfign 5 but tne firft four
volumes were printed without it [x]. Mr. Bayle [y] gave a
very favourable account of the work : but, notwithftanding its
ufeiulnefs, and though the author feldom fpeaks his own opi-
nion, relating chiefly the judgment of other<?, yet the liberty he
Cakes, in giving, not only what is favourable to authors, but
what had been cenfured in them, raifed him manv enemies.
[tJ Niceron*« Memoirs^ torn. iii. p. in the year t63j:, with the following title,
16. Jugcmcns des Savans fur Ics prlncipaux
[v] Ahrcgc de U Vie de Baillet, in the ouviagcs des auieurs." Vic de Bjillet.
2d vol. of the Jugemens des Savans. [y] Re^ub. dcs Lett. Dec. 1685.
£z] T^hey were<printed at Paris m 1 2mQ,
£6 B A I L L E T.
The friends of M. Menapc, of whom M. Baillet had fpokcn la
a ludicrous manner, made a great clamour. Father Commirc
wrote a ftiort poem in latin, intituled, " Afinusin I'arnairo/* ia
defence of M. Menage. There were others who wrote alfo
againft him ; neverthclefs he went on with great afiiduity to
fini(h the remainder of the work, and his five volumes on the
poets were accordingly publifhed in 1686.
Soon after the publication of thefc laft volumes, M. Menage
publiihcd his " Anti Baillet." Some other author wrote aifo
four letters, wherein he attacks, with great feverity, the ftylc
and manner of M. feailJct. Father ie Tellier the jefuit, accord-
ing to Niceron[z], was the author of them; and Mr. Baylc
fays, it may be ealily perceived that they came from the jefuits,
who were provoked againft M. Baillet, becaufe he had (hewn
himfelf fomewhat partial to the gentlc;;nen of the Port Royal,
and had fpoken i;i a difrefpeftful manner of the jefuits.
In 1688, M. Baillet publifhed his work concerning children
famous for their learning and writings [a]. It gave him unea*
finefs to find, that many perfons of quality were led away by a
notion, that fludy was hurtful to the health and wit of children.
This induced him to (hew the contrary by feveral examples, an-*
f:ient and modern. He defigned this piece only as a dedication,
to be prefixed to a larger work; but finding the fubjeft to grow
under his pen, he publiOied it by itfelf, and addretTed it to
the young M. dcLamoignon.
"When M. Menage's " AntirBaillet" was publifhed, our author
took occafion from thence to write a book concerning fuch fa*
tires, in which a man"? name was annexed to the word Anti f b],
He afterwards applied himfelf to a very large work, wherein
fie intended to difcover the true names of thofe authors who
had concealed themfelves under fi£litious ones : but though his
materials were ready ; yet being moftly latin, he did not care
to publifh them in that language, and printed only a prelimi;
nary treatife to his great work [ c]. In 1691, he publillied in
french tlie life of Dts Cartes, in two volumes 4to, M'hich he
afterwards abridged to one volume 1 2mo. At the dcfirc of his
friends he wrote alfo the Life of Edmund Richer, dodlor of the
Sorbonne, but never publifhed it [d]. In 1693, he publifhe4
[z] Hommesilluftresy torn. z. part 2. fous de$ noms etrangcrs, rmpruntcf,
p. T27. let. cvi. p. 423. fuppofes, feints ^ plaifir, abiegfs, chifreiy
{[a] Les cnfaDs devenus cclcbret par renverfes, retourDCs, ou changes d*un
leuis etudct et par ieurs e^rits. langue ca un autre, tome I. contenant Ie
[alHe publifhed it in 16S9, with this traitc prelimin<tire fur Ie chingement ctU
tirlc, jDcs Satyres perfonnelles, traiic hif- fuppufition des noms parmi les auteurs. '•
torique et critique dcs cclles, qui portent Paris, 1690, iSmo.
Ie titrcd'Anti. '• Paris, 2 vols, n i2mo. fnj It \% as printed, feveral years after
[c] Nothingof this work has been pub^ his deatJi, «t Liege in 1714, in |2ino,
|i(hcd except the preliminary treatife, Niccron, p. 35.
vhid) ii iotituled, '* Auteurs deguifes
s Wftoqr
BAILLIE. 17
a Kiftory of Holland, from 1609 to the peace of Nlmeguen in
1679 [e]. The next year he wrote a piece concerning the
worlhip due to the holy virgin [f], which, though approved by
four doctors of the Sorbonne, and liccnfed by tlie chancellor,
yet was attacked from two different quarters. He wrote alf»
ieveral theological works. He hfid formed a defign of writing
a complete fyltem of divinity, upon the points of the chrilHan
faith ; upon morality, and upon the church difciplinc j and all
this fupportcd by the authority of holy fcripture, by the record*
of cccleliaftical hiftory, by the fathers of the church, and by the
examples of the faints. He propofed to have drawn up thii
york in an alphabetical order, under the title of *' An Uni-
▼erfal Ecclefiallical Diaionary." It was to have confided of
three volumes in folio : but his death, which happened, after
a lingering illnefs, the 21 It of January 1706, put an end to all
his defigns*
BAILLI (Roche le), better known by the name of Riviere,
was a famous french phyfician of the xvith century. He was
a native of Falaife, and was learned in philofophy and the belles
lettrcs. He followed the principles of Paracelfus, which drew
on him the cenfure of the critics, and obliged him to apologife
for his do£trine. He wrote a treatife on the plague, and fomc
bther works in latin. He was fome time firft phyfician to
Henry IV. Died at Paris in 1605.
BAILLIE (Robert)[g], an eminent preibyterian divine of
the laft century, was bom at Glafgow in the year 1599- His
ifather, Mr. Thomas Baillie, was a citizen of that place, and
fon to Baillie of Jervifton. Our Robert Baillie was educated in
the univerfity of his native city ; where, having taken his de-
grees in arts, he turned his thoughts to the iludy of divinity }
and, receiving orders from archbilhop Law, he was chofen re-
gent of philofophy at Glafgow. While he was in this ftation,
he had, for fome years, the care of the education of lord Mont*
gomery, who, at length, carried him with him to Kilwinning 5
io which church he was prefented by the earl of Eglintoun.
Here he lived in the ftriftcft friendfhip with that noble family,
and the people cohnefted with it ; as he did alfo with his ordi-
nary the archbifliop of Glafgow, with whom he kept up an
cpiftolary correfpondence. In 1633, ^^ declined, from modefty,
an offer of a church in Edinburgh Being requefted in 1637^
by his friend the archbilhop, to preach a fermon before the
[r] It was intended as a continuation [r] It if intituledi <* De la devotioa
0f that 6t Grotius, and contains four ro- ^ la Sainte Vierge, et du culte qui lui e^
lumesin i2mo. The author afTumes in du."
tl)£ titJe the name of Balthafar d'Hexe- [o] Biographia Britannica, by Dr.
Hail dc la Neuville in Hes. Vie de Kippis^
BaiUet. ' --^ '
jiflemblj
tS B A I L L I E.
tflembW at Edin1>urgh, in recommendarion of the canon and
fcrvice book, he refufed to do it ; and wrote a handfomc letter
to the archbifhop, afTigning the reafons of his refufal. In i6{8
he was chofen by the pre(byterjr of Irvine, a member of the fa-
mous affembly at Glaf;^ow, which was a prelude to the civil war.
Though Mr. lialilie is faid to have behaved in this afl'embly with
great moderation, it is evident that he was bjr no means deficient
in his zeal againit prelacy and arminianifm. In 1640 he was
fent by the covenanting lords to London, to draw up an accu-
fation againft arciibifliop Laud, for his obtrufions on the Church
of Scotland. While he was in Kn;;l3nd, he wrote the preibytcry
a regular account of public ailairs, with a journal of the trxzH
of the earl of Strafford. Not long aftfer, on his return, he was
appointed joint profelTor of divinity with Mr. David Dickfon,
in the univerfity of Glafgow. And his reputation was become
{o great, that he had belore this received invitations from the
other three univcrfities, all of which he refufed. He continued
in his profeflTorlhip till the Reft oration ; but his difcharge of the
duties of it was interrupted for a confide rable time, by his re-*
fidence in England : for, in 1643, he was chofen one of the
commiflioncrs of the Church of Scotland to the aflembly of di-
vines at Wcftminftcr. Though he never fpoke in the debates
of the aflembly, he appears to have been an ufeful member
of it ; and entirely concurred in the principles and views of its
leaders. He had in particular the fame averfion to toleration,
and had imbibed a confiderable portion of that enthufiaftical
fpirit which delights in carrying on religious fcrvices to a fur-
1>rifing length. Mr. Baillie returned again to his own country
n the latter end of 1646. When, after the execution of Cha. I.
Charles II. was proclaimed in Scotland, our profeiTor was one
of the divines appointed by the general aflembly to wait oq
the king at the Hague ; upon which occafion, Marclv27> 16491
he made a fpecch in the royal prefence, wherein he expreffed
in the ftrongeft terms his abhorrence of the murder of the lajtc
king ; and, in his fentimcnts upon this event, it appears that
the preibyterian divines of that period, both at home and
abroad* almoft univerfally agreed. After the reftoration of
Charles IL Mr. Baillie, Jan. 23, 1661, by the inteyeft of the
carl of Lauderdale, with whom he was a great favourite, was
|nade principal of the univerfity of Glafgow, upon the removal
pf Mr. Patrick Gillefpie, who had been patronifcd by Crom-
yrell. It is faid, by feveral writers, that Mr. Baillie had the
. pfier of a bifliopric, wliich he abfoiutely refufed. Though he
was very loyal, and moft fincercly rejoiced in his majcfty's rcr
ftoration, he began, a little before Lis death, to be extremely
anxious for the fate of hi^ beloved prefbytery. His health
failed him in the fpring of 1662. During his illnefs he wa$
B A 1 L L O U. aj
Tifited by the new made archbiftiop of GlafgoW, to whom he is
faid to have addrefled himfelf in the following words ; ** Mr.
Andrews (I will not call you my lord), king Charles would
have made me one of thefe lords : but I do not find in the New
Teilamenty that Chrift has any lords in his houfe." However,
he treated the archbifhop very courteoufly. Mr. Baillie died
in July 1662, being 63 year* of age. By his firft wife, who
was Lilias Fleming, of tne family of Cardarroch, in the pariih
of Cadder near Glafgow, he had many children^ five of whom
furvived him, viz. one fon and four daughters. The pofterity
of his fon Mr. Henry Baillie, who was a preacher, but never
accepted of any charge, ftill inherit the eftate of Carnbrae, in
the county of Lanerk, an antienc feat of the Baillic6. Mr. Bail-
lie's cbara£^eT has been drawn to great advantage, not only by
Mr. Woodrow, but by an hiftorian of the oppoute party. His
works, which were very learned, and acquired him reputation
in his own time, are probably little attended to in the prefent
age. The memory of him, as a writer, will now chiefly be
preferved by his letters and journals, lately publiihed, which^
though they do not contain many things very remarkable or in-
terefling, will, neverthelefs, as they relate to a mod important
Eeriod, be found of fome ufe to the diligent refearcherj into
ritiOi hiftory.
BAILL017(Wit.liamde), a frcnch phyfician, very eminent
in his time. His chief work, which is intituled, Guliclmi Bal-
louii medici parifienfis celeberrimi Epidemiorum & Lphemeri-
dum libri duo itudio & opera M. Jacobi Thcvart medici pari-
fienfis^ digefti, fcholiis aliquot illuflrati & in lucem primum '
edit! : prodeunt fecundo emendatiflfimi, 3c grxcarum di£lionuni
paflim occurrentiuni interpretationibus infigniter au6li, was
reprinted at Venice 1734, in 410. He became dean of the fa-
culty with univerfal approbation. He was a man confpicuous
for knowledge both theoretical and praf^ical, and not lefs re-
markable for his true piety, his ex ten five charity, and the con-
fcientiouS difcharge of his office as a phyfician : he died in 16 16,
in the 78th year of his age. The learned and ingenious Dr.
Thcvart, to whofe care the correclnefs of this valuable book is
owing, was nearly related to the author ; and the heir, fays the
accurate writer of De Baillou's Iife> not only of his writings^ but
of his virtues alfo.
It would be neither inftructive nor amufing to infift on the
feveral treatifes collefted in this volume 5 and therefore it fliall '
fuffice to fay, chat as he has followed the method of Hippocrates
and Galen, fo he has in a great meafure fhared their fpirit,
and written with perfpicuity and judgment. The Venetian
printer has infciibed this neat edition of tlus valuable work to
fir
^o fiAINBRIDGfe.
fir Hans Sloartc, bart. prefidcnt of the Royal Society and CoU
lege of Phyficians.
BAINBRIDGE (John), an eminent phyfician and aftrono-
mcTy born in 1582, at Afliby de la Zouch, Leiqefterfhire, wa^
educated at the public fchdol of that town-, and from thence,
went to Emanuel college in Cambridge, under the tiiition of
Dr. Jofeph Hall, afterwards bifhOp of Norwich Th]. When he
had taken his degrees of bachelor and mafter of arts, he went
back to Lcicefterfhirc, where he taught a grammat-fchool for
feme years, and at the fame time pradifed phyfic. He em-
ployed his leifurc hours in the matliematics, efpccially aftro-
Domy, which had been his favourite ftudy from his carlicft
years. By the advice of his friends, who thought his abilities
too great for the obfcurity of a country life, he removed to Lon-
don, where he was admitted a fellow of the college of phyfi-
cians. . His dcfcription of the cojmet, which appeared in 1618,
greatly raifed his charadler. It was by this means he got ac-*
quainted with fir Henry Savile, who, in 1619, appointed him
his firft profeflbr of aftronomy at Oxford [i]. Upon this he
removed to that univcrfity, and was entered a mafter commoner
of Merton college ; the matter and fellows whereof appointed
him junior reader of Linacer's letlure in 1631, and fuperior
reader in 1635 [k]. As he refolved to publi(h corrcft editions
of the ancient nftronomers, agreeably to the ftatutcs of the
founder of his profefforfhip; in order to make himfelf acquainted
with the difcoveries of the arabian aftronomers, he began the
ftudy of the arabic language when he was above 40 years of
age. Some time before his death, he removed to a houfe op-
pofite Merton college, where he died in 1643. His body was
conveyed to the public fchools, where an oration was pronounced
in his praife by the univerfity orator; and was carried from
thence to Merton college church, where it was dcpofited near the
altar. He left fevcral works^ but many of them have never'
been pubiiflied[L]]»
BAIUS,
[h] Wood's Ath. Oxon. vol .ii. col. 34. of " Cometographia." Th. Smith, Com-
Tho. Sauih Commcntariolus de viu J. menUr. p. 5. a. ** Procli fphKra. Pto<^
iSjinbridge, p. 3. lomsei de hypothrfibus pUnetaium liber
[i] W«K>d, ibid. fingularis." To which he added Ptole-
TkI Smilh, p. 6- my 's Canon ifegnorum. He collated thefe
[L J The three fotlowinf; works arc all pieces with ancient manufcripts, and has
tfiat were pu-^Uihed : f. '* An agronomical given a latin verfion of th«m) iliuftrated
Defcription of the late Comet* from the with figures. Printed in 1620, iu quarto.
|{{th of November 1618, to the 1 6th of 3. ** CanicuUria. A treatife conceniiiiis
December foUowin;, London, l6i9»" the dog*ilar and the canicular days." Pub-
quarto. This piece was only a fpeclmcn lifhed at Oxford in 1648, by Mr. Greaves*'
•f a Urgerwork, wliich the author in- together with a denioDftratidn of the helia-
tc&dtd u> publifli ia Ucin, under the title 6al rifiiig of Sirius^ or ihc dog-ftar, fof
ft A 1 U S. 31
BAIITS, or Db Bay, (Michael), was hohi af Mdun, in
tlic territory of Ath, in 15 13. The emperor Charles V. madtf
choice of him to be profeflbr of divinity in the univerfity of Lou-
vain. He was afterwards chancellot c/t that body, guardian of
its privileges, and inqutfitor-generaU The univerlity, in concert
with the king of Spain, elected him deputy to the council of
Trent, where h« acquired reputation. He had already publiflied
feveral fmall pieces. Baius, havirfg been engaged in controverfy
with the lutherans and c^lviniils, thought the moft efie£tual
way to bring them back to the bofom of the church, would be
by adopting fome of their opinions. He was accufed of having
caufed the revival of divers points of the doftrine of Calvin on
the article of juftlfication, and he pretended to (belter hi»
notions by frequently citing St. Augudin. They were de-
nounced to the inquifitor of Loavain, who forbade them to be
taught, and to the Sorbonne, who pailed a vote of cenfure on
them in 1560. Pius V. condemned 76 others of them, by his
bull of the I ft of Oftober 1567, Tlie condemnation was made
generally and implicitly ^ that is to fay, the figniBcatton waft
not ftated in which every particular was condenmahle. Friaf
Peretti, general of the Cordeliers (afterwards pope, under the
name of Sixtus V.) exerted himfelf much againil the do£lor of
Louvain, at the entreaty of the framcifcans his brethren, whom
Baius had irritated by his contempt of the fcholallics. I'he bull
caufed a great clamour in the univerfity of Louvain* The car-
dinal de Granvelle, who was commilTtoned with it, caufed it to
be received. Baius himfelf, after fome difficulties, fubmitted
to it in 156S, at leaft outwardly-, not, however, without al-
kging, as is ufual in all fuch calcs, that the propositions were
the parallel of Lower Egypt. Dr. Riin- tiom of his* which may be feen in Ifmael
\ndgc undertook this work at the rcqueit RullialJus'i Aftroaotnia Philolaica, pub*
•f archbiihop U(hcr, but left it impcrtc<J^ ; iifhcd at Paris in 1 645.
beiog prevented by the breaking out of Belides what we have mentioned, there
the civil war, or by death. Smith, p. arc i'cveral other trails which were net-er
14. publifhed, hut left by his will to-archbifhop
There were feveral diflertations of his Uiher; among whofe manufcripts they are
prepared for and committed to the prcfi prefervcd in the library of the college of
the year after his death, but the edition Dublin. Amongft others are the follow*
•f them was never com pie ted. The titles ing : 1. A Theory of the Sun. 2. A
of them are as follow : i. " Antipr«g- Theory of the Moon. 3. A Difcourfe
nofticon, in quo |^»»1«i|,- aftro!ogic», ccr- concerning the Quantity ol the Year. 4«
Icftium domorum, et triplieitatum com- Two volumes of Agronomical Obferva.
mentis,magnif«jueSaiumietJovis(cujuf- tions. 5. Nme or ten volumes of mil-
modi anno 1623, et 164?, contigcrunt, cellaneous papers relating to the mathe*
Ct vicefimo fere quoque deinceps anno, ra- matics. Smith, p. 15.
tis (utune legibus, recurrent) confjundio- He undertook Hkewife a dcfcriotioo of
MibM. innJM, vanitas breviier dctegitur." the britiOi monarchy, in order to (hew the
1. «* De meridianorum five longicudinum advantages of the union of England and
diffcrentiisinvcniendisdiffcrutio. 3. " De Scotland under one monarch; but thia
ftelia Veneris diatriha." . trcatife wns either loft or fupprcOed by
There were alfo fome celcftial obferva- bim. Ibid.
not
^2 BAIUS.
not his, or' that they had been fraudulently drawn up. Gregnrf
Xlil. ill 1579, fupported the work of Pius V. The jefuit
Tolet, bearer of his bull, obliged Baius to fign a document
whereby he acknowledged that he had maintained many of the
Ixxvi propofitions ^ and that they had been condemned in the
fignification that he had given them. His principal tenets were :
"That the ftate of innocence is the natural (late of man ; that
it is proper to him, and that God could not create him in any
other (late : that his merits in that ftate could not be called
gifts of grace ; that he was able then to merit eternal life by the
powers of nature : that, (ince the fall of Adam, the works ot
man performed without the grace of God are (ins : that, con^
fcquently, all the aftions of infidels are (ins, and the virtues o(
t]ie philpfoph^ rs vices. That all the finner does is (in. That
every crime is of fuch a nature, that it may contaminate its au-
thor and all hi s pofterity, like the original fin, &c." This doc-
trine certainly is not very comfortable ; yet it found numerous
followers, who even improved upon the ridiculous notions of
their maftcr. The difciples of Baiils, and thofe of the jefuit
LelTiQs, at that time profe(ror at Louvain, engaged in a very
violent conteit again ft each other. The papnl nuncio in the
Low CountTi(!S thought it necelTary, for appeafing thefe dif*
putcs, to impofc fiJence on both parties. He propofed this ju-
dicious method to Sixtus V. who immediately put it in force*
The nuncio accordingly repaired to Louvain in 1588, and for-
bad, under pain of excommunication, cither of tlie two parties
to ftigmatizc their adverfaries by any cenfures, till fentence had
been ](rued from the apoftolical chair. Baius^ however, having at«
tempted once more to put a favourable con(tru£lion on his
opinions, and not fucceeding, he thought of nothing but to end
his days in peace. He died the 16th of September 1589, at
the age of 76. We have his controverfial trafls againft Mar-
nix, 1579 and 1582, 2 v^ls. 8vo. His works were all coI!e£led
in 1696, in 4to. at Cologn. His flyle is greatly fuperior to that
of the divines of his time ; it is fimple and clofe. We plainly
perceive that Baius had (ludied the fathers. It is even anirmed
that he read St. Auguftin over nine times ; a proof of his pa*
tience, if not of his judgment. He feems to have been fond of
Angular conceits ; for, in his treatife on original fin, he is at
great pains to prove, that if, among mankind, fome men have
ftronger pa(rions than others, it is bccaufe at their birth they
partook more of original fin. Baius by his will forwarded a
college fof education: of his works this is the beft. His ne-
phew, James Baius, likewife do£lor of Louvain, and who dfed
in 16/4, left behind him a tra£l on the Eucharift, printed at that
city in 160;, 8vo. and a catechifm in folio, Gologn 1620. The
opinions of Michael Baius did not die with him. Cornelius
Janfenius
BAKER. 35
Janfenias revived a great number of them In his book entitled
Auguftinus.
BAKER (Sir Richard), author of the Chronicle of the
kings of England, born at Siifingherft in Kent, about 1568 [m]*
In 1584, he was entered a commoner at Hart-hall in Oxford^
where he remained three years, which he fpent chiefly in the
lludy of logic and philofophy. From thence he removed to one
of the inns of court in London, and afterwards travelled abroad,
in order to complete his education [n]. In 1594, he was created
maftcr of arts at Oxford ; and in May 1603, received the honour
of knighthood from James I. at Theobalds. In 1620, he was
high-fiieriif of Oxfordfliire, having the manor of Middle- Afton
and other eftates in that county. He marHed a daughter of fir
George Manwaring, of Ightfield in Shropfliire, knight ; and
having become furety for fome of that family's debts, was
thereby reduced to poverty, and thrown into the Fleet prifon,
where he died Feb. 18, 1645, and was buried in St. Jiride's
church, Fleet-ftreet, He was a perfon tall and comely (fays
Mr. Wood), of a good difpofition and admirable difcourfe, re-
ligious, and well-read in various faculties, efpecially in divinity
and hiftory, as appears from the books he compofcd [o],
BAKER (David), an englifti benediftine monk, of whom
Mr. Wood has given us a very circumftantial account, and par-
ticularly of his miraculous converfion from atheifm to chrillianity,
was educated at Broadgate's hall, now Pembroke college, in the
univerfity of Oxford. He afterwards ftudied at the Temple^
where his excellent /latural abilities enabled him in a ihort time
to make a great proficiency in the law. Soon after his conver-
fion, he went to Italy, where he entered into the order of St.
Benedid, having changed his name from David to Auguftine*
He was, in the reign of Cha. I. a confiderable time refident in Eng*
land, in the quality of a miffionary : but, as he was much given
to retirement and abftraftion, he was, by fome of his brethren,
thought a very improper perfon for that employment. He was,
for fcveral years, the fpirituat direftor of the englifh benediftinc
dames at Cambray, and afterwards tlieir confeflbr. He fpent
Tul Wood's Athcn. Oxon. on the Fall of Lucifer, printed with thd
[Kj See his Ghroaiele. Apology. 7. A Soliloquy of the Soul^ of
[o] Befides his Chronicle, he has left a Pillar of Thoughts. 1641, izmo. 8.
the foilovring works : i. Cato variegatus> Thestrum redivivum, or the Theatre vin*
or Cato*s Moral Diftichs varied in verfe. dicated ; in anfwer to Prynnc*s Hii^rid-
1636. 2. Meditations and DifquifitioQs maftix. 1662, 8ro. 9. Theatrum triuRi"
on the Lord*s Prayfer. 1657. 4to. 3, phans, or a Difcourfe of Plays. 1670.
Meditations and Difquifitions on certain We have alfo a tranflation of his, from
i'falms of David. Printed at different Italian into englifh, of Malvexci's Dtf.
times. 4. Meditations and Pn^yeis upon courfes on Tjcitus. 1642. folio; and
the fevren Days of the Week. 1640. 4to. from french into engliOi, the three firft
5. Apology f«r Laymen writing on Divi. parts of the Letters of Monficur fiabac»
Bity. 1 641, i2mo. 6b Short Mediutions 163S, 8vo.
Vol. n. D he
34' BAKE R.
the latter part of his life in London, where he died in 164 r.
He is faid to have been much employed in mental prayer ; and
was author of fcveral books relating to the exercifes of a fpi-
ritual.lifc. He wrote an expodtion of the famous myftical book,
intituled, Scala Perfeftionis, by Walter Hilton. Thefe and
the reft of his works, which arc extant, are, as Mr. Wood tells
us, conferved in nine large tomes in folio, MS. in the mo-
naftery of englilh benediAinc nuns at Cambray. He made large
colleftions for an Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of England, and other
fubjefts of antiquity, in which he was affiftcdl)y the moft emi-
nent of our antiquaries. But thefe, which were in fix folio
volumes, are loft ; as are alfo three large volumes of his tranf-
lations of the. works of fpiritual authors. None of his books
were ever printed; but Hugh Crefly, in his Church Hiftory
of Britanny, and other writers have been much indebted to
him.
BAKER (Thomas), an eminent mathematician, born at Ilton
in Somerfctfliire, in 1625 [p]. In 1640, be was entered at
Magdalen-hall, Oxford; and in 1645, was clefted fcholar of
Wadham college. He took his degree of bachelor of arts, 1647,
and foon after left the univerfity. He afterwards became vicar
of Bifhops-Nvmmet in Devonfhire, where he lived a ftudious
and retired lite for many years. He chiefly applied himfelf to
the mathematics ; and he' gave a proof of his great knowledge
in this branch of learning, in the book he publifhed, intituled.
The geometrical key, &c. [qJi of which performance there is
an account in the Philofophical Tranfaflions [r J- A little before
his death, the Royal Society fent him fome queries, to which
he returned fuch fatisfaftory anfwers, that they gave him a
medal, with an infcription to his honour. He died at Bifhops-
Nymmet, 1690, and was buried in his own church.
BAKER (Thomas), a very ingenious and learned antiquary,
was defcended from a family ancient and well-efteemed, diftin-
• gui(hed by its loyalty and afFeftion for the crown [s]. His
grandfather, fir George Baker, knt. almoft ruined his family by
his exertions for Charles I. Being recorder of Newcaftle, he
kept that tovm, 1639, againft the Scots [t] (as they themfelves
tp] Wood's Athen. Oxen. tions by a circle, and any (and that one
qj The title of the book at full leogth only) parabole, &c. 1684, 410. in U(in
is, *' The geometrical key; or the gate and englifli.
of equations unlocked; or, a new difco- [a] Vol. xiv. No. 157. p. 594.
very of the conih-udiou of all equations, [t J Anecdotes of Bowyer^ by Nichola,
howfoever a0e£tcd, not exceeding the p. 613.
fourth degree, via. oflinears, quadratics, [t J Mr- Thomas Baker creeled a mo*
cubics, biquadratics, and the finding of nument to him at his own expence in the
all their roots, as well falfe as true, great church at Hull, with an epitaph >
without the ufe of mcfobale, trifetStion of after he had lain there difiegarded 40
angles, witliout redu^on, depredion, or years. See the epitaph In Le Neve's Mon.
any oiher previous pteparatiens of cqua- Aogl. from 1615 to 1679, p. 123.
> I \irrote
[;
BAKER. 35
Vrrote to the parliament) with a " noble oppofition.** He hor-
towed large fums upon his own credit, and fent the money to
the kingi or laid it out in his fervice. His father was George
Baker, cfq. of Crook, in the pariih of Lanchefter, in the county
of Durham, who married Margaret daughter of Thomas Forftet
of Edderfton, in the county of Northumberland, efq. M'r. Baker
was born at Crook, September 14, 1656 [u]. He was educated
at the frce-fchool at Durham, under Mr. Batterfby, many years
mailer, and thence removed with his elder brother George to
St. John's college, Cambridge, and admitted, the former as
Snfioner, the latter as fellow-commoner, under the tuitibn of
r.Sanderfon, July 9, 1674 [x]. He proceeded, B. A. 1677;
M- A. 1681 ; was elefted fellow, March 1680; ordained
deacon by bifhop Compton of London, December 20, 1685 j
prieft by biihop Barlow of Lincoln, December 19, 1686. Dr.
Watfon, tutor of the college, who was nominated, but not yet
confecrated biihop of St. David's, offered to take him for
his chaplain, which he declined, probably on the profped);
of a like offer from Crew, lord bifhop of Durham, which he
foon after accepted. His lordfhip collated him to the reftory
of Long-Newton in his diocefc, and the fame county, June
1687 ; and, as Dr. Grey was informed by fome of the bi {hop's
family, intended to have given him that of Sedgefield, worth
6 or 700I. a year, with a golden prebend, had he not incurred
his difpleafure, and left his family, for refufing to read king
James II.'s declaration for liberty of confcience. The bifhop,
who difgraced him for this refufal, and was excepted out o£
king William's pardon, took the oaths to that king> and kept
his btihopric till his death. Mr. Baker refigned Long-Newton
Auguil 1, 1690, refuiing to take the oaths; and retired to his
fellowihip at St. John's, in which he was proteded till January
ao, 1717, when, with onc-and-twenty others, he was dif-
pofTeffed of it. This hurt him mod of all, not for the profit he
received from it, biit that fome whom he thought his fincereft
friends came fo readily into the new meafures, particularly Dr.
llobert Jenkin the mafter, who wrote a defence of the profeffion
of Dr. Lake, biihop of Chichefter, concerning the new oaths
and paflive obedience, and refigned his preccntorihip of Chi-
chefter, and vicarage of Waterbcach, in the county of Cam-
bridge. Mr. Baker could not perfuade himfelf but he might have
f tf] H«ath'tChron. p. 6g, Rufhworth't may be depended upon, he muft at that
Colle^ionS) p. iii. vol. ji. p. O47. Re- time have been near iB ; and he has been
gifter of Births in Lanchefter church, tlicre heard to fay, that coming up at the fame
being at that time no rcgifter of baptifms* time with his elder brother Cecrge, who
[x] Mr. Thomas Baker's admiiBon is was two years older, that it iright not be
catered io the college regil^er, June 1 3* known how late he vfzs admiitedy their
1674, B^^^* '^* But if the pariih regifter true ages were concealed.
D a ihewn
3< BAKER.
(hewti the fame indulgence to his fcruples on that occafion, as
he had done before while himfelf was of that way of thinking.
Of all his fufFerings none therefore gave him fo much uneafi-
nefs. In a letter from Dr. Jenkin, adclreiTcd to Mr. Baker, fellow
of St. John's, he made the following remark on the fuperfcrip-
tion : " I was fo then ; I little thought it (bould be by him that
I am now no fellow : but God is ju(t, and I am a finner." After
the paffing the regiftering a£t, 1723, he was defired to regiftcr
his annuity of 40I. which the laft aft required before it wa*
amended and explained. Though this annuity left him by hii
father for his fortune, with 20I. per annum out of his collieries
by his elder brother from the day of his death, Auguil 1699,
for the remaining part of the leafe, which determined at Whit-
funtide 1723, was now his whole fubfiftence, he could not be
prevailed on to fecure himfelf againft the a£l, but wrote thus in
anfwcr to his friend : " I thank you for your kind concern for
me ; and yet I was very well apprized of the late aft, but do
not think it v/orth while at this age, and under thefe infirmities,
to give myfclf and friends fo much trouble about it. I do not
think that any living befidcs myfelf knows furely that my annuity
is charged upon any part of my coufin Baker's eftate ; or if they
do, I can hardly believe that any one, for fo poor and uncertain
a reward, will turn informer ; or if any one be found fo poorly
mean and bafe, I am fo much acquainted with the hardfliips of
the world, that I can bear it. I doubt not I fhall live under the
fevered treatment of my enemies ; or, if I cannot live, I am fure
I fliall die, and that's comfort enough to me. If a conveyance
will fecure us againfl the aft, I am willing to make fuch a con"-
veyance to them, not fraudulent or in truft, but in as full and
abfolute a manner as words can make it \ and if that (hall be
thought good fecurity, I defire you will have fuch a conveyance
drawn and fent me by the pod, and I'll iign it and leave it with
any friend you fliall appoint till it can be fent to you." He re-
tained a lively refcntment of his deprivations ; and wrote him-
felf in all his books, as well as in thofe which he gave to the
college library, " focius cjeftus," and in fome " ejeftus rcftor.**
He continued to refide in the college as commoner-mafter till
his death, which happened July 2, 1740, of a paralytic ftroke,
being found on the floor of his chamber. In the afternoon of
June 29, being alone in his chamber, he was ftruck with a (light
apopleftic fit, which abating a little, he recovered his fenles,
and knew all about him, who were his nephew Burton, Drs.
Bedford and Heberden. He feemcd perfeftly fatisfied and re-
{jgned : and when Dr. Bedford defired him to take fome medi-
cine then ordered, he declined it, faying, he would only/take
his ufual fullenance, which his bedmaker knew the times and
quantities of giving : he was thankful for the aScftion ar.d care
6 his
BAKER. 37
his friends (hewed him, but, hoping the time of his dliTolutlon
was at hand, would by no means endeavour to retard it, His
diforder increafed, and the third day from this feizure he der
parted. He was buried in St. John's outei^chapel, near the mo^
nument of Mr. Afliton, who founded his feilowniip. No me-
xnorial has yet been ere£ted over him, he having forbidden it in
his will. Being appointed one of the executors of his eldeft
brother's will, by which a large funi was bequeathed to pious
ufes, he prevailed* on the other two executors, who were his
other brother Francis and the hon. Charles Montague, to layout
]3ioL of the money upon an eftate to be fettled upon St. John's
college for fix exhibitioners. He likewife gave the college lopl.
for the confideration of 61. a year (then legal interell) for his
life ; and to the library feveral choice books, both printed and
MS. ; medals, and coins ; befides what he lefr to it by his will ;
which were " all fuch books, printed and MS.- as he had, and
were wanting there." All that Mr. Baker printed was, i. '* Re-
flections on Learning [t], (hewing the infuiRciency thereof in
its feveral particulars, in order to evince the ufefulnefs and
neceiBty of revelation, London, 17 lo," (which went through
eight editions ; and Mr. Bofwel), in his " Method of Study,"
ranks it among the engli(h claflics for purity of ftyle) j and, 2»
•* The Preface to bifliop Fiiher's Funeral Sermon for Margaret
countefs of Richmond and Derby, 17085" both without his
name. Dr. Grey had the original MS. of both in his own hands.
The latter piece is a fufficient fpecimen of the editor's (kill in
antiquities to make us regret chat he did not live to publi(h his
" Hiftory of St. John's college, from the foundation of old St.
John's houfe to the prefent time ; with fome occafional and in-
cidental account of the affairs of the univerfity, and of fuch pri-
vate colleges as held communication or intercourfe with the old
houfe or college : collefted. principally from MSS. and carried
pn through a fucceflfion of mailers to the end of bi(hop Gun-
ning's mailer(hip, 1670." The original, fit for the prefs, is
[y] Thif piece Is written with much in- ter upon natural philofophj ; but it is only
geauity and learnings and points 6utin an to obferve, that his principle of attraction
agreeable, but yet in a very general and is rather pious than philojbphical, and in
fuper6cial manner, the defers and errors truth no better than an occult quality.
in the various branches of literature and Though the author doubtlefs intended this
fcience ; and it is remarkable, that too little work for the benefit of revelation, as
dofe an attachment to his point has made he profetfeih, yet many have not perceived
the author overlook fome real and capital the confcquences, which were fo ftriking
acquifitions, that have been made in the to him ; nor, why revelation is the more
^eld of knowledge. For proof of this, ncceflary and ufeful, becaufe nature has
we need only obferve, that though he hith prefcribed bounds and limits to the powers
one chapter upon metaphy lies, and another of the human underflanding. His book,
upori natural philofophy, yet he hath not however, which was printed about the year
mcniiooed either Locke or Newton. He 1700, has gone through eight or ten edi-
40C9 indeed allude to Newtpo, ia his chap- tions ; the fifth was printed in 17 14.
amonff
»3
3S BA^KER.
among the Harlclan MSS. No. 7028. His MS. coIlcAions rc^
lative to the Hiflory and Antiquities of the Univerfity of Cam-
bridge, amounting to 39 volumes in folio, and three in quarto^
are divided between the Britiih Mufeum and the public library
at Cambridge ; the former pofleffes 2 3 volumes, which he be*
queathed to the earl of Oxford, his friend and patron ; the latter
16 in folio, and three in quarto, which he bequeathed to the
univerfity. Dr. Knigjit ftyles him " the greateft mailer of the
antiquities of this our univerfity ;" and Hearnc fays, " Optan-
dum eft ut fua quoque collectanea de antiquitatibus Canta-»
brigienfibus juris faciat publici cl. Bakenis, quippequieruditione
fumma judicioque acri & fubado polleat.'' Mr. Baker intended
fomething like an Athenae Cantabrigienfes on the plan of the
Athense Oxonienfes. Had he lived to have completed his de*
fign, it would have far exceeded that work, notwithftanding the
refleftion, as unjuft as fevere, with which the writer of Anthony
Wood's article, in the firft edition of the Biographia Britan*
nica, infults Cambridge by faying, " that Mr. Baker's feeble at*
tempt of the like kind undoubtedly reflects the higheft honour
on Mr. Wood's performance." With the application and in-
duftry of Mr. Wood, Mr. Baker united a penetrating judgment
and a great correftnefs of ftyle ; and thefe improvements of the
mind were crowned with thofe amiable qualities of the hearty
candour and integrity [z]. Among his contemporaries who
diftinguifhed themfelves in the fame walk with himfelf, and de-
rived aflillance from him, may be reckoned Mr. Hearne, Dr,
Knight, Dr. John Smith, Hilkiah Bedford, Browne Willis,
Mr. Strype, Mr. Peck, Mr. Ames, Dr. Middleton, and Profeflbr
Ward. Two large volumes of his letters to the firft of thefe
antiquaries are in the Bodleian library. There is an indifferent
print of him by Simon from a memoriter picture ; but a very
good likenefs of him by C. Bridges. Vertue was privately en*
gaged to draw his pifture by ftealth. Dr. Grey had his pifturc,
of which Mr. Burton had a copy by Mr. Ritz. The Society of
Antiquaries have another portrait of him. It was his cuftom
[x] Dr. Grey collected materials for a that Mr. Baker's collc^ions will fom^
lifcofhim» which were given by his widow ti hie or other be laid before the public,
to Mr. Maflers, who thought thtm hardly la Jn unpublifhcd letter of bifhop Warbur-
firfficient to m:'ke a work by themfelvesy ton, written towards the clofe of Mr. Ba-
but would have prefixed ihcm to Mr. Ba- kcr's lilc, he fays, " Good old Mr. Baker
ker's hiflory of St. fohn's college, and ap- of St. John's has indeed been very oblig-
plied to Dr. Powell, the late mafter, for ing. The people of St. John's almoftadoro
the ufc of the tranfcript taken, at his pre- the man; for, as there is much in him to
decelTor Dr. Newcomers expcnce, from efteem, much to pity, and nothing (but
the original in the Biitiih Mufeum. But his virtue and learning) to envy; he has
this was declined, as the hiftory, though all the juftice at prefent done him that
containing fevcral curious matters, is few people of merit have till they are
written under the influence of partiality dead."
and refcntmeut. It is prubabicy however^
in
r
BAKER. 39
in every book he had, or read, to write obfervations and an ac-
count of the author. Of thefe a confidcrable number are at St.
John's college, and feveral in the Bodleian libraryi among Dr.
Rawlinfon's bequefts. A fair tranfcript of his fele£l MS. ob-
ferYations on Dr. Drake's edition of archbifliop Parker, 1729,
is in the hands of Mr. Nichols. Dr. John Bedtord of Durham
had his copy of the ** Hereditary Right" greatly enriched by
Mr. Baker. Dr. Grey, who was advifed with about the difpofai
of the books, had his copy of Spelman's Gloffary. Mr. Crow
married a (i(ler of Mr. Baker *s nephew Burton j and, on Bur-
ton's death inteftate in the autumn after his uncle, became pof-
feiTed of every thing. What few papers of Mr. Baker's were
among them, he let Mr. Smith of Burnhall fee ; and they being
thought of no account were deftroyed ; except the deed con-
cerning the exhibitions at St. John's, his own copy of the hiftory
of the college, notes on the foundrefs's funeral fcrmon, and the
deed drawn for creating him chaplain to bifhop Crew in the
month and year of the revolution, the day left blank, and the
deed unfubicribed by the bilhop, as if rejefted by him.
BAKER (Henrt), an ingenious and diligent naturalift, was
born in Fleet-ftreet, London, either near the end of the laft, or
very early in the beginning of the prefent century [a]. His fa-
ther's profefiion is not known ; but his mother was, in her
time, a midwife of great praAice. He was brought up, under
an eminent bookiieUer who preceded the elder Dodfley, to the
buGnefs of a bookfeller ; in which, however, he appears not to
have engaged at all after his apprenticefhip ; or, if he did, he
foon relinquifhed it : for, though it was in his power to have
drawn away all his maker's beft cuftomers, he would not fet
up againft nim. Mr. Baker being of a philofophical turn of
mind, and having diligently attended to the methods which
might be prafticable and ufeful in the cure of ftammering, and
efpecially in teaching deaf and dumb perfons to fpeak, he made
this the employment of his life [b]. In the profecution of fo
valuable and difficult an undertaking he was very fuccefsful ;
p. 4»3.
[■1 Mr.Bi
iniD the famil
[a] Aoccdotes of Bowyer, by Nichols, tier, and the talent of elegant letter-writ-
ing, and every domeftic accomplifliment.
: Baker was early introduced Mr. Baker taught them alfo aftronomy and
i family of Mr. Fofter, an eminent geography; and they wete fo capable of
attorney (father of the late ferjeant Fof- the poll tsrinilni^iont, that they appeared
ter), who had two daughters and a young* with advantage in public aiTcmblies. They
cr fon born deaf and dumb. Mr. Baker's are ftill, we believe, living at Pcterbo-
happy method of inftru£lion (for which, rough. Whether their younger brother
if we are no/mif-informed, he recijived came under Mr. Baker's tuiiioni does not
lool. a year} fucceeded fo well, that the appear. Their elder brother was bred to
young ladies were qualified in all the parts the church. The ferjeant died, leaving,
of female education; and, beiides the ad* by a daughter of the late fir John Strangtt
vantage of good perfons, pofle fled under- mailer of the rolls, one daughter, who lur-
Ibndinp as improved as could poilibly be vives him.
wider the want of two fuch efientlal facul-
P 4 and
4P BAKER,
and feveral of his pupils, who are ftill living, bear teftimony to
the ability and good effedi of his inftrudions. He married So^i
5hia, youngeft daughter of the famous Daniel Defoe, who
rought him two fons, both of whom he furvived. On the 29th
of January 1740, Mr. Baker was elefted a fellow of the fociety
of antiquaries ; and, on the 1 2th of Marqh following, the fame
honour was conferred upon him by the royal foc:ety. In 1744,
fir Godfrey Copley's gold medal was bellowed upon him, for
having, by, his microfcopical experiments on the cryltallization^
?nd configurations pf faline particles, produced the moll: extraor-
dinary difcovery during that year. This medal was prefcntcd
$0 him by fir Hans Sloane, late prefiilcnt of the rcyal fociety,
and only furviving truflee of fir Godfrey Copley's. donation, at
the recommendation of fir Hans's wortliy fucceflbr, Martin
Folkcs, efq. and of the council of tlie faid fociety. Having led
a very ufeful and honourable life, he died, at his apartments in
the Strand, on the 2jrth of Nov. 1774, being then above feventy
years of age. His wife had been dead fome time before ; and
he only left one grandfon, William Baker, who was born Feb.
17, 1763, and to whom, on his living to the age of twenty-
one, he bequeathed the bulk of his fortune, winch he had ac-
quired by his profeffion of teaching de^f and dumb pcrfons to
fpeak. -It is much to be regretted, that Mr. Baker fliould fufTcr
his art to die with him, which we are r.fTured was the cafe, and
fill his patients were enjoined to fecrecy [c]. 'He gave alfo by
his will a hundred pounds to the royal fociety^ the interell of
M'hich was to be applied in paying for an annual oration on na-
tural hiftory or experimental philofophy. ' He gave to each of
his two executors one hundred pounds [d] ; and his wife's gold
watch and^ trinkets in truft to his daughter-in-law Mary Baker
for her life, and to be afterwards given to the future wife of his
grandfon. To Mrs. Baker he gave alfo an annuity of fifty
pounds. His furniture, printed books ^but not MSS.), curiofi^
ties, and colledlions of every fort, he dire^led fliould be fold,
which was accordingly done. His fine coIle£i:ion of native anq
foreign foflils, petrifadlions, ftiells, corals, vegetables, ores, &c.
jvith fome antiquities and other curiofities, were fold by aucr
tion, March 13, 1775, and the nine following days. He was
|)uried, as he defircd, in an unexpenfive manner, in the church-
yard of St, Maryle-Strand ; within which church, on the foutb
jyall, he ordered a fmall tablet to be eredled to his memory.
[c] AttHe end of his indrudtion he attain the age of twenty^one, Mr, Baker
^cok a bond for lool. of each fchplar not gave to e^ch of his executors 500!.) to
to divulge his method ; and ' he is fa id to Mrs. Baker icol. a year ; to the royal fu-
have ftood a fuit for jc with a fon of the ciety 5C0I. ; to the fociety of anii^uaricf
|atecarl ef Buchan. ' 300!. ; and feveral other legacies.
[p] |q cafe Che grandfon ihould n^
••An
BAKER. 41
** An infcription for it,** he faid, ** would probably he found
among his papers % if not, he hoped fome learned friend would
write one agreeably to truth." This friendly office, however,
remains as yet to be performed. Mr. Baker was a conftant and
ufeful attendant at the meetings of the royal and antiquarian
focicties, and in both was frequently chofen one of the council.
He was peculiarly attentive to all the new improvements which
were made in natural fcience, and very follicitous for the profe-
cution of them. Though he was fo refpeftable a member of the
royal fociety, he did not efcap^ the ftri6lures of Dr. Hill, in the
doftor's review of the works of that illuftrious body. Several
of his communications are printed in the Philofophical Tranfac-
tions ; and, befides the papers written by himfelf, he was the
means, by his extenfive correfoondence, of conveying to the fo-
ciety the intelligence and obtervations of other inquilitive and
philofophical men. His correfpondence was not confined to
nis own country. To him we are obliged for a true hiftory of
the coccus polonicus, tranfmittcd by Dr. Wolfe. It is to Mr.
Baker's communications that we owe the larger alpine ftraw-
jberry, of late fo much cultivated and approved of in England.
The feeds of it were fent in a letter from profeflbr Bruns of
Turin to our philofopher, who gave them to feveral of his
friends, by whofe care they furniflied an abundant increafe.
The feeds likewife of the true rhubarb, or rheum palmatum,
now to be met with in almoft every garden in this country,
were firft tranfmitted to Mr. Baker by Dr. Mounfey, phyfician
to the emprefs of Ruflia. Thefe, like the former, were diftri-
butcd to his various acquaintance, and fome of the feeds vege-
tated very kindly. It is apprehended that all the plants of the
rhubarb now in Great Britain were propagated froip this fourcc.
Two or three of Mr. Baker's papers, which relate to antiquities,
may be found in the philofophical tranfaclions. The fociety
for the encouragement of arts, manufa6^ures, and commerce,
is under finjjular obligations to our worthy naturalilt. As he
was one of the earlieft members of it, fo he contributed in no
fmall degree to its rife and eftablifhment. At its firll inditu-
tion, he officiated for fome time gratis, as fecretary. He was
many years chairmati of the committee of accounts : and he took
an a£\ive part in the general deliberations of the fociety. In his
attendance he was almoft unfailing, and there were few que-
ftions of i ny moment upon which he did not deliver his opi-
nion. Thoagh, from the lownefs of his voice, his manner of
fpeaking was not powerful, it was clear, feniible, and convin-
cing ; what he faid, being ufually much to the purpofe, and al-
ways proceeding from the beft intentions, had often the good cf-
feft of contributing to bring the fociety to rational determina-
fionSf when many of the members feemed to h»ve loft them-
felvc8
49 BAKER.
felves in the intricacies of debate. He drew up a fliort account
of the original of this fociety, and of the concern he himfelf had
in forming it ; which was read before the fociety of antiquaries,
and would be a pleafing prefent to the public. Mr. Baker was
a poetical writer in the early part of his life. His " Invocatioa
of Health" got abroad without his knowledge ; but was reprint-*
cd by himfelf in his " Original Poems, ferious and humorous,"
Part the firft, 8vo, 1725. The fecond part came out in J 726.
Among thefe poems are fome tales as witty and as loofe. aa
Prior's. He was the author, likewife, of " The Univerfe, a
Poem, intended to rcftrain the pride of man," which has been
feveral times reprinted. His account of the water polype,
which was originally publiflied in the Philofophical Tranfac-*
tions, was afterwards enlarged into a feparate treatifc, and hath
gone through feveral editions. But his principal publications
are, " 1 he Microfcope made eafy," and " Employment for the
Microfcope." The firft of thefe, which was originally publifhed
in 1742, or i743> has gone through fix editions. The fecond
edition of the other, which, to fay the leaft of it, is equally pleaf-
ing and inftrudlive, appeared in 1764. Thefe treatifes, and
cfpecially the latter, contain the moft curious and important of
the obfervations and experiments which Mr. Baker either laid
before the royal fociety, or publiflied feparatcly. It has been
faid of Mr. Baker, that " he was a philofopher in little things."
li it was intended by this language to lefTen his reputation, there
is no propriety in the (lri£^ure. He was an intelligent, upright
and benevolent man, much refpefted by-thofe who knew him
beft. His friends were the friends of fcience and virtue : and
it will always be remembered by his contemporaries, that no one
was more ready than himfelf to afliil thofe with whom he was
converfant in their various refearches and endeavours for the ad-
vancement of knowledge and the benefit of fociety. This tran-»
quil good man was unhappy in his children. His eldeft fon,
David Erfkine Baker, was a young man of genius and learning.
Having been adopted by an uncle, who was a filk-throwller in
Spital-fields, he fucceeded him in the bufinefs ; but wanted the
prudence and attention which are neceflary to fecure profperity
in trade. He married the daughter of Mr. Clendon, a reverend
cmpyric. Like his father he was both a philofopher and a poetj
and wrote feveral occafional poems in the periodical collect ionSy
fome of which were much admired at the time ; but fo violent
was his turn for dramatic performance, that he repeatedly en-
gaged with the lowed ftroUing companies, in fpite of every ef-
fort of his father to reclaim him. The public was indebted to
him for " The Companion to the Playhoufe," in two volumes^
1764, 1 2mo; a work which, though imperfed;, had confider-
able merit, and (hewed that he poflefled a very extetifive know-
ledge
B A L B I. 43
ledge of our dramatic authors ; and wluch has iince (under the
title of ^* Biogmphia Dramatica") been confiderably improved bf
the attention of a gentleman in every refpefl well qualified for
the undertaking. Mr. Baker's other fon, Henry, followed the
profeffion of a lawyer, but in no creditable line ; and left one
ion, William, who has been already mentioned as the grandfa*
ther's heir.
BAKHUISEN (Ludolph), a painter and engraver, born in
1631, in the city of Embden, in the circle of Wcitphalia, died ia
1 709. In his firft efikys he had no other guide than his own na-
tural tafte J his performances prefently got into edeem, though
he had not yet learnt the elements of his art. He now cultivated
his talents, and his ftudies were dire£l:ed by (kllful mailers. This
excellent artift was a great confulter of nature, and has repre-^
fented it accurately in his works. His fubje£bs are chiefly fea-
pieces, and more efpecially tempefts. His colouring is foft and
harmonious, his drawing corre^, and his compofitions fpirited.
His defigns are exceedingly prized ; as flriking in their efied,
and admirable for the neatnefs of the wafh. This mailer en-
graved in aquafortis feveral profpefts at fea. The king of Pruf-
fia, the grand duke of Tufcany, and the tzar Peter I. fometimes
Tiilted his workroom, and fele^ed pictures for ornamenting their
palaces.
BALAMIO (Ferdinand), of Sicily, was phylician to pope
Leo X. who greatly regarded him. He was no lefs fkilled in
the belles lettres than in medicine ; and he cultivated poetry and
the greek learning with much fuccefs. He tranflated, from the
greek into latin, feveral pieces of Galen ; which were firfl print-
ed feparately, and afterwards inferted in the works of that an-
tient phyiician, publifhed at Venice in 1586, in folio. He flou-
rifhed at Rome about the year 1555.
BALATHI, furname of Abulfeda Othman ben IfTa, author of
the book intituled, Afchkal al khath, which is a treatife of the
figures and chara£lers of divers alphabets ; and of another that
bears the name of Akhbar al mothana, hiftory of thofe who
maintain the two principles, like the Zoroailrians and the Ma-
nichees.
BALBI (John), a genoefe dominican, named alfo Janua or
Januenfis, compofed, in the xiiith century. Commentaries, ^nd
feveral other works. His Catholicon, feu Summa Grammati-
calis,was printed at iMentz in folio, 1460, by Fuft and SchoeiFer.
He intitled it Catholicon, or Univerfal, becaufe it is not a fimple
vocabulary, but a kind of clafTical encyclopsedia, containing a
grammar, a body of rhetoric, and a dictionary. Notwithftanding
that this book is badly enough digefletf, yet it was much wanted
in the times of Balbi. A furprifmg number of copies were
printed of it ; and it was one of the firft books on which the art
of
44 B A L D E.
of printing was employed. It is rery dear and extremely fcarcc.
This John Balbi is to be diflinguifhed from Jerom Balbo, bifhop
of Goritz, who died at Venice in 1 5 35, author of the following
works: i. De rebus Turcicis, Rome, 1526,410. 2. De civiiiet
bellica fortitudine, 1526, 4to. 3. De futuris Caroli V. fuccefTibus,
Bologna, 1529, 4to. 4. Carmina, in the Delicix Poetarum Ita-
lorum.
BALBOA (Vasco Nugnes de), a caftillian, acquired an
early reputation by his maritime expeditions. He was fo fuc*
cefsful in his firft wars with the Indians, that he never granted
them a peace without being paid for it in gold. He had amailbd fo
great a quantity of that precious metal, that he fent 300 marcs of
it to the king of Spain as his fifth part. New difcoveries and new
conquefts concurred to clafs his name with thofe of Columbus,
Ferdinand Cortez and Americus Vefputio. He failed in 1 5 1 3 in
bopes of finding out the South ^ea ; and in one month after his
departure he was mailer of that fea. He gave the name of St.
Michael to the bay in which he landed. Plunging into it, up
to the waid, with his fword in one hand and his fliield in the
other, he faid to the Cailillians and the Indians who lined the
ihore, You arc my witnefles that 1 take pofiefiion of this fea for
the crown of CaftiUe, and this fword (hall maintain its dominion
over it. The year following he returned to Santa Maria, loaded
with gold and pearls. A fpanifh governor arriving in that town,
was greatly furprifed at finding Balboa there, in a plain cotton
waiilcoat over his fhirt, a pair of trowfers, and Ihoes made of
old ropes, employed in covering with leaves a wretched hut,
which fervcd him for his ordinary dwelling. The governor,
jealous of the refpe£l that was paid him in the colony, revived
againd him a procefs that had long been terminated, accuiing
Vafco of felony -, and, though he was unable to prove it, caufed
his head to be (Iruck off in 1517, at the age of only 42. Thus
periflicd by the hand of the executioner, one of the greateft com?
manders Spain ever had, and worthy of a better fate.
BALBUENA (Bernard de), a noted fpanifh poet, was
born in the diocefc of Toledo. He made a great progrefs in the
belles lettres of his country 5 and, becoming a doftor of Sala-
manca, was fent into America, where he was made bifhop of
Porto Rico in 1620. His death happened in 1627.
BALDE (James), born in the Upper Alfatia in 1603 ; taught
and preached among the jefuits. 1 he court of Bavaria applaud-
ed his fermons, and all Germany his poems. He was ftylcd the
Horace of his country. He died at Neuburg in 1668. The
fcnators difputed for the inheritance of his pen j and the perfoi^
to whom this precious relic fell had it put into a (liver cafe.
His works were printed at Cologn in 410, and in i2mo in 1645,
In thi$ collediou is fomething of all forts ^ dramatical pieces^
mor^
B A L D O C K. 45
fnoral treatifesi o^es^.panegyricsiburlefque poetry, mockh^oics.
Balde wzs born with all the fire and genius. requiiite to the for*
xnation of a good poet ; but he took not fufficient pains in cuU
tivating his ilyle and his tafte. His beauties are mixed with de-
fects. The uranie Victorieufe, ou le Combat de T Ame contre
les cinq fens, procured him a gold medal from Alexander VIL
The Batrachomyomachia of Homer, founded through a ro-
man trumpet, a mock heroic poem in fix cantos ; and the Tern*
pie of Honour, built by the Romans, opened by the -virtue and
courage of Ferdinand III. though highly applauded, plainly be-
tray the pedant.
BALDINUCCI (Philip), of Florence, was born in 1624.
Having acquired great knowledge in painting and fculpture, and
made many difcoveries by ftudying the works of the beft mailers^
he was qualified to gratify cardinal Leopold of Tufcany, who
defired to have a complete hiftory of painters. Baldinucci re-
mounted as far as to Cimabue, the rel^orer of painting among
the moderns ; and he defigned to come down to die painters «C
the laft age incluHve. He only lived to execute part of his plan»
dying in 1696; but what he wrote is in a very pure ftyle, and
there is great exa£lnefs in what regards the painters of his
country. He was of the academy of la Crufca.
BALDOCK (Ralph de) [e], bifliopof London in the reigns
of Edward L and IL was educated at Mcrton college in Oxford^
became archdeacon of Middlefex, and, in 1294, dean of St.
Paul's. The fee of London being vacant by the death of Ri-
chard de Gravefend, Baldock was unanimoufly chofen, Sept. 20,
1304. But, his election being controverted, he was obliged to
repair to Rome ; and, having obtained the pope's confirmation,
was confccrated at Lyons by Peter Hifpanus, cardinal of Alba,
Jan. 30, 1306. Being returned into England, he made profef-
fion of canonical obedience to the archbifhop in the church of
Canterbury, March 29, 1306. The fame year he was appoint-
ed by the pope one of the commiffioners for the examination of
the articles alleged againft the knights templars. The year fol-
lowing he was made lord high chancellor of England : but Ed-
ward L dving foon after, he held that poft fcarcely a year. Dec.
2, 1308, tnis prelate, with the approbation of the chapter, fettled
a ftipend on the chancellor of St, Paul's for reading lectures ia
divinity in that church, according to a conftitution of his prede-
ceflbr Richard de Gravefend. He contributed 200 merks to-
wards building the chapel of St. Mary on the eaft fide of St.
Paul's. He founded alfo a charity of two priefts in the faid
church, near the altar of St. Erkenwald. He was a perfon of a
▼cry amiable charader, both for morals and learning, and dc-
[e ] BiographU Britannica.
fcnrcd
ifi BALE.
ferved well of hts country by his writings, whicK Were : t. Hif«»
toria Anglica, or, A hiilory of the Britiih affairs down to hid
own time. It is not now extant, though Leland fays he faw it
At London. 2. A co!ie£lion of the (latutes and conilitutions of
the church of St. Paul's, extant in the library of that cathedral
in 1559. Bifliop Baldock died at Stepney, July 24, 1313, having
fat from his confecration a little more than feren years, and was
buried under a marble monument in the chapel of St. Mary.
BALDUS, or rather BALDI (B£KNARD),«born at Urbino in
the year I5$3« He was made abbot of Guaftalla in 1586, with*
out any follicitation of his own. He began his fludies with the
mechanics of Ariftotle, and a courfe of hiftory ; he had alfo
made verfes : but, on being appointed abbot, he applied hirafelf
entirely to the canon law, the fathers, the councils, and to the
oriental languages. He died in 161 7, with the reputation of a
very laborious man, who underftood fixteen feveral languages.
We have by him a great number of trades on mechanics, fome
whereof are to be feen in the Vitruvius of Amderdam, 164Q,
folio. Verfi e Profe, Venice, 1690, 4to. Crefcimbeni put his
tables into italian verfe, Rome 1702, i2mo. He had begun an
hiilorical and geographical defcription of the world, in all its
parts ; but he did not live to finiih this great undertaking.
BALDUS (de Ubaldis), an eminent civilian, and writer on
the canon law, died 1423.
BALE (John), bifliop of OiTory in Ireland, born at Cove, %
fmall village in Suffolk [f]. His parents being poor, and en-
cumbered with a large family, he was entered at twelve years
of ^ge in the monaftery of ^armclites at Norwich, and from
thence removed to Jefus college, Cambridge. He was bred up
in the romifli religion, but became afterwards a proteftant. He
himfelf tells us, ^* that he was involved in the utmod ignorance
and darknefs of mind both at Norwich and Cambridge, till the
word of God fliining forth, the churches . began to return to the
true fountains of divinity. That the inftrument of his conver-
fion was not a priefl. or a monk, but the moft noble earl of
Wentworth [g]." His convcrfion however greatly expofed him
to the perfecution of the romiOi clergy, and he muil have felt
their rcfentment had he not been protefted by lord Cromwell ;
but, upon the death of this nobleman, he was obliged to fly to
Holland, where he remained fix years, and during this time
w^ote feveral pieces in the englifli language. He was recalled
into England by Edward VL and prefented to the living of
Bifliops-Stoke, in the county of Southampton. The 15th of
Auguft 1532, he was nominated to the fee of Oflbry, and^ upon
[r] Fullci'i Worthies, Suffolk, p 60.
[o J B;ileus de feipfo) a; ud Script. Bric
cent. 8. caj^ ulC
BALECHOU. 47
his arrival in Ireland, ufed his utmoft endeavours to reform the
•manners of his diocefc, to corre£i the vices of the priefts, to
aboliih the mafs^ and to eftablifli the ufe of the new book of
comnion prayer fet forth in England *, but all his fchemes of
this kind having proved abortive by the death of king Edward^
and acceffion of queen Mary, he became greatly expofed to the
outrages of the papifts in Ireland [h]. Once, in particular, we
are told, that five of his domeftics were murdered, whilft they
were making hay in a meadow near his houfe } and having re-
ceived intimations that the priefts were plotting his death, he re-
tired from his fee to Dublin. He afterwards made his efcape
in a fmall vefiel from that port, but was taken by the captain of
a dutch man of war, who (tripped him of all his money and ef-
fects, and, when he arrived in Holland, obliged him to pay thirty
pounds before he could procure his liberty. From Holland he
retired to Bafil in Switzerland, where he continued during the
reign of queen Mary. Un the acceflion of queen Elizabeth, he
returned from exile, but did not choofe to go again to Ireland,
being fatisfied with a prebend of Canterbury, in which city he
died Nov. 1563, aged 67, and was buried in the cathedral of
that place [i].
This prelate has left a celebrated latin work, containing the
lives of the moft eminent writers of Great Britain. It was not
at firft publiihed complete : when it made its appearance, it was
intituled " Summarium illuftrium majoris Brytannix," 4to,
WefeJ, 1549. It was addrefled to king Edward VI. and con-
tained only five centuries of writers. He afterwards added fout
more, and made feveral additions and corre£tions throughout
the whole. The title of the book, thus enlarged, is as follows :
** Scriptorum illuftrium majoiis Brytannise, quam nunc Angli-
atn et Scotiam vocant, Catalogus a Japheto per 3618 annos uf-
que ad annum hunc Domini 1557, ex Berofo, Gennadio, Beda,
Honorio, Boftone Burienfi, Frumentario, Capgravo, Boftio, Bu-
rello, Trifla, Tritemio, Gefnero, Joanne Lelando, atque aliis au-
thoribus colledus, et ix centurias contincns." A catalogue of
his other works may be fcen in Fuller.
BALECHOU (Nicholas), born at Aries in i7T9,wasfon of
a button-feller, died fuddenly at Avignon in the month of Auguft
1765. He made himfelf famous by his engravings, which ob-
tained him a place in the academy of painting at Paris. He had
acquired a peculiar manner of engraving, which gave a mellow-
ncfs and delicacy to his works. When he would, he united the
nice finillung of Edeiink and Nanteuil, with the bold ftrokes of
Mellan. His principal pieces are, i« Les belles marines, which
[h] Vocac)'on of Jchan Bale to the bi« [i] Waranis de Script. Hib. lib. ai*
fhoprtc of Olfory, Rom. 1553 . fol. 16. cap. 5.
48 BALES.
he engrayed from M. Vcrnct, among which we (hould tate
care to diftinguiQi the Tempcfts 2. The portrait of Frederick
Auguftus, eleftor of Saxony and king of Poland. This portrait,
a mafter- piece of engraving, was the fatal caufe of all his misfor-
tunes, of his cxclufion from the academy, and of his forced re-
treat to Avignon. It was by order of the dauphtnefs that he had
executed this portrait ; and he took proof-impreffions of it, con-
trary to the exprefs promife he had given to that princefs. Tlii«
excellent piece is at the head of the fine colleftion of the Dref-
den gallery* 3. St. Genevieve. The talents of Balechou were
HOC confined to engraving. He had a tade and fome fkill in
chymiftry, which he had iludied to a certain extent. It is even
not improbable, that a chymical remedy, of which he either
took too ftrong a dofe, or at an improper time, might contribute
not a little to his fudden and premature death.
BALES (Peter), a very extraordinary perfon in his way, and
fit to be recorded in a work of this nature. He was a moft fa-
mous mafter in the art of penmanfhip, or fair writing ; and one
«f the firft inventors ( for there feems to have been more than
one) of ihort-hand writers [k]. He was born in 1547, and ia
ftyled by Anthony Wood "a moft dextrous perfon in his pro-
felfion, to the great wonder of fcholars and others 5" who adds,
that ** he fpent fevcral years in fciences among t)»e Oxonians,
particularly as it feems in Gloucefter hall : but that ftudy, which
he ufed for a diverfion only, proved at length an employment of
profit [l]." He is recorded for his fkill in micrography, or mi-
niature-writing, in Hollinflicd's chronicle, anno 1575 5 and Mr.
Evelyn alfo has celebrated his wonderful fkill in this delicate
operation of the hand. Hadrian Junius fpeaking as a miracle of
fomebody who wrote the Apoftks creed, and the beginning of
St. John's gofpel, within the compafs of a farthing j what would
he have faid, fays Mr. Evelyn, of our famous Peter Bales ; who,
in the year 1575, wrote the Lord's prayer, the creed, decalogue,
with two fliort prayers in latin, his own name, motto, day of the
month, year of the Lord, and reign of the queen, to whom he
prefented it at Hampton court, all of it written within the circle
of a fingle penny, inchafed in a ring and borders of gold ; and
covered with a cryftal fo accurately wrought, as to be very plain-
ly legible, to the great admiration of her majefty, the whole
privy council, and fevcral ambaffadors then at court ? He was
farther very dextrous in imitating hand-writing, and, about
1586, was employed by fecrctary Walfingham in certain political
manccuvres [mJ. We find him at the head of a fchool, near the
Old Bailey, London, in 1590; in whiph year he publiflied(his
[k] See article Bal ks, note e, in Bi. this art.
ograph. Brit, where there is a curious ac- [lI Athen. Oioiu vol. i, p. 287
count of the contrivers and promoicrsof ^mJ Numifmata^ p. Ib6.
it
Writing
BALGUY. 49
•* WritingSchoolmafter,'in tjircc partd : ^e firft teaching fwift
writing ; the fecond) true writing •, the third, fair writing." In
1595 he had a great trial of Ikill in the Black-friars with one
Daniel Johnfon, for a golden pen of 20I. value, and won it ;
and a contemporary author farther relates, that he had alfo the
arms of Calligraphy given him, which are Azure, a Pen, Or, as
a prize, at a trial of (kill in this art among the bed penifnen in
London [n]. In 1597 he republiQied his "Writing School-
mafter," which was in fuch high reputation^ that no lefs than
eighteen copies of commendatory verfes, compofed by learned
^' and ingenious men of that time, were printed before it. Wood
fays, that he was engaged in Eflex's treafons in 1600 ; but Wood
' was miftaken [o] : he was only engaged, and very innocently fo,
in ferving the treacherous purpofes of one of that earl's merce-
nary dependents. We know little more of this curious perfon^
but that hefeems to have died about the year 1610.
B ALEY (Walter), an englifli phyfician, was born at Portf-
ham in Dorfet(hire, and educated at Winchefter-fchool. In
1550 he was admitted perpetual fellow of New College, Ox-
ford, and entering upon the phyfic.line, was licenfed to praftife
in 1558, while he was prodor of the univerfity. Accerding to
the cuRom of thofe times he was alfo a divine, for we find him
foon after prebend in the cathedral of Wells, which office he re-
figned in 1579- In 1561 he was appointed queen's profeflbr of
phy(ic at Oxford, and two years afterwards took his degree of
do£lor. He at laft became phyfician to queers Elizabeth, and
had a large (hare of medical praftice. He died March 3, 15921
aged 63, and lies buried in the chapel of Nev/ College. His
writings are principally on the eyes, and contain many fanciful
and idle 'notions. We have alfo a difcourfe of his concerning
the qualities of pepper.
BALGUY (John), an eminent divine of the church of Eng-
land, in the prefent century, was born Aug. 12, 1686, at Shef-
field in Yorkfhire. His father, Thomas Balguy, was mafter of
the free grammar fchool in that place ; and from him he receiv-
ed the firft rudiments of his grammatical education. After his
father's death he was put under the tuition of Mr. Daubuz, who
fucceeded to the mafterlhip of' the fame fchool, Sept. 23, 1696,
for whom he always exprefled a great refpedt. In 1702 he was
admitted of St. John's college, Cambridge, under the care of
Dr. Edmondfon, and of Dr. Lambert, afterwards mafter of that
college. He frequently lamented, in the fucceeding part of his
life, th«it he had wafted nearly two years-bf his refidence tjierc
in reading romances. But at the end of that period he had the
fw] Buc't Third Univcrfity, printed at [o] Brit. Biog. Note U
tbe end of Stowe's Aunalt. .
Vol. II. E good
50 B A L G U Y.
jgood fortune to meet with Livy, went through thafauthor with
great delight, and thenceforward applied himfelf to fcrious ftu^
dies. In 1706 he was admitted to the degree of B. A. and to
that of M. A. in tlie year 1726. Soon after he had taken his
bachelor's degree he quitted the univerfity, and was engaged for
a while in teaching the free fchooi at SneiGeid. But whether
he was ever chofen mafter, or only employed during a vatancy,
does not appear. On the 15th of July 1708, he was taken into
the family of Mr. Banks, as private tutor to his fon, Jofeph
Banks, efq. afterwards of Rercfby in the county of Lincoln, and
grandfather of the prefent fir Jofeph Banks, preGdent of the
royal fociety, fo eminently dillinguiflied for his fkill in natural
hiftory, and the expences, labours, ind voysiges he has under-
taken to promote that department of fcience. Mr. Balguy, in
1710, was admitted to deacon's orders by Dr. Sharp, archbilhop
of York; and in 171 1 he was ordained prieft by the fame emi-
nent prelate. In 1 7 1 1 Sir Henry Liddel bellowed upon him the
donative of Lamefly and Tan Geld, in the county of Durham.
For the firft four years after he had obtained this fmall prefer-
ment, he did not intermit one week without writing a new fer-
mon ; at)d all his fermons were of his own compoGtion. Being de«
lirous that fo excellent an example (hould be followed by his fon>
he deftroyed almoft his whole (loc)c, and committed at one time
250 to the flames ; moft of which defervcd to have been ufed in
the moft enlightened congregations. Mr. Balguy firft appeared
as an author in the Bangorian controverfy, by publifliing, in
1718, Silvius's examination of certain doSrines lately taught
and defended by the rev. Mr. Stebbing ; and in the following
year, Silvius's letter to the rev. Dr. Sherlock. Both of thefc
performances were written in defence of bifliop Hoadley. In
1720 he wrote, in the fame caufe Silvius's defence of a dialogue
between a papift and a protettant, in anfwer to the rev. Mr.
Stebbing : to which are added feveral remarks and obfervations
upon that author's manner of writing. In 1726 he publiihed
A letter to a dcift, concerning the beauty and excellence of
moral virtue; and the fupport and improvement which it re-»
ceives from the chriftian revelation. On the 25th of January
1728, Mr. Balguy was collated by bifliop Hoadley to a prebend
in the church of Salifbury. In the year 1727 or 1728 he preach-
ed an aCGze ferraon at Newcaftle upon Tyne, on the fubjeft of
party-fpirit. 111^728 he publifticd The foundation of moral
goodnefs, or a farther enquiry into the original of our idea of
virtue. On the 12th of Auguft 1729 he obtained tlie vicarage
of Northallerton in Yorkfhire, at that time worth only ayol. per
annum, on which preferment he continued to his death. This
was in fome meafure owing to himfelf: for he neglefted all the
ufual meihods of recommending himfelf to people in high fta-
tions.
BALKIKI. 51
ticm«. He had many invitations from Dr. Blackburne archbi-
ihop of York, and Dr» Chandler biihop of Durham ; but he
conftantly refufed to accept of them. In the fame year he pulv*
lifhed The fecond part of the foundation of moral goodnefs.
His next publication was Divine reditude : or a brief inquiry
concerning the moral perfcftions 'of the deity ; particularly in
rcfpcct to creation and providence. The eflay on divine Tt€tu
tude was followed by A fecond letter to a deift. To this fuc-
ceeded The law of truth. In 1741 appeared Mr. Balguy's Ef-
fay on redemption. This, and his volume.of fermbns, including
fix which had been publiihed before, were the laft pieces he
committed .to the pref^ : a poilhumous volume was afterwards
printed, which contained almoft the whole of the fermons he
' left behiad him. Mr. Halguy may juftly be reckoned among
the divines and writers who rank with the great names of Clarke
and HoacHey. He was the friend of thefe illuftrious men, and
was aflbciated with them in maintaining the caufe of rational
religion andchriilian liberty. His tradls will be allowed to be
mauerly in their kind, by thofe who may not entirely agree with
the philofophical principles advanced in them ; and his fermons
will long be held in elleem, as fome of the beft in the englifli
language. He was remarkable for his moderation to dilTenters
of every denomination ; not excepting roman catholip^ y though
no man had a greater abhorrence of popery. Among the pref-
byterians and quakers he had , a number of friends, whom he
loved and valued ; and with feveral of them he kept up a cor«
refpondence of letters as well as viGts. Among other diflenters
of note, he was acquainted with the late lord Barrington, and
Philips Glover, efq. of Lincolnfhire, author of an inquiry con-
cerning virtue and happinefs, publiihed after his deceafe in 1751*
With the laft gentleman Mr. Balguy had a philofophical corrc-
fpondence. Having always had a weakly conftitution, his want
of health induced him, in the decline of life, to withdraw almoft
totally from company, excepting what he found at Harrowgate,
a place he conftantly frequented every feafon, and where at laft
he died, Sept. 21, 174B, in the 63d year of his age [p].
BALI (Meula Bali), author of it commentary on the book of
kemel pacha, intituled Ellah al vacaiet, treating on the jurifpru-
dence of the mufulmans. He died in the year of the hegira
' 977-
•BALKINI, the furname of Yelaleddin, author of a book in-
tituled Afulat fi fonum mep al olum ; Queftions on feveral
difficulties of different fcieAces. He alfo compofed another
work that bears the name of Mehemmat al mehemmat ^ thefe
are meditations on the meditations of Afnavi. This Afnavi
[r] filographia-^ritannka.
£ 2 . was
St B A L L A N D E N.
was fo called from Afna, a town of the Upper Thcbais- He
compofed feveral works on the jurifprudence of the mufulmans,
a hiftpry of the dodors of the fe£t of Schafei, and a bock, of Al-
gi2 or aenigmas. We have likcwife by him a diflertation on
hermaphrodites, intituled, Ahkam al khontha. His law-book
is called Mahemmat, or meditations.
' BALL (John), a ^ious englifli divine, died in i64o. We
have a work by him intituled The power of godlinefs, fol. 1657,
publi(hed by Simon Aftie. Ball was many years minifter at
Whitmore in StafFordfliire, and bred many pupils, who. after-
wards became men of note in their days. He was a man of an
excellent underftanding, and well fitted*for the ftation in life
which he occupied.
BALLANDEN, or Ballenden (fir John), an elegant fcot-
tifti writer of the xvith century [q^"]. In his youth he was in
great favour with James V. of Scotland, as he himfelf inform*
tis; owing perhaps to his excellent talent for poetry, of which
this prince was a great admirer, and had himfelf made confider-
ftble proficiency therein. After he had gone through a proper
courfe of ftudy, he entered into orders, and was made canon of
Rofe and archdeacon of Murray. He likcwife obtained the of-
fice of clerk-regiftcr to the court of chancery, which his father
had enjoyed before him ; but this he held only during the mino-
rity of the king, having loft it afterwards through the faclions of
the times. By his majefty's command, he tranflated into the
icots language He£tor Boetius's hiftory [r}, which was extreme-
ly well received both in Scotland and England. He was reftor-
cd to his office of clcrk-regifter in the fucceeding reign, and was
alfo made one of the lords of feflion. He was a moft zealous.ro-
manift, and joined his endeavonrs to thofe of Dr. I iaing, in order
to check the progrefs of the reformation ; and it is not impro-
bable that the*difputes he was drawn into on this account, proved
at length fo uneafy to him as to make him leave his native coun-
try. He died at Rome A. D. 1550. He wrote feveral pieces in
verfe as well as profe [s].
W^ (hall here juft add. the title-page of another hiftorxani a»
WSee hit proem to his cofmography. fcription of Scotland, and h (aid to have
It was printed in folio at Edin. written a defcription of )fia own undej^he
burgh, A. D. 1556, under this title, " The title of **A Defcription of Albany." H*
hiftory andchronicle^of Scotland com pili I » wrote epiftles, addrciTed to king James ;
hnd newly corre^Ut and amendit, be the which, it is likely, were once publifiKd*
reverend and noble clerk Mr. He^or Bo- but are not at prefent extant : and many
eis, chanon of Abtrdcne, tranflated lately other piecet, which are now funk inobli*
be Mr. John Ballenden, archdcne of Mur- vion, fuch as vifions, mirccllanies, proemi
ray and chanon of RoiTe, at command af lo hh profe works. In the large coUe£tiorw
lames the fyfte, kingof Scotti«, imprintct of fcots poems by Mr. Carmichael, there
in Edenburg be Thomas Davidfon, dwel- were fome of our aathor'a on various fub*
jit
ling forenens the Frycrewynde/' ^ jcdts.
[1] He tfanAated alfo Boctiai*i De-
BALLERINI. si
It Is a work of great fcarcity and much curiofity : *' Gulielrtii
Ballendeni Scoti Magiftri fupplicum libellorum augufti regis
Magnx Rritanniae^ De tribus luminibus romanorum, libri fcx-
decim. Parifiis, 1^33," folio.
BALLARD (George) [t], one of thofe (inguhr compofi-
tions which Ihoot forth without culture, was born at Campden
in Gloucefterfhire. Being of a weakly conftitution, his parents
put him. to a habit-maker $ and in this fituation he acquired the
faxon language. The time he employed in learning it was
ftolen from fleep, after the labour of the day was over. Lord
Chcdworth, and the gentlemen of his hunt, who ufed to fpend
about a month of the feafon at Campden, heard of his fame, and
generoufly offered him an annuity of lool. ; but he modeftly
told them, that 60I. were fully fufficient to fatisfy both his
wants and his wifhes. Upon this he retired to Oxford, for the
benefit of the Bodleian library ; and Dr. Jenner; prefident, made
him one of the eight clerks of Magdalen college. He was af*
terwards one of the univerCty beadles, but died in June 1755*
rather young j which is fuppofcd tp have been owing to too in-
tcnfe application. He left large coUcftions behind him, but
Eublifhed only ** Memoirs of britifh ladies, who have been cele-
rated for their writings or Ikill in the learned languages, arts,
and fciences, 1752,*' 4to. He drew up an account of Campden
church, which was read at the fociety of antiquaries, Nov. ar,
1771. There is a letter of Mr. Thomas Hearne to Mr. Baker,
dated Oxford, July 3, 1735^ from which the author of the
" Anecdotes" has produced the following furly extraft ; " I
know not what additions Mr. George Ballard can make to Mr.
Stowe's life ; this I know, that being a taylor himfelf, he is si
great admirer of that plain honeft antiquary,''— who was alfo a
taylor.
BALLERINI (Peter and Jbrom), brothers, bom at Verona,
the former in 1698, the latter in 1702, were both of them priefts
and fcholars, efpecially in ecclefiaftical hiftory. United by a com-
mon predilcftion for the fame ftudies, no lefs than by the ties .
of blood, they (ludied ufually together, dividing their labour ac-
cording to their particular talents. Subjefls purely theological
and canonical fell to the lot of Peter ; points of hiftory and cri-
ticifra became the talk of Jerom. They were both living in
1758. Befides feveral good works of their own, the public is
indebted to their care for the correft editions of, i . The Sum-
ma Theologicalis of St. Antoninus, as well as that of St. Rai-
mond de Pegnaforc ; 2. The Works of St. Leo the Great ;
3. Thofe of Gilbert bifliop of Verona ; 4. A complete edition
of all the works of cardinal Noris, with notes, diflertations, &c«
[t ] Anecdotes of Bowycr, by Nkholi, p. 50a
]E 3^ printed
54 B ALT HAS A R.
printed at Verona 17321 4 vols. fol. 5. A fmall tra£^, intitukcff
Mcthode d'ctudier, tirec des ouvrages dc St-Auguftin, tranflat-
ed from the ita}Un by the abbe NicoUe de la Croix^ Paris, 1760,
1 2mo.
BALLEXSERD, citizen of Geneva, born in 1726, arid died
in 1774., is known by a good performance, intituled L'educatioii
phyfique des enfans, 1762, 8vo. of which M. David, phyfician
at Paris, gave a fecond edition in 1780, with annotations. Thi*
diflertation, crowned by the fociety of fciences at Haerlem in
1762, abounds with excellent obfervations^ I'he author begins
from the moment of birth, and conducts his pupils to the age
of puberty. We have iikewife of him a diflertation of no lefs
importance than the foregoing, on this queflion : What are the
principal caufes of the death of fo great a number of children i
This work, publifhed in 1 775, merits the perufal of all who have
a ration;^ affedion for their children.
BALLIN (Claud), born at Paris in 1615- Hcwaathefon
of a goldfmith, and' became a goldfmith himfelf. He began to
be known in die time of cardinal Richelieu, who bought of him
four large filver bafons, on which Ballin, hardly 19 years old,
had curioufly reprefented the four ages of the woyld. The car-
dinal, who was never weary of admiring thefe mafter-pieces of
workmanfliip, employed him to make four vafes, after the an-
tique, to match with the bafons. Ballin brought his art to the
fummit of perfeftion. He executed for Louis X1V» filver tables,
girandoles, fophas, luftres, vafes, &c. But that monarch was
obliged to convert them all into money, for fupplying the ex-
pences of the tedious war that was terminated by the peace of
Kyfwic, Scv.eral works by this great artift are ftill remaining
at Paris, at St. Denys, and at Fontoife, of fingular beauty and
delicacy. On the death of Varin, being appointed to the direc-
tion of the dies for flriking medals and counters, he (hewed in
thefe little works the fame tafte he had difplayed in the larger.
To the beauties of the antique he added the graces of the mo-
derns. He died the 22d of Jan. 1678, at the age of 63. He
had fcarcely ever been out of Paris i which is mentioned only
to evince the fallacy of the general notion, that in order to ex-
cel in the fine arts, it Is ncceflary to pafs fome years in Iialy.
Launoi, a kinfman of Ballin by marriage, an excellent goldfmith
and. an expert defigner, made drawings of almod all the works
of his relation, previous to the fale of them by Louis XfV.
BALSAMON (Theodore), patriarch of Antioch in thcxiith
century, a very learned man, and author of feveral books, fome
of which arc levelled at the church of Rome. He died in 1214.
BALTHASAR(CHaisTOPHER),alearned controvcrfial writer,
and profelyte from popery to protcftantifm in the xviith cen-
tury. He had chiefly (tudied eccleliaftical hiftpry ; in the courfe
of
BALUZE. sS
of which he became fo difguftcd with the catholic religion, that
he quitted his advantageous poft of king's advocate^ at Auxerte
in France, to embrace the dodrines of the reformed ; and leav*
ihg all his relations and connexions, went to refide at Charen*
ton. The national fynod of Loudun in 1659 granted him a
penfion of 7 50 livres, to be paid by all the churches of France.
He wrote fevcral diiTertations againft cardinal Baronius, which
have not been fufFered to circulate freely by the roman catholics*
BALTHAZARINI (fumamed Beaujoyeux), a famous Ita-
lian muficlan, lived in the reign of Henry III. of France. The
marechal de Briflac/governor in Piemonty fent this muiician to
the king, together with the whole band of violins, of which he
was chief. The queen conferred on him the place of her valet-
de-chambre *, and Henry, after her example, gave him the fame
office in his houfe. Balthazarini was the delight of the court,
as well by his (kill on the violin, as by his invention of ballads^
of pieces of mufic, feilivities, and reprcfentations. It was h#
who compofed in 1581 the ballet of the nuptials of the due 09
Joycufc with mademoifelie de Vaudemont, Cfter of the queen,
a ballet that was reprefcntcd with extraordinary pomp ; it was
printed under the title of Ballet Comique de la Reine^ fait aux
Noces de M. le due de Joyeufe and de Mademoifelie de Vaude-
mont.
BALTUS (John Frakcis), born at Mctz in 1667, entered
himfelf ofthe fociety of jefuits, which eileemed and employed
him. He died librarian of Rheims, the 9th of March 1743, at
the age of 76^. Several, works of his are in pofTeflion ofthe
public : I. Anfwcr to the •hiftory of the oracles by Fontenelle,
Strafb. 1708, 8vo. Almoft the whole of this anfwer is copiedln
the refutation^f Vandale by George Moebius. It has been very
unwarrantably ailerted that this illuftrious academician thought
goqd to keep a profound filence, looking upon his work as a ju-
venile produfiion^ which ought to drop into oblivion^ and which
pere Baltus had confuted. Fontenclle never thought it impof*
fible to anfwer the jefuit ; but tlie hiftory of the truths difcover-
cd by the academy of fciences left him too little leifure for ex-
amining into the oracles of paganifm. Befides, he had fuch a
mortal antipathy to quarrels, that, to ufe his own expreffions,
«* he had rather the devil ihould pafs for a prophet, than he lofe
his time and his temper by difputing about it." 2. Defenfe dea
'SS. PP. accu(es de Platonifmc, 4to, 1711. 3. La religion chre-
tienne prouvee par raccorapliffcmcnt des prophetics, 4to, 1728,
a treatife that has been fince eclipfed by the work of M. de
Pompignan, archbiihop of Vienne, on the fi^me fubje^l. 4. De«
fenfe des Propheties de la Religion chretienne, xamo, 3 voIsa
1737, 8cc.
BALUZE (Stephen), a french writer, born in 1631, at
E 4 tuUe&j
56 B A L U 2 E.
Tulles, in the province of Guiennc [u]. He received the miU
ments of his education at Tulles, and went to finiili it at Tou*
loufe, where he obtained a fcholarfhip in the college of St. Mar-
tial. In 1656, Peter de Marca, archbiihop of Touloofc, invited
him to Paris, which inyitation he accepted, and in a little time
gained the efteem and entire confidence of this prelate. But
upon the death of the archbi(hop, yrhich happened in June
1662, Baluze found himfelf uiider a neceifity of looking out for
another patron. He was agreeably prevented by M. Tellier^
afterwards chancellor of France, who having an intention to en-
gage him in the fenrice of abbe le Tellier his fon, afterwards
archbifhop of Kheims, made him feveral confiderable prefents..
Some obrtacles, however, having happened to prevent the fuc-
cefs of this affair, and Mr. Colbert having offered to make
Baluze his library-keeper, he accepted of this office, but not till
he ofetained the confent of M. le Tellier for that purpofe[x].
He continued in this employment till fome time after the death
of M. Colbert ; when, not finding things fo agreeable under the
archbiihop of Rouen, he declined being any longer librarian.
It muft be obferved, however, that the excellent collcdJion of
manufcripts, and many other books, which are to be found in
that library, are owing to his care and advice [y].
In 1670 he was appointed profeflbr of canon-law in the royal
college, with this mark of refpecl, that the profefTorfliip was m-
ftituted by the king on his account. In [668 the abbe Faget
had publifhed feveral works of de Marca ; and having in his life
prefixed thereto aflerted, that the archbiihop, at his death, had
ordered Baluze to give up all his papers in his ppiTenfion to the
prefident de Marca his fon 5 this raifed the refentment of Ba-
luze, who vindicated himfelf in feveral fevere letters, which he
wrote againfl: the abbe Faget. In 1693 he publifhed his ^ Lives
of the popes of Avignon ;" with which the king was fo much
pleafed, that he gave him a penfion, and appointed him director
of the royal college. But he foon felt the uncertainty of favours
from a court ; for, having attached himfelf to the cardinal fiou-
yion, who had engaged him to write the hiflory of his family,
he became involved in his difgrace, and received a lettre de
cachet, ordering him to retire to Lyons. The only favour he
could obtain was, not to be removed to fuch a diftance : he
was fent firil to Roan, then to Tours, and afterwards to Or-
leans. He was recalled upon the peace, but never employed
again as a profefTor or dircftor of the royal college, nor could
he recover his penfion. He lived now at a confiderable diilance
from Paris, and wa^ above eighty years of age, yet (till continued
kis application to his iludies : he was engaged in publifliing St.
[«J NicetOD, Mooein, An. torn. i. [i] lb. p. 190. [t] lb. p. 191.
Cyprlan'a
BALZAC* 5^
Cyprian*s works, when he was carried off by deaths on the 28th
ofjuly I7i8[z3.
Baluze has left the world little of his own compofitioh ; yet
it is allowed there arc few ^xTirers who have done greater fcr-
vice to the public, by coUedling from all parts the antient ma-
nufcripts, and tlluftracing them with notes. He was extremeljf
vcrfed in this kind of knowledge, and was perfectly acqu<iintea
with profane as well as ecclefiaftical hiftory, and the canon law»
both antient and modern. He kept a correfpondcnce with all
the men of learning in France, and other countries. His con*
verfation was eafy and agreeable, and even in his old age he re-
tained great vivacity. He (hewed fomewhat of caprice in his
laft wili^'by appointing a woman, no way related to him, his fole
legatee, and leaving nothing to his family and fervants [aJ.
BALZAC (John Lewis Guez de), a frcnch writer, bom
in 1594 at Angouleme [bJ. About 17 years of age he went to
Holland, where he compofed a difcourfe on the (late of the
United Provinces. He accompanied alfo the duke d'Epcrnon
to feveral places. In 1621 he was taken into the fervice of the
cardinal de la Valcttc, with whom he fpent eighteen months at
Rome. Upon his return from thence, he retired to his eftate
at Balzac, where he remained for feveral years, till he was drawn
from thence by the hopes he had conceived of raifing his for-
tune under cardinal Richelieu, who had formerly courted his
friendihip ; but being in a few years tired of the uavifii and de->
pendent ilate of a court-life, he went again to his country retire-
ment : all he obtained from the court was a penfion of two
thoufand livres, with the addition of the titles of counfellor of
ftatc ani hiftoriographer of France, which he ufed to call mag-
nificent trifles. He was much edeemed as a writer, cfpecially
for his letters, which went through feveral editions. Voltaire [c J
allows him the merit of having given numbers and harmony to
the french profe, but cenfures his flyle as fomewhat bombaft.
There were in his own time alfo fome critics who llarted up
againft him : the chief of thefe was a young Fcuillant, named
Don Andre de St. Denis, who wrote a piece intituled, " Fhe
conformity of M. de Balzac's eloquence, with that of the greateft
men in the pail and prefent times." Although this piece wa*
not printed, yet it palTcd from hand to hand as much as if it
had been printed. This made Balzac wifh to have it publicly
refuted, which was accordingly done by prior Ogier in 1627.
Father Goulu; general of the Fcuillants, undertook the caufe of
brother Andre, and, under the title of Phyllarchus, wrote two
volumes of letters againft Balzac Several other pieces ^ere
[%] Ntccron, p. 19^. See alf» Vol- [a] Niccroiiyp. 194.
Caire's A|c of tcwli XIV, in UiC Uft of [b J Niccron, torn, xziii.
aathorst [cj Age of Lewis XIV, vd.u. cap. 19,
alio
58 B A N C H I.
alfo written againft him, but he did not think proper then ta
anfwer his adverfaries : he did indeed write an apology for
himfelf, but this was never made public till it appeared with
fome other pieces of his in the year 1645 [^^* ^^^ death of
his chief adverfary father Goulu having happened in 16/9, pur
an end to all his difputes, and redored him to a ftate of tranquil-
lirf ; for Don Andre dc St. Denis, who had been the firft ag-
greiibr, became heartily reconciled, and went to pay him a vifit
at Balzac.
Balzac had but an infirm conftitution, infomuch that, when
he was only 30 years of age, he ufed to fay he was older tlian
his father; and thac he was as much decayed as a* (hip after her
third voyage to the Indies; neverthelefs, he lived till he was 60,
when he died Feb. 18, 1654, and was interred in the hofpital
of Notre Dame des Anges. He bequeathed twelve thoufand
livres to this hofpital, and left an edate of an hundred franks per
annum, to be employed every two years for a prize to him who,
in the judgment of the french academy, fliould compofe the beft
difcourfe on fome moral fubje£fc. The prize is a golden medal,
reprefenting on one fide St. Lewis, and on the other a crown of
burel, with this motto, ji VLnmortaliti^ which is the device of
the academy. *
BAMBOCHE (a nick-name, in which was funk his real one,
Peter de Laer, and which was given him for his deformity), born
in Holland about 161 3, died, aged 60. His wo^s are fingularly
rilepmed, efpccially in Holland. The Italians relate wonders
of his eafc of performance, while he ftudied and formed him«
felf at Rome. The variations of the atmofphere ufed to be rc-
prefented by him with admirable nature.
BANCHl (Seraphin), a domtnican of Floience, and D. D.
came to France for the firft time, in order to profecuce his flu-
dies ; and afterwards again for acquainting P erdinand L grand
duke of Tufcany with the lamentable diilurbances then raging
in France. Banchi being at Lyons in 1593, Peter Barriere, a
young man of 27, a crack brained fanatic, communicated to
him the dcfign he had formed of aflaflinattng Henry IV. This
dominican was more difcreet than two prieits and a capuchin
10 whom Barriere had difclofed his horrible projcft. He gave
intimation of it to a lord of the court, who, running immediately
to the king at Melun^ met Barriere ready to commit his parri*
[n] The following is k. fid of his works : t6^o. 8. Socrate Chrctienne, ct autrcf
T. Letters. 1624, 6V0. 2. Le Prince, ccuvies. 1652. q. Lcttres famiiiaires \
i6{ii^to. 3. Difcours fur une tragrdie, M. Chapelain. 1656. 10. Entreriensw
HcioSes Infaniicida. 1636. 4.Difcourl<r po- 16^7. 1 1. Ariftippe. 1658.410. All the
)iti<]ue fur I'ctatdes Provinces Unies.Leydet above works were collectciit and printed at
,fO{8. 5. Oeuvres dtverlcs. 1644,4(0. Paris in 1665, widi a preface by abbe de
C. Le Bjibon. 164^* 8vo. ?. Carminum Cair4|i;fi.
libri iii. ejufdem e|)iibol« rcjecbe. Parif.
clde.
BANDELLO. 59
tide* The king reisrarded h!s zeal by appointing him bifhop
of Angouleme: but this dominican rcfigned it in 1608, in order
to live as a mere reclufe in the monaTtery of St. Jacques de
Paris, where he died fome years afterwards". JVe have feveral
works of his, in which he juftifies himfelf for having betrayed
the confeOTion of Peter Barriere, which he never oonfeiled*
J. Hiftoire prodigieufe du parricide de Barricre, 15949 8vo.
p. 40. 2. Apologie contre les jugemens temeraires de ccux qui
ont penfe conferver la religion catholique en faifant aiTafliner lea
Ires Chretiens rois dc France, Paris, 1596, 8va. 3, Le Rofaire
fpirituel de la facree Vierge Marie, Paris, 1610, i2mo. &c.
BANCK (Laurence), a fwede, prolVfTor of law at Norko-
ping his native place, died in 1662, leaving behind him feveral
works of jurifprudence. The mod known is, Taxa Cancellari« '^
Romanae. Franeker 1652, 8vo. We have alfo by him a fenfiblc
treatife De la 1 yrannic du Pape.
BANCROFT (Richard), was born near Manchcfter ia
1545, and itudied in Jefus college, Oxford, where he took his
degrees, and foon after was appointed chaplain to queen Eliza-
beth, by whom he was promoted to the fee of London, in which
ftation he continued till the death of Dr. Whitgift, when he was
tranflated to the archiepifcopal fee of Canterbury. He had the
highcft notions of church power that ever were entertained by
any proteftant bifhop, except Laud, and was a ilrenuous friend
of tlie royal prerogative, in which he followed the didlates of
his own confcience, and the genius of the times. At the con-
ference, held before the king at Hampton Court, he delivered an
oration full of the mod abjedl flattery, comparing king James L
to Solomon for wifdom, Paul for learning, and Hezekiah for
piety. He firove hard to eflablifh epifcopacy in Scotland, and
it may be faid of this prelate, that lie laid the foundation on
which archbilliop Laud raifed a fuperltrudture. Died at Lam-
beth 1610 [e].
BANDARRA (Gonzales), a poor portugueze cobler, plaved
the fame part in his country which Noftradamus and Maitre
Adam had played in France : he prophefied, he verfified. The
holy office, not very favourable to this two-fold folly, caufed
him to appear at an nuto-da-fe, habited in afan-benito, in 1541.
However, he was not burned, (ince he did not die till 1556.
All remembrance of htm wac extintSb in 1640, when the duke
of Bragan2a mounted the throne ^ but the politicians, imagining
that this revolucion had been foretold in his prophecies, revived
them with enthufiafm.
BANDELLO (Matthew), a dominican monk, the well-
known author of a collcdion of novels^ in the tafte of Boccace,
[*} Cunger.
c was
6o B A N D I N E L L I.
was born at Caftelnuovo, in the Miianefe, towards the clofe of
the xvth century. The fpaniards, after the battle of Pavia in
1525, having rendered themfelves mafters of Milan, thceftatea
of his family, devoted to France, were confifcated, and his pa-
ternal raanfion was burnt. Being forced to make his efcape in
difguife, he wandered about from city to city, till at length he
attached himfelf to Cajfar Fregofa, whom he followed into
France, and who gave him an afylum on an eftate he pofle (Ted
near to Agen. The bifliopric of that city falling vacant in
J550, he was appointed to it by Henry II. Bandello, fond of
the poets, antient and modern, addi6led himfelf much more to
the belles-lettres than to the government of his dioccfe. He
filled the epifcopnl chair of Agen ftir feveral years, and died .
about 1 56 1, at the chateau de Bazens, the country-feat of the
bifliops of Agen. His monument is ftiH to be feen in the church
of the Jacobins du port St. Marie. He had refigned the bifhop*
ric of Agen in. 1555, when his fucceflbr Janus Fregofa, fon of
the unhappy Csefar, aflaffinated by the marquis de Guaft, had
attained his 27th year. Henry II. who had a regard for the
Fregofas, had agreed with the pope, on the death of the cardinal
de Lorraine, bifhop of Agen, to give, by interinf, thisbifliopHc
to Bandello, till Janus (hould arrive at the age required. Ban-
dello contented to this arrangement, and gave up the fee ac-
cording to promife. The beft- edition of his novels, is that of
Lucca, 1554, 3 vols. 4to. to which belongs a fourth volume,
printed at Lyons in 15735 8vo. This edition is fcarce and dear.
Thofe of Milan, 1560, 3 vols. 8vo. and of Venice 1566, 3
Tols. 4to- are curtailed and but little efteemed ; but that of
London, 1740, 4 vols. 4to, is conformable to the firit. Boaif-
teau and Bellelmeft tranflated a part of them into french, Lyons,
J6165 et feq. 7 vols. i6to. It is entirely without reafon that
fome have pretended that thefe novels are not by him, but were
compofed by a certain John Bandello a Lucchefe, fmce the
author declares himfelf to be of Lombardy, and even marks
Caftelnuovo as the place of his nativity. On the other hand,
Jofeph Scaliger, his contemporary, and his friend, who calls
kim Bandellus Infuber, pofKively aflerts that he compofed his
novels at Agen. Fontanini is egregioufly miftaken in making
him the author of a latin tranflation of the hiftory of Hegefip-
pus, which he confounds with the novel of Boccace intituled
tiito e Gifippo, which Bandello did really tranflate into latin.
Wc have of him likewife le Tre Parche ; and a colleftion of
poems intituled Canti xi. compofti del Bandello, delle lodi
dclla fignora Lucrezia Gonzaga, &c. printed at Agen in i^^S*
Svo. wiiich is exceffively fcarce, and fought after by the cu-
rious.
BANDINELLI (BaccioJ, born at Florence in 1487, died
theiQ
B ANIER. ^ 6t
there in 1559* He diftinguiflicd hlmfelf in fculpture, in
painting and in defigning. His pi£lures are defeftive in colour-
ing, though the drawings of them wercalmoft worthy of Mi-
chael Angclo. His chifel was more excellent than his pencil.
His copy of the famous Laocoon in the garden of the Media
at Florence is cfpecially admired.
BaNDURI (/V#3£lm), a benediftine monk of the congrega-
tion of Meleda^ was born at Ragufa in Dalmatia. He came
into France in 1502 to profecutc his ftudies. The grand duke
of Tufcany, who defigned to place him at the head of the uni-
verfity of Pifa, provided him with all neceflaries. The academy
of infcriptions admitted him of their body in 1715, and the
duke of Orleans appointed him in 1724 to be his librarian.
He now quitted the abbey of St. Germain-des-Pres, where he
had lodged fmce his arrival in France. He died in 1743) aged
72.» His writings are : i. Imperium Orientale; five Antiqui-
fates Conibntinopolitanae, 1 7 1 1, fol. 2 vol. 2. Numifmata Im-
pcratorum Romanoriim, a Trajaiio Uecio, ad Paleologos Au*
guftos. This colleftion, printed in I7i8» in 2 vols, folio, and
cmbellifhed with a bibiiotheque numifmatique, was republiftied
at Hamburgh in 1719, 4to. by the care of John Albert Fabri-
cius, with a colleftion of difTertations by feveral of the learned
in medals. Banduri is to be ranked much above the herd of
compilers.
BANIER (Anthony), licentiate in laws, member of the
academy of infcriptions and belles lettres, and an ecclefiaftic in
the diocefe of Clermont, in Auvcrgne, where he applied him-
felf to his feveral (Indies, except philofophy, to purfue which
he went to Paris, was born in 1673. His parents being too
poor to maintain him in this city, commanded him to return
home ; but the fricndihips he had contradled, and the pleafure
they gave him, were more irrefiftible than the authority of his
relations ; for he told them, that he was determined to remain
where he was, and feck, in the exertion of his abilities, for
thofe refources which, from their indigence, he had not any
reafon to expedl. He was very fliortly afterwards received into
the family of Monfieur du Metz, prefident of the chamber of
accounts, who intruded to him the education of his fonsj who
always honoured him with their patronage and efteem. The
cxercifes which he had fet for thefe young gentlemen gave birth
to his " Hiftorical Explanation of Fables," and, in fome mea-
sure, determined the author to make mythology the principal
obje£i of his ftudies during the remainder of his life.
This work appeared at firft only in two volumes i2mo; but
the uncommon tafte and eriidition difcovered through the whole
were the caufes of his obtaining, in the year 17 14, an admiflion
into the ;icademy of infcriptions and belles lettres^ as one of
their
€2 BANIER.
their fcholara. In 1716, this order was fupprcfled, and that of
the aflbciatcs augmented to 10, of which number was Banien
In 1729, he was ele6ked one of their penfioners. In 17 15, he
publiflied a new edition of his "-Explanation of Fables," in
diaIop:ues, to which he annexed a third volume; fo great was
the ditFcrence between this edition and the former, that it be-
came juftlv entitled to all the merits of a ne^ performance. Bc-
fides the five dialogues, which he has added here, on fubjefts
cither not treated of in his former undertaking, or elfe very
flightly mentioned, there is fcarccly a fmgic -.irticle which has
not been retouched, and enriched by new conjedlures ; or ren-
dered more valuable by the multitude of proofs which are ad-
vanced in its fupport. '- Until that time," fays the abbe du
Frefnoy, in his catalogue of hiftorians, " the origin of ancient
fables had never been explained w ith fuch knowledge and difcern-
ment ; mythology is fought after at its firft fource, profane hif-
tory. Here nrc no endeavours to mark out its affinity to the fa-
cred writings : and it is more than probable that the ill fuccefs
which Huct bifhop of Avranches, Uochart, and many others
met with in their attempts of this kind, was the chief leafon
to induce Banier td drop fo fruitlefs an undertaking. This
however is a work in which the author, without lofing himlclf
in the labyrinth of a fcience which is but too often lefs replete
with ufe than oflentation, has not only unravelled all the no-
tions which the ancients, even of the remoteft tin>es, had en-
tertained of their deities, but traced out, with equal judgment
and prcciGon, the progrefs of their religious worihip in the fuc*
ceeding ages of the world."
The turn which Banier had for refearchesof this nature, per-
petually incited him to carry them to their utmoft ftretch : his
knowledge of the learned languages made hiraj perhaps of all
others, the mod equal to the talk ; nor can tliere be more con-
vincing inilanccs of his excellence as a writbr, than his hidorical
explanation, and the 30 diflertations before the academy of
belles-lettres, which are now printed in tjjc memoirs of that
body, cither entire or by extra£ls. The lifts may be feen in the
third volume of the panegyrics upon their deceafed members,
printed ih ictmo, at Paris, 174.0. There are alfo to be found
the titles of many other eiTays, on fubjcfts different from
mythology, and which prove in how extenfive a circle the abi-
lities of Banier were capable of moving. In 1 725, he gave new
life to *' The treatifes on Hiftory and Literature," under the
fi£titious name of Vigneul Marvillc, but whofe real author was
Bonaventure d'Argonne, a carthuGan friar. Three editions of
this work had been already publiflied, and in the third volume
of the third edition, which was an appendix to the whole, fcarcc
any thing appeared but articles relating to the former par-t of it>
and
B A N I E R. 6s
vad an index referring to the pages in which the principal mat*
tcrs were contained. Banier added thofe articles to their
proper fubjeds in the two firft volumes, which were injudi«
ciouily defigt^ed to have been read as detached pieces in rhe third.
And in return for having dripped this lad volume, and making
it of fuch poor confequencci the able editor has replaced it hj
a new one; whiclvis filled with tra£ls of hiftory, anecdotes of
literature, critical remarks, comparifons, extracts from fcarce
and valuable books, fentiments on various authors, refutations
of errors and ridiculous cuiloms ; together with memorable fay -
ing.s and lively repartees.
Of equal fervice was Banier to the third voyage of Paul Lucas
into -/Egypt ; and that of Cornelius Bruyn, or Le Brun. That
of Paul I.ucas appeared in 1719, at Rouen, in three vols. i2mo.
With regard to Corn. Lc Brun, his voyage to the Levant was
publiChcd in 17 14, at Amfterdam, in folio: and his voyage to
the Ead Indies came alfo out in folio, at the fame place, 1718*
Some bookfellcrs at Rouen, choofing to reprint them both, in-
truded the revifing of them to Banier, who made feveral altera*
tions, and added fome remarks. This republication appeared
in 1725, in five vols. 4to. but the dutch edition is the bed.
His engagements with this work were however unable to pre*
vent his application to mythology, his favourite dudy, the fruits
of which appeared during the lad 10 years of his life ; in his
tranflation of the metamorphofesof Ovid, with hidorical remarks
and explanations, publiflied 1732, at Amderdam, in folio, finely
ornamented with copper plates, by Picart, and reprinted at
Paris 1738, in two vols- 410: ami in his " Mythology, or
Fables explained by hi dory," a work full of the mod important
matter, printed at Paris, 1 740, in two different forms, the one
in three vols. 410, and the other in feveral i2mo. The eighth
volume of this extenfive work treats of thofe public and fo-
lemn ceremonies of the greeks, which compofed a part of the
religion of the ancients, and which were indituted in their age
of heroes.
The abbg already began to perceive the attacks of a didem«
per, which fecmed to be conducing him infenfij)ly to the grave,
when fome bookfellers at Paris prevailed upon him to fuperin-
tend the new edition, which they defigned to give, of ** A ge-
neral hidory of the ceremonies,* manners, and religious cudoms
of all the nations in the worlef ;" a magnificent edition of which
had made its appearance, about 20 years before, in Holland.
Banier embarked in this attempt, with I'abbe le Mafcrier, a
jefuit, who had alEded in the french tranflation from Thuanus-
This, which was finifhed in 1741, in feven volumes folio, is
much more valuable than the dutch edition ; as there ^re in it
numberlefs corrections, a large <][uantity of articles, and fevera!
new
«4 BANKS.
new diflcrtations, written by thcfe ingenious compilers. The
dutch author, particularly where he mentions the cudoms and
ceremonies of the roman church, is more occupied in attempt-
ing to make his readers laugh, than folidly to inftrufl them.
The nfew editors, whilll they retained thefe paffages, were alfo
careful to amend them. The abbe Banier died on Nov. 19,
1741, in the 69th year of his age. An englifli tranflation of his
Mythology and Fables of tlie Ancients, was publiihed in Lon-
don, 1 74 1, in four vols. 8vo.
BANISTER (John), an eminent phyfician of the xvith cen-
tury [f^. He ftudied philofophy for fome time at Oxford, and
afterwards having entered upon the department of phyfic, applied
himfelf entirely to that faculty and furgery. In July 1573, he
took the degree of bachelor in phyfic, and was admitted (o prac-
tice. He removed from Oxford to Nottingham, where he
lived many years, and was in high efteem for his Ikill in phyfic
and furgerv. He has left feveral works on thefe fubjefts [g].
BANISTER (Richard), the younger. All that we know
of this phyfician is derived from his works, by which it appears
that he was educated under his near kinfman John Banider, be*
fore mentioned. He appears to have confined his iludies and
pra£lice to the difeafes of the eyes, ears, hare-lip, and the wry
neck, in which he acquired a great reputation. His irfual place
of refidence was at Stamford in Lincolnihirc, but he generally
vifited London in fpring and autumn. In 1621 or 2, he men-
tions having cured 24 blind perfons at Norwich, of which he
obtained a certificate from the mayor and aldcri^ien. He was
then old, as he mentions the period of his days nigh appioach-
ing, and his intention for the future to reft at home. His
language in his works is that of the old herbalift. The time of
his death is uncertain [h].
BANKS (Sir John), bom at Kefwick in Cumberland, and
educated in Queen's college, Oxford, where he took one degree,
and then removed to Gray's Inn, London, where he diftinguiihed
himfelf by a thorough knowledge of the law, and became one of
the moft. eminent barrifters of his age. In 1630, he was ap-»
pointed attorney-general to prince Charles, and at the fame time
reader and treafurer of Gray's Inn. In 1634, he was made chief
[f] Wood's Athcn. Oxon. tidotary chirur^ical, containing variety of
c] i.AnceofuII, new, and neceflary all forts of medicines, Sec. 1^80, 8vo.
trtaiife of chirurgcry, briefiy comprehend- 'Several years after his death,^ iu 1663,
iog the general and particular curation of his work« were published at London in 410*
ulcers, T575, 8vo. 2. Certain cxpcri- in fix books. The firil three books. Of
nepts of his own invention, Sec, 3. Hif- tumours, wounds, and ulcers in general
toryof man, fucked from the fap of the and particular. 4. Of fraauresandluxa-
moft approved anatomifts, Arc. in nine lions. 5. Of the curation of ulcers. And»
books, 1578. 4. Compendious chirui*- 6. The antidoUry, above-mentioned.
gery, gathered and tranHated efpecially [h] Aikin's Biog. Mem. of Medicine.
•utofWccker, &«. 1585, 8ro. j. Aa-
jufticc
6 A N it SI. €$
iuftice of the king's Bench, and afterwards of the Commori
i^Icas. The univerlity of Oxford conferred the degree of LL.D*
upon him, and he died in that city December 28, 1644. He
wrote federal treatifes on the law, but they ftill remain in MS.
Banks (John), an engh^fti mifcellancous writer of note,
was born at Sunnin)^ in Berklhirc, in 1709, and put apprentice
to a weaver at Reading ; but accidentally breaking his arm be-
fore the expiration of his time, he was unable to follow his trade,
and by this misfortune was teduced to great ilraits. Ten pounds
being left him by a relation, he came up to Londonj and fet up i
bcok-ftall in Spital-fieldsj hoping to be as lucky as Duck, who
about this time lifted himfelf to notice by his poem called The
Threfher, in imitation of which Banks wrote The Weaver's Mif-
cellany, but without fuccefs, neither did he himfelf eilcem this
piece. He quitted this fettlement, and lived fome time with a
bookbinder, employing his leifure hours in the compofition of
fmall poems for a coU<^ftion of which he follicitcd a fubfcrip-
tion, and accordingly fcnt his propofals with a poem to Mr*
Pope, who anfwered him in a letter, and fubfcribed for tw6
fets. He was afterwards concerned in a large work in folio^
intituled the Life of Chrift, which was drawn up with much
piety and exadlnefs. He alfo wrote the celebrated Critical Re-
view of the Life of Oliver Cromwell, i2mo. which has been
often printed. Towards the end of his life he was employed in
wridng the Old England and VVellminfter Journals. He died
of a nervous diforder at Iflington, April 19, 1751 [i].
BANKS (JoHN>j was bred an attorney at law, and belonged
to the fociety of New^Inn [K]i The dry (ludy of the law hov/-
cvcr not being fo fuitable to his natural dilpofition as the more
elevated flights of poetical imagination, he quitted the purfuit
of riches in the inns of court, for paying his attendance on thofe
ragged jades the MiifeS in the theatre. Here however he found
his rewards by no means adequate to his defer t3. His emolu-
ments at the beft Were precarious, and the various fucccfles of
bis pieces too feelingly convinced him of the error in his choice.
This howevei* did not prevent him from purfuing with cheer-
fulnefs the path he had taken j his third of fame, and warmth
of poetic enthufiafm, alleviating to his imagination many dif-
agreeable circumilances, into which indigence, the too frequent
attendant on poetical purfuits, often threw him. His turn was
'rely to tragedy $ his merit in which is of a peculiar kind,
at the fame time that hiii language mud be confelTcd to
extremely unpoetical, and his numbers uncouth and inhar-
lious ) nay, even his charafters, very far from being ftrongly
k^d or diflinguiflied, and his epifodes extremely irregular j
n] Floyd. [k] Biograph. Dramat.-
OL. n. F yet
^6 BAPTIST.
yet It is impoflible to avoid beinj; deeply Jiffe£):ed at the repra^*
fentation, and even at the reading of his tragic pieces. This
is owinp; in general to a happy choice of his fubjefts, which
are all jjorrowed from hiitory, cither real or romantic, and iiv-
decd mod of them from circumftanccs in the annals of our own
couptry, which, not only from their bv ing familiar to our con-
tinual recollection, but even from their having fome degree of
relation to ourfelves, wc are apt to receive with a kind of par-
tial prc-poflcflion, and n pre^dctcrmination to be pleafed. He
has conftantly chol'en as the bafis of his plays fuch tales zi were
in themfclves and their well-known cataftrophes mod truly
adapted to the purpofcs of die tlrama. He has indeed but little
varied from the ftritlnefs of hillorical fatls, yet he feems to
have made it his conftant rule to keep the fcene perpetually
alive, and never fufl'cr his characl:ers to droop. His verfe is
not poetry, but profe run mad. Yet will the falfe gem fome-
timcs approach fo near in [flitter to the true one, at leaft in
the eyes of all but the rcaf connoifleurs (and how fmall a part
of an audience arc to be ranked in this clafs will need no ghoft
to inform us), that bombaft will frequently pafs for the true
fublime *, imd wliere it is rendered the vehicle of incidents in
themfelves afTcifiing,^ and in which the heart is apt to take an
intereft, it will perlMps be found to have a ftrongcr power, on
the human paiTions than even that property to which it is in
reality no more than a bare fuccedaneum. And it is only to be
accounted for from thefe principles that Mr. Banks's writings
have in general drawn more tears from the eyes, and excited
more terror in the breafts even of judicious audiences, than
thofe of much more correal and more truly poetical authors.
The tragedies he has left behind him are feven in number, yet
few of them have been performed for fome years pa ft, excepting
" The Unhappy Favourite, or Earl of Eflex," which continued
till very lately a ftock tragedy at both theatres. The v/riters
on dramatic fubjecls have not afcertained either the year of the
birth, or tliat of the death of this author. His laft remains
however lie interred in the church of St. James> Weftminftcr.
BAPTIST (John), who was alfo furnamed Monnoycr, a
painter of fome note, who reCded many years in England, was
born at LiHc in Flanders in 1635, He was brought up at
Antwerp, where his buhnefs was hiftory painting; but finding
that his genius more ilrongly inclined him to the painting of
flowers, he applied his talents in that way, and in which branch
he became one of the grcatcft mailers. When Lc Brun liad un-
dertaken to paint the palace of Verf^iilles, he employed Baptiil
to do the flower-part, wherein he difplayed great excellence.
The duke of Montague being then ambalTador in France, and
obferving the merit of DnptiiUs perforra'aaces, invited him
ovcr'^
BAPTlSTik 67
iivef into England, and employed him, in conjuhflioh with La
Fofle and Rouffeau, to embellilh Montague houfe, which is now
mc Britilli Mufeum 5 the repofitory of many curiofities of art
and nature, and the repofitory alfo of many of the fineft pro-
ductions of Baptirt. " His pi£lurcs (fays Mr. Pilkington ia
his Diciionary of Painters) are not fo exquifiteiy finiihed as
thofe of Van Huyfum, but his compofition and colouring arc
in a bolder ftyle. His flowers have generally a remarkable
freedom and loofenefs, as well in the difpofition, as in pencil-
ing ; together with a tone of colouring, that is lively, admirable,
3nd nature itfelf. The difpofition of his obje£ls is furprifingly
elegant and beautiful } and in that refpe£b his compofitions are
hfily known, and as eafily diftinguifhed from the performances
of others." A celebrated performance of this artifl is a look-
ing-glafs preferved in Kenfingtort palace, which he: decorated
with a garland of flowers for queen Mary 5 and it is mentioned
as a remarkable circumftance, that her majefty fat by him during
Uic greateft part of the time that he was employed in painting
It. He painted, for the duke of Ormond, fix pictures of call
Indian birds, after nature, which were in that nobleman's col-
IsGion at Kilkenny in Ireland, and afterwards came into the
pofTeffion of Mr. Pilkington. He died in England in the year
1699, and was buried in London. There is a print of Baptift,
from a painting of fir Godfrey Kneller, in Mr. Walpole's Anec-
dotes of painting in England. He had a fon, named Anthony
Eaptift, who alfo painted flowers 5 and, in the llyle and manner
of his father, had great merit. — There was alfo another painter
known by the name of John Baptill, whofe futname was Cas-
pars, and who was commonly called Leiy's Baptift. He was
born af Antwerp, and was a difciple of Thomas Willebores Bof-
chaert. During the civil w^t he came to England, and entered
into the fervice of general Lambert; but after the reftorationhe
vas employed by fir Peter Lely, to paint the attitudes and dra-
peries of his portraits. Ke was engaged in the fame bufincfj
wdcr Riley and fir Godfrey Kneller. The portrait of Charles IL
in Painters' HaW, and another of the fame prince, with mathe-
matical inftruments, in the hall of St. Bartholomew's Hofpital,
i'cre painted by this Baptift, who died in 1691, and was buried
at St. James's [l].
BAPTISTIN (JchnBaptisteStruk, fo called), a mufician,
Wi at Florence, died about the year 1740. He compofcd three
<^pas, viz. Melcager, Manto the fairy, and Polydore. His
reputation is chiefly founded on cantatas. Thofe of Democritus
*ndHeraclitu& arc admirable for their mufic, which is truly piclu-
[l] Bicgraph.Britanmca.
F 7, refquc.
68 BARATIER.
refque. It was he who firft made the violoncello irtovra 19
France, on which inftrument he played in a fuperior ftylc.
BARANZANO (Redemptus), a barnabite monk, born at
Serravalle, in the environs of Verceil inPiemont, in 1596, wa*
made profeflbr of philofophy and mathematics at Anneci, where-
he was much diftinguiftied bv the acutenefs of his g«nius. The
general of his order having lent him into France for forming
lome eftabliftiments there, he proceeded to Paris, where he ac-
quired a reputation both as a philofopher and as a preacher. He
was one of the firft that had the courage to abandon the tram-
mels of Ariftotle. He died at Montargis the 23d of December
1622, aged only 33. La Mothe le Vayer clailes him among
the foremoft of the learned in his time. He adds that Earanzano
had fever al times aiTured him that he would appear to him, if
he (hbuld depart the firft out of this world : but he did not keep
his word. Lord chancelloi Bacon had as great an efteem for
him as la Mothe le Vayen Notwithftanding that the fyftems
oppofed by this barnabite to thofe of Ariftotle have not become
current, it is tobeprefumcd that he would have made fomething
more of them if he had not been fnatched away by death at the
beginning of his career. There are by him : 1 . Campus Philofo-*
phicus, 1620, 8vo. 2. Uranofcopia, feu univerfa do£lrina de
Coelo, 1617^ folio. 3. De novis Opinionibus Phyficis^ Bvo^
1617.
BARATIER (John Philip), a prodigy of his kind, an<J
whom Baillet, if he had lived in his time, would have placed'
at the head of his ** EnfansCelebres," was born at Schwoback^
in the margravate of Rrandenburg-Anfpach, the jpth of Ja*-
nuary 1721 [m]» His father Francis had quitted France, for
the fake of profeffing the religion of Calvin ; and was thew
paftor of the calvinift church of Schwoback. He took upon-
himfelf the care of his fon's education, and taught him languages
without ftudy, and almoft without his perceiving that he was^
learning them, by only introducing words of different languages-
as it were* cafually into converfation with him. By this means^
when he was but four years old, he fpoke every day french to
his mother, latin to his father, and german to the maid j with-
out the leaft perplexity to himfelf^ or the leaft confufion^of one
language with another.
'i he other languages of which he was matter, he learnt by a
method yet more uncommon ; which was, by only ufmg the
bible, in the language he then propofed to learn, accompanied'
with a tranflation. Thus he underftood greek at fix, and he-
[m] Pormey's accountof him, in Works another account oChim» printed at London^
of die Learned for Oct. 1743 ^-^nd alfo 1744.
brew
BARATIER. 69
fcfcwat cigTit years of age; infomuch that, upon opening the
book, and without a moment's hefitation, he cjuld tranflate the
Hebrew bible into latin or French. He was now very defirous
of reading the rabbins ; and prevailed upon his father to buy
him the great rabbinical bible, publifhed at Amfterdam, 1728, in
4ToIs- folio : which he read with great accuracy and attention,
as appears from his account of ij, inferted in tne 26th volume
trfthe Bibliotheque Germaniqu^c In his nth year, he pub-
Kfhcd the travels of rabbi Benjamin, tranflated from hcbrew into
french ; which he illufirated with notes, and accompanied with
didertations, that would have done honour to an adept in letters.
He afterwards applied himfeif to the ftudy of the fathers
and the councils, ot philofophy, mathematics, and above all
of ailronomy. This boy, as he really was, formed fchemes
for 6nding the longitucTe, which he fent in January 1735 to the
Royal Society at London ; and, though thefe fchemes had been
already tried and found infufficient, yet they exhibited fuch a
fpccimen of his capacity for mathematical learning, that the
Royal Society of Ekrlin admitted him, the fame year, as one of
their members, Notwithftanding thefe avocations and amufe-
ments, he publifhed very fhortly after a learned theological
work, intituled ** Anti Artemonius : it was written againft Sa-
muel Crellius, who had afTumed the name of Artemonius, and
the fubjciJi is the text at the beginning of St. John's gofpel.
^" '735^ too, he went with his father to Halle ; at which uni-
Tcrfity he was offered the degree of mailer of arts, or (as it is
there termed) dodor in philofophy. Baratier drew up that
night 14 thefes in philofophy and the mathematics, which he fent
immediately to the prefs; and which he defended the next day fo
itry aMy, that all who heard him were delighted and amazed :
he was then admitted to his degree. He went alfo to Berlin,
dnd was prefented to the king of PrufSa, as a prodigy of eru-
dition ; who (hewed him remarkable kindnefs, and conferred
opon him great honours : but, not being very fond of men of
liters, treated him, as fome write, with a fmall tindlure of fe-
▼crity[N]. He afked him, for inllance, by way of mortifying
him, whether he knew the public law of the. empire ? which
being obliged to confcfs that he did not, " Go (fays the king),
and (lady it, before you pretend to be learned." Baratier ap-
plied himfclf inflantly to it, and with fuch fuccefs, that at the
tnd of five months he publicly maintained a thefis in it.
He continued to add new acquiiitions to his learning, and to
incrcafc his* reputation by new performances : he was now, in
his 19th year, collefting materials for a very large work con-
cerning the sc^ptian antiquities ; but his conftitution, naturally
[v] Noav. D'lA. HUbrique-Portatif. Amft. 1774. art. Baxatier,
F 3 weak
70 ?ARATIER.
"weak and delicate, and now impaired by intenfe appUi^ation,
began to give way, and his health to decline. Cough, fpitting
of blood, fever <Jn the fpirits, head-ach, pains at the ftomach|
opprcffions at the bread, frequent vomitings, all contributed t6
dehroy him j and he died at his father's at Halle the 5th 01
October 1740, in the 20th year of his age. IJe was naturally
gay, lively, and facetious ; and he neither loft his gaiety, nor
neglefled his ftudies, till his didemper, ten days before his
death, deprived hitti of the ufe of his limbs. He was a won-
derful proof, how much in a fliort time may be performed by
indefatigable diligence ; and yet it is remarkable, that he pafled
12 hours in bed till he was to years old, and 10 hours from
thence to the time of hi» death j fo that he fpent nearly half
bis jife in flceping.
He was not only mafter of many languages, but (killed al-
moft in every fcience, and capable of diilinguifliing himfelf in
every profeffion, except that of pliyfic ; towards which, having
been difcouraged by the diverfity of opinions among thofe who
confulted upon his diforders, and alfo by the inefficacy of theiir
applications, he had conceived ^ diflike, and even an averfion.
His learning, however vaft, had not depicfled or overburdened hi^
^ natural faculties, for his genius appeared always predominant j
and when he inquired into the various opinion? of the writer^
of all ages, he reafoned and determined for himfelf, having a
mind at once comprehenfive and delicate, aftive and attentive.
He was able to rcafon with the metaphyficians on the moft ab-
ftrufc qucftions, or to enliven the moil unpleafing fubjcfts by
the gaiety of his fancy. He wrote with great elegance and dig-
nity of ftyle. He was no imitator, but ftruck out new traftsi
and formed original fyfl^ems. He had a quicknefs of apprehen-t
fion and firmnefs of memory, which enabled him to read with
incredible rapidity, and at the fame time to retain what he ha4
read, Co as to be able to recolleft and apply it. He turned over
volumes in an inftant ; but feldom made extracts, being always
able at once to find what he wanted. He read over in o^c winter
20 vaft folios ; and the catalogue of the books which he had
borrowed, comprifed4i pages in 4to, the writing clofc, and
the titles abricl|i;ed. He was a conftant reader of literary journals.
With regard to common life he had fome peculiarities: he
could ,not bear mufic ; and, if ever he was engaged at play,
could not attend to it. He neither loved wine, nor enterr
tainments, nor dancing, nor the fports of the field ; nor re-
lieved his ftudies with any o^her divcrfion, than that of walking
and con verf.it ion. He ate little flelh, and lived almoft wholly
upon milk, tea, bread, fruits, and fwcetmeats. He had great
vivacity in his imagination, and ardour in his defires; yet was
always rcferved and Clent except among his favourites, which
• • ' . ' ' ' yrcxc
BARBARUS. 71
innerc few : and the delicacy of his habit, together with his con-
ftant application, fupprefled thofe pallions, which often betray
others of his age to irrctrularities in condu£t.
Upon the whole, Baratier was a molt extraordinary perfon |
and, in an uncivilised and ignorant age, might either have been
worftiippcd^as a milfionary, or burnt as a forcercr.
BARBA (Alvarez Alonzo), curate of St. Bernard de Po-
tofi, at the commencement of the xviith century, is the author
of a very fcarce book intituled. Arte de los mctallos, Madrid,
1620, 4to. It' was reprinted in 1729, in 4to; and to that edi-
tion was added, the Treatife of Alouzo Carillo Lafib, on the
antient mines of Spain, printed before at Cordova in 1624, in
4to. There is an abridgment of Barba in french, i vol. i2no,
1730, to which is added a Recueil d'Ouvragc^ on the fame fub-
jeift, alfo in i2mo, in very great elleem.
BARBADILLO (Alphonsus Jerom de Salas), born at'
Madrid, died about 1630, compofcd fevcral comedies highly
applauded in Spain. His ilyle, being pure and elegant, contri-
buted greatly to the improvement of the fpanifli language. His
theatrical pieces are lively, and abound in moral fentiments.
There is likewife by him, the adventures of don Diego de Noche,
1624, 8vo.
BARBARO vDaniel), co-adjutor of the patriarchate of
Aquileia, born in 1513, acquired a reputation for his learning and
his capacity in the management of public affairs, which caufed
him to be chofen by the fenate of Venice to be ambaflador from
the republic to England, where he remained till 1551- He
died in 1570, and left behind him feveral works in good repute,
the chief of which are : i. A Treaiifc of Eloquence, by way of
dialogue, printed at Venice, in 15575 4to. 2. Pratica dclla
Perfpectiva, Venice 1568, folio. 3. An italian tranflation of
Vitrurius, with annotations, Venice, 1584, 4to, fig. Bayle
and feveral other lexicographers after him, have been grofsly
miftaken in regard to the dates of the birth and death of this il-
luilrious perfon as well as about his works.
BARBARUS, or Barbaro (Hekmolaus), a man of great
learning, born at Venice 1454 [o] In the early part of his life
he was intrufted with many honourable employments: he was
fcnt by the Venetians to the emperor Frederic, and to his fon
Maximilian king of the romans. The fpeech. which he made
to thefe two princes at Bruges, in i.\\i6y was afterwards pub-
liihed, and dedicated to Carondelet, fecretary to Maximilian.
He was ambaflador from the republic of Venice to pope lnna-»
(:ent VIII, When the patriarch of Aquileia died, his holinefs
[o] Ccfncr. Biblioth. fol. 246. ex Tri''.cm'c>
f ij. (jonfcrvcd
7ft BARBAZAR
- conferred tlie patriarchate upon Hermolaus, who vas fo impntei
dent as to accept of it, notwithftanding he knew that the repub?
lie of Venice had made an exprefs law forbidding all the niiniftcr$
they fent to Rome to accept: of any benefice. Hermolaus excufe4
himfelf, by faying that the pope forced him to accept of the
prelacy ; but this availed nothing with the council of ten, who
fjgnified to him that he muft renounce the patriarchate, and if
he refufed to comply, that Zachary Barbarus hib father ihould be
degraded from all his dignities, and his eftate confifcated. Zar
chary was a man pretty much advanced in years, and filled one
of the chief pofts in the commonwealth. He employed all the
intereft in his power to gain the confcntjof the republic to hi$
fon's being patriarch ; but all his endeavours haying proved in«*
cfFcftual, he dipd of grief.
Hermolnus was efteemed a good writer. At the requeft of.
Theodoric Flas, phyfician of Nuis, he compofed a treatife oa
the ajjreement of- aftronomy with phyfic. He was very well
flcilled in greek, of which he gave a proof in his 1 hemiftius, in
his paraph rafe on Ariltotle, and hi^ tranilation of Diofcorides,
to which is added a very large pommentary. ffe is faid likewifo
to have tranflated two treatifes of Plutarch.' He had alfo formed
a defign to tranflate all the works of Ariftotle, but nothing of
this kind ever appeared, except the Rhetoric, which was pubr
lifiied after his death. He was alfo edeemed a good poet ; and
araongft oth^r poetical pieces was one of 600 verfes, intituled
De re uxoria ; his grandfather had wrote a piece in profe witl>
the fame title. Of all his works, as a commentator, that upoi|
Pliny gained hipi the mod reputation; he is faid to have cor*
reeled above a thoufand pafi'ages in this author, and to have
reftored above three hundred in Pomponius Mela. Hermolau^
died at Rome, 1493. Mr. Baylcisof opinion that he was cut
ofFby the plague,
BARBAZAN (Stephen), bom at St. Fargeau en Puifaye,
in the diocefe of Auxerre, in 1 696, pailed his whole life in reading
the old french authors, and died in 1770, after having publi(hed,
1. Contes & fableaux des anciens poctes Fran9ois du xiime et
xiiime ficcles, 1766, 3 vol. i2mo. This colleftion is prefaced
by a diiTertation on the poets, whofe works it contains, and
followed by a glrd'ary. 2. Ordene de Chev^lerie ; it is a col-
Icftion of feveral tales of antient times, with a diiTertation on
the french tongue, and a fmall gloflary. 3. Le Caftoyerfient ;
pr, Inftruftion from a Father to his Son, 1760, 8vo. preceded
by a difl'ertr^ion on the Celtic language. 4. Obfervations fur les
fctymologlf s -, with a vocabulary at the end. 5. In conjunftioH
with the abbe la Pote and Graville, he was editor of the Rc-
cueil Alphabctique, from the letter C to the end of the alphabet,
Thi|
BARBERINI. yj
This work, too long by one half, was begun by the abbe Perau ;
it is in 24 vols. i2mo. 1745, and the following years. It contains
many pieces which it would be difficult to find elfewhere.
BARBEAU de la Bruyere(John Lewis), born at Paris in
1710, was the fon of a woodntonger, and defigned to purfue his fa-
ther's trade; but nature had given him fuch a taile for literature
that he was forced to follow his difpofition He at firlt embraced
the ecclefiaftical condition 5 which he quitted fome time after-i
wards in order to retire to Holland, where he pafTed 10 or 15
vearst He carried with him from that country charts but little
Known in France, which he communicated to M Bauche, who
kept him with him above 23 years, and in whofe works he haci
the greateft fliare. In 1759, however, a produftion appeared
under his name. This was his Mappe-monde Hidorique : an
ingenious and truly novel chart, in which the author has had
the ikill to combine geography, chronology, and hiftory into
one fyftem. He had intended to particularize this general chart
10 diftin£^ maps ; but he was forced to abandon this idea by the
fad neceifity he laboured under of gaining his bread by rapid
publications. The world is indebted to him for the Tablettes
Chronologiques of the abbe Lenglet, 1763 and 1778 ; for the
Geographic Moderne of the abbi la Croix, the fubftance whereof
is properly his ; the two lad volumes of the iibliotheque dc
France, of perc le Long ; and he furnilhed great afliilance to
M- de Fontette in the publication of the three firft. V\ e have
^kewife by him a Defcription de Tempire de RuflTie, tranflaced
fromthegermanofbaronde Strahlemberjr,*f7 5 , 2 vols i^mo.
He has done judice to the original ; which, to fay the truth,
is not worth a tranflation, as there is hardly an account or a
4efcription of any kind in the whole book that is not wrong in
feme particulars. The eftimable and learned barbeau died of a
ftroke of the apoplexy, at Paris, the 20th of November 1781. He
carried about two years before, for the fake of having a com-
/ panion to mitigate the forrows and infirmities of age. He was
one of thefevv modetl fcholars, who, without having either li*
terary titles or penfions, are often more ufeful than others de-
[ corated and endowed with both. No one was ever more oblig-
ing than him ; no one lefs avaricious of his knoAledge, or had
more to communicate on the fubjecls^'f geography and hiftory.
His mcnjory was a kind of living library : he was always con-
) fulted with advantage, either for the exadl dates of events, or
for the bed editions of good or fcarce books.
BAR.iE-^INI (Fran- js , an excellent poet, born at Barbe-
rino in Tufcany, 1264 [p). The greare'l part of his works are
lod> but his poem, intituled. The precepts of love, having been
preserved, is fufficient to (hew the genius of Harberini for
poetry. If we judge of this piece by its title, we may be apt
[r] Didtioimaure des beaux arts.
to
74 BARBEYRAC.
to imagine it of the fame kind with that of Ovid de arte amandi ;
but in this we fliould be much miftaken, for there is nothing
more moral and inllruftivc than tliis poem of Barbcrini. It
was publilhed at Rome, adorned with beautiful figures, in 1640,
by Frederic Ubaldini: he prefixed the author's life; and, as
there are in the poem many words which are grown obfolete, he
added a gloflTary to explain them, which illullrates the fenfe by
the authority of contemporary poets.
.. BARBEU Du BouRG (James), phyfician, of the academy of
Stockholm, born at Mayenne the 12th of February 1709, died
the 14th of December 1779, publilhed divers works; among
others the Gazette de Medicine, of which the firft papers ap-
peared in 1761, in 8vo. His other produ£lions are: i. A
tranflation of Bolingbroke's Letters on Hiltory, i2mo. 2. Le
Botaniile Francois, 1767, 2 vol. i2mo. 3. Elemens de Mede-
pine, en forme d'Aphorifmes, 1780, i2mo.
Bi^RBEYR AC (John), born the 15th of March 1674, at
Bariers, a city of Lower Languedoc, in France. He went to
Laufanne, in 1686, with his father ; and, in J 697, was at Ber-
lin, where he taught philofophy at the french cellege. At the
dcfirc of his father, he applied himfelf at firft to divinity, but
afterwards quitted it, and gave himfelf up to the ftudy of the
law, >fpecially that of nature and nations. In 17 10, he'was in-
vited to Laufanne, to accept »of the new profefTorihip of law and
hiftory, which the magiftrates of Bern had inftitutcd, and he
enjoyed it for fcven years, during which time he was thrice
rettor. In 17 13, hrwas ele6led a member of the Royal Society
of ^cienccs at Berlin; and in 17 17, chofen profefibr of public
and private law at Groningen. He tranflatcd into french the
tAvo celebrated works of PutFendorf, his " Law of nature and
rations," aiid his "Duties of a man and citizen :" he wrote ex-
cellent notes to both thefe performances, and to the former he
gives an introductory preface. He tranflated alfo the two dif-
tourfv^s of Mr. Noodt, Concerning the power of a fovereign and
liberty oi confcience^ and fevcral of Tillotfon's fermons. The
piece intituled Traitci dc jcu, printed at Amfterdam, in 1709, is
alfo of his compofition ; bclicics feveral critical and literary re-
in arks, jnfcrtcd in diiVcrent journals, and fome academical dif-
courfes piibllilied at Geneva, Laufaime, and Amfterdam. He
puhliflied alfo in 1724, a tranllation into french of Grotius's
trcatife De jure b^lli ac pacis, with large and excellent notes [q^J.
He died in 1729.
CO rcndsv.h;t wf h'^ve mentioned franfliMon, with notes, of a trcatife of M.
Iibove, v.e have atj'o ot his, i.Tjaite fur Bvnckerlhoclc, I7?3. 3. La defence du
iamnjalc dcs pcics, 172S, 4:0 Tiiiswas droit dc id rompagnie llollandoire dcs
written JCJln'.l Mr. C^' 'i'-r, who had at* InJcs Orientatea, contrc Us nouvcUespre-
tackrd nh.^.i B^rbtM^c hid fild upon that tcniions des habitnns 4cs PaU Bas Auci'i*
iubjcd in his Prcl'dcc to Tuifciidorf. z.A clijcus, &,c. 17^3.
7 CARBIER
PARBIER, 75
BARBICR d'Aucour (John), advocate in the parliament of
I'aris, member of the French academy, born at Langres, of poor
parents, drew himfclf out of obfcurity by his talents. He was at
firft repetitcur au college de Lificux. He then applied himfclf
to the bar j but his memory having failed him at the outfet of
bis firft pleading, he promifed never to attempt it nn:ain, thoui^h
^e might have pleaded»with fuccefs. He is the perfon meant by
]3oileau in thofe lines of his Lutrin^ where he fays to the firit
iirefident Lamoignon :
Quand la premiere fois un athlete noiiveau
Vient combattre en champ-clos aux joutes du barreaU|
Souvcnt, fans y pcnfcr, ton augulle piefence
Troublant, par trop d'6clat, fa timidc eloquence ;
Le nouvcau Clceron, tf emblant, decolorc,
Chcrchc envain fon difcours fur la langue egare.
En vain, pour gagncr tcms dans fes tranfes afFrtfufes,
Traine d*un dernier mot les fyllabes honteufcs ;
II hefitc, il begaie ; et Ic trifle orateur
Dcoicure enflii muet aux yeux du fpcftateur.
This accident induced him to keep within the walls of his ftudjr*
TThough bold, pen in hand, he was out of doors the ilave of a ti*
pidity which was rather founded on his ill fortune than on his
natural charafter. Not having w^herewith to fatisfy his landlord,
he agreed to marry his daughter ; but this marriage did not put
him in eafy circumftances. Colbert having given him charge of
the education of one of his fons, Barbier lengthened his name by
jhe addition of d'Aucour, Jiut this miniiler, dying without
having done any tiling for his advancement, he was obliged tQ
return to the bar. He gained exceeding great honour by the
eloquent and generous defence he made for a certain le Bruii,,
the valet of a lady in Paris, falfely accufed of having aflaffinated
hismiftrefs. This was his laft caufe. He died Sept. 13, 1694,
at the age of* 53, of an inflammation of the breart. The deputies
of the academy, who went to fee him in his laft ficknefs, were
concerned to find him fo badly lodged : It is my comfort, faid
he, and a very great comfort it is, that I leave no heirs of my
mifery. The abbe dc Choifj, one of them, having faid : You
leave a name tliat will never ciie. — AIjs, I do not flatter myfelf
on that fcore, returned d'Aucour 5 if my works fhould have any
fort of value in themfelves, I have been wrong in the choice of
my fubjedls. I have dealt only in critjcifm, which never lafls
long. For, if the book criticifcd fhould fail into contempt, the
criticifm falls with it, fince it is immediately feen to be ufelefs ;
and if, in fpice of the criticifm, the book (lands its ground, then
^e criticifm is equally forgotten, fince it is immediately thought
to be unjuft. He was no friend to the Jcfuits, and the greater
■'' * part
76 BARBOUR^
part of Ks works arc againfl that fociety, or agamft the writcn
jof it. That which does him the mod honour is intituled, Sen-
Cimens de Clianthe fur les Entretic.n« d'Arifte ct d'EugJnc, par
le pere BouhoufsS, jefult, in i2mo. This book has been often
cjuoted, and with good rcafon, as a model of the moil juft and
ingenious criticifm. D'Aucour here diilributes his bons-mots
and his learning, without going too great lengths in his raillery
and his quotations. The jefuit Bouhours, who delivers very frivo-
lous matters in an affefted ftyle, could never recover from this
ftroke of his adverfary. The abbe Granctgave an edition of this
work in I73a> to which he has acjdcd two circumftances, which
prove that Barbier would have been as good a lawyer as a critic.
The other writings of d'Aucour are no more than a colleftion
of turlupinadcs : Les Gaudinettcs, I'Onguent pour la brulure,
3gainft the jefuits ; Apollon vendeur de Mithridate, againft Ra»
cine -, two fatires in mifcrable poetry. It is not eafy to conceive
hov^ he could rally Bouhours fo neatly, and the others in fo
coarfe a manner. It is faid that his antipathy to the jefuits arofe
from his being one day in their church, when one of the fathers
told him, to behave with decency, becaufc hcus erat Jacer, D'Au-
cour immediately replied : Si locus ejl fjcrusy quare exponitls, , ^
fit is to be remarked, that on that day fome aenigraatical pictures
were expofcd, that they might be explained by the afliftants.]
This epithet offacms ran inftantaneoufly from mouth to mouth.
The regents repeated it ; it was echoed by the fcholars ; and
the name 6i Lawyer Sacrus ftuck to him fo cjofely that he could
never fliake it off.
BARBIER (Mapy Avn), born at Orleans, cultivated litcra«»
ture and poetry, and fettled at Paris, where flie publiChed feveral
Tragedies and fome Operas in one vol. i2mo. It has been faid
that her name was only borrowed by the abbi Pellegrin ; but it
is a miftake. Madcmoifelle Barbier had talents and learning,
and the abbe Pellegrin was never any thing more to her than her
friend and advifcr. She died in 1745. The conduft of the
tragedies of madcmoifelle Barbier is tolerably regular, and the
fcenes pretty well connefted : the fubjefts are in general judi"
cioufly chofen ; but nothing can be more ordinary than the
manner in which (he treats them. In endeavouring to render
the heroines of her pieces generous and noble, fhe degrades all
her heroes. We perceive the wcaknefs of a timid pencil, which,
incapable of painting objects jn large, llrivcs to exaggerate the
virtues of her fex ; and thcfc monflrous piftures produce an
intereft that never rifes above mediocrity. Neverthelefs, we
meet with fome affefting fituations, and" a natural and eafy vcr-
fification J but too much facility renders it negligent, dilFufe, and
profaic.
BARBOUR (John). He was born in or near the year 1 3 20,
o And
BARCLAY. 7/
and educated in the abbey of Aberbrothoclc, where he took or-
flersjand obtained a living n<?ar Aberdeen. In 1358 king David
Bruce promoted him to the archdeaconry of Aberdeen, and ap-
Eointed him one of his chaplains. He was fent on feveral em*
affies to England, where he difcharged his duty as a very able
ltatefman,-and had feveral marks of refpeft fliewn him by Ed-
ward IIL At his leifure hours he wrote in ancient fcottifh verfe^
the Life and heroic Aftions of King Robert Bruce ; a work of
great value, bccaufe he had his materials from fome of thofe gaU
lant heroes who had fought under that illudrious prince, when
he drove the EngliQi out of Scotland. He died at Abcrdeea
1378, aged 58.
BARBUD, mafter of mufic to KofruParviz, kingof Perfia of
the fourth dynafty. He fo much excelled in his art, that hi»
name is become the appellative of all excellent muficians.
Schams Fakhri, fpeaking of a magnificent banquet given by his
prince, fays, that Zohara, which is the name given by the Per-
fians to Venus, there filled the place of i'arbud, i. e. of mafter of
muGc : for the Orientals give to Venus the lyre, which the
Greeks and the Latins put into the hands of Apollo. The Per-
fians fay, that Barbud was alfo an excellent performer on inftru-
ments,,and tliat he gave his name to a kind of lyre which thejr
call barbud, from whence the Greeks perhaps formed their word
barbiton; they fay likewife that he is the inventor of a tune,,
called by them aurenki j which is to fay, the tune of the throne^
or the royal air.
BARC ALI, the furname of Mohammed ben Pir AK, who died
in the year of the hcghra 960. He is author of a commentary
on the Arbain. He is likewife called M Rumi. — I here is alfa
another author of the fame name, who died in the year of the
hcgira 981 or 982, of whom we have feveral works; and, among
others, i. Tharikat Mohammediat ; that is, A fpiritual M.*thod
and Inftrudlion according to the Principles of Mufulmanifm,
2. Encadh al halekin, Deliverance to tliofe who are perifliing v
where he fpeaks againft thofe who defer their penitence till the
&our of death. 3 Icadh al naimin. The Alarm to thofe that
flcep. They arc all books of devotion.
BARCLAY, Barcley, Barklay, or de Barklay (Alex-
ander), an elegant writer of the xvith century, born in Scotland
according to Dr. Mackenzie, but Mr. Pits and Mr. Wood make
Tiim a native of Kngland ; the latter afhrtning that he v/as born
in SomcrfetChire, at a village called Barclay. The time of hls^
birth is not afcertained, nor is it known where he received the
firft part .pf his education. We are only told that he was en-
tered at Oriel college, Oxford, when Thomas Cornifti, after-
wards bifliop of Tyne, was provoft of that houfe [h]. After he
[r] Wood's AntiQ. Ox. lib. ii. p. ic c.
had
>»
BARCLAY.
had ftudicd fome time at Oxfordy he went over to llolland, ari(?
from thence to Germany, Italy, and France, the languages of
v'hich countries he Itudied with great affiduity, and read all their
beft authors, wherein he made a moft furprifing proficiency, a^
appeared by many excellent tranflations, which he publilhed.
Upf>n his return to England, the provoft of Oriel, who had been'
his patron at college, having been preferred to the bifliopric of
Tyne, made him his chaplain, and afterwards appointed him one'
of the prieRs of the college : but bifliop Corniih dying foon'
after, he cntefcd into the order of St. Bcnedifl, and afterwards,'
as fome fay, became a francifcan : we art told alfo that he wasf
a monk of Ely ; and that, upon the diflblutipn of this liionaf-
teTy> he had the vicarage of St. A^latthew at Wokey in Worcef-
terlhire bellowed upon him [s]. He was alfo prefcuted to. the
living of ?vli5ch Baddow, or Baddow Magna, in the county of
Eflex ; and thcfe, according to Mr. Wood, were all the prefer-
ments he ever enjoyed ; but another writer tellb us, that the
dean and chapter of London conferred upon him the ^e£lorfhip'
of Allhallows Lombard-ureet, but that he did not enjoy it above'
£x weeks [t].
He lived to an advanced age, and died at Croydon. He was'
efleemed a very polite writer, and a great refiner of the engliili'
tongue [u].
BARCLAY (William), a learned civllir,^, born at Aberdei^n,
in Scotland, was much in favour with queen Mary Stuart, and'
had great reafon therefore to expect preferment; but the mif-
fortunesof this prlncefs having difappointcd all his expectations,'
he went to France in 1573 ; and, though he was then thirty
years of age, began to ftudy law at Bourges [x]. Afterwards'
f s] Mackeuzic, Lives of Scots writers, fifth is, Of the citizen and uplandiih man.,
▼ol. ii. p. 287. Fiogr. Brit. 2. The lives of fevcral faints, tranflated'
[t] Ncwcoun'ft Kepcrtor. voL ii. from latin into engiifh, particularly thofe
pw 2^4. of St. Georgei St. Catharine, St. Marga*
[u] His writings arc very numcroust ret, and St. Ethclreda. 3. Five eclogues,
luc no perfect caratogue of them is any from the latin of Mantuan. 4. Of the
where to be found; the principal, as men- . french pronunciation, c. The Bucolic of
tioned by Baylc and Fits, arc as follow : Codrus. 6. The ca(>Ie of labour, trandaicd
J. Eclogues on the miferies of courtiers* from french into englifh. 7. A trcatifc of
itc. They were printed at London, ia4to, virtues, written originally by V. Mancini.
ivithout date, under this title ; Here be- 8. The figure of our mother holy church
gynneth the eglogucs of Alexander Bar- opprclfed by the french king. 9. Kavis
clay, prtlh v,hcrcof the fiilt three con- ftultitcra, or the fliipof fodls. This confifts
tayncth the m) fcryesof couriers andcourtes partly ot fevcral verfc»of his own compo-
of all princes in generall : the matter firion« partly tranAaiiuns from the latin^,
whereof was tranflited intoenglyflie by the french, and datch; but it is chiefly a kind
fald Alexander, in fourrae of dialoges, out of vcrfion ol a bt>ok written by Seb'aftian
pf a book in latin, named Mi fere curia- Bnuitius. It is adorned with great variety'
hum, compiled by i^neas Sylvius t>oete of pi<5turcs, printed from wooden cuts. 10.
and oratour, v^hich after was pope of Rome Thehifloryofthcjugurthincwarjtrannatcd*
and named Pius. This volume contains froih the latin of Saliuft.
five dialogues; the fourth is, Of ihebeha- [^x] Niceron, torn. xvir. p. 277,
vioucoi richc men ancult poetes ; and the-
BARCLAY. 79
le took his do£lot's degree there; and, as he was a man of quiet
parts and great afliduity, he foon became able to teach the law.
-About this time the duke of Lorrain having founded the uni-
verfity of PontamoufTon, gave him the firft profe(lbr[hip,and ap-
pointed him counfellor in his councils, and mafter of the requefts
of his palace. In 1581, Barclay married a young lady of Lor-
rain, by whom he had a fon, who became afterwards the caufe
of animofity betwixt his father and the jefuits : the youth being
endowed with a fine genius, they ufed their utmoft endeavoura
to engage him in their fociety, and had very nigh fucceeded
when the father difcovcred their intentions. He was greatly
difpleafed at the jefuits, who refented it as highly on their part;
and did him fo many ill offices with the duke, that he was
obliged to leave Lorrain. He went to Lon«ton, expefting king
James would give him fomc employment : his majefty accord-
ingly offered him a place in his council, with a confiderable al-
lowance; with this condition, however, that' he fhould embrace
the religion of the church of England, but this he declined from
his attachment to the romifli faith, lie returned to France in
1604, and accepted of a profeilbrfliip in civil law, which was
offered to him by the unlverfity of Angers. He read lectures
there with great applaufe till his death, which happened about
1605, when he was buried in the francifcan church. He pub-
iiihcd feveral books upon the powers of kings and popes.
BARCLAY (John), fon of the preceding, born in France,
1582, at Pontamouflbn, where his father was pri)fcfibr. He llu-
died under the jefuits ; who, as we have mentioned above, be-
came fo fond of him on account of his capacity and genius, tliat
they ufed their'utmoft endeavours to engage him in their fociety :
which was the reafon of his father's breaking with them, and of
his retiring with his fon to England [y]. Soon after his arrival
in England, John Barclay wrote a latin poem on the coronation
of king James ; and, in 1603, dedicated the firll part of his Eu-
phormio to his majefly. The king was highly pleafcd with thefe
tv/O pieces, and would have been glad to have rciuined young
Barclay in England ; but his father, not finding tinners anfwer
his cxpeftations, took a refolution of returning to France, and
being afraid of his fon's becoming a prolcilaTit, he inHllcd on his
going along with him. John continued at Angers till the death
of his father ; when he removed to Paris, where he mirrricd, and
foon after went to London. After ten years rcfidence in Lon-
don, he went to Paris again. The year following he went to
Rome, being invited thither by pope Paul V. from whf)m he
received many civilities, as he did likewife from caidinal Bel-
larmin. He died at Rome, 162 J, and was buried in the church
fY] Niccron; torn, vii,
•f
Ho
feARCLAY.
of St. dntiphnus upon the Janiculus. His fon erefted a mcM
numcnt of marble to him, in the church of St. Lawrence^
tipon the way to TivoU. He has left maiiy learned and elegant
Svorks[z1:
BARCL'A'Sf fRoBKRT)', an eminent writer amongft the qua-
kers, born at Edinburgn, 1648. The troubles in Scotland in-
duced his father, colonel Batchy, to fend him while a youth to
Paris, under the care of his uncle, principal of the Icots college j
who, taking advantage of the tender age of his nephew, drew
him over to the romifli religion [a]. His father being informed
of this, fent for him in 1664. Robert, though now only fixteeri,
had - gairied a perfedt knowledge of the french arid latin,
tongues, and had alfo iftiproved himfelf in moft other parts of
knowledge [b]. Several writers amongft tht quakers have af-
fcrted that colonel Barclay had embraced their do£lrine before
his fon's teturn from France, but Robert himfelf has fixed it id
the year 1666. Our author foon after became alfo a profelyte to'
that feft, and in a fliort time diftinguifhed himfelf greatly by his
zeal for their doftrines. His firft treatife in defence of thenil
appeared at Aberdeen, 1670 [c]. It was written in fo fenfible
a manner, that it greatly raifed the credit of the quakers, whol
began now to be better treated by the gweniment than ever be-
fore. In a piece he publifiied in 1^72, he tells us that he had
[z] The following U a lid of chem as
given by Niceron : l. Notx in Statii i hc-
haidemi MuiIiponti» liof, 8vo. 2. Eu-
phormionis Lunnini fatyricou. This fatire
confids of two parts, the firil was publiihed
fit London in i6o^, iimo/ He wrote the
fecond partwhilil he refidcd at Angers, and
publiOieil it at Paris along with the Hrft, in
1601;, i2mo. 3. Series patefa^i divinitus
pairicidii In maximunn regcm regnumque
Britannizcogitati et inl^ru^i. Amft. 1605,
j2mo. 4< Apologia Euphormionis. Lond.
]6jO|i2mo. 5. Joannis Bardaii pietas, feu
publicae pro regibus ac principibus, et pri-
vate pro Gullielmo Barclaio paicnce vin-
diciap adverfus Robertum Bellarminum
in trattatu de potellate fummi pontificis in
tcmporalibus. L'aris, i6r2, 4C0. 6. Icon.
animorum. Lond. 1614^ T2mo. 7. Po!:-
matum Hbri duo. Lond. 1615, 4to. 8. Pa-
rxnefis ad fe£torios hujus temporis de vera
ecclefia, fide, et religione. Rome, i6ir,
iimo. q. Argcnis. Paris, 162T, 8vo. This
U the firft edition of that celebrated work.
It has fince gone through a great number of
editions, and has been trauflated into mod
languages. M. de Pierefc, who had the
care of the firll edition, caufcd the effieies
of the author to be placed before the book;
»nd the following diiUchi wriuen by Gro-
tius, was put under it s
Cente Calcdonius, Callus n:tta1:buS) hic ei(
Romam Romano ^i docet ore lo^ui.
Ea] Hift. des trembleurs, p. 76.
B J See his teftimony concerning hi^
father, at the end of his Works.
[c] The title runs thus: «* Truth
cleared of calumnies, wherein a book in-
titled, A iliAlogue between a Quaker and «
liable ( hril^ian (printed at Aberdeen, andy
upon good ground, judge'd tobewFitby
William Mitchel, a preacher near by it, or
at leaft that he had the chief hand in it),'-
is examined, and the difingenuity of the
author in his reprefenting the Quakers b
difcovered ; here is alfo their cafe truly
ftated, cleared, demonftrated, and the ob«
jcflions of their oppofers anfwered accord-
ing to truth, fcripiure, and right rcafon y
to which are fubjoined queries to the in-
habitants of Aberdeen, which nrighf (as (xt
as the title telh us) alfo be of ufe to fucfi
as are of the fame mind with them elfe-
where in the nation." The preface to this
performance is dated from the author's
houfc at Ury, the i9ih of the fecond month,
1670,
been
Barclay. si
l>ceil Comtnandcd by God to pafs through the ftreets of Aber-
deen in fackcloth and aflies, and to preach the necefllty of faith
and repentance to the inhabitants ; he accordingly performed
it, being, as he declared, in the greateil agonies of mind till
he had fulfilled this command [d]. In 1675, he publilhed a
regular and fyi^ematical difcourfe, explaining the tenets of the
quakers ; which was univerfally well received [e]. Many of
thofe who oppofed the religion of the quakers, having endea«-
Voured to confound them with another left called the ranters,
our author, in order to fliew the difference betwixt thofe o(
his perfuafiofi and this other feft, wrote a very fenfible and
inftruftive work [f]. In 1676, his famous Apology for the
Quakers was publiihed in latin at Amfterdam, 4to. His Thefcs
theological, which are the foundation of this work, had been
publiflied fome time before. He tranflated his Apology into
englifli, and publiihed it in 1678 [g]. This work is adarefled
to Charles II. and the manner in which be expreffes himfelf to
his majefty is very remarkable. Amongft many other extraor-
dinary paflages, we meet with the following ; " There is no king
in the world, who can fo experimentally tcftify of God's provi-
dence and goodnefs ; neither is there any who rules fo many free
people, fo many true chriftians ; whicn thing renders thy go*.
Yemment more honourable, thyfelf more condderable, than the
acceflion of many nations filled with flavifli and fuperftitious
fouls. Thou haft tafted of profperity and advcrfity*, thou
fol ^ his Works, p. 105, 106. futed, in a twofold apology for the church
EJ Th< title thei-eof ii as follows ; and people of God» called in defifion
A catechifni and confellion of faith, ap« Quakers ; wherein they are vindicated froifi
proved of and agreed unto by the general thofe who accufe themof diforderand cou-
aflembly of the patriarchs, prophets» and fution on the one hand, and from fuch as
apoftles, Chrift himfelf chief fpeaker in calumniate them with tyranny and impo-
and among them ; which containeth a true fition on the other ; (hewing* that as the
and faithful account of the principles and true and pure principles of the gofpel are
^o^ines which are mod furely believed reitored by their teftimooy, fo is alfo the
by the churches of Chrift in Great Britain ancient apoftolie order of the church of
and Ireland, who are reproachtuUy called Chrill re-eftabliflied among them, and fct«
hj the name of Quakers, yet are found in tied upon its right bafis and foundation,
true faith with the primitive church aad [o] The title in the englifh editioa
faintly as is moft clearly demonftrated by runs thus : An apology for the true chrif-
ibae plain fcripture teftimonies (without tian divinity as the fame is held forth and
confcqoeoces and commentaries) which are preached by the people called in fcom
here colle^ed and inferred by way of an- Quakers ; being a full explanation and vin«
fwer to a few weighty , yet eafy and fami- dication for their principles and dodrinesy
liar queftions, fitted as Will for the wifeft by many arguments deduced from fcripture
and largcft, as for the weakeft and loweft and right reafon, and the teftimonies of
capacities ; to which is added an expoftu- famous authors both ancient and modem »
latiooy with an appeal to all other pro- with a full anfwer to the ftrongeft ob<^
IciTors, by R. B. a fervant of the church of jettons ufually made againft them ; pre-
Chrift. fented to the kiog : written and publiihed
[rl This work is intituled, The Anar* in latin for the information of Grangers, by
thyofthe Ranters and other libertines, the Robert Barclay; and now put into our
hierai«hy o( the romanifts, and other pre- own language for the benefit of his couo*
Inded churchesy equally tcfufcd aad re* trymta.
Vol. II, G knoweft
%t
BARCLAY.
knoweft what it is to be banifhed thy native country, to be oreiw
ruled as well as to rule and fit upon the throne ; and being op-
EreiTed, thou haft reafon to know how hateful the opprelfor is
oth to God and man : if, after all thofe warnings and adver-
tifementsi thou doft not turn unto the Lord with all thy heart,
but forget him who remembered thee in thy diftrefs, and give up
thyfelf to follow luft and vanity, furely, great will be thy con-
demnation." Thefe pieces of his, though they greatly raifed
his reputation amongit perfons of fcnfc and learning, yet they
brought him into various difputes, and one particularly with
fome confiderable members of the univcrfity of Aberdeen ; an
account of which was afterwards publifhed [h]. In 1677, he
wrote a large treatife on univerfal love fi]. Nor were his ta-
lents entirely confined to this abftraded kind of writing, as ap-
pears from his letter to the public minifters of Nimeguen [kJ.
In 1679, ^ treatife of his was publifhed in anfwer to John
Brown : he wrote alfo the fame year a vindication of his Anar-
chy of the Ranters. His laft trad was publiihed in 1686, and
intituled, " The poflibility and neceflity of the inward and im-
mediate revelation of the fpirit of God towards the foundation
and ground of true faith, proved in a letter written in latin to a
perfon of quality in Holland, and now alfo put into englifli.'* He
did great fervice to his fed by his writings over all Europe. He
travelled alfo with the famous Mr. Penn through the greateft
part of England, Holland, and Germany, and was every where
received with great rcfpcd. When he returned to his native
[h] It wu printed under the following
title : A true and laithful account of the
moil material paiTagesof a difpute between
fome ftudents of divinity (fo called) of the
univeHity of Aberdeen, and the people
called quakcrs, held in Aberdeen in Scou
land* in Alexander Harper his clofc (or
yard) before fome hutuired of witneiTes,
upon the 14th day of the fccond month,
called April, 1675, there being John Lefly^
Alexander Sherrefl^, and Paul Gcllie maf-
ter of arts, opponenti; and defendants upon
the quakert' part, Robert Barclay and
George Keith : praefes for moderating the
netting, chofen by them, Andrew Thomp-
fon advocate ) and by the quakcrs, Alex-
ander Skein, fome time a magiftrite of the
city : publiihed for preventing mifreports
by Alexander Skein, John Sl^ein, Alexan-
der Harper, Thomas Merfer, and John
Cowie; to which is added, Robert Barclay's
offer to the preachers of Aberdeen, renewed
and reinforced.
[ i] This treatife was written in the be-
ginning of 1677, and publiihed foon after,
Under the following tide: Univerfal love
Coofide^ed and eiUbliihed upon itt right
foundation, being a ferious enquiry how far
charity may and ought to extend towards
perfons of different judgments in matters
of religion ; and whofe principles, amongft
the feveral feds of chriftians, do moft na-
turally lead to that due moderation re-
quired ; writ in the fpirit of love and
meeknefs, for the removing of ftumbling-
blocks out of the way of the iimple, by a
lover of the fouls of all men, R. B.
[k] The congrefsat Nimeguen began in
167$. The plenipotentiaries appointed by
king Charles were fir William Temple and
iir Leoline Jenkins; all the ambafladors
prcfent were looked upon as the ableft
llatefmen of their age : to them Mr. Bar-
clay addreiTes his epiftlc in thcfe words :
<* To the ambaiTadors and deputies of the
chriftian princes and dates met at Nime*
guen, to confult the peace of chriftendom,
R. B. a fervantof Jefus Chrift, andhejrty
well wither to the chriftian world, wiflies
increafc of grace and peace, and the fpirit
of found judgment, with hearts inclined and
willing to receive and obey the couofel of
Cod."
country.
B A R E T T I. 8 J
I
country^ he fpcnt the remainder of his life in a quiet and retired |
manner. He died at his own houfe at Ui:y) on the 3d of October
2690, in the 42d year of his age.
BARD, the furname of an author whofe proper appellative
was Mohammed ben Yezid^ He "wrote on the Aarab al koran,
i. c. on the pronunciation of the vowels of the text of the koran.
This author bears the title of Nahui, which fignifies Gram-
marian.
BARDESANES, a native of Edefla, a city in Syria, in the
country of Mefopotamia. He is held up to us as a man of very
acute genius, and acquired a fhining reputation by his numerous
writings. He firft followed the doflrinc of Valentine, and af*
tcrwards retradled from it. He gave rife to a confiderable fe£k
known in the ecclefiaflical world by the name of the Bardefa*
xiifts. Flouriflied, according to Dufrefnoy, A. D. 165 j accord*
ing to Tillemont, 172 ; and according to Echard, 173.
HARDHADI, or Barzadi, furname of Mohammed, author
of a commentary on the book of Aigi intituled Adab, which is
a moral treatifc.
BARDIN (Peter), born at Rouen, a member of the french
academy, was drowned in 1637, in endeavouring to fave M*
d^Humieres, his pupil. Chapelain, in an epitaph made by order
of th^ academy, fays, that the virtues %vere drowned ivith himm
Let us hope that this account is rather premature. Bardin left
behind him feveral works, written in a negligent and even flo-»
venly llyle. The principal of them are, i. Le Grand Cham^*
bellan dc France, 1623, in folio, at Penfees morales fur I'Ec-
clefialle, 1629, 8vo. 3. Le Lycee, ou De I'honnete-homme,
a vols. 8vo.
BARETTI (Joseph), was bom at Turin [l] about the year»
1716 [m]. His father was an architect under don Philip Invara,
the famous Sicilian, who left many fpecimens of his abilities in
and about Turin [n]. From this parent he appears to have re*
ceived a good education, and had fome little property left him,
which he tells us himfelf he gamed away at faro j by which
means he was forced to have recourfe to his wits, and thus
turned author in fpiteof his teeth, as he phrafes it, to keep them
going [o]. To the early part of his lite we are ftrangcrs, ex-,
cept that we learn from himfelf, that he had been employed two
years at Cuneo afTiiling at the fortifications there, but left the
place a few days before the fiege of it by the combined powers
of France and Spain commenced [p]. This happened in the
year i744. What became of him after this period we are not
Anfwcr to Sharp, vol. li. p. T2j. [■'1 Travels, vol, u. p. 272.
, In the year 1 786 he (peaks ot him* |o] Tolondron, p. zai.
then 00 the briok 9f (event/. To. [pj Travels, vol. %u p. 15 1»
f'lAi)
f M J In the year 1786 he (peaks of hun* f oj Tolondron, p. zai.
fclf 3f ehe« ~ - —
|p>i4rOD, p. 964
G 2 informed^
«4 B A R E T T I.
informed, except that in 1748 he was at Venice a teacher of
Italian to englifli gentlemen. From circumftances fcattered
through his works, we can collefi that he had travelled much ;
had experienced fome viciflitudes of fortune ; had encountered
fevcral difficulties ; and at length, with Httle money in his poc-
ket, with a very imperfeft knowledge of the englifli tongue, and
without any recommendations, he bent his courfe towards Eng-
land, where he arrived in the year 1750, and where he con-
tinued to rcfidc (with a fliort mterval) during the reft of hi»
life.
A facility to acquire languages he pofleflcd in a very extraor-
dinary degree, and his perfeverance was not inferior to his na-
tural genius. With thefe advantages he foon overcame thofc
difficulties which ftand in the way of a foreigner on his arrival
in England. In a ihort time he was fufficicntly.mafter of the
cnglifh language to be enabled to write in it; and in 1753 pub-
liftied, what we apprehend to have been his firft performance,
a defence of the poetry of his native country againft the
cenfurcs of Voltaire, who had treated it with too great con-
tempt. About the fame time accident brought him acquainted
with a perfon who was the means of introducing him to the no-
tice of Dr. Johnfon, who to the end of his life regarded him
with great cRcem. The origin of this intimacy has been fre-
quently mentioned by Mr. Baretti to have happened in the fol-
lowing manner : Mrs. Lennox, the authorefs of " The Female
Quixote,'* having an intention to publiih a tranflation of the
novels from whence Shakefpeare had taken fome of his plays,
wifhed to acquire a fufficient knowledge of the italian language
to enable her to execute the work with fome degree of credit.
To accomplifli this point Mr. Lennox, her hulband, went to the
Orange coffee houfe to learn whether any foreigner was defirous
of improving himfelf in the engliih language, and by that means
receive the fame advantage as he (hould communicate. Mr. Ba-
retti happened to be prefent when the enquiry was made, and
eagerly accepted the offer. After fome time he was introduced
to Dr. Johnfon. An intimacy commenced between them, which
appears to have continued until nearly the end of Dr. Johufon's
life.
From the time of Mr. Baretti's arrival in England he fubfifled
by teaching the italian language, and by his writings. Through
the means of Dr. Johnfon he was introduced to the family of
Mr. Thrale, in which he pafl'ed much of his time ; and his em-
ployment of teacher, added to fome agreeable and fome ufeful
qualities, gave him accefs to the houfes of other perfons of dif-
tinAion. As he pofTefTed nothing but what his induftry enabled
him to obtain, he was under the neceffity of exerting himfelf,
and his efforts were not unfucccf$ful. What his avocations pro-
cured
B A R E T T L Is
^tttti liim his oeconomy rendered fufEcient ; and he was never
dharged with meannefs or fervility. By his writings he cer-
tainly procured both money and reputation, though he appears
to have fet but little value on his literary performances* Very
late in life he faid, " Whatever I have written in the long courfe
of my life was all done out of neceflity rather than choice." —
Again ; ^' As want was inceflantly pulhing and pu(hing at my
back, whatever I fcribbled was always done in a mod con-
founded hurry ; and it is a miracle greater, I thinks than St. An-
thony ever performed, how I came to get bread and cheefe, and
now and then a bccf-fteak, by my ill-chopt performances. Con-
fcious of the numberlefs and fupreme faults and imperfections
of all my poor doings that way, i wifti now, and to my forrow
I wifli it in vain, that every page I have fent to the prefs in Italy
or in England were at the bottom of the Tea.** — " After this de-
claration, drawn from the very core of my heart, I give you moll
ample leave to mafTacre all my literary offspring [c^J."
Mr, Baretti,it is faid, received his firft encouragement to come
to England from lord Charlemont, to whom he became known
in Italy^ and to whom he afterwards dedicated his Account of
ibe manners and cudoms of his native country. '* Upon your
arrival in Italy feveral years ago," he fays, addrefling himfelf to
this nobleman, *^ a lucky chance brought me within the fphere
of your notice i and from that fortunate moment a friendiliip
began on your lordlhip's fide, that has never fufFcred any abate-
ment 9 and an attachment on mine, which will net&er ceafe as
long as I have iife.'' During his flay in London, he met with
much kind'Qefs from its inhabitants. To mott of the firfl
perfons both for rank and literature he procured himfelf to be
introduced, with many he lived on terms of fricndfhip, and with
fome he was permitted to make a part of their family during
their feafons oif retirement. At length lie refolved on lus return
to Italy, and accordingly left London on the 13th of Auguft
1760, In his firflletter to his brothers, he thus fpeaks of the
kingdom he was about to leave. *** Now therefore, England,
farewell ! I quit thee with lefs regret, becaufe I am returning to
my native country, after a very long abfence, confitlering the
(hortnefs of Kfe. Yet I cannot leave thee without tears. May
heaven guard and ^rofper thee, thon illuftrious mother of polite
men and virtuous women ! Thou ^reat mart of'Jiterature ! thou
nurfcry of invincible foldiers, of bold navigators and ingenious
artifls, farewell, farewell ! I have now forgotten all the croffes
and anxieties 1 have undergone in thy regions for the fpace of
ten years ; but never will 1 forget thofe many amongft thy fons
9fho have al&fted me in my wants, encouraged me in my difh-
IQ*] ToJondron,p. Jtcow
G 3 cultles^
^d BARETTL
cultoci, eomfortcd mc in my adverfities, and imparted to me iliB
light of their knowledge in the dark and Intricate mazes of life f
Farewell, imperiaLEngland, farewell, farewell !"
His journey home was taken through Portugal and Spain «
Previous to his fetting out, he was recommended by Dr. Johnfon
to write a daily account of the events that might happen, and
with all poflible minutenefs, and by him were pointed out the
topics which would mod interefl and mod delight in a future
> publication. To thofe who have read the narrative which he
afterwards gave the world, it will be unnecefl'ary to applaud Dr.
Johnfon's fuggeftion» It muil be admitted to be one of the mod
entertaining journals which the public had then received, con-
taining a defcription of places then little known, and placing the
character of the writer (as far as any dependence can be had on
an author's chara£ler, as drawn from his writings) in a very
amiable point of view. During the progrefs of his tour, good
fenfe and good humour, a playfulnefs not inconfident with
youth, nor yet unworthy of age, feem always to have attended
nim. He arrived at Genoa on the i8th of November.
He had been fettled but a fliort time in Italy, before he pro-
jefted a periodical paper which was publiflied in Venice under
the title of Fruda Literaria, written in the name and charafler
of an old, ilUnatured, and ferocious foldier, who was fuppofed to
have quitted his native country when fcarcely fiftcertv, years old,
and to have returned home tlo lefs than fifty years after his de-
parture. * In this the fatirc was very pointed and fevere, and the
publication had great fuccefs* One who appears to have known
him alTerts, that it brought him in a confiderable profit, but
raifed fuch a flame in Venice, as to make his day in that country
at lead difagreeable if not dangerous. After fix vears abfence
he returned to England, and almod immediately dipped his pen
in a controvcrfy with Mr. Sharp, who had jud then publifhed
" Letters from Italy, defcribing the cudoms and manners of
that country in the years 1765 and 1766." Mr. Sharp's repre-
fentation was certainly extravagant, and perhaps taken on too
flight grounds. It excited Mr. Baretti's refentment, and it is
well known that he feldom exprefTed himfelf in gentle terms
when he felt himfelf entitled to diew his anger.
To Mr. Baretti's Defence of his country Mr. Sharp publiflied
a reply, and from the writings of his opponent endeavoured to
ludify the fidelity of his reprefentation. This produced a re-
joinder from Mr. Baretti, which concluded the controverfy. If
the pifture drawn by Mr. Sharp was extravagant in fome parti-
culars, it certainly did not arife from a defign to mifreprefent.
Ill health, which prevented him from viewing the fcenes he dc-
fcribed, and fome mifreprefentation from intereded people, feem
to have contributed tome miftakes into which he was led in his
account
B A RETT!. tf
ficcount of Italy. The difpute was produftive of this conic-
quence 5 it deftroycd the reputation of Mr. Sharp's work, which
Cncc that time has been totally negledled.
After Mr. Baretti's return to England he made fevcral cx-
curfions abroad. He particularly attended Dr. Johnfon and the
Thrale family to Paris; and in February 1769 he made a fc-
cond tour through part of Spain [r], from whence he had but
jufl returned, when an accident happened which hazarded his life
at the time, and probably diminifhed, in the erentjfome of the efti*
mation in which, until then, he had been held amongft his friends.
On the 6th of OiJiober, returning from the Orange coffee-houfe
between fix and feven o'clock, and going haftiiy up the Hay-
market, he was accofted by a woman, who behaving with great
indecency, he was provoked to give her a blow on the hand (aa
he declared) accompanied with fome angry words. This occa-
(ioned a retort from her, in which feveral opprobrious terms were
ufed towards him ; and three men, who appeared to be con-«
necled with the woman, immediately interfering, and endea-
vouring to pufh him from the pavement, with a view to throw
him into a puddle, in order to trample on him, he was alarmed
for his fafety, and rafhly ftruck one of them with a knife. He
was then purfued by them all, and another of them coUarin?
him, he again ftruck the aflailant, Evan Morgan, with his knite
feveral times, and gave him fome wounds, of which he died in
the Middlefex hofpital the next day. Mr. Baretti was immedi-
ately taken into cuftody, and at the enfuing feflions tried at the
Old Bailey. He refufed to accept the privilege of having a jury
of half foreigners. The evidence againft him were the woman^
the two men, the conftable, a patient in Middlefex hofpital, and
the furgeon. When called upon for his defence, he read a pa-
per which contained a narrative of the unfortunate tranfadlion,
with the reafoRS which obliged him to aA with fo much violence*
** This, my lord, and gentlemen of the jury," he concluded, ** is
the beft account I can give of my unfortunate accident; for what
is done in two or three minutes, in fear and terror, is not to be
minutely defcribed, and the court and jury are to judge. I hope
your lordfliip, and every perfon prefent, will think that a man of
my age, character, and way of life, would not fpontaneoufly quit
my pen to engage in an outrageous tumult. I hope it will eafily
be conceived, that a man almoft blind could not but be feized
with terror on fuch a fudden attack as this. I hope it will be
fcen, that my knife was neither a weapon of offence or defence :
I wear it to carve fruit and fweet-meats, and not to kill my fel-
low-creatures. It is a general cuftom in France not to put
knives upon the table, fo that even ladies wear them in their
[r] Travels, vol. iv. p. 199^
G 4 pocketa
tf B A R E T T L
pockets for general ufe. I have continued to wear It after mf
return, becaufe I have found it occafionally convenient. Little
did I think fuch an event would ever have happened : let this
trial turn ouf as favourable as my innocence may deferve, (till
my regret will endure as long as life fliall laft. A man who has
lived full fifty years, and fpent moil of that time in a ftudlous
manner, I hope, will not be fuppofed to have voluntarily engaged
in fo defperate an affair. I beg leave, my lord and gentlemen,
to add one thing more. Equally confident of my own inno*
cence, and engliOi difcernment to trace out truth, I refolved
to wave the privilege granted to foreigners by the laws of this
kingdom : nor was my motive a compliment to this nation ; my
motive was my life and honour; that it fhould not be thought I re-
ceived undeferved favour from a jury, part my own countrymen.
I chofe to be tried by a jury of this country; for, if my honour is
not faved, I cannot much wifli for the prefervation of mv life.
I will wait for the determination of this awful court witn chat
confidence, I hope, which innocence has a right to obtain. So
God blcfs you all [s]."
In his defence he had the teftimony of feveral perfons ; of
two of his friends to the efTeds of the attack on him ; of an acci-
dental paiTenger to the afTault ; of judice Kelynge and major
Alderton to the frequency of fuch kind of pra£iices on the fpot
where he was attacked ; of Mr. Beauclcrk, fir Jofliua Reynolds,
Dr. Johnfon, Mr. Fitzhcrbert, Mr. Burke, Mr. Garrick, Dr.
Goldfmith, and Dr. Hallifax, to the quietnefs of his general cha-
rafter. Thefe, added to the bad reputation of his profecutors,
imprefied the court much in his favour. He was acquitted
of the murder, and of the manflaughter ; the verdift was felf^
defence.
After this unfortunate tranfafiion he again fat down to hia
iludies, and in 1770 publifhed his Travels, for which, it is faid,
he received 500I. He procured the MSS. of the Hiftory of Friar
Gerund, which he caufed to be tranflated; and he fuperintended
a magnificent edition of Machiavel's works. For fome years he
was domefticated at Mr. Thrale's houfe, and lived on terms of
friendfliip with that family.
In 1779 he made an efibrt to improve his fortune, by uniting
with Philidor in producing to the public the Carmen Seculare of
Horace, fet to mufic. This plan was patronized by Dr. Johnfon,
but met with no fuccefs. On the eilabli(hment of the Royal
[s] It is fuppofed Mr. Baretti was af- gcntlcmtn. " The public,'* faid Baretti
fiftcd in drawing up his defence by Dr. vauntingly, ** knew 1 had z mind ; it be-.
Joliiifon and Mr. Murphy. Wc have heard came neccirary I (bould exert myfclf fof
it (aid, that a (horttime after the trial he my reputation^ and therefore I drew uja
irlaimed it however as his own, at Mr. my delence latC the night preceding my
Thraie's uble, in the hearing o[ both thcfe trial.'*
Academj
B A R E T T L B^
•Ac^emj he was appointed foreign feeretary, a poft of more ho«
nour than profit. He was, however, more fuccefeful in the ap-
plication of one of his friends for a penfion, during lord North's
adminidration. He obtained the fum of fourfcore pounds a year
from government, which, though infuQicient for independence,
relieved him from the apprehenfions of want. It ought to be
mentioned' to the honour of one of his pupils, Mrs. Middleton,
that he received from her a prefent which opportunely relieved
htm from fome difficulties.
With the indolence which fometimes accompanies old age, be
became negligent, inattentive to the ftate of his finances, fpent
the principal of his 500I. and, at the conclufion of his life,
felt hirofelf fcarce out of the gripe of poverty. His penfion, from
circumftances of public embarrafTment well known, was in ar-
lear, and he had received from the bookfellers, by whom he was
employed to revife his Dictionary, as much money as they con-
ceived he was entitled to expe£l, confidering the ftate the work
was then in. An application to them for an immediate fupply
had not met with a ready acquiefcence, and the vexation occa-
fioned by his difappointment is fuppofed to have had an ill eWcd
on his health. A fit of the gout enfued, which he at firft ne»
gle£led, and apprehended himfelf to be in no danger until the
middle of the day preceding his death, when he confented that
the vultures, as he called the medical people, might be called in.
He acknowledged his obligations to Dr. Blanc who attended
him, and by whofe means he would probably have been reftored
to health, if he had continued to follow his prefcriptions, as he
had before much recovered under his management, until he re-
lapfed in confequence of drinking cold water. Ice and cold
water had alone been ufed by him as medicine for a giddinefs
in his head.
He exprcfled his concern at the contempt with which he had
been accuftomed to fpeak of the faculty, as it might be preju-
dicial, he feared, to many young perfons who had heard his opi^
nions, and who might be induced by them to negleft medical
afiiftance. On the morning of his death he faid, that he had
often dreaded that day, and expe£led it would be a very melan-
choly one. On his barber's calling to Ihave him, he defired he
would come the next day, when he (hould be better able to un-
dergo the operation. He took leave about four o'clock, with
the greateft cheerfulnefs, calmnefs, and compofure, of Dr. Vin«
cent, Mr. Milbanke, Mr. Turner, and Mrs. Collins, and exprefled
an earneft wi{h to fee Mr. Cator. On their leaving the room
he defired the door to be (hut, that he might not be difturbed by
the women, who would perhaps be frightened at feeing him die,
He expired about a quarter before eight, on May 5, 1789, with-
out
90 B A R E T T I.
out a (Iniggle or a Hgh, the moment after taking a glafs of wih^
He preferved his faculties to the laft moment.
He was buried on the 9th of May in the new burying-ground
Marybone, followed by Dr. Vincent, fir William Chambers^
John Milbanke, efq. Mr. Wilton, and Mr. Richards. •
* The perfon of Baretti," fays one who appears to have known
him, *' was athletic, his countenance by no means attradlive, his
manners apparently rough, but not unfocial ; his eye, when he
was inclined to pleafe or be pleafed, when he was converfing
with young people, and efpecially young women, cheerful and
engaging : he was fond of converfing with them, and his con-
vferfation almoft conftantly turned upon fubjefts of in(lru£^ion:
he had the art of drawing them into correfpondence, and wi(hed
by thefc means to give them the power of expreflion and facility
of language, while he himfelf conveyed to them leflbns on the
condu£l of life ; and the bed anfwcr that can be given to all
thofe accounts which have reprefentcd him as a man of a brutal
and ferocious temper, is the attachment which many of his
young friends felt while he was living, and preferve to his me-
mory now he is no nwre. He was not impatient of contra-
diftion, unlefs where contempt was implied j but alive in every
feeling where he thought himfelf traduced, or his conduft im-
peached. In his general intercourfe with the world he was fo-
cial, eafy, and converfible •, his talents were neither great nor
fplendid i but his knowledge of mankind was extenfive, and his
acquaintance with books in all modern languages which are va-
luable, except the german, was univerfal : his conduft in every
family, where he became an inmate, was correal and irreproach-
able ; neither prying, nor inquifitive, nor intermeddling, but
aSabIc to the inferiors, and conciliatory between the principals :
in others which he vifited only, he was neither intrufive nor un-
welcome ; ever ready to accept an invitation when it was cor-
dial, and never feeking it where it was cold and afTefled. In
point of morals he waj. irreproachable ; with regard to faith, he
was rather without religion than irreligious : the fa£l was, pofli-
bly, that he had been difgufted with the religion of Italy before
he left it, and was too old when he came to England to take an
attachment to the purer doftrines of the proteftant church ; but
his fcepticifm was never ofrcnfive to thofe who had fettled princi-
ples, never held out or defended in company, never propofed to
niiflead or corrupt the minds of young people. Hc'ridiculed the
libertine publications of Voltaire, and the reveries of Rouflcau ;
he detelled the philofophy of the Yrcwdi pour Us femmes de cham^
bre^ and though too much a philofopher (in his own opinion) to
fubfcribe to any church, he was a friend to church eftablifliments.
If this was the leaft favourable pait of his charafler, the beft was
hi»
BARETTT. j^r
fcis integrity, wWcK was, in every period of his diftrefles, conftant
«ind unimpeached. His regularity in every claim was confpi«
cuous \ his wants he never made Known but in the lafl extre-
mity ; and his lafV iUncfs, if it was caufed by vexation, would
douDtlefs have been prevented by the inter\'ention of many
friends who were ready to fupply him, if his own fcruples,
ftrengthened by the hopes of receiving his due from day to day,
had ^ot induced him to conceal his immediate didrcfs till it was
too late to affift him."
To this charaftcr, which we believe to be juft, we fhall add,
that he was charitable in the extreme ; and, like Goldfmith,
would divide the lad {hilling he pofTefTed with a fiiend in dif-
trefs. He alfo kept fmall money of various kinds in a pocket
by itfelf to relieve diftrefs. He was improvident enough to be
always anticipating his income, and fpent a good deal of it in
pofl-chaife hire in travelling through the country. He was no
dealer in compliment. Avoiding the praftice of it himfelf, he
would not knowingly permit it to be ufed towards him. He
would not receive money from any one, and aftually refufed 61-
from his brother at a time when he was in want, though he ac-
cepted from him fome wine and macaroni. Immediately after
his death his legal reprefentatives (for no other perfons could be
authorifed to interfere in fo extraordinary a manner) either as
executors or adminiftrators burnt every letter in his poirefTion
without infpe£lion ; an inftance of gothic precipitation which
Ignorance itfelf would blufh to avow, and which, with the papers
of a man of letters, may be attended with verv mifchievous con-
fequences. We hope the practice is not frequent. Among
thefe letters were feveral from Dr. Johnfon, which Mr. Baretti
a few weeks only before his death had promifed to make
known to the public ; and from the value of thofe that have al-
ready been publithed, the world may form fome judgment of
their lofs.
A lift of Mr. Baretti's works is fubjoined in a note [t1.
BAREZI,
[t] t. ADiflerUtion upon the Italian Ckhlhiting the change of the tafcan Ian-
poetry; in which are interi'pcrfcd, fome guage from the barburous ages to the pre^
remarks on Mr. Voltaire's £(l'ay on the fen t time. Svo. 17 ^7'
epic poets. Svo. i7v^ 4. A DI£ttoAary of tiie englifh and ita-
2. An latrodudion to the Italian Ian- Han languages; improved and augmented
guage; containmg fpecimeas both of prufe with above ten thoufand words omtited in
«nd verfe. Seledled from Fr^ncifco Kedi, the lalt edition of AUtcri. To which it
Calileo Calilei, &c. &c. &c. W.th a li- added, an Italian ind cugliOi grammar,
teral tranflation and grammatical nmesi for a vols. 4to. 1760.
the ufe of tliofe who being already ac« 5. A Grammar of the Italian language;
i)uainted with grammar attempt to learu it with a copious praxis of moral fenteiices.
nvitbout a mafter. Svo. 1755. To which is added, an englifli grammar for
3. The Italian Library; containing an the ufe of the Italians. 8vo. 17(2
account of the lives and works ot' the moft 6. The Frufta Literaria) publiflied in
valuable «utbort of Italy i witli aprcface^ Italy in 1763^ 1764, 'and i;6j.
93 BARGRAVE*
BARE^ZIy the furnamc of Ibrahim ben AbdalraWm ben He^"
batallahi native of the city of Hama, died in the year 738 of the
liegira. He is autlior of a book intituled, AfTas R marefat, &c.
It is a difcotitfc on thofc words that fo frequently occur in the
koran : Efaihi alnas iargiauna. It is to God that men (hall re-
turn. He alfo compofed a commentary on the fermons of ben
Nobatah. We have alfo a poem of Mohammed ben Al Barezi,
intituled, Bediah; which is a fort of parody of the famous poem
tliat bears the name of Bordah, made to the praife of Mo-
hammed
BARGRAVE (Isaac), was a man of good natural parts,
which were much ftrengthened and polifhed by ftudy, converfe,
und travel. He was a fellow collegiate with Ralph Ruggle at
CIare*hall in Cambridge, and performed the part of Turcol in his
comedy of " Ignoramus," when it was adted before James !•
During his ftay at Venice he was honoured with the fricndfliip
of father Paul, who told him that he believed the do£lrine and
difcipline of the church of England to be the moft primitive of
any in the world. He was a true friend and zealous defender of
our civil and religious liberties, and incurred the difpleafure of
James by preaching a fermon, when he was minifter of St. Mar-
?[aret*s, Weftminftcr, againft popery, corruption, and evil coun-
cilors. In the time of the civil war he adhered to the king from
principle and afFedion, having been chaplain to him before and
after his accefTion to the throne. He was iirft canon and then
admitted dc:in of Canterbury 14th Ock. 1625. He with his fa-
mily, particularly his wife and fifter, met with cruel treatment
from that ungrateful ruffian colonel Sandys, whom he had by his
7» An Account «f (he mtnoen and caf- pieces omitted in former editions,
terns of Italy ( with obfeivations en the 13. Eafy Phrafeology for the ufe of young
milkakfts of fome travclleis with regard to ladies who intend to learn the coUoquiol
that coc ntry. t vols. 8vo. 176S. port of the italian language. Svo. 1776.
8. An Appendix in anfwei to Mr. Sharp's 14. Difcours fur Sbakefpeare et fur
Reply» Svo. 1769. Monf. de Voltaire. 8vo. 1777.
9. A Journey from London to Genoay 15. Sceha di Lettere familiar!; or, a
through England, k'artugal, Spain, and fele^ion of familiar letters, for the ufe of
france« 4 voh. ^ve. 1770. ftudents4o the italian tongue. 2 vol8.i«mo,
ic. Propofals tor printmg the Life of 1 779.
firiar Oeraiid. 4-m. 1771. Tliis was for 1 6. Carmen Seculare of Horace, as per*
printing thcorig:nal fpanifli. The fcheme formed at Free Mafon%' Hall. 4to. 1779. '
%aa abonive , b<jt a tranflation by Dr. War- 1 7. Guide through the Royal Academj.
Ber was ptmied in 1 voh. 8vo. 4to. 178 1 .
lf« An IntroduAion to tiie moftufeful 18. DiifcrtacioA Epiftolar accrea unat
European iangiraf(cs< confiding of /elect Obras de la Heal Academia Efpanola f«
pifTa^f from the mod celebrated englifli, auOor Jofeph Baretti, fecretarto porla cor*
Irertch, ittlun, and (pan ifh authors; with refpondencia efh-angera de )a Real Aca-
trai flations as cVfe as poflible, fo difpofed demia Britannica di ptntura efcultura y ar*
In columns, 3% to give in one view theman- ^uitedtura. Alfcnor don Juan C****. 4to.
ber of cipreffing the fame fentence in each 19. Tolondron. Speeches to John Bowie
Unguage. avo. irji. about his edition of Don Qtiiiote : together
12. TuneropcrediMachiavelli, jvols. with fome account of fp4ju(h literature,
4RI. t77A( vvith a preface, and leveral 8vo. 1786.
7 ' iiKcr^it
BARLiEUS, 93
intereft faved from the gallows. Sandys was not content with
adding perfonal infult to ingratitude and cruelty ; he alfo caufed
him to be committed to the Fleet prifon, and abfurdly attempted
to blacken his charadler. He died as it feems of a broken hearty
in about three weeks after his commitment, in 1642, and the
56th year of his age.
B ARIDAH. Ben Baridah is put in the number of thofe who
have written on the book of Ariftotle, of Interpretation, which
they call Bari Arminias. »
B ARINI. Ebn Al Barini, an author who wrote on the book
intituled Idhab, which is a commentary on the Introduction or
Ifagoge of Porphyry.
BaRKHAM (Dr. John), a learned divine and antiquanr,
born at Exeter about 1572, bred at Oxford, poiTefied fucceflively
of feveral preferments, and dying at Bocking in Eflex, of whicn
he was re£lor and dean, 1642 fuj- Though not a very diftin-
guiihed, he was yet a very accompliftied man; an exa£t hiilorian,
a good herald, a great antiquary, and had an excellent colle£tion
oi coins and medals, which he gave to archbiihop Laud, and
which Laud gave to the univerfity of Oxford. He was concerned
in feveral works, though he never publifhed his name [x]. The
hiftorian Speed, at the conclufion of his work, makes' his ac-
knowledgments for the aflidance he had from Barkham ; whom
he ftyles *' a gentleman compofed of learning, virtue, and cour»
tely." The reigns of John and Henry II. are reckoned to be
chiefly of his writing. He had alfo the chief hand in Guillim's
Difplay of Heraldry, publifhed in 1610, folio : nay, fome have
fancied that it was entirely his own work ; but that, thinking it
too light a produ£lion for the gravity of a divine, he gave it to the
herald, under whofe name it has pafled ever fnice.
BARKI, the name of a fcheik who wrote a trcatife of geo«
mancy.
BARLiEUS (Gaspardus), an excellent latin poet, born at
Antwerp, 1584, (ludied eight years at Ley den. Bertius, the
fub-principalof his college, having been appointed principal, re-
commended Barlaeus to be his fucceflbr, who was accordingly
named fub-principal, and fome time after made profeflbr of logic
in the univerfity of Leyden ; but he intereftcd himfclf fo much
in the difputes of the Arminians, that he loft his profcflbrGiip
as foon as the oppofite party prevailed in the fynod of Dort. He
now applied himfelf to phyfic, and in two years took a doftor's
degree at Caen, but fcarce ever praftifed. In 1631, the maglf*
trates of Amftcrdam having erefted a feminary, offered him the
profeflbrfhip of philofophy, which he accepted, and difcharged
with great honour. Uc publifhed feveral (harp controverfial
[0] Wood's Athen. vQLii.ioi. 19. [i] Blog.BiitBAKXHAM.
piecei
94 BARLOWE.
pieces againil the adverfarics of Arminius 5 and being looked
upon as a favourer of that fedt, many people murmured againft
the magiftrates of Amfterdam for entertaining fuch a profeflbr.
He was continued however in his profeflbrfiiip till his death,
which happened in 1648. We have a volume of orations of his,
which he pronounced on dillcrcnt occafions; they arc admired
for their Ityle and wit ; but his poetical compofitions are what
chiefly raifed hi§ reputation. His letters were publiflied after
his death in tuo volumes. His hiftory or relation of what paflcd .
in Brazil^ during the government of count Maurice of Naflau,
was publiilicd in 1647.
BARLJiUS (Lamdert\ profeflbr of greek in the univerfity
of Ley den. It is faid that he fpoke that language as fluently as
his mother-tongue ; a qualification which procured him, front
the fttttes of the Low Countries, the commiffion to tranflate into
it the Confcflion of the reformed churches, in conjunftion with
James Rcvius. He died in 16:;^, Wc have of him the Timon
of Lucian, with ufeful annotations j and a good commentary on
the Theogony of Hefiod.
BARLAND (Adrian), native of Barland, a village of Zea-
land, profeflbr of eloquence at Louvain, died in 154a, after hav*
ing publiftied feveral works. The principal of them are: I*
Notes on Terence, on Virgil, on Pliny the younger, on Me-
nander. 2. An abridgment of Univerfal Hiftory, from J. C. to
15321 8vo. 1603. 3. The Chronicle of the Dukes of Brabant,"
tranilated into french, with plates, 1603, folio. 4. De litterati^
urbis Romae principibus, 4ro. and other pieces.'
BARLO WE (THo\f as), a very learned englifli bifliop, born at
Langhill in Wellmoreland, 1607 [y]. He was educated at the
free-fchool at Appleby, and fent from thence in 1624 to Queen's
college Oxford, where he took his degree of mafter of arts in
1633, and the fame year was chofen fellow of his college. In
1635, he was appointed metaphyfic reader in the univerfity ; and
his le£tures being much approved, they were publiflied for the
ufe of the ftudents. When the garrifon of Oxford furrendcred
to the parliament in 1646, he fubmitted to thofe in power, and
found means to preferve his fellOwflnp ; yet we find that he
wrote a very ludicrous account of the parliamentary vifitation [z]«
In 1652, he was elected head keeper of the bodleian library [aJ.
In 1657, he took the degree of bachelor in divinity; and the fame
year was chofen provoft of his college. After the reftoration of
Charles II. he was chofen one of the commiiBoners for reiloring
[y 1 Wood's Athen. Ox. torn. i!. litors and other bedlamites there, by com*
fzj This WHS an anonymous paniphlet, mand of the earl of Montgomery : prinic4
ii ted Oxford, April i8, 164$, ind inti* at Montgomery, heretofore called Oiford*"
tulcd, ** Pegafus, or the flying horfe from [a] Wood's Athca* Ox. torn, i'u
Qlfordy bringing the proccediugs of the vi«
the
BARLOW E. 95
flic members cjefted in 1648. In 1660, he was created doftor
in divinity, and chofen Margaret profeflbr of divinity ; and this
fame year he wrote ** The cafe of a toleration in matters of re-
ligion, addreflcd to the famous Robert Boyle, efq." In 1661, he
was appointed archdeacon of Oxford.
As Barlowe was a perfon eminent for his (kill in the civil and
canon law, he was often applied to in cafes of confcience about
marriage [b]. It was upon fuch an occafion that, in 1671, he
wrote Mr. Cottington's cafe of divorce. Upon the death of Dr.
W. Fuller bifhop of Lincohi, which happened April 22, 1675,
he obtained a grant of that biftiopric, and the 27tn of June fol-
lowing was coufecrated at Ely-houfc chapel. After the popifli
plot was difcovered in Sept. 1678, he publifhed feveral pieces
againft the roman catholic religion [c]. He diftinguiflied him-
felf alfo for his zeal againft popery in the houfe of lords. When
the examination relating to the plot was going on, a bill was
brought into the houfe of commons, requiring all members, and
all fuch as might come into the king's court or prefence, to take
a teft againft popery. In this, tranmbftantiation was renounced,
and the worfliip of the virgin Mary and the faints, as pra£lifed
in the church of Rome, was declared idolatrous [d]. It paiTcd
in the houfe of commons without any difficulty; but in the houfe
of lords, Dr. Peter Gunning bifnop of Ely maintained that the
church of Rome was not idolatrous. He was anfwercd by bi-
fliop Barlowe. Mr. Wood charges him on this occafion with
inconfiftency in his condudl, and tells us, that though he had
before been a feeming friend to the papifts, he became then a
bitter enemy to them and the duke of York } but that when the
duke was proclaimed king, he took all opportunities of expreffing
his affedlion towards him. However that be, after the revo-
lution he was one of thofe who voted that the king had abdicated
his kingdoms, and was very keen for excluding from their bene-
fices thofe of the clergy who refufed the oaths.
[b] See his Genuine Remains, p. 351. and kiners, provincial and general councils*
fcj The principal are as follow : approved by the church of Rome. 1682,
I. The gun-powder treifun» with a dif- 4C0. 4. Directions to a young divine for
coarfe of the manner of its difcoveryt and his ftudy of divinity ani choice of books,
aperfedl relation of the proceedings a^aind 5. The rights of the bilhops to judge in
thofe horrid confpirators: now repiiiitrd, capital cafes in parliament cleared* &ۥ
with a preface by Thomas lord bilhop of r6S-^ 6. After his deceafe, fir Peter Pctt
Lincoln: and, by way of appendix, fcvcTal publifhej, in i6.)2, Several mifcellaoeout
{Hipersor letters of fir Everard Digby, nev^r and weighty cafes of confcience, learnedly
before printed. 1679. ^*<>- *• Brutiim and judiciouQy rcf'^lvcd : and, in 1693,
fulmen, or the bull of pope Pius Sixtus 7. Gettuine Remains, containing diverCe
concerning the damnaiion, excommuni- difsourfes ihcological, philofophical, hiilo-
cation, and depofition of queen 1ilizjbeth$ ricjl, &c. in letters to feveral perfons of
with fome obfervations and animadveriions konour and quuliiy. l^th by him, and in
upon it. ]6Sr. 4to« ^. A difcourfe c6n- 6vo.
cerntng the taws ecclefiaftical and civil [d] Barnet's Hid. of hit own Timely
aude agJiioil heretics^ by popes, etnperers> vol. i. p. 43 ^
5 Sifliop
9$ BARNARD.
Biftop Barlowe was fomcwhat particular in regard to fofnc cf
liis notions, being entirely addidled to the ariftotelian philofophy^
and a declared enemy to the improvements made by the Roydl
Society, and to what he called in general the new philofophy J
he was likewife a rigid calvinifl: ; and his great attachment to
Covin's doftrine engaged him in a public oppofition to fome of
Mr. Bull's works [e J. He died at Buckden in Huntingdonfhire,
Oftober 8, 1691, in the 85th year of his age 5 and was buried
the I ith of the faid month, on the north fide of the chancel be-
longing to that churchs He bequeathed to the bodleian library
all fuch books of his own as were not in that noble colleftion at
the time of his death; and the remainder he gave to Queen's
college in Oxford : whereupon the fociety erefted, in 1 694, a
noble pile of building, on the weft fide of their college, tq re-
ceive them. All his manufcripts, of his own compofition, he
left to his two domeftic chaplains, William Offlcy and Henry
Brougham, prebendaries of Lincoln.
BARLOWE (William), fon of William Barlowe biftiop of
St. David's, born in Pembrokcfliire. In 1560, he was admitted
at Baliol college Oxford, and four years after took a degree in
arts [f]. In 1573, having taken orders, he was made pre-
bendary of Winchefter. In 1588, he was mrade prebendary
of Lichfield ; but he quitted it for the place of treafurer in
the fame church, in 1589. He afterwards became chaplain
10 prince Henry, and at length archdeacon of Salifbury, 1614.
He is remarkable for having been the firft that wrote on the
nature and properties of the lor.ciilone, twenty years before Gil-
bert publifhed his book on that fubjeft. He was the firft that
made th^ inclinatorv inftrument traiifparent, and to be^ufed
jhanging, with a glais on both fides- Moreover, he fufpcnded it
in a compafs-box, where, with two ounces weight, it was made
fit for ufe at fca. It was he likewife who found out the difference
between iron and ftecl, and their tempers for magnetical ufes.
He aifo difcovered the right v/ay of touching magnetical needles j
and of piercing and cementing of loadftones : finally, he was the
iirft that (hewed the reafons why a loadftone, being double-capped,
muft take up fo great a weight. He wrote fome treatifes on thefe
fubjefts [g]* He died in 1625.
BARNARD (Theodore), orBERNARDi, a native of Am-
fterdam, ftudied under various maflers, particularly/ritian. He,
29 Vcrtue thought, painted the pictures of the kings and bi-
Ihops in the cathedral of Chicheltcr. Therc^ is a family fuppofeA
[e] Genuine Remainf, p. 151. tifcment, cr dWers pertmeht ohfervationf
fp] Wood's Athen. Ox. and eipciiinent» concerning the nature Aud
|c] They arc as follnw : i. The na- propentes of the Icidilonc, Stc. i6>6, 4t<s
tigator'sfupply^ containing many things of 3. A brief dilcovAry^of the idle naimad^
principal importance belonging to navi- vcrfionsofMaik. Ridley, upon his MagM^
lotion. i597»4to> £« Magnetical advcr** tichl advemfcmcutv i6i8>4to«
te
BARNARD. 97
t6ht defcended from him, dill remaining in tKe neighbourhood
of that gtjr [h]-
BARrJ ARD (John), author of fhc undermentloried books [i],
was the fori of Mr. John Barnard, of Caftor, a market town in
lancoin(hire. He had hid education in the gtammar-fchool of
that place i from whence he was fent td Cambridge, ^here he
became a penfioncr of Qufeen's college. Front thence, joiimey-
ing to Oxford to obtain preferment fi^om the vifltorS appointed
by a^ of parliament, he there took thd degfee of D. A. April 15^
1648 ; and on Sept. 29 following, was, by drder of the faid vi^
fitor$,.made fellow of Lincoln college. Feb. 20, 1650, he took
^he degree of M. A. At length, having married the daughter of
Dr. Peter Heylyh, then living at Abingdoti, he became re£tor of
Waddingtpnj near Lincoln i the perpetual advowfoh of #hich
he purchafed, arid held it for fome time, i:ogether with the fine^
cure of Gednev.in the fanie county, «After the reflotation ha
conformed, and wad made prdbend^ry of AfgarbV iri the church
of Lincoln. July 6, 1669, he took the degree 0/ B. D. and the
£ime year was created D. D. being then in good depute for his
iearning and orthodoxy. He di6d at Newatk, on a journey to
Spa, Aug. 1 7, 1683, and was buried in his own church of Wad^
mngton.
BARNARD rSif John). Hit fifft appearance on the public
flage, on which ne stfterwards made fuch a dlftinguifhed figure,
was in the year i*j22, when he was choTen one of the reprc^
fentatives in parliament for the dty of London ; a truft which
he continued to enjoy during the fix fucceedf ng parliametits ; and
#hich he silways mfcharged with equal integrity and ability. In
1725, lie received the thanks of the common council, for op-
J>onng a bill iritrodudng a change in the method of condu£ling
ele£lions in the city of London. In 1727^ he was chofen alder-
man of Dowgate Wafd ; and the nc'xt year prepared and pre-
fented to the comihons a bill fof the bettet regulation and go*
Vernment of feamen in the merchant fervice.
In 1730, the court of Vienna having begun a negotiation in
England for a loan of 400,000 pounds, a bill was propofed and
enacled, prohibiting all his majefty's fubjefts from lending any
fum of money to any foreign prince whatever, witliout licence
[h] Sec Ao«edotct of PainttDg, i. lo^t tVeftminiler. Lodd. t6S7» Svo. Thiiwil
id edit. Grtiftger. publiOied, as the author pretends, to cor*
[■3 f . Cenfura Ckrior# aj^lnft fcto- red the errors, fupply the defejfti, and coo.
Moitiii miniftcrsy not fit to be reftored to the fute thecalumniesof George Veroon, A. M.
church's livings, in pointof prudence, piety, re6)or of Bouttdn on the Water in di- ucel*>
and fame. Lo'nd. i66<^, id three (heeis, 410. terChird, who had publiOied a life of Dr.
His ttant U not prefiaed to this pieee. Hevlyn. i. ^^ir'anlWer to Mr. BiZtei^a
t. Theologo-hiftoricusi or the true life of falleaccufationof Mr. Heylyn. 4. Acs*
the moft reverend divine and etcelleni hif- techUm for theafc ol his partib.
torian Peter Hsjlyu, D. P. fub-deaa of
Vol. IL H ohtjilncfA
98 BARNARD.
obtained from Iris majefty^ under his privy feal, of fomcr greatef
authority. Violent oppofition was made to this bill, by a great
number of members ; among whom Mr. John Barnard (for the
dignity of knighthood he obtained afterwards by his own merit)
made no inconfiderable figure. He obferved^ that if the bill
fliould pafs in its prefent form, it would, in his opinion^ open a
channel for the Dutch to carry on a very lucrative branch of
bufinefs to the prejudice of England : that the bill ought abfo-
lutely to name the emperor as the power prohibited td borrow ;
for that, otherwife, all the other ftates of Europe would think
ihemfelves equally afFefted by this a£l, which would give it the
air as if England was at war with all the world : that he was by
no means tor making the exchequer a court of inquifition ; he
conceived it to be equally odious and unconftitutional, that
fubjefts (hould be obliged to accufe thcmfclves, and thereby in-
cur the mod fevere penalties [k] ; he knew, indeed, there were
fuch precedents already, but that was fo much the worfe ; prece-
dents could not alter tne nature of things ; and he thought the
liberties of his country of more confecjuence than any precedents
whatever.
In the debate upon the famous excife fcheme, projefted by
fir Robert Walpole in 173*^, fir John ihewed himfelf not more
zealous for the trade of his country, than for the honour of thofe
by whom it was principally conduced. While this affair was
depending in parliament, the merchants of London, having been
convened by circular letters, repaired to the lobby of the houfe
of commons, in order to folicit their friends to vote againft the
bill. Sir Robert Walpole, piqued at the importunity of thefc
gentlemen, threw out fomc refleftions againit the conduct of
thofe whom he fuppofed to have been the means of bringing
them thither ; and at the fame time infinuated, that the mer-
chants themfelves could be confidered in no other light than that
of STURDY BEGGARS. This cxpreffion was highly refented by all
thofe in the oppofition, and particularly by fir John Harnard, who
made the following anfwer : ** I know, faid he, " of no irre-
gular or unfair methods, that were ufed to call people from the
city to your door. It is certain that any fct of gentlemen or
merchants may lawfully defire their friends: they may even
write letters, and they may fend thofe letters by whom they
pleafe, to defire the merchants of figure and chara£lcr, to come
down to the court of requcfts and to our lobby, in order to follicit
their friends and acquaintance againft any fchcmc or projeft,
which they may think prejudicial to them. This is the un-
doubted right of the fubjeft, and what has been always pra^ifed
[k] This related to a tltufe in tbc-aA, of excheqiter, to cxtorf difcoi»ery byexaft*
ordering, that the attorncy-erneral (hould in^ «u oaihof fufpcdledperfont. * '
^t empoweied by cogli(h bill in the court
upoa
BAkN.ARD. 99
Upon alt occafions. The honourable gentleman talks of sturdy
Beggars : I do not know what fort of people may now be at
the door, becaufe 1 have not lately been out of the houfe 5 but
1 believe they arc tlie fame fort of people that were there, when
I came laft into the houfe ; and then, I can aiTure you, I faw
none but fuch as defervc the name of sturdy beggars as little
, as the honourable gentleman himfelf, or any gentleman whatever.
It is well known, that the city of London was fufficiently ap-
prifed of what was this day to come before us : where they got
their information, I know not ; but I am very certain, that they
had a right notion of the fcheme, which has been now opened to
ns ; and they were fo generally and zealoufly bent againft it,
that, whatever methods may have been ufed to call them hither,
I am fure it would have been impoffible to find any legal me-
thods to prevent their coming hither." In a word, he made fo
ftrenuous an oppoHtion to this unpopular and unconftitutional
fchcmc, that, in conjunftton with other members, he obliged the
miniftry entirely to lay it afide.
' In 1735, '*^ moved for leave to bring in a bill to limit the
number of play-houfes, and reftrain the licentioufnefs of players,
which was now increafcd to an amazing degree ; and though
the bill mifcarried at that time, it was yet, about two years after,
cnaded into a law, which (till continues in force. In 1736, he
fcrvcd, with his brother-in-law, fir Robert Godfchall, knt. alder-
man of Bifhopfgate Ward, the office of (herifF of the city of
London and county of Middlefex. In 1737, he formed a fcheme
for reducing the intereft on the national debt ; a projeft which,
though it did not at that time fucceed, was, neverthelefs, after-
Wards carried into execution, to the great emolument of the
trading part of the nation. In 1738, he fcrved the high office of
lc3frd mayor of London ; and during his mayoralty had the mif-
fortune to lofehis lady, who was buried in a very grand manner
at Clapham church. Upon the death of fir John Thomfon, knt.
in 1749, he removed purfuant to an a£l of common-council, and
took upon him the office of alderman of Bridge-ward-without,
and then became in name, as he might already be confidered in
reality, the father of the city ; and in July 1758*, to the inex-
preflTiDJe regret of his brother aldermen, and of all his fellow*>ci«
tlzens, he refigned his gown.
* The fame year, upon the motion of fir Robert Ladbroke, then
father of the city, the thanks of the court of aldermen were given
to fir John Barnard, and exprefled in the following terms : " It
h unanimoufly agreed and ordered, that the thanks of this court
be given to fir John Barnard, knt. late one of the aldermen, and
father of this city, for his conftant -attendance and falutary coun-
fels in this court; his wife, vigilant, and impartial adminiflration
of jufticc J his unwearied zeal for the honour, fafcty, and pro-
H a . fpcrity
loo BARNES.
fperity of his fellow-citizens ; his inviolable attachment to thtf
laiK^s and liberties of his country ; and for the noble example he
has fet of a long and uninterrupted courfe of virtue in private as
well as in public life."
It was likewife unanimoufly refolved, upon the motion of John
Pater fon, efq. '* That fir John Barnard, knt. fo juftly and em-
phatically ftyled the father of this city, having lately (to the
great and lading regret of this court) thought proper to refim
the office of alderman, the thanks of this court be given him» ^r
having fo long and faithfully devoted himfelf to the fervice ot
his fellow-citizens ; for the honour and influence which this city
has, upon many occafions, derived from the dignity of his cha-
racter, and the wifdom, (leadinefs, and integrity of his conduct ^
for his firm adherence to the conftitntion both in church and
Itatt, his noble ftruggles for liberty, and his difintereAed and in-
variable purfuit of the true glory and profperity of his king and
country, uninfluenced by power, unawed by clamour,^ and un«
biafled by the prejudice of party."
Upon his refigning the office of alderman, he retired in i
great meafure from public bufinefs, and continued to live chiefly
in a private manner at Clapham ; where, after having attained
to near the age of eighty^ he died the 29th of Auguft 1766*
Never man was more univerfally efteemed while living, or more
fincerely regretted when dead.
BARNES (Juliana), was horn at Roding in EflTex about the
beginning of the xvth century. She has written three treatises in
print, befides a book of heraldry, which are fcarce. Her educatioti
feems to have been the very oeft which that age could aflfbrdy
and her attainments in literature were fuch, that fli^ is cele-
brated by Bale, Holinihed, and others, for her uncommon learn-*
ing, and likewife for her other fine accomplifliments. Thefe va-
rious qualifications rendered her every way capable and deferv«*
ing of the office fiie bore, vi2. priorefs of Sopewefl nunnery^
which was a cell to and very near St. Alban's. She was a very
beautiful lady of great fpirit, and loved mafculine fports, as
hunting, hawking, &c. It ought to be remarked, that her trea*
tife. Of the bl^ng of arm«y contains only aMra£ls from Nicholas*
Upton, who wrote four bpoks De re'militari et fa£iis illuftri-
bus. At the end of this englifii tranflation of thote abftradlti
by Juliana Barnes are thefe words^ ** Imprinted at the exempt
monaftery of St. Alban V
If the titles of her book may be depended on> fhe was living in
i486, twenty-fix years later tnan the time mentioned by biuo^
Bale.
3ARNES (Robert), D. D. He was chaplain to king Henry
Vlll.-of England, and by him fent over to Germany to converlc
with the divines in that country concerning the legality of the
divorce
BARNEVELDT. loi
divorce with queen Catharine of Anragoti. He brought along
with him the opinions of the divines of Wirtemburgh, which
were not at all favourable ; but he fupprefled the conclufion
when he (hewed it to the king. At firft he was in great favour
with Henry ; but having profefled the do£trines ot Luther, he
was committed prifoner to the Tower, and afterwards burnt
alive at a ftake, 1540. He wrote two books^ the Hillory of the
PopeS) and a treatifc on Juftification.
BARNES (Joshua), a learned divine, profcdbr of the greek
language at Cambridge, born in London the 10th of Jan. 1654.
He received the firft part of his education at Chriil's Hofpital,
from whence he went to Cambridge, Dec. the nth, 1671, and
was admitted a fervitor in Emanuel college [l]. He diftin-
guiihed himfelf very early by his knowledge of the greek, and
by fome poems in latin and englifh, written before he went
to the univeriicy. Iq 1675, ^^ publidied at London a piece in-
tituled Gerania, or a new difcovery of the little fort of people
called pygmies. June the 7th, he was ele&ed fellow of £ma«
nuel college ; and the year following be publiihed in 8vo. his
Poetical Paraphrafe on the hiftory of Efthen In 1688, he pub-
UQied the life of king Edward III. dedicated to king James IL
In 1694, came out his edition of Euripides, dedicated to Charles
duke of Somerfet. In 1 70O) Mrs. Mafon of Hemmingford, near
St. Ives in Huntingdondiire, a widow lady between forty and
fifty, with a jointure of 200I. per annum, wno had for fome time
been a great admirer of him, came to Cambridge ; (he defired
leave to fettle a hundred pounds avear upon him after her death :
which he politely refufed, unlcfs me would likewife condefcend
to make him happy with her perfon, which was not very en-
Sging. The lady was too obliging to refufe any thing to Jo«>
ua, ^^ for whom," (he faid, *< the fun ftood ftill,*' and foon after
narried him. His Anacreon was printed at Cambridge in 1 705,
and dedicated to the duke of Marlborough. In 1710, he pub*
lifbed his Homer.
Mr. Barnes died Auguft 3, 17x2, aged 57, was interred at'
Hemmingford, and had a monument raifed to him by his widow.
Befides the works above mentioned, there are many ethers« of
fmall account indeed, which he either publiihed or defigned to
publifli ; a lift of which is fubjoined to the prolegomena of his
edition of Anacreon.
BARNEVELDT (John d'Olden), the celebrated dutch
ftatefman, and one of the founders of the civil liberty of Hol<
land. His patriotic zeal inducing him to limit the authority of
Maurice prince of Orange, the fccond ftadtholder of Holland ;
the partilans of chat prince falfely accufed him of a defign to
[<•] Regidcr of F]i^ucl college.
H 3 deliver
102 BAR O.
deliver his country into the hands of the fpanKh monarch'. On
this abfurd charge he was tried by twenty-fix commifTarieSy dc*
putcd from the feven provinces, condemned, and beheaded in
1619. His fons, William and Rene, with a view of revenging
their father's death, formed a confpiracy againft the ufurper,
which was difcovered. William fled ; but Rene was taken and
condemned to die ; which fatal circumflance has immortalized
the memory of his mother, of whom the following anecdote is
recorded. She foiicited a pardon for Rene, upon which Mau-
rice cxprefTcd his furprife that (he fliould do that for her fon,
which (he had refufed for her hufband. To this remark iha
replied with indignation, '* I would not aflc a pardon for my
hufband, becaufe he was innocent. I folicit it for my fon, be-
caufe he is guilty."
BARO, or Baron (Peter), a learned divine, born at Ef*
tampes in France ; but being of the proteftant religion, waa
obliged to leave his native country in order to avoid perfe-
cution [m]. He removed to England, where he was kindly rc»
ceivcd and gcneroufly fupported by lord treafurer Burleigh, who
admitted him into his family. He afterwards fettled in Cam*
bridge, upon the invitation of Dr. Pierce, mailer of Peterhoufe.
In 1574, he was chofen the lady Margaret's profeflbr at Cam*
bridge, which he enjoyed for fome years very quietly ; but, on
account of fome opinions which he held, a party was at length
formed againft him in the univerfity. At this time abfolute pre-
deftination in the calviniftical fenfe was held as the doftrine of
the church of England. The chief advocates for it at Cam-
bridge were Dr. Whitacrc, regius profeflbr of divinity, Dr.
Humphry Tindal, and moft of the fenior members of the uni^
verfity [n]. Dr. Baro had a more moderate notion of that doc-
trine : and this occafioned a conteft between him and Mr. Lau-
rence Chadderton, wlio attempted to confute him publicly in
one of his fcrmons. However, after fome papers had paflbd be-
tween them, the affair was dropped.
The next difpute he was engaged in, was of much longer con-
tinuance. Dr. Whitacre and Dr. Tindal were deputed by the
heads of the univerfity to archbifhop Whitgift to complain that
pelagianifm was gaining ground in the univerfity ; and, in order
to fiop the progrefs of it, they defi'red confirmation of fome pro-
pofitions they had brought along with them. Thcfe accordingly
were eilabliftied and approved by the archbi(hop, the bifliop of
London, the bifliop cleft of Bangor, and fome other divines ;
and were afterv/ards known by the title of the Lambeth articles.
They were immediately communicated to Dr. Baro ; who, dif-
rcgarding them, preached a fet-mon before the univerfity, in
[m] Wood's Fafti Oxon. [n] Ful|cr*i Hi^. of Cambridge, p. 145.
which
B A R O C H E- X03
wliich however he did not fo much deny, as moderate thofe pro-
pofitions : nevcrthelefs his adverfaries judging of it othcrwifc,*
tifie vice-chancellor confulted the fame day with Dr. Clayton and
Mr. Chadderton, what (hould be done. The next day he wrote
a letter to the archbifhop of Canterbury ; who returned for an-
fwer, that they (hould call Baro before them, and require a copy
of his fermon, or at leaft caufe him to fet down the principal
heads thereof [o]. Baro, finding what offence was taken at his
fermon, wrote to the archbifliop i yet, according to his grace's
directions, was cited before Dr. Goad the vice-chancellor in the
confiftory ; when feveral articles were exhibited againft him.
At his lall appearance the conclufion againft him was, ** That
whereas Baro had promifcd the vice-chancellor, upon his de-
mand, a copy of his fermon, but his lawyers did advife him not
to deliver the fame ; the vice-chancellor did now, by virtue of
his authority, peremptorily command him to deliver him the
whole and entire fermon, as to the fubftance of it, in writing :
which Baro promifed he would do the next day, and did it ac-
cordingly. And laftly, he did peremptorily and by virtue of hia
authority command Baro, that he (liould wholly abftain from
thofe controverfies and articles, and leave them altogether un-
touched, as well in his le£lures, fermons, and determinations, as
in his difputations and other his exercifes." The vice-chancellor, .
who had proceeded thus far without the knowledge of the lord
Biirleigh their chancellor, thought fit to acquaint him with their
proceedings, and to defire His advice. The difcountenance lord
Burleigh gave to this affair, ftoppcd all farther proceedings againft
Baro ; who continued in the univcrfity, but with much oppo-
Ction and trouble : and though he had many friends and adhe-
rents in the univerfity, he met' with fuch uneafinefs, that, for
the fake of peace, he chofe to retire to London, and fixed his
abode in Crutched Friars \ where he died and was buried in the
church of St. Olave Hart-ftreet. He left feveral works, chiefly
in divinity.
BAROCHE (Frederic), a painter, born at Urbino in 1 528,
died in the fame city 161 2, found in his family all the afFiftance
be could deCre in favour of his art. His father, a fculptor by pro-
feflion, (hewed him how to model ; and he learnt of his uncle,
who was an architect, geometry, archite(5>ure, and the know-
ledge of perfpcftive. He renrefcnted his fifter for the heads of
his Virgins, and his nephew tor the Jefufes. The cardinal de la
Rovere took under his patronage this celebrated ariift, then no
more than 20 ytars of age, and employed him in his palace.'
This painter was poifoned, at a meal, by one of his envious rivals.
The remedies he fwallowed immediately faved his life ^ but he
lo] Strype's Lite of Whitgift, p. 468.
H 4 never
X04 BARON.
fiever recovered his health entirely, which he juft kept up in z
langtiid (late till thp age of 84. He was never able to work for
more than two hours a day. I^is infirmities obliged him to re-
fute fcveral honourable plapcs that were offered him by the
grand dijke of Tufcany, the emperor Rodolph II. and Philip II.
q{ Spain. It is reported thi^t at Florence the duke iFranci^ I. de->
firoiis of knowing the opinion of Barpche on the piAures that
adorned his palace, topk him in the drefs of his concierge ; in«^
ierrogating him, s^nd enjoying the pleafure of being atle, by a
fimple exterior, to put the painter at his eafe, and to talk freelv
V'ith him. fiaroche executed a great number of portrait^ ana
hidorical picpes ^ but he chiefly fucceeded in fubjeds of devp^
tion. His pra£lice was to model firft in w^x th^ figures he in-
tended to paint, or he caufed his fcholars to put tnemfelves in
tjic attitudes proper to his fubjefl. He coipes very near to the
fof tnefs and the grapes of Correggio ^ he has even mrpaiTed him
in the cprred^nefs of his d^figns. His colouring is vivid ; he
perfedly underdood the ^ffc(\ of lights; the ajrs of his head|
are in a frailing and graceful ftyl?- He difcpvered great judg-
inent in his compo(itions. It were to be wiflied that he had not
extravagated the attitudes of his figures, and that he had not too
much pronounced the parts of the body. We have defigns by
Baroche, in paflel, with the pen, a la pierre noire, and a la fan^
guipe. A number of pieces have been engraved after the work^
of this great artilf , an^ hp himfelf executed fpveral in aqua fortis,
which glow with fire and genius. Hispi£lures are diftinguifhe^
ornaments tp the cabinets of the curiou§.
fiARON ^Honayentuke), was a native of Clonmell in the
county pf 1 ipperary in Ireland. Luke Wadding his uncle, a
pelebrated friar of the order of St. Francis, of which he wrote
an account, fuperintended his education, and was the occafion
pf his taking the habit of the fame order. He lived about fixty
years in Rome, where he was for a confiderable time pr3eIe£loc
of divinity. He was mailer of a very good latin ftyle, and was
a vol^piinous writer in that language. His capital work was
his ** Theolcgia,'' in 6 vols. He s^lfo wrote three books of latin
poetry. See a lift pf his works in fir James Ware's " Writers of
Ireland," p. 25^. He djcd very old and blind, March 18, 1696.
BARON (Mic^AEt),fonoi a merchantofliibudun, who turned
player, entered firft into the company of la RaiGn, and fome time
afterward^ in that of Mplicfe. Baron quitted the ftage in 16969
cither from diflike or from fome religious fcruples, with a pcn-
{]on of a thoufand crowns granted him by the king. He took up
fhe pfofeflion again in 1 720, at the age of 68 ; and was as ![nuch
applauded,notwirhftanding his advanced age, as in the early period
pf his life. At thofe lines of Cinna,
Spudaii|
BARON, %&s
Sondaiit vont euffiez yu, par un effet contraire.
Lean frontt pUir d*horreur et rougir de ccl^re :
he was feen within a minute to turn pale and red, in conformity
to the verre. He was ftyled with one confent, the Rofcius of hi^
limes. He (aid himfelf, in one of his eiuhufi<xlVxal fits of vanity,
that once in a century we might fee a Csefar, but that two
thoufand years were requifite to produce a Baron. One day his
eoachman and his lacquey were foundly threfhed by thofe of the
marquis de Biran, with whom Baron lived on thofe familiar
terms which young noblemen frequently allow to players.—*
* MonGeur le* marquis/' faid he to him, " your people have ill
peated mine ; I muft have fatisfa£lion of you/' This he re-
peated feveral timcs^ ufing always the fame expreflions, your
people and mine. M. de Biran, affronted at the parallel, replied ;
'^ My poor Baron, what wouldft thou have me lay to thee r why
doft thou keep any people ?" He was on the point of refuting
the penfion beftowed on him by Louis XIV. biecaufe the order
ifbr it ran : ^ Pay to the within named Michael Boyrun, called
Baron, ftc.** I'^his aAor, born with the choiceft gifts of na-
ture, had perfeded them by the utmoft exertions of art : a no-
ble figure, a fonorous voice, a natural gefticulation, a found and
exquifite tafte. Racine, verfed as he was in the art of decla*
mation, wanting to reprefent his Andromache to the aflors, in
the diftribution of the parts, had referved that of Pyrrhus for
Baron. After having (hewn the chara£lers of feveral of the
perfonages to the z€tors who were to reprefent it, he turned to-
wards baron : ** As to you, fir, 1 have no inftru£tion to give you(
your heart will tell you more of it than any leflbns of mine could
j^xplain.''— Roufleau made thefe four lines fqr his portrait :
Du vrai, du patbitique U a fix£ le ton,
Pe fon art enchsnteur I'llluHon divine,
Pr|coit un oouyeau luftre aux beautis de Raeine;
Un yoile aux dafaut^ de Frsdon.
BaroQ wonld affirm that the force and play pf declamation were
iuch, that tender and plaintive founds tfansferred on gay and
^vcn comic words, would' no lefs produce teacs. He has been
feen repeatedly to make the tri^l ot this furprifing effedt on the
yrell-knoYil fonnet^
Si \p rp{ m'^vofc donni
k'aris fa grand' ville, &c.
Baron, in common with all great painter^ and great poets, was
fully fenfible that the rules ofart were not invented for enflaving
geniu8« ** We are'forbid by the rules," faid this fuhlime a£lor,
"to
lo6 BAR.ONI.US.
" to raifc the arms above the head j but if they arc llfte^ there
by the paffioiijit is right : paflion is a better judge of this matter
than the rules." He died at Paris, Dec. 22, 1729, aged 77.
Three volumes in i2mo of Theatrical Pieces were printed in
1760, under the name of this comedian $ but it is prefumed,
perhaps unjuflly, that they are not his. L'Andrienne was attri^
butcd to perc de la Rue, at the very time when it was in full re-
prefentation. It was to this that Baron alluded in the advertife«>
mcnt lie prefixed to that piece. " I have here a fair field," faid
he, " for complaining or the injuftice that has been intended
me. It has been find that I lent my name to the Andrienne. • . «
I will again attempt to imitate Terence ; and I will anfwer as
he did to thofe who accufcd him of only lending his name to the
works of others (Scipio and Lxlius). He faid, that they did him
great honour to put him in familiarity with perfons who at-
tradled the efteem and the refpedl of all mankind." The other-
pieces that merit notice here, are, Uhomme a bonne fortune, la
Coquette, TEcqle dcs Ppres, 8cc. The dramatical intelligence
that reigns in thefe pieces, may perhaps be admitted as a proof
that they are by Baron. The dialogue of them is lively, and the
fcenes diverfined : they but rarely prefent us with grand pic-
tures : but the author has the talent of copying from nature
certain originals, not lefs important in fociety than amufing on
the (lage. It is evident that the author had ftudied the world
as well as the drama. As to the vcrfification, if Baron was an
excellent aftor, he was but an indifferent poet. The abbe d'A-
lainval publifhed the Lettres fur Baron and la ie Couvreur.-*^
The father of this famous ad or poflefled alfo in a fuperior degree
the talent of declamation. The manner of his death is remark*
able. Playing the part of Don Diego in the Cid, his fword fell
from his hand, as the piece requires ; and kicking it from him
with indignation, he unfortunately ilruck againd the point of it,
by which his little toe was pierced. This wound was at firll
treated as a trifle •, but the gangrene that afterwards appeared
requiring the amputation of his leg, he would not confcnt to the
operation : No, no, faid he ; a theatrical monarch would be
hooted if he (hould appear with a wooden leg; and he preferred
the gentle expeftation of death, which happened in 1655.
BARON (Hyacinth Theodore), antient profeflbrand dean
of the faculty of medicine at Paris, the place of his birth, died
July 29, 1758, at about the a^e of 72. He had a great fliare in
the Pharmacopoeia of Paris, for the year 1732, 4to ; and in 17 <9
gave an academical differtation in latin on chocolate, An fcnibus
Chocolatte potus ? It has been feveral times reprinted-
BaRONIUS (Cjesar), bornOdober 3ift^ 1538, at Sora, an
epifcopal town in the kingdom of Naples, received the firft part
of his education at Veroli,, whence he >^cnt to fludy law at Nar
B A & R A L. 107
plcs-fpl : but .the trouble^ in this country obliged his Either to
carry him to Rome in 1557, where he was put under the care of
Philip of Neri, founder of the congregation of the Oratory.
Some time after, he became a pried, and was fent 10 eftablilh this
new orvier in the church of St. John the Baptift, where he con-
tinued till 1576, when he was fent to Santa Maria's in Vallicella.
In 1 573, he was appointed fuperior of his order, upon the rcfig*
nation of the founder. Pope Clement VIII. chofe him alfo foon
after for his confefTor, and, in 1576, made him a cardinal ; giy*
ing him at the fame time the care of the library of the holy apo-
ftulic fee. Upon the death of Clement Vill. which happened in
1605, he was nigh being chofen to the pontificate, having had
one-aod-thirty voices ; but the fpanifli faClion hindered his
election, becaufe, in his Annals, he aiTcrted the crown of Spain
founded its claim to Sicily on falfe evidence [qJ. His application
to (ludy wafted him to fuch a degree, and occaiioned fuch a
weaknefs in his ftomach, that, towards the end of his life, he
could hardly digeft any nouriihment \ and he had fuch a loathe
ing at food, that it v^as a pain for him to lit down to table. He
died the 30th of June 1607, aged 68.
Baronius was a man of great piety and learning, a ftrenuous
advocate for the romifh church; and he bellowed great labour
in clearing up ecclefiaftical hiftory. He has left feveral works |[R]y
the moft remarkable of which is his Annates Ecclefiaftici, in 1 2
vols. It has been abridged by feveral pcrfons, particularly by
^enry Spondaeus, Ludovico Aurelio, and Bazovius.
BaRR AL (abbe Petbr), born at Grenoble, and died at Paris
Julj^zi, 1772, came early in life to that metropolis, where he
took up the employment of a fchoolmafter. He wrote a Die-
donnaire hiftorique, litteraire, et critique des hommes celebres,
1759, 6 vol. 8vq. in which he is faid to have betrayed too much
of the fpirit of party. Some wit nicknamed it the iVJartyrology
of Janfenifm, compiled by a Convulfionnaire. Notwithllanding
tliis, however, his diclioiiary was perufed with mere pleafurc
than thar of Ladvocat, becaufe in the articles of learned authors^
poets, orators, and literary men, he wrote with fpiit, and gene-
rally gives his judgment with tafte. There is like wife by him an
abftradl of the letters of madame de Scvigne in i2mo, under the
title of Seviguiana ; and an abridgment much eftecmed, of the
DitSlionnaire dcs Antiquites Romaines, by Pitifcus, in 2 vols.
8vo. The abbe Barral was a man of erudition, of a lively con-
verfation, and the ftylc of his writings is vigorous and manly,
though fomeiimes negligent and incorredl.
fp] Niceron, tom.zxvii. p. 282. •* Marty rolo^ium Romanum reftitutum
1<U Nicerun, torn, zzvii. p. 284. Grcgor.i XUJ. JufTu edituirvi cum iiotati<*
[k J b'cliJes his Annals he has left a few onibus Csf. card. Baronii. Roms> I j86,*',
flChcr WQrk*. of which ihe principal one is in (olio.
BARRELIER
io8 BARRINGTON.
BARRELTER (James), a domintean friari and i eonfidenble'
botanift. After having gone through a coarfe of ftudy, and taken
the decree of licentiate in medicine, he entered into the order of
preaching friars. His talents and his prudence were fo confpi<«
Cuousy that in 164.6 he was ele£ted afliila'ht to the gtnepil, with
whom he made the tour pf • France, Spain, and Italy. Amidft
the avocations qf this po(l, and without negle£ling his duties, he
found the means of applying himfelf to the ftudy of botany, to
which he fecmcd to havci a patural propenfity. *He collcfted a
great number of plants and (hells, arid made drawings of feveral
mat had not been known, or but very imperfeftly defcribed.
He bad undertaken a general hiftory of plants, which ho in*
tended to entitule, Hortus Mundi, or Orbis Botanicus. He was
working at it ^Ith the utmqft diligence, when an ailhma put an
end to his labours in 16735 at the age of 67. All that could be
colle£ted of thi$ work was publifhed by Ant. de Jufiieu, under
this title : Pjantse per Galliam, Hifpaniam, et Itali'am obfervat^^
et iconibus tcneis exhibitae, Paris, 1714, foKo,
BARRERE (Peter), phyfician of Perpignan, died In iJSS\
was well verfed both in the theory and praftice of his art : he
hadalfo the reputation of being an accurate obferver. His works
areVi. Relation et Effai fur Thiftoire de la France equinoxialc^
1748, i2mo. 2. Diflertation fur la couleur des Ncgrcs,'i74r,
4to. 3. Obfervations fur Torigine des Pierrcs figurees^ 164J5,
4to.
BARRINGTON (John SntiTE), }ord vlfcount, a noblemait
of confiderable learning, and author of feveral books, was the
joungcft fon of Benjamin Shute, merchant, youngeft foa o^
Francis Shqtc, of Upton, in the county of Leiceftcr, efquire.
He was born at Theobald's in Hertford fliire, in 1678 [s]; and
received part of his education at Utrecht, as appears from a
latin oration which he delivered at that univerfity, and publiOied
there in 1698, in 4to, under the following title: ** Oratio de
ftudio Phtlofophix conjuneendo cum ftudid Juris Romani $ ha^
bita in inclyta Academia Traje£tina Kalendis Junii, 1698, a Jo-
hanne hh^ite, Anglo, Ph. D. U L. A. M.'* After his return to
England, he applied himfelf to the ftudjr of the law in the Inner |
Temple. In 1701 he publiflied, but without his name. An Ef.
fey ^t] upon the Intereft of England, in refpeft to Proteftant^
diflenting froi|i the cftablifhcd church, 4to. This was reprinted
two years after, with confiderable alterations and enlargements.
Some time after this he publilhed another piece in 4to, intitule^
The Rights of Proteftant Diflfenters, in two parts. During the
[s] Hj8 mother was a Jnnehter cf the Watts, in a copy of rerfes tddreifed to tJie
fimous Mr. Caryl, author of the CQm. au())or,an<lprint?din the**£nglilh'Focta/'
aieotary on Job. vgl. x(vi. f 169.
[t] This cXay is meotioncd by Dr.
profecution
B A R R I N G t O 1^1 10^
]yrofecation of his ftudies in the law, he was applied to by queen
Aoxie's whig mini dry, at the inftigation of lord Somersi to en<-
gage the prefbyterians in Scotland to favour the important mea-:
lure then in agitation, of an union of the two kingdoms. Flat^*
tered at the age of twenty-four, by an application, which (hewecC
the opinion entertained of his abilities, and influenced by the;
greateft lawyer and ftatefman of the age, he readily, facrificedi
the opening proipe£ls of his profeiHon, and undertook the ar-
duous employment. The happy execution of it was rewardec^
in 1708 by the place of commiiQoner of the cuftoms; front
which he was removed by the Tory admimftration in 17 1 x, for
his avowed oppofition to their principles and conduQ. How'
high Mr. Shttte's charad^er ftood in the eftimation even of thofe
woo differed moft widely from him in religious and political
fentiments, appears from the teftimony borne to it by Dr.
Swift [o]. In the reign of queen Anne, John Wildman, 0^
Bccket, in the county of Berks^ e(q. adopted him for bis fon, af-
ter the roman cuftom^ and fettled his large cftate upon him^
though he was no relation, and is faid to have been but flighcly
acquainted with him. Some years after, he had another confix
derable eftate left him by Francis Barrington, of Tofts, efq. who
had married his firft coufin^ and died without iiTue. This occa»
fioned him to procure an aft of parliament, purfuant to the deed
0f fettlement, taafTume the name, and besir the arms of Bar-
rington. On the aeeeffion of kine George, he was chofen mem-
ber of parliament for the town of Berwick upon Tweed. July
ip 1717, he had a reverfionary grant of the office of mader of
the tqIIs in Ireland, which he furrendered Dec. i o, 1 73 1 . King
George was alfo pleafed, bv privy leal, dated at St. James^Sy
June- 10, and by patent at Dublin, July 4, 172a, to create lum
baron Barrington of Kewcaftle, and vifcount Barrington of Ard-
glafs. In 1722 he was again returned to parliatment as member
u>r the town of Berwick ; but in 1723, the houfe of commons
taking into confideration the affair of the Harburgh lottery, a
very levere and unmerited cenfure of expulfion was pafied upon
his lord(hip[x], as fub-governor of the Harburgh company,
under the prince of Wales. In 1725 he publifhcd, in two vo-
lumes, 8vo, his Mifcellanea Sacra ; or a new method of confider-
tng fo much of the hiftory of the apoftles as is contained in
f 0] Dr. Swifc writes thiu to archbUhop f oo,oocl. from the bo^of the diifentert
ICinf , in a letter, dated I^ondon* Nov. 30, here. As to hit principles, he rs a mode*
37.^8. '* One Mr. Shute it oarmed for rate man, frequentiag the church and th«
iecreury to lord Wharton. He is a young meeting indifferently."
mao, but reckoned the ftrewdeft head in [x] A vindication of Inrd Barringtoo
England ; and the p«rr)a in whom the was publifhcd at the time, in a pamphlet
prefbyteriant chiefly confide; and if mo* which had the appearance of being writ*
Bey be necelTiry towards the good work, ten by hlm> or at lead of being publiihed
ic is reckoucd he can commaad as far u under his dire^oo. ^
fcrlpture;
lio B ARRlNGTO^.
fcripture ; in an abftraft of their hiftory, an abftraft o^ that it**
ftraft, and four critical eflays [tJ." In this work the noble au*
thor has traced, with great care and judgment, the methods
taken by the apoftles, and firft preachers of the gofpel, for pro-*
^agating chriftianity ; and explained with great diftmftnefs the
Several gifts of the fpirit, by which they were enabled to dif*
charge that office. Thefe he improved into an argument for
the truth of the chriftian religion ; which is faid to have ftag-
cred the infidelity of Mr. Anthony Collins. In 1^2$ he pub-
ifhed, in 8vo, " An Eflay on the feveral difpenfations of God
to mankind, in the order in which they lie in the Bible; or d
fliorc fyftem of the religion of nature and fcripture, &c/' He
was alfo author of feveral other trafts, which will be mentioned
below [z]. He fometimes fpoke in parliament, but appears not
to have been a frequent fpeaker. He died aft his feat at Becket
in Berkfliire, after a iliort illnefs, Dec. 4, 1734, in the 66th
year of his age. Hegenerally attended divine worfhip among
the diflenters, and for many years received the facrament at
Pinner's-hall, when Dr. Jeremiah Hunt, an eminent and learned
non-conformift divine, was paftor of the congregation that af-
fembled there. He had formerly been an attendant on Mr.
Thomas Bradbury, but quitted that gentleman on account of
his bigoted zeal for impofing unfcriptural terms upon the article
of the Trinity. His lordfhip was a difciple and friend of Mr.
Locke, had a high value for the facred writings, and was emi-
nently (killed in them. As a writer in theology, he had great .
merit ; and contributed much to the difFufing of that fpirit of
free fcriptural criticifm, which has fince obtained among all de-*
nominations of chriftians. As his attention was much turned
to the ftudy of divinity, he had a ftrong fenfc of the importance
of free enquiry in matters of religion. In his writings, when-
ever he thougnt what he advanced was doubtful, or that his ar-
guments were not ftridlly conclufive, though they might have
[h"] Reprinted in 177c, in 3 vols. J^vo, 3. The Lavman's letter to the bifhop of
undertbe reviiion of hit foo» tkc prefcat Bangor. The fecond edition of this wat
worthy and learned bifhop of Salilbury. published io I7i6« 410. 4« An account
[ij I. A Diffuafive from Jacobitifm ; of the late proceedings of the dilfcnting-
Ihewing in general what the nation is to minifters at Salters-hall ; occafioned by
€xyc€i from a popifh king; and, in paitt. the differences amougd their brethren in
cular, from the Pretender. The fourth the country : with fomc thoughts concern-
edition of this was printed in 8vo, in 1713. ing impoiirion of human forms for aiticlei
a. A letter from a Layman, in commu- of faith. In a letter to the rev. Dr. Gale»
nion with (he church of England, though I7i9> 8vo. 5. A difcourfe of natural and
dilTcnting from her in fomc points, to tlic rcvciled religion, and the relation thtf
right rev. the bifhop of , with a bear to each other, 1731, Svo. 6. Rc-
poftfcript, iliewing how f.ir the bill to fie£lions on the 12th query, contained in
prevent the growth of fchifm is inconfift- a paper, intituled, Re^fons offered againfl
cnc with the adt of toleration, and the pulhing for the repeal of the corporation
other laws of this realm. The fecond and teil-a£ts, and on the animddverfions
tditi^a of tli:i Was printed in 17 141 4(0. on the anfwer to it, 1733, 8vo.
great
ftARROS. ttt
great weight, he exprefled himfelf with a becoming diffidence*
He was remarkable for the politenefs of his manners, and the
gracefulnefs of his addrefs, as we are aflured by thofe who pcr-
fonally knew him. He married Anne, eldeft daughter of fif
William Daines, by whom he left fix fons and three daughters.
William, his eldeft fon, fucceeded to his father's honours ; was
clefted, foon after he came of age, member for the town of Bcr^
wick, and afterwards for Plymouth ; and, in the late and pre-
fent reigns, pafTcd through the fucceflive offices of lord of
the admiralty, matter of the wardrobe, chancellor of the exche-
quer, treafurer of the navy, and fecretary at war. Francis, the
fecond, died young. John, the third, was a major-general in
the army, commanded the land forces at the redu£lion of the
ifland of Guadaloupe in 1758, and died in I764« Daines, the
fourth, king^s counfcl, and one of the juftices of the grand fef-
fion for the counties of Chefter, &c. is author of, i. Obferva-
tions upon the Antient Statutes, ij66 ; a valuable work reprint-
ed in the fame year, and again in 1769 and 17755 2. The
Naturalift*s Journal, 1767, 4to; 3. Direftions for collefling
Specimens of Natural Hiftory, 1772, 4to ; 4. The Anglo-Saxon
verfion of Orofius, with an Englifh Tranflation and Notes,
• 773> Svoj 5. Several trafts relative to the probability of
reaching the North Pole, 410, 1 775, &c. which are collcftcd and
enlarged in a volume of Mifccllanics, 1780, 410 ; 6. Propofed
Forms of Regifters for baptifms and burials, 1781, 4to. He is
alfo author of many curious papers in the Philofophical Tranf-
afiions and Archacologia ; fome of which are Hkewife incorpo-
rated in the volume of iVlifcelhnies. Samuel, the fifth, was vice-
admiral of the white, greatly dillingulflicd himfelf in the three laft
waTS,and died in J 793. Shute,the fixth,had his education at Eton-
fchool and the univcrfity of Oxford ; took orders in 1756, the
degree of LL. D. in 1762, was promoted to the bifliopric of
Landaff in 1769, tranflated to Salifbury in J 782, and from
thence to Durham.
BARROS or DE BARROS (John), born at Vifeo in 1495,
was brought up at the court of king hmanucl, about the infan-
tas. He made a rapid progrefs in greek and latin learning. The
infant Juan, to whom he was attached, in quality of preceptor,
having fucceeded the king his fiither in 1521, dc Barros had a
place in the houfliold of that prince. In 1522 he became go-
vernor of St. George de la Mine, on the coaft of Guinea in
Africa. Three years afterwards, the king having recalled him
to court, appointed him treafurer of the Indies : this pofl infpir-
cd him with the thought of writing the hillory of thofe coun-
tries j in order to finifh it he retired to Pombal, where he died
in 1570, with the reputation of an eftimable fcholar and a good
citizen. De Barros has divided his Hiilory of Afia and the In-
• dies
iiz BARROW.
^ies in four 4e<«^s. . He puUKhed the (irft in X552f the (econd
iti 1 557, and the third in 1563. The fourth did not a|ipear till
j6i<,. by command of king Philip III. who purchafed the ma-
nufcript of the heirs of Jean de Barros. This hiftory 1$ in the
portugueze language. Poflevtn and the prelident de T&ou make
great encomiums on it. La Boulaye-Ie Goux fays tliat it is ra*'
ther a heap of blotted paper, than a work worthy of being read.
We are not to take, either the {>raife or the cenfure in their lite«
ral fenfe. Barros has colleded a great many fafls that are noti
to be {oiind elfewheiie i with lefs love of the hyperbole and a
ftriSttr attachment to truth, he would have deferved a place
among the good hiftorians. Several authors have continued hid
work, and brought it doWh to the xiiith decad. There is aii
edition of it, Lifl)on, 1736^ 3 vols, folio. Alfonfo Ulloa tranf-
lated it into fpanifh.
BARROW (fsA Ac), an eminent mathematician anj divine,
defcended from an ancient family in Suffolk, and born in Lon«
don, OGt. 1630. He was at the Charter-houfe fchool for two
or three jears, where he difcovere d more of natural courage'
than inchnation to lludy, being much given to fighting, and
fond of promoting it amongd his fchool-fellows ; inloihuch that
his father, having fo little hope of his being a fchofar, often
wifiied if it pleafed God to take away any of his children, ii
mMit be his fon Ifaac [a]. But being renioved to Fclfled in
Eflex, his difpofition took a different turn > and he ^oon made
iuch a ptogrefs in learning, and evefy other Valuable qualifica-
tion, that his mader afppointed him tutor to lord Fairfax of
Emely in Ireland, who was then his fcholar. During his (lay
at Felftedy he was, upon the 15th of Dec. 1643, admitted a pen-
fioner of Peter-houfe in Cambridge, where his uncle,, afterwards
biKhop of St. Afaph, was then a fellow ; but when he went ta
the univerHty, Feb. 1645, he ^^^ entered at Trmifv colfege, his
uncle with fome others who had wfitten againll tne covenant,
having the year before been cjefled from Peterhoufe [b]. His
father having fuflered much in his eftate bv his adherence to'
king Charles, Ifaac's chief fupport was at nrft from the gene-
rofity of Dr. Hammond, for which he has expreiTed his grati*
tude in a latin epitaph on his benefa£lor [c J. In 1647 he was
chofen a fcholar of the houfe ; and though he always continued
a warm loyali(l,and would not take the covenant, yet his beha-
viour was fuch, that he gained the good-will and efteem of hisf
fuperiors. He afterwards fubfcribcd the engagement ; but fooii
after repenting of what he had done, he went baclc to the com-«
miflioners to declare his diflatisfaftion, arid got his* naikie raferf
' [a] Hill's Life of Btrrow, preGicd to feffort, p. 1 57.
lii^ Sermons. [c] Opufculai p. 3 or.
[• j Wv4*s Lirei pf the Crcfliam Pro-
• out
BARROW. ^ 21 J
tet of the lift* In 1648 he took the degree of bachelor of arts,
and the year following was chofen fellow of the college [d J.
After his ele£lion) finding the times not favourable to his views
in the church, he turned his thoughts to the profefllon of phyfic,
and for fome years bent his ftudies. that way. He particularly
made a great progrefs in anatomy, botanyi and chemidry ; but
afterwards, upon mature deliberation, and with the advice of
his uncle, he applied to the fludy of divinity, to which he con-
caved himfelf obliged by the oath he had taken on his admifiion
to his fellowihip [eJ. While he read Scaliger on Eufebius, he
perceived the dependence of chronology on aftronomy, which
put him upon reading Ptolemy's Almageft ; and finding this
book and the whole fcTence of aflronomy to depend upon geo*
metry, he maJde himfelf mailer of Euclid's Elements, and xronfi
thence proceeded to the other antient mathematicians. In 1652
he commenced mafter of arts, and the enfuing year was incor**
porated in that degree at Oxford.
When Dr^ Duport refigned the chair of greek profeflbr, he
recommended his pupil Mr. Barrow for his fucceflbr, who, in
his probation exercife, fhewed himfelf equal to the chara£ler
ghren him by this gentleman ; but being fufpefled to be a fa«>
vourer of arminianifm, he obtained it not. This difappoint*-
mcnt, it is thought, helped to forward his defire of feeing foreign
countries ; and in order to execute his defign, he was obliged to
liell his books. He left England June 1655, and went for Paris^
where he found his father } and out of his fmall ftock he afford-
ed him a feafonable fupply [f]. He gave his college an account
of his journey, thither in a poem, together with fome curious and
{)olitical obfervations in a letter, both written in latin; The en-
iiing fprin? he went to Leghorn, with an intention to pro<;eed
Co Rome ; but flopped at Florence, where he had the advantage
of perufmg feveral books in the great duke's library, and of con-
▼erfing with Mr. Filton the librarian fc J. Here the ftraitnefs of
his circumftances muft have put an end to his travels, had it not
been for Mr. James Stock, a voung merchant of London, who
generoullv furniihed him with money. He was extremely de-«
firous to lee Rome ; but the plague then raging in that city, he
took (hip at Leghorn, Nov. 6, 1656, for Smyrna. In this voyage
the (hip was attacked by an algerine pirate ; and, though he had
never feen any thing of a feaofight, he Hood to the gun appoint-
ed him with great courage, being, as he faid himfelf, not fo
much afraid of death as flavery. The corfair perceiving the
ftout defence the (hip made, (heercd off. At Smyrna he met
with a mod kind reception from Mr. Bretton, the englifh confulj
[» J Ward, p. 158, ['.1 OpufcuU, p. 35T.
[*J HiU't Life of Banw. [oj Hill apd Ward, ibid.
Vol. II. I upon
114 BARROW.
upon whofe death he afterwards wrote a latin elegy [h]« Front
thence he proceeded to Conftantinople, where he received the
like civilities from fir Thomas Bendifli the eiiglifli ambaifador,
and fir Jonathan Dawesy with whom he afterwards preferved an
intimate friendfhip. At Conilantinople he read over the works
of St. Chryfoilom, once bifliop of that fee, whom he preferred
to all the other fathers. When he had been in Turkey fome-
what more than a year, he returned to Venice. From thence
he came home in 1649, through Germany and Holland. So#n
after his return to England, the time being now fomewhat
elapfed when the fellows of Trinity college are obliged to take
orders, or to quit the college, Mr. Barrow was epifcopally or*
dained by bifiiop Brownrig. At the reftoration of Charles IL
his friends expected, as he had fufFered and merited fo much, he
would be immediately preferred, but-their ezpedlations came to
nothing \ which made him complain in two latin verfes, that no
perfon more fincerely wi(hed for his majefty's return, and none
felt lefs the effe£ls of it [i]. However, he wrote an ode on the
occafion, wherein he introduces Britannia congratulating the
king on his return. In 1660 he was chofen to the greek profef-
forniip at Cambridge. When he entered upon, this province,
he intended to have read upon the Tragedies of Sophocles ; but
he altered his intention, and made choice of Ariftotle's Rheto*
ric. Tbefe Ie£ture5 having been lent to a friend, who never
returned them, are irrecoverably loft. July the i6th, i66a, he
was elected profefibr of geometry in Grefham college, by the
tecommendatiqn of Dr. Wilkins, mailer of Trinity college, and
afterwards bifhop of Chefter [k]. Ilt§ latin inaugural oration ia
extant, in the fourth volume of his works. 1 his fame year he
wrote an epithalamium on the marriage of king Charles and
queen Catharine, in greek verfe. Upon the 2ort^ of May
1663, he was ele£ted a fellow of the royal fociety, in the firu
choice made by the council after their charter. The fame year
the executors of Mr. Lucas having, according to his appoint^
ment, founded a mathematical le£lure at Cambrklge, they fixed
upon him for the firft profefibr; and though the two profefibr*
fhips were not inconfiltent with each other^ he chofe to rcligrt
that of Grelham college, which he did May the 20th, 1664.
In 1669 he refigned his mathematical chair to his learned
friend, Mr- Ifaac Newton •, being now determined to give up the
iludy of mathematics for that of divinity. Upon quitting his
profeflbrfliip, he was only a fellow of Trinity college, till his
uncle gave him a fmall finecure in Wales, and Dr.Scth Ward,
bifhop of Saliibury, conferred upon him a prebend in his churclk
In 1670 he was created do£lor in divinity by mandate; and,
[h] Opufturajp.jca. (0 Hill'j Opufcttla, p. 160. [*] Ward, p. 160.
L upon
,BARRY^ 115
\ftj)6n the promotion of "Dr. Pcarfon, mailer 6f Trinity col-
lege, to the fee of Chefter, appointed to fucceed him by the
king^s patent, bearing date the 13th of Feb. 1672. When the
king advanced him to this dignity, he was pleafed to fayi " He
had given it to the bed fchoiar in England." His majefty did
not fpeak from report, but from his own knowledge j the doc-
tor being then his chaplain, he ufcd often to converfe with him,
and, in his humorous way, to call him an *' unfair preacher,"
Becaufe he exhaufted every fubjcft, and left nothing for others
to fay after him. In 1675 he was chofen vice*chancellor of the
univerfity. v
This great and learned divine died of a fever the 4th of
May 1677, and was buried in Weftminfter abbey, where a mo-
nument was erefted to him by the contribution of hi» friends,
and an epitaph in latin by his friend Dr. Mapletoft. He left
his manufcripts to the care of Dr. John Tillotfon and Mr.
Abraham Hill, with a power to print fuch of them as they
thought proper [l j.
BARRY (Sprangbr,) was born in St. Warburgh's parifh,
Dublin, Nov. 20> 1719: he was the fon of an eminent filver*
fmith of that city, in good trade and family connexions, who
bred this his eldell fon to the bufinefs: but an early intereourfe
with the theatres (for there were two at that time in Dublin),
with the follicitation of a remarkably handfome perfon, fine
voice, and pleafing addrefs, foon obliterated ail mechanical no*
tions) and after keeping up the farce of attending the counter
two or three years (a place nature never defigned him for), he
commenced ador^ and made his firft appearance in the year
1744, in the character of Othello.
Moft firft appearances difcover more of inclination than a fi-
ni(hed genius. It was different with Mr. Barry ; like our cele-
brated Rofcius, he nearly gained tlic fummit of perfcdion on
[l] The following works were publifli- EngliHi, by the rev. Mr John Kirkby of
'cd during kis life : i. Euclidis hiemeuta. ^-^reir.ond in Cun)berland. and puhl.Oied
Cant. 1655, 8vo. a, Euclidis Data, Cant. J734 in 8vo. ; tojictlicr with his Oratori-
1657, 8vo. 3. Le£lIones optic* xviti. Cal Preface, fpokcn before the univerfiiy
iioad. 1669* 4to. 4. LeAione!> geome- on his elc6Kon to the Luc;iri«i!i pro.cii'or.
tricseliii. Lond. 1670,410. c. Archimc- ihip, tiAnflared al-'o intc'eK:lijh. ;. All
dis opera. Apollonii conicorum libri ir. his englifb works in three volumes, Loud.
Theoitoiii fph*ricj methodo nova illuftra- 1 083 , folio. Thefe were publiihed bv Dr.
ta, et faccin^\e demonftrata, Lond. i<i7 5,' John Tiilotfon. 4. If.iaci B.irrow Opuf-
4to. Thefe which follow were publiQicd cula, viz- d<:tcrminat;oiies, concioacs ad
after his deceafe : 1. LeAio in qua iheo- ckrum, orationes, pocmata^ ScQ- volumen
remaca Archimedis de fphaera et cylindto, quirtum. Lond. 1687, folio. Dr. Barrovr
per methodum indiviiibilium itiveftigata, has left aifo fever.^i curious papers on tnu'
acbreviterdei2U>nftrata, exhibencufi Lond. themitical i'ubjci^s, written nv his own
1678, i2mo. 2. Maihcmaticae leOioneg hand, which 'A-cre communicated by Mr.
habiraeinfcholispwblicis academiieC?nta- ]one& to the author of The Lives of th^
2)rigicn(i9, ann. 1664,5*6, &c- Load. 16831 Grelham Profelforft.
8vd. Thefe have been Uanflitcd into
. * 1 a his
n5 BARRY.
his outfet ; and by the account of fome of the bed judges of that
day, gave evident marks that he >»rantcd nothing but ftage pra€«
tice to make him reach the top of his profeflion. The fummer
of 1 744 he plajed in Corke, and acquired freih laurels. Here it
tvas firfl: fuggefted td him by his relation and particular friend^
the late fir Edward Barry, to come over to England, as the fpot
ftioft congenial to great abilities : however, before he made this
eflay, he returned to Dublin, and joined the company of that
year, which (lands remarkable in the irifli theatrical annals, fo'f
the bed ftage that perhaps ever was known at any one period.
The public will beft judge of this themfetves, when they are in*
formed, that the names of Garrick, Barry, Sheridan, Quin,
WofFington, and Gibber, principally formed this catalogue ; and
that there was fcarce a play that thefe performers did not change
parts in a kind of contention for rival powers. The public^
however, paid dear for this mental luxury, as the conftant and
extreme fullnefs of the houfe brought on colds and fevers, be-
fide diflocations and other accidents, which terminated- in feveral
of their deaths ; and it was then very common to fay, fuch a
one died of a Garrick, a Quin, or a Barry fever.
In 1 746 Mr. Barry came over to England^ and was engaged af
Drurv-lane ; and the next year the patent falling into MefTrs^
Garnck's and Lacy's hands, Mr. Barry took the lead as the prin*
cipal performer of that houfe. Here Mr. Garrick and he fre*
quently appeared in the fame charaflers, and in a great meafurc
divided the applaufe of the town j howevery Barry feeling an in-
feriority arifing from the joint power exerted againft him a»
zfkoT and manager, quitted Drury-lane, and headed Covent-
garden. Here it was his powers had full play ; and here it wag
our ftage Milo entered the lifts of competition againft a man»
which none hitherto durft approach. They played all their
principal charaflers againft each other with various fucccfs |
which are marked by many epigrams and bons mots of that
day, and which are too well known to need repeating here. In.
this contention they remained till the fummer of 1758, when
Barry, joining with Mr. Woodward, of Covent-garden, under*
took an expedition to Ireland, where they built two elegant
pJayhoufes, one in Dublin, and the other in Corjce ; and, as
joint-managers, exerted their refpcftivc abilities^ with thofe of
a very refpe£^able company, part of which they brought ovec
from England : however, after trying thii fcheme for fomc
years, what with the expences af building, the great falaries and
mcreafe of performers, together with the uncertain returns of
their theatres, they both found they had changed fituations fot
ihe worfe. Woodward was the fint to fmellout his miftakc 1
p.nd making the beft bargain he could with Barry, to be paid hi%
O^ZTC in annuities, he fet fail fgr England, rejoined his old corp^,
^ - 4. - - an4^
BARRY- M7
yind in a tery laughable prologue (which is ftill well remem-
bered) reftored himfelf to the public favour.
fiarry ftaid but a few feafons behind him ; as in 1 766 both he
and Mrs. Barry played that fummer at the Opera Houfe in the
Hay Market, under Mr. Foote. Here it was Mrs. Barry made
her firft appearance on the London (lage. Her chara£ter was
Defdemona ; in which, though there is not much for a performer
to exert herfelf, yet in this (he (hewed fuch judgment, tender-
nefs, and ezprelSon, that our engli(h Rofcius, who was then in
the pit| declared her an aflrefs of the (irft (lamp. Indeed it was
a proof he was ferious, as he foon after engaged her, along
with Mr. Barry, at a very confiderable falary ; and in that he was
a true prophet, as (he afterwards minutely fulfilled his predidion, -
by unqueftionabiy ^ftablidiing herfelf the (irft adrefs on the
1>riti(h (tage.
Little remains now to be faid of Mr. Barry, than that about
the year 1773 he quitted Drury-Jane for Covent garden ;
when an hereditary gout (which occafionally attacked him from
his earlieft days) rendered his performances notDnly infrequent,
but imperfed 5 yet it is but juftice to the memory of this ftage
luminary to declare, that even in this un(ini(hcd (late of his
S^ers, cramped aches, and bowed down with infirmity, like
arius fitting upon the ruins of Carthage, he gave us an afFc£l«
ing pi£lure of what he once was ; his voico, which to the laft
retained its filver cadence, turned us into fympathy, and his fine
conception of the poet warmed our imaginations to feel tha
reft.
yfe cannot here refift the inclination to infert what was pub*
lt(hed by a genius of that time, under the title of " EfTufions to
the. theatrical memory of Mr. Barry :
" Barry looked the lover better than any body ; for he had the
fineft petfon, and fmiles became him ; nor did he a£l it worfe
than he looked it, for he had the ereateft melody in his voice,
and a moil pleafing infinuation in his addrefs. To excite pity
by exhibitions of grief and afHi£lion, is one of the moft arduous
taiks of a tragedian : ** Is it not monftrous, (fays Hamlet) that
this player here (hould in a fiction, in a dream of paflion, fo force
his foul to his conceit, that, from his workings, all his vifage
warmed $ tears in his eyes, diftradion in his afpe£l, a broken
voice, and his whole function fuiting with forms to his conceit ?"
Thefe were Barry's excellencies, and in thefe he ilood unrival-
led. His mien and countenance were fo ex pre (five of grief, that,
before he fpoke, we were difpofed to pity ; but then his broken
throb fo wrung our foul with grief, that we were obliged to re-
lieve ourfelves by tears [m]. In Macbeth, Barry was truly great,
•
[m] Of this we had eioioent in^ncci in £0ez> Jaffier, and Lear, and almoft every
(banker he placed.
1 3 particularly
ii8 BARSUMA.
particularly in the daj^gcr-fcenc : his pronunciation of the worda
" There's no fuch thing" were inimitably fine ; he fpokc them
as if he felt them. In his performance of Lear he gave confi-
derablc marks of his judgment, by throwing a very ftrotig and
aft'e£Ving caft of tendernefs into his character ; he never loft
fight of the father ; but in all his rage, even in the midft of his
fcverell curfes, you faw that his heart, heavily injured as he
was, and provoked to the lad excefs of fury, ftill owned the of-
fenders for his children. His figure was To happily difguifed,
that you loft the man in the aftor, and had no other idea in his
firft appearance, than that of a very graceful, venerable, kingly,
old man : but it was not in his perfon alone he fupported the
charafter ; his whole action was of a piece ; and the breaks ii\
his voice, which were uncommonly beautiful, fcemed the effeft
of real not counterfeited forrow. The advantage which he had
from his perfon, the variety of his voice, and its particular ap-
titude to exprefs the differing tones which forrow, pity, or rage
naturally produce, were of fuch fcrvice to him in this charafter^
that he could not fail of pleafing ; and his manner of playing
Lear appeared perfeftly confiftent with the whdle meaning of
the poet. If any performer was ever born for one particular
part, Barry was for Othello. There is a length of periods, and
:'^n extravagance of paffion in this part, not to be found in any
other for fo many fucceflive fcenes, to which Barry appeared
peculiarly fuitable : wnth equal happinefs, he exhibited the
hero, the Jover, and the diftrafted hufband : he rofc through
all the paffions to the utmoft extent of critical imagination, yet
ftill appeared to leave an unexhaufted fund of expreflion behind.
In the charafters of Anthony, Varanes, and in every other, in-
deed, in whigh the lover is painted with the moft forcible co-*
louring, we ihall not look upon his like again.
" I can hardly conceive that any performer of antiquity could
have excelled the aftion of Barry in the part of Othello. The
wonderful agony in which he appeared when he examined the
circumftance of the handkerchief; the mixture of love that in-
trudcd upon his mind, upon the innocent anfwers which Def-
demona makes, betrayed in his gcfture a variety and viciflitudc
of padions fufficient to admotiilh any man to be afraid of his
own heart, and llrongly convince him, that by the admiflion of
jealoufy into it, he will ftab it with the worft of dagg'Ts. Who-
ever reads in his clofet this admirable fcciie, will fi.ui that he
cannot, except he has as warm an imagination as Miakefpcare
himiVlf, perceive any but dry, incoherent, and broken fcntcnces :
a reader who has feen Barry a6l it, obfcrvcs, that there could
not have been a word added ; that longer fpecchcs would have
been unnatural, nay impofiiblc, in Othello's fituation "
BARbUMA, or Barsoma, metropolitan of Nifibis, was the
perfon
B A R T A S. 119
perfon who revked the opinions of Neftonus, under the em*
pcror Juftinus. There are by him feveral epidles, fermons and
commentaries oil the fcripture ; he even compofed a new Li^
turgy : all his works are in the fyriac language. There is an*
other Barfuma, fumamed of Kark, from his being born in that
city, which the antients called Petra defer ti, and the moderns,
Xark de Montroyal. He was archimandrite, and propagated
the notions of Eutychius. We have a book by him in fyriac, in-
tituled, Dobro, which treats of good government i commentai-
rics on the fcripture, and feveral epiftles.
BARTAS (GuiLLAUME de Salluste du), was born at
Monfort in Armagnac in the year i J44, the fon of a treafurcr of
France,* and not on the eftate de Bartas, which is in the vicinity
of that little town. Henry IV. whom he ferved with his fword,
and whom he celebrated in his verfes, fent him to England, to
Denmark, and to Scotland. He had the command of a com-
pany of cavalry in Gafcony, under the marechal de Matignon.
He was a calvinift, and died in 1 590 at the age of 46. The work
ihat has mod contributed to render his name famous, is the
|>oem intituled. Commentary of the week of the creation of the
. world, in feven books. Pierre de TOftal, in a miferable copy of
verfes addrefTed to du Bartas, which that lord has prefixed to
his poem, fays that this book is ** greater than the^ whole uni-
vcrfc,'* This piece of fuilian praife on the dulleft of all verfi-
fiers, was adopted at the time 5 but has been rejefted in ours.
The ftyle of du Bartas is low, incorreft, improper, and con-
temptible J his defcriptions are given under tlie moft difgufting
images. He fays, that the head is the lodging of the under--
fianding ; that the eyes are two fliining cafements, or twin
ftars; the nofe, the gutter or the chimney ; the teeth, a double
pallifade, ferving as a mill to the open gullet; the hands, the
chambermaids of nature, tlie bailifs of the mind, and the cater-
ers of the body ; the bones, the pofts, the beams and the columns
of this tabernacle of flcfh. Wc hare feveral other works by the
feigncur du Bartas. The moft extraordinary is a little poem,
compofed to greet the queen of Navarre on making her entry
into Nerac. Three nymphs contend for the honour of faluting
her majefty. The firft delivers her ftupidities in latin verfes,
the fccond in french verfes, and the third in gafcoh verfes. Du
Bartas, though a bad poet, was a worthy man. Whenever the
military fervice and his other occupations left any leifure time,
he retired to the chateau de Bartas, far from the tumult of arms
and bufinefs. He wi(hcd for nothing more than to be forgotten^,
in order that he might apply more cTofely to ftudy ; this he tef-
tifies at the conclufion of the third day of his week. Modefty
and fincerity formed the charafter of du Bartas, according to the
accotimt of nim by the prefident de Thou, " I know (fays that
1 4 famous
lao B A R T H.
famous hiftorian) tliat fome critics find his ftyld extremely figu**
rative, bombaftic, and full of gafconades. For my part, adds he,
who have long known the candour of his manners, and who
have frequently difcourfed with him, when, during the ciyil
wars, I travelled in Guienne with him, I can affirm, that I
never remarked any thing of the kind in the tenor of his beha-r
viour ; notwithflanding his great reputation, he always fpoke
with Angular modefty of himfelf and his works." His book of
the Week, contemptible as it is, was attended with a fuccefs
not inferior to that of the bcft performances. Within the fpace
of five or fix years, upwards of thirty editions were printed of
it. It found in all places, commentators, abbreviators, tranila-
tors, imitators, and adverfaries. His works were coUeded and
printed in 1611, folio, at Paris, hy Rigaud.
B ARTH (John), born at Dunkirk, was the fon of an humble
fiflierman, is more known than if he had owed his birth to a
monarch. Before the year 1675, he was famous for a variety of
a£ls no lefs fingular .than valiant. To particularize them all
would take up too much of our room. His courage having
been fignalized on a variety of occafions, he was appointed in
1692 to the command of a fquadron confiding of feven frigates
and a fire-(hip« The harbour of Dunkirk was then blocked up
by thirty-two (hips of war, englifh and dutch. He found the
means to pafs this fleet, and the next day took four englifli vef-
fels, richly freighted, and bound for the port of Archangel. He
then proceeded to fet fire to 86 fail of merchant (hips of various I
burdens. He next made a defcent on the coafl of England, near |
Newcaftle, where he burnt aoo houfes, and brought into Dun- I
kirk prizes to the amount of 500,000 crowns. About the clofc I
of the fame year, 1 692, being on a cruife to the north with three j
men of war, he fell in with a dutch fleet of merchant (hips '
loaded with corn ; they were under convoy of three (hips of |
war : Barth attacked them, captured one ot them, after having 1
put the others to flight, which he then chafed, and made himfelf 1
matter of 16 of their number. In 1693 he had the command of '
the Glorieux, of 66 guns, to join the naval armamerit com-
manded by Tourville, which furprifed the fleet of Smyrna.
Barth, being feparatcd from the reft of the fleet by a ftorm,
had the fortune to fall m widi fix dutch veflels, near to Foro,
all richly laden : feme of thefe he burnt, and drove the reft
a(hore. This a£live and indefatigable feaman fet fail a few
months afterwards with fix men of war, for convoying to France,
from the port of Velker, a fleet loaded with corn. He conduced
it fuccefsfully into Dunkirk, though the englifti and the dutch
had fent three fliips of the iine to intercept it. In the fpring of
1694 he failed with the fame (hips, for returning to Velker to
join a fleet again loaded with corn, This flce( had already left.
the
3 A RT H. ' i2|
tlic port, to. the number of a hundred fail and upwards, under
cfcort of three dani(h ^nd fwedifti flaips. It was (net bctweeii
the Tcxel and the Vlee by the vice admiral of FrieflaiiJ. Hidde^
who commauded a fquadron compofed of eight (hips of war^ ha^
already taken pofleifion of the fleet. But on the morrow Barth
came up with him at the height of the Texel ; and, though in-^
ferior in numbers and weight of metal, retook all the prizesf|
with the vice-admiral and two other {hips. This briiiianc aclioii
procured him a patent of nobility. Two years af rearwards, iu
J 696, Jean Barth occafioned again a confiderable lofs to the
dutch, by capturing a part of their fleet which he met at about
fix leagues from the Vlee, His fquadron confided of eight vef-
fels ojt war and feveral privateers ; and the dutch fleet of 200
fail of merchant {hips, efcorted by a number of frigates. Barth
attacked it with vigour, and boarded the commander himfel^
took 30 merchant Ihips and four of the convoy, without fuffer--
ing any more than a trifling lofs. He was however unable to
i:omplete his triumph. Meeting almoft immediately with twelve
dutch men of war, convoying a fieet to the north, he was obliged
to fct fire to his prizes to prevent their falling into the hands of
the enemv. He himfelf efcaped only by being in a fad failing
flijp. This celebrated mariner died at Dunkirk the 27th i5
April 1702, of a pleurify, at the age of 51. Without patrons^
and without any thing to trud to but himfelf, he became chef*
d'efcadre, after having pafled through the feveral inferior ranks.
He was tall in dature, robud, well made, though of a rough an4
cliunfy figure. He could neither write nor read •, having only
learnt to fubfcribe his name. He fpoke little and incorredtly j
ignorant of the manners of polite companies, lie exprefled an4
conduced himfelf on all occafions like a failor. When the che<«
Talier de Forbin brought him to court in lOgr, the wits of Ver^
Tallies faid to one another : Come, let us go and fee the cheva^
licr de Forbin with his Icd-bear. In order to be very fine on
that occafion, he appeared in a pair of breeches of gold tiflue|
lined with filver tiflue 5 and, on coming away, he complained
that his court-drefs had fcrubbed him fo confoundedly that hp
was almod flayed. Louis XIV. having ordered him into hi^
prefence, faid to him : " Jean Barth, I have jud now appointe4
you chef-d*efcadre." — '* You have done very well, fir/' returned
the failor. This anfwer having occafioned a great burft oC
laughter among the courtiers, Louisi XIV. took it in another
manner. " You are midaken, gentlemen, faid he, on the niean^
ing of the anfwer of Jean Barth j it is that of a man who know^
his own value, and intends to give me fre(h proofs of it. Ta
conclude, the new chef-d'efcadre was nobody except when^oq.
toard his fliip ; and there be was more iitted for a bold a£tion
than
121 BARTHOLIN.
than for any proje£l of tolerable extent. In 1780 a life of thU
celebrated naval commander was publiflied in i2mo.
BARTHELLMI (Nicholas), a benediainc monk of the xvth
century, born at Loches, compofed fome latin poems very hard
to be found : Epigrammata Momiae, Ennex, in 8vo, the two
firft without date ; the third, of 1 531, contains pieces that turn
on fubjefts of devotion. De vita a£liva et contcmplativa, 1523,
8vo, in profe ; Chriftus Xylonicus, a tragedy, in four afts^
1531, 8vo,
BARTHIUS (Caspar), a very learned writer, bom at Cuftrm
Sn Brandenburg, 1587 [n]. His father was profeflbr of civil
law at Francfort upon the Oder, counfellor to the eleftor of
Brandenburg, and his chancellor at Cuftrin. Having difcovered
in his fon very early marks of genius, he provided him with
fTopcr mailers ; but he enjoyed only a little time the plcafurc
cf feeing the fruits of his care, for he died in 1597. Mr. Baillet
lias infcrted Cafpar in his Enfans celebres ; where he tells us,
that, at twelve years of age, he tranflated David's pfalms into
Jatin verfe of every meafure, and publiflied feveral latin poems.
Upon the deatli of his father he was fent to Gotha, then to
Eifenach, and afterwards, according to cuftom, went through
all the different univerfities in Germany. When he had finiflied
fcis ftudies, he began his travels ; he vifited Italy, France, Spaing
England, and Holland, improving himfelf by the converfation
and works of the learned in every country [o]. He ftudied the?
modern as well as ancient languages, and his tranflations from
l!he fpanifh and french (heW that he was not content with z
fuperficial knowledge. Upon his return to Germany, he took
up his refidence at Leipfic, where he led a retired life, his
faffion for ftudy having made him renounce all fort of employ-
ment ; fo that as he devoted his whole time to books, we need
be the lefs furprifed at the vaft number which he publifhed.
Barthius formed early a refolution of difcngaging himfdf en-
tirely from worldly affairs and profane (Indies, in order to apply
himfelf wholly to the great bufmefs of falvation : he did not
however put this defign in execution till towards the latter end
of his life; as appears from his Soliloquies, publifhed in 1654.
He died Sept. 1658, aged 71. His principal works are his Ad-
yerfaria, in folio; and his Commentaries upon Statius and
Claudian, in 4to.
BARTHOLIN (Caspar), born 1585, at Malmoe, a town in
the province of Schoncn, which belonged then to Denmark,
At three years of age he gave a proof of his capacity ; for in
fourteen days he learned to read perfettly* At thirteen he com-
pofed greek and latin orations, and pronounced them in public :
{n] Niccron, tom.vii. p. 14. [o] Nijccron, tom.Tii. p. 15.
and
BARTHOLIN, 123
mnd at eighteen, he went to ftudy in the univerCty of Copen-
hagen [pj. In 1603 he removed to Roftock, and thence to Wir^
temberg. He continued three years in this laft place, where he
applied himfelf to philofophy and dirinity with fo much aflicluity,
that he rofe always before break of day, and went to bed very
late. When he had finiflied his (ludies, he took his degree of
mafter of arts in 1607.
Bartholin now began his travels 5 and, after having gone
through part of Germany, Flanders, and Holland, he pafTed
over to England, whence he returned to Germany, in order to
proceed to Italy. After his departure from Wirtemberg, he had
made phyfic his principal fludy ; and he neglected nothing to
improve himfelf in the diflerent univerfities through which he
paiTed. He received everywhere marks of refpeft ; at Naples
particularly they foIHcited him to be anatomical profeflbr, but
he declined it. In France he was offered the greek profeflbrfliip
at Sedan, which he alfo refufed. After he had travelled as far
as the frontiers of Spain, he returned to Italy, in order to perfcft
himfelf in the praftice of medicine. He went from thence to
Padua, where he applied with great care to anatomy and dif-
fedion. ^fter feme ftay in this place he removed to Bafil, where
he had ftudied phyfic fome time before -, and here he received
his doilor's degree in phyfic in 1 6io [q^]. From thence he went
to Wirtemberg and Holland, and intended to have extended his
travels ftill farther, had he not been appointed profeffor of the
latin tongue at Copenhagen ; but he did not enjoy this long,
for, at the end of fix months, in 161 3, he was chofen profeffor
of medicine, which was much more adapted to his qualities
and difpofition. He held his profeflbrfliip eleven years, when
he fell into an illnefs, which made him defpair of life : in this
extremity he made a vow and promife to heaven, if he was re-
ftored to heakh, that he would apply himfelf to no other ftudy
than that of divinity. He recovered, and kept his promife. Conrad
Aflach, the profeflor of divinity, dying fome years after, Cafpar
was appointed his fucceffor, the 12th of March 1624 ; the king
alfo gave him the canonry of Rofchild. He died of a violent
colic, the 13th of July 1629, at Sora, whither he had gone to
conduA his eldcft fon. He left feveral fmall works, chiefly on
metaphyCcs, logic, and rhetoric.
BARTHOLIN (Thomas)^ fon of Cafpar, a famous phyfician,
born at Copenhagen the 20th Oft. 16 16. After fome years
ftudy in his owi) country, he went to Leyden in 1637, where
he ftudied phyfic for three years. He travelled next to France ;
where he refided two years at Paris and Montpelier, in order
to improve himfelf under the famous phyficians of thefe two
[r] Niceron; torn. vt. p. zii, [q^] Ibid. p. 124.
univerfities.
124 BAR TOLL-
^ ttniverfities [r]. He went from thcpce to Italy, and continaed
three years at Padua, where he was treated with great honour
and refpe£l| and was made a member of the Incogniti by John
Francis Loredan. After having vifited moft parts of Italy, he
I went to Malta. From thence he returned to Padua, and next
I to Bafil, where he received his do£lor's degros in phyfic, the
I J 4th of Oft. 1645. The year following he returned to his na-
tive country, where he did not remain long without employ-
I went ; for, upon the death of Chriftopher Longomontan, the
I , profefl9r of mathematics at Copenhagen, he was appointed his
I iucceiTorin 1647. ^^^ ^^4^ he was named to the anatomical
{ ^air 'y an employment more fuited to his genius and inclination^
I which he difcharged with great alEduity for thirteen years. His
i intenfe application haying rendered his conllitution very in-
firm, he reHgned his chair in 1661 1 and the king of Denmark
allowed him the title of honorary profeflbr* He retired to a
little eilate he had purchafed at Hagefted, near Copenhagen,
where he intended to fpend the remainder of his days in peace
^nd tranquillity. An unlucky accident however difturbed him
in his retreat : his houfe took fire iu 1670, and his library was
deftroyed, with all his books and manufcripts. In confideracion
of this lofs, the king appointed him his phyfician, with a hand-
fome falary, and exempted his land from all taxes. The uni-
verfity of Copenhagen were likewife touched with his misfor-
tune, and appopited him their librarian \ and in 1675 the king
honoured him {till farther, by giving him a feat in the grand,
council of Denmark. He died the 4th of Dec. i68o. He has
Jcft fevcral works [sj.
BARTLET (John). He was many years minifter of St»
Thomas's near £xeter, and much elleemed by the pious bifliop
Hall. After he was ejected for refufing to comply with the
^£1 of uniformity, he continued to preach privately to a fmalt
congregation at jExcter, where he died in a good old age. He
was the author of a volume of meditations, and two pra£ticai
catechifms.
BARTOLI (Daniel \ a learned and laborious jefuit, born
^t Ferrara in 1608. After having profcfTed the art of rhetoric,
and afterwards for a long time devoted himfelf to preaching,
his fuperiors fixed him at Rome in 1650. From that period
tUl his deatl> he publiflied a great number of works, as well
[aj Ni(
^iceroii) torn. vi. p. t^t. 410. 4. Antiquitatum Teteris puerptrii
. Anatomia Cafpari Bartholini pa- rviiopfiSjOpcri magnoad cruditos praemilTa,
rcrttii novis obfervalionihus primtim lo- Ilafniae, 1646, 8vo. 5. Dc luce anima-
cupietaU- L. Bat- J64 • 8vo. z, De uni- lium Itbri tres, admirandis hlfloriis ratii
cornu obfcrvationes novae. Acccflcnantde onibufnuenovis rcfcrii. L^Bal. 1647, 8vo,
aurcocorn'i Olai Wormii crudiiorum ju- 6. Ue armillis yeterum* praefctlim Daao.
oicia. Patavii, 1645, 8vo. ^. Ue mun- turn St^hcdioii. Hafniz; 1642^, Svo.
ftris iQ naiura et oicdicina. Bjidi, 164^1,
Wftorical
BARTON. tig
liiftorical as others, all In the Italian language. The moft known
and the moft conflderable is a hiftory of his fociety, printed at
Rome, from 1650 to 1673, in 6 vols, folio ; tranflated into ladA
bjrperc Giannini, and printed at Lyons in 1666 Sc feq. All
his other work$, the hiflorical excepted, were collected and
publiihed at Venice in 171 7, 3 vols, in 4I0. Both the ohe and
the other are much efteemed, no lefs for their matter, than for
the parity, the precificn and the elevation of their didion : and
this jefuit is regarded by his countrymen as one of the foremod
writers in the italian language. He died at Rome in 1685, at
the age of 77, after having fignalized himfelf as much by his
virtues as by his literary attainments*
B ARTOLOCCI (Julius), a cittercian monk, born at Cckno
in the kingdom of Naples in 1613, profeflbr of the hebrew
tongue at the college of the Neophytes and Tranfmarins at
Rome, died Nov. 1, 1687, aged 74. There is by him a Biblio-
theca Rabbinica, 4 vols, folio, 1675. The feuillant Imbonati,
his difciple, added a 5th vol. to this work,i^hich is no lefs cu«
rious than learned. The title runs thus : D. Julii Bartolocctt
Ac Celans, congregat. fanfti Bernardi ref. ord. Ciftercienfis^
bibliotheca magna rabbinica de fcriptoribus & fcriptis hcbraicisi
ordine alphabetico hebraice Sc latiiie digeftis ; in folio, 4 vols«
Rom. 1675.
BARtON (Elizabeth), commonly called " The holy Maid
t)f Kent,** was a religious impoftor in the reign of Henry VIIL
whofe hiftory may be very edifying. She was a fervant at Ald^
Ington in Kent, and had long been troubled with convuliiotlsv
which diftorted her limbs and countenance in the flrangeft
manner, and threw her body into the moft violent agitations ;
■nd the cflfea of the difordcr was fuch, that, even after (he re^
covered, (he could counterfeit the fame appearance. Mafters>
the minifter of Aldington, with other ecclefiaftics, thinking het
• proper inftrumcht for their purpofe, perfuaded her to pretend^
that what (he faid and did was by a fupernatural iiUpulfe y and
taught her to aft htf part in the moft pcrfeft manner. Thus
<he would lie as it were in a trance for fome time : then, coming
Co berfelf, after many ftrange contortions, would break out intd
pious ejaculations, hymns, and prayers; fometimes delhrcring
nerfelf m fet fpeechcs, fometimes in uncouth monkifti rhymes*
She pretended to be honoured with vifionS and revelations, to
fccar heavenly voices, niid the moft raviftiing melody. She de-
claimed againft the wickcdnefs of the times, againft herefy ani
innovations ; exhorting the people to frequent the church, td
hear mailes, to uft frequent confefTions, and to pray to our ladjr
«nd all the faints* AH this artful management, togethct with
great exterior piety, virtue, ahd anfterity of life, not only det-
ceived the. vulgar, but irtany far above the vulgar, fuch-^s-lil:
• • • ' V Thomas
ia6 ]8ART0^r.
Thomas More, bilhop Fiflicr, archbifhop Warhata ; the laft 6^
whom appointed commiilioners to examine her. She was now
inftruded to fay, in her counterfeit trances, that, the bltfled
Virgin had appeared to her, and aflured her that (he ihould
never recover, till fiie went to vifit her image, in a chapel dedi-^
cated to her in the pariih of Aldington. Thither ihe accord-
ingly repaired, proceflionally and in pilgrimage as it were, at-
tended by above 3000 people and many perfons of quality of
both fexes. There (he fell into one of her trances, and uttered
many things in honour of the faints and the popiih religion : for
herfelf (he faid, that, by the infpiration of God, (he was called
to be a nun, and that Dr, Bocking was to be her ghoftly father*
Dr. Bocking was a canon of Chrid church in Canterbury^ and
an a(rociate in carrying on the impofture. Meanwhile, the arch^
bi(hop was fo fatisned with the reports made to him about her«
as to order her to be put into the nunnery of St. Sepulchre, Can-^
terbury ; where (he pretended to have frequent infpiration s an4
vifions, and alfq to work miracles for all fuch as would make a
profitable vow to our lady at the aforefaid chapel in the pariih
of Aldington. Her vifions and revelations were alfo carefully
€olle£led and inferted in a book, by a monk called Deering.
The priefts, her managers, having thus fucceeded in the im-^
pofture, now proceeded to the great obje£t of it ; and Elizabeth
Barton was dire£led publicly to announce, how God had re-
vealed to her, that, ** in cafe the king (hould divorce queen
Catherine of Arragon, and take another wife during her life^
his royalty would not be of a month's duration, but he (hould
die the death of a villain.*' Bi(hop Fi(her, and others, in the in-
tereft of the queen, and of the romi(h religion, hearing of this»
held frequent meetings with the nun and her accomplices ; and,
at the fame time, feduced many perfons from their allegiance,
particularly the fathers and nuns of Sion, the Charter-houfe and
Sheen, and fome of the obfervants of Richmond, Green wichf
and Canterbury. One Peto, preaching before the king at Green*
wich, denounced heavy judgements upon him to his face 5 telling
him, that " he had been deceived by many lying prophets j
while himfiplf, as a true Micaiah, warned him, that the dogs
(hould lick his blood, as they had licked the blood of Ahab."
Henry bore this outrageous infult with a moderation very re-
markable for him : but, to undeceive the people, he appointed
Dr. Curwin to preach before him the Sunday following, who
juftificd the king's proceedings, and branded Peto with iht
epithets of " rebel, flandercr, dog, and traitor." Curwin, how-
ever, was interrupted by a friar, and called " a lying prophet,
who fought to ellablifh the fucceflion to the crown by adul-
tery 5*' and proceeded with fuch virulence, that the king wag
obliged to interpofe, and command him to be filcnt : yet, though
9 Peto
Warwick. uj
Peto and the fmr were afterwards fummoned befoife the councily
they were only reprimanded for their infolence.
Encouraged by this lenity of the government, the ecclefiaftics
in this conipiracy refohred to publiih the revelations of the nun,
in their fermonS) throughout the kingdom : they had communi-
cated them to the pope's ambafladors, to whom they alfo intro**
duced the maid ot Kent i and they exhorted queen Catherine
to perfiil in her refolutions. At length this confederacy began
to be a very ferious affair, and Henry ordered the nkaid and her
accomplices to be examined in the (lar-chamber. Here they
confeffed all the particulars of the impofture ; and afterwards
appeared upon a fcaffbld eredled at St. Paul's Crofs, where the
articles of their confeihon were puUkly read in their hearing*
Thence they were conveyed to the Tower, until the meeting of
parliament ; who, having confidered the affair, pronounced it a
confpiracy againft the king's life and crown. The nun, with
her confederates, mailers Bockin^, Deering, &c. were attainted
of high treafon, and executed at 1 yburn, April ao, 1534 v where
(he confeiTed the impollure, laying the blame on her accomplices
the priefts, and craving pardon of God and the king.
It is remarkable, that the hiftorian Sanders, in his latin work
upon certain martyrs for popery, under Henry VIII. and Eliza*
bedi, would willingly reckon this nun and her people among
them, though their own confefSons juftified their condemna-
tion: fuch is oftentimes the effrontery of religious zeal*
BARWICK (JoHN)y a very eminent divine,, was born at
Witherflack in VVeftmoreland, on the 20th of April 161 2^
and educated at Sedberg-fchool in Yorkihire, where, fays Mr.
Granger, ** he gave many early proofs of an uncommon capa-
city, and particularly dillinguiftied himfclf by adding the part of
Hercules, in one of Seneca«s tragedies." In the eightcemh year
of his age he Was fent to St. John's college, Cambridge, where
he prefeutly outflionc all of his age and Handing ; and was fa
remarkable for his abilities, that, when he was little more than
twenty years of age, he was chofen by the members of his col-
lege to plead their caufe in a controverted elcftion of a ma(ler,|.
which was heard before the privy -council. In the time of thcr
civil war, he was inllrumental in fending the Cambridge plata
to the king; publiilicd the Querela Cantabrigicnfis, in which he
had the chief hand j and wrote againft the covenant. He after-
wards retired to London, where he undertook to manage the
king's correfpondencc between that city and Oxford ; which he
executed with great dexterity and addrefs. He alfo carried on
a feeret correfpondencc with Charles, whilft he was at Carif.
brook-caftlc ; and was, on many other occafions, of Cngular fer-
vice to him. After the decapitation of his royal maftcr, he
ferved his ion and fucceflbr^ king Charles II. with the fame
zeal
lis B A S.
veal and fidelity. He was a man of extraordinary CkgSLtntjyiaS '
a fertile invention, an enterprifing genius, as well as great
courage and prefcnce of mind. He was at length betrayed by
one Boftock, belonging to the pod-office ; and underwent a long
atid fcvere imprifonnient in the Tower of London* Here, how-
ever, though (hut up in a dungeon, and otherwife treated with
extreme rigour, yet, by the force of temperance (confining him-
lelf to a vegetable diet and to the drinking of water )> he re^
covered from a dangerous and inveterate didemper. Upon his
enlargement, he renewed his corrcfpondence with the king, and
is faid to have furniflied lord Clarendon with a great part of the
Aiaterials for his hiftory. He conveyed money to his majefty^
fays Mr* Granger, after the execution of Dr. Hewit ; and was
to dexterous in all his conveyances5 that he even eluded the
tigiiance of fecrctary 'Ihurloe. .
Upon the reftoration of king Charles IL he was offered by
his majefty, as a reward for his merit, firft the bifliopric of
Sodor and Man, and afterwards that of Carlifle ; but he refufed
tfaem.both, and contented himfelf with the deanery of Durham^
together with the redory of Houghton-le-Spring which he had
Ibme time before obtained. In 1 66 f, he exchanged the deanery
ef Durham for that of St. Paul's, London ) which lad, though
kfs valuable than the former, he readily accepted, confcious that
his being called to it was folely for tne fervice of the churchi
This new preferment he enjoyed about three years, dying of a
pkurify on the aid of Odober 1664, and was interred in St.
cathedral.
BARWICK (Peter), phyfician, brother to John Barwick,
dean of St. Paul's ; a man of uncommon (kill and diligence in his
ttrofeflion, was very fuccefsful in the fmall-pox, and in feveral
Kinds of fevers. He wrote the life of the dean his brother in
pure and elegant latin, which was publifhed vAth. a preface by
Mr. Hilkiah Bedford^ 1 72 1 , large 8vo. His defence of the Eikon
Bafilike again d Dr. Walker, difcovers tlie peeviflinefs of old
age, though much loyalty. He wrote an excellent defence of Dr.
Harvey's dodrine of the circulation of the blood. He was re-*
fpe£led by all that knew him for his abilities and great humamty*
Died Aug. 170;.
BARZERINI, the furname of Abdalmumen, more known
under the appellation of Nahui Zadeh. He is author of the
Hafchiat, i. e. the podills to the book of Samarcandi, intituled^
Adab al bahath, of the method that ought to be obferved in
difputes. — There is another Barzerini, commonly called Hagi^
or Hadi Zadeh, who compofed in turkifh verfe the book in*
tituled, Erkian al khamis al Eflamiat, the five columns or grounds
of mufulmanifm.
fiAS (Le), a famous fren(:h engraver-, had an happy expre&
fioa
Basil* 129
ton in engraving lanJfcapes ^hi fea pieced. His fet of prints^
after Veniet, in conjunftion with Cochin, are very finely exe-
cuted, particularly Anribes and Cette. His pieces in the col-
lection intituled, The Cabinet de — — Crozat, have merit. His
Village Recompence, from Claud Lorain, is admirable* His
other bed pieces arc, Fiemiih feails after Berghen, Feniers and
Wouvermans. All the feads of Strafl>ourg, on occafion of the
king's recovery. Ditto of Havre-de-Gracc— ^The works of Tc-
nicrs, &c. Died fincc 176c.
BASIL (St.), bifliop of Cftfarea in Cappadccia^ where he
was botn in the year 3261 He received the firft part of his
education under his father. He went afterwards and iludied
under the famous Libanius at Antiochia and Conftantinople,
and from thence to Athens} where, finifliing his liudies, he
Tttumed to his native country in 355, and taught rhetoric.
Some time after he travelled into Svriai ^gypt, and Libya, to
vifit the monafterics of thefe countries j and the monaftic life
fo much fuited his difpofition^ that upon his return home he
vefolved to follow it, and became the firil inilitutor thereof in
Pontus and Cappadocia. Eufebius bifhop of Csefarea conferred
die order of priellhood upon Bafil, who foon after retired into
his folitude, having had fome mifunderftanding with his biOiop |
however, he eame fo a reconciliation with him about three
years after, and his reputation was at length fo ^reat, that, upon
the death of Edfebiusi in 370, he was Chofen his fucceflbr* It
was with fome difficulty that he accepted of this dignity ; and
no foonef wills he raifed to it, than the emperor Valens began
Co perfecute (rim becaufe he tefufed to embrace the do£lrine of
the Ariads. Valens came twice to Csefarea, and finding he was
tiot able to influence Bafil, refolved to banifli him from that place*
He ceafed at len^h, however, to moleft Bafil, who now began
to ufe his utmoft endeavours to bring abotit a re-dnion betwixt
the eailem and weftem churches, then much divided about
fome points of faith, and in regard to iMeletius and Paulinuj^t
two biihops of Antiochia. The weftem churches acknowledged
Paulinus tof the lawful bifhop, and would have no communion
with Meletius, who was fupported by the eaftern churches. But
all his efibrts were ineffeAual, this difpute not being terminated
till nine months after his death. Bafil was Iikewiie engaged in
fome contefts relating to the divjfion the emperor had made of
Cappadocia into two provinces. Anthimus, bifhop of Tayane,
the metropolis of the new province, was defirous to extend his
limits, which BaOl oppofed. They contefted chiefly about a little
village named Zazime. Bafil, In order to preferve it in his ju-
fifdiflion, ere£led a bifhoptic, and gave it to his friend Gregory
of Na2ianzen, but Anthimus took poflTeffion before him ; and Gre-
gory, who loved peace^ retired from thence. Bafil had alfo fome
VOL. II. K difputes
I30 BASINGSTOKE.
.- ■ ; •■ • - .- ■•". '•■• r •;-!
difputes with EuftathiuSf and wro^e JeyQr^l letters againft him.:
he wrote like wife againft ApolUnsM'i^j apd had 9 (hare in all thp
< difputes which happened in his time in .the caft concerning tl^
• daftrine of the church. He died tW 1 ft -of January 3.79. . /
There have been feveral editions of St. Bafiris works in greejc
rand latin. The firft was that of Venice,- 1535, in greek: the
wlaft and bctt is that pf Parisj in 1721, 1722; and 1.730^ by the
benedi£l:ine monks, in 3 vols, folio, greek and laitin« ;
: BASILIDES» a famous theologian of th? fecond century, and
; bead of the kA called .after hi^n BaHIidians. Hei was born at
: Alexandria in itgypt> and becamp a dif/ciple.of Men^der, thou^
. he' gave himfelf out, as the dif<9ipk • of .GJ^ucia« . the interpreter
of .St. Peter.. He wrote wany/bpok6,;whiQh arc n.<>w.Joftt Cle-
mens Aleaiandrinus, .qites ^the. agd >Qf hi^ expljicatioas. of tl^e
; gofpel, but of whait gofpiil ii^ d<>ub^ful;, prol^aWy it n}igbt be
0 one written by nim,. apd which >bQ^re hia name. In imitation of
- Pythagoras he obliged his fphoUr? to. a five year3 fdenpcj teac^i-
j ing them to know al\,.aud pci^etratde .all j, themfejve^ being ip-
ivifible, aad unknowa. .Kiip^ lyftmfclf,; fays he, and, let; nobody
' know you. The many mul^'aotj, and- cannqt know thcix affairf ;
; htut only oile of a ihoufand, ^nd two .of: ten thoufand. Itiis
•; not at all. proper for you to.blvurt ovit your myfterie^, h^p to ic-
r tain.thtim. in fiLcncc. In. the early times rof chriftianiiy Jt w^s
• common to be 'initiated ii)to thp «gy.p^ian.,myfteriefliji wher«an
! the fame rule: wjasftri|£tly<)bferv^di as iajpbUcusfpeak,s,^* What
• belongs feldom aqd lately to .<Hie,, to w|gr4R.|he end o( his fagrfd
ofhce, this we ought notitp .4ifc<c>vei! iniPoi9nv>n to all ; no, por
r to fuch \(r'ho! are newly- eT9teied4nH>.the myfterie^i nor even
, to fuch as are got halif wiay/V Aftier, h(^ h^d fpread his doctrine
. over the grdateft,partiof .,ipgyp;, .he.di^d at Alexandria about
- the year r j<3vaeooiiding. to FIciury, and in 133, according to Jeroin
3 and TillemOnt; • , , ,.{/ . . f ./..' ,,- -.. t •
BASINGSTOKE/ or BASINQSiCJohh)* » diftinguifhcd fi-
Iterator of .the i^iiith wntnryj-^^yp^jis a.oative of 3aCng^ke in
1 .HampflniDe. .Tie ftuAied firft.at Pji^fyfAi ?nd aftcifwards at Paas
: t*he;re he c<)nt}nued;fc.Veral yeaf^*,, jHe travelled to Athens, from
f. whence he brought a great nwmbjcr of gxpek ftlSS. tp England,
t [and is faid> to- h4ve introduced the ufe of the greek numeral
l.;figures herie^ He was a mai).o.f conQderable learning confider-
/ing the.ag^ he livpd in. H.e wa^ preferred to the ajrchdcaconry
i^. of i London, and not long aftei; to that<pf iicicefter, by .Robert
: . Groftete, bifhop of Lincoln, with ?fi^m he was very intijOiate.
- He was a great promoter of greek learning. He died,,'according
•' to Leland, in the reign of Henry III. r2S2» His works are ;fi?r-
» .mons, and a book intittiled, Particulae feptcnU^ri^m per diftir^c-
f 'ticmec; befides pther compjofitions and tr^nflations^ a^^the Do-
r .njrtus^of the greeks, which he, tranflated out of ereej^iinto ktiti.
B ASIRE,
V\AA6IRE (DufJsAACpj boHiki the iflc of J«|fcy, in th^ bcj-
j^inning of the xviith century jw^s educated in t|ie limverfi^
of Carabridge,. where he iqdmmebccd dofltor in divinity. Hd was
king^s ch^plain^and archdeacon of Northumberland In the year
1640. When the rebellion brojcet out, he retired to Oxford, where
be preached frequently before the king/ In the year I646; when
the kixig was forced to quit tfee. field, Dr, Bafire traveUed into
the Streights stnd Levant, to recommend the do£lnne imd con-
ilkutjoQ pf the church of England to the greeks, &c. Bein^
in the'Mpfea,he*pjeached twice in greek^ at a meeting of feme
of die biftiops and cjergv, being rcqiicfted to that performance
jby the metropolitan of Achaia, . From thence he embaijked fpr
Syria, where continuing fome months at Aleppo, he tnade ai
acquaintance with .the .patriarch ctf A^ntipch. From Aleppo he
travelled over Fa)ae(tinc, ^nd went to Jerufakm, where he Was
yery rcfpcdlfully veceiyed by the clergy, and religious, both cf
the preek and latin church } from th'e laft of whifch, he had thp
privilege of viewing the temple of the Sepulchre, at the rate,
an^ unde? the. charaflter- o( a prieftf , And. now .'returning to
'Aleppb^he paflcd the Euphrates into ^(tefopotartiia, ftom wheni:;c
he took arrange to Cgnftantinople in 1653 \ and ftaying ' fome
jti^e in this^ityiiKe moved |iomeward as far as Tranfy]vahU»
:Wherc he was entertained by prince George, l^agotzi 1 1, wiflo
preferred him to the divinity profeflor's chair. Upon the rjC?-
(loratibn of king Charles II. he returned to England ; was rc-
poflcflod of his, archdeaconry, and n\ade prebendary of DurhanJ.
He was si perfon of confideriable. parts and learniiig, and remark-
fably loyaL He died in QiJibber 1^76. Hi^ works are : Deo ic
.Eccfcfi^ae facrum^<)r SagrUege -;ajr|iigned and. cpndemtiedby.St.
Paul, Ronu.ii, 22.' Dis^triba de AntiquaEcclefioe Britannic^
. libqrtate. A lexter to fir. Richard Brpwrij^ re|ating'h\s trax^els, %j{d
.endeavours to. p^opagpte the knowledge of the dbflririe* and^dit-
'ciplihe, edablln^Cfl Jn jhe . Vltannlc '^hurch, among the'Gi'eekl,
.Arabians, &Cj.TKe liiftory of the, englifli and fcotch prcfbytefy,
&c.. The deiy hian's,real fpcccK-j being a fermon preached at
the funeral of bifcop Cofins, &c,
BASKEfeVILLE (JohnJCt]: This celebrated printer was
born at. Wolverley,, in the ; county of Worccfter, in ijod,
heir to a paternal cftatc bf6ol. per annum, which fifty years
after, while in his own poiliflionj had increafed to 90I. He was
trained to np pccupaUon, but In '^ 726 became a writing-maftcr
.at Birou^jghamJ— In 1737. he. ^^^g^^ ^'^ fchpol in me bull-
rjpgi and i^ iaid to i\ay^ written an e;cccHcht hand.
* . As painting fuitej^ hi? t^len^§# he entered into the lucrative
Ibranch of japanning,,and reCd-edat No. 22, in Moor-ftreet ; ami
.in 1745'he topk* bwjdliig lca.fe of eight acres two furlongs,
-1 » j^yjH4>T tOMy HiftDfy.o£Biniup|ham» . . * .
.; ..**/ K 2 north*
tjt BASKERVILLE*
north-weft of the town» to which he gave the name oT Eaiy
Hill) concert :d it into a little Eden, and built a houre in the
centre : lut t'le town, daily increafing in magnitude and popu-
lation, foon furrounded it with buildings. — ^Here he continued
thebufin^ffs of a japanner forlife: his carriage, each pannel of
which was a diftmd pidtore, might be. conhdered the pattern
card of his tradci and was drawn by a beautiful pair of cream-
coloured horfes.
His inclination for letters induced him, in 1750, to turn his
thoughts towards the prefs. He fpent many years in the un-
certain purfuit, funk 600L before he could produce one letter to
pleafe himfelf, and fome thoufands before tiie (hallow fiream of
profit began to flow.
His firft attempt in 1756 was a quarto edition of Virgil,
frice one guinea, now worth feveral. He afterwards printed
aradife Loft, the Bible, Common Prajer, Roman and Engliih
Clai&cs, &c. in various fixes, with more latisfadion to the literary
world than emolument to himfelf.
In 1765, he applied to his friend the eminent and excellent
Dr. Franklin, then at Paris, to found the literati rcfpeAing the
Jurchafe of his trpes; but received for anfwer, ** That the
rench, reduced oy the war of 1756, were fo far from being
able to Durfue fchemes of tafte, that they were unable to repair
their puolic buildings, and fuSered the fcaflblding to rot before
them.**
In regard to his private chara£ler, he was much of a hu-
snourift, idle in the extreme, but his invention was of the true
Birmingham model, aAive. He could well defign, but procured
others to execute : wherever he found merit he carefled it : he
was remarkably polite to the ftran^er, fond of (hew : a figure ra-
ther of the fmaller fize, and delighted to adorn that figure with
lid lace. Although conftru£ted with the light timbers of a
[gate, his movement was ftately as a (hip of the line.
During the twenty-five laft years of his life, though then m
his decline, he retained the fingular traces of a handfome man.
If he exhibited a peevifli temper, we may (:onfider that good-
nature and intenfe thinking are not always found together.
Tafte accompanied him through the different walks of agricul-
ture, architedture, and the fine arts. Whatever pafTed through
his fingers, bore the lively marks of John Bafkerville.
His avcrfion to chriflianity would not fufler him to lie among
chriftians ; he therefore ereded a maufoleum in his own grounds
for his remains, and died without ififue in 1775, at the age of 69.
'—Many efforts were ufed after his death, to difpofe of the types^
but to the lafting difcredit of the britifh nation, no purchafer
could be found in the whole common-wealth of letters. The
ontverfities coldly rejected the cflfer. The London bookfellers
under*
t
BASKERVILLE. 133
imdcrflood no fcience like that of profit* The valuable property
therefore lay a dead weight till purchafed bj a literary fociety
ai Paris in 1779 for 3700I.
It is an old remark| that no country abounds with genius fo
much as this iiland ; and it is a remark nearly as old, that ge«
nius is no where fo little rewarded : how elfe came Dryden^
Goldfmithj and Chatterton to want bread? Is merit like a
flower of the fidd, too common to attract notice ? or is the ufe
of money beneath the care of exalted talents f
Invention feldom pays the inventor. If you aflc what fortune
Bafkerville ought to have been rewarded with i The mod which
can be comprifed in five figures. If you farther aflc what he
poflefled ? llie leaft i but none of it fqueezed from the prefs.
What will the (hade of this great man think, if capable of think*
ing, that he has fpent a fortune of opulence, and a life of genius^
in carrying to perfe£lion the greateft of all human inventionSji
and that his produ£tions, flighted by his country, were hawked
over Europe in queft of a bidder ?
VVc muft revere, if we do not imitate, the tafte and oecoflomy
of the french nation, who, brought by the britiQi arms in 9762 to
the verge of ruin, rifing above diftreft, wer<; able, in feventeen
years, to purchafe Baflcerville's elegant types, refufed by his own
country, and to expend an hundred thoufand pounds in printt
ing the works of Voltaire.
BASKERVILLE (Sir Simon), knight, of the ancient family
of the Bafkervilles in Herefbrdihire, an ei^cellent fcholar and
eminent phyfician, famous for his flcill in anatomy, and happy
pradice in the time of king James I. and king diaries I* bom
at Exeter 157.'?, was the fon of Thomas Bafkerville, s^n apothe*
cary of that city ; who, obferving an early love of knowledge
and third after learning in his fon, gave him a proper education
for the univerfity, to which he was fent when ^bout eighteen year^
old, entering him of Exeter college, in Oxford, oh the loth of
March, I59i> putting him under the care of Mr. William Heln^,
a man no lefs famous for his piety than learning ; under whofe
tuition he gave fuch early proofs of his love of virtue and know<p
ledge, that he was on tne firft vacancy ele£ted fellow of that
houfe, before he had taken his bachelor's degree in arts, whigh
delayed his taking it till July 8, 1596, to which he foon after
added that of M. A. ; and when he was admitted, had parti^*
cular notice taken of him for his admirable knowledge in the
languages and philofophy. After this, viz. 1606, he was chofen
fenior pro£tor of the univerfity« when he bent his ftudy wholly
to phvbc, in the knowledge 6t which ufeful faculty he became
a mou eminent proficient, and was then in as great efteem at
the univerfity for his admirable knowledge in medicine, as he
had been before for other parts of learning, taking at once, by
K 3 accumu-
accumulation (June io,l6ii), both his (degrees therein, viz.*"*
that of bachelor iand dbflor. Aftef many years ftudy and in-
dultry, leaving the univeffity, he cahie to London, where he-
became of great emihency in his profcflion ; being a member of ^
the college of phyricians,and fpr fome time alfo prefident there-
of. His high reputation for learning, great Ikill and jgood foc-
cefs in phyhc, foon brought him iiitS vogue at, court, where ht^
was fworri phyfician to James I. arid ' aiterwitds to Charles I.*
^i^h w^qm^ j\lr. Wood tells us, he was in fuch efteem for hisr
learning and aqcompliflimentsi that he conferred the honour of,
knighthood upon hjm. By his praftice he obtained k very^
plentiful eftate, and (liewecJ in his life a np^e fpirijt fuii^able to
the largenefs of his fortune. What family he left belides hi&
wife, or who became heir to all his great wealthy, we can no.
^ays find. He died July 5, 1641, aged 6H, arid was biiried ia'
the cathedral' church ot $t. PauU-^No phyfician of that age*
coiild, we ima^me, hav6 better prafitic^e than he, if what is re-
ported of him DC true, viz. that he had no lefs than one hundred
patients a week ; fo that it is npt at all {grange he (hould amafs
10 great an heap of wealth, as to acquire the title of Sir Simon
Baflcervilfc the rich tuj. .' ' ' ' ' '^ * '
' BASN ACE (James), paflqr of the Waltoon church at thrf .
Ragot^ born at Rbari in Normandy, the 8tly qf Augult l6$^^
pis fathcTj I U-nry BafniigCy yn^ of th^ ableft a^ivocates in th^
!>:irliamcnt of Normandy, finding him of a'promifing'geniu^^
ent him Virry young to SaUniiur^ whejrc he liudied under the ce-
lebrated Tahatiuil Faber, whp endeavou,rcd, but in vain, to dif-
tViade him Fro vn Engaging Jn the- miniftry. At feventeen year^
Mc(lrezat,.T^urr^tiii, c^i^d ^rroriciirn ;.>rid fiiiiflidd them at Sedan|
lihd^^ thCiprof^iipr^^ J^ and Xe Blanc de'Beaulleu. Whcfi
He tad completed hiS; ft udies, he returned to Roan, where he
h capacity he rcmaineq
3teftant religion being
I, t^e king to retire t^
Jlofland I^X tf ^flictettled ^^t Hotteifdam,.and was a minifter
p^pfipnary tnefe till i,oc|i,\wfen he was cbofe^ paflor of the
>V^^llgonchWch of 'that city. \' Jle had fbme dlfpures with M.
Jiirieu, wbic^ fomcwhaj di^fMrbcifl his repoie, , tliouph they did
hot intcnupt hts ftiidieis (}r labours : M. Jurieu approved of the
Vevolt pf the Cevehnois, which M. Bafnaj;e comUnuied.
, lu 1709, penfiofjary IXieinlius £ot him cTiofcn one of the
pallors of the Walloon church at the Hague, intending to era-
[u] Biografhia Brlutmict. ' ' • [x] Njciron, t&m. iv. p. 296.
6 ploy
pky him not only in religious but in (late, affairs, ,He was em-
proyed in a fecret negotiation wuK marftiiil d'Uxeiles, plenipo- [
tentiary of France at the congircfe df Utrecht ; and he executed
it. with fo much fuccefs, that he was afterwards entrufled with
feveral important cpmmifDdps, ajf which he difcharged in fuch '
a manner a^ to gain ^ great cKarafter for abilities and addrefs: '
upk>n which a celebrated ^riter has faid of him, that he was -
fitter to be a niirtiftcir of fl[ate than df a parilh [yJ. Cardinal '
Aouillon, who was then in Holland, communicated to him all ■
his concerns with the ffates. 'The' abbe du Bbi^,'who was at -
the Hague in I7i<5, as ambaff^ddrt^lcfnipottntiary from his moft *
chrifliaa rtajeftv, to . negotiate a defch five alliance between'
FV?nce, Englaiid, and'tbe States General, was , orde-red by the*
dlike of drreans,' regenr 6( f'tai1i;e, .tb apply 'himfelf to M. ;
Bafnage, and to follow, his' advice* : they accordingly a£l:ed in •
cbucert, and the alliance wis concluded in January 1717 [2]. '
As a reward 'for his'fcrVice, he obtained the reftitution of all •
his eftate.and ^ffefts iii Pfdnce; M. Bafmigc. k^pt an epiftolaryi
cbrrefpondencd with''feVeraI princes, nobiomen of high rank,
a^d minifters'of ftate^ both cathoHc and proteftant, and with a-
jfreat many learned men in France, Italy, Germany^ and'Eijg-^
land. *The catholics cftecmed him no lefs than the proteftants." -
His, con rtitutiOn^ which had been' hitherto Very ^rrti, began'
to give w^y In ijii^^dh^'a (iomjtlfcatibn of dtucmpcrs carried
him off the'ii^ of D^drir/ber 1^3 ^a^. ' He was a man of tlic
utmoiL Cncerity and candour^ tven in tjic minuteft affairs, which-
fliioc forth no Jeis ihaii'hls eruditipn.in the numerbas works he
hasleft:--. •■;••'■"•. \^f ; ' '/'•;-" ' " ■''■•^ •' -' -" ^
: BASrfApE\HENiRY)| fitAr,at'1BetitfvaI,;fecptidfpri'toHfenry^^
ind 'brother to Jarties,^^ppl,i:ed.hirhrelf'to the^'ftudy'oF the law/
;^nd wa^ iadfnltfed ardv'ocdtp'tp JhW^ai^iathett^^ of Roan,' 1679/
He did i^oc'attend'thc barirtimddiately upon hHs;std^ buf
went to Valencia, vt;hVre't^ ffuclied uu'dei*, M. ^e Mirvillc/
hfr Wea't^ft 'part 'of hi
diedMaVdhid. 1716. '" ' ••;'•■ '''^^ -; ■ ; ''; '•'■- •"'
^ BASS'aKJ QArii^^ 't>u P^irt-y/^ 'rtairiter; bbm 'i^lo, in' tW
Tillage of' Ba'ffangj, fitu'ifed^i ^^ Venice: ' Hisfai
&er Priihfcis/ihftructed'hjrfi'm '^ ftrft ' 'j^rincrpleb of his art^
and the Works' 6f Ti^iin'ahd Parmifdh,;'!)itt"'aVove 'aFl a careful
ftucljr of nartifi^e, ei^abled'him to im'prdve aH4 ciifplay thpfehappjf
talents he tad for, I'paii^tm HfH^ed 'chiefly in th^ country,
where Jic'g^vip h^nrfeif moftly \o paini^iiig of la,f^afcape& dhd anil
•'[lf}i9ec!Toitaire' id >hU caralogne o£ NU] Ibid; i>m.i«. p<;Tft7. /: •-:':,
^ ■ TV 4^ *" • ^jxnisi
136 BASSANTIN.
mals. He had made himfelf well acquainted with hiftoiy, and
havirif; likewife a good deal of knowledge in polite literature^
this furnifhcd him with excellent fubjcds. He had great fuc«
cefs 1:1 landfcape and portraiture. He has alfo drawn feveral
night-pieces ; but it is (aid he found great difhculty in repre«
fenting feet and hands, and for this reafon thefe parts are ge«
nerally hid in his pi£lures. Annibal Carrachci when he went
to fee BaiFan, was fo far deceived by the reprefentation of 4
book drawn upon the wall, that he went to lay hold of it«
BsiiTan was alfo a great lover of mufic^ and ufed tp amufe him^
felf with gardening \ and amongil the plants which he reared, we
are told that he would often intermingle the figures of ferpencs
and other animals, dr^iwn fo much to the life, that one could
hardly mifs being deceived. I'he pieces of this p;(inter are fpread
over Europe ; Titian purchafed many of them : there were feveraj
alfo in the french king's cabinet in the royal palace, and in the
hotel de Touloufe. He died at Venice in 1592,
BAiSSANDYNE (Thomas). He was educated at Antwerp,
from whence be went to Paris, and afterwards to Leyden, where
he learned the art of printing; and, returning to Scotland 1558,
he joined himfelf to the Lords of the Congregation, as the refor*
mers were then called ; and afterwards fet up a printing-houfe
in Edinburgh, where he printed an edition of the BiOipp's Biblci
in folio, IS7^- He printed feveral other pieces, but thefe are
now become fcarce. He died 159 it
BASSAHTIN (James), a fcots aftronomer in the xvith cen^
tury, whofe writings have defervedlj tranfmitted his memory tQ
pofterity, was the ion of the laird ot Baflantin in the Merfe, and
porn fome time in the reign of king James IV. He was kn%
while young to the univerfity of Glafgow ; where, inftead of
applying himfelf to words, he (ludied mings ; and, while other
young men of hi\ age were perfediing themfelves in dyle, h^
arrived at a furprifing knowledge, for that time, in almoft all
branches of the mathematics. In order to improve himfelf iq
this kind of knowledge, and to gratify his paflion for feeing
other countries, he travelled, foon after he quitted the college of
Glafgow^ through the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, apd Ger-
many, fixing himfelf at lad in France, where he taught the ma^
thematics with applaufe, in the univerfity of Paris. He fell in:
there with the common notions of the times, and was either
credulous enough to entertain a good opinion of judicial aftro-
|ogy> or had fo much addrefs, as to make the credulity of others
lifeful to him, by fupporting an erroneous fyftem, then in too
great credit for him to demolifh, even if that had been his in«
clination. For the humour of believing fuch kind of predic*
tions never ran fo ftrong as at this time, nor ran any where
ftrox^ger tlian in that country. At laft| having a defire to fee
hit
}
BASSANTIN. 137
hh retattons, and fpend his remaining days in his own countrf^
he refolved to quit France) where he had acquired a high re«
fiutation and fome fortune, and returned home in the year 1562.
t feems he made his journey through England i and, as he wa«
entering the borders of his native country, he met fir Robert
Melviiy a very worthy gentleman, and a moil loyal and faithful
fervant to his unfortunate millrefs, Mary queen of Scots \ with
wliom he entered into a converfation on the then ftate of affairs,
which eained him the reputation of being deeply verfcd in thofo
(tyled the occult fciences. But, whoever maturely weighs what
pafled in that conference, of which we have a molk authentic
account, will fee good reafoii to believe^ that our learned author
was more a politician than a prophet^ or tlfe that he talked at
random, and on falfe or precarious principles. It does not at
all appear in what manner he fpent the remainder of his life^
after he came back to Scotland ; but it is certain he did not
furvive long, fince his deceafe happened, as thofe who were well
acquainted with him atteft, in 15O8, As to his learning, wo
are told by thofe who admired it moft, it lay not in languages,
of which, except his mothjr-tongue, he knew none thoroughly,
though he fpoke and taught in trench, but in a very incorre6t
manner, and wrote much worfe. He had very clear notions in
moil parts of his writings, and was far from being a contemptible
aftronomer, though the commendations beftowed on him by
fome authors very far furpafs his deferts. He was too mucn
tin£iured with the fuperftition of the times, not to intermix a
¥aft deal of falfe, and even ridiculous (luff in his writings, on
the virtuous afpe£ls, and influences of the planets } yet in other
refpeds he (hews much good fenfe and induilry, wnich render
Jiis works very well worth reading, and ought to fecure both
them and his memory from oblivion, as they are fo many in-
dubitably teftimpnies of his merit. As to his relidon, he is re*
Eorted to haye been a zealous proteAant ^ and, with regard to
is political principles, he is faid to have adhered to the famous
earl of Murray, then ilruggling for that power which he after-
wards obtained. *^The works publiflied by our author were
thefe: i. Aft^onomia. Jacobi Baflantini Scoti, opus abfolutif-^
iimum, &c. In englifp thus ; The aftronomy of John Bafiantin,
# Scot ; a complete work ; wherein whatever the moft expert
mathematicians have obferved in the heavens is digefted into
fuch order, and in fo eicad a method, that every one may hence*
forward apprehend whatever, as to the ftars and planets, their
orbs, motions, paflions, &c. can l3e delivered ; a work large and
learned, now ^hrice publiflied in latin and french. Geneva, 1599,
fol. 2. Paraphrafe de T Aftrolabe, avec une amplification de Tufage
de I'aftrolabe. Lyons, 1555} and again at Paris 1617, ^^^-
3* Super matbematica genethliaca ^ i. e. of the calculation of
nativities*
Mathefi in gcneflfe*^*-Thc ivqry titles of his. works, joined to the [
age in which be .floiuiihe^y Sufficiently iuftify his right to a
place in this wqrk,;. &nd» thpugb be mi^ have foibles^ yet '
'mithottt doubt, his pra^^ical/ikill; was. g|^q^, and ^e ]p^i»s he '
took cofitfibuted not.a Iktl^ lo bri/ig in that aP9{^a(;y ^nd cor-* -
TQ&ncf^ tapbfforififrtioasy whicli luive eSe^aallj e^^^odg^ thofe^^
fuperftitions. to: vthichj .wiitb f^thpr/gfeat men^!he wa^.i^ob mucb
addUkcd{jcJ. . v:..-, : :•.•: v;;,,.:-..* .- /-':'■/ :'> ,
::BlASSET<P«Te?.)[.DO,,a ge/itlcman of. a good f^miljr,' and',
awritcr in the q^vth cetitury^ wpas chamberlain to king Ueiiry V. '
He waa a^^onftantat'tqtyiant po, ^l\ac brave prince« and an. eye -
witmsfa b| n)Oft'0f hisi glorious ^ions^all^ whicK he particular] V '
defcribedi aAd; faithfaUy rj^cedr . ?or begmnirfg at his. rendered '.
years, he ga^c a fullaccoupcof t^is. expeditions into France, his ;
giorioUfll. viftpries in that copntrv, his iipnouraUe peace with!
Charles VI( \ his ip&rriage with tne princ^fs Catl^rine, his co-'
rooatjon at. Parish and finally hU deat^, and the cqronatiop of
lys fonlienryiVI. Thc(e (evcialrQnwkaj^l^cyent?* iPeter BafTct '
cpmprii^d in one Yolumc, which he intituled, ** fbe acles of
Henry V/ ' This book was never printed y but is £xtant io MS. ,
IB the college of Heralds, and perhaps. In fome other i>lace^. He \
makes H^nry V- to have died of a.pieurify, which is contrary,
to what all the other hiftoxianjs a£i^.r-rFeter BaSeit fiouriihed!
about the year 14^0.
iBASSlTH AL.JCHAIATH, jiutborof a.treatlfc on prayer,:
with the title, Eradat al tbaleb u aiadat alvaheb*, Thp deGre.
of him whp aiks or pr:ays,. a^d th$ advantage that God grants
to him that ptays. £haiath fignifiqs aXavlor. The mufulnrians,.',
inifed to oiCces atid pofts of ihonoyrj, think it.. no disgrace tO;
bear the names <Kf thb ajts wbi<^h ^hey themfdves or their fa«!
tliers have followed* i » , :.
. BASSOMPlERRE . (FRftN^ois ;ȣ!, cojonel^gencrarof the!
{wifs guards, aad marechal de France in; 1 O^o, was bprn in Lor-
raine of a family of diltinftion in the year 157.9. 1 he cardinal
de Richelieu, who had to complain .of his cauitic tongue, and
who. dreaded all thofe by whom he th9ught he might pne day.
be eclipfedi caofed him to be clapped up ir^ the Kaflille in 163 1*
Baflbmpierre bad forefefen the afcemiancy whicli ^hc capture.
•f Rochelle» the bjulwark pf . the proteiUnts^ woula give to
that minider ; and therefore wa& heard tofay on that occaHon i
You will fee that we IhaJl be fools enough to take Rochdku
He palled the time of his coniinement in reading and writing.
Oijc day as he was bufily turning, over tbe leaves of the Bible {
Kjlalleville aiked him what be was looking for ? '* A paiTagQ
[c] Bipgraphia Briumuca. ^ £p] Ibid. vol. i. p. 678. ,
.: .. . .: * •- * ■ ., — .* , ^^^
that Icahnot fihd,'*'return<^-rtit "marfeclial/ This'pi^
way to get out of prifon. - Hef p he cbnlpoifed - hi« Mcinoir^"
pYinted at Cologne in '1665, 3 vds. Like tht generality of this*
fere of books, it contains foiti^ curiotis ant^cdotesy und a grealT
many trifles. Thej begin at 1598, Atiid terminatein 1631. Hill
detention lafted th^elve ycara- It was not tilLaifte^' tie death of
Rrchelicu that he regained his liberty. • There 'fe al(b by hiolT
a; Relation of his embaflie^ ifmich' e (teemed,' 1665 and i#6S>i
Tvols. limo ; likewife Remark^ oh the hiftory of Louis XHI*''
by Dupleix^ in; iimo. a work foniewhat too'fatirical,>but curi^t
dus. Baflbmpierre Hvcd till the 1 2th of Ofltobcr 1646 : he wasl
found dead in his bed. He was a greit dealer in bons^smsts^i
\irhich were not always delicate. (>n his coming oiit of thcr^
Baillile he was become extremely dorpulent, for warn of excar*'
cife. The queen afkedhtm: Quand il accoueheroit ?i-Qiiaiiiff
E" urais trouy$ unc fage femme, anf^^red he 5 which wifl tiot>
ar a tranilation/ as the wit tutns on the double meanin|^
of fage fern me, which fi^nifies either a midwife^ or % fenfibii
'Woman. Louis XIIL' afked him his age^ almoft at the fame
dme : he made himfelf no more than fifty. The king fceming.
fiirptifed : " Sir/' atifwered 'BaOompierrc, I fabtracl ten year*
jifled in the baftille, 'becaufe ? 'did iiot employ them i» yoiti
ftrvicc." Although he hid- been employed in embaflies^ nego«
ti^tion was. not his prijicipal talent 5 out he pofleffed btheir
Qualities that qualified hfm for an ambaiTador. • Hi^ was a very
haridfonoe man^ had great prcfencc of hiirtdj vi^is aftablo^ Iftdy^
^d agreeable, of a' noble polifenefs, ■ and^ att ifticdninion gene-^
rofity: After his Hbetatioh from the' baft?i)te,r the duc^heft^^f
Aigailloti^ niece of the cardtnai de RichdieUV^ff^d him five
hundrdd thoufand Hvres to. dlfppfe of as he fltould< think jittii
per: " Madanfi (faid BafTompierre, ' ai hd thanfted li^t^ youi^
i^tlcfe has done me too miich harrti,- to alloHj^ me to teiseive fn
much goo^d of you/' He- fpoke all th^'langiiages of EufVOpe with
the fame facility as his own. Play and v*^imeri were hU tw<i
torcdomiTjaht baffibns. Being fectetly infomAed tlhat he was to
be arreftedjlierofe before day, and biirrtt upwards of fix tlioiu
fand letters, which he had reccited frona ladies of the icity dnd
fhecoiirt: "■''"■ ; ■ • *' ' • '• " ••/.•', • . ^ . • .-5
''BASTA (Gf^ORGt), originally "of Epire, was born at Rocoft
near Tire.ntum. X^^ '^uke of Parma, under whom be fcrved^
was' highly fatfsfied with the- fiiccefs of all- the affairi^ he dtW
truflied him witji. In I5g6 he threw provifions into Fere, be-
fieged by Henry IV. This enterprife was executed with a fe-
crecy and celerity that did him. great honour. The emperor
afterwards engaged him in his fervice. He fignalized himfelf
in Hungary and in*TranfyIvaaia^ where he conquered and re-
duced
i4%^ B A S T W I C K.
duccd the rebels. He died in or near the year 1607, and left
two treatifes on Military Difciplinc, which arc held in cftecm ;
the one intltuledi Le Maitre du camp general, Venice, i6o^.
The other turns on the manner of conduding the light cavalry^
Bruflels, 1624, 4to. Thefe two works are in italian.
BASTARD (Thomas) [e], a clergyman and poet, was bom at
Blandford in Dortfetfhire, and educated at Winchefter-fchool |
fjrom whence he removed to New College, Oxford, where he
was chofen perpetual fellow in 1588, and two years after took
the degree of B. A. But indulging too much his pafTion for
fatire, he was expelled the college for a libel. Not long after
he was made chaplain to the earl of Suffolk, through whole in-
tcreft he became vicar of Beer Regis, and rcdor of Hamcr in
bis native country, having fome time before taken the degree of
M. A* He was a pcrfon of great natur:;l endowments, a cele-
brated poet, and in his latter years an excellent preacher. His
converfation was witty and facetious, which made his company
be courted by all ingenious men. He was thrice married, as
appears from one of his epigrams. Towards the latter end of
his lific, being difordered in his fenfes, and thereby brought into
debt, he was confined in the prifon in All-Hallows paiiih in
Dorche(ler ; where dying in a very obfcure and mean condition^
he was buried in the church yard belonging to that parifh
^pril the ipth^ 1618,
BASTON (Rop^Rt) [f], a poet of fomc note in the xivth
century, and author of feveral works [g], was bom in York<»
ihire, not far from Nottingham* In his youth he became a
Carmelite mon)c, and afterwards prior of the convent of that
order at Scarborough. He was likewife poet laureat and public
orator at Oxford. King Edward I. in his expediton into Scot-
land in 1304, took him with him in order to celebrate his vic-
tories over the Scotg, But pur poet being taken prifoner by
the enemy, was obliged by torments to change his note, and
fing the fucceffes of Robert Bruce. Our author's poetry was
fomewhat barbarous, but not contemptible for the age in which
he lived. He died about 1310, and was buried at Nottingham.
BASTWICK (Dr. John), an englilh p^hyfician of the laft
century, who, however, was more diilinguifhed by the punifli-
ment he fuffered for writing, than for what he had written. He
was born at Writtle in Eflex, 1593, ^^^ ^^ Emanuel college,
Cambridge; but, leaving the univerfity without a degree, he
[;]
b] Biognph. Brit. C- De Sac^rdoCum Luiuriit. 6. Contra
r rj Ibid. Artilhi. 7. Pe Diviie et La^aro. 8. £pir-
[oj Bale and Pitf mention tht fellow* tolae ad Diverfot. 9. Sermooes Sync*
ing.: I. De Stritilrienfi Obiidione. 2. D« dulct. 10. A book of poems. 11. Avo«
Itero Scotorum bello. 3. Pe Sco(iae guer- lume of tfigcdict and comcdien in eng*
is variti. 4. De variit mundi lUtibuM Itfli.
travelled
BATE; i4t
CraTdled for nSne years ; and was made io^ot of phyfic at
Padua. He printed at Leyden, 1624, a fmall piece, intituled^
Elenchus Religionis PapiHicXi in quo probatur neque Apofto-
licaniy neque Catholicanij imo neque Romanam efle. 24to.
Afterwards, in England, he published Flagellum Pontificis et
Epifcoporum latialium : and though he declared, in the preface^
that he intended nothing again (t fuch bifhops as acknowledged
their authority from kings and emperors *, yet our englifli pre^
lates imagining that ibme things in his book were levelled at
them, he was cited before the high commii&on court, fined
1000 1, and fentenced to be excommunicated, to be debarred the
pra^ice of phyfic, to have his book burnt, to pay cofts of fuit,
and to remain in prifon till he made a recantation. Accordingly^
he was confined two years in the Gate-houfe, where he wrote
Apoloeeticus ad Praefules Anglicanos, &c. and a book called
The New I^itany ; in which he taxed the bifliops with an in«
clination to popery, and exclaimed againft the leverity and in«
juftice of the high-commii&on's proceedings againft him. For
this he was fentenced to pay a nne of 5000I. to ftand in the
pillory in Palace Yard, Weftminifter, and there lofe his earSf
and to fuiFer perpetual imprifonment in a remote part of the
kingdom. The fame fentence was, the fame year, 1637, pafled
and executed upon Prynne and Burton. Baftwick was con-
veyed to Launcefton caftle in Cornwall, and thence removed to
8t. Mary's caftle in the Ifle of Scilly, where nobody, not even his
wife, was permitted to vifit him. The houfe of commons, how-
ever, in 1640, ordered him, as well as the others, to be brought
back to London ; and they were attended all the way thither
by vaft multitudes of people, with loud acclamations of iov»
The feveral proceedings againft them were voted illegal, unjuft,
and againft the liberty of the fubjed % their fentence reverfed ;
their fine remitted j and a reparation of 5000 1. each, to be
made them out of the eftates of the archbifliop of Canterbury,
the high-commiflioners, and oiher lords, who had voted againft
them in the ftar-chamber.
Baft wick was alive in 1648 : when he died is uncertain.
BATE (John) [h 3, prior of the monaftery of Carmelites at
Tork in the xvth century, was born in Northumberland, and
educated at York in the ftudy of the liberal arts ; in which he
was greatly encouraged by the favour of fome perfons, his pa-
trons, who were at the expence of fending him to Oxford to
finifli his ftudies. Hate abundantly anfwered the hopes con-
ceived of him, and became an eminent philofopher and divine^
and particularly famous for his (kill in the greek tongue. He
took the degree of D. D. at Oxford, and aftervtrards diftmguiflied
himfelf
liJmftIf is'fti'^liffi^ Ft]. He died ^he g*th '^ J^niafcf ^r^Tjl^
AeliemmhgdfK. Henry the 6tV6Tclgn.' :j. .k
BATE (GfeoRtis^ an emiiierit phydcian, bom at Maid's
Morton, nei^r Buckingkam, 1608 [K]* At fourteen yeaite ctf agii
lie became one of the* clerlts of New colle^gc in Oxford : froi^
jirfiencd he wjts'fcttioved to Queen's coHege^' and aftcTwaTds ri
St* Edmatid^s halt. ' When hcTiad taken th* degrees df baeheldt
'arid maitef ofatts, he ' entered oh the .phyfie tih<Sf ^ and haviii^
taken a degree' ui thit faculty In 1629^ he 'obtained a licen^
^nd;fof fome years praftifed in and ab^t Oxford t'hia pradicd
Was thiifly amortgft the puritan^ ; who at* that tilde confidered
him as one bftheif 'party. In 1637 he took We de«^eetrf docloy
fa jihyfitt, tiTid became- very emfnent ih' his prdleiIion,'fo that
wben king Charles kept his court at Oxford^ ht was his prini
ciya! phyfician; When the king'^ affairaf decKned, Dr. Bate r^
InoVed to London, where he accbihmodat^d- hittifelf fo wcli to
ytiXi 'times,, that he became phyficiarf to t!heCh5arter-hei»fc, felloe
©f the: college of phyOciahs, and afterwahlA priiicipsll phyfiidiaii
to <MiVer Cromwelf. Nevertheleft, upon- the t^fteration he got
fnto. favour with the royal party, was mnlde prirteipal pJiyficiati
to the king, and' fellow of thie Rdyal Society 5 ahd this, we-ar«
kold, was owing to a' report raifed orf purpofe byihis' friendd^
accordrng to Mt.,Wood, that he ^aye the prbteftot d-dofe" which
feftened his death,' Dri Bdte wtdti; in latiii anadeoUnt of the
late commotions in. England, anS Ibrfi^ tyrfief pieces [Ti> H6
'died at his hotife inHattorr-gafden,' i66<;,^rtd Wa^ buried at
jKiirgflon upon Thames.* - •. ,' • ' r :i.: ."•
- Bate (J crrius) [M], wak ah imimate frrend of theeciebwitcd
■Hutc!iiiif6n i^i we'learri fr6m"'Mr.''8pearniah*s -life'-ttf that re^-
lrnarkjft>le authbT')^: bj^ whdfe reconiracntlation he obtained- foiiii
Cliarfes'dake of SofnTfcrfeil a ptefcntation to*the rivingofSuitou
' • ' •• -:••,. :•.. .'•;■: -.:••' • ' ^^./iir-ii • •• \ /r
\ fi] fTc wrote, i. On the' conliniOion /of Oiis' work (vaV'p?ffttW'it Londdh' in
%f T^e fartsoir T{>et(^.> k. 0<i Porphyry'fl * t66f}' ia^iUViK he^Mifc.MaUtei, bvi SNtlfe
univcrfalia. '\. On Anftotlc's praedica- papers !«a<,|>ip)«fyy-jo|wiac5^t5>r,iiy4c. A
ments. 4. On Pot Aanuf's (h prifiopics, |h«r4 part was compofcd aad' puSu'fhf <I in
^?. (JiiclVionscooceining tTicfoulI 6. Qf' ^6716, by t)r Skitinei'. ''
-rte "affamption oF the virg'"* 7^* <f»- - Be wrqte^lib ^iYkiU fqlldulngpJfcccs:
trodudiioQ to the feotences. S. Theprakfe u The JK)yai<apoi^^,x>r i^c 4cCla)nat1j^
jplf divinity. 9. A compendium of tox'c. of the common! in p*rli^mcnt, Fchru-
*jo. An addrcfs to the clergy oF Oxford, ary 11, it^i. Printed ^^"41^, in^4to\
'II. Synodical conferences. ii.Ifctefini- 2. TH raihUide, : lif e Motbd pUerilU ^i
slAt'iDni OD Ceveral queftions. 1 ^. A conirfe ?ulgo Rickety dicitur. t6{0, Syo. 3. After
,of fermoos for the whole .year. 14. A his death there came out a Difpeniatocv
preface to \he Bible. hy Mr. fames Shipion, apothecary^, mtf-
« fx] Wood's A then Oxon. .' - h^lcd'Phanmcopctia Baeana^.-iii qua oD-
(l] His iatin ^Nrork ii intituled Elcttchus Mgiqtaciroi^r phirasaca; pleroque (Anoia
^otuum nuperorum in Anglia, fimul ac e praKiGforgii B^tei regi Carolo II. pro-
juris regit et parliamcntarii hrevis nar- to'medtci ^erpta*. • Lond« r^SJ^J. ' ' *
ratio. It was printed at Parts in 1649, [m] Aaecdotes of Bowyer^ by Nicbels»
ud at Francfort in 1650. A i(BC0D4 part f. •595*.
ia
B A xVttAl^B E. V4<j
on Suflcxr^carhh rcat'at l^ct^ottKf^]: 'Mn^Bit^^tfcii
Hutchinfon in his laftinncfs (173^)* «irf Wrtsiiy him itt.'a h^olt
.ftriking manner re^pipmended 4o*the prote£^ioupf .aiii0tin(r^
friend, " with ^ ftrift charge not t6 ftfftir. his'labbnirti to-be-
come ufclcfs by ncglcA." . It having beeri reported that Htitchlii-
fon had recantecl th^ pubUcation of his writings to'Dr; Mea'd^
little before ^his death i that' circumKanci: was flatly contradidol
,by » letter from Mr. Bate [o], dated Atuiidel, January io^ ^759.
This learned writer died April 7, 1771;
BATECUMBE. (Willi am! [ip], an eminent mathematician,
.15 fuppofcd by Pits to. have floiMriflied about the year J420. He
ftudied at Oicford, where he applied hinlfelf to natural philo-
jfophy in general,, but' chiefly ^9 the mathematics, in which Ke
'made a very great proficiency, as is evident by his writiiigs[Qj
[wT His puWicadon* Hftrt^i, Aheflaf' ^c*rHr ^n^ifli dtdHonary without' pomtit
- towirds erplainUi; ' tke firfl <)iapi«r of^ &€• 1767^ 410; 14. A new and itteiU
! Gcnefiff hiMl^er. to.Mr.^W^rburtoo *t tfanflation from the ori^nal hcbrcw M
. 17419 '^vy- .«• Tht philofophical prifl- the f^entatcuch of Mofes, and oT the hif-
* ciples oT^Mbfes averted and, defended torici) books of the old Teftament, fo tiw
aqgfttfiftthe'mifrepriftntatM^bf Mr. lAiWd «nd' of the feoond hook, bf ktaigti vnftfa
Hi}niDg^.r9744h<9«P-. 3*, i(«l|ar1{s vpt^ Nc^tcicrlucal aadetplaiuteryy X757,4t9«
jMr. Wasbur^i^V rcmarksi ihewint* that . [oj Printed, in SMafman't life of Hut*
* (he incle^bkhewtnerr was a^fijtu reflate^ ctiirffony p.'xiii.<-^<5ne (hort paflagt ft^tk
^ -ftrtd that the jeW ivM«, mi ikin «» ^uai \i i^ here tratilifribe^ r '** J wic with Mr.
pt>vidence, 1745* 8vo. 4. The faith of Huichinfon all the iUnefa that robhcd lit
rhe anqjent jcwijiv-t|l«4«w of t ,M<^C9 ^4 . of rlpatjovaluable life, and am pofiti«e Dr.
' the evidence of the tj^pes, viiidl<at«d \n a Mead was never with him but whenT I wtt
* tetter to Dr. $teHing,if4r>Yvd-^M;iUh' by, and it waa but' a fiew bouts day jv
* V. i.aod Matthew-ii ^sef;oM:flQ4> ^749V pjgHt .that I.fwat from him. Mr. Hut-
. 8vOf 6« .Jni hebreiv ^aiomar'^ . forpfitrd ' chin^on had not been Tong ill^ when he
' on the uragc'of the words * by the*' jnfpirtd' took a djfgoft to I>r. Mtad, and-fort^
- writing '1 7 jc,;9^< 7.' The ii(V and i'vh^- %\i farther attendance { which* the do^or
» U^ 96 Pffplipicy^ JinA hiftoiiy of. ^ "i^^ much' wondered at, iind fcemed gre4tly.ao
, deaicd, J 7^, 2vo. This was pcotiioac^ reiept. Lucas, m^fe^f, aadfomebody el|e«
' Iby Nf iddletmi a examinakiOh of Sheilock. . V forgot who, were tbmding by the beti-
* %. Tiie bkEi^ff bt' Judlh 'and' ficob coi*^ : fide one days When Dr. Mead caoaein, uA
« Stardi;! JBid jne^Fnt-o^/Q^BtieiVwecks^. Ibekcrve it wy the laft time he was uf
. a0:eiuinedf IR two ,diCer^tiQ9S| 1753* ft?irt. ^ .Vfr.Hutchinfon,* fays the' dgc-
Ivo.' Q.Tfiie jhtegnty pfme'Kcbrewtett tor, ' among t)ther things,^ I cannot heJp
* ttA litany piffage^.^rNriiMiUi 9lnd»cjited • Mking ufton yon ai one of the old pfo->
'ftrai'ther obj^^ion} ^^^^inifffpftru^ioos • pheO* with ius dificiplea fttnding. ab^
i of Mr; ji^enoficaty 1755, .8vf. .,»a. A re- mm<Xiritl) concern and attention in tb^ir
ply to ''r>r.1Sh'irp*s' review; ani* defence f|Cej, catching up the golden words 'at
* of hfrilA^rtftittn-^n^^hbrci'ifkfdfe.meaa'^ theydropi* dr to that efii9d.^<^ Daav/
.•.in; of Eloin^od Acfithr-i'TSSf ^y9y t^^^y*.^^ Hutchinfon, < ifi am a.propyt*
' 4X« A reply to Ur. Sharp's review ao<i what are you? I have given vou fach
defence ot his ^iflTerfation on the /crip- ' evidence ; — look to it before it is ioo
' ture*thearnin|f of BtrUhj With an Ap* latSw" ;
^ .^ndis In v^fvtfr ft> .thfe £>Daer's dif. . O] Biog. BriC ,
. courfe on cherubim* part.ii. I75$t 8vp^ [g[] He wrote, |. De fphcrse concave
12. Remarks upon Dr. Benfon's fer- fahrica et ufu. 1. De fph«ra fol^a.
mon on thi go^p^l mettiod' of juftifica* 3. De operatione. aftiolabii. 4. Coadu-
tioo, 1755, 8vo. ij^Criticahebcxa^ or a fiones Ibphix.
• In the Preface tathe Divine Legation, 1740, ** one Julius Bale" is accufed, •< io
* coAjftndtoa'Wlib' Oder Roaalu^, >«f betraying converfatioir aad writing fiAitiottt let-
in
144 BATES.
in that fcienee, which introduced him to the intimaey and ze^
quaintance of the grcateft men of tbofe times. It is not knowli
when he died.
B ATEMAtJ (WiLLiAi^), hifliop of Norwich, was the founder
of Trinity-Hall| which y^ as originally an hotel or houfe of tn*
tertainment for ftudents. He ertded this hotel into a coI-«
lege Ik |. He was a great mader df the dvil and Cation law.
He died ahd was btitied it Avignon, 1354.
BATES (WiLLiam), an eminent ndnconformift divine, bom
November 162$, and educated at Cambridge fs]* H ewas en*
tered of tmanuel college, and thence removed to King's in
1644. He took th& decree of bachelor of arts in 1647, and
was admitted dodlor of divinity bf the king's letters, dated
Nov. 9, 1660. Soon after the reftoration he was appointed
chaplain to Charles II. and Wsis alfo fot {on\6 time miriifter 6f
St. Dunftan's in the Wed, but eje£led thence by the z€t of uni-
formity [t]. He was one of the commiflioners at the Conference
at the b-avoy in id6o, for reviewing the public Liturgy, and
aflifted in drawing up the exceptions againft the Common
Prayer. He was likewife chofen on the part of the minifters^
together with Dr. Jacomb and Mr. Baxter, to manage the dif-
pute againft Df. Pcarfon, afterwards bilhop of Cheftet, Df.
Gunning, afterwards biibop of £]y, and Dr. SparroWj afterwards
biihop of Norwich.
When the parliament fat at Oxford, during the plague in
London, they pafTed an a£i to oblige the nonconformius to takdi
an oath, " That it was not lawful, upon any pretence whatfo-
ever, to take arms againft the king ; and that they abhorred the
treacherous pofition of taking arms by his authority againft his
perfon, or againft thofe that are commiflioned by him, in piur«»
fuance of fuch commiflion ; and that they would not s(t any
time endeavour any alteration in the government of church and
ftate. Thofe who refufed to take this oath were to be reftrained
from coming (except upon the road) within five miles of any ,
city or corporation, or any place which fent burgefles to pariia^ I
ment. 1 he minifters finding the prefiure of the z€t rery greats I
ftudied how to take the oath lawfully. Dr. Bates confulted the lord '
keeper Bridgman, who promifed tp be prefent at the next fel&ons^ '
and to declare from the bench, that by ** endeavour to change the
government in church,** was meant only unlawful endeavour.*'
This fatisfied Dr. Bates, who upon this took the oath with fevera.
others. He wrote a letter hereupon to Mr. Baxter 1 but the latter
tellsus,that all theargumentscontained therein feemed to him not
fufficient to enervate the obje£lions againft taking the oath£u].
fn ] CanUb. Depia. [t] Reliquue Buteriaii«» ftc li&. u
1] Calamy's account of mmiften p. ii. 119.^
cjcded ami filenced after the ctftoniipn, [u] Reli^uis BMteutOSt fcc part iilL
>ol.i. p. 73« P-»-
Dr.
BATHURSTi 145
Dr. Bate^ bore ail excellent charafker, aind was honoured witii
the friend fhip of the lord keeper Bridgman, the lord chancellor
Finch, the earl of Nottingham, and archbiihop Tillotfon [x]<
He had been offered at the reftoration the deanry cf Coventry
and Lichfield, which he refufed ; and, according to Dr. Calamy,>
might have been afterwards raifed to any biihopric in the king-
dom, if he would have conformed to the eftabliftied chUrch. He
refided for the latter part of his life at Hackney near London^
and died in 1699, aged 73. During his life he publiflied the
lives of feveral eminent perfons, in latin [yJ ; and Hnce his death
his works have been printed in one volume in folio [z].
BATHALMIUSI, furname of Abu Mohammed Abdalla
ben Mohammed, who is ftyled Fadhel al Adib, excellent in
human learning. We fometlmes alfo find him called Ben Seid
Bathalbus and Bathalmius. He was of the family of Ali:
for which reafon he bears the name of feid or lord^ and died
in the year 421 of the hegira. 'The books of his compofing
are, i. Adah al Cateb, The qualities requifite in a fecretary and
a good writer. 2. Ketab al Ansab, A book of genealogies.
3. Afbab al Khelaf, &c. A work in which he folves the dif-
ficulties occafioned by the diverfity of fentiments that are met
with amorie the dodiors of the hanefian fe£t.
BATHURST (RaLph), an eminent latin poet, phyfician and
divine, born in 1620^ was educated in Trinity college, Oxford^
where he at firft applied himfelf to divinity ; but afterwards tb
phytic, and was empl6yed as phyfician to tne Gck and wounded
of the navy. After the reftoration of Charles II. he returned
to the ftudy of divinity} and having taken orders, was appointed
chaplain to the king, and admitted fellow of the Royal So-
ciety [a]. Sept. 16641 he was ele£bed prcfident of Trinity col-
lege; June 1670, was inftalled dean of Wells; and 1673 ^^^
1674, fcrvcd the office of vice-chancellor of the univerfity of
Oxford; April, 1691, he was nominated by king William and
queen Mary to the fee of Briftol, but refufed it, cnoofing rather
to reCde in his college^ the chapel of which he afterwards re«
built in a very elegant manner. He was a perfon of grea( ,
learning, and particularly celebrated for his poetical genius [b].
He
• [x 3 Ibid. p. ^4.. Mr. Itowe*! funeral the thirds tbofe difttngutilied for their
f<rmon on htm. Lend. 1699. HisAbridg- learniog. AAaeruditorum, Janaary 1683,
ment of Baxter, p. 516. p. 12.
[y] Thefe Uvea were written by dif- [a] They conitil of fermoni and dif.
fcrent perfont, and Dr. Bates colleded oaurfes oa the aaoft iipportaatfubjeds.
them int« one volume, imiioled *< VitaC [a] Wood'i Ath. Oxon.
feledorum aliquot viromm, qui dodrinay [6 j There are publifhed the following
dignitate, aut pietate inclaruere, ' 1 68 1 ," jfiecet by IX Bathu rft :
4tJ. The livei are divided into three daf- i. " Newcs from the dead, or a true
fcs : the firft containt the lives of princes and eta£l narration of the niiraculous de'
tod men of fuperior rank and quality: liverance of Anne Green, who being ex«.
Ibefecond, men ofeminencc in the church: cuted at Oxford^ t>.c 14, 1650, atter-
Vol. 11. L ^^^
146 B A T H U R S T.
He died in 1704, In the 84th year ci his age, and was buried ifi
the chapel of Trinity college. His life has been lately well
written by Mr. Thomas Warton of Trinity college, Oxford.
B ATHURST (Allen), earl, an englifh nobleman of diftin*
guillied abilities, was fon of fir Benjamin Bathurft of Pauler*»
P^rrv, Northamptonihire, and born in St. James's fquare, Weft-
minfter, Nov. 16, 1684 [c]. His mother was Frances, daughter
of fir Allen Apiley, in Suflex, knt. After a grammatical education,
he was entered, at 1 ^, in Trinity college, Oxford ; of which his
uncle, dean Bathurft, was prcfidcnt [n ]. In 1705, when juft of
age, he was chofen for Cirencefter in Gloucefterfliire, which bo-
rough he reprefented for two parliaments. He a£ted, in the great
oppofition to the duke of Marlborough and the Whigs, under Mr.
H7Tley and Mr. St. John ; and, in Dec. 1 7 1 1 , at that memorable
period, in which the admimftration, to obtain a majority in the
upper houfe, introduced 12 new lords in one day, was made a
peer [e]. On the acceflion of George I. when his political friends
were in difgrace, and fomc of them expofed to perfecution, he
continued firm in his attachment to them: he united, particularly,
in the protefts againft the ads of the attainder againil lordBoling-
broke and the duke of Ormond. We have no fpeech of his record-
ed, till on Feb. 21, 1 7 1 8 ; from which period, for the fpace of 2 j
years, we fliall find that he took nn a£live and diftinguifhed
part in every important matter which came before the upper
houfe ; and that he was one of the moft eminent oppofers of
the meafures of the court, and particularly of fir Robert Wal-
polc's adminiftration. For an account of thefe, however, we
refer to hiilory, and efpecially to the Hiftory and Proceedings
of the Houfe of Lords.
The principal circumftances of his private life are, as follow r
In 1 704, he married Catherine, daughter of fir Peter Apfley,
fon and heir of fir Allen aforefaid \ by whom he had four fons
and five daughters. In 1738, when Frederic prince of Wales
was at Bath, he paid lord Bathurft a vifit of fome days at Ciren-
cefter. In 1742, he was made one of the privy councih In
1757, upon a change in the miniftry, he was conftituted trea*
ivatrds revivedy and by the care of certain pacis cum Fatderato Belgtoftabilitse Crom-.
phyiiclans there, is now perfedry reco- wello protedlore, 1654. 3. In fereniili-
vered ; together with the manner of her mum rtgem Carotum I-L Britannic fux
fufferinSi and the particular meanes ufed rcftiiutumi 1660. 4* In obitum ceidllimV
for her recovery. Whereunto are prefixed principis Henrici ducis Gloccftrenfis, 1 660,
certain poems, cafually written upon that 5* Gr^culatio ob aufpicAtilfimum ferenifli-
fubjedt. Oxf. 1651," 4t». m« principis Caiharinae Luiitanae, regt
2. *"* A poem on (he death of Mr. Sel- Carolo II. defponfatK in Angliam appul-
den; in NichoU'sSeled Colledlion.'* fum, 1663.''
3. Sev<!rd] biin poems, printed in the [c] Jacob's Englilh Peerage. Biogra*
•* Mufarum Ai)glicanarum analefta, viz. phia Britan. zd edit.
I. In libel lum viri clariflimi Tho. Hobbii [d] Warton 's Life of dean Bithuffk.
de naturahominis^ 1650. 2. Gntulatio (bJ CoUios'i Peerage*
furef
B A t O N L. 147
fiii'CT to the prefent king, then prince of Wales, and fo conti-
nued till the death of George II. At his majefty's accefTioni
In 1 760, he was continued privy counfcUor ^ but, on account
of his age, declined all employments : he had however a penfion
of 2000I. per annum. '^ I have attended parliament/' fays he.
to Swift, *^ many years, and have never found that I could do
»ny good ; I have, therefore, determined to look to mv own
affairs a little :" and it has been faid, we believe juftly, tnat no
perlbn of rank ever knew better how to unite otium cum digni-
tate« To uncommon abilities he added many virtues, inte-
grity, humanity, generofity: and to tliefe virtues, good breeding,
politenefs, and elegance. His wit, tafte, and learning conne£>ed
him with all perfons eminent in this way, with Pope, Swift, Addi-
fon, &c.;and from the fewletters of his which are publifhed among^
Swift's, his correfpoildence mud have been a real pleafure to thofe
by whom it was enjoyed. He preferved, to the clofe of his life, his
natural cheerfulnefs and vivacity: he delighted in rural amufe*
ments, and enjoyed with philofophic calmnefs the {hade of the
lofty trees himfelf had planted. Till within a month of his death,
he conftantly rode out on horfeback, two hours in the morning,
and drank his bottle of wine after dinner. He ufed jocofely to de-
dare, that he never could think of adopting Dr. Cadogan's regi*
men, as Dc Cheyne had aiTured him joyears before, that he would
not live feven years longer, unlefs he abridged himfelf of his wine«.
In 1772, he was advanced to the dignity of earl Bathurd.
He lived to fee his cldeft furviving fon, afterwards Henry carl
Bathurft, feveral years chancellor of England, and promoted
to the peerage by the title of baron Apfley. He died, after a
few days illnefs, at his feat near Cirencefter, Sept. 16, 1775,
in his 91ft year.
BATONI (PoMPEO), was doubtlefs the grcateft painter of
the prefent century, unlefs Raphael Mengs fhould be thought
to make that title difputable. Both arrived by various ways to
a point of perfeftion that was truly admirable. The one owed
his merit to nature, the other to philofophy. Batoni, without
knowing it, had -the natural tafte j Mengs had meditation and
ftudy for his guide. The former, like Apelles, was formed by
the graces j the latter, like Protogenes, was educated by art.
The firft feemed to be more painter than philofopher, thepther
more philofopher than painter ; that more folid and fublime,
but this more natural.
Pompeo Batoni was born the jth of February 170B, of Pau-
linus Batoni and Clara Sefti his wife, at Lucca. His father,
who was by profeffion a goldfmith, devoted him to that art,
little as he was inclined to it of himfelf. Thus however he had
occafion to exercife himfelf in drawing, and to exhibit his ex-
cellent talent for painting. .The honour fliewn by pope Bene-
L 2 dia
148 BATON!.
AiQ, XIII. to the LucchefeS) by raifmg their epifcopal chtirrTi
into an archicpifcopal chair, induced them to prefent their
benefador with a golden cup of extraordinary workmanfhip,
fuch as fhould be worthy the acceptance of the fovereign pontiff
The execution of this piece of work was entrufted to young
Batoniy and he fucceeded in it fo well, that his capacity was
now generally thought to be far fuperior to the trade of a
goldfmith ; and, at the inilance of his godfather Alexander
Quinigi, feveral patriotic noblenven formed themfelves into 2
fociety for fending him to the roman academy of painting, and
maintaining him there at their common expence.
It is worthy of obfervation, that till he had reacheti his ferenth
year, he was fo doll, and at the fame time fo deformed, that
nc had more the look of a mifhapen block than of a human
creature. It was not poffible for him to turn his head on either
iide without moving his whole body. Indeed as he increafed in
years, he loft much of this awkwardnefs and deformity, yet it
left in this great man^ who was deficient in the cultivation of
the fciences, a certain appearance of fillinefs and rufticity, that
it frequently happened to him to be clailed even below the com-
mon ranks of mankind. But beneath this rough exterior wa»
concealed a foul formed and nurtured by the graces, which was
replete with the moft delicate fenfibility to beauty, and ihewed
itfelf in his performances.
Of this he gave early proofs. Father Divert, of the order
of Philippines, and the abbe Fatinelli, envoy at Rome from the
republic of Lucca, to whom he was recommended, took him
to Sebaftian Concha and Augudine Mafucci, who were at that
time the moft renowned mafters of the roman fchool, that he
might make choice of one of them for his tutor and guide. But
the antiques and Raphael's works, from the very firft, made fo
ftrong an impreflion on his mind, that he chofe rather to avoid
the modern manners, and form himfelf entirely on the old. The
happy fenfibility with which nature had endowed hitn, made him
feel that there could be but 01^ true manner in the pra£lice of
the art, and that none of the modern, which depart fo far from
the antique, could be the right. Accordingly he cared but little
for the reproaches of pride and felf-conceitednefs, that were li-
berally bellowed on him by the above-mentioned mafters, and ftill
lefs about the great refpc£l in which they were held, but pro-
fecuted his ftudies of the antiques and the works of Raphael
<l'Urbino. How diligent he was in this pra^ice is feen in the
heads ftill in being, which he copied from the Difputa del Sa-
cramento, a copy of the fchool of Athens, painted in oil and not
quite finiftied, and the various commifljons he received from
foreigners for drawings of the beft originals.
lie foon became feufible of the method by which Raphael and
the
BATONI.
149
the anttents arofe to that high degree of pcrfcftion. To catch
nature in the fadi in all her movements, was their grand maxim,
and this maxim Batoni followed. Hence all his figures have the
attitude and motion the nature of the cafe requires. In his paint-
ings we find no trace of the artificial cbmpofition of figures which
then univerfally prevailed $ he does not concentrate the light on
fome one objei^ to the detriment of the reft, a way introduced
by Maratti ; no example could feduce him to deviate from the
path of nature [f]. In the hands of his heirs is ftill a confi-
derable number of drawings, where he has delineated the various
motions of men, and efpecially of children, all the parts of the
human perfon, and the different folds of drapery, cxaftly after
nature. Thefe iketches he afterwards made ufe of in his paint*
ings, and finiflied them not only by the livelieft colouring, but
alfo with the fineft forms, which he had imprinted on his mind
by the ftudy of the antique.
Rome, that in its judgments on works of fcience and the fine
arts, is fo fevere, fo nice, and quick-fighted ; Rome, which on
various political accounts has the greateit concourfe of foreign na-
tions, and whom it amicably receives without diftin6tion, is per-
haps the only city in Europe that pofTefles a free and impartial
public, did not long negleft to adjudge the palm of precedence to
young Batoni in the principal and moft difficult departments of
painting. By his juft and elegant copies of the antiques, the works
[r] As Raphael never facrificed the fi-
filfhed 4r9wing of particular members to
vfhat is C4Ued Kravour> accordingly no
bravour-paintings are found among the
works of Batpni, He laboured all their
parts with the greatefl indufVry. To this
he habituited lumfelf perhaps by the prac*
tice of miniature-painting, which he was
a| firft obliged to follow by the indigence
into which he threw himfelf by entering
into wedlock too early in life. For, in
the two.and-twentieth year of his age, he
married the beautiful daughter of the far-
veyor of the palace Farnefina, whom he
became acquainted with by his frequent
attendance at that palace for copying the
pidures ; and by this match he loil the
penfion paid him by his patrons of Lucca,
who were oot fAisfied with it. He was
then compofing for them, out of grati-
tude, a large pi£^ure, but which, on ac-
count of the withdrawing of his penfion,
he never finiflied, and left in that lUte to
his heirs. It is indeed very diflerent from
his later perfornunces. It was above the
powersofa youth, who had but lately made
acquaintance with the art of painting. It
j-eprefcnted the hiflnryof Sophoniiba, with
4 multitude of figure*. The %le is per-
haps greater than in any of his maturer
works, if we except the fine painting of
the villa Borghefe, which reprefents the
republic of San Marino, and thofe with
which he decorated the cicling of theprin*
cipal apartment of the palace Colonna.
But, ifweconfiJer it with attention, we
(hall fee, that, though the keeping of the
figures is good, and' the drawing jud; yet
it will not (land a comparifon with his
later works, in refped of finifhing, truth,
and beauty; particularly in the contours,
in the movement, and in the folds, which
hAve fomewhat of the too airy manner
of the fchool of Cortona, and in the cor*
louring, where the accidental figures are
facrificed to the princip.il object. But the
pidure is fo conftruttcd upon the whole,
that it not only tranfcended what was to
be ezpe^ed from a young man of twenty >
years, but even many v\orks of refpedtable-
artifts of his time, who perhaps ende4
where Baton! began. The figure of So-
phonilba is extremely fine, as well in
regard to form as colouring; and if,
as reported, it be the likctieftf ot his fpoufe,
his early foudncGi for her |s hij^hly ex.
cufable.
Q of
ISO BATON I.
of Raphael, and the naked figures of the academy, he obtained
thi« general fuffiragc. But envy, which was fpreading it abroad
that he was ftill far behind others in colouring, fomewhat abated
this plcafure, and infpired him with an earned defire of an op-
portunity for difplaying his vigour even in that particular alfo-
This the marquis Gabrielli di Gubbio gave him. One day,
as he was taking the copy of the grand paintings of the flair-
cafe of the palazzo del confervatori in the Campidbglio, he w?s
forprifcd by that nobleman, who had taken flielter there from
a fudden fhowcr of rain. He admired the extraordinary per-
feAion and purity of his defij^n, and gave him the commiffion
to execute a new altar-piece for the chapel of his illuftrious fa*
mily in the church of St. Gregory at Rome. Batoni could
fcarcely contain himfelf for joy at this favourable opportunity
for convincing the public of his (kill in colouring j and he fuc-
ceeded fo well in producing a piflure of fuch lively and brilliant
colouring, that, though the light in which it is placed is fo un-
favourable, yet, after a period of 50 years, it ftiU has a wonder-
ful efFeft [g]. The public of Rome were now as juft and equi*
table in extolling the cxquifite perfedlion of his colouring, as
they were before in regard to his drawing. Envy was now
(truck dumb, and the frefli obje£lion raifed by his friend Fran-*
cifco dcgli Imperiali, a painter of great repute, was refuted by
a bare infpedlion ; as the colouring of this artift could not, for
brilliancy and livelinefs, come into any degree of comparifon
with his.
As the excellency of Batoni was now decidedly confefTed, ho
was never wanting in commiffions that did him honour. The
learned prelate, and afterwards cardinal, Furietti, who had the
direftion of building the church of St. Celfus, gave him th^
pifture of the high altar to execute. Great as the honour was
of being preferred to fo many able matters of a longer ftanding
than himfelf, by fo great a critic in the art as the prelate Fu-
rietti, fo zealous were the exertions of young Batoni to corrc-
fpond with his high expeflation. Mengs held this painting
to bejhe pureft and moft ingenious of all hb performances [h].
Wc
f fe] The rcprefcnlatioB of Virgin Mary, preffion, and the largeft ofthe angels, that
and the four faints of the Gabrielia family* aie Teen about him* exhibit in their car-
which have oot the leaft connexion wilh riage and drapery the elegance of the true
each Ather, deprived him indeed of aU antique. How beautiful the attitudes of ch»
materials for difplaying any force of ex- four faints below upon the ground ! AU it
predion } yet he made amends for this de- juttly and delicately chofen in the contours,
fedt by the %X^ti and beauty fu liable to fimple and pleating in the movements,
the charaAer of each of the figures; fo beautiful in the colouring, and fuUoftaft*
that, taken all together, they cannot be in the drapery ; every part of it teftiftes,
fufKciently admired. that the youthful artiA, far from addiAing
[h] The 6gm-e of the Saviour, who is himfelf to a fervile imitation, had mado
ittiug upoft the clouds, is fiot beyoQd e^'- (he ftylc of the divi&c Raphael his own.
BAT ON I.
»5i
Wc (hould incur the ccnfurc of prolixity were wc but briefly
to notice all the pidures he executed for churches and orato-
ries. Some of them will b? fufficient for flic wing, that, how-
ever much the legendary hiftoiry has furniflied materials to
painters, and that in this line nothing new can be invented,
yet his pidures, by the choice and difpofition, by the juftnefs
of the drawing, and beauty of the colouring, by the graces he
snfinuates into the whole, by the fignal ingenuity in difpofmg
all to one fole aim, captivate the eye of every true connoif-
feur [i],
Batoni made ufe of a fimilar advantage, in a piece he executed
for Milan; which, without it, on account of the number of pale
and livid objedls^ would have been cold and difagrecable [k I.
The
•rd how much he had enriched his mind
with the ideas the antienis had of beauty.
Who doei not evidently fee this in the un-
commonly fine head, and in the whole
compofitionofthe young faint that is kneel-
ing on the ground ?
[i] V/hat has more frequently employ-
ed the pencil of the artift than the Lall
Supper of our Lord? and what can be better
executed on that fuhjedt, than the fupper
in the monafterydeile Grazie at Mil\ii >
It is defcribed in high- founding terms by a
celebrated writer as a woik of the greatcil
philofopher among painters j which fur-
• pafi'es NcMton in the theory of light, Ga-
lileo in his mechanical and hydraulic dif-
coveries, Michael Angelo in the grand and
fublime, Raphael in expreflioHf Curreggio in
thegraces^andintheexaltedllyleoftheiU.
ro.obfcuro,ofthegreatef> genius the liilWy
of painting can Ihew, of Leonardo da Vinci.
Yet no man can behold without ailoniih-
meot the nearly finiflied fupper of liatoni,
in the poflfeifion of his heirs, and which,
towards the latter end of his life, he co-
pied fomcwhat larger himfclf for the
reigning queen o( f*ortugjl. The whole
fupper is enlightened by one lamp (nf-
pended in the air, and which is hid by a
group of angels from the fight of the fucc-
tatcr ; to ihew Im>w Jitile even the brig'ttelt
colours are capable of reprcfeniing light.
However, the ilrongeil rays are made to
fall on the exceedingly fine countenance of
Jcfus, wliich darts on the beholder like
lightning, and receives, from the yet far
ftronger while of the table-cloth, a peculiar
embelliihment of the flslh -colour. The
principal figure is reprcfented holding the
biead, already broken, in his left hand,
and exprefling with the inverted foretinger
of his right againft his brcoil, the words :
Thuii my body. The apotlleii invited
L
to the psrticipation of this bread, are dif-
tinguilhed each in particular by different
beautiful geitures ; and every countenance
glowji with devotion, tendernefs, reverence
and love ; that of judas excepted, who,
from tlie bafe defign he harbours in his
breaft, betrays a great diftradlion, and a
contempt for the atfedlionate offer. In
this performance there is a particularly fine
ftroks of ingenuity ; which, in fome mea-
fure, is fuperior to that of Timanthes ;
who, in the facrifice of Iphigenia, pru-
dently conceals the whole face of her fa-
ther. According to the received accounts
John mui\ be very like our Lord, and con-
fequently of a beautiful prefence. And (6
Batoni lias made him. But, led the at-
tention of the beholder fhould thus be di-
vided, he reprefeius him with his face in-
clined towards hi^BiaUci'i brcall, which
he touches wirh his hnnds laid acrofs ; fo
that he h qtiite in the (hide, and the
light of the lamp only falls on the hair and
the upper part of the IhouUers. He is not
on thii account oUfcuied. The white tnblc-
cloth throws back fo much iiqht upon him,
that he can be diibnguiOied even at a dif-
tance. Thus he not only keeps nothing
from the view that belongs toihc bufinefs,
and avoids the diviiion ot the fubjedt, but
he even increafes the e6Fcft of the pid^ure
by an agreeable contrail ot light and ihades.
[k] It rcprcfcnts the canonized Bern-
hard Tolomeii founder of the order of
Mount Olivet I who, dming the time of
a peflilence, in company with one of his
brotherhood, is allifling a dying pcrfon,
and holding to him a crucifix to kifs. The
main light falls on the faint, who. with
his white habit, lightens forward from the
middle of the pidure. Hi& companion
(lands in the Ihadow of fome pi 1 alters and'
Columns of the fore- court, where ihe
4 matier
151
B A T O N I.
The immaculate conception has been more than a thoufiin4
times a fubje£b for painters ; yet Batoni fucceeded fo well in
i»eprcfenting it, for the church of the Philippines at Chiari near
Brefcia, as to excite the attention and admiration of all good
judges [l]. His next piece was the affair with Sin^on the ma-
gician for the church of St. Peter at Rome [m].
matter happened : ooly hit face, the hands,
and the heip of his garments ar^ ihone upon
by the li^ht. The fame (hadows alfo meet
the groups of the dead who Ije upon the
ground, and with pale light colours would
g}ve the painting ^ fatal afpcA. However,
the numerous fliades here caufed no obfcu-
rity; the counter-a6lion of the enlightened
p'atts made all difcernible and clears
[l] With roman catholic licence, the
heavenly Father fits, almoftiq prohle, in
great qiajefty, on the clQuds, attended by
a troop of angels, who are diftributed into
various beautiful groups. Before him
ftands the holy virgin, in the form of a
delicate maiden, the image of modefty and
neeknefsy and turns her reverential eyes
upon him, as he lays his almit^hty hand
upon her head. This is done with fuch
ciprcHion of authority and omnipotence,
as was requisite for raifmg the mother of
Jefus above the common (lyle of mortals.
f m] It Is not podible to delineate a ftory,
which demands a large fpace and a great
number of perfons, on a canvafs that is
not of proportionate iire. If the painter
rcfolves not to want for room, then will
the figures be too fmall, and lofe of their
effc€t : but if he make the figures larger,
then muik he want room for the proper
keeping. The antiepts, in fimilar caies,
ufed to facrifice the magnitude of the fi-
gures to the fpace. On their gems, coins,
and relievos, are feen chariots, horfes,
hpufes, city-walls, rivers and trees, very
fmall in relation to the magnitude of the
figures, and thefe often crowded toge^
ther in a very difjigreeable manner, at
is evident from the Trajan and Antooine
pillars. Raphicl, who, on the fpacious
walls of the Vatican, obferved the ftrideft
proportion between figures and fpace, was
obliged, like the antieuts, to facrifice the
truth of the place to the magnitude of the
figures, in his excellent pi£t^rc of th^
t an&figuration of Chrift, where one part
of It pafTes on the top of a mountain, and
the other at the fool of it, by approaching
the fummit of the mountain is much as
pofTible to the bottom of it ; other wife the
figure of the Saviour, as the principal ob-
ject, would hive appeared fo fmall, that
it would not only hare been raifled on
entering the church, but even on coming
up to the altar. To the like caufe muft
it be attributed, if in Batoci's pi£^ure^
which reprefents the cataftrophe of Simon
the magician, and wat defigned for th^
church of St. Peter at Rome, the figurea
appear fomewhat confufed, and too much
huddled together ; they muft have beeii
coloCTal for producing a proper eflfe^ in
that monftrous temple. F|;aQcit Vanni
painted the fame piece of hiflory for that
church ; and, that he might have rooo^
for a ftage on which the emperor and the
principal perfonages fhould (land, dimi-
nifhed the figures to fuch a degree, that it
required much trouble to dlftinguifh St.
Peter, who retreats among the people, to
command fomethiog to the forcerer lying
pn the ground. For avoiding thefe faults,
Batoni rather chofe to fall fhort in room
than in the fixe of the f^res. We muft
freely confefs, that he hat'ftill more con-
tradled the narrownefs of the fpace by a
diminutive mafs of columns in the build-
ings of the place ; fome Ukewife find &uU
with the kneeling pofhire ef St. Peter, antf
think that this figure would have beeii
more elegant and becoming if painted up*
right. In all the other parts, particularly
in the mufcles and carnations (which in
coloflal figuret is a great matter], Batoni
has difplayed the whole perfeAion of the
art. In the Carthufians, where this piec^
is preferved among other works of great
maflert, there is but one fuperior to it, and
that is by Dominichino, though even
here, on account of the ufual want oi
room, the figuret of St. Sebaftian, the
foldiers on horfeback, and the fpe^atort
are all too clofe together. Moreover, it
excels the performances of Subleyrat, of
Chiari, of Coflansi, of Maratta, and of
Mancini, whicd were likewife executed
in this century for the fame church of St.
Peter, and is greatly fuperior to the falft
report which was fpread by fome mali.
cious peribns, during the life-time of
batoni, that becaufe of its little value
it was not to b« tranflatcd into mofaic
WhoercT
BATON I. 153
Wlioever (hould enter upon a crlticifm of all his church painN
ipgSy lyould find ample matter for his panegyric. Such are the
two great altar pieces which he executed for the city of lirefcia,
^hereof one leprcfents St. Joharjnes Nepomucenus with Mary |
and the other tlie offering of the latter ; two others for the city
of Luccai one ^ith the cicatrices of St. Catharine of Sieua,
and the other with the likencfs of St, Bartholomew; another
fpr Meflina, with the appftlc James; and for Parma, John
preaching in the wildernefs ; as alfo the many fcriptural pieces,
apd efpecially thofe which are fo much admired in the fummer-?
houfe in the papal gardens of Monte Cavallo ; the chaile Su-
fanna, in the poffeffion of his heirs ; the Hagar, in the colle£^ion
of an cnglifli gentleman ; the prodigal fon^ in that of the car-
dinal, and pretended duke of York.; to which may be added, 4
multitude of piftures of the virgin, of the holy family, and
faints of both fexes, which he executed for private perfons. All
tbefe muft here be bafcly mentioned ; but in the note below we
ihall particularize two otherS| witli which he crowned the lad
years of his life [n].
For fuch a painter as Batoni it muft be eafy to execute deli-
cate and impaffioned obje£ls with fucccfs. Under his pencil
every thing became animated with pleafantnefs and expreffion.
^n inftance of this is his choice of Hercules, which he painted
T^t firft in the natural fize, and afterwards fmaller, for the flo-
rentine Marchefe Ginofi, as a companion to the infant Her-
(Cules ftrangling the ferpents.
Ifpt Icfs animated and exprelTive is another pi£lure of the
fame kind^ in which, ac the requeft of an engfifli gentleman,
lie has depicted the riQng fire of love in Bacphus towards the
forlorn Ari4.4ne.
[h] One is the celebrated holy family* the faints whnfc names he and his ftrft
which the' grand duke of RuiTut on his and fecond fpoufes bore. It is little or no-
j^orneyin Itaiy* purchafed^for the fum chin;; inferior in beauty of drawing and
tkf 1000 piftoles. This is uniyerfany held colouring to the former. The painter ha^
to be the greateft performance of Batoni's here tp encounter a particular difficulty,
pencil. The magic of the colouring, theconqueringof which doss him great ho«
irhich reigns quiet and fereoe in all the nour. When the objects, by their very
£artsof thispidkure, U is not in the power colours, are difVindt of themfelves front
of words to defcribe. The fle(h>colour the ground, it is eafy for the artiil to give
of die child Jefus is a compound of liliies them rtlief. But in this picture, tho
sod rofes, and beams like a luminary equally white hands of the female figures,
of the Qrft magnitu^Q among the fmaller mud be elevated, of equally delicate and
ftart in a bright fummer evening fky. nobler flefh-colour, laid over one another*
The countenance of the mother is made up and over the not lefs delicate and white
of a blending of angelic forma; it is the body of the child Jefus. This Batoni hat
iioeft an4 worthieft id<;A that the imagina- eflTecled, with an imperceptible a^nd ezqut*
tion can poiTibly frame. The other pic- fiicly fine divcrfity of blended colours,
ture is Che marriage of St. €atharina, a without the afliOance of the ofcuro; and
counterpart to the former, in the poflef- has maniieftly evinced, that he was iktlled
fion of his jiejrs. The purpofe of the in the moll hidden advantages of the art,
j^fiter was, to introduce into this pi^ure and had an eiitire command of the pencil.
Anatlicr
154 B A T O N I.
Another poetical fiftion, which he has fupcriorly cxprcffcd, is
in a painting that is ftill with his heirs. His intention was to
delineate the cares and follicitudes of a blooming beauty. She
lies fleeping on a magnificent couch : but her fleep is not fo
profound as to break off all correfpondence between the mind
and the fcnfes ; it is foft and benign, as ufual when a pleafing
dream employs the imagination.
The effigies of peace and war was one of his fined perform**
ancesi and which he executed towards the latter end of his life.
Marjs, in complete armour, is rufhing to the combat, fword in
hand ; an exceedingly beautiful virgin, who cads on him a look
of fweetnefs and intreaty, at the fame time prefenting him with
a branch of palm, places herfelf direftly in his way. In the
head of Mars, we eafily difcover the furious Caracalla, ennobled
and beautified 6y the graceful painter.
The vivacity of his exuberant fancy was not in the lead
enervated in tiiofe years when the hand no longer fo implicitly
obeys the mind. He painted for prince Yufupof, a cupid re-^
turned from die chace. His game confifts of hearts (hot through
with arrows. He lays them in the lap of the fitting; Venus,
and extends both his arms to embrace her. She teltifies her
pleafure by gentle carefles.
Such fine ideas, which arc always juftly drawn, and exprcfled
in tjie livelielt colouring, excited in every traveller, and in num-
bers of royal and princely perfonages, an earned defire of having
fomcthing of his doing. Commiifions of this nature were in-,
numerabfc. Among others the cmprefs of Ruffia purchafcd of
him a piece on a large fcalc, the fubjeft Thetis receiving back
Achilles from the centaur Chiron ; and another of equal mag-*
nitude, the continence of Scipio. He executed two piftures,
reprefenting fome parts of the dory of Diana, for the king or
Poland, and another for the king of Fruflia, with tlie family of
Darius, prodrating themfclves in the prefence of Alexander*
Bcfides a wonderful delicacy of compofition, this pidlure is rcn-
clercd particularly driking by the expreffion of the divers paf-
fions in the faces of the captives, exaclly fuited to their various
ages and conditions, and gradually declining from the livelieft
feelings of anguifli in the mother and wife of Darius, to the in-
diderency and laughter of the flaves and children.
As Batoni was accudomed to contemplate nature in all her
changes and motions, he had acquired a wonderful facility in
tracing out even the mod imperceptible features of the human
face, which betray the /ramc of mind and the charad>et of the
man. The portraits he drew during the long courfe of his lif<j
arc not to be numbered, though weUiouldonlycpnfincourfelvcs
to thofe with perfons on horfcback, with fine landfcapcs and
jmimajsj or accompanied witl^ antiquities. H^tp^i had to bpaft
BATON I. 155
of, that he had drawn not only the popes Bencdifl: XIV. Clc**
ment XIII. and Pius VI. but almoft all the great pcrfonagcs
who vifited Rome in his time, at their own particular rcqucft.
Among thefe the archducal houfe of Auftria deigned to (hew
him very fignal diflinftions, and to give him great tokens of their
munificence. When tlie emperor Jofcph II. was at Rome ia
the year 1770, and was unexpeftedly met by his brother the
grand duke of Tufcany in that city, he was defirous that this
riieeting (hould be eternized on canvas by the ableft painter
that could be found in Rome. Mengs himfelf confcflcd, that
it would greatly redound to the honour of the art, that the em-
peror had pitched upon Batoni for this purpofe. The pi£lure,
when finifhed, fo highly fatisfied him, that he not only amply
rewarded the matter, but likewife presented him with a golden
chain, to which was fufpended a medal with his portrait, and a
fnuff-box of gold. The late emprefs, mother of the two mo-
narchs, augmented thefe prefeftts by giving him 26 large golden
medal$, on which their principal achievements were ftruck,
3nd a ring richly fet with brilliants ; and honoured him with a
letter, in which (he demanded that the likenefles of her fons,
which terminated at the knees, fhould be completed. Batoni
finifhed the work accordingly, as is feen with univerfal admira*
tion in the large copper-plates defigned by himfelf, and engraved
tM| Andrea Rofli. Hereupon, Batoni, with all his male iflue,
wre raifed by the emperor to the rank of nobility, and he re-
ceived from tne emprefs a frefh commiflion, to paint her de-
ceafed huftand, the emperor Francis, after a portrait executed
^t Vienna, He alfo here fully anfwered the expeftation of her
majefly, and, befides a fuitable recompenfe, or, as it is termed
in the letter, a rcimburfement of his expence in colours, he re-
ceived likewife the portrait of the emperor Francis, fet round
with large brilliants.
The day will always be remarkable in the annals of painting,
on which the heir to the imperial throne of Rufiia, in company
with his confort, vifited the houfe of Batoni, and were per-
fonally convinced, that the painter of the holy family which
had been bought by them, was indeed very old, but was far
from being in his dotage, as the tongue of envy had reported.
His habitation was not only the chief refidence of the Genius of
Sainting at Rome, but her fifter Mufic dwelt there in equal
ate. His amiable daughter Rufina, who was at too early an
age fnatched away by death, was one of the completed judges
of vocal mufic in all Italy, and was entirely formed upon the
delicate fentiment of beauty that was peculiar to her father.
With his youth he had outlived the golden age of mufic, when
J*crgolefi, Vinci, Scarlatti, Leo, and the reft of the founders
9 of
156 BATON L
oj the true harmonic taftc were in their prime, and now only
the pureft and the choiceft harmony could pleafe him. Hi»
youngeft daughter likewife, Mari^ Benedettai had made a great
proficiency in muHc, and accompanied her elder filler. No
perfon of quality came to Rome, who was not equally defirous
of feeing the paintings of Batoni, and of hearing his daughters
fing. Among thefe were alfo the grand duke of Ruflia and his
duchefs. He here faw an unfinifhed portrait of a nobleman be-
longing to his fuite, which plcafed him fo much, that he gave
him orders to paint his own. But, as the departure of the iU
luftrious travellers was fo very near, he fet his hand to the work
on the fpot. In the few moments that were delightfully employed
by the imperial gueft in hearing the fongs of the painter's daugh-
ter, the artift himfelf was bufy in fketching his pifture with fo
ftriking a likenefs, that the grand duchefs too fpared fo much
time from her urgent affairs in the lall days of her ftay, as to
have her picture drawn, as it were, upon the wing. Notwith-
ftanding the expedition he was obliged to ufe, thefe portraits
are not deficient in any of the beauties which diftinguifh^ in fo
eminent a manner the paintings of Batoni.
His paintings, in general, are of fuch a nature, that even ar-«
tifts who have made ever fo great progrefs in the theory of
drawing, can but partly judge of them, unlcfs they have at the
fame time learnt to guidp the pencil ; fo as to perceive the diffij
qulties he has furmounted ii> tl;e p^aftice. He aftually, in^
xpanner, played with the pencil, and whatever hazardous and,
difficult >vay he chofe, conducted him, as well as the eafiefl:,
fuccefsfully to his aim. He would frequently give a ftyle of
expreflTion to a fimplc line, which he had the art of interweaving
into the harmony of the whole ; hence it is that it requires great
fkill to copy his pi£iures without falling into drynefs. He pof-»
feffed a peculiar dexterity of giving even thick colours the appear-*
ance of tranfparency, and of infufing pleafantnefs and energy into
die obfcurer parts. The heads of bis portraits, which feem entirely
of one dafii of the brufh, were not executed at a fingle fitting ;
he interrupted his work at pleafure, and yet all flows fo har-
mouiouily together, as if they were drawn in one and the fame
flight of genius, in one and the fame train of thought.
It was an eafy matter to him, even when an old man of 70,
to work on great undertakings for feveral hours on the ftretch,
without feeling any remarkable fatigue; he even employed the
few moments of his leifure in executing fome paintings of fin-
gular merit, fuch as the holy fapiily for the grand duke of Ruflia,
the marriage of St. Catharina, the peace and war, of which
mention has been made above. Such immoderate induftry has
cod many painters their lives. The celebrated Mcngs would^
for
BATTA-GLI'NI. 157
for a long time havo compenfated in fontc degree for the lof?
fullained by the moderns in the death of Batoni, had he noc
thus haftened his own.
Batoni had for fome time complained of the decay of his vi-
gour and his fight, both of which he had preferved to an ex-
traordinary degree, though far advanced beyond his 70th year,
when in the autumn of 1786, he was touched with a flight
ftroke of the palfy ; from which he did not fo thoroughly re-
cover, as not to feel ever after a great debility both of mind
and body. On the 4th of February of the following year 1787,
death put the finifliing hand to his work, by a much feverer
ftroke, when he had arrived at the age of 79 years and one day.
He was much devoted to religion, was liberal towards the
poor, friendly to his pupils, and fuch an enemy to pomp and
oftentation, that he very feldom wore the enfigns of the order of
knighthood, with which he had been invefted by the pope ; and
always went very modeftly habited. He never concerned him-
felf about any thing but his art, and enjoyed an amiable con*
tentednefs and eafe, which he would funer nothing in the world
to dlfturb. He carried this difpofition fo far, that he avoided
the meetings of the academy of St. Luke, though it would have
been their greateft pleafure to have followed any hints he
might have thought proper to give them. Simplicity and fiu-
cerity formed the bafis of his moral charadler. Every one
feemed to be convinced of this irnmcdiately on feeing him ; and
rarely did any perfon feel himfeif affronted when he told him
difagreeable truths ; as alfo no man conftrued it into a mark of
his vanity, when he fpoke of his own performances with felf-
fatisfadion, £0 much was he refpeAed on account of his ve-
racity.
The roman fchool will always revere him as the reftorcr of
its priftine fame. For he was the firfl in the prefent century to
throw off the burdenfome bonds of certain rules which had
been always confidered as the fundamental maxims of the art ;
though they ferved no other purpofe than to check the progrefs
of men of talents. His example has banifhed the prejudice of
mannering from the roman fcbbol. All now draw Irom the
pure fources of nature, all are emulous to excel in the way
pointed out to them by Raphael and the antient greeks for at-
taining to perfeftion. No fervile imitation is now recommended*
That every pra£kitioner muft choofe for himfeif what he finds
mofl (Iriking and beautiful in the vaft unlimited fcenes of na-
ture, is become a prime maxim in the art of painting, and it is
highly probable that the return of the fiourifhing days of the
Caracci is not far off.
B A I TAGLINI (Mauk), bifliopof Noccra, and afterwards
of Cefena, died in 1717, aged 71. He is author of a general
o , hiflory
* j8 6 A t T E U X.
hiftory of the councils f 686» folio, and Annales du Cdcetioc^
& de i'empire du xvii fiecle» 1701 to 171 1> 4 vols, folio.
BATTELY (Dr. John), was born at St. Edmund's Bury,
in Suffolk, in 164.7. He was fomc time fellow of Trinity col-«
lege, Cambridge, and chaplain to archbiOiop Sancroft, after-"
wards, by his grace's favour reftor of Adifliam in Kent, prebend-
ary of Canterbury, and archdeacon of the diocefe, and died 0£l.
10, 170B. He wrote Antiquitates Rutupinse, alfo Antiquitates S^
Edmundburgi, which have been abridged and tranflated into
englifli in one vol. 8vo. with plates of antient utenfils.
BA'ITEUX (Charles), profeflbr of philofophy in the. col-
lege royal, member of the frcnch academy and that of infcrip-*
tions, honorary canon of Rheims, was born in that diocefe in
171 3. He died at Paris the 14th of July 1780. Grief at feeing
that the elementary books for the ufe of the military fchool, xh€
compofition of which had beeti entrufted to him by the govern-*
xnent, did not fucceed, accelerated, it is faid, his death. This
eftimable fcholar was of a grave deportment, of a firm charafter
without morofenefs ; his converfation was folid and inftrudive,
the attainments of a man grown grey in the ftudy of greek and
roman authors. We have by him, i. Cours de belles-lettres^
5 vols. i2mo. 1760; to which are added the braux-arts re-
duits a un meme principe, and his Tra£k de la con{lru£lion
oratoire, which has been feparately publiflied. Thefe books,
more elaborate, more methodical, more precife than the Traite
d'Etudes of Rollin, are written with lefs elegance and purity.
The ftyle is ftrongly tin£lured with a metaphyfical air, a ftiflf*
and dry precifion reigns through the whole, a little tempered
by choice examples with which the author has embelliihed
his leflbns. He is likewife cenfurable, that when he difcufles
certain pieces of the moft eminent french writers, for inftance
the fables of Fontaine, the rage for throwing himfelf into an ec-
ilafy on all occafions, makes him find beauties, where critics of
a feverer tafte have perceived defed^s. 2. Tianflation of thd
works of Horace into french, 2 vols. lamo, in general faithful,
but deficient in warmth and grace, 3. llie morality of Epi-
curus, extracted from his writings, 1758, in i2mo; aoook well
compiled and well printed, and in which is difcoverable a great
ftock of erudition without any oftentatious difplay of it. 4. The
four poetics, of Ariflotie, of Horace, of Vida, and of Boileau,
with tranflations and remarks, a vols, in 8vo. 1771, a work
that evinces the good talle of an excellent fcholar, with fome-
times the amenity of an academic. 5. Hiftory of primary caufes,
8vo. 1769. The author here unfolds fome principles of the
antient philofophy, and this mud have coil him the more trou*
ble, as he difcovcrs it the Icfs to his reader. 6. Elemens de
Licteratuce, extraits du Cours dcs Belles-lettres, 2 vols. i2mo.
7. His
r
B A T 1 1 £. 1^ J
7. His Coufs elepaentaire, for the ufe of tbe militaTy fchool^
in 45 vols. lamo. a book haftily compofed, in which he has
copied himfelf and copied others. He was admitted of the aca-
demy of infcriptions in 17599 and of the academic fran9oife in
1 761. He was ilill more eftimable by his perfonal qualities than
by his literary talents. He fupported by his bounty a numerous
but impoveriflied family.
BATTIE (Dr. William), an englifli phydcian, was bom
m DevonOiire, 1704 [o]. He received his education at Eton^
and, in 1722, was fent to King's college, Cambridge. His
mother accompanied him to both thefe places (his father dying
early), to aflift him with thofe little neceflaries which the nar-
rownefs of her finances would not permit her to provide in atTy
other form. However, gaining an univerfity fcholarfhip founded
by the Craven family, which ne did in a manner very honour*
aole to himfelf, he was enabled " to live agreeably, and," as he
cxpreflcs it, " got through the worft part of his life." Hb own
inclination prompted him to the profeflion of the law ; but his
finances would not fupport him at one of the inns of court. He
had two coufins of the name of Coleman, old bachelors and
wealthy citizens^ to whom, upon this occafion, he applied for
affiftance ; but they declined interfering in his concerns* Upon
this, he turned to phyfic, and nrft entered upon the pradiice of
it at Cambridge j where, in 1729, he gave a fpecimen of an
edition of Ifocrates, which he afterwards, 1749, completed in
2 vol^. 8vo.
He afterwards removed to Uxbridge, and then to London ;
where^ meeting with fuccefs and flouriftiing, his relations the
Coleman s, who had now left off bufmcfs and retired, grew
fond, and rather proud of hino, and behaved to him with cor-
diality and frienduiip. In 1738 or 1739, he fulfilled by mar-
riage a long engagement to a daughter of Barnliam Goode, the
under-mafter of Eton-fchool, who is honoured with a place in
the Dunciad, for having abufed Pope in a piece called The
Mock iEfop. Againft Goode, it feems, the Colcmans had a
political antipathy : however, they behaved well to Mrs. Battie»
and the furyivor of them left the clodor 30,000!. In the difputc
which the college of pliyficians had with iDr. Schomberg, about
1750, Dr. Battie, who was at th^t time ont of the cenfors,
took a very aftive part againft that gentleman ; and, in confe-
quence, was thus charaderifed in a poem, called The Battiad :
Firft Battus came, deep read in worldly art,
Whofe tongue ne'er knew the fccrcts of Iils heart :
In mifchief ir-!ghty, though but mean of iize.
And, like the lemptcr, tvcr in difguife.
[ol Aue;.-4Gtci ^f fiowyeti by.Wichob} p. 232.
Sec
166 B i^ t t I fi.
See tiiixi, i^tth arpe6t gr^ye, and eentle trdii
By flow degrees approacn the fickiy bed.
Then at his club behold nim altet'd foon.
The folemn do^or turns a low buffoon :
And he, who lately in 3, learned freak
Poacb'd every kxicon, and publish M greek^
Still madly emulous of vulgar praife.
From Punch's forehead wrings the dirty bays.
*rhis poeni is faid to liave befcn tvtittcn by Mofes Mcndcz, fauf
\Vhitehcad, and Dr. Schomberg: of which two cantos wcrd
publifhed, and (ince reprinted in The RcpoGtory, a coUecliorf
of fugitive pieces of wit and humour, in 1776, 2 vols. i2mo.
In 1751, he publifhed De principiis animalibus exercita-^
tiones in Coll, Reg. Medicorum, in three parts ; which were
followed, the year after, by a fourth. In 1757, being then phy-
fician to St. Luke's hofpital, and mafter of a private mad-houfc
near Wood's clofe,. in the road to tflirigton, he publifhed in 4to,
A Treatife on Madnefs : in which, having thrown out fome cen-
fures on the medicinal praftice formerly ufed in Bethlem hof-
pital, he wds replied to, and feverely animadverted on, by Dr.
John Monro, whofe father had been lightly fpoken of in thd
forcmentioned treatife. Monro having, humoroufly enough^
taken Horace^s O major tandem parcas infane minoriy for the motto
6f his Remarks oh Battie*s Treatife, tlie men of mirth gave himi
the name of major Battie^ inflead of doHar. Iri 1762, he pub-
lifhed Aphorifmi de cognofcendis et curandis morbis nonnullii
ad principia iinimalia accommodati. Feb. 1763, he was exa-
mined before a committee of the houfe of commons, on the
flate of the private mad-houfcs in this kingdom 5 and received
in their printed report a teflimotiy very honourable to his abi-
lities. The contents of this report being t6 the laft degree in-
terefling, we will here tranfcribe it from the 39th vol. of the
Journals of the Houfe of Commons, p. 448.
" Your committee being defirous of obtaining every degree'
of afTiftartce and information, which might enable them more
perfeflly to obey the orders of the houfe, they defircd the attend-'
ance of Dr. Ba'ttie and Dr. Monro, ttvo very eminent phyfi-
cians, diftinguiflicd by their knowledge and their praftice iri
cafes of lunacy, ^r. Battie gave it as his opinion to your com-
mittee, that the private mad-houfcs require fome better regula-
tions \ that he hath long been of this opinion, that the admif*
fion of perfons brought in as lunatics is too loofe and too much
at large, depending upon perfons not competent judges; and
that frequent vifrtation is neceflary for the infpcftion of the
lodging, diet, clcanlinefs, and treatment. Being afked, if he
Lad ever met with perfons of fane mind in ceniinement for lu-
nacy ?
SaUDELOT. i5i
fiacy } He faid, It frequently happened : he related the cafe of
k woman perfed^ly in her fenfes, brought as a lunatic by her
huiband to a houfe under his dire£lion ) whofe huiband, upon
his infixing he fhould take home his wife, and expreiEng furprife
at his condu£l, juftified himfelf by frankly faying^ that he un«
derftood the houfe to be a fort of bridewell, or place of cor-
tcftion." The doftor related alfo another cafe to the fame im-
port : upon which a bill was ordered to be prepared for the re-
gulation of private mad-houfes ; biit not then carried into exe*
cution, though the cafes examined by the committee were pro«
Hounced ^< fuffioient to eftabliOi the reality of great abufed
therein 5 the force of evidence, and the tcftimony of witnefles^
being amply confirmed by the confeiTion of perfons keeping thefe
houies, and by the authority, opinions, and experience of Dr«
Battle and Dr. Monro.'* In 1772, on occafibn of fome frefli
Cibufes, a bill was again ordered to be prepared, but to as little
purpofe as the former. A third inefTeflual attempt was made
in 1773 ; ^^^9 ^^^ abufes; continuing to increafe, an zQ. for the
better regulation of private mad-houfes was obtained in 1774^
when the power of licenfing the keepers of fuch houfes was
happily vefted in the college of phyfiCians.
In 1776, Dr. Battle was felzed with a paralytic ftroke, of
T^hich he died June the I3th| in his 75th year. He left three
tdaughters.
BAUAB. Abulhaflan All ben Hela is more kndwn under
the name of £bn fiauab. It was he who perfedionated the cba-
raders of the arabic alphabet after Ben Molak, by rendering the
letters more diAind from one another. He died in the year
413 of the hegira, in the reigns of Cadher, khalif of Bagdat, and
of Dhaher^ khalif of ^gyp.t. Some authors have prolonged his
life to the year 423, and add that he was buried at Bagdat near
to the bones of Ben Hanbal.— However, it was not this perfon
who put the finifhing hand to the arabic chara£lers : for Yacuthj
furnamed Moftaaflemi, becaufe he was in the fervice of
MoftaafTcm j the lad khalif of the Abaflides^ reduced them t6 the
fliape and figure which they have at prefent : for this rcafon he
is furnamed Al Khathath^ chat is to fay, The Scribe^ by way of
lexcellence.
BAUDELOT de Dair^aI (Charles C-ssAr), born at Paris
in 1648, was received avocat au parlement. He pleaded fome
time with fuccefs. A law-fuit having obliged him to go to
Dijon, he vifited, in his moments of leiiure, the libraries and the
cabinets of the learned. This gave rife to the treatife De Tuti-
lite des Voyages, 1727, a vols, in xzmo, in which he difplays a
profound knowledge of the monuriients of antiquity. While in*
ftru£king the reader, he amufcs him by curious remarks and fin-
gular obifervatbni*
^ Vol. IL 1^ BAUDIER
i62 BAUDIUS.
BAUDIER (Michael)^ of Langucdoc, MHoTrograpIi^ of
France under Louis Xill. was one of the mod fertile and heavy
writers of his time. He left behind him many works compofed
without either method or tafte, but whieh abound in particulars
not to be found elfewhere. i. Uiftoire generate de la Religion
dcs Turcs, avec la vie de Icur prophete Mahomet|. et des iv
premiers califes ; alfo, Le Livre et la Theologie de Maliomet^
8vo. 1636, a work tranflated from the arabic, copied by thofe
who wrote after him, though they have not vouchfafed to cite
him. 2. Hiiloire du Cardinal d'AmboifCi Paris, 1651, in 8vo.^
Sirmond, of the Academie Fran9oife, one of the numerous flat-^
terers of the cardinal de Richelieu, formed the defign of elevating
that minifter at the expence of all thofe who had gone before
him. He began by attacking d'Amboife, and .failed not to fink
him below Richelieu, fiaudier,. by no means a courtier, avenged
his memory, and eclipfcd the work of his detra£tor. 3. Hiftoirc
du Marechal de Toiras, 1644, in folio. 1666, 2 vols. i2mo ; a^
curious performance, and necefiary to all fuch as would obtain a
thorough acquaintance with the reign of Louis XilL 4.I Lea*
Hiftoires de Suger, de Ximenes, Sec, The fads that Baudier re-
lates in thefe different works are almoft always abforbed by his-
reflec^lions, which have neither the merit of precifion nor that of
novelty to recommend them.
BAUDIUS (Dominic), profeflbr of hiftory in the univerfity
of Leydcn, born at Lifle, Aug. 8, 1561 [p]. He began his ftu-
dies at Aix la Chapelle, and continued them at Leyden. He
removed thence to Geneva, where he ftudied divinity : after re-
fiding here fome time, he returned to Ghent, thence to Leyden,,
where he applied to the civil law, and was admitted do£tor of
law, June 1585. Soon after, he accompanied the ambafTadors-
from the States to England, and during his refidence here be*
came acquainted with feveral perfons of diftindlion, particularly
the famous fir Philip Sidney.
He was admitted advocate at the Hague, the 5th of January
1587 ; but being foon tired of the bar, went to France, where
he remained ten years. He was much efteemed in that king-
dom, and gained many friends. Achilles de Harlai, firft prefi-
dent of the parliament of Paris, got him to be admitted advocate*
of the parliament of Paris in 1592. In 1602, he went to Eng-
land with Chridopher de Harlai, the prefident's fon, who was
fent ambadador thither by Henry the Great. This fame year,
having been named profeflbr of eloquence at Leyden, he went
and fettled in that univerfity. He read ledures on hiftory after
the death of Morula, and was permitted alfo to do the fame on
the civil law. In 1 6 1 J , the States conferred upon him the office
£t] Life of B«udius before hii poems aad Ictten*
o of
Baudot'. 1^3
k>t hiftoriogiraplicr In conjunfiion with Mcurfius ; and in confe-
))uence thereof he wrote " The hiftorv of the truce." Baudiua
is an elegant profe-writer, as appears from his " Letters," many
p£ which were publiflied after his death. He was alfo an exceU
lent latin poet : the firft edition of his poems was printed in
1587; they confift of verfes of all the different meafures: he
}>ublifhed feparately a book of iambics in 159 1, dedicated to car*
dinal Bourbon. Some of hid poems he dedicated to the king of
England; others to the prince of Wales, in the edition of 1607^
aild went over to England to prefent them,
Baudius was a flrenuous advocate /or a truce betwixt the
States and Spain : two orations he publifhed on this fubjeft^
though without his name, had very nigh proved his deftrudtion :
prince Maurice was made to believe he was affronted in them^
and the author was faid to have been bribed by the french am-
bailador to write upon the truce. He was obliged to write toi
the prince and his fecretary, in order to vindicate himfelf : and
in his vindication he laments his unhappy fate in being expofed
to the malice of fd many flanderers, who put wrong interpreta-
tions on his words i " It is evident (fays he) that through the
fnalignity of mankind^ nothing can be exprefled fo cautiouily by
incn of any charadlcr and reputation, b\it it may be diftorted intd
fome obnoxious fenfe. For what can be more abfurd than the
condaA of thofc men, who have reported that 1 have been
bribed by the ambafiador Jeannin, to give him eimpty words iii
teturn for his generofity to me ? as if I, an obfcure doflor, was
an afliftant to a man of the greatefl experience in bufinefs [q^].'*
Some verfes, which he wrote in praife of the marquis of Spinola^
bccafioned him alfo 4 good deal of trouble : the marquis came
to Holland before any thing was concluded either of the peace
or truce; and ihotigh Baudius had printed the poem, yet he kept
the copies of it, till it might be feeii more evidently upon what
account this minifler came : he gave them only to his moft inti-
mate friends. It being known however that the poem was
printed, he was very near being banifhed for it.
Baudius was addi£led to women as well sts wine^ to fuch a dd«
grce as expofed him to the public ridicule; and fevcral farcaflical
jokes were printed againft him on this account : Scioppius has
been the fevereft writer againft him^ Mr. Bayle however thinks
there is too much virulence in him to be credited ; he remarks,
at the fame time, that many men of learning tender themfelves
contemptible in thofe places where they live, while they are ad-
mired where they are only known by their writings [r]. Baudius
died at Leyden, Auguft 22, 16 13.
BAUDOT DB JuiLLi (Nicholas), born at Vend&me in 1678)
[^ B&ud. Ep. iii. centur. 3. p. 519. [a] In Di^. article Bavaivs
M % WSii
i64 BAUHINUS.
was fon of a coHeflor of cxcife, fettled at Sarlat, wlicre he becamtf
fub-delegate of the intcndant. The funftions of his office and
the charms of literature filled up the courfe of his life. He tenani-
nated his long career in 1 759, at the age of 8 1 • We have fevcral
hidorical works by him, written with method and ingenuity.
!• L'Hiftoire de Catherine de France, reine d'Angleterre, which
he publifticd in 1696. Though the whole of this be true in re-
gard to the principal events, and that the ftrideft propriety ia
obfcrved, the Author afterwards confefled that he did not pretend
to derive any great honour from the work, as it was very much
tinftured with romance. 2. Germaine de Foix, an hidorical no-
vel, that appeared in 1701. 3. L'hiftoire fecrette du Connetable
de Bourbon, printed in 1706. 4. La Relation hiftorique etga-
lante de Tinvafion de TEfpagne par les Maures, printed in 1722^
4 vols- in 1 amd. Thefe three works are nearly of the fame fpe«
cies with the firft ; but there are others by him of a more fub-
ftantial quality, as, rHilloire de la conquete d'Angletcrre par
GuillaumeducdeNormandie;r70J,in i2mo; THiftoirede Phi-
lippe Augufte, 1702, 2 vols. i2mo; and that of Charles VII. 1697,
2 vols. i2mo. Its principal merit lies in the method and ftjrle ;
the author confulted nothing but printed books. We have like-
wife by him, THiftoire des hommcs illuftres, extrafted from
Brantome ; THiftoire de la vie et du regne de Charles VI. in
9 vols. i2mo. 1753; FHiiloire du regne de Louis XI.'6vols.
j2mo. 1756; THiftoire des tevolutions de Naples,, 4 vols. i2mo.
1757. 'I hefe three laft works appeared under the name of
Mad. de LuiTan. The (lyle is rather negligent, smd there is oftea
a want of accuracy.
BAUDOUIN (Benedict), a divine of Amiens, the place of
his birth, got himfelf a name among the learned by his difler-
tation De la chauffbre des Anciens, publifhcd in 16115, under the
title of Calceus antiquus et myi^tcus. This work was the occa-
fion of the falfe notion that he was the fon of a (hoemaker^ and
had followed the trade htmfelf, to which he intended to do ho-
nour by this publication.
BAUHINUS (John), a celebrated phvfician of ihc xvith
century, was a native of Amiens, but profefled phyfic and fur-
gery at Eafil in SwiiTerland, whither he had retired on account
of his religion, and died in high reputation in 1582^ aged 71
years.
BAUHINUS (John), his eldcft fon, born at Bafil in 1541,,
was phyfician to the duke of Wirtemberg, and diftinguilhed
himfelf by many writings and difcoveries in phyfic, furgery, and
botany. His principal works are, A Treatife on Plants, in
latin, 3 vols. fol. Ebrod. 1650. A Treatife on Bathing in mineral
Waters, 4to. and 12 mo 160^.
BAUHINUS (GasparJ, born at Bafil, Jan. 17, 1560, was
firft
BAULOT. i6s
m phyfician to the duke of Wixtembcrg. He profeflcd medi-
cine and botany at Bafil, where he died in 1624, at the age of
65. He was a good fcholary but a man of great vanity and
prefumption. He wrote^ i. Inititutiones anatomicscj Bad,
1604, 8vo. 2. Theatrum Botanicum, 1663, folio. 3. Traite
des Hermaphrodites, in latin, 1614, 8vo* fcarce. 4. Pinax
Theatri Botanici, Frankfort, 1671, 4to. 5. Other works in
latin, judly eileemed in their time, and deferving to be fo dill.
He is ftyled in his epitaph the phcenix of his age for anatomy
and botany. Riolan fpeaks of him as ignorant, injudicious,
and prefumptuous. He fays, that, in the year 1579, he ob-
ferved the valve in the beginning of the ilium, or colon, be-
fore he read any author who made mention of it. BLut it ii
certain that Varolius, and a great many others, dcfcribed it
very accurately many years before. Gafpar left a fon, John
Galpar, who purfued the fame ftudies; profefTed at Bafil,
was confulted by a part of Europe, and publilhcd the Theatrum
3otamcum of his father, and bore a great reputation in his pro-
feflion as an able phyfician.
BAULDRI (Paul), profefTor of facred hiftcty at Utrecht,
born at I^ouen in 1639, was fon-in-law of the celebrated Henry
Bafnage. He gave to the public, i . An edition of the traft o£
La£tantius, De morte perfecutorum, with learned notes, Hol-
land, 1692. 2. A new edition of a fmall performance of Furc-
riere's, intituled, Hiftoire des derniers troubles arrives au Roy-
.aum,ed'Eloquence, Utrecht, 1703, i2mo. 3. Des Tables Chror
nologiqu^s pour THiltoire. 4. Several difTertations difperfed ii|
different journals. He died in 1706.
BAlJLOTj or Beaulieu (Ja^ks), a celebrated lithotomift,
was born in 165 ?, in a village of the bailiwick of Lons-le-Saunier
in Franche Comte, of very poor parents. He quitted them early
in life in order to enter into a regiment of horfo. Herehefcrved
fome years, and made an acquaintance with a certain Pauloni,
an empyrical furgeon, much run after for cutting patients af-
fli£led with the ftone. After having taken leflbns under this
charlatan for five or fix yeay^s, he repaired to Provence. There
he put on a kind of monallic l^abit, but unlike any worn by the
feveral orders of monks, and was ever afterwards known only by
the name of friar James. From Provence he went to Languedoc,
then to RoulTiUon, and from thence through the different pro-
vinces of France. He at length appeared at Paris, but foon
quitted it for continuing his perambulations. He was feen at
(Geneva, at Aix-la-Chapelle, at Amilerdam, and pradifed every
where. His fuccefs was various ; not only his method was not
uniform, but anatomy was utterly unknown to ^his bold ope-
rator. He refufed to take any care of bis patients after the opera*
M 3 lion.
i66 B A U R.
tion, faying, I have cxtraftcd the ftone ; God will heal the wound*
being afterwards taught by experience that dreiFingsand r^gimei^
were necelTary, his treatments were conftantly more fuccefs-
ful. No fooncr had friar James quitted Holland, but his method
found its way into England, wherfe it was adopted by Chefeldcn,
who brought it to its utmoft perfe£lion : hence it was that it
got the name of the Engliih operation, though inconteftably due
to the French. In gratitude for the numerous cures this ope*
rator had performed in Amfterdam, the magiftracy of that city
caufed bis portrait to he engraved, and a medal to be flruck,
bearing for imprefs his buft. Tp conclude, after having ap-
peared at the court of Vienna and at that of Rome, he made
choice of a retreat near Befan9on. There he died in 1720, at
the age of ( 9, in the fentiments of a good man whofe life had
been devoted to the relief of fufFering humanity. The hiftory
of this hermit was written by M. Vacher, furgeon-major of thq
king's armies, and printed at Befanfon in 1757, i2mo,
BAUATE (James Francis de la), canon of the collegiate
church of St. Agricola d* Avignon, was born at Carpentras in
the Comtat Venaiflin, in 1705. His paffion for the belles-letr
tres attrafted him to Paris. After having made fome ftay there,
he publifhcd a pamphlet intituled, Eloge de la Paix, dedicated
to the Academic Frangoife. It is the work of a dull jleclaimc^'.
It bears the form of a difcourfe, an ode, and an epopea, and is
deftitute of the merit of either of thefe kinds. .His little fuccefs
did not prevent this writer from meditating a work of greater
length. He carried the idea of his defign with him into his pro-
vince, and there he completed it. The Chriftiade, which is here
meant, occafioned its author a fccond journey to Pari$. Thither
he returned to get his poem printed in profe in 6 vols. i2mo.
1753. The work, well executed as to the typographical part,
IS written in a pompous and afFefted ftyle, wnich, fo far from
warming the reader with the fubjeft, tempts him fometimes to
laughter. In Ihort, he was fined for it. He died at Paris in
1757. He wrote befides fcveral fmall pieces, as the Saturnale$
Tran^oifes, 1736, 2 vols.'i2mo. and he worked for upwards of
ten years on the Courier de TEurope. He was a man of a warm
fouthern imagination, but was entirely void both of tafte an4
judgment.
BAUR (John William), more commonly named Wirlem-
Baur, a painter and engraver of Strafbourg, died at Vienna in
1640, at the age of 30. He excelled in landfcapes and piftures
of archite£lure. His fubjefts are views, proceflions, markets,
public places. Py him are, I. A colleftion of engravings
under the title of Iconography, Auglbourg, 1682. 2. Battles,
1635. 3. Gardens, 1636, 4. Mctamorphofcs, Vienna, 1641,
folio.
f
BAXTER* 167
folio. In his worts aro feen animation, force, and truth ; hut hil
figures are little and mean.
. BAUSCH, the furnamc of Abu Giafar ben Ali, author of a
i>ook intituled, Eknaa iil corat Sebaa, which is a treatife on the
fcvcn different manners of reading the koran. He died in the
' year of the hegira 546. This word Baufch fig:iifies in the perfiah
tongue a water-melon, and a bunch of grapes.
BAUSSIRl, the furname of Abu Abdalla Mohammed Scher-
feddin, who affirmed that he had been cured in a dream of a
p^lfy by Mohammed j in gratitude for which he compofed a
poem to his praife, and gave it the name of Kaukab al derriat.
The Brilliant Star, and Hordat, a word which (ignifies the gown
of a dervife. All the. rhymes of this poem end in the letter M,
the initial of the prophet's name ; and, becaufe he is alfo extolled
in it for having given fight to a blind man, the fame poem was
intituled by its author, Kaukab al derriat, fi medh khair al ber«
riah ; The Brilliant Star, or the encomium of the mofl perfeft of
creatures. This work is in fuch high efleom among the Mo-
hammedans, that many of them learn it by heart, and quote the
▼erfes of it as fo many maxims : numbers of the learned have
paraphrafed it and wrote commentaries on it; and we meet
with a j^reat many verfions of it both per fi an and turkifh.
BAU FRU, a celebrated wit, and one of the firfl members
of the frcnch academy, was born at Paris in 1 588, and died there
in 1665. He was the delight of all the miniilers at court, of all
the favourites, and of all the great in general. He was indeed
a. kind oi fool among them ; who, while he played the buffoon,
took the ufual privilege of faying what he plcafed. Many of his
Jbons mots are preferved. Once, when he was in Spain, having
been to fee the famous library of the Efcurial, where he found a
very ignorant librarian, the king of Spain afked him what he had
remarked ? To whom Bautru replied, that "-the library wac %
very fine one ; but your majefty," adds he, " fhould make your
librarian treafurer of your finances." Why fo ? " Becaufe,** fays
Baucru, *^ he never touches what he is entrufled with."
BAXTER (Richard), an eminent nonconformift divine,
born Nov. 12, 1615, at Rowton, near High Ercal, in Shrop-
(hire [s]. He was unlucky as to his education, by falling into
the hands of ignorant fchoolmaflers } neither had he the advan-
tage of an academical education, his parents having accepted of
a propofal of putting him under Mr. Wickflead, chaplain ta the
council of Ludlow : but this did not anfwer their expe£tation \
Mr. VVickflead, being himfelf no great fcholar, took little or no
pains with his pupil 5 the only benefit he reaped was the ufe of
an excellent library, which, by his great application, proved in«
[s] Calim/t Abridgment of Baxter's Life, p. 9. 1702. 8vo*
M 4 deei
i!6l BAXTER.
deed of infinite fervicc to him. When he had remained in this
fituation about a year and a half, he returned to his father's.
In 16339 Mr. \Vickftead perfuaded him to lay afide his ftudieSy
and to think of making his fortune at court. He accordingly
came to Whitehall, and was recommended to fir Henry Herbert,
mafter of the reyelb, by whom he was very kindly received; but,
in thcfpace of a montn, being tired of a court life, he returned
to the country, where he refumed his ftudies, and Mr. Richard
Foley of Stourbridge got him appointed mafter of the free-fchool
at Dudley, with an alTiftant under him. In 1638, he applied
to the biiliop of Winchefter for orders, which he received,
having at that time no fcruples about conformity to the church
pf England. The " Et cactera" oath was what firft induced him
to examine imo this point. It was framed by the convocation
then fitting, and all perfons were thereby enjoined to fwear,
?• That they would neyer confent to the alteration of the prefent
government of the church by archbifiiops, bifiiops, deans, arch*
deacons, &c." There were rnany perfons who thought it hard
to fwear to the continuance of a church government which they
difliked j and yet they would have concealed their thoughts, had
pot this oath, impofed under the penalty of expulfion, compelled
them to fpeak. Others complained of the f^ £t cetera," which
they faid contained they knew not what. Mr. Baxter ftudied
the beft books he could find upon this fubje£l, the confequence
of which was, that he utterly difliked the oath.
In 1640, he was invited to be minifter at Kidderminfter«
ivhich he accepted 5 and had been here two years when the civil
war broke out. He was a favourer of the parliament, which
expofed him to fome inconveniences, and obliged him to retire
to Gloucefter ; but being ftrongly follicited he returned to Kid-
derminfter. However, not finding himfelf fafe in this place, he
again quitted it, and took up his refidence at Coventry : here be
lived in perfeft quiet, preaching once every Sunday to the gar-
rifon, and once to the town's people. After Nafeby fight, he
was appointed chaplain to colonel Whalley's regiment, and was
prefent at feveral fieges. He was obliged to leave the army in
1657, by a fudden illnefs, and retired to fir 1 homas Roufe's,
where he continued a long time in a languifiiing ftate of health.
He afterwards returned to Kidderminfter, where he continued to
preach with great fuccefs. When Cromwell gained the fupe-
riority, Mr. Baxter exprefied his diflatisfaf^ion to his meafures,
but did not think proper to preach againft him from the pulpit :
once indeed he preached before the proteftor, and made ufe of
the following text : " Now I befecch you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that ye all fpeak the fame thing, and
that there be no divifions amongft you, but that ye be perfectly
joined together in the fame mind and in the fame judgment/'
He
BAXTER, |6f
fie ierelled his difcourfe agalnft the diyifions and diftrafliona of
ihe church. A while after Cromwell fent to fpeak with htm :
when he began a long and ferious fpeech to him of God^s pro?
vidence in the change of the government^ and how God had
owned it, and wh^ great things had been done at home and
abroad in the peace with Spain and Holland. Mr. Baxter told
him, *^ It was too great condefcenfion to acquaint him fo fully
with all thefe matters, which were above him : but that the ho-
ned people of the land took their ancient monarchy to be a blef-
fing, and not an evil ; and humblj craved his patience, that he
might afk him, how they had forfeited that blefling, and unto
whom that forfeiture was made i** Upon this queftion Cromwell
was awakened into fome paiTion, and told him, ^' There was no
forfeiture, but God had changed it as pleafed him ;'* and then
he let fly at the parliament, which thwarted him, and efpecially
by name at four or five members, Mr. Baxter's particular ac-
quaintances, whom he prefumed to defend againft the protedor's
paffion. A few days after he fent for him again, under pretence o£
diking him his opinion about liberty of confcience; at which time
alfo he made a long tedious fpeech, which took up fo much time,
that Mr. Baxter defired to offer his fentiments in writing, which
he did, but fays* he quellions whether Cromwell read them.
Mr. Baxter came to London a little before the depofition of
Richard Cromwell, and preached before th^ parliament the day
preceding that on which they voted the king's return [t]. He
preached likewife before the lord-mayor at St. Paul's a thankf«
giving fermon for general Monk's fuccefs. Upon the king's
fefloration he was appointed one of his chaplains in ordinary.
He ailifted at the conference at the Savoy as one of the com-
mifiioners, when they drew up a reformed liturgy. He was
pffered the bifhopric of Hereford by the lord chancellor Claren-
don, which he refufed, and gave his lordfhip his reafons for xiot
accepting of it, in a letter*, he required no favour but that of
being permitted to continue minifter at Kidderminfter, but could
not obtain it. Being thus difappointed, he preached occalionally
about the city of London, having a licence from bifhop Sheldon,
upon his fubfcribing a promife not to preach any thing againft
ihe dofbrine or ceremonies of the church. May i j, 1662, he
preached his farewell fermon at Blackfriars, and afterwards re-
itired to AQon in Middlefex. In 1665, during the plague, he
Kent to Richard Hampden's, efq. in Buckinghamihire ; and
when it ceafed returned to A£^on. He continued here as long
as the a£l againft conventicles was in force, and, when that was
expired, had fo many auditors that he wanted room : hereupon,
bj a warrant figned by two juftices, he was committed for fix
Tt] Cal^my'i iV^^ridgmeat of Bpiltt*% Life, p. xis,
months
f 7« BAXTER.
months to New Prifon gaol ; but having at length procnred ait
babeas corpus, h.e vf^s xlifcharged^ and removed to Totteridge
near Barnet..
After the indulgence in 1672, he returned to London; and the
times appearing more favourable about two years after, he built
a meeiing-houfe in Oxenden-ftrcct, where he had preached but
once, when a refolution was formed to take him by furprife, and
fend him to the county gaol, on the Oxford acl ; which misfor-
tune he efcaped, but the perfpn who happened to preach for
him was font to the Gate-houfe, where he was confined three
months. After having been three years kept out of his meeting-
lioufe, he took another in Swallow-ftreet, but was likewife pre-
vented from preaching there, a guard having been placed for many
Sundays to hinder his entrance. Upon the death of Mr, Wadw
worth, he preached to his congregation in Southwark [u].
In 1682, he was feized by a warrant, for coming within five
miles of 3 corpor-rttion; and five more warrants were fervedupoti
him to diflrain for 1951* as a penalty for five fermons he had
preached, fo that his books and goods were fold. He was not
however imprifoned on this occafion, which was owing to Dr.Tho*
mas Cox, who went to five juftices of the peace, before whom he
fwore that Mr. Baxter was in fuch a bad lUte of health, that he
could not go to pritbn without danger of death. In the begin*
ning of 1685, he was committed to the Kin^;'?; Bench prifon, by
a warrant from the lord chief juftice Jeffries, for his Paraphrafe
on the new Teilament j and on May i8tJi, of the fame year, he
was tried in the court of King's Bench, and found guilty. He
was condemned to prifon for two years ; but, in 1^86, king
James, by the mediation of the lord Powis, granted him a par*
don 5 and on Nov. the 24th he was difcharged out of the King'5
Bench. He retired to a houfe in Charterhoufe-yard, where he
aflifted Mr. Sylvefter every Sunday morning, ^nd preached 2^
le£ture every Thurfday.
Mr. Baxter died Dec. the 8th, 1691, and was interred in
Chrift-church, whither his corpfe was attended by a numerous
company of perfons of diflerent ranks, and many clergymen of
the eftablifhed church. He wrote a great number ot books.
Mr. Long of Exeter fays fourfcorc ; Dr, Calamy, one hundred
and twenty ; but the author of a note in the Biographia Britan-
nica tells us he hadfeen an hundred and forty-five diftinft trea-
tifcs of Mr. Baxter's : his praftical works have been publiihed in
four volumes folio. BiQiop Burnet, in the Hiftory of his own
times [x], calls him " a man of great piety •," and fays, " that if
he had not meddled with too many things, he would have been
[u] C:)1ainy*s Abridgment of Baxter's [i] Vol. i. p. i8o. 1724.
Life, p. 6071 608.
clleemcd
BAXTER. 171
efteemed one of the moft learned men of the age ; that he haj
a moving and pathetical way of writing, and was his whole fife
long a man of great zeal and much fimpUcity^but was unhappily
fubtle and metaphyfical in every thing."
BAXTER (William), nephew to ^hc above, an eminent
grammarian and critic, born in 1650, at Lanlugany in Shrop-
fliirc [y]. His education was much neglefted in his younger
years ; for, at the age of eighteen, when he went to the fchool
at Harrow on the Hill, in Middlefex, he knew not one letter iti
abooky nor underftood one word of any language but Wellh :
but foon retrieved his loft time, and became a man of great
learning. He applied chiefly to the ftudy of antiquities and phi-
lology, in which he compofed feveral books. In 1679, he pub-
liflied a Grammar on the latin tongue [z] ; and in 1695, an edi-
tion of Anacreon [a], afterwards reprinted in 1710, with im-
provements 5 in 1710, an edition of Horace [b] 5 and, in 1719,
his DiAionary of the britifh antiquities [c]. His GlolTary,
pr diflionary of the roman antiquities, which goes no farther
than the letter A, was publiflicd in 1726, by the reverend Mr.
Mofes Williams [d] ; and, in 1732. he put out propofals for
printing his notes on Juvenal [e]-. Mr. Baxter had alfo a (hare
|n the englifli tranflation of Plutarch by feveral hands. He wa$
a great mafter of the ancient britiih and irifh tongues, and well
ikilled in the latin and greek as well as the northern and eaftera
languages. He kept a correfpondence with moft of the learned
fnen of hi$ time, efpecially with the famous antiquarian Mr. £d^
[y] Autoris vitx ab ipfo confcriptay rtftltuitWiIIiclmus Baxter.'* Sro.
prefixed to his Gloflarium Antiq. Brit. ' [c] Under the title of <* GlolTariua
Lond. i73i,8vo. General Dictionary. anti(]uitatum firitannicarumy five fyllabot
[z] The title at large is as follows: etymologicus antiquitatum veteris Britan-
*' De analogla, five arte lingu«e Latinae niae, atque Ibcrniie, tempbnbus Romano-
pommentariolus ; in quo omnia, eiiam re- rum." Dedicated to Richard Mead, M.D«
conditions gramznaticae elementa, ratione 8vo.
nova tradantur, et ad brevifiimos canones [b] It was puhlifhed under the title of
rediguDtur. Ip. ufum prove^ioris adolef* ** Reliquiae Uuxteriinae, five Willielmt
centisv. 1679." 12010. Baxteri opera pofthuma. Praemittitur era<-
[a] " Anacreontis Teii carmina. Plu- diti autoris vitae a feipfo fcriptae fragmen-
rimis quibus haAenus fcatebant mendis turn." It was republifiied in 17^1, witk
purgavic, turbata merra rcftituit, noufque this title* '* Gloflarium antiquitatum Ro*
cum nova interpretatione literati adjecit manarum, a Wiliieimo Baxter, Comavio*
Wiliiclm us Baxter. Subjiciunturetiamduo fcholje Merciariorum prsefedo. Accedunt
Tetuftiffima poetics Sapphus elegantiflima erjdtti autoris vitz a feipfo coofcripts
pdaria, una cum cnrreflione Ifaaci Voffii, frigmentum, et feiedae qucdam cjufdcm
jetTheocriti Anacrconticum in mortuum' epiftolae."
Adonin. i697eti7io." 8vo. [c] Under this title, " Gulieimi Bax-
[r] The fecond edition was ^nl(hcd by teri qux fuperfunt enarrationes et notse in
him but a few days before his death, and D- Junii Juvenaiis Satyran. Acccdit rerua
publilbed under this title: " Q^ Horatii etvetbonimobfervationedigniorumquaeiB
rlacci Eclogae,una cum fcholiis perpecuis, iifdem occurrunt, index locupletiilimui.
^am veteribus quam novis. Adjecit etiam, Accurante Guiielmo Mofei A. M. R. S.
ubi vifum ell, et fua, textumque ipfum Soc.*'
^luhmit locii vel corruptum vel turbatum
ward
^vard Lhwyd. Some of Mr. Baxter's letters to him arc publifliei
In his Gloflarium anti<juitatum Romanaruni. There are like-r
wife in the Phjlofophical Tranfadions [f] two letters of his to
Dr. Harwood, one concerning the town of Veroconium, or
Wroxcter, in Shropfhirc, and the other concerning the hypoi-
caufta, or fweating-houfe^ of the ancients j and another to Dr^
Hans Sloane [gJ, fecretary to the Royal Society, cgntaining ai|
;ib(lra<^ of Mr. Lhwyd's Archxologia Britannica.
Mr. Baxter fpent moft of his life in educating youth : forfome
years he kept a board ing-fchool at Tottenham High-crofs in Midr
dlefex, where he remained till he was chofen mafter of the Mer-
cer's fchool in London. In this fituation he continued above
twenty years, but refigned before his death, which happened oi^
the 3 r ft of May, 1723. Some further particulars of which may
be feen in the Anecdotes of Mr. Eowyer.
BAXTER ( Andrew)[h], a very ingenious writer of Scotland,
was born in 1686, or 1687, at Old Aberdeen, of which city hi^
father was a merchant, and educated in King's cc Hege tnefe.
His principal employment was that of a private tutor to young
gentlemen , and among others of his pupils were lord Grey, lord
Blantyre, and Mr. Hay of Drummelzier. About 1724, he mar-
fied the daughter of a clergyman in the fhire of Berwick. A
JFcw years after he publlfhtvl, in 4ro, " An Enquiry intotlie Na-
ture of the human Soul, wlicroin its immateriality is evinced from
the principles of reafon and philofophyj" without date. In 17411
he went abroad with Mr. Hay, and refided fome years at IJtrccht |
having there alfo lord Bhntyre under his care. He made ex-
curGons from thence into Flanders, France, and Germany 5 his
iwife and family refiding, in the mean time, chiefly at Berwiclif
upon Tweed. He returned to Scotland in 1747, and refided till
his death at Whittingham, in the fhire of Eaft Lothian. Hp
drew up, for the ufe of his pupils and his fon, a piece, intituled^
** Matho : five, Cofmotheoria puerilis, Dialogus. In quo prima
(clementa de mundi ordine et ornatu proppnuntur, &c." Thi^
was afterwards greatly enlarged, and publiflied in englifli, in two
volumes 8vo. In 1750 was publiflied, ^' An Appendix to his
Enquiry into the nature of the human foul j" wherein he enr
jdeavouTS to remove fome difficulties, which had been ftarted
againft his notions of the *^ vis inertia" of matter, by Maclaurin,
in his " Account of Sir Ifaac Newton's Philofophical Difco^
veries." To this piece Mr. Baxter prefixed a dedication to Mr.
John Wilkes, with whom he had commenced an acquaintance
abroad. He died this year, April the 23d, after fuffering fop
fome months under a complication of diioTdcTS, of which tho
gout was the chief.
\r J No. 306. p. 3236. [h] Biof. Brit (cc. edit
[cj No. 311. p.24i»-
He
He left a wife, three daughters, and one fon, Mr. Alexanrfcr
Baxter I from which laft the authors of the Biographia Britannicai
received, as they inform us, fundry particulars of his life. He
was a very ingenious and knowing man : the french, german^
and dutch languages were fpoken by him vi^ith much eafe, the
kalian tolerably ; and he wrote and read ihem all, together with
the fpanifli. He was a man alfo of great integrity, humanity,
and candour : his candour appears, we think, moft ftrikingly
from this, inafmuch as though Mr. Wilkes had made himfelf fo
very obnoxious to the fcottilh nation in general, yet Mr. Baxter
kept up with him an afFcftionvite correfpondence to the laft, even
after he was unable to write to him with his own hand [i]. He
left many manufcripts behind him. He would gladly have
iinifhed his work upon the human foul : " I own,*' fays he ta
Mr. Wilkes, " if it had been the will of heaven, I would gladly
have lived, till I had put in order the fecond part of the Enquiry,
(hewing the immortality of the human foul 5 but Infinite Wif-
dom cannot be miftaken in calling me fooner. Our blindnefa
makes us form wiflies." It was, indeed, what he confidered it,
his capital work : a fecond edition of it was publilhed, in two
volumes, 8vo. 1737, and a third in 1745.
BAYARD (Pierre du Terrail, Chevalier de\ one of the
braveft captains of his time, famous far his eager purfuit of
glory, and poffeffing every military virtue of the fubordinate
kind, was a foldier of fortune born in Dauphine. He followed
Charles VIII. to the conqueft of Naples, where he eminently
fignalized himfelf. He was dangeroufly wounded at the taking
of Brefcia, a city of Italy. It was here he proved his generofitj
by returning to the daughter of his hoft the two thoufand pi(-
toles which her mother prefented to him, for the redemption of
her houfe from plunder : an aftion which has been celebrated by
moft hiftorians. He ferved under Francis I. at the battle of
Marignan, and followed the admiral Bonnivet into Italy in 1523.
Being mortally wounded in retreating from the imperialifts, he
placed himfelf under a tree, his face towards the enemy, faying,
" As in life I always faced the enemy, fo I would not in
death turn my back upon them." This happened in 1524. His
fecretary, who wrote his life, fays, that after two-and- thirty
years fervice, he died almoft as poor as he was born.
BAYER (Theophilus Sigfred), grandfon of John Bayer,
an expert mathematician, wus born in 1694. His inclination to
the ftudy of ancient and modern languages led him to learn
even the chincfe. He went afterwards to Dantzic, to Berlin, to
Halle, to Leipfic, and to feveral other towns of Germany, and
in all places made ufeful acquaintances. On his return to
[f ] Letters to and from Mr. Wilkfli, voL i.
Koenigfbcrg.
174 BAyLE;
ICocnigfberg in 171^, lie was made librarian there. In i^aShe
^as called to Peterfburg, where he was appointed profeflbr of
greek and roman antiquities. He was on the point of going back
to Koenigfterg, when he died at Peterfburg in 1738. We have
of his writing a great number of learned and curious diflTer-
tations. His Mufxum Sinicum^ printed in 1730, 2 vols. 8vo;
a work of fingular erudition^ fhews its author to have had great
fagacity. John Bayer, his grandfather, born at Aiigfburg, was,
an able aftronomer. In 1603, he publifhed, under the title of
Uranometria, a defcription of the condellationSi in which he
points out every ftar by a greek or latin letter.
BAYLE (Peter), author of the Hiftorical and Critical Dic-
tionary, born Nov. 1 8, 1647, ^^ Carla, a fmall town in the county
of Foix, was the fon of John Bayle, a proteftant minider [k],
Peter gave early proofs of a fine genius, which his father culti-
Tated with the utmoft care : he himfelf taught him the latin znd
freek languages^ and fent him to the proteftant academy at
Wlaurens in 1666. The fame year, when upon a vific to his
father, he applied fo clofely to his (ludies, that it brought upon!
him an illnefs which kept him at Carla above eighteen months 9
tpon his recovery, he returned to Puylaurens to profecute his ftu-
dies ; afterwards he went to Touloufe in 1669, and attended the?
lefiures in the Jefuits college. The controverfial books whkh
he read at Puylaurens raifed feveral fcruples in his mind in re-
gard to the proteftant religion ; his doubts were increafed by
fome difputes he had with a pricft, who lodged in the fame houfe
' with him at ^i'ouloufe. He thought the proteftant tenets were
falfe, bccaufe he could not anfwer all the arguments raifed againfl:
them; fo that about a month after his arrival . at Touloufe, he
embraced the roman catholic religion [l]. This was matter of
great concern to all his relations. Mr. Bertier, bifliop of Rieux,
rightly judging, that after this ftep young Bayle had no reafon
to expeft any affiftance from his relations, took uppn him the
charge of his maintenance. Thev piqued themfelves much at
Touloufe upon the acquifition ot fo promifing a young man.
When it came to his turn to defend thefes publicly, the moft:
diftinguiftied perfons of the clergy, parliament, and city were
prefcnt ; fo that there had hardly ever been feen in the univer-
fity a more fplendid and numerous audience. The thefes were
dedicated to the Virgin, and adorned with her pidlure, which
was ornamented with feveral emblematical figures, reprefcnting
the converfion of the refpondent.
Some time after Mr. Bayle's converfion, Mr. Naudis de Bra*
guiere, a young gentleman of great wit and penetration, and ar
[k] See the englifh tranflation of Des [l] See the eng1i(h tranflation of Det
Maueaux'a Life of Bay)e> p. 3. Maiacaux's Life of Bayle, p. 4.
relatioit
BAYLE. 17^
fclatioli of his, happened to come to Touloufe, where he lodgcdS
in the fame houfe with him. They difputed warmly about re-
ligion; and after having puflied the arguments on both fides with
great vigour, they ufed to examine them over again coolly.
Thefe familiar difputes often puzzled Mr. Bayle, and made him
diftruft fcveral opinions of the church of Rome ; fo that he fc-
erctly condemned himfelf for having embraced them too preci-
pitately. Some time after Mr. de Pradals came to Touloufcy
whom Mr. Bayle's father had defired to vifit him, hoping he
would in a little time gain liis confidence ; and this gentleman
fo far fuccceded, that Bayle one day owned to him his having
been too hafty in entering into the church of Kome, fince he
now found fevcral of her dodlrines contrary to reafon and fcrip-
turc. Auguft 1670, he departed fccretly from Touloufe, where
he had (laid eighteen months, and retired to Mazeres in the Lau-
ragais, to a country houfe of Mr. du Vivie. His eider brother
came thither the day after, with fomc minifters of the neigh^
bourhood ; and next day Mr. Rival, minifter of Saverdun, re-^
ceived his abjuration in prefence of his elder brother and two
other miniilers, and they obliged him inftantly to fet out for
Geneva. Soon after his arrival here, Mr. de Normandie, a fyn-
die of the republic, having heard of his great character and abi-^
lities^ employed him as tutor to his fons. Mr. Bafnage at that
time lodged with this gentleman ; and it was here Mr. Bayle
commenced his acquaintance with him. When he had been
about two years at Geneva, at Mr. Bafnage's recommendation
he entered into the family of the count de Dhona lord of Copet»
as tutor to his children ; out not liking the folitary life he led in
this family, he lefc it, and went to Roan in Normandy, where he
was employed as tutor to a merchant's fon ; but he foon grew
tired of this place alfo. His great ambition was to be at Paris ;
he went accordingly thither in March 1675, and, at the recom-
mendation of the marquis de Ruvigny, wa^ chofen tutor to mef-
fieurs de Beringhen, brothers to M. de Bcringhen, counfellor in
the parliament of Paris.
Some months after his arrival at Paris, there being a vacancy
of a profeflbrfliip of philofophy at Sedan, Mr. Bafnage propofed
Mr. Bayle to Mr. Jurieu, who promifcd to ferve him to the ut-
moft of his power, and defired Mr. Bafnage to write to him to
come immediately to Sedan [m]. But Mr. B.iyle excufed him-,
felf, fearing left if it (hould be known that he had changed his
religion, which was a fecrct to every body in that country but
Mr. Bafnage, it might bring him into trouble, and the reman
catholics from thence take occafion to difturh the prc^eftants at
Sedan. Mr. Jurieu was extremely' furprifed at his refufal } and
[mJ. Bayle's Letters to MeC Cooftant and MlautoU.
even
tjS BaVLE;
dren wken Mr. Bafnage coxrifhtini^ated the reafon, Ke m^^s Sf
opinion it ought not to hinder Mn Bayle's coming, fince he and
Mr. Bafnage oeing the only perfons privy to the fecret, Mr. Bayle
could run rto manner of danger. Mr. Bafnage therefore wrote
again t0 Mr. Bayle^ dnd prevailed with him to come to Sedan.
He had three competitofi, alt natives of Sedan, the friends of
vrhom endeavoured to raife prejudices againft him becaufe he
was a ftranger. But the afTah* being left to be determined by
difpute, and the candidates having agreed to make their thefes
without books or preparation, Mr. bayle defended his thcfes
with fuch perfpictfity and ftrength of argument, that, in fpite of
all the intereft of his advcrfaries, the fcnatc of the univerfity de-
termined it in his favour; and notwithftanding the oppofition he
xtiet with upon his firft coming to Sedan^ his merit foon procured
Jiim univerfal efteenf. . , , .
In 1680, an affair Gif the duke of Luxemhurgh made i great
noife : he had beefn accufed of impieties, forccry, and poifonings^
but was acquitted, and the procefs againft him fupprefled.
Mr. Bayle, having been at Paris during the harveft-vacationy
had heard many particulars concerning this affair. He compofed
sra harangue on the fubje£b, wherein the marfhal is foppofed to
vindicate himfelf before his judges. This fpeech is a fmart fa-
tire upon the duke and fome other perfons. He afterwards
wrote one more fatirical, by way of criticifm upon the harangue.
He font thcfe two pieces to Mr. Minutoli, defiring his opinion of
them ; and, that he might fpeak his mind more freely, he con-<
C€aled his being the author. About this time father deVa-^
lois, ^ jefuxt of Caen, publifhed a book, wherein he maintained
that the fentiments of M. Des Cartes concerning the eflencc
and properties of body, were repugnant to the doftrine of the
church, and agreeable to the errors of Calvin on the fubjefk of
the eucharift. Mr. Bayle read this performance, and judged it
well done. He was of opinion the author had inconteftably
J roved the point in queftion ; to wit, tteit the principles of M.
)cs Cartes were contrary to the faith of the church of Rome,
and agreeable to the doftrine of Calvin. He took occafion from
thence to write his " Sentiments de M. Des Cartes touchant
Feflence, &c." wherein he maintained the principles of Des
Cartes, and anfwered all the arguments by which father de Valois
Jiad endeavoured to confute them.
The great comet, which appeared December 1680, having
filled the generality of people with fear and aftonifhment, in-
duced Mr. Bayle to think of writing a letter on this fubjeft to
be inferted in the Mercure Galant ; but, finding he had fuch
abundance of matter as exceeded the bounds of a letter for that
periodical work, he refolved to print it by itfelf ; and accord-
ingly fent it to M. de Vife. He defired M. de Vife to give it
to
BAYLE. 177
to Kis printer, and to procure a licence for it from M. de la
Reynie, lieutenant of the police, or a privilege from the king if
that was neceflary ; but M. de Vife returned for anfwer, diat
M. de la Reynie being unwilling to take upon hiiii the confe-
quences of printing it, it would be neceflary to obtain the ap*
probation of the dodlors before a royal privilege could be ap-
plied for ; which being a tedious and diificult affair, Mr* Baylo
gave over all thoughts of having it printed at Paris.
The proteftants in France were at this time in a diftrefled
fituation ; not a year pafl- d without fome infringement of the
edicl of Nantz, and it wai at length refolved to ihut up their
academies. That at Sedan was accordingly fupprefl'ed by aa
arret of Lewis XIV. dated the 9th of July 1681. Mr. Bayle
ftaid fix or feven weeks at Sedan after the fuppreflion of the
academy, expelling letters of invitation from Holland; but not
receiving any during thai time, he left Sedan the 2d of Septem-
ber, and arrived at Paris the 7th of the^ame month, not being
determined wl:ether he (hould go to Rotterdam or England, or
continue in France ; but whilft he was in this uncertainty he
received an invitation to Rotterdam, for which place he accord-
ingly fet out, and arrived there the 30th of October 168 1. He
was appointed profefTor of phiiofophy and hiftory ; with a falary
of five hundred guilders per annum. The year following he
publiihed his Letter concerning Comets ; and father Maimbourg
having publiflied about this time hig Hiftory of Calvinifm,
wherein he endeavours to draw upon the proteftants the con-
tempt and refentment of the catholics, Mr. Bayle wrote a piece
to confute his hiftory : in this he has inferted feveral circum-r
fiances relating to the life and difputes of Mr. Maimbourg, and
has given a (ketch of his charafter, which is thought to have a
ftrong likenefs.
1 he reputation which Mr. Bayle had now acquired, induced
the ftates of Friezland, in 1 684, to offer him a profeflbrfhip in
their univerfity j but he wrote them a letter of dianks, and de-
clined the ofler. This fame year he began to publifli his Nou-
velles de la republique des lettres ; and tlie year following he
wrote a fecond part to his Cenfure on the Hiftory of Mr, Maim-
bouVg.
In 1686, he was drawn into a difpute in relation to the fa-
mous Chriftina queen of Sweden : in his Journal for April, he
took notice of a printed letter, fuppofed to have been writtea
by her fwedifli majefty to the chevalier de Terlon^ wherein ftie
condemns the perfecution of the proteftants in France, He in-
ferted the letter itfelf in his Journal for May, and in that o£
June following he fays : What we hinted at in our laft mont} ,
is confirmed to us from day to day, that Chriftina is the real
jjutlior of the letter concerning the perfecuuon& in France whicU
Vpl.1I. N i»
178 BAYLE.
is afcribcd to her i it is a remainder of protcftantifm.*' Mr. Bayfe
received an anonymous letter, the author of which fays, that hcf
wrote to him of his own accord, being in duty bound to it, as a
fervant of the queen. He complains that Mr. Bayle^ fpeaking
of her majefty, called her only Chriilina, without any title ; he
finds alfo great fault with his calling the letter, " a remainder
of proteftantifm." He blames him likewife for inferting the
words " I am," in the condufion of the letter. " Thefe words,
fays this anonymous writer, are not her majefty's ; a queen, as
flie is, cannot employ thefe words but with regard to a very few
perfons, and Mr. de Terlon is not of that number." Mr. Baylc
wrote a vindication of himfelf as to thefe particulars, with which
the author of the anonymous letter declared himfelf fatisfied,
excepting as to what related to ** the remainder of proteftantifm.''
He would not admit of the defence with regard to that ex-
preffion ; and, in another letter, advifed him to retraft that ex-
preflion. He adds in a 4>oftfcript, You mention in your Journal
of Auguft, a fecond letter of the queen, which you fcruple to
publifh. Her majefty would be glad to fee that letter, and you
will do a thing agreeable to her, if you would fend it to her.
You might rake this opportunity of writing to her majefty. This
counfel may be of fome ufe to you, do not negleft it." Mr.
Bayle took the hint, and wrote a letter to her majefty, dated
the 14th of November 1686; to which the queen> on the 14th
of December, wrote the following anfwer :
« Mr. Baylc,
•* I have received your excufes, and am willing you (hould
know by this letter, that I am fatisfied with them. I am obliged
to the zeal of the perfon, who gave you occafion of writing to
me ; for I am very glad to know you. You exprefs fo much re-
fpe£t and affe£tion for me, that I pardon you fmcerely ; and I
would have you know, that nothing gave me offence but that
remainder of proteftantifm, bf which you accufed me. I am
very delicate on that head, becaufe nobody can fufpeft me of
it, without leffcning my glory, and imuring me in the moft fen-
fible manner. You would do well, it you (hould even acquaint
the pnblic with the miftake you have made, and with your re-
gret for it. This is all that remains to be done by you, in order
to dcferve my being entirely fatisfied with you.
** As to the letter which you have fcnt me, it is mine with-
out doubt ; and fince you tell me that it is printed, you will do
me a pleafure if you fend me fome copies of it. As I fear no-
thing in France, fo neither do I fear any thing at Rome. My
fb-'tune, my blood, and even my life, are entirely devoted to the
fervice of tne church ; but I flatter nobody, and will never fpeak
»ny thing but the truth, I am obliged to thofe who have been
pleafed
feAYLE. 1}$
t\&ittA to J^ublifli niy letter ; for I do not at dl dtfguife my
fentiments. I thank Godi the^ are too noble and too honourable
to be difowned- However; it is not true, that this letter was
Written to one of my minifters., As I have every where enemies;
and perfons vrho envy me, fb I in all places have friends and
fervants ; and I have poiBbly as many in France; liotwithlland-
ing the court, as any where in the world. This is purely the
truth, and you may regulate yourfelf accordingly.
** But you fhall not get off fo cheap as you imagirie. I will
enjoin you a penance ; which is, that you will henceforth take
the trouble of fending me all curious books that ihall be pub«
liQied in latin, french, fpaniih, or italian, on whatever fubjecb
or fcience, provided they are worthy of being looked into ; I do
not everr except romances or fatires : and above all, if there are
any books of chemidry, 1 defire you may fend them to me as foon
as poffible. Do not forget likewife to fend me your * Journak*
1 fliall order that you be paid for whatever you lay out, do but
fend me an account of it. This will be the moft agreeable and
mod important fervice that can be done me. May God profper
you. Christina Alexandra."
It now only remained that Mr. Bayle ihould acquaint the
public with the miftake he had made, and his regret for it, in
order to merit that princefs's entire fatisfaflion. This he did in
his Journal of January 1687. ** We have been informed, to our
incredible fatisfaction," fays he, " that the queen of Sweden
having feen the ninth article of the Journal of Auguft i686j had
been pleafed to be fatisiied with the explanation we gave there..
Properly, it was only the words * remainder of pvoteftantifm/
which had die misfortune to offend her majefty ; for, as her
ttiajeily is very delicate on that fubjeft, and defires that all the
ixrorld ihould know, that after having carefully examined the
different religions, (he had found none to be true but the roman
catholic, and that fhe has heartily embraced it ; it was injurious
to her glory to give occafion for the lead fufpicion of her Cn-
cerity. We are therefore very forry that we have made ufe of an
expreflion, which has been underftood in a fenfe fo very different
from our intention 5 and we would have been very far from
making ufe of it, if we had forefeen that it was liable to any
ambiguity ; for, befides the rcfpe£l which we, together with all
the world, owe to fo great a queen, who has been the admira-
tion of the univerfe from her carlieft days, we join with the
Utmoft zeal in that particular obligation which all men of letters
are under to do her homage, becaufe of the honour (he has
done the fciences, by being pleafed thoroughly to examine their
beauties, and to prote6l them in a diftinguifliing manner."
The perfecution which the proteftants at this time fuffered
in France affccked Mr. Bayle extremely. He made occa&onally
N 2 fom*
i8o BAYLE.
fomc reflcftions on their fuffcrings in his Journal j and he wrof5
a pamphlet alfo on the fubje£^. Some time after he publiflied
his Commentairc philofophique, upon thcfe words, " Compel
them to come in :" but the great application he gave to this and
his other works, threw him into a fit of fickntfs, which obliged
him to difcontinue his Literary Journal. Being advifed to try a
change of air, he left Rotterdam, and went to Cleves ; whence,
after having continued fome time, he removed to Aix la Chapelle,
and thence returned to Rotterdam. In 1690, the famous book,
intituled, Avis aux Refugiez, &c. made its appearance : Mr.
Juricu, who took lAr. B:iylc for the author, wrote a piece againft
it, and prefixed an advice to the public, wherein he calls Mr.
Bayle a profane perfon, and a traitor engaged in a confpiracy
againft the ilate. As foon as Mr. Bayle had read this libel againlk
him, he went to the grand Ichout of Rotterdam, and ofl'ered to
go to prifon, provided his accufer would accompany him, and
undergo the puniihment he deferved, if the accufation was found
unjuit. lie publiflied alfo an anfwer to Mr. Jurieu's charge ;
and as his reputation, nay his very life was at ftake, in cafe the
accufation of treafon was proved, he therefore thought himfelf
not obliged to keep any terms with his accufer, and attacked
him with the utmoil f<jverity. Mr. Juricu loft all patience : he
applied to the magiftrates of Amllerdam, who advifed him to a
reconciliation with Mr. Bayle, and enjoined them not to publifti
any thing againft each other till it was examined by Mr. Boyer,
the penfioner of Rotterdam. But, notwithftanding this pro-
hibition, Mr. Jurieu attacked Mr. Bayle again with fo much
pafljpn, that he forced him to write a new vindication of
himfelf.
In November idgo, Mr. de Bcauval advcrtifed in his Journal,
a fcheme for a Critical Dictionary. This was the work of Mr.
Bayle. The articles of the three firft letters of the alphabet were
already prepared ; but a difpute happening betwixt him and Mr.
de Beauval, he for fome time laid the work afidc. Nor did he
refume it till May 1692, when he publiflied his fcheme; but
the public not approving of his plan, he threw it into a difiercnt
form, and the firft volume was publiihcd in Auguft 1695, the
fccond the Oftober following. The work was extremely well re-
ceived by the public ; but it engaged him in frefli difputes, par-
ticularly with M. Jurieu and the abbe Renaiidot. Mr. Jurieu
publifhed a piece, wherein he endeavoured to engage the eccle-
fiaftical aflcmblies to condemn the Didionary : he prcfented it
to the fen ate fitting at Delft-, but they took no notice of the
afFair. The confiftory of Rotterdam granted Mr. Bayle a hear-
ing ; and after having heard his anfwers to their remarks on his
Diftionary, declared themfelvcs fatisficd, and advifed him to
communicate this to the public. Mr. Jurieu made another at-
tempt
BAYLY. i8i
tempt With the conCftory in 1698 j and fo far he prevailed, that
they exhorted Mr. Bayle to be more cautious about his principles
in the fecond edition of his Diftionary ; which was publifhed ia
1702, with many additions and improvements.
Mr. Bayle was a moft laborious and indefatigable writer. In
one of his letters to Des Maizeaux, he fays, that fmce his 20th
year he hardly remembers to have had anyleifure. His intenfe
application contributed perhaps to impair his conftitution, for it
foon began to decline [n]. He had a decay of the lungs, which
weakened him confiderably ; and as this was a diftemper which
had cut off feveral of his family, he judged it to be mortal, and
would take no medicines. He died the 28th of December 1 706,
after he had been writing the greateft part of the day. He wrote
Ceveral books bcfides what we have mentioned, many of which
were in his own defence againft attacks from the abbe Renau-
dot, M. le Clerc, M. Jaquelot, and others ; a particular account
of his works may be feen in the fixth volume of Niceron. Among
the productions which do honour to the age of Lewis XIV. Mr.
Voltaire has not omitted the Critical DiAionary of our author :
It is the firft work of the kind, he fays, in which a man may
learn to think. He cenfures indeed thofe articles which contain
only a detail of minute fads, as unworthy either of Bayle, an
tmderftandilig reader, or pofterity. In placing him, continues
the fame author, amongft the writers who do honour to the age
of Lewis' XIV. although a refugee in Holland, I only conform
to the decree of the parliament of Touloufe ; which, when it
declared his will valid in France, nctwithftanding the rigour of
the laws, exprefsly faid, " that fuch a man could not be con-
fidered as a foreigner."
BAYLY (Lewis), author of that memorable book, intituled,
The Praftice of Piety. He was born at Caermarthen in Wales,
educated at Oxford, made minifter of Evefham in Worcefter-
fhire about 161 1, appointed chaplain to king James, and pro-
moted to the fee of Bangor in 1616 [o]. His book is dedicated
" to the high and mighty prince, Charles prince of Wales 5'*
and the author tells his highnefs, that *' he had endeavoured to
cxtra£t out of the chaos of endlefs controverfies the old pradtice
of true piety, which flourifhed before thefe controverfies werfe
hatched." The defign was good ; and the reception this book
has met with, may be known from the number of its editions,
that in 8vo. in 1734, being the fifty-ninth. This prelate died
in 1632, leaving four fons, of whom
BAYLY (Thomas), was fomewhat diftinguiflied. He was
educated at Cambridge ; and, having commenced B. A. was pre-
fented to the fubdeanery of Wells by Charles L in 1638. In
[n] NiceroD, torn, vi, p. 266. [o] Athen. Ox. vol. i. Biograph. Briun.
N 3 1644
i8i BAYNES.
1644 he retired with other loyalifts to Oxford; and two yoarf
after we find him with the marquis of Worceftcr in Ragi3n4
caftle. When this was furrendered to the parliament army, he
travelled into France and other countries; but returned the
year after the king's death, and publiflied at London, in 8vo. a
book, intituled, Certamen Religiofum : or, a conference between
king Charles I. and Henry late marquis of Worcefter, concern-
ing religion, in Ragland caftle, anno 1646. But this conference
was believed to have no real foundation, and confidered as ncv
thing elfe than a prologue to the declaring of himfelf a papift. The
fame year, 1649, he publiflied, The Royal Charter granted unto
kings by God himfelf, &c. to which is added, A Treatife, wherciq
is proved, that epifcopacy is jure divinoy 8vo. Thefe writings
giving offence, occafioned him to be fearched out, and committed
to Newgate j whence efcaping, he retired to Holland, and be-
came a flaming roman catholic. During his confinement in New-
gate, he wrote a piece intituled, Herba Parietis : or. The Wall-
Flower, as it grows out of the ftone-chamber belonging to the
metropolitan prifon; being an hiftory, which is partly true,
partly romantic, morally divine ; whereby a marriage between
reality and fancy is folemnized by divinity. Lond.*i650, in z
thin folio. Some time after, he left Holland, and fettled at
Douay ; where he publiflied another book, intituled, 1 he end
to Gontroverfy between the roman catholic and proteftant re-
ligions, juftified by all the feveral manner of ways, whereby all
kinds of controverfies, of what nature foever, are ufually or can
poflibly be determined. Douay, 1654, 4to. At laft this Angular
perfon went to Italy, where he lived and died extremely poor
^although fome catholics faid, that he died in cardinal Ottoboni'^
family) : for Dr. Trevor, fellow of Menon college, who was in
Italy 1659, ^o^^ Mr. Wood feveral times, that Dr. Bayly died ob-
fcurely in an hofpital, and that he had feen the place where he
was buried [p].
BAYNES (John), was born in April 1758, at Middleham, in
Yorklhire ; where his father, who fince retired from bufinefs^^
then followed the profcflion of the law. His mother died in
child-bed. Mr. Baynes received his education at Richmond,
-under the Rev. Mr. A. Temple, author of three difcourfes,
printed in 1772 \ of " Remarks on the Layman's Scriptural Con-
futation ; and Letters to the Rev. Thomas Randolph, D. D. con-
taining a defence of Remarks on the Layman's Scriptural Con-
futation, 8vo. 1779." At fchool he foon diftinguifhed himfelf
by his fuperior talents and learning, and by the age of fourteen
years was capable of reading and underftanding the greek claf*-
fics. From Richmond he was fent tp Trinity college, Cam^
[p] Athen. Ozon. vol i. Biograph. Brit.
BAYNES. i8j
bridge; where, before he had arrived at the age of twenty years» he
obtained the medals given for the beft performances in claffical
and mathematical learning. In 1777 he took the degree of B. A.
and determining to apply himfelf to the ftudy of the la\*'', h«
about 1778, or 1779, became a pupil to Allen Chanibre, efq. and
entered himfelf of the fociety of Gray's Inn. In rySo he took
the degree of M. A. and about the fame time was chofen fellow
of the college. From this period he chiefly refided in London,
and, warmed with the principles of liberty, joined thofe who
were clamorous in calling for reformation in the (late. He was a
member of the Conftitutional Society, and took a very adlive part
at the meeting at York, in December 1779. In his political creed
he entertained the fame fentiments with his friend Dr. Jebb ;
and, like him, without hefitation renounced thofe of his party
whom he confidered to have difgraced themfelves by an unnatural
coalition. It may with truth be afTerted, that if the warmth of
his political purfuits was not at all times under the guidance of
difcretion, yet he never adled but from the ftrifteft principles
of integrity. He had a very happy talent for poetry, which by
many will be thought to have been mifapplied, when devoted a3
it was to the purpofes of party. He wrote many occafional
pieces in the newfpapers, particularlv in the London Courant,
but was very careful to conceal himlelf as the writer of verfes,
which he thought would have an ill efFeft on him in his pro- '
fellion. There is great reafon to believe that he wrote the ce-
lebrated Archaeological Epiftle to Dr. Milles, dean of Exeter.
It is certain this excellent performance was tranfmitted to the
prefs through his hands ; and it is more than probable, that the
fame reafon which occafioned him to decline the credit of his
other poetical performances, influenced him to relinquifh the
honour of this. It is a faft, however, which fhould not be fup-
prefTed, that he always difclaimcd being the author of this poem;
and when once prefled on the fubjeft by a friend, he defired him
to remember when it fliould be no longer a fecret, that he then
difowned it. Mr. Baynes had many friends, to whom he was
fincerely attached, and by whom he was greatly beloved. Scarae
any mari indeed had fo few enemies. Even politics, that fatal
diiuniter of friendfhips, loft its utual efFeft with him. As he
felt no rancour towards thofe from whom he differed, fo he ex-
perienced no malignity in return. "What he conceived to be
right, neither power nor intereft could deter him from aflerting.
In the laft autumn, when he apprehended the eleflion for fellows
of Trinity college to be irregularly conduced, he boldly, though
refpeftfully, with others of the fociety reprefented the abufe
to the heads of the college ; and when, inftead of tlie expefted
reform, an admonition was given to the remonftrants to behave
with more f efp?£i (o th^ir fuperiorsj confcious of the reditude
N4 of
tS4
B E A L E.
of their intentions, he made no fcruple of referring the condu^
of himfclf and his friends to a higher tribunal. It was his in-
tention to publifh a more correft edition of J,ord Coke's Trafts ;
and we are informed he has left the work nearly completed. His
death is fuppofed to have been occafioned by an iiitenfe applica-
tion to bufincff, which brought on a putrid I'ever, of which he
died, univerfally lamented, Auguft 3, 178.7, after eight days
illnefs. In the enfuing week he was buried near the remains
of his friend Dr. Jebb, privately, in Bunhillfields burying-
ground.
BAZZAZ, the furname of Abdalla ben Mohammed ben
Khalil, author of the Adab al Mofredat, which is a treatile con-
cerning the particular conditions and properties of traditions.
He alfo compofed Amali, i. e. leflbns dilated or written under
a mailer. They all turn upon theological matters for the ufe
of the mufulmans. NafTcrcddin Lazzaz was father and mailer
of Kerderi, the famous do6lor.
BE fGuiLi.EAUME lf), cugravcr and letter founder, was
born atTroyes in 1525, fon of Guillcaume Ic Bi, a noble bour-
geois, and Magdalene de St. Aubin. Being brought up in the
liov.fc of PoI;er< Stephens, whom his father iupplied with paper,
he got an infigikt into the conipofition of the types of that fa-
Jnous printing-lion To. In 1545 le Be too]; a journey to Venice,
' -and there cut for, Mark Anthony Juftiniani, who had raifed a
•hebrew printing-houfe, the punches for making the matrices
neceflary to the ending of the founts to be employed in that
ellablifliinent. Being returned to Paris, he there pra£lifed his
art till 1598, the year of his deeeafe. Cafiuibon fpcaks of him
highly to his credit in his preface to the Opufcula of Scaliger.
Henry Ic Be, his fon, was a printer at Paris, where he gave in
158 1 a quarto edition of the Inftitutiones Clenardi in linguam
grxcam. This book, which was of great utility to the authors
of the Mcthode Grecque of Port royal, is a maftcx-piece in
printing. His fons and his grandfons fiirnalized thcmfclves in
the fame art. The lall cf them died in ioS;.
• BEACON (Thomas), was profcflbr of divinity according to
the author of the " Heroologia." hut B.iliop Tanner fays that
he was educated at Cambridge in the reign of Edward VI. In
the next reign he retired into Germany, whence he wrote a
confolatory epiille to the perfecuted prc^rci'lanis in England*
His works, which are all in englifh, except his bock " De Cocna
Domini," are in three vols, folio. He was the firll engiilhman
that wrote againll bowing at the name of Jcfus. He had no
higher preferment in the church than a prtbcnd of Canterbury,
to which he was promoted in the reign of Elizabeth.
BEALE (Mary), a portrait-painter in the reign of Charles IL
was daughter of Mr. Cradock, miniiler of WaUoa upon Thames,
but
BEARDr 4t5
%ix\ born m Siiflolk in 163I [qJ» She was affiduous in copying
the works of fir Peter Lely and Vandyke. She painted in oil,
water-colours, and crayons ; and had much bufmefs. The au-
thor of the Eflay towarch an engliih fchool of Painters, annexed
to Dc Piles's art of Painting, fays, that " fhe was little infe-
rior to any of her contemporaries, either for colouring, ftrength,
force, or life ; infomuch that fir Peter was greatly taken with.
her performances, as he would often acknowledge. She worked
with a wonderful body of colours, and was exceedingly induf-
trious." She was greatly refpeftcd and encouraged by many of
the molt eminent among the clergy of that time ; ihe took the
portraits of Tillotfon, StilHngfleet, Patrick, Wilkuis, &c. fomc
of which are ftiil remaining at the carl of llche^ier's, at MeU
bury in Dorfetftiire. In the manufcripts of 'Mr. Oldys, xlie Is
•celebrated for her poetry as well as for her painting ; and is
ityled *' that mafcuHne poet, as well as painter, the incompar-
able Mrs. Bc.ale [r]." In Dr. S. Woodford's tranflation of the
Pfalms, are two or three verfions of particular Pfalms by Mrs*
Beale j whom, in his preface, he caiis '^ an abfolutely complete
gentlewoman." He fays farther, ** I have hardly obtained leave
to honour this volume of mine with two or three verfions, long
Cnce done by the truly virtuous Mrs. Mary Beale j among whofc
leaft accompli fliments it is, that {he has made painting and
poetry, whicii in the fancies of others had only before a kind o(
likcnefs, in li.^r own to be really the fame. The reader, I hope,
will pardon tliis public acknowledgment, which I make to fo de-
ferving a perfon/' She died Dec. 28, 1697, in her 66th year.
She had two fons, who both cxercifed the art? of painting fome
little time : one of them, afterwards, fludied phyfic under Dn
Sydenham, and pratlifed at Coventry, where he and his father
died. There is an engraving, by Chambers, from a painting by
herfelf, of Mrs. Beale, in Waipole's Anecdotes of Painting in
England.
BEARD (John), was bred up in the king's chapel, and was
one of the fingers in the duke of Chandos's chapel at Cannons,
■where he performed in Efther an Oratorio compofcd by Mv.
Handel. He appeared the firft time on the ftage at Drury-lane,
Aug. 30, 1737, in fir John Loverule, in the Devil to Pay. He
afterwards, on the 8th of Jan. 1739, married lady Henrietta
Heibert, daughter of James earl Waldcgrave, and widow of lord
Edward Herbert, fecond fon of the marquis of Powis. She
died 3iil of May 1753. On his marriage he quitted the ftage
for a few years. He afterwards returned to Drury-Iane, and in
1744 changed for Covent-garden, where he remained until
1758. In that year he engaged with Mr, Garrick, and conti-
[qJ Pilkingt«o'« Di^ of Pftinters^ 17701 4(0. [r] Biog. Brit, zd edit.
nued
i8« BEATON.
sued with him until 1759, when having married a daughter of
JVIr. Rich, *he was engaged at Coven t-garden, where, on the
death of that gentleman, he became manager. His fird ap-
pearance there was on the loth of 0<ft. 1759, *" ^^^ charafter
of Macheath, which, aided by Mifs Brent in Polly, ran 52
nights, in 5768 he retired from the theatre, and died univer-
fally refpefled at the age of 74. His rcmriins were depofited
in the vault of the church at Hampton in Middlcfex. It is al-
moil needlefs to fay, he was long the defervcd favourite of a
ilclighted public. Whoever remembers the variety of his abi-
lities, as a£lor and (inger, in oratorios and operas, both ferious
and comic, will teftify to his having Hood unrivalled in fame
and excellence.
This praife, however, great as it was, fell iliort of that his
private merits acquired. He had one of the fincereft hearts
joined to the moft poliflied manners. He was a moll delightful
companion, whether as hofl or gueft. His time, his pen, and
purfe, were devoted to the alleviation of every diftrefs that fell
iwithin the compafs of his power. It may be affirmed with the
ftritieft juftice, that through life he fulfilled the refpedive du-
ties of fon, brother, guardian, friend, and hufoand, with the
mod exemplary truth and tendernefs.
Very early in life he married the right hon. lady Harriet
Herbert ; but though that lady gave him a treafure in hcrfelf,
fte brought him no other treafure j and his ilrugglcs to fupport
her in fomething like her former flate, involved him in many
diificulties ; and her frequent and long illnefies (occaGoned prin-
cipally by grief for having embaraflcd the man (he loved) iui-
creafed thofe difficulties, and (lie funk under them.
His fecond wife had the happinefs to repair thofe ravages of
his fortune, and enable him to gratify the firfl wifh of his heart,
beneficence. We need not add, that fuch a man, as he lived
peculiarly beloved, fo he died peculiarly lamented.
BEATON, or BETON (David), archbifhop of St. Andrew's,
in Scotland, and cardinal of the roman church, born 1494) and
educated in the univerCty of St. Andrew's [s]. He was after-
wards fent over to the univerfity of Paris, where he ftudied di-
vinity ; and when he attained a proper age, entered into orders.
In 1519 he was appointed refident at the court of France ; about
the fame time his uncle James Beaton, archbifhop of Glafgow,
conferred upon him the rcclory of Campfay, and in 1523 his
uncle, being then archbifliop of St. Andrew's, gave him the ab-
bacy of Aberbrothock, David returned to Scotland in 1525,
^nd in 1528 was made lord privy feal. In 1533 he was fent
[t] Keith's HiSt, of the Afiuirs of Church aud 8catc ia ScotIan4> vol. i. b. i. cap. ir.
BEATON, i«7
(igatn to Trance, in conjunftion with fir Thomas Erflcine, tq
confirm the leagues iubfilting betwixt the two kingdoms, ai^d to
i)ring about a marriage for king James V. with Magdalene,
Slaughter of his chriftian majefly ; but the princefs being at this
time in a very bad (late of health, the marriage could not then
take efFeft. During his reGdencc however at the french court,
he received many favours from his chriftian majefty. King
James having gone over to France, had the princefs Magdalene
given him in perfon, whom he efpoufed on the firft of January
1537. Beaton returned to Scotland with their majefties, where
they arrived the 29th of May ; but the death of the queen- hap-*
pening the July following, he was fent over again to Paris, to
negotiate a fccond marriage for the king with the ladv Mary,
daughter to the duke of Guife ; and during his ftay ac this time
flt the court of France, he was confecrated biOiop of Mircpoix,
All things being fettled in regard to the marriage, in the month
of June, he embarked with the new queen for Scotland, where
^hey arrived in July : the nuptials were celebrated at bt. An-
drew's, and the February following the coronation was perform-
ed with great fplendor and magnificence in the abbey church of
fiolyroodhoufe.
Beaton, though at this time only coadjutor of St. Andrew's,
yet had all the power and authority of the archbifhop ; and in
brdcr to ftrengthen the catholic intereft in Scotland, pope Paul
HI. raifed him to a cardinalfliip, by the title of St. Stephen in
Monte Ccelo, Dec. 20, 1538 [t]. King Henry VIII. having
intelligence of the ends propofed by the pope in creating him a
cardinal, fent a very able miniWer to king James, with particu-
lar inftruftions upon a deep fcheme to procure the cardinal's
difgrace j but it did not take efFeft [u]. A few months after,
the old archbilhop dying, the cardinal fucceeded : and it was
ppon this promotion that he began to ihew his warm and per-
secuting zeal for the church of Rome. Soon after his inftall-
ment, he got together, in the cathedral of St. Andrew's, a great
confluence of perfons of thp iirlt rank, both clergy and laity ; to
whom, from a throne ere£led for the purpofe, he made a fpeech,
wherein he reprefented to them the danger wherewith the
church was threatened by the increafe of heretics, who had the
boldnofs to profefs their opinions even in the king's court i
where, faid he, they find but too great countenance : and he
mentioned by name fir John Borthwick, whom he had caufed to
be cited to that diet, for difperfing heretical books, and hold-
ing feveral opinions contrary to the dodUine of the roman
^hurch [x]. Then the articles of accufation were read againit
[t] Dcmpfter, Hift. Icdcf. Cent. [u] Sec fir Ralph Sadler's Let. p.3 1,36.
IcM. lib. li. p. S^i. ' [xj Kciih, vol. i.p. 10.
him^
iM BEATON..
liim, and Gr John appearing neither in perfon nor by proxy, wat
declared a heretic, his goods confifcatcd, and himfelf burnt in
effigy. Sir John retired to England, where he was kindly re-
ceived by king Henry,' who fent him into Germany, in hia
name, to conclude a treaty with the proteftant princes of the
empire. Sir John Borthwick was not the only perfon proceed-
ed againft for herefy ; ft^veral others were alfo profccuted, and
among the reft George Buchanan the celebrated poet and hifto*-
Tian : and as the king left all to the management of the cardinal,
it is hard to fay to what lengths fuch a furious zealot might
have gone, had not the king's death put a ftop to his arbitrary
proceedings.
When the king died, there being none fo near him as the
cardinal, it was from thence fuggefted by his enemies, that be
forged his will -, and it was fet a£^e, notwithftanding he had k
proclaimed at the crofs of Edinburgh, in order to eilablifli the
regency in the earls of Argyle, Huntley, Arran, and himfelf [y].
He was excluded from the government, and the earl of Arraa
was declared folc regent during the minority of queen Mary^
This was chiefly cffeded by the noblemen in the englifli inte-
reft, who, after having fent the cardinal prlfoner to Blacknefs*
caftle, managed the public affairs as they pleafed[z]. Things
^id not remain long however in this fituation ; for die ambi-
tious cnterpriiing cardinal, though confined, raifed fo ftrong a
party, that the regent, knowing not how to proceed, began to
diflike his former fyftem, and having at length refolved to aban-
don it, releafed the cardinal, and became reconciled to him.
Upon the young queen's coronation, the cardinal was again ad^
fnittcd of the council, and had the high office of chancellor con-
ferred upon him 5 and fuch was now his influence with the re-
gent, that he got him to follicit the court of Rome to appoint
iiim legate a latere from the pope, which was accordingly
done.
His authority being now firmly eftabliflied, he began again to
promote the popilh caufc with his utmoft efforts. Towards the
end of 1545, he vifited fome parts of his dioccfe, attended with
the lord governor, and others of the nobility, and ordered feve-
lal perfons to be executed for hcrcfy. In 1546 he fummoned
a provincinl aficmbly of the clergy at the Black friars in Edin-
burgh, in order to concert menfurcs for reftraining herefy. How-
far they proceeded is uncertain ; but it is generally allowed that
the cardinal was diverted from the purpofes he had then in hand,
by information he received of Mr. George Wifliart, the moft
famous proteftant preacher in Scotland, being at the houfe of
Mr. Cockburn at Ormiilon. The cardinal, by an order from
[y] Buch. Hift. lib. XV. [i] Sadler's Letters, p. 71, 16^,
the
BEATON-
189
tlie governor, which was indeed with difEculty obtained, caufed
him to be apprehended. He was for fome time confined in the
caltie of Edinburgh, and removed from thence to the caftle of
St, Andrew's. The cardinal, having refolved to proceed with-
out delay to his trial, fummoned the prelates to St. Andrew's.
A t this meeting the archbifhop of Glafgow gave as his opinion^
that application fhould be made to the governor, to grant a com-
miffion to fome nobleman to try fo famous a prirfoner, that the
whole blame might not lie upon the clergy. He was accord-
ingly applied to ; and notwithftanding his refufal, and his met
Cage to the cardinal, not to precipitate his trial ; and notwith-
ftanding Mr. Wiiliart's appeal, as being the governor's prifoner»
to a temporal jurifdi£tion ; yet the furious prelate went on with
tlie trial, and this innocent gentleman was condemned to be
burnt at St. Andrew's [a]. He died with amazing firmnefs and
refolution : it is averred by fome writers, that he prophefied in
the midft of the flames, not only the approaching death of the
cardinal, but the circumftances alfo that fliould attend it[B],
The prophecy however is called in queftion by others, who treat
it as a ftory invented after the cardinal's death [c]. This pro-
ceeding
[a] Sootfwood, KHth.
[bJ Mr. George Buchanan, after hav-
ing given an account of the manner in
which Mr. Wifliart fpent the morning of
his execution» proceeds thus : A whUc af-
ter two executioners were fcnt to him by
the ctriinal; one of them put a bbcJc
linen (hirl upon him, anU the other bound
many little bags of gun-powder to all the
parts of his body. In tliis diefs tlicy
brought him foith, and commanded him
Coftayin the gorcrnor's outer chamber,
and at the fame time they ereiled a
Wooden fcaffold in the court before ihc
callle, and made up a pile of wood. The
windows and balconies overagjinft it were
all hung with Capcftry and liik hanging,
with cuihions for the cardinal and his
train, to behold and take pie j Pure in the
joyful fight) even the torture of an inno-
cent man } thus courting the favour of the
people as the author of fo notable a deed.
There was alfo 3 great guard of fold icrs,
not fo much to fecure the execution, as
for a vain oftentation of power : and bc-
fidc, brafs guns were placed up and down
in all convenient places of the cafllc.
Thus, while the trumpets founded, George
was brought forth, mounted tlie fca^cld,
and was faflencd with a cord (o the (lake,
and havini? fcarce leave to pray for tht
church of Cod, the executioners fired the
wood, which immediately taking hold of
the pov^'der Uut was tied about him^ bUw
it up intoflimc and fmoke. The governor
of the caftic, who rtood fo near that he
was finged with the flame, exhorted him
in a few words to be of good cbrer, and to
alk pardon of God for his offences. To
wljom he replied ; This flame occafioni
trouble to my body indeed, but it hath ia
no w?fc broken my fpirit ; but he, who
now looks down fo proudly upon me from,
yonder lofty place (pointing to the car-
diiial) fliall ere long be as ignominioufly
thrown down, as now he proudly loll* at
hij cafe. Having thus fpokcn, they teait-
cncd tiic rope which was tied about hit
neck, and fo ftrangled him; his body ia
a few hours being confumed to alhes ia
the flame.'* Buch. Hift. Scot lib.xv.
[c] Archbi(hop Spotfwood and Mn
Petiie follow Buchanan in regard to the
circumftances of Mr. VVifhart's death and
his pri>phecy. On the other fide, Mr,
Keith fug^clh that the ftory is very doubt-
ful, if not faife. *' I confefs,** fays he,
•* I give but fmall credit to this, and to
fome othkir perfons that fu.^cred for reli-
gion in our country, and which upon that
account I have all along omitted to narrate.
I own 1 think them ridicviloua enough,
and fccmingly contrived, at Icaft magni**
fied,on purpofc to render the judges and
clergymen of that time odious and defpi-
cablc in the eyes of men. And as to this
pafl'agc concerning* Mr. Wiflurt, it may be
tiotic&d, ilui there is not one nurd of it to
too tt.AtOtf:
cceding made i giczi rioiic throughout the kingdom } the zeal-
ous papifts applauded bis condu^b, and the proteftants exclaimed
againft him as si mufdefcf ; the cardinal however was pleafed
with himfelf, Imagining he had given a fatal blow to herefj, and
that he had ftruck a tef ror into his enemies.
Soon after the death of Mr. Wifliarc, the cardinal went to
Finhaven, the feat of the earl of Crawford, to folemnize a mar-*
riage Between the elded foft of that nobleman and his daughter
Margaret. Whilft he was thus Employed, intelligence came
that tiie king of England was making great preparations to in-
vade the fcottifl) coafts. Upon this he immediately returned tor
St. Andrew's, and appointed a day for the nobility and gentry
of that country, which lies much cxpofed to the fea, to meet
and confult what was proper to be done upon this occafron [d].
He likewife began to fortify his own caftlc much ftrongcr than
ever it had been before. Whilft he was bufy about thcfe mat-
ters, there came to him Norman Lefley, eldeft fon to the earl of'
Rothes, to follicit him for fome favour ; who, having met with
a refufal, was highly exafperated, and went away ?n great dif-
pleafure. Hi? uncle Mr. John Lefley, a vi6knt enemy to the
cardinal, greatly aggravated this injury to his nephew ; who^
being paflionate and of a daring fpirit, entered into a confpiracy
with his uncle and fome other perfons to cut off the cardinaL
The accomplices met early in the morning, on Saturday the 2gtb
of May. The firft thing they did was to feizc the porter of the
caftle, and to fecure the gate : they then turned out all the fer-
vants and feveral workmen. This was performed with fo little?
zioife, that the cardinal was not waked till they knocked at his
chamber door ; upon w^hich he cried out, " Who is there !**
John Lefley anfwered, " My name is Lefley." " Which Lef-
ley ?" replied the cardinal, " Is it Norman ?" It was anfwered^
" that he muft open the door to thofe who v/ere there 5" but
being afraid, he fccured the door in the beft manner he could -
Whilft they were endeavouring to force it open, the cardinal
called to them, " Will you have my life ?" John Ijeflcy anfwer-
be met with in the firll edition of Mr. Beaten,* in which he rakes together aU
Xnox's Hidory; and if the thing had the woift things that could be fuggefteit
been true in hGt, I cannot fee how Mr. aqaintt this prelate, yet makes no mention
Knox, who was fo good an acquaint-nce ctrhci of his glutting himfelf inhumanly
of Mr. Wiiharl's, and no farther difVant with the fpedacle of Mr Wilhart'sdeaih^
from the place of his execution than £?.fV nor cf any prophetical ir.termination made
Lothian, and who continued fome months by Mr. Wifhari concerning the cardinal ;-
along with the murderers of cardinal Be «- nor docs Mr . Fox Mice notice of cither of
ton in the caflle of St. Andrew's, could thcfe circumllances, fo (hai X am much of
either be ignorant of ibe (lory, or ncgle^l the mind, that it has been a llory trumped^
in hiftoryfo remarkable a prediction And up a good time after ihe muidcr.*' KeirhV
it has even its owu weight, that fir David Hitt of the Church of Scotland, p. 42.'
Lindfay, wSo lived at that time, and wrote [1;] Bucb. Hift. Jib. 1 5.
a j>oem called * The tragedy of cardinal ' .
BEAU. tgi
ed, <* PetJiflps we wil!.'* « Nay," replied the Cardinal, <* fwear
unto me, nnd I will open it." Some authors fay, that upon a
promife being given that no violence (hould be oft'cred, he open-
ed the door; but however this be, as foon as they enters!, John
LeQey fmote him twice or thrice, as did likcwife Peter CarmU
chael ; but James Melvil, as Mr. Kuox relates the facl [e^ per-
ceiving them to be in choler, faid, " This work and judgment
of God, although it be fecret, ought to be done with greater
gravity; and, prefentinc^ the point of his fword, faid, Repent
thee of thy wicked life, but efpecialiy of the fliedding the blood
of that notable inftrument of God, Mr George Wifhart, which
alb-it the flame of fire confumed before men, yet cries it for
vengc :nce upon thee ; and we from God arc fent to revenge it.
For here, before my God, I protcft, that neither the hatred of
thy pcrfon, the love of thy riches, nor the fear of any trouble
thou couldft have done to me in particular, moved or m«?eth roc
to ftrike thee ; but only bccaufe thou haft been, and remaineftt
an obftinate enemy againlt Chrift Jefus and his holy gofpcl.**
After having fpoken thus, he ftabbed him twice or thrice through
the body : Uius fell that famous prelate, a man of great parts,
but of pride and ambition boundlefs, and withal an eminent in-
ilance of the inftability of what the world calk fortune-
BEATON (James), nephew of the above, and bom at Bal-
four 1533. He was educated in the univcrfity of St. Andrew's,
and promoted to the archbiihopric of Glafgow before he was
45 years of age. When the reformation took place in Scotland,
1560, he colledcd all the records and facred veflc^ belonging
to his cathedral, which he carried over to France, and depofited
them in the fcotch college in the univerfity of Paris. He refided
there many years, and was appointed ambaffador by James VL
He left behind him a Hiftory of Scotland in MS. and died at
Paris 1603, aged 73.
BEAU (Joh:< Lewis le), profefTor of rhetoric in the coHegc
of the Graffins, and member of tlie academy of infcriptions,
was born at Paris the 8th of Marcli 1721, and died the i2th of
March 1766. He filled with diftinguiihcd merit che fuijftions
of academician and profeflbr. He is author of a difcourlc in
which, after having fliewn the pernicious ctTeds of poverty to
men of letters, and what dangers they have to dre:Kl from
riches, he concludes, that the (late of a happy medi(^crity is tV.e
fitteft for them. He publifhed an edition oF Homer, greek and
latin, 2 vols. I'r4'^>; and the Orations of Cicero in three vcis.
I7<;o. To both he has fubjoined copious nnnotations.
BEAU (■Charles le), elder brother of tlie forep^oing, at firft
profeflbr of rhetoric in tlie college des GralFins, afterwards pro-
[k] Hift. of tht rcfurmadon of Scotland.
fcflop
19^ B E A U C A I Pv E.
fcflbr in the college-royal, fccretafy to the duke of Orleans, per-
petual fecrctary and penfionary of the academy of Infcriptions,
was bom at Paris, Oft. 19, 1701, and died in that city March
I3> *778- He was married, and left only one daughter. This
Iioneik and laborious academician, the rival of Rollin in the art of
teaching, idolized by his fcholars, as that famous profcflbr was,
bad perhaps a more exienfive fund of learning than he. Few
men ever had a deeper knowledge in greek and latin literature.
His hiftory of the Lower Empire, in 22 vols. i2mo. is the more
cfteemed, as in the compoGtion of it he had fo many diiEcul-
ties to overcome, to be continually reconciling contradictory
"writers, filling up chafms, and in (hort, to make a regular body
out of a heap of mifliapen ruins. It is (Irongly characterized by ^
a judicious fcries of criticifm, couched in z pdlilhed^and elegant
ilyle. The logician fometimes (lands out too confpicuoully |
but in general it is read with pleafure and profit. The memoirs
of the academy of belles-lettres are enriched with feverai learned
diflertations by the fame author, and fcveral other academical
pieces. The religious fentiments, the found principles, the
iweetnefs of manners, and the inviolable integrity of M. le Beau,
which infpired his friends and difciplcs with fo much attachment
to him when alive, occafioned them to . feel a long and lailing
regret at his departure. Several little anecdotes might here be
related that Jo honour to his heart. A place in the academy
of belles-lettres had been defigncd for hinu Bougainville, the
tranflator of the Anti-I^ucretius, applied for it, with fewer pre-
tenfions, and a lefs confummate knowledge ; he dreaded fuch a
formidable competitor as M.le Beau, to whom, however, from
his known charafter, he was not deterred from making his
wishes known. The profefibr felt for his embarraflhient, and
haftened to the friends who had promifed him their votes, de-
firing they might be transferred to the young ftudent. It is one
of the fmalleil: facrifices, A\id he, I fliould be ready to make.in
order to oblige a man of merit. M. le Beau was received at the
ele£tion following ; and M. Capperonicr, furprifcd at his exten-
five erudirion, and aiFedled by his gencrofity, exclaimed, He is
our mailer in all thipgs ! His Opera Latina were publiflied at
Paris in 1783, 3 vols. icmo.
BEAUCAIREde Peguillon |;FRAN9ois),born in the Bour-
bonnois, of an antient family, was preceptor to the cardinal
Charles de Lorraine, whom he accompanied to Rome, and who
ceded to hin[i the bifhopric of Metz. He followed him again to
the council of Trent, where he fpoke with great eloquence and
zeal againft the pretenfions of the Ultramontanes,* and on the
neceffity of the reformation. Peguillon retired to the Chateau de
la Chretre, in the Bourbonnois, after having refigned his mitre.
It wa3 there that he compofed his Kerum Gallicarum Commen«.
5 taria>
r
fiE'AVER. ig)
tarla, ab aiixio 1^62 ad atinuin 1641^ Lyons, 1625, folio. There
as alfo a tra£l of his writing, Des Enfans Morts dans le fein de
leurs meres, ^5^7) Bvo. He died in 159I9 with the reputation
bf a learned, and virtuous prelate. His Hidory of France did
iiot appear till after his death, agreeably to his own defire. It
is well written, and comprifes the principal events. He is too
lavifh of his praifes otl the Guifes ; but is otherwife accuratii
enough. .
. BLAUCHAMPS (Pierre Fkan^ois Godard de),. bom at
Paris, died in that metropolis in 1761, at the age of 72. He
:Vrote, I. The loves bf Ifmene & Ifmenias, 1 743, 8vo. It is t
free tranflation of a greek romance by Euilathius, an excellent
grammarian^ and author of the famous commentary on Homer.
It contains interefting adventures, in that fpecies of epic poetry
in profe which partakes at once of the tragic and comic vein,
i. The loves of Bhodantes & Dociclesj another greek ro-
mance by Theodorus Prodromus, tranilated into french, 1746^
l2mo. 3. Recherches fur les Theatres de France, 1735, 4to ct
8vo. 3 vols, fieauchamps did not confine iiimfelf to compile
the titles of the dramatical pieces : he has added particulars of
the lives of fome of the french comedians ; but he has omitted
a number of intereftis^ anecdotes, with which ht might have
tmbelliihed his work. It were to be wifhed that he had deve-
loped the tafte of the former ages of the French for dramatic
reprefentations, the art and the progrefs of tragedy and comedijr
from the time of Jodelle j the genius of the french poets, and
their manner bf imitating the antients. But for this it would
have been neceflary to read the pieces, and to reflect j and Beau-*
champs was lefs capable of the latter than of the former. 4. Let-
tres d'Heloife & d'Abailard, in french verfe, fluent enough, but
profaic, 1737, 8vo. 5. Several theatrical performances.
BEAUCHATEAU (Francois Matthieu Cuatelet de),
born atParis in 1645, ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^ player. He was num*
bered with the poets when no more than eight years old. The
queen, mother of Louis XIV. cardinal Mazarin, the chancellor
Seguier, and the firft perfpnages of the court took pleafure ia
converfing with this child, ana iti exercifmg his talents. He was
only 12 when he publiflied a collection of his poetical pieces, in
4to, under the title of. La Lyre de jeune Apollon, or. La Mufe
naiflante du petit de Beauchateau, with copper-plate portraits bf
the perfons he celebrates. About two years afterwards he went
over to England with an ccclefiaftic Cromwell and the moft
confiderable perfons of the then government admired the young
poet. It is thought that he travelled afterwards into Perfia,
where perhaps he died, as nb farther tidings were ever heard of
him.
BEAVER (John), was .a benedidinc monk in Wcdminiler
Yex*. IL O abbey.
194 BEAULIEa
abbey, and flouriflied about tbe beginning of the xivth century*
He applied himfelf particularly' to the ftudy of the hiftory and
the antiquities of England, and became a great mailer of both.
Among other things he wrote a Chronicle of the britiih and
engliih affairs, from the coming df Brute to his own time. It
was never publiihcd, but remains in MS. in feveral places, par-
ticularly in the Colonian library. Mr. Heamc publifhed, in 1 735,
propofals for the printing of it, but his death put a ftop to the
publication^ He alfo wrote a book De rebus ccenobii Weftmo^
nafterienfis. Lehnd commends him as an hiftorian of good
credit, and he is alfo cited by Stow in his funrey of London and
Weftminfter.
BEAUFILS (Guillaume), a jefuit, born at St. Flour in
Auvergne in 1674, died at TouToule at a rery advanced age iti ,
1758. Preaching, the compofition of fome literary works, an»i
the direction of a number of pious votaries, for which he had
uncommon attra£lions and a peculiar talent, took up atmoft the
whole of his life. The pieces he publifhed are, i. Several fu-
neral difcourfes. 2. The life of Madame de Leftonac. 3. The
life of Madame de Chantal ; and, 4. Letters on the government
of religious houfes.
BEAUFORT (Margaret), countefs of Richmond and
Derby» was die only daughter and heirefs of John Beaufortr
^ke of Somerfet (grandfon to John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaf*'
ter), by Margaret Bcaudiamp his wife. She was bom at Blet«
Iboe in Bediordfhire^ m 1441. White very yocmp, (he was mar*
lied to Edmund Tudor, esurl of Richmond, oy whom flie had a
fon named Henry, who was afterwards louig of England, by the
title of Henry VII. On the 3it of Nov. 1456, the earl of Rich-
mond died, leaving Margaret, his coontcfs, a very young wi-
dow, and his fon and heir, Henry, not above 15 weeks old. Her
fecond hufband was fir Henry Stafford, knight, lecond fon to
the duke of Buckingham, by whom fiie had no ifftte. And foon
after the death of fir Henry Stafford, which happened about the
year 1482, (he married Thomas, lord Stanley, afterwards earl of
Derby. After fpending a life m fucceffive a£l$ of beneficence,i
(he paid the great debt of nature on the 29th of June 1509^
in the firft year of the reign of her grandfon Henry VIII. She
was buried in Weftminner-abbey, where a monument wa»
erected to her memory. It is of black marble, with her eiEgy
in gilt copper ; and the head is encircled with a eoronet.
BEAU LIEU (Sebastian Pontault de), enginetr and
marechal de camp, died in 1674, drew, and caufed to be en-
graved at a great expeace, the fieges, battles, and all the mili-
tary expeditions of the reign of I^uis XIV. with very inftruS-
ive difcourfes, in 2 vols, folio.
££AULI£U (JoHH BiFTiST Allais de)^ one of the moft
' celebrated
BEAUMELLE. 195
kelebnlted writing mafters of Paris, brought up fcveral who
were excellent in that art. He publiflied L' Art d*6crire, en-
graved by Senault, and printed at Paris in 1681 and 1688) ia
folio.
BEAUMELLE (Laurence Angliviil db la)> born at
Valleraugues, in the diocefe of AUais, in 1727, deceafed at
Paris Nor- 1773J was vcty early in life in the clafs of diftin-
fuifhed writers. Being invited to Denmark as profefibr of the
rench belles-lettres, he opened this courfe of literature by a
difcourfe that was printed in 175 1, aiid well received. . Havmg
always lived in the fouth of France, a rcfidence in the north
could hardly agree with him. He quitted Denmark with the
title of privy-counfellor and a penfion. Stopping at Berlin, he
was defirous of forming an intimacy with Voltaire, with whofe
writings he was much captivated ; but, both the one and tlie
other of them being of a bilious and impetuous charafier, they
had no fooner feen each other than they quarrelled, without
hope of reconciliation. The hiftory of this quarrel, which gave .
rife to fo many perfonalities and inye£Vives> unhappily for the
honour of letters, is to be feen in but too many books. It is no-
torious that a refleflion in a publication of la Beaumelle, inti-
tuled Mes Penfees, was the nrft caufc of it. This work, very
(ludioufly compofed, but written with too much boldnefs, pro«
cured the author many enemies ; and, on his arrival at Paris in
1753, he was clapped up in the Baftille. No fooner was he l^t
out, than he publifhed his Memoirs of Maintenon, which drew
on him a frefli detention in that royal prifon* La Beau-
melle, having obtained his liberty [f], retired into the country,
where he put in practice the leflbns he had given to Voltaire.
He cultivated literature in peace, and fetded himfelf in the com-
forts of domcftic life by marrying the dtiughter of M. LavaifTe,
an advocate of great pra£^*|p%at Thouloufe. A lady of the court
called him to Paris about the year 1772, and wiflied to fix him
there, by procuring him the place of librarian to the king ; but
[r] It was after this firft deliverance more fite. I am out of the Baftllte ; you
from the Baftille that he wrote the follow* are no It^gagcr at court. Let us make the
ing letter to Voluire, who, fome months beftvCe o^ beoeftt that may be fuaCched
before, had been aneftedat Frankfort, af- front. Us a^ every moment. Let us enter-
ler having quitted the court of Berlin, tain a id^ant .rcfpeft for that greatneft
<* Well then, we are once more at liberty | which ts'fo dangerous to thofe that come
let us revenge ourfelves on thefe misfor«. near i\, and that authority, fo terrible
4unes byrenaering them of ufeto us. Let even to them that exercifc it i and, if it
Tis lay afide all thofe literary infirmities be true that we cannot venture to think
which have fpread fo many clouds over withoQt riflt, let us think no more. Do
the courfe of your life, fo much bitternefs the pleafiires of relict: ion counterbalance
over my youthful years. A little more thofe of faf^ty ? Lit us oc perfuaded, you,
flory, a little more opulence : What does after fixty years of experience; me, after
It all (ignifyf Let usfeek the reality of fix months of annihilation. Ltt us be
happiocfs, and not its (hadow. The moft wifer, or at leaft more prudent ; an^ the
ftining reputation is never worth what it wrinkles of age and the remembrance uf
coih. Charles V. fighs after retirement; boits and bars, thcfe injurien pf time aix^
Ovid wishes to be a fool. We are once povtxri will preve real benefits to us."
o % be
196 BEAU ME LLC.
he did not long enjoy this promotion ; a dropfy in the cAcft t^
viihed him from his tamily and the literary world. He left a fon
and a daughter. His works are, I. A Defence of the Efprit de»
Loix ; againft the author of the NouveHes Ecclefiailiques ;
which is inferior to that which the preGdent de Montefquieu
publiihed himfelf, but for which that writer was much obliged
to him. 2. Mes Penfees, or, Le Qu'en dira*t-K>n ? in iimo. ; a
book which has not kept up its reputation, though containing a
great deal of wit ; but the author in his politics ts often wide of
the truth, and allows himfelf too decifive a ftyle in literature
and morals. The paflage in this book which embroiled -him
with Voltaire is this : ** There have been better poets thaw
Voltaire; but none have been ever fo well rewarded. The
king of Pruffia heaps his bounty on men of talents, exaftly from
the fame motives as induce a petty prince of Germany to heap
his bounty on a buffoon or a dwarf/' 3. The Memoirs of Ma-
dame de Maintenon, 6 vols. lamo, which were followed by 9
vols, of letters. In this work many fads are hazarded, andf
others disfigured. Madame de Maintenon is made to think and
fpeak, as (he neither thought nor fpoke. The ftyle has neither
the propriety nor the dignity that is proper to hiftory. but,»
notwithftandins thefe defers, it cannot be denied that the au-
thor writes with great animation and energy. He has at times
the prccifion and the force of Tacitus, of whofe annals he left
a tranflation in manufcript. He had beflowed much ftudy on
that philofophic hiftorian, and fometimts is fucc^fsful in the
iifiitations of his manner. 4. 'Letters to M. de Voltaire, 1761,
i2mo, full of attic fait and wit. The author had publiflied the
age of Louis XIV. with notes, in 3 vols. i2mo. Voltaire re-
futed thefe remarks in a pamphlet, intituled, Supplement to the
age of Louis XIV. in Vhich he (hews it to be an odious thing
to feize upon a work on purpofe to disfigure it. La Beaumelle
in 1754 gave out an Anlwer to this Supplement, which he re-
produced in 1761, under the title of Letters. To this Voltaifc
made no reply ; but (hortly after ftigmatized it for ever in com*
pany with ieveral others, in one of the cantos of a poem but too
well known. He there defcribcs la Beaumelle as miflaking the
pockets of other men for his own. The writer, thus infamoufly
treated, endeavoured to cancel the calumny by a decree of the
parliament of Thouloufe ; but other affairs prevented him from?
purfuing this. To conclude : Voltaire had an efteem for him
againft his will ; and the writer of this article has feen a letter
of his in which he fays : •* Ce pendard a bien de Tefprit." La
Beaumelle, on the other hand, faid : " Perfonne n'ccrit mieux
que Voltaire." Here we have an inftance of two men of ge-
nius, reciprocally acknowledging the merit of each other, and
yet paffing a part of their life in mutual abufe. ' . Tbe ab^e Irail
o «* . . informs
BEAUMONT, 197
Sciferms U9) that la BeaumeUe being one day aik«d, why he was
continually falling foul on Voltaire in his books ? ^^ Becaufe,
returned he, he never fpares me in his ; and my books fell the
better for it." But this we may rely on, that la Beaumelle would
have left off writing againft the author of the Henriade ; and
even would have been reconciled with him, had he not imagined
that it would be impoflible to difarm his wrath and efcape his
9irrows : he preferred war to a patched up peace. 5. Penfees de
Seneque» in latin and french, in i2mo. after the manner of
the Penfees de Ciceron by the abbe d'Olivct, whom he has ra-
ther imitated than equalled. 6. Commentaire fur la Henriade^
Paris 1775, a vols. 8vo. Juftice and tafle are fometimes dif-
cernible in this performance, but too much feverity and too
many minute remarks. 7. A manufcript tranllation of the
Odes of Horace. 8* Mifcellanies, alfo in MS. among which
are fome ftriking pieces. The author had a natural bent to-
wards fatire. His temper was frank and honefl, but ardent and
leftlefs. Though his converfation was inftruflive, it had not
that livelinefs which we perceive in his writings.
BEAUMONT (Sir John), fon of Francis Beaumont, one of
•the judges of the common-pleas, in the reign of queen Eliza-*
beth, and brother to the celebrated dramatic poet, Francis Beau-
mont. He was born 1582, at Grace-dieu, in Leicefteytihire, and
was admitted gentleman commoner of Broadgate-hall, in Ox-
ford, 1596. After having fpent three years at the univerfity,
he removed to one of the inns of court ; but foon quitted the
ftudy of the law, and retired to Leicefterihire, where he mar-
ried a lady of the Fortefcue family. In 1626 he was knighted
by king Charles, and died in the winter of 1628. In the youth-
ful part of his life he applied himfelf to poetry, and publifticd
feveral pieces. He wrote the Crown of Thorns, a poem, in
eight books : there is extant likewife a mifcellany of his, intituled
Bofworth Field [gJ. He has left us alfo the following tranfla-
tions from the latin poets : Virgil's 4th eclogue, Horace's 6th
fatire of the fecond book, his 29th ode of the third book, and
his epode. Juvenal's loth fatire, and Perfius's 2d fatire. Au-
fonius's 1 6th Idyll, and Claudian's epigram of the old man of
Verona. The reft of his pieces are either on religious fubje^^s^
or of a moral kind* Drayton and Jobfon have mentioned him
^ith honour and great regard.
BEAUMONT (Francis), brother of the preceding, and a
celebrated dramatic writer, was born at Grace-dieu in Leicef-
terihire, about the year i586fH]. He was educated at Cam-
bridge, and afterwards admitted of the Inner Temple ; but it
fc] Athen. Qxon. voUi.coI. $ir. p. 103. Wood's Atb.Oxoa. vol. t.col.
[hj Jacob's poetical rcgiAer>vol. 2. 524. Wood. ib.
O 3 does
198 BEAUMONT.
does not appear that he made any proficiency in the law, hi«
pafljon for the Mufes being fuch as made him entirely devote
himfelf to poetry. He died in March 1615, before he was 30
years of age \ and was buried in the entrance of St, Benedift'ft
chapel, within St. Peter's, Weftminfter. There is no infcrip-
tion on his tomb ; but there are two epitaphs to his memory^
one by his elder brother "fir John Beaumont, the other by bifliop
Corbet 5 to be found in their rcfpeftive works. He left a
daughter Frances Beaumont, who died in Leiceftcrfhire, fmce
the year 1700 [i"|. She had in her pofleflfion feveral poems of
her father's writing; but they were loft at fca in her voyage
from Ireland, where Ihe had lived fome time in the duke of Or-
mond's family. BeGdes the plays in which he was jointly con-
cerned with Fletcher, he wrote a little dramatic piece, intituled
A maflc of Gray's-Inn gentlemen •, the Inner-Temple, a poe-
tical epiftle to Ben Jonfon; and verfes to his friend maftep
John Fletcher, upon his Faithful Shepherdefs, and other poems^
printed together in 1653, ^^^ T^l* Beaumont was efteemed fo
good a judge of dramatic compoQtions, that Ben Jonfon fub-
mitted his writings to his. correction, and it is thought was
much indebted to him for the contrivance of his plots. What
^n afFeciion he had for Beaumont appears from the following
verfes addiefled to him :
How I do love thee, Beaufnont, and thy Muie,
That unto me do'il fuch religion ufc !
How do I fear myfclf that nm not worth
The lead indulgent thought thy pen drops forth !
At once thou mak'il me happy* and unmak'ft ;
And giving largely to me, more thou tak'il^
What fate is mine, that fo itfclf bereaves ?
What art ia thine, tliat fo thy friend deceives ? ,
When, even there where moll thou praifeft me,
For writing better I muft envy thee il].
BEAUMONT (Joseph), fucceeded Dr. Pearfon in the mat
terlhip of Jefus college in Cambridge in 1662 ; aiid was within
two years afterwards appointed mafter of Peterhoufe. In 1672
he was preferred to the chair of regius profeflbr of divinity 5 in
which he fat many years with great reputation. He was the
author of Pfyche, or Love's Myftery, in 24 cantos, difplaying
the Intercourfe betwixt Chrift and the Soul. This allegorical
poem was not without its admirers in the laft age. Dr. 6eau<*
mont alfo wrote Obfervations upon the Apology of Dr. Henry
[1] Preface preHxed to the works of Dram. Works, iimo. edit. 17*51 ▼ol*'-
B«aumont and Flctchery printed for J. p. 59.
Tonfon, 171 r,8vo. [l] Sec. his works, ^nd. 1716, 8to,
fx] Drydcn's Effiiy on Dram. Poetry, vol. iii. p. 133.
9 • N Morcj
B E A U R A I N. 199
^(lore, Camb. J69s$ 4to* A oonfiderable number of his poems,
ice. were publiihed in 4tOj by fubfcription, in 17499 with the
life of the author prefixed. He died in 1699, ^^ ^^^ ^4^ Y^^^
of his age.
BEAUMONT db Pbrbfiz (Hardouim) was the preceptor
of Louis XrV. and archbifliop of Paris* His hiftory of Henry
IV. which is only an abridgment, infpires us witn a love for
that great prince, and is proper to form a good king. He com-
pofed it for the U& of his pupil. Mezeray was faid to have had
a hand in it. There is indeed a good deal of Mezeray's manner
in it : but Mezeray was not mafter of that moving ilyle, in
Qiany places fo worthy of the prince whofe life Perefix wrote,
and of him to whom he addrefiedit: thefe excellent counfels
for governing alone, were not inferted till the fecond edition,
after the death of cardinal Mazarin. Henry IV. is better
known from a perufal of this hiftory than from Daniel, who has
written his life but in a dry manner, in which he has faid too
Qiuch about Father Coton, and too little concerning the great
qualities of Henry IV- and the particulars of the life of this ex-
cellent ]i:ing> Perefix affeAs every fenfible heart, and excites
adoration of the memory of this prince, whofe weaknefles were
only thofe o£ an amiable man, and whofe virtues were thofc of
a great one* He died in 1670.
BEAUNE (Florimont de), counfellor in the prefidency of
Blois, was very intimate with Defcartes. He invented agro-
nomical inftruments, and died in 1652. This mathematician is
famous for a problem that bears his name : it confifts in the
conftruAion of a curve, with conditions that render it extreme-
ly difficult. Defcartes folved this problem, aod encouraged the
author by publicly pratfing.him. De Beauue, animated by thefe
Eraifesy difcovered a method of determining tlie nature of curves
y the properties of their tangents.
BEAURAIN (Jean de), born in 1697, at Aix en Iflart, in
the comte d'Artois, died at Paris Feb. 11,1771, aged 75, of a
retention of urine ; drew his defcent from the antient Chatelains
de Beaurain, in Iflart. At the age of 19 he went to Paris, and
applied himfelf to geography under the celebrated Pierre Mou-
lari Sanfon, geographer to the king. His progrefs was fo rapid,
that at the age of 25 he was favoured with the fame title. A
perpetual almanac that he invented, and with which Louis XV,
amufed himfelf for twenty years, procured him the honour of
being known to that prince, for whom he drew a number of
pbns and charts, the enumeration whereof would here be need-
lefs. But what completed his reputation, was the topographi-
cal and military defcription of the campaigns of Luxembourg,
from 1690 to 1694, Paris, 1756- 3 vols, folio. The honour of
contiibucing to the education of the dauphin procured hini a
O 4 penlloii
^o BEAUVILLIERS,
penfion in 1756. Independently o^ his talents for ccograp^,
he had others that qualified him for negotiations. The cardinal
de Fleury and Amelot had reafon' more than oAce to he glad at
having made choice of him on delicate occafions.
BEAUSOBRRE (Isaac de), a rery learned proteftant writer,
of French origin, was born at Niort in 1^59. He was forced
into Holland to avoid the execution of a fentchce upon hrm,
which condemned him to make the amende honorable -, and
this for having brqlceii the royal fignet, which was put upon th^j
door of a church of the reformed, to nrevent the public profef-
fion of their religion. He ^qnt tq JERprlin in 1694 ; was made
chaplain to the king of Pruffia, and courtfellor of the royal con-
fiftory. He died in 1738, aged 79, after having puWiflied fe-
▼eral works: as,- i. Defenfe deladodrine des Reformes. 2. A
tranflation of the new Teftament and notes, jointly with M.
Lcnfant : much efteemed by the reformed. ^. Difiertation fur
les Adamites de Boheme : a curious work. 4. Hiftoire critique
dc Manichee et du Manicheiftne, 2 torn, in 4to. This has been
deemed by philofophers an interefting queftion, and nobody has
developed it better than this author. 5. Several Diflcrtacions in
the Bibliothcque Bntannique. 6. Scrmohsi 4 vol?. 8vo. Mr.
Beaufobre had ftrong fenfe vrith profound erudition, and was
one of the beft writers among the reformed : he preached as hcf
'Vi^rote, and he did both with w'armth and fpirit.
BEAUSOBRE (Louis de), confeillcr intime to the king ot
Priiffia, member of the acadexny of Berlin, was born itt that ca-
pital in 1730, and died there Dec. 3, 1783, at the age of C3, in
confequcncc of an apoplexy. We have by him, i. Fhiloiophi-
cal Diflcrtations on the nature of fire, 17S3> i^tno. containing
fome juft obfervations, with feveral conjeftural ideas% 2. Le
Pyrrhonifmc du Sage, 1754, i^mo. 3. Les Songes d'Epicure,
1756, i2mo. in thefe two laft performances there is a mixture
of falfe and true maxims •, but both the one and the other prove
t!ie writer to have been a man of genius.
BEAUVAIS (Guillaume), of the academy of Cprtona, and
of the literary fociety of Orleans, born at Dunkirk iri 1 698, died
at Orleans in 1773, had a great tafte for the numifmatic fcience.
He wrote a compendious hiftory of the roman emperors by me-
dals, 1 767, 3 vols. 1 2mq. a work whereof the hiftorical part is ac-
curate, but too fuccinft, and feebly written. It is in requeft for
the particulars given by the author on the medals of each em-
peror, of which he ihews the fcarcity and the value.
BEAUVILLIERS (Francois de), duke of St. Aignan, of
the french academy, born iu 1607, gained the prize beftowed
at Caen on the beft produciioris in proof of the immaculate con-
ception. There are feveral detached pieces of poetry by him.
He died in 1687. His eldeft fon, Paul, duke of Beauvilliers,
chevalier
BECCADELLI^ lofl
fri^cvalier ded ordrcs du toi, firft gentleman of the bed-chambcrj
ininifter of ftatc and prcfidcnt of the royal board of finance, had
been preceptor to the duke of Burgundy, father of Louis XV.
and died in 1 714, aged 66. His principal care was to inculcate
on the tender mind of his royal pupil generous fentiments to-
wards mankind, and an ardent dpfire to promote their happinefs.
At court he was honeft and fincere ; he always fpoke in favour
of the people : his virtue and probity were inflexible. The bi-
Ihop of Beauvais, his brother, died in 1752 in the abbey of Prc-
montre, after having refigned his bifliopric. There are of his
writing, feveral books of devotion ; and a commentary on the
Bible in french, 4to. which was never finiflied. Paul Hippoly-
fus de Beauvilliers, third fon oJF the tutor of the duke of Bur-
gundy, duke of St- Aignan, was born in 1684, and died in 1775,
nonour^d with the rank of lieutenant-general, with the collar of
the king's orders, and member of the french academy. He wa^
the autnor of a work intituled Amufemens Htterairesl To the
fervices he rendered his country in embafHes and negotiations,
he joined agreeable talents ai^d a folid piety. The whole of hi$
long career was marked by that uniform ferenity, and that gentle
gaiety which arife from tranquillity of fouL He left levera^
children.
BEBELE (HBNRr), born at Juftingcn in Suabia, was the fon of
% labourer, tic was made profeflbr of eloquence in the univer-
Jity of Tubingen. Germany is indebted to him for good latinity.
The emperor Maximilian 1. honoured him with the poetical
crown in 1 50 1. He publifhed a book of poems under the title
of Opufcula Bebeliana, Strafbourg, 1512, 4to. His verfes evince
a flowery imagination. There is alfo by him a traft Dc Ani-
marum Statu poll folutionem a corpore, in the latin coUeflion
on that fubjeft, Frankfort, 1692, 2 vols. •, and another, De Ma-
giftratibus Romanorum, wherein that fubje£l is not exhaufted.
' BEGAN (Martin), profeflbr of philofophy and theology
among the Jefuits, confeflbr to the emperor Ferdinand II. was
bom in Brabant, and died at Vienna in 1624. There are of his
V^riting, i. Somme de Thcologie, folio; 2. Traites de Contro-
verfe, and feveral other pieces. They are of the number of thofe
that were condemned to be torn and burnt by an arret of the
parliament of Paris in 1762. This Jefuit carried the authority
of the pope fofar, in his book on the power of the king and the
fovereign pontiff, that Paul V. was obliged to have it condemned
by the holy oiTice. This decree was iflued at Rome the 3d of
January 161 3. He wrote likewife feveral Idylls, which are to be
feen among thofe of Hoflchius and Wallius, and are in the man-
ner of Ovid.
BECCADELLI (Lewis), was bom at Bologna in 1592, of a
noble family. Having gone through a courfe of ftudy at Padua,
%oz BECCARIA.
he applied himfelf to bufinefs, without however entireljr quitting
fiterature. He attached himfelf to cardinal Pole, whom he fol-
lowed in the lection tp Spain, and wa« foon appointed himfelf
to thofe of Venice and Au^fburg, after haying afliflcd at the
council of Trent. The archbilhopric of Ragufa was the reward
of his labours. Cofoio I. grand duke of Tufcany, having charged
him in i C63 with the education of bis fon prince Ferdinand, he
gave up nig archbi(hopric, in the hope that was held out to him
of obtaining that of Pifa; but, being deceived in his expecta-
tions, he was obliged to content himfelf with the provoftmip of
the cathedral of Prato, where he ended his days in 1572. His
principal works are. The Life of Cardinal Pqle, in latm, which
Maucroiz tranflated into french; and that of Petrarch, in Italian,
more exa£l than any that had appeared before. This prelate
was in correfpondence with almoft all the learned his contem-
poraries, Sadolet, Bembo, the Manuciufes, Varchi, &c.
BECCARI (Augustine), boro at Ferrara, is the firft Italian
?oet that wrote paftorals. Baillet is miftaken whei) he fays that
'aflb is the inventor of that kind of poetry. The Amynto of
Taflb is of no earlier a date than 1573; and the paftoral of
^ccari, D Sacriiicio, favola paftoralci appeared in 1555, larno*
This poet died in 1560.
BECCARIA (JoHH Baptist), a monk of the Ecolcs-Pics,
born at Mondovi^ died at Turin, May 92, 1781. He was pro-
feflbr of mathematics and philofophy, firft at Palermo, then at
Rome ^ and by his experiments and difcoveries was fo fuccefsful
as to throw a great light on natural knowledge, and efpecially
pn that of elemicity. He was afterwards called to Turin to
take upon him the profcflTorihip of experimental philofophy.
Being appointed preceptor to the two princes, Benedif): duke of
Chablais, and Vidor Amadxus duke of Carignan, neither the
life of a court, nor the allurements of pleafure, were able to draw
him afide from ftudy.^ Loaded with benefits and honours, he
fpared nothing for augmenting his library, and for procuring the
inftruments neceflary for his philofophical purfuits. He is au-
thor of feveral Diflertations on Electricity, which would have
been more ufeful, if he had been lefs ilronglv attached to fome
particular fyftems, and efpecially that of Mr. Franklin. We
have alfo by him an Eflay on the Caufe of Storms and Tempefts,
where we meet with nothing more fatisfa£tory than what has
appeared in other works on that fubje£t ; feveral pieces on the
Meridian of Turin, and other objeAs of aftronomy and phyfics.
Father Beccaria was no lefs refpeclable for his virtues than his
Jinowledge.
BECCARIA (James Bartholomew), a very eminent phyfi-
pian, was bom in 1682 at Bononia. He received the firft rudi«
spends of education among the jefuits. He then proceeded tp
the
B E C C A R I A. 103
^ ftudy of pbilefbidiy, in vMcb lie made great progrefs ; but
cidtivated diat branch^ of it particularly wmch conmls in the
contefnplation and inveftigatioji of nature. Having gone through
a couri^ of philofophy and mathematics, he apnlied himfelf to
medicine. Being appointed teacher of natural philofophy at
an academy in £ononia> in confequence of his ardent purfuit^
in philofopny, his fellow-citizens conferred on him the office of
public profeflbr* His firft ftep in this chair was the interpretation
of the Diale£tic8. He kept his houfe open to ftudents, wha
formed there a kind of philofophical fociety. Here it was bis
pra6iice to deliver his fentiments on the difierent branches of
fcienccy or to explain fuch metaphyfical fubjefis as had been
treated of by Defcartes, Malebranche, Leibnitz, and others of
the moderns. * Among, the frecmenters of this little fociety we
find the names of John Baptift Morgagni, Euftathius Manfred^
and Vi£fcorius Francifcus Stanearius, who, in concurrence with
Beccaria, fucceeded in ihaking off the old fcholaftic yoke, and
formed themfelves into an academy, adopting a new and more
ufeful method of reafoning. In tnis inftitution it was thought
fit to eleA twelve of their body, who were called ordinarii, to
read the feveral le£hares in natural hiilory, chemiftry, anatomy^
medicine, phvfics, and mathematics. In which partition, the
illuftration 01 natural hiftory fell to the (hare of Beccaria \ who
gave fuch.fatisfa£tion, that it was difficult .to determine which
was mod admired, his diligence or his ingenuity. In 17 12, he
was called, to give le6lures in medicine 1 in which he acquired
fo great a reputation, that he found it fcarcely pra£iicaDle to
anfwer the defires of die incredible number of thote who applied
to him for inftruflion. At the beginning of the year 1718,
while entirely occupied in this ftation, and in coUedling number.*
lefs anatomical fubjeAs, to exhibit and to explain to his audi-
tors, he was attacked by a putrid fever, which brought his life
in imminent danger, and from which he did not recover till after
a confinement of eight months ; and even then left him fubje£);
to intermitting attacks, and a violent pain in his fide. But the
vigour of his mind triumphed over the weaknefs of his body.
Having undertaken to demonftrate and explain his anatomical
Preparations, he would not defift ; and went on patientlv in-
;ru£king the ftudents that frequented his houfe. On the death
of Antonio Maria Valfalva, who was prefideot oTthe inftitution,
Beccaria, already vice-prefident, was unanimoufly chofen by the
academicians to fucceed him. In which pod he did the aca-
demy much fignal fervice; and to this day it adheres to the rules
prefcribed by Beccaria. He now pradlifed as well as taught
the art of medicine, and in this he acquired an unbounded fame;
for it was not confined to his own countrymen, but was fpread
throughout Europe. He communicated to the Royal Society of
Iioodon
ic4 B E C H E R,
]London fereral barometrical and meteorological obienrations f
with others on the ignis fatuus, and on the fpots that appear in
itones. In acknowledgement for which he was chofen a membev
(of that learned, body in 1728 [m]. He confefles that in his con*
ftitution he was not without fome igneons fpa^rks, which were ea-
fily kindled iflto anger and other Tenement emotions ; yet he wat
refolved to evince by example what he had conftantly taught,
fhat the medicine of the mind is more to be ftudied than that oi
fhe body ; and that they are truly wife and happy, who have
learnt to heal their didorted and bad afTe^lions. He ka<t
brought himfelf to fuch an equal temper of mind, that but a few
hours before his death he wanted to mark the heights of the
barometer and thermometer, which was his ufual pra£Hce three
times every day. Thus, after many and various labours, died
this learned and ingenious man, the 30th of Jan. 1 766, and was
l>uried in the church of St. Maria ad fiaracanum, where an in-
fcfiption is carved on his monument, *
BECHKR (John Joachim), bom in 1^45 at Spires, was at
fJrft profcflbr of medicine, and then firft phyfician to the elcdoF
of Mentz, and afterwards to him of Bavaria. He went to Lon-
don, where his reputation- had got before him, and where the
malice of his rivals had forced him to feek an afylum. Here he
died in 1685. His works are various, among which we may
diftinguifh the following : i, Phyfica fubterranea, Frankfort,
1669, 8vo. reprinted at Leipflc, 1703, and in 1759, 8vo. 2. Exr
perimentum Chymicum novum, Frankfort, 167 1, 8vo. 3. Cha-r
rafter pro notitia linguarum univerfali. A univerfal language^
by means whereof all nations might eafily underftand each other.
lit is the fanciful idea of a man of genius. 4. Inftitutiones Chy-
[m] He puMiflied the following works: triumi ct de febribus. s. Confilia medic^
I. tectere al cavalKic TommaTo Dcrham, ampllus 40x->. 3. lutrodudlioadchymicazzi,
intorno la meteora chiamata fuoco fatuo. in qua agitur de principiis corporum. 4.
£dita primum in focietatis Lond. trtnfa^. ObiervatJonet melheorologicx, quae 40 e(
1710. 2. Diffcrtatio Betheorologtca-me- ampliut annos complodhiotur. 5. DiiSer*;
dUc4y ia qua aerit temperle& et morbi Bo- tationes meiheorologicaeduz. 6. DiiTcrt. de
noniae graHantes annis [729, et fc^uenti de- flamma. 7. Diflfert. de igne duse. 8. DiiTcrt.
fcribuntur. 3. Farere intorno al taglio de refrigeratione aquc ob faiiura diflbluti«
della macchia di Viareg§io. Lucca, 1739, onem. q. Diflert. de folutioneoorporuni,
410. 4. I>e IfMigisjejuniis diOTcrtaCio. Pa- 10. DKrertaiio de corporibus Buidis. SJ.
tavii, 1743, fol. 5. Dc quamplurimis DiiTcrt. de vitrioio. 12. Diffcrt. de puteaJl
^hofphoris nunc primum decediscommen- ^ua du«. 13. DilTert. de perfpiratiotM
tariua. Bononiae, 1744* 4to. 6. De quam- plaotarum. 14. Prarle^tioaes anatomies,
plurim. &c. commentarius alter. 7. De X5> Praqfationcs varifc. j6. Theoremata
xnotu inleftino corporum fluidorum. 8. De gcneralia, et quffftioi;es nonnuUsc de phof-
nedicatis Recobarii aquis, 9. De la^. phoris. 17. Oratio in ingrcflu ad itCtw
10. Epiftolstres medicae ad Franctfcum ram, De optimo dialeOico inftituendcr.
Roncalium P.uolinum. Brixiae, 1747, fol. 18. Oratio de Ariftotclcorum dinlcrtica :
II. Scriplura medico-lcgalis, 17^9; and De diale^icaelauJib is : De laudibus diar*
fome others. He left behind himfeveral teticae : De neceiTilatc tra£Vatu$ de febri*
manufcriots, intituled as t'oIlow« : r. In- bus: De recentiotum medtcorum praxi.
ftituiiones medicae ia quinque libros divif« 19. ConfuUi del bcctari pub'wlicatt Tanno
ie mcdiclna pr^ctica^ de murbis irium vi:n- 1777*
inicX|
B E C K E T- :a^
tAiCtef feu manududio ad philofophiam heritietrcanis Ments^»
1662, 8vo- 5. Inftitutioncs Chymicae prodromae, Frankfort*
1664, and Amilerdam, 1665, i2mo. 6. Experimcntum novum
ac curtofum de Minera arenaria perpetua, Frankfort, 1680, 8vo«
7. Epiftole Chymicae, Amftcrdam, 1673, 8vo. Bccher was re-
puted to be a very able machinift and a good chymift. He was
a man of a lively temper, impetuous and headdrong, and there**
fore indulged in a thoufand ohymical reveries. He was the firft
who applied the art of chymiftry, in all its extent, to philofophy*
and (hewed what ufe might be made of it in explaining tho
ftru£ture, the combinations, and the mutual relations of bodies.
He pretended to have found out a fort of perpetual motion.
However, it is beyond a doubt that the world is indebted to hin«
for fome ufeful difcoveries, and he attempted to make fome im-»
provements in the art of printing.
BECKER (Daniel), native of 'Koenigfberg, firft phyfictan to
the eie£lor of Brandenburg, died in his own country in 1670, at
43 years of age. He publiihed, r. Commentarius de Theriaca :
Mcdicus microcofmus, London, 1660, 8vo. 2« De cultrivoco
Pniflinio, Leyden, 1638, 8vo.
BECKET (Thomas), archbiihop of Canterbury in the rergn
ef Henry II. was born in London 1 1 79, and received the firit
part of his education at Merton-abbey in Surrey ; from whence
he went to Oxford, and afterwards (ludied at Pari8.[Mj. He be-
came in high favour with Theobald archbifliop of Canterbury^
^o fent him to ftudy the civil law at Bonanxa in Italy, and at
his return made htm archdeacon of Canterbvry. This prelate
lecommended him alfo to king Henry IL in fo cflTeclaal a man-
ner, that, in 1 158 he was appointed high chancellor, and pre^
ceptor to the prince. Becket now laid afide the churchman, and
affeAed the courtier ; he conformed himfelf in every thing to
the king's humour; he partook of all hisdivei(ions,and obferved
the fame hours of eating and going to bed. He kept fplendid
levees, and courted popular applaufe ^ and the expences of his
table exceeded tfaofe of the firft nobility [o]. In 1 1 59 be made
a campaign with king Henry into Touloufe, liaving in his own
pay 1200 horfe, befides a retinue of 700 knights or gentlemen.
In 1 1 6a, he was fent by the kii^ to Paris, to treat of a marriage
between prince Henry and the king of France's eldeft daughter,
in which he fucceeded, and returned with the young prmcefs
to England. He had not enjoyed the chancellorfhip above four
yearsy when archbiOiop Theobald died ; and the king, who was
then in Normandy, immediately fent over fome trufty perfons to
England, who managed matters fo' well with the monks and
[n] Ckronifc Jo. Brompton, apud x. tuar. de vit Th. fi. hiftoria^uadrip. p. S, 9.
Icriptor. col. 1052. Utamfton, col. tojo.
[o] Brompton, col. 1057. Gul. Caa-
clcrjry.
fiofi SOCKET.
clergy, that Becket wis dlmoft unanimonfly deded arcKtiiKdpi
After he had received his pall from pope Alexander III. then
tefiding in France^ he immediately fent mefieiigers to the king
in Normandy, with his refignation of the feal and office of chan^
cellor [p]. This difpleafed the king ) fo that upon his return to
England, when he was met at his landing by the archbifliop, he
received him in a cold and indifferent manner.
Becket now betook himfelf to a quite different manner of life^ i
and put on all the gravity and aufterity of a monk [^] • He began
likewife to exert himfeli with great zeal, in defence of the rights |
and privileges of the church of Canterbury \ and in many cafes !
proceeded with fo much warmth and obftinacy, as raifed him I
many enemies. In a (hort time the Ung and he came to an open !
rupture : Henry endeavoured to recall certain privileges of the
clergy, who haa greatly abufed their exemption from the civil I
courts, concerning which the king had received feveral C9m- .
plaints ; while the archbiihop flood up for the immunities of the
clergy. The king convened a fynod of the bifhops at Weftmin-
fter, and here demanded that tne clergy, when accufed of any
capital ofience,-might take their trials in the courts of juftice.
•The queftibn put to the bifhops was. Whether, in confideration
of their duty and allegiance to the king, and of the interefl and
peace of the kingdom, they were willing to proroife a fubmiflion
to the laws of his grandfather, king Henry ? To this the arch-
bifhop replied, in me name of the whole body, that they were
willing to be bound by the ancient laws of the kingdom^ as far
as the privileges of the order would permit, y^/tw ^rainefuo. The
king was higmy difpleafed with this anfwer, and infifled on hav« '
ing an abfolute compliance, without any refervation whatever ;
but the archbifhop would by no means fubmit, and the refl of the
bifhops adhered tor fome time to their primate [r]. Several of
the bifhops beine at length gained over, and the pope interpofing
in the quarrel, Becket was prevailed on to acquiefce ; and foon
-after the kine fummoned a contention or parliament at Claren*
4lon, where ieveral laws were pafled relating to the privileges of
the clergy, called from thence, the Conilttutions of Clarendon.
Becket afterwards repenting of his compliance retired from
court ; nor would officiate in the church, till he (hould receive
[p] M. Paris. HUl. Ang. JLood. 1640. nequis famsoculifqurhomtnumduntant
lom. i. p. 98. icrviifle contendat* cilicio quoque indutuSy
[q^] Lautus QleAiiitiduf, fptendidus, qui corpus fubigiffe perhibcnt, triplici teftc tri*
genio totui iadulgenSf cutem uiam tarn bene plicedi perfonam gf reiki (ut illonim quidam
iolitus erat curare, yix paucis inter poiitis loquitur) etteriori cleracum eshibeus, in-
diebus» vultu dcrepente gravis, moribus fcriori tnonachum occultans, et intima
^datus, habitu decens, viAu frugalis con- eremit« moleftiat faftinciii, Gpdwin d«
fpLcitur; et amandatis procul jocis ac ca- praeful. Ang. an. If S9*
chtnntiy ouibus antea plurimum ivrebatur [r] Rog. de Hovedco. Aimal. part
deditus, lacrii perageodis, caeterifque paf- pofterior, p. 491. apudfcriptor. poft Bedailu
ItralU offiui muneribus totui ^racab^t : ec Franc. i6oi«
abfolutlon
BECKET. 467
abfolution from tlie pope. He went abocf d a (hip^ bi order td
make his efcape beyond fea ; but before he could reach the coaft
of France, the wind fliiftin^ about, he was driven back to Eng*^
land. The king fummoned a parliament at Northampton 1 165,
where the archbifhop having Insen accufed of failure of duty and
allegiance to the king, was fentenced to forfeit all his goods and
chattels, fiecket made an appeal to the pope ; but this having
availed nothing, and finding himfelf deferted by his brethren, ho
withdrew privately from Northampton, and went aboard a ihip
for Graveline in Holland, from whence he retired to the monaf*
tery of St. Berlin in Flanders fs].
The kin? feized upon the revenues of the archbiihopric, and
fent an ambaflador to the french king, defiring him not to give
(belter to Becket : but the french court efpoufed his caufe, in
hopes that the mifunderftanding betwixt him and Henry mi?ht
embarrafs the affairs of England ; and accordingly when Becket
came from St. Berlin to Soiilbns, the french king paid him a
vifit, and offered him his prote£lion. Soon after the archbifhop
went to Sens ; where he was honourably received by the pope^
into whofe hands he in form refigned the archbiihopric of Can-
terbury, and was prefently re-in(tated in his dienity by the pope^
who promifed to efpoufe his intereft. The ardibimop removed
from Sens to the abbey of Pontieny in Normandy, from whence
he wrote a letter to the bHhops of Enriand, informing them, that
the pope had annulled the Conftitutions of Clarendon. From
hence too he ifllied out excommunications againft feveral perfonsg
who had violated the rights of the church. This conduA of his
raifed him many enemies. The king was fo enraged againft
him for excommunicating feveral of his officers of ftate, that he
banilhed a}I Becket^s relations, and compelled them to take an
oath^ that they would travel dtredly to Pontigny, and (hew
themfehres to the archbiihop. An order was likewife publiftied,
forbidding all perfons to correfpond with him by letters, to fend
him any money, or fo much as to pray /or him in the
churches [t}. He wrote aHb to the general chapter of the Cifn
tertians, threatening to feize*all their eftates in England, if they
allowed Becket to continue in the abbey of Pontigny. The arclx^
biihop thereupon removed to Sens ; and from thence, upon the
king of France's recommendation, to the abbey of St. Columba^
where he remained four years. In the mean time, the biOiops
of the province of Canterbury wrote a letter to the^ archbifhop^
entreating him to niter his Dehaviour, and not to widen the
breach, fo as to render an accommodation imprafticable betwixt
him and the king. This however had no eSkik on the archbi-
[t] Math. Pam. Hift. Aog. e^t. 1740. fcript. col. T383.
ttm. i. p. 100, Gervas^ Chronic, apud u £t] CcifMj iW
(hopt
Ao« i E C k E T^.
fhop. The pope alfo fent twd cardinals to try to recon<fiIe mat-S
tcrs \ hfat the legates finding both parties inflexible, gave over the
^lempt, and returned to Rome [u].
The beginning of the year 1 157, Becket ^as at length fo far
Jirevailed upon as to have an interview with Henry and the king
of 'France, ^t Mont-Miral in Champaigne. He made a fpeecn
to Henry in very fubmiQive terms ; and concluded with leaving
him the umpire of the difference between them, iaviiig the ho-
.Aour of God. Henry was provoked at this claufe of refervatioilp
^nd faid, that whatever Becket did not relifh, he would pro^'
hounce contrary to the hdtiour of God. ^^ However/' added
the king, ^* to ihew my inclination to accommodate matters, I
will make him this propofition : I have had many predeceflbrs,
kings of England, foxtie greater and fome inferior to myfelf; there
have been likewife many great and holy men in the fee of Can-
terbury. Let Becket therefore but pay me the fame regard, and
Dwn my authority fo far, as the greated of his predeceflbrs:
owned that of the lead of mine, and I am (atisfied. And, as I
never forced him out of England, I give iiim leaVe toTCturn at
his pleafure ; and am willing he ihould enjoy his archbiihopric,
with as ample privileges as any of his predeceflbrs [^ J." AU
who were prefent deckred that Henry had (hewn fufficient con-
deictnfion. The king of France, furprifed at the archbifhop's'
filence, aiked him why he hefitated to accept fuch reafonabW
conditions ? Becket replied, he was willing to receive his fee
upon the terms his predeceflbrs held it; but as for thofe cuftomi
which broke in upon the canons, he could not admit them \ for h.8
looked upon this as betraying the caufe of religion. And thus the
iiterview ended without any efieft.
In 1169, endeavours were again ufed to accommodate mat*^
ters, btit they proved inefieilua] [j]. The archbiflibp fefufedi
to comply, becaufe Henry would not give him the cuftomar j
falute, or kifs of peace, which his majefly would have granted,
had he not once fwore in a paflion never to falote the archbifhop
on the cheek *, but he declared that he would bear him no ill
will for the omiffion of this cercgiony [z]. Henry became ^t
kngth fo irritated againft this prelate, that he ordered all his
englifh fubjefis to take an oath, whereby they tenounced the au-
thority of Becket and pope Alexander; moft of the laity Com-
,plied with this order, but few of the clergy acquiefced. The
following year king Henry, upon hi^ return to England, ordered
his fon, prince Henry, to be crowned at Weftminfter, and the
ceremony was performed by the archbifhop of York : this office
belonged to the fee of Canterbury ; and Becket complained of it
[u] R. Hovcd. ibid. p. 509. Ibid. [y] Gervas, ibid.
f. si 6. [s] lbiU.cCl.ia4S.
[x] (#crTa9> col. 140^^ 140!.
to
fi is C It E T* 469
to ttie pope, who fufpeitded the archhtihdp of York, and excom^
hianicated the bifliops who aflifted him [a]»
This year, however, an accommodation was at length con-«
eluded betwixt Henry and Becket, upon the confines of Nor-
mandy, where the king held the bridle of Becket's horfe, whilcr
he mounted and difmounted twicd [b]. Soon after the archbi-
Ihop embarked for England ^ and upon his arrival, received an
ordet from the young king to abfoive the fafpended and excom-
munic^ated bifiiops ; but refufing to comply, the archbifhop o£
fork, and the bifhops of London and Salifbury, canied their
complaint to the king in Normandy, who was highly provoked
at this fre(h indance of obftinacy in Becket, and faid on the oc-
casion, ** That he was an unhappy ptince, who maintained a
great number of lazy, infignificant perfons about him, none o£
whom had gratitude or fpirit enough to revenge him on a Cngle,
xnfolent prelate, who gav^ him fo much difturbance." Theftf
Words of the king put font gentlemen of his court on forming a
defign againft the archbi (hop's life, which they executed in the
cathedral church of Canterbury, on the 29th of December
1 171 [c]. They endeavoured to drag him out of the church ;
but, finding they could not do this without difiiculty, killed him
there [d]. The affaflins being afraid they had gone too far, durft
rot return to the king's court at Normandy, but retired to
Knarefburg in Yorkfhire 5 where every body avoided their com<-
pany, hardly any perfon even choofing to eat or drink with them^
They at length took a voyage to Rome, and being admitted ta
penance by pope Alexander IIL they went to Jerufalcm ; whcre^
according to the pope's order, they fpcnt their lives in peni'^
rential au^erities,and died in the Black Mountain^ They wer^
buried at Jerufalem* without the church door belonging to the
Templars, and this infcriptiou was put over them [b] :
Hie jacept Tnifcri, qui martyrixavemnt beatum Archiepifcopum
Cantuarienftm*
King Henry was much difturbed at the news of Becket's
death, and immediately difpatched an embafly to Rome
to clear himfelf from the imputation of being (he caufe of
it. Immediately all divine offices ceafed in the church of
-Canterbury; and this for a year, excepting nine days, at
tlie end of which, by order of the pope, it was re-confe-
crated[Fj« Two years after, Becket was canonized; and the
following year, Henry, returning to England, went to Canter-
bury, where he did penance as a teilimony of his I'egret for th#
f a] M. Paria> ib. y. 1 1 1. [f] R. UqwtH, ib. p. ^i4«
fiij GerVjiS, chroo. coi. 1413* [f] Radulph, de Diccto Vit. Afchifp.
{cj i'j. 1414, 141 S- Cantuar. apud Wharion Ac^a itQr^*
[dJ Dies obitual. archlep. Cant.. a|iu4 ^. ii« p. 6SS«
Wharton AogUaia^ra, ?, i, ^6*
Vol. U. . f maitt
aio B E C T O Z.
murder of Beiket. When he came within fight of the chuirh^
where the archSifhop was buried, he alighted off his horfe, and
wall^ed barefooty in the habit of a pilgrim, till he came to
Beckct's tomb 5 where, after he had proftrated himfetf> and
prayed for a confiderable time, he fubmitted to be fcourged by
the monks, and pafied all that day and night without any re-
frefliment, and kneeling upo» the bare ftone [g]. In 1221,
Becket's body wa» taken up^ in the prefence of king Henry III.
and feveral nobility, and depofited in a rich fhrtne on the eait
fide of the church. The miracles hid to be wrought at his tomb
were fo numerous, that we are told two large volutnes of tlienn
were kept in that church [b]. His flirine was viGted from all
parts, and enriched with the mod coftly gifts and ofFerings/
BECKINGH AM (Charles). We know little of this writer,
though he has left teftimonials of very extraordinary abilities in
the dramatic line, in which he earlv difcovered an. uncommon
genius. Two plays of his were a£^ea on the (la^e before he had
completed his twentieth year. The titles of thefe are, Henry IV*
of France, and Scipio Africanus. He wrote feveral poems :
but his genius was not permitted long to expand itfelf ; for he
died in 1730, »;ed 32*
BECK1NGTX)N (Thomas), born in Somerfetfhire, diftin-
guifhed himfclf as a man of letters in the xvth century. Brought
up at New college, Oxford, he afterwards became its oenefaflor,
upon being made bnihop of Bath and Wells. He. is die author
oi a book in latin, very much approved of in its time, and utterly
forgotten at prefentf concerning the Right of the kings of Eng-*
land to the dominion of France.
BECQUET (Antoine), a celeftlne monk, librarian to the
Maifon de Paris^ died in 1730, aged 76 ; publiihed THiftoire de
la Congregation des Celeftins de France, with the hiftorical pa^
negyrics of the illuftrious men of his order, in latin, 4to, 1721.
H< was a learned and obliging man, who poiTefTed a great ftorp
of literary anecdotes, and communicated them with pleafure.
BECTASH (CuLi)Ci]» ^ religious mufTuIman of the perfian
fe£l, and of the order ot tbofe who are called Abdal, or the Ex-
tatics. He compofed in the perfian language a work intituled
Boftan al Khial, or the Garden of Thoughts, wherein he very
profoundly treats of the mvftic theology of the muflulmen.
BECTOZ (Claude de), daughter of a gentleman, of Dau*
phinc, abbefs of St. Honore de 'J'arafcon, made great progrefs in
the latin language, and in feveral branches of fcience, under
Denys Faucher, monk of Lerius and almoner of his monaflery.
Francis I. was fo charmed VfiHi the letters of this abbefs, that
[c] M.Paris, ib.p. 1^0. [i] D'Hcrbclot^ Bibliothc^uc Orien-
[hJ Ccrvas, chrou. 001.1417. tale^ yoI. i.
he
BEDA, OR BEDE. 211
he caitied them, as it is faid, about him, and -ihewcd them to the
ladies of his court, as models for their imitation. He went from
Avignon to Tarafcon, with queen Margaret of Navarre, for the
fake of converfmg with this learned lady. She died in 1547^
after having publifhed feveral works, latin and french, in vcrfe
and in profe.
BEDA (Noel), principal cjf the college of Montaigu, and
fyndic of the faculty of theology at Paris, was bom in Picardy.
He publifhed a violent critique on the paraphrafes of Erafmus.
That illudrious fcholar condefcended to take the trouble to re-
fute it, and convicted his cenfurer of having advanced 181 lies,
2iocalumnies> and 47 blafphemies. The doctor, having no rea-
fonable anfwcr to make, took extrafts from the works of Eraf-
mus, denounced him as a heretic to the faculty, and fuccecded
in getting him cenfured. It was he who prevented the Sor-
bonne from deciding in favour of the divorce of Henry VIIL of
England. His opinion was the bed, and he carried it by his ve-
hemence. *' As Beda (fays pere Berthier) could neither bridle
his pen nor his tongue, he dared to preach againfl; the king him-
fclf, under pretext, perhaps, that the court did not profecute he-
retics with as much vigour as his bold and extravagant temper
would have wiflied. His intolerable fpirit drew upon him twice
fucceffively a fentence of banifliment. Recalled for the third
time, and continuing incorrigible, he was condemned by the
parliament of Paris, in 1536, to make amcnde-honorable before
the church of Notre- dame, for having fpoken agatnfi the ktng^ atid
againfl truth." He was afterwards exiled to the abbey of Mont
St. Michel, where he died Feb. 8, 1537, with the reputation
(adds pere Berthier) of being a violent declaimer and a vexatious
adverfary. Beda wrote, i. A treatifc De unica Magdalena, Pa-
ris, 1519,410. againft the j)ublications of le Ecvre^d'Etaples, and
of Jofle Cliethoue. 2. Twelve books againft the Commentary
of the former. 3. One againft the Paraphrafes of Erafmus, 1526,
folio ; and feveral other works, which are all marked with bar-
barifm and rancour. His latin is neither pure nor correft.
BEDA, or BEDE, furnamed the Venerable, an englifh monk
and an eminent writer, horn in 672, or 673, at Wermouth and
Jarrow, in the bifliopric of Durham [k]. In 679, he was fent
to the monaftery of St. Peter, under the care of abbot Benedi£l,
by whom, and his fuccefTor Ceolfrid,he was educated for twelve
years : he was ordained deacon at nineteen years of age, and
prieft at thirty, by John of Beverley, then bifhop of Hagul-
ttad or Hexham [l]. He applied to his ftudies with fo much
diligence and fuccefs, that he foon became eminent for his
[k] Bed. ad fin. epilom. hlft. cede- [l] Gul. Malmefbury degrftis Anglo-
. fiaifc. mm, lib. i. c. 3, fol. 10. Pits, 129.
P 2 learning}
tt%
BEDA, OR BEDE.
learning ; his fame fpread even to foreign countries, fo that
pope Scrgius wrote to abbot Ceolfrid in very preiSng terms, to
fend Bede to Rome, to give his opinion upon fome important
points. But, notwithftanding this invitation, Eede remained in
. his cell ; and, being contented with the pleasures of a monadic
life, had hereby time and opportunity to make himfelf mader of
almoft every branch of literature. He fpcnt feveral years iu
making coUe£iions for his ecclefiaftical hiflory, the materials for
which he drew from the lives of particular perfons, annals in
convents, and fuch chronicles as were written before his tinne [m].
He publifhed his hiftory in 731 [n J, when he was fifty-nine
years of age ^ he had written other books before, but this work
ellablifhed his reputation in fuch a manner, that he wasconfulted
by the greateil prelates of that age, in their moil important af-
fairs, and particularly by Egbert biOiop-of York, a man of very
' Jrreat learning f oj. He addreii'cd an epiftle to this prelate, which
is efteemed a curious performance, as it furnishes us with fuch a
pi£lure of the (late of the church at that time, as is no where
clfc to be met with [p]. This epiftle is fuppofed to have been
amongft the lall of Bede's writings. It appears from what he
fays himfelf, that he was much indifpofed when he wrote it^
and It is not improbable that he began at this time to fall into a
confumption, William of IVIalmelbury tells us, that, in the laft
ftage of his diftemper, lie fell into an afthma, which he fupported
with great firmnefs of mind^ though in much weaknefs and
[m] Bed. hift. crdefuft. lib. til. c. I.
[nJ 'J'hc title of this work in tl^c Hei-
delben? edition, ia 1658, runilhus: Kc-
clcilafticar liiftoriae gciuis An^loium libri
«juir>t]ue, Bcdti Anelo-Saxone authorc.
Thcte was aJfo an ciriitton printed at Ant-
werp iu I C5O) and one at Cologne in i6or.
It was printed in folio with ihc faxon vcr-
iioB, attributed lo king Alfred, with notes
by Abraham ^heloc, at Cambridge in
1644, and at Paris i63i, in 4.to. with the
notes oF Francis Chifflet. Bcfides thcic,
there was another edition undertaken by
JPr. Smith, prebendary of Durham, which
was publilhed in folio by his Ton George
Smith* It Cambridge, I712> with notes
Mid diiTertaiioni.
Biihop Nicolfon gives the following ac-
count ot this performance of Beda : ** Wh<u
we are at prcfent concerned in Is, his Ec-
clefiaftical Hiilory of this Ifland, which has
bad many imprefllonsin latin, the language
wherein he penned it. It is plain he had
feen and pcrufed feveral chronicles of the
engliOi kings before his own time, witnefs
thatczpreffion, Unde cuudis placuit regum
lempora computauubus, &c» But he firft
attempted an account of their chnrch afr
fairs, and kept corr«'rpondence in theother
kingdoms of liie heptarchy, the bettcf to
euable him to give a true iVare of chriOi-
anity throughout the w.hole nation. He
treats indeed moftltrgely of (heconverfion
of Northumberland, and the piogrefs of
religion in that kingdom; but always in-
termixes what other relations he could bor-
row/rom books, or iearn from fuch living
tellimoniea as he believed to be credible.
Some have ccnfnred his hiftory as compofed
with too great partiality, favouring on all
occaiions the Saioas, and dcpreiltng the
Brjtom. Suih a charge is net wholly
groundlcfs. He muft be pardoned with
ftufting it here and there with thumping
miracles, the n:.tural proUii^ of the zoal
and ignorance of his age, efpecialVy Hnce
fb little tniih Kas to be had of the faints of
thofe days, that there was a fort of neceflhy
of tilling up books of this kind whh fucH
pleafant legends, a& the chat of the country^
or a good invention, would aBford a man.'*'
EflgliOi hiftorical library; p. ^5.
fol LeLind, Bale, Pits, in vit. Egbertu
[r j Collier's ecckf. hift. Tol.i. p> 124*
' pain,
BEDA, OR BEDE. ftij
ttam, fot fix weeks together f q^]. During this time, however,
DC did not abate of his ufual employments in the monaftery, but
continued to inftru6l the young monks, and to profecutc fomc
works under hand, which he was very defirous to finifh. He was
particularly foiUcitous about his tranflation of the gofpel of St,
John into the faxon language, and fome paflages he was extraft-
ing from the works of St. Ifidorc. The particulars which Wil-
liam of Malmefbury gives relating to his death, were taken from
an account by Cuthbert, one of Bede's difciples, who fays, that
he died at the age of 63, on Thurfday the 26th of May, being
the feaft of Chrift's afccnfion, which fixes it in the year 735 }
this circumftancc agreeing with that year and no other [r ].
There have been however difierent opinions about the time of
his death; but as the matter is not of any great importance, we
ihall not trouble the reader with the controverfics on this point.
His body was at firft interred in the church of his own monaf-
tcry at Jarrov/, but afterwards removed to Durham, and placed
in the fame coffin with that of St. Cuthbert, as appears from an
old faxon poem on the relics preferved in the cathedral of Dur-
ham [«]. He had feveral epitaphs written upon him; and rhough
none of them have been thought equal to his merit, yet they
Ihcw at lead the good intention of their authors.
The opportunities which he had, and his furprifing application,
enabled him to write a great number of books. He has given ut
SI lift of all the treatifes he had compofed before the year 731,
at the end of his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory ; he wrote alfo feveral
other treatifes after the publication of this work [t]. His writ-
ings were fo well received, that we find great encomiums bc-
ftoWed upon him. It muft be acknowledged, however, that
fome late writers of our own and foreign nations have fpokc of
him as a man of fuperfioial learning and indigeftcd reading. He
is alfo charged with being extremely credulous, and giving too*
eafily into the belief of the miracles in his time. Du Pin, fpeak-
ing of him as an author, fays, that his ftyle is clear and eafy,
but without any purity, elegance, or fublimity ; that he wrote
with a furprifing facility, but without art or rcflcftion i and that
he was a greater matter of learning than of judgment, or a true
critical tafte [uj. In anfwer to this criticifm, as to the faults of
W^
{Degef(. Ang lih. iii. cap. 3. p. 22. lumes at Baiil in i $6;, reprinted at Cologne
Leland. col. an. torn. iii. p. 84. in 16 ra, and at the fame place io t688.
The poem may be feen at the end Beiides what i» conuined in this general
•f the Decern fcriptores. ^ollc£lion, there are feveral of his coropo-
[t] His works are in latin; the firft fiiions, which have been printed feparate-
grcera! colledion of them appeared at Pa- ly, or amongft the collediiont of ihe writ-
rii, 1544, in three volumes folio. They ings of ancient authors ; «nd there are fe«
wcfe printed again at the fame place, r 5 ^^, veral manufci ipts of his which have nevtr
in eight volumes. They were alfo pub.* been printed.
liihed la the fame fiw iuxd numbcc of vo- [m] Tom. vi. pi 88.
Pa Ut
214 BEDELL.
his ftyle. It IS faid, that they will not appear great, if compared
with the contemporary writers, and to compare them with others
is unjuft ; and that, confidering the low ftate of learnirig in this
ifland at that time, it was furprifing he (hould make fuch a pro-
grefs in the languages and fciences, and write fo great a number
of books upon fuch different fubjefts. The famous Camden
fp'eaks thus of Beda [x] : " In this monaftery of St. Peter, Beda,
the fingular light of our ifland, who, by his piety and learning,
juftly obtained the furname of Venerable, fpent his days,ashimfelf
tells us, in meditating on the fcriptures ; and, in the mid (I of a
barbarous age, wrote many learned works." The fame author,
in another place, has thefe words : ** The reverend Bede, whom
we may more eafily admire than fufficiently praife, for his pro.
found learning in a mod barbarous age [y]." Bale fays, that
there is fcarce any thing in all antiquity worthy to be read, which
is not to be found in Beda, though he travelled not out pf his
own country ; and that if he had flourifhed in the times of St.
Auguftin, Jerome, or Chryfoftom, he would undoubtedly have
equalled them,.fince, even in the midft of a fuperftitious age, he
wrote fo many excellent trcatifes. Pits tejls us, that he was fo
well verfed in the feveral branches of learning, that Europe
fcarce ever produced a greater fcholar in all refpefts ; and that,
even while he was living, his writings were of fo great autho*
rity, as to have it ordered by a council held in England, and ap«
proved afterwards by the catholic church, that they (hould be
publicly read in churches [z]. To thefe might likewife be added
many other teftimonies in his favour, particularly thofeof Selden,
Spelman, and Stillingfleet(Aj.
BEDELL (William), a very famous prelate, and bifliop of
Kilmore in Ireland, born 1570, at Black Notley, in the county
of Eflcx. After having gone through his fchool education, he
was fent to Emanuel college in Cambridge, where he was chofen
fellow in 1593, and took his degree of bachdor in divinity in
! 599 [b]- He left the univerGty upon being prefented to the
living at St. Edmondfbury in Suffolk, where he continued till
1604, when he was appointed chaplain to fir Henry Wotton,
ambaflador to the republic of Venice. He was eight years at
Venice, during which time he contracted an intimate acquaint-*
ance with the famous father Paul Sarpi, of whom he learnt ita-
lian ; and of this language he became fo niuch a mafter, that he
tranllated into it the englifh common prayer book [c]. Nor was
he lefs ferviceable to father Paul, for whofe ufe he drew up aa
fx] Britain, in Brig^nt. p. 576. rAl Analedl. Anglo. Erie. lib. ii. cap. a.
[yj Remainsof a larger worlc concern^ [bJ Bp. Burnet's Life of Bp. BedelU
isg Britain, Lond. 1609, 4to. p. 18 j. Lond. 1685. 8vo. p. i. Life of (ir Henry
("/J Script. illulV. major Brit, centaur. 2. Witton, by Ifrael Walton, p, 43,
p ^|. Rclau Hilt, dfi Rebus Ang. p. 130. [^J Life Qt Bcdeil, p. 8.
englifh
BEDELL.\ aij
i»igli(h grammar, and in manyrefpeds greatly aflifted htm in his
, ftudles ; infomuch that Paul declared he had learnt more from
him in all parts of divinity, than from any perfon he had ever
converfed with [d]. Whilit Bedell reflded at Venice, he greatly
improved himfelf alfo in the hebrew.language, by the aflfiftance
of the famous rabbi Leo, who taught him the jewifli pronun-
ciation, and other parts of rabbinical learning. Here alfo he
became acquainted with the celebrated Antonio de Dominis,
archbifliop of Spalata^ whom he affiiled confiderably in corred-
ing and finifliing his famous book De Republica Ecclefiaftica.
Father Paul was much concerned when Hedell left Venice *, at
his departure he made him a prefent of his pi£lure, together with
a hebrew bible without points, and a fmall pfalter. He gave
him alfo the manufcript of his Hiftory of the Council of Trentj
with the hiftoriesof the interdi£i and inquifitton, and a hirge
colle£iion of letters he had received from Rome, during the dif-
pute between the jefuitsand dominicans, concerning the efficacy
of grace.
li/lr. Bedell, upon his return to Eneland, retired to his charge
at St. Edmondibury ; and here he tranSated into latin the hiftorie^
of the interdi^i and inquifitton, which he dedicated to the king.
He alfo tranflated into the fame language the two laft books of
the Hiflory of the Council of Trent,'' the two firft having been
done by fir Adam Newton. In 1615 he was prefented to the
living of Horingiheath, in the diocefe of Norwich, by fir Thomas
Jermyn [e]. In 1627 he was unanimoufly elected provoft of Tri-
nity college, in Dublin; he at firft declined this office, but at lafl:
accepted of it, in confequence of the pofitive commands of his
majefty. He difcharged his duty in this employment witli great
fidelity y and when he had continued two years in it, by the in-
tereft of fir Thomas Jermyn, and Laud bifliop of London, he
was promoted to the fees of Kilmore and Ardagh. He found
thefc two diocefes in great diforder, and applied himfelf with
vigour to reform the abufes there. He began with that of plu-
rality of benefices. To this end he convened his clergy : and,
in a fermon, laid before them the inftitucion, nature, and duties
of the minifterial employment, and after fermon diicourfed to
thejn upon the fame fubje£i in latin, and exhorted them to re-/
form that abufe. To prevail on them tlie better, he told them
he refolved to (hew them an example by parting witli one of
his bifhoprics i and accordingly refigned Ardagh. He made fe-
vcral regulations with refped to refidence, was extremely watch-
ful of the conducl of the clergy, and no lefs circumfpeft in his
own behaviour. His ordinations were public and folemn, he
preached and gave the facrament on Inch occafions himfelf. He
[d] Lil<of B:'l<II,p. 31,32. lb. p. 17. [k] Sir James Ware's works, vol. i.
18. p. J3i.
V -4 never
ti6 6ED£LL*
fte^er gave any peribn prieft's ovders tiil a year after hb deaeon^St
that he might know how he had behaved during that time. H<l
wrote certificates of ordination and other inftruments with his
own band ; and fuifered none who received them to pay any
fees. When he had brought things to fuch a length that hia
clergy were willing to aflSft him in the gtcat ^ork of rcforma-
tten, he convened a fynod in September 163^, in which he madb
many excellent canons that are ftlU extant [f]. There wcrt^
fome who looked Up6n this fynod as an illegal ailembly, and thaH
his prefuming to make canons was againft kw, fo that there wad
talk of bringing him before the«(lar-chamber, or high^commiffion
court ; but his archdeacon, afterwards archbiihop of Caihelli
gave fuch an account of the matter as fatisiied the flate. Arch**
bifliop Uflicr faid on this occafion to>thofe who were rery earneft
for bringing him to anfwer for his conduft, " You had better
let him alone; left, when provoked,* he ihould fay much more
fot himfelf, than any of his accufers can fay again (I him [gJ.'*
Bedell^ having obferved that the court in his diocefe was a great
abufe, it being governed by a hy chancellor who had bought the
place from his predeceHbr, and for that reafon thought he had
a right to ail the profits he could raife, removed the chancellor ^
and, lefuming the jurifdi£iion of a bi(hop, fat in his own courts^j
and heard caufes with a fele^ number of his clergy, by whofe
advice he gave fentence. The chancellor upon this brought 9
fuit againlt the bifhop into chancery, for invading his office.
Bolton, the lord chancellor of Ireland, confirmed the chancelfor's
right, and gave him a hundred pounds coils againft the biftiop |
and, when Bedell aiked him how he could give fuch an unjuft
decree ? h^ anfwered, That all his father had left him was 9
regiftcr's place 5 and therefore he thought he was bound to fup-
port thofe courts, which muft be ruined if fome check was not
given to the biftiop's proceedings [hI. The chancellor however
gaye him no further difturbance ; nor did he ever call for his(
C^s, but named a furrogate with orders to obey the biftiop,
This prelate was no perfecutor of papifls, nor did he approve
of thofe who made ufc of harfti and pafttonate expreffions againft
popery [i]. He laboured to convert the better fort of tlic popifti
clergy, and in this had^eat fucccfs. He procured a translation
fFl Lifet>f
[o] Sir Ja
Ing is » deal V^ith crroK, not W difgrace
Jamet Ware's works. Mi). !• the roan with fcoldtng words. It is faid of
^59. Alexander, I think> when he overheard
JjiJ Life of Bedelly p. l ti, one of his* foldiers ritiling luflily on D<\rias
ft] lu an ciinA of one of Bedell** his enemy, that he reproved him, and
fermons given us by biihofi Burnet, we addfti, Frirnd, I entertain thee to figh(
tneet with the follawing Mflage: " It is againft Darius^ not to revile him. — And
tiot the iVorm of .words* but the ftrength this is my poor opinion concerning out:
t^( reafoAs, that fliall ftay a wavering judge- dealing with the papiftt •hemfelycs," |pc.
Ipeat from errors^ &c. ^efides, ouf (aJl« BcdcU's life, p. 14^, 153.
S ^
BEDELL. flt7
h( tlie common-prayer into trifli^ mnd caufed k to be tead iit
his cathedral every Sunday. The new Teftament had alfo been
tranilated by Wtiliam Daniel, archbifiiop of Tuam ; and at the
fai(hop*s defire, the old Teftament was firit tranflated into the
fame language by one King ( but as he was ignorant of the
original tongue, and did it from the englilhi Bedell revifed and
compared it with the hebrew, and the belt tranflations [k]. He
took cafe likewife to have fome of Chryfuftom'$ and Leo's ho^t
milieS) in commendaticm of the fcriptures^ to be rendered both
into engltih and irifli ; to (hew the common people, that^ in the
opinion of the ancient fathers, they had not only a right to read
the fcriptures as weii as the clergy, but that it was their duty
fo to do [l]. When he found the work was linilhed, he re-
solved to be at the ezpence of printing it ; but his defign was
interrupted by a ^ruel and unjuft profecution carried on againft
the tranflator, who not only loft his living, but was alfo attacked
In his character. The biihop fupported Mr./King as much as
hfi could ; and the tranflation being hnilhed^ he would have
firinted it in his houfe^ at his own expence, if the troubles of
reland had not prevented it : it happened luckily however that
^e tranflation efcaped the hands of the rebels, and was after-
wards printed at the expence of Mr. Robert lioyle [m]. The
biihop was very moderate in his fentimen}:s ; ha was indeed z
fmcere friend to the church of England, but he loved to make
profeiytcs by perfuafion, and not compulfion ; and it was his
opinion, that proteftants would agree well enough, if they could
be brought lo underftand each other. There were fome lutherans
at Dublin, who, for not coming to church and taking the facra-
hient^ were cited into the archbifhop's confiftory ; upon which,
they defired time to write to their divines in Germany, which
was granted : and when their anfwers came, they contained
feme exceptions to the do£trines of the church, -as not explain-
ing the prefence of Chrift in the eucharift, fuitable to their fen-
timents: to which bifliop Bedell gave fuch a folid anfwer, that
the german divines, who law it, advifed their countrymen to joia
in communion with the church ; which they accordingly did.
When the rebellion broke out in Ireland, in October 164?^
die biihop at firft did not feel the violence of its effe£ls ; for the
▼ery rebels had conceived a great veneration for him, and de-^
dared he (hould be the laft Englifhman they would drive out of
Ireland [KJ. His was the only houfe in the county of Cavan
chat was unviolated^ and it was filled with the'people who fled
to him for ihelter [o]. About ih^ middle of Deeember, how-
[kI Sir Jamc8 Ware's >vdrks^ vol. i. [m^ Bayle't works, vol. v. p. 6xS*
p. 277. f n] Life of bp. Bedell, p. 138.
[jt ) Hift. of tranflattoos of the Bibi* ^oj Hift. of th^p iriih rebelJio|i, p. 935*
i vulgar (posies, p. I95.
t^^p
ai8 BEDFORD.
ever, the rebels, parfuant to orders received from their couneit
of ftate at Kilkenny, required him to difmifs the people fhat
were with him; which he refufed to do, declaring he wotild fliare
the fame fate with the reft. Upon this they feisse^l him, his
two fons, and Mr. Ciogy, who had married his daughter*>in*law9
and carried them prifoners to the caftle of Cloughboughter, fur<«
rounded by a deep water, where they put them ail, except the
bi(hop, in irons. After being confined for about three weeks,
the bifhop and his two fons, and Mr. Clogy, were exchanged
for two of the O'Rourkes ; but though it was agreed that they .
ihould be fafely condufbed to Dublin, yet the rebels would never
fuffer them to be carried out of the country, but fent them to
the houfe of Denis Sheridan, an irifli minifter, and convert to
the proteftant religion. The biihop died foon after he came
here, on the 7 th of February 1641, his death being chiefly oc-
cafioned by his late imprifonment, and the weight of forrows
which lay upon his mind. The Iriih did him unufual honours
at his burial : for the chief of the rebels gathered their forces
together, and with them accompanied his body from Mr* She-
ridan's houfe to the church-yard of Kilmore [p]. Thus lived
and died this great prelate; whofe behaviour in his public
charadier did honour to hi« high office in the church, and
whofe private life was perfectly confiftent widi the doArine he
taught.
BbDERIC (Henry), a celebrated preacher in the xivth cen-
tury, was a monk of the order of St. Auguftin at Clare, and
furnamed de Bury, becaufe he was born at St. Edmund's Bury
in Sufiblk. Having from his youth {hewn a quick wit, and a
great inclination to learning, his fuperiors took care to improve
thefe excellent faculties, by fending him not only to our englifh,
but alfo to foreign univerfities ; where clofely applying himfelf
to his ftudies, and being a conftant difputant, he arrived to fuch
fame, that at Paris he became a do£lor of the Sorbonne. Not long
after he returned to England, where he was much followed, and
extremely admired for his eloquent way of preaching. Thisenii-
nent qualification, joined to his remarkaole integrity, uprightnefs,
and dexterity in the management of afllairs, fo recommended
him to the efteem of the world, that he was chofcn provincial
of his order throughout England, in which ftation he behaved
in a very commendable manner. He wrote fcveral things [q^].
He fiouriflied about the year 1380, in the rpign of Richard II.
BEDFORD (Hilkiah), of Sibfey in Lincolnihire, a quaker^
[pj Sir James Ware's works, vol. i. tions, in one book. 3. Sermons upon the
p. 240. blelTed Virgin. 4. A courfe of fermoiis
[<^] Namely, i. Le<flures upon the for the whole year. Reiides fcveral other
mafter of ihe fentences, i. e. Peter Lorn- things of which no account is girep.
hard, is four books. 2. Theological Que f-
o came
BEPFORD. 419
t
came to London, and fettled there as a ftationer, between the
years 1600 and 1625 [r]. He ma^ied a daughter of Mr. WiU
Itam Plat of Highgate, hj whom he had a fon Hilkiah, a ma-
thematical inftrument-makcr in Hofiep-lane, near Wcft-Smith-
ficld. In this houfe (which was afterwards burnt in the great
fire of London 1666) was born the famous Hilkiah, July 23,
1663 ; who in 1679 ^^^ admitted of St. John's college, Cam-
bridge, the firft fcholar on the foundation of his maternal grand-
father William Plat. Hilkiah was afterwards elefted fellow of
his college, and patronized by Heneage Finch carl of Winchelfea,
but deprived of his preferment (which was in Lincolnfhire) for
refufmg to take the oaths at the revolution, and afterwards kept
a boarding-houfe for the Weftminftcr fcholars. In 17 14, being
tried in the court of King's-bench, he was fined 1000 marks,
and imprifoned three years, for writing, printing, and publilh-
ing " The Hereditary Right of the Crown of England aifertcd,
17 13," folio ; the real author of which was George Harbin, a
nonjuring clergyman, whom his friendlhip thus fcreened; and
on account of his fuflerings he received lool. from the late
lord Weymouth, who knew not the real author. His other
publications were, a tranilation of An Anfwer to Fontenelle's
Hiftory of Oracles, and a latin Life of Dr. Barwick, which he
afterwards tranflated into englifh. He died Nov. 26, 1724.
BEDFORD (Thomas), fecond fon of Hilkiah, was educated
at Weftminlter-fchool ; and was afterwards admitted of St.
John's college, Cambridge j'became matter's fizar to Dr. Robert
Jenkin, the mailer; and was matriculated Dec. 9, 1730 [s].
Being a nonjuror, he never took a degree ; but going into orders
in that party, officiated amongft the people of that mode of
thinking in Derbyihire, fixing his refidence at Compton near
Afhbourne, where he became much acquainted with Ellis Fame-
worth 5 and was indeed a good fcholar. Having fome original
fortune, and withal being a very frugal man, and making "^ifo
the moft of his money for a length of years, Mr. Bedford died
rich at Compton, in Feb. 1773, where he was well refpefted.
As foon as he took orders, he went chaplain into the family of fir
John Cotton, bart. then at Angicrs in France. From thence,
having a filler married to George Smith, efq. near Durham (who
publilhed his father Dr. John bmirh's fine edition of Bede), Mr.
Bedford went into the North, and there prepared his edition of
" Symeonis monachi Dunhelmeiifis libellus de exordio atque
procurfu Dunhelmenfis ecclefiae;" with a continuation to 1154,
and an account of the hard ufage bifliop William received from
Rufus; which was printed by fiibfcripcion in 173a, 8vo. from
a very valuable and beautiful MS. in the cathedral library, which
[r'I Anecdotes of Powvcr, by Nkhols, [sj lb:*!, p. 340,
he
tzo B E G E R.
lie fitppofcs to be cither the original, or Copied m the aaificTT^if
fife-time. He was living at Aflibowrne 1742, and abcut t]>at
time publifhed an Hiftottcal Catechifm, the fecond edition cor-
fcftcd and enlarged* The firft edition was taken trom abbe
Tlcury ; but as this fecond tarred fo much from that author, Mr.
Bedford left out his name.
BEDLOE (Capt. William^, better known on account of
fcis aftions than his writings, having been a principal and ufe-
ftxl evidence in the difcovery of the popilh plot, in the reigit of
Charles II. See the Eng. Hift. for that period ; and the Life
of Capt. Bedloe, which contains nothing extraordinary but tlie
aforefaid difcovery, written by an unknown hand, and publi!hcd
f68i,dvo. He was an infamous adventurer of low birth, who had
travelled over a great part of Europe, under different names as
well asdifguifes. Encouraged by the fucccfs of Oats, he turned evi-
dence, gave an account of Godfrey's murder, to which he added
many circumftances of villany. A reward of 500I. was voted
to him by the commons. He is faid to have aifeited the reality
of the plot on his death-bed ; but it abounds with abfurdity,
contradiftion, and perjury 5 and ftill remains one of the greatelt
problems in the britifh annals. He died Aug. 20, 1680. Jacob
informs us, he wrote a play called the *• Excommunicated
Prince,** printed 1679. But Wood will not allow Dedloe the
merit of this play, but fays it was written by one ThoraasL
Walter, M. A. of Jefus college, Oxford.
BEDREDDIN (Baalbf.ki)[t], a phyfician, born at Balbec
in Syria, is author of a book, intituled, Mofatrch al nefs, in
which he treats of thofe medicines, which excitt pleafure, ac-
cording to different conftitutions of mind and body. He finds
fault with Avicenna for clafBng the coriander among thofc
fimples which enliven the heart. He lived in the viith century
of the hegtra.
BEGER lLArTHENCE>, was botn in 1653, ^^n of a tanner of
Heidelberg, and was librarian to Frederic William eleflor of
Brandebourg. He acquired the efteem of the learned his con-
temporaries by feveral works. The prmcipal are : l. Thefaurus
ex Thefauro Palatino fele£tus, feu Gcmm:e, folio, 1685. 2* "^P**
cilegium antiquitatis, folio,- 1692.' 3. Thefaurus, five Gemma?,
Numifmata, ^c. 3 vols, folio, 169b and 1701. 4. Regum ^
Imperatorum Romanorum Numifmata, a Rubenio edtta, 1700,
folio. 5. De nummis Cretenfium ferpentifcris, 1702, folio.
6. Lucerna fepulchralcs J. P. Bellorii, 1702, folio. 7. Numif*
mata Pontificum Romanorum, 1703, folio. 8. Kxcidium Tro»
janum, Berlin, 1699, 4to, &c. He died at Berlin in 1705,
foepber of the academy of that capital. Beger compofei a
[t] D'^Urbdot Bibliothf^ue Oiitfntal*, tX i.
work
B E H N. tzi
^i^rk to authorife polygamy, at the re(}uefl: of Charles liouisi
cks^ior palatine, who was defir.ous of marrying his miftrefs in
the liCecime of his firft wife : but he refuted it after the death
of that prince. - The refutation however newr appeared. The
book tliat gave oc^afion to it was intituled, Confiderations oa
^laniajie, by Daphnaeus Arcuarius, in german, 4to.
I BEGUN (Michael), born at blois in 1638, of a family of
' diftindlion, in the former part of his life filled fome of the firft
poits in the iaw, and foon difUnguithed himfelf by the acute-
nefs of his pencrration, and his attention to method. The mar«
quis de Seignelei, his kinfman, having induced htm to enter ths
marine, heVucceiTively filled the intendances of the french weft
India i (lands, the gallies of Havre, and Canada ; and thofe of
Rochcfort and la Rochelle, till 1710. It was in that year he
died, the 14th of March, much regretted. The people loved
him, as a moft difintercfted intendant, and the citizens as their
friend and benefaclor* The learned came not behind them ia
their praifejt : he prote^ed and encouraged them, took a lively
incereft in their profperity, and kept his library open for tlieir
ufe. He had an excellent taite in the choice of his books. He
poflefied a rich cabinet of medals, antiques, prints, (hells, and
other curiofities, collected from the four quarters^ of the world.
His books were generally marked in front with die words ; Mi*
chaelis Begon & amic<Mrum. His librarian having once repre*
iented to him, that, by letting every body have accefs to them,
he would lofe feveral of them : I had much rather (anfwered he)
lofe my books, thun feem to didruft an honeft man« He caufed
to be engraved the portraits of feveral celebrated perfons of the
xviith century. He collected memoirs of their lives ; and it
^as from thefe materials that FerrauJt compofed the Hiilory of
the illuftrious men of France.
BEHaIM (Martin), born of a noble family of Nurem-
berg, having applied himfelf to cofmography and navigation^
conceive^, according to the german authors, the firft idea of the
difcovery of America. He fet out from Flanders about the
year 1460, in a (hip belonging to the duchefs Ifabella ; difco^
vered, as it is faid, the iQe of Fayal, the Brazils, and puibed as
far as the ftraits of Magellan. John II. king of Portugal, created
jiim chevalier in 1485* On his return to his native country in
1492, he conilru£ted a globe of twenty inches diameter, oa
which he traced his difcoveries. This globe is ftill to be feen
at Nuremberg. It is rather curious, that, while the city of
Genoa is afcribing to itfelf the glory of having produced a
Chriftopher C^olumbus, Florence its Americus Vefputio, Portu*
^al its Vafco de Gama^ as the firft explorers of America, tb^
firft idea of that difcovery (houM be conceived by a German.
BEHN (Aphr^)} a cekbutcd cnglilh poetefs, defcended from
a goo<)
1
21^ B E H N.
a good family in the city of Canterbury. She ^Vas bonl ifl fhtf
reign of Charles I. but in what year is not certain : her father's
name was Johnfon ; who being related to the lord Willoughby,
and by his intercft having been appointed lieutenant general of
Surinam, and (ix-and-thirty iflands, embarked with his family
for the Weft Indies ; at which time Aphra was very young [u].
Mr. Johnfon died in his pafiage, but his family arrived ac Suri-
nam, where our poetefs became acquainted with the american
prince Oroonoko, whofe ftory fhe has given us in her celebrated
novel of that name. She tells us, ** fhe had often {ten and
converfed with that great man, and been a witnefs to many of
his mighty actions ; and that at one time, he and Climene (or
Imoinda his wife) were fcarce an hour in a day from her lodg-
ings." The intimacy betwixt Oroonoko and our poetefs occa-
fioned fome refleftions on her condufl:, from which the au-
thorefs of her life juftifies her in the following manner : " Here,*'
fays (he, " I can add nothing to what {he has given the world
already, but a vindication of her from fome unjuft afperfions I
find are infinuated about this town, in relation to that prince.
I knew her intimately well, and I believe fhe would not have
concealed any love affairs from me, being one of her own fex,
whofe fnendfhip and fecrecy fhe had experienced, which makes
me afTure the World, there was no affair betwixt that prince
and Aftrsea, but what the whole plantation were witnefTes of;
a generous value for his uncommon virtues, which every one
that but hears them, find3 in himfelf, and his prefence gave her
no more. Befides, his heart was too violently fet on the ever-
lafting charms of his Imoinda, to be fhook with thofe more faint
(in his eye) of a white beauty ; and Aflraea's relations, there
prefent, had too watchful an eye over her, to permit the frailty
of her youth, if that had been powerful enough."
The difappointments fhe met with at Surinam, by lofing her
parents and relations, obliged her to return to England ; wherc^^
foon after her arrival, fhe was married to Mr. Behn, an emi*
nent merchant of London, and of dutch extraftion [x]. King
Charles II. whom fhe highly pleafed by the entertaining and ac-
curate account fhe gave him of the colony of Surinam, thought
her a proper perfon to be intrufted with the management of
fome affairs during the dutch war, which was the occafion of her
going over to Antwerp. Here flie difcovered the defign formed
py the Dutch, of failing up the river Thames, in order to burn
the englilh fhips ; flie made this difcovery by means of one
Vander Albert, a Dutchman. This man, who, before the war,
had been in love with her in H!ngland, no fooncr heard of her
arrival at Antwerp, than he paid her a-vifit; and, after a repe-
[v] Memoirs prefixed to her novels, by [x] Ibid. p. 5.
a lady, p. t, 3, &c. Oroonoko, 8 ;.
tition
B E H N. iti
titibn of* all his former profcflions of love, prcffcd her extremely
to allow him by fome fignal means to give undeniable proofs
of his paffion. This propofal was fo fuitable to her prefent aim
in the fervice of her country^ that (he accepted of it, and em^
ployed her lover in fuch a manner as made her very fefviceable
to the king. The latter end of the year 1666, Albert fent her
word by a fpecial mefTenger, that he would be with her at a
day appointed, at which time he revealed to her, that Cornelius
de Witt, and De Ruyter, had propofed the abovementioned ex-'
pedition to the States. Albert having mentioned this affair with
all the marks of iincerity, Mrs. Behn could not doubt the cre«
dibility thereof ^ and when the interview was ended, . (he fenc
exprels to the court of England; but her intelligence (though well
grounded, as appeared by the event) being difregarded and ri-*
diculed, (he renounced all ftate affairs, and amufed herfelf during
her ftay at Antwerp with the gallantries of the city. After
fome time (he embarked at Dunkirk for England, and in her
paflage was near being loft ; for the (hip was driven on the coaft
lour days within fight of land ; but, by the aiTiftance of boats
from that (hore, the crew were all faved ; and Mrs. Behn ar-
rived fafely in London, where (he dedicated die reft of her life
to pleafure and poetry [y]. She publi(hed three volumes of
mifcellany poems; the (ir(t in 1684, the fecond in 1685, ^^^
the third in 1688. They confift of fongs and other little pieces,
by the carl of Rochefter, fir George Etherege, Mr. Henry Crifp,
and others, with fome pieces of her own. To the fecond mif-
cellany, is annexed a tranflation of tlie duke de Rochefoucault's
moral refleftions, under the title of " Seneca unmaflced." She
wrote alfo feventeen plays, fome hiftories and novels [z]. She
tranilated Fontenelle'sHiftory of oracles, and Plurality of worlds,
to which laft (lie annexed an eH'ay on tranllation and tranilated
profe. 1 he Paraphrafe of CEnonc's epiftie to Paris, in the
englifh tranflation of Ovid's Epiftles, is Mrs. Behn's ; and Mr.
Dryden, in the preface to that work, pays her the following com-
pliment ; " I was delired to fay, that the author, who is of the
fair fex, underftood not latin ; but if (he does not, I am afraid
(lie has given us occaHon to be afliamed who do." She wa3 alfo
the authorefs of tlie celebraied Letters between a nobleman and
his fifter, printed in 1684 -, and we have extant of hers, eight
love letters, to a gentleman whom (he paffionately loved, and
with whom (he correfponded under the name of Lycidas. They
are printed in the Life and Memoirs of Mrs. Behn, prefixed to
[
3
Scroop, efq. to which '4 prefixed the hif-
They are exam in two volumes tory of the life and memoirs of Mrs.
1 2 mo. 1 7 ^ 5 , 8th edition, publiOied by Mr. Beha^ wriCtCD by one of tht fair fez.
Charles CitdoHj and dedicated to Simon
her
At4 jft E ft.
tier hiftones and tiotels [a]. Sht died, aftdr a totig inAifyofitiaH^
April 1 6, 1689, and was buried in the cloifters of Weftminfte*'-
Abbey.
BEIDHAVI [b], born in the village of Bcidhah, was cadi of
judge of the city of Schiraz in Perfia, from whence he went to
that of Zauns, where he died in the year of the hegira 685 01*
692. He has written a literal commentary in 2 vols, on the
Alcoran, which has been explained and commented >>n by k-*
ircral other authors.
BEITHAR [cl, better known under the name of Ben BeJ*
thar, was likcwife called Afchab, which fignifies, botanift of
herbalift. He was an African by birth, and died in the 646th year
of the hegira. We have of him the Giame al adviat al mofredat,
in 4 vols, which is a general hiftory of fimples or of plant*
Yanged in alphabetical order. He has likewife written Mognl
fi adviat al Mofredat, in which he treats of the ufe of flmplea
in the cure of every particular part of the body.
Een Beithar alfo anfwcred in a book which he called Taalik,
to a work of Ben Giazlah, who taxed his works with many im*
perfe6lions.
BEK (David), a famous painter, born at Delft in the Nether*
lands, was trained un(ier Van Dyk, and other celebrated mafters*
Skill in his profefiion, joined t© politenefs of manners, acquired
kirn efteem in almofl all the courts of Europe. He was in great
favour with Charles I. king of England, and taught the prin-
ciples of drawing to his fons, Charles and James. He was after*
wards in the fcrvice of the kings of France and Denmark : he
went next into the fervice of Chriftina queen of Sweden, who
efteemed him at a high rate, gave him many rich prcfcnts, and
made him firft gentleman of her bed-chamber. She fent him
alfo to Italy, Spain, France, England, Denmark, and to all the
courts of Germany, to take the portraits of the different kings
fA] They arc full of the ftr©ngeft ex. «n^ of the ftreet where I live, and fquan*
yrelTioxu of love for her beloved Cycidas, dcring away your time at any Coflfce*
vlkO» at the time of her writing thefe let- houfe, rather than allow me, what you
ters, fcems to have returned her Jove wiih know in your f<f^"» is Hie grcaicft blelting
great col doe fs and indifference. •* I may of my life, your ckar, dulU melancholy
chance," fays ftc in her laft letter, ** from company ; I call it dull, becaufe you never
the natural inconftancyof my fcx, to be as can be gay or merry where Aftraca is.
fiilfe as you would wilh, and leave you in How could this indifference poffefs you^
^uiet. For as I am fati^iied I love in when your malicious foul knew I wa^lan-
vaJDy and without retum> I am falisfied guifliing for you ? I died, I fainted, I
that nothing, but the thing that hates me, panted for an hour of what you laviflied
vould treat me as Lycidas does ; and it is out^ regardlefs of me, and witfaou; fo much,
«nly the vanity of being beloved by ne as thinking on me !*' Memoirs of Mrs*
can make you countenance a foftnefs fo Behn, prefixed to her novels, p- 69, 70.
dtfpleafing to you. How could any thing [■] D'Herbelot Bibliotheque .Oricii'S
fcut the man that hates me, entertain me tale, vo?. i.
i» uaj^ndly ? Witoeft your pafo;g by the |c j Ibid. yol. i.
Mil
B E K K E R. 225
«nd princca ; and. then prefented each of them with their p{c«
tures, which rendered the painter very famouSi who, we arc
told, received nine golden chains with medals from fo many*
princes. His manner of painting M^as extremchv free and quick,
to that king Charles L told him one <!j»y, " he oelieved he could
paint while he was riding poft.'* It is faid, that in travelling
through Germany, he fell fick at an inn, and v ri laid out for
dead. His fervants drinking for confulation by his bedfule, one
of them in a drunken freak, faid, '* Our mailer was fond of a
glafs while he was alive, and out of gratitude let us give him a
glafs now he is dead." I'he propofal proving agreeable, he
raifed up his mafter's head, and endeavouring to pour fome
wine into his mouth, Bek opened his eyes i and being com«
pelled neverthelefs to drink the glafs full, gradually revived.
He lived fome years after, though he died at the age of thirty-
five, in 1656, at the Hague.
BEKKER (Balthasar), a famous dutch divine, born in
1634, at Warthuifen, a village in the province of Groningen.
He learned the latin tongue at home under his father, and at
fixteen years of age was entered at the univerfity of Groningen,
where he applied himfelf to the (ludy of the gfeek and hebrew
languages, and made alfo a confiderable proficiency in hiftory
and philofophy. He went afterwards to Franeker, where he
ftudied divinity : he continued here four years and a half, when
he was chofen minlfter at Oofterlingen, a village about (ix miles
from Franeker. He difcharged his duty with great diligence, and
found time to read and examine the writings of the moil emi-
nent philofophers and divines. He kept a conftant correfpond-
ence with James Alting, under whom he had ftudied the he*
brew tongue, and with the famous Cocceius. Yet he was not
blindly attached to their opinions, but, when he thought thej
were miftaken, freely propofed his difhculties and objedlions*
In 1665 he took his degree of dot^or of divinity, at Franeker^
and the next year was chofen one of the minifters of that city [d].
When he was miniller at Oofterlingen, he compofed a fliort
catechifm for children, and in 1670 he publiftied another for
perfons of a more advanced age. This laft being loudly ex-
claimed againft by feveral divines, the author was prof.cuted
before the ecclefiaftical aiTemblies } and notwithftanding many
learned divines gave their teftimonies in favour of this catechifm,
yet in the fynod held in 1671, at Bolfwart in Friezland, it was
voted there, to contain feveral ftrange exprcflions, unfcriptural
poGtions, and dangerous opinions, which ought not to be printed,
or, being printed, not to be publifhed. However, that, being rc-
vifed and corre^ed, it might be printed." Bekker appealed to
[o] Hoog4Can Dutch Hift. PiOiM.
Vol. JI. CL "ttt
226 BEKKER.
the next fynod, which met at Franeker, in July 1672, who chofe
a committee of twelve deputies, to enquire into this affair, and to
finiih it in fix weeks. They examined Bekker's catcchifm \'ery
carefully, and at laft fubfcribtd an a£l in which were the fol-
lowing words : " That they had altered all fuch cxpreflions as
feemed to be ofFenfive, ftrange, or uncommon : that they had
examined, y^TwwrfwOT fidei analogiam, what had been obferved by
the feveral clafles as unfcriptural ; and that they judged Dr.
Bekker's book, with their corrections, might, for the edification
of God's church, be printed and publifticd, as it contained feveral
wholfome and ufeful inftruflions.** This judgement was ap-
proved of by the fynod held at Harlingen next year ; but fuch
is the conftitution of the fynods in the (even provinces, that one
can annul what another has eftabliflied, and Bekkcr fufTered for
two years longer much trouble and vexation.
In 1674 he was chofen minifter at Locnen, a village neair
Utrecht ; but he did not continue here long, being about two
years after called to Wefop, and in 1679 chofen minifter at
Amfterdam. The comet which appeared in 1680 and 168 1,
gave him an opportunity of publifhing a fmall book in low
dutch, intituled, Onderfock over de Kometei, i. e. An inquiry
C9ncerning Comets, wherein he endeavoured to fhew, that
comets arc not the prefages or forerunners of any evil. This
piece gained him great reputation, as did likewife his Expofition
on the prophet Daniel, wherein he gave many proofs of his
learning and found judgement ; but the work which rendered
him moft famous, is his " De betover Wereld, or the World be-
witched." He makes an inquiry into the common opinion
concerning fpirits, their nature and power, authority and anions ;
as alfo what men can do by their power and afTiftance. He tells
us in his preface, that it grieved him to fee the great honours,
powers, and miracles, which are afcribed to the devil. " It is
come to that pafs," fays he, " that men think it piety and god-
linefs, to afcribe a great many wonders to the devil ; and im-
piety and herefy, if a man will not believe that the devil can
do what a thoufand perfons fay he does. It is now reckoned
godlinefs, if a man, who fears God, fear alfo the devil. Jf he
be- not afraid of the devil, he pafTes for an atheift, who does not
believe in God, becaufe he cannot think that there are two Gods^
the one good, the other bad. But thcfe, I think, with much more
reafon may be called ditheifts. For my part, if on account of my
opinion they will give me a new name, let them call me Mono-
theift, a believer of but one God." This work raifed a great
clamour againft Bekker. The confiflory at Amiterdam, the clailes
and fynods proceeded againft him ; and, after having fufpendcd
him from the holy communion, depofed him at laft from the
office of a minifter. The magiftrates of Amfterdam were fo
generous^
B E L C H I E R. 127
generous, however, as to pay him his falary as long as he lived.
A very odd medal was ftruck in Holland, on his depofition. It
reprefented a devil clothed like a miniftef, riding upon an afs,
and holding a banner in his hand, as a proof of the viftory
v/hich he gained in the fynods. With the medal was publifhed
a fmall piece' in dutch, to explain it, iii which was an account
of what had been done in the confiflory, claffes and fynods.
Bekker died of a pleurify, June 1 1, 1698.
BEL (John James), counfellor of the parliament of Bour-
deauxy where he was born, and member of the academy of that
city, died at Paris in iT^S^ from exceflivc labour, at the age of
45. He had a remarkable fine library, which he wifhed to render
public, with a fund for the maintenance of two librarians. He
compiled the Diftionnaire Neologique, fince confiderably aug-
mented by the abbe des Fontaines. In this work a juft cenfurc
is paffed on many novel expreflions^ intricate phrafes, and af-
feded turns ; but, in condemning unufual terms, it is not rea-
fonable to profcribe others tint have the fandlion of judicious
writers. This piece of humour on the frivolous ftyle ufed by
fome moderns, did not correft the old writers; though the
young ones were fomewhat kept in awe by it. Bel is likewife
the author of Critical Letters on the Mariamne of Voltaire. His
Apology for Houdar de la Mottc, in 4 letters, is a fatire under
the mafic of irony. His tragedies and his other works are cri-
ticifed with much delicacy ; and the charadler of the author
and that of Fontenelle are very well drawn.
»BELCAMP (John van) [e], a Dutchman, was employed un-
der Van der Dort, in copying pi£lures in the royal colleftion.
The whole lengths of Edward IIL and the Black Prince, over
the doors in one of the anti-chambers at St. James's, are faid
to have been copied by him. Thefe more nearly refembic
each other, than any other prints of them. The whole length
of Edward IV. over the chimney, in another anti-chamber,
was alfo painted by him ; the face is fuppofed to have been done
from fome ancient original. His copies are thought to be well
executed. He died in 1653.
BbLCHIER (John), was born in the year 1706, at Kingfton
in Surry. He received his education at Eton j and difcovering
an inclination for furgery, was bound apprentice to Mr. Chefel-
den, by far the moft eminent man of his profefiion. Under
this great mafter, who ufed to fay, that of all the apprentices
he ever had Mr. Belchier was the moft induftrious and aflidu-
ous, he foon became an accurate anatomift. His preparations
were efteemed next to Dr. NichoUs's, and allowed to exceed all
Others of that time. Thus qualified, his pra£tice foon became
[e] Granger.
Qji cJttenfivci
21$ B E L C H I £ R.
extenfive i ind in the year 1736 he fucceeded his fello^-appren^
iice Mr. Craddocky.as furgeon to Guy's hofpital. In this fitu*
fttion, which afforded fuch ample opportunity of difplaying hit
abilities, he, by his remarkably tender and kind attention to hit.
pauper patients, became as eminent for his humanity as his fu-
perior (kill in hi^ profefTion. Like his mailer Chefelaen, he was
very relutflant before an operation, yet quite as fuccefsful as
that great operator. He was particularly expert in the reduc-
tion of the humerus ; which » though a very fimple operation, is
frequently produ£tive of great trouble to the furgeon, as well as
excruciating pain to the patient. Being ele£led fellow of the
Koyal Society, he communicated to that learned body feveral
curious cafes that fell within his cognizance; particularly a re«
markable cafe of an hydrops ovarii, publiilied in the Piiilofo-
phical Tranfaftiona, No. 423 ; an account of the miller whofe
arm was torn o(Fby a mill» Auguit 15, I737> No. 449; and a
remarkable inftance of the bones of animals being turned red
by aliment on]y> No. 44a. The greateft difcoveries frequenclr
are owing to trifling and accidental caufes. Such, was the cafe
in the laTUmentioned circumftance, Mr. Belchier being led to
make his inquiries on that fubjedl, by the bone of a boiled leg
of pork being difcovered to be perfeftly red, though the meat
tvas well flavoured and of the ufual colour. On his reCgnatioa
as furgeon of Guy% he was made governor both of that and St.
Thomas's hofpital, to which he was particularly ferviceable^
having recommended not lefs than 140 governors. Mr. Belchier
in private life was a man of ftri£k integrity, warm and zealous
in his attachments, fparing neither labour nor time to ferve thofe
for whom he profefled a friendfliip. Of this he gave a ftrong
proof, in becoming himfclf a governor of the London hofpital^
purpofcly to ferve a gentleman who had been his pupil Indeed^
he on every occafion was particularly defirous of ferving thofe
who had been under his care. A man of fuch a difpofition could
not fait of being carefled and beloved by all that really knew
him. In converfation he was entertaining, and remarkable fot
bons mots, which he uttered M'ith a dry laconic bluntnefs pecu-
liar to himfclf; yet under this rough exterior he was pofleflTed
of a feeling and compaiTinnate heart. Of the latter, his con-
ftantly fending a plate of vi£Vuals every day, during his confine-
ment, to a man, who> having gained admittance to him, pre-
Tented a piflol with an intent to rob him, and whom he fcized
and fecured, is an unqueilionable proof, as well as of his per*
ional courage. Such were his gratitude and friend fliip too for
thofe of his acquaintance, that on feveral flieets he has men-
tioned their names with fome legacy as a token of remembrance,
as medals, pictures, books, &c. trinkets and preparations^ >nd
mn another paper fays he could nottlcj more^ having a family of
children.
B E L I N (5. £29
^ildren. Whenever he fpoke of Mr. Guy, the founder of the
hofpital, it was in a drain of enthufiafm, which he even carried
(o far as to faint him. A gentleman having on one of thofe oc^
cafions begged leave to remark, that he had never before heard
of St. Guy, Mr. Belchier, in his fentimental way, replied, " No,
fir : —perhaps— you may not find his name in tne calendar ; but
give me leave to tell you, that he has a better title to canoni-
zation than nine-tenths of thofe whofe names are there : fome
of them may, perhaps, have given fight to the blind, orenabled
the lame to walk, but can you quote me an inffance of one of
them beftowing one hundred and fifty th«ufand pounds (lerling
for the purpofe of relieving his fellow-creatures.^ Mr. Belchier
was a great admirer of the fine arts, •and lived in habits of in-
timacy with the principal artifts of his time. He enjoyed a great
(bare of health, chough far advanced in years. A friend of his
being fome time fince attacked with epileptic fits, he exclaimed,
" I am extremely forry for him, but when I fall, I hope it will
be to rife no more ;'* and he fucceeded in a great meafure in
his wifti ; for bein^ taken with a Shivering fit at Batfon's cofFee-
houfe, he returned home and went to bed. The next day he
thought himfelf better, got up, and attempted to come down
flairs, but complained to thofe who were affifiing him, that
they hurried him ; and, immediately after exclaiming, ** It is alt
over I'*-— fell back and expired. His body was interred in the ,
chapel at Guy's hofpitai. He died in 1785.
BELIDOR (Bernard Forest oe), a famous french en-
gineeri known by his DiAionnaire Portatif de L'Ingenieur, 1 2mo.
'755» ^^o- '7^89 bom in Catalonia ; died September 8, 1761,
His Hydraulic Architedure, Courfe of Mathematics, and Tables
for throwing bombs, are in efleem upon the continent. He was
many years profeflbr of the academies of Paris and Berlin,
brigadier of infantry, and infpe£kor general of the arfenal of
Paris.
BKLING (Richard), was born in the year 1613 atBelings-
town, in the barony of Bartrothery in the county of Dublin, and
was the fon of fir Henry Beling, knight, and was educated in
his younger years at a grammar-fchool in the city of Dublin,
but afterwards put under the tuition of fome priefts of his own
religion, which was popiffli, who fo well cultivated his good
genius, that they taught him to write in a fluent and elegant
latin llylc. I'hus grounded in the polite parts of literature, his .
£ither removed him to Lincoln's Inn, to ftudy the municipal
laws of his country, where he abode fome years, and returned
home a very accomplished gentleman. But it does not appear
that he ever made the law a profeHTion. His natural inclination
turning him to arms, he early engaged in the rebellion of 1641,
.4nd though but about tweuty-etght years old, was then an
63 officer.
1
ago BEL I US.
officer of confidcrabb rank. He afterwards became a leading
member in the fupreme council of the confederated roman ca-
tholics at KilkeDny, to which he was principal fecretary, by
whom he was fent ambail'ador to the pope and other Italian
princes in 1645, tacrave aid for the fupport of their caufe. He
Drought back with him a fatal prefcnt in the perfon of the
nunciO) John Bapfifl. Rinuccini, archbifliop and prince of Fer-*
mo ; who was the^occafion of reviving the di{lin£tions between:
the old Irifh of blood* and the old Engliih of irifli birth, which
fplit that, party, it)to faftions, prevented all peace with the mar-
quis of Ormonde and cuincd the country he was fent to fave**
When Mr%' Beling had fathomed the mifchievous fchemes of the
nuncio and his party, nobody was more zealous than he in op-
pofing and clogging their meafures, or in promoting the peace
then in agitation, and fubmitting to the king's authority, which
he did with fuch iieartlneTs, that he became very acceptable to
the marquis of Ormond, who intruftcd him with many negotia-
tions. When the parliament army had fubdued the royal armyy
Mr. Beling retired tp France, where he continued feveral years.
His account of the tranfadtions of Ireland during the period of
the rebellion, is efte^med by judicious men, as being more worthy
of credit than any written by the romifh party, yet he is not free
from a partiality to the caufe he was at firft embarked in. He
returned home upon the reftoration, and was repofleflcd of his
cftate by the favour and intcreft of the duke of Ormond. He
died in Dublin in September 1677, and was buried in the •
church-yard of Ivl alahider, about five miles from that city. Du-
ring his retirement in France, he wrote in latin in two books,
Vindiciarum Catholicorum Hibernise, under the name of Phi-
lopater Irenseus. He wrote alfo a vindication of himfelf againft
Nicholas French, titular bifhop of Ferns, dedicated to the clergy
of Ireland.
BELIUS (Matthias), born at Otfova in Hungary, in 1684,
ftudied with great diligence at Halle, where he made uncommon
proficiency in the learned languages. * Being returned to his na-
tive country, he excited a love for the belles-lettres among the
Undents of feveral proteftant colleges, and applied himfelf with
fuccefs to the hiftory of Hungary. Nicholas Palfi, viceroy of
that country, was of great affiftance to him in his inquiries, by
granting him accefs to a variety of archives. He fpent the major
part of his life in this ftudy, and died in the year 1749. His
principal works are, i. De vctere Literatura Hunno fcythica
exercitatio. Leipfic, 1718, 4to. a learned work. 2. Hungariae*
antiquae & novse prodromus. Nuremberg, 172 <> folio. In this
he gives the plan of a great work he was meditating, but which
he had not leifure to publiih. 3. De peregrinatione linguae
Hungaricse in Europam. 4. Adparatus ad hilloriam Uungariae ;
five,
BELL; %^i
five,Cdle£lio mifedla monumentorum ineditonim partiaf,partiin
cditorum, fed fugientium. Freiburg, feveral volumes in folio^
1735—1746. This collection of hiftorians of Hungary ia
adorned with learned and well written prefaces. 5. AmpUflim«
hiftorico-criticae Praefationes in fcriptores rcrum Hungaricarum
yeteres ac genuinos, 3 vols, in folio. 6. Notitia Hungarise
noYse hiftorico-geographica. Vienna, 1735, & ann. feq. 4 vols*
folioy with maps.' A work of much learning, and executed with
accuracy.
B£LL (Beaupre), fon of Bcaupre Bell, efq. of Beaupre hall
in UpwcU and Outwell in Clackclofe hundred, ' Norfolk, where
the Beaupre family had fettled early in the xivth century, and
enjoyed the eftate by the name of Beaupre (or de Bello prato)
till fir Robert Bell intermarried with them about the middle of
the xvith [f J. Sir Robert was fpeakcr of the houfe of commons
14 £liz. and chief baron of the exchequer ; and caught his death
at the black afTize at Oxford, 1577. Beaupre Bell, his fourth
lineal defcendant, married Margaret daughter of fir Anthony
Oldfield of Spalding, bart. who died 1 7 20, and by whom he
had iflue his namefake the fubje£b of this article, and two
daughters, of whom the youngell married William Graves, efq*
of Fulborn in Cambridge fliire, who thereby inherited the family
eftate near Spalding, with the fite of the aobey, and has a ftrik-
ing likencfs of his brother-in-law. Mr. Bell, junior, was edu*
cated at Weftminfter fchool, admitted of Trinity college, Cam-
bridge, 1723, and foon commenced a genuine and able anti-
quary [g]. He made confiderable collections of church notes
in his own and the neighbouring counties [h], all which he ^
bequeathed
[f] Hift. of the Gentlcmen^s Society at of the new edidon of iir William Dujdale't
Spalding; and Aaecdotea of Bowycr, by ** Hittory of Embanking," 1772» tells
Nichols. us that thi« edition was printed from two
[aj He publifhed propofals, elegantly copies of the old one, one corrected by fir
printed, for the following worlt *, at ^s. William hi mfclf, the other by Beaupre B«ll|
the ftrft fubfcription, ** TabulcC Auguflx^ Efq. <* a diligent and learned antiquary^
five Imperatorum Romaoorum, Augudo- who had alfu made fome corrections in
rum, Caefarum.Tyrannorum, ct jllulliium his own copy now in Trinity college li-
virorum k Cn. Pompeio Magno ad Hera- brary." See his letters dated Beaupi^
clium Aug. feries chrcnologica. ExhilW Hall, May ii, and July 30, 1731, to T.
TJcis, nummis, Sc wi.irmoribus collegit Hcarne about the pedlar in SwafTliam
Beaupreius Bell, A. M. Canrabrigias, typis church, a rebus on the name of Chapman^
acadcmicis 1734:" which was in great pieflxed to Hemingford, p. 18^, and pre*
forwardnefs in 1713 » ^^^ on which Mr. face, p. 11 ^. See alfo on the fame iub-
Johnfon communicated hi* obfervations je£l, Preface to Qaius, p. xlvii. and
[h] Mr. Cole of the Fen-office, editor Ixxxiv. aqd the ** Speech of Dr. Spencfr,
* " My late friend Mr. Beaupre Bell, a young gentleman of the moft exceUent
knowledge in medals, whofe immaitire death is a real lofs to this part of learning, wai
bufy in putting out a bo)k like that of Patarol, ami leU his MSii. plateSi and corns, ta
'I'rittity College, Cambridge." Stukeley, Carauiius, 1. 67.
0^4 TlCf-i
«3« BELL;
bequeathed to the college where he received his education. Mr.
Blomfield acknowledges his obligations to him for colle£ting
many evidences, feals, and drawings, of great ufe to him in his
Hiftory of Norfolk. The old gentleman led a miferablc life,
hardly allowed his fon neceflaries, and dilapidated his houfe»
He had 500 horfes of his own breeding, many above 30 years
old unbroke[i]. He took his fon home from college, where
bis library was left to mould. On his death, his fon fucceeded
to his edate of about 1500I. a year, which he enjoyed not long,
and dying of a confumption unmarried, on the road to Bath,
left the reverfion after the death of his filler (who was then un-
married and not Hkely to have iffue) with his books and medals
to Trinity college, under the dirertion of the late vice-mafter
Dr. Walker. But his fifter marrying, (as above ^ it is faid the
entail was cut off. He was buried in the family burying place
in St. Mary's chapel in Out well-church, for the paving ot which
and for a monument he left 1 50I. The rcgifters of the fociety
abound with proofs of Mr. Bell s tade and knowledge in antient
coins, both greek and roman, befidcs many other interefting
difcoveries. Mr. Bell conceived that coins might be diftin-
guifted by the hydroHatical balance, and fuppofed the flower on
Sie rhodian coins to be the lotus, but Mr.Johnfon the balauftrum,
or pomegranate flower. He fent the late unhappy Dr. Dodd
notes concerning the life and writings of Callimachus, with a
drav\ing of his head to be engraved by Vcrtue, and prefixed to
his tranflaticn of that poet. He made a caft of the profile of
Dr. Stukeley prefixed to his Itinerarium» and an elegant bull
of Alexander Gordon, after the original given by him to fir
Andrew Fountain's niece. He communicated to the fociety
an account of Out well church, and the Haultoft family arms in
a border engrailed S. a lozenge £rm. quartering Fincham, in a
Vice-chancellor of Cambridge, to the duke nutes ; i Paper on the Clepfydra, p. 60 1
ef Monmouth when he was u.ttal.etlchan- ai»d iive of hit leueri to Mr. fiiomiield
cellor, 167,.** lb. lixxvi. In p. lii. aie pi mied pages 29^* 465, 472; uue of
Hearne ftyles him ** amicus ctuditus. cui Dr. '/.. Cirey, p. 1*^7 ; one to M. N. Sal-
tt aliisnominlbus me devindtum eii'e graius mon* p. i 5c ; others to Mr. Gale, pagef
agnofco." He alto furnifl.cd him i^ith a i((), i8f, 30: — 305; to Dr. Stukeley,
tianfcript. in his own hanJ writing, of pages 176, 178. Seealfopages 176, 17^9
bifhop Godwin*.* catalogue of the bifhops j8 ; 36., 409, 470, 471. loArcharclog.
of Bath and Wells, from the original in vol. VI. pages 133, i;9, 141, 14,, are
Trinity college library. App. to .'^nn. de fome.ituers between htm and Mr. Galei
Duni^abici 875. ^$f. A charter relating on a roman horologium mentioned in an
fo St. Edmund s Burv abSey. iJened.Ab. iiifcripiion found at Ta'oire, a poor fmall
©^865. The epitaph of E. B».ckingham village in the diftriit and on the lake of
Jn Bottifham church in Cambridgefhire. Annecey, &c. communicated to him by
J*ref«e to Otrei bourne's Chron. p. Ixxxii. Mr. Cramer, profdfor ot philofcphy and
App. loTickelow, p 378. Pjpeis, &c mathematics.
of his are mentioned in the keliquia [1] The late earl of Uxbridge had at
Galeanat, p. 57, 58, 62. Walftngham many, and the prefent duke ot Aniafter's
church notes, p. 59. entered m the mi- brother ijoo.
chane^
B E L L A I; «33
«1iapel at tlie eaft end of the north aile. He colIeAed a feriet
of nexus literarum^ or abbreviations. He had a portrait of fir
Thomas Grciham by Hilliard, when young, in a clofc green
filk doublet, hat, and plaited ruflF, 1540 or 1545, formerly be-
longing to fir Marmaduke Grefham, bart. then to Mr. Philip
Filazer, by whofe widow, a niece to fir Marmaduke, it came
to fir Anthony Oldfield, and fo to Maurice Johnfon He ad-
drefled verfes on ** color eft cognata lucis propfictas " to fir
Ifaac Newton, who returned him a prefent of his Philofophyy^
furoptuoully bound by Brindley.
B£LLAI (William du), lord of Langey, a french general^
who fignalized himfelf in the fervice of Francis i. He was alfo
an able negotiator, fo that the emperor Charles V. ufed to fay^
" that Langey's pen had fought more againft him than all the
bnces of France [k J." He was fent to Piedmont in quality of
viceroy, where he took feveral towns from the imperialifts. His
addrets in penetrating into an enemy's defigns was furprifing.
In this he fpared no expence, and thereby had intelligence of
the moft fecret councils of the emperor and his generals. He
was extremely ad^ive in influencing fome of the univerfities of
France, to give their judgement agreeably to the dcfires of Henry
VIII. king of England, when this prince wanted to divorce his
queen, in order to marry Anne Boleyn [l]. it was then the
intereft of France to favour the king of England in this parti-
cular, it being an afiront to the emperor, and a gratification to
Henry, which might ferve for the bafis of an alliance between
him and Francis 1. He was fent feveral times into Germany
to the princes of the proteftant league, and was made a knight
of the order of St. Michael.
He was alfo a man of learning, having given proofs of his
abilities and genius as a writer. He compofed feveral works [}a]^
the moft remarkable of which was the *' Hiftory of his own
times,'' in latin. Moft of this work however has been loft, no-
thing of it remaining except a few fragments, and three or four
books, which Martin du Bellai^ William's brother, has inferted
In his memoirs [n].
When Langey was in Piedmont in 1542, he had fome re-
markable intelligence, which he was defirous himfelf to com-
[k] Billon, Fortineipugnable dc Thon- other fnull piecet in I5$6. A book upos
iwor du Sexc-feminin, iol. 2361 Paris* military difcipline wjt, according to Mr.
tdit. l^5 5l 4to. Braotom'smvinoirs. Bayle, falfely afcribed to BcIUi; the real
[l] Le Grand hii^ire du divorce de author being Raimond de Pavia, Sieurde
Heory Vill. torn. i. p. 1-9. For^u.vals a gafcon gentleman.
[m] a nft ot them is given in the French [n J Of the ten books of which this work
** Bibliothcqucs of LaTroii du Main, and confilts, the )th, 6thi 7th» and 8th (ac*
Du Vcrdier;" Mr. Bayle thinks that none coruiug to Mr. Bayle], belong to Wil-
ef them were ever printed^ excepting the liam du Bellai.
epitome of the antient Cauls, with fome •
munlcater'
234^ B E L L A R M I N.
nimiicate to the king ; and, being extremely infirm, he ordered
a litter for his conveyance ; bat, after having pafled the moun«
tarn of Tarara, betwixt Lyons and Roan, he found himfelf fo
extremely bad at St Saphorin, that he wis obliged to ftop :
and there he died the 9th of Jan. 1543. He was buried in the
church of Mans, and a noble n)onunient was ered^ed to hisme«
iDcry. His frictids gave him the following epitaph:
Cy git Langev, qui de plume et d'epee
A furmontc Ciccrou et Pompce.
His coufin Joachim Eellai made alfo the two following lines m
his praiic :
Hie fitus eft Langeius, nil ultra quar^, viator;
?^il melius dici, nil potuit brevius.
Here lies Langey; afk nothing further^ traveller; nothing
ktter can be faid, nor nothing ihorter.
BELLARMIN (Robert), an Italian jcfuit, and one of the
moft celebrated controvvrrfial writers of his time, was born in
Tufcany, 1542, and admitted amongfl: the jefuits in 1560.
In 1569 he was ordained pricll, at Ghent, by Cornelius Jan-
fenius; and the year following* taught divinity at Louvain.
After having lived fevcn years in the Low Countries, he returned
to Italy, and in i 576 began to read leftures at Rome on points
of controverfy. This he did with fo much applaufe, that Sixtus V.
appointed him to accompany his legate into France, in 15^9
as a perfon who might be ot great fervice, in cafe any difpute*
iu religion Should arifc. He returned to Rome about ten
xnontlis after, where he had feveral ofhces conferred on him
by his own focicty as well as the pope, and in 1599 was created
cardinal. I hree years after he had the archbifliopric of Capua
given him; which he refigned in 1605, when pope Paul V. de-
fired to have him near himfelf. He was emp'oyed in the affairs
©f the court of Rome, till 1621 ; when, finding himfelf de-
clining in health, he left the Vatican, and retired to the houfe
belonging to the jefuits, where he died the 17th of >ept- 1621.
It appeared on the day of his funeral, that he was regarded as
a faint [o ]• The fwifs guards belonging to the pope were placed
round his coffin, in order to keep off the crowd, which prefTed
to touch and kifs the body -, and every thing he made ufc of
iras carried away as venerable relics.
It is generally allowed thnt Rellarm'n did great honour to his
order, and that no man ever defended the cliurch of Rome and
• fo] Allegambe, Biblioth. fcrtpt« Soc, Jcf. p. 409.
tbQ
BELLARMIN. 23$.
the pope with cnore fuccefs. The proteftants have fo far ac-
knowledged his abilities, that during the fpace of 40 or 50 years,
there was fcarce any confiderable divine amongfl them, who did
not write againft Bellarmin. Some of his antagonifts accufed
him wrongfully in their publications ; a circumllancc of which
his party made great advantage. Beliarmin, though a (Irenuous
advocate for the romifh religion, yet did not agree with the doc-
trine of the jefuits in fome points, particularly thatof prcde(lina«
tion, nordid he approve of manyexp^effions in the romiu litaniesi
and notwithilanding he allowed many parages in his writings to
be altered by his fuperiors, yet in feveral particulars he followed
the opinions of St« Auguflin. He wrote moil of his works in
latin, the principal of which is his body of con trover fy, con-
fiding of four volumes in folio. He there handles the quedions
in divinity with great method and precifion, dating the objec-
tions to the do£lrines of the romifli church with drength and
perfpicuity, and anfwering them in the mod concifc manner*.
Some of the roman catholics have been of opinion, that their
religion has been hurt by his controverfial writings, the argu-
ments of the heretics not being, as they think, confuted with
that fuperiority and triumph, which the goodnefs of the caufc
merited. Father Theophilus Raynaud acknowledges fome per-
fons to have been of opinion, that Bellarmin s writings ought
to be fuppreffed ; as well becaufe the heretics might make an
ill ufe of them, by taking what they found in them for their
purpofe, and the catholics might be deluded by not under-
ftanding the anfwers to the objecflions. Hence it was that fir
Edwyn Sandys, not being able to meet with Bellarmin^s work*
in any bookfeller's fliop in Italy, concluded thc.t they were pro-
hibited, led they fliould fpread the opinions which the author
confutes. Befides his body of controverfy, he wrote alfo fe-.
veral other books. He has left us a Commentary on the Pfalms;
A treatife on ecclefiadical writers j A difcourfe on indulgences^
and the worihip of images ; Two treatifes in anfwer to a work
of James I. of England ; A diflertation on the power of the
pope, in temporal matters, againd William Barclay; and feveral.
treatifes on devotion, the mod excellent of which is that on the
duties of Bilhops, addreded to the bifhops of France.
Notwithdanding the zeal which Lellarmin had diewed in.
maintaining the power of the pope over the temporalities of
kings, yet his book " De Romano Pontifice'* was condemned
by Sixtus V. who thought he had done great prejudice to the
dignity 0/ the pope, by not infilling that the power, which Jefus
Chrid gave to his vicegerent, was diredJ, but only indire£k«
What he wrote againd William Barclay upon the fame fub-
jedl^ was treated with great indignity in France^ as being con-
4 trary
t3< B E L L A Y.
trary to the ancient do£irine, and the rights of the galKcaa
church [p].
Bellarmin is faid to have been a man of great chaftity and
temperance : and remarkable for his patience. His ftature was
low, and his mien very indifferent ; but the excellence of his
Stilus might be difcovcred from the traces of his countenance [qJ*
e exprefled himfelf with great perfpicuity, and the words he
firft made ufe of to explain his thoughts were generally fo proper,
that there appeared no rafure in his writings. He has been
attacked and defended by fo many writers, that a catalogue has
been drawn up of both parties. A lift of his defenders has been
oompofed by Beraldus, an Italian. His life has been written by
James Fuligati, and many particulars relating to him may like-
wife be found in Alegambus, Poffevinus, Sponde, &c.
BELLAY (Jean nu), bom in 1492, was at firft biihop of
Bayonne, and afterwards of Paris in 1532. The year following,
Henry VIII. of England having raifed juft apprehenfions of a
fchifm on account of a quarrel with his wife ; du Bellay, who
liad been fent to him in the year 1527, in quality of ambaffa-
dor, was difpatched to him a lecond time. He obtained of that
prince that he would not yet break with Rome, provided time was
granted him to make his defence by proxy. Du Bellay fct out
immediately to afk a rcfpite of pope Clemeht V|L This he
obtained, and fent a courier to the king of England for his pro*
curation. Hut the courier not returning, Clement Vll. ful-
minated the bull of excommunication againft Henry VIII. and laid
an interdi£t on his dominions. It was this bull that furniihed
Henry with an opportunity of withdrawing England from the
church of kome, and a great fource of revenue from the coffers of
the pope« Du Bellay continued to be entrufted with the affairs of
France under the pontificate of Paul III. who made him cardinal
in 1535. The year afterwards, Charles V. having entered Pro-
vence with a numerous army, Francis I. willing to oppofe fe
formidable an enemy, quitted Paris, whither du Bellay was juft
returned. The king appointed him his lieutenant-general, that
he might have a watchful eye over Picardy and Champagne.
The cardinal, no lefs intelligent in matters of war than in the
intrigues of the cabinet, undertook to defend Paris, which was
cben in confulion. He fortified it with a rampart and boule-
[r] A decree of parliament waf^rawn fiid book, or know of any perfon who M
«p againft (hit perform'tiice in thei'e terms : poflrflTc J of them* lo declare it immediatelf
** The court prohibits all pcrfoni of what to the ufual^ judges, that an enquiry may
CMidition or quality foever, upon pain of be made after them, at the requeft of the
high treafoo, to receive, retain, commu- fublVitutes of the attorney general, and t«
aicate» print orcMf<r to be printed, or proceed asainftihe guilty, as is realbnabie,**
npofe to fa le the faid book: and pnioins Mercure Franc vol. ii. p. 33, Sec
^bofe, who (hill hw^ any eoptet of the {qJ Niciua Erythiieua Piaacoth. p. iy«
v^rds.
BELL AY. tjf
vardSf which are ftill to be feen. He provided with equal
promptitude for the fecurity of the other towns. So many fer*
vices procured him new benefices, and the friendfliip and
confidence of Francis I. After the death of that prince, the
cardinal de Lorraine became the channel of favour at the court
of Henry II. Du Bellay, too little of a philofopher, and too
much afFe£^ed by the lofs of his influence^ could no longer en-
dure to remain at Parts. He chofe rather to retire to Rome |
where the quality of bifiiop of Oftia procured him, under Paul IV*
the title of dean of the facred college^ and where his riches en*
abled him to build a fumptuous pakce. However, he took care
to keep the bifhopric of Paris in his family. He obtained that fee
for Euftache du Bellay» his coufin, already provided with feveral
benefices^ and prefident of the parliament. The cardinal lived
nine years after his demiflton ^ and, whe,ther from patriotifm or
from the habit of buCnefs, he continued to make himfelf ne*
cefiary to the king. He died at Rome, the i6th of Feb. 1560^
at the age of 68, with the reputation of a dexterous courtier,
an. able negotiator, and a great wit. Literature owed much
to him. He concurred with his friend Budaeus in engaging
Francis L to inftitute the college royal. Rabelais had been his
phyfician. Of hia writing are. Several harangues, An apology
for Francis I. Elegies, epigrams and odes, collefled in 8vo«
and printed by Robert Stephens in j 549.
BELLAY (Martin du), brother of the foregoing, was,
like him and his other brother William, a great general, a good
negotiator, and a patron of letters. Francis I. employed him.
His hiftorical memoirs, from 15 13 to 1543. are flill remaining |
and are to be found with thofe of his brother William What-
ever pleafure the curious find in perufing thefe memoirs, the
generality of readers complain of the length of his defcriptions
of the battles and fieges in which he was prefent. We cannot
however deny him the praife of a wife and able man. He died
at Perche in 1559* He was prince of Yvetot, by his marriage
with Elizabeth Chenu, proprietor of that principality.
BELLAT (Joachim du), was bom about the vear 1524 at
Ure, a town about eight leagues from Angers. Being left an
orphan at a very earlv age, he was committed to the guardian-
fliip of his elder brotner, who negled^ed to cultivate the talents
he evidently pofleflTed. He foon difcovered an equal turn for
literature and for arms ; but he was kept in a fort of captivity,
which prevented him from pufliing forwards. The death of
his brother freed him from this redraint; but it threw hinx
into other embarraflments. No fooner was he out of the care
of a guardian himfelf, than he was charged with the tuition of
one of his nephews. The misfortunes of that family which had
brought it to the brink of ruinj^ and laiXr-fuits in which he was
forced
238 BELL E.
forced to engage, caufed him folUcitudes and vexations but little
fuitcd to a votary of Apollo. His health was afFcfled by them,
and a ficknefs no lefs dangerous than pahiful confined him two
years to his bed. Ncverthclefs he courted the mufes: he ftudied
the works of the poets, latin, greek and french, and the fire
©f their genius enkindled his own. He produced feveral pieces
tha^ procured him accefs to the court. Francis L Henry II.
and Marg^aret of Navarre, admired the fweetnefs, the eafe and
the fertility of his vein. He was unanimoufly called the Ovid
of France. The cardinal John du Bellay, his near relation,
being retired to Rome in the year 1 547 after the death of
Trancis I. our poet followed him thither within two years after-
wards, where he found both the charms of fof iety and thofe of
ftudy. The cardinal was a man of letters j and the hours they
pafled together were real parties of pleafure. His ftay in Italy
faded but three years, as his illuftrious kinfman wanted him
in France, where he gave him the management of his affairs. His
zeal, his fidelity, his attachment to his intcrefts were but badly
repaid : fome fecret enemies prejudiced him with his patron.
His moft innocent aftions were turned to his reproach ; finifter
meanings were given to his verfes ; in fliort, he was accufed of
irreligion. Thefe fpireful artifices brought on him again his old
complaints. Euftache du Dellay, bifhop of Paris> moved at his
misfortunes, and fenfible of his merit, procured him in 1555 a
canonry of his church ; which however he enjoyed not long : a
ftroke of apoplexy carried him off in the night of the ift of Ja-
nuary 1560, at the age of 37. Several epitaphs were made on
him, in which he is ityled Pater elegantiarum, Pater omnium
leporum. His french poems, printed at Paris in i'56i, 4to, and
1597, lamo. ellablifhcd his reputation. They are ingenious
and natural. It would have been as well if the author had paid
more regard to decorum and the proprieties of his llation ; and
if he had imitated the anticnts in their good and fenfijale parri-
culars, and not in the liberties they foinetimes chofe to take.
His latin poems publifhed at Paris 1569, in two parts, 4to. though
far inferior to his french verfes, are not deftitute of merit. Thi»
neat couplet on a dog is by him :
Latratu fiires exccpi, mutns amantes;
Sic placui domino, fic placui doiinna-.
BELLE (Etifnne de la), an artift in drawing and engraving,
was born at Florence in 1610. 1 he prints of Callot, which he
made his model, foon evinced his talent. His graving is lefs
fine, his drawing lefs accurate ; but his point is light and deli-
cate. He died at Florence in 1664, in poflefiion of many
honours conferred on him by the grand duke.
BELLE (Alexis Simon), a parifian painter, died in 17341
aged
B E L L E F O R E T. ^jj
'Sigcd 60, wns a pupil of Francois de Troy- In his portraits he
combined tlie truths of nature with the refinements of art. His
happy intelligence in the art commonly prompted him to make
the diiil and vigorous ftyle of Itufis and accefTories concur with
the brilliancy of the colouring : an artifice that rarely failed of
throwing fingular and iirikirig effeds into the pifture. The
portrait of the king, thofe of the lords of the court, and of va-
rious fovercigns whom Belle was employed to paint, fulHciently
atteft the fuperiority he had acquired in that particular.
BELLE AU (Rem i), born in 1528, at Nogent le Rotroa.
He lived in tlic family of Renatus of Lorraine, marquis of Ei-
beuf, general of the french gallies> and attended him in his ex-
pedition to Italy in 1557- This prince highly efteemed Bellean
-for his courage ; and having alfo a high opinion of his genius
and abilities, cntrufled him with the education of his fon Charles
of Lorraine. Belleau was one of the fcven poets of his time,
who were denominated the French Pleiades. He wrote feverai
pieces, and tranflated the odes of Anacrco.n into the french Ian*
guage J but in this he is thought not to have prefervcd all the
natural beauties of the original. His pail oral pieces are in
greatcft efleem. He fucceedcd fo in this way of writing, that
Ronfard ftyled him the painter of nature [r]. He wrote alfo
an excellent poem on the nature and difference of precious
fiones, which by fome has been reputed his beft performance;
and hence it was faid of him, that he hV»d erefted for himfelf a
monument of precious ftones. Belleau died at Paris 1577.
BELLEFORET (FRANcis de), born 15*30, at Sarzan, near
Samatan, a little village of Comminges in Guienne. He was
but feven years of age when he loft liis father ; and his mother
was left in poor circumftances, but flie contributed all in her
power to his education. He was fupported fome years by the
queen of Navarre, fifler to Francis L Some time after he went
to ftudy at Bourdeaux ; thence removed to Touloufe, where»
inftead of applying to the ftudy of the law as he intended, he
amufed himfelf with poetry. He went next to Paris, where he
got acquainted with feverai men of learning, and was honoured
with the friendfliip of many perfons of quality [s]. He wrote
a great number of works in the french language, the moft con-
(iderable of which are, his Hiftory of the nine Charles's of
France ; Annotations on the bocks of St. Auguftin j his Uni-
vcrfal Hiftory of the World'-, the Chronicles of Nicholas Gillet,
augmented; A ITriiverfal Cofmography ; but the moft' capital
of all is, his Annals, or General Hiftory of France, He died at
Paris 1583.
£k] Rccherchei, lib. vii. cap. 7. [«] Du Verdier, Bibl. Franc, p. 366, &c.
BELLE-
«40 BELLENDEN.
BELLEGARDE (Jean BArnsTE Morvan de), born ii*
1648 at Pthyriac in the diocefe of Nantes, became a jefuit^
and continued of that fociety for 16 or 17 years. It is pretended
that his attachment to cartefianifm, at a time when it was no
longer in fafliion, obliged him to quit it. Thenceforward he was
inceflantly bringing forth volumes after volumes. He employed
the produce from his works in his maintenance and in alms*
He died in the community of the priefts of St. Francis de Sales>
the 26th of April 1714, at the age of 86. There are of him,
french tranflations of feveral works of the fathers, of St. John
Chryfoftome, of St. Bafil, of St. Gregory Nazianzen, of St. Am-
broie, Sic. of the works of Thomas a Kempis ; of the Apparatus
Eiblicus, in 8vo. For the mod part they are very unfaithful.
His verfions of the claflics, of Ovid's epilUes, and others, are
not in greater eftimation. There is tlfo bv him a veiGon of
the virtuous las Cafas, on the deftru£lion ot the Indies, 1697,
' and fevernl moral prociu£lions : i. Reflexions on what may
pleafe and difpleafe m the world, a. Reflexions on ridicule.
3. Models of converfations, and other moral writings, forming
together 14 fmall volumes. They bear ftrong marks of the pre-
cipitation in which the author compofed them. 1 he abbe de
Beliegarde had an eafy and fometimes an elegant (lyle ; but his
reflexions are nothing more than trivial moralities, without
depth or ingenuity.
BELLENDEN (William), more generally known by his
latin name of Gulielmus Belendenus, a native of Scotland, was
J)orn in the xvith century. We find him mentioned by [t J Demp*
fter as humanity profeflbr at Paris in the year 1702. He is re-
ported by the Scots to have poflTeflTed an eminent degree of favour
with James the Vlth, to whom he was mader of requefts.' By
the munificence of that monarch, Bellenden was enabled to en*
joy at Paris all the conveniences of retirement. While he con-
tinued thus free from other cares, he fuflTered not his abilities
to languifh ; but employed his time in the cultivation of ufeful
literature. His firft work, intituled " Ciceronis princeps," was
printed at Paris in 160^. To this firft edition was prefixed
•* TraXatus de procefl'u Sc fcriptoribus rei politicaB." Ciceronis
Conful was the next publication of Bellenden. It appeared alfo
at Paris in 1612. Both thefe books were infcribed to Henry
prince of Wales. In the year 1616 was publifhed a fecond
edition, to which was ?dded Liber de ilatu prifci orbis, with a
dedication to prince Charles, the furvxving brother of Henry,
While Bellenden was occupied in the compoCtion of thefe three
[t] Prrfdiionts adtres Gul. Belendeni Saxii Onom. Vicz Scot Scriptorumr
Ubrtk dc iiatu ed. lecuada. Loud. 1788. p. 481.
» treatifes.
BELLE T- iu
tteatifcsj he was fo much attrafted by the admiration of Cicero,
that he projefted a larger work " De Tribus Luminibus Ro-
manorum." What he had already written concerning Cicero
lie difpofed in a new order. Death howcTcr interrupted hia
Eurfuit. The accomplifliment of his dcfign was thus prevented
efore he could colle£l and arrange the materials which related
to Seneca and Pliny. The trcatifes of Ecllenden which remaiii,
have been cfteemed as highly valuable and worthy the attention
of the learned. They were extremely fcarce, but had been much
admired by all who could gain acccfs to them. At length they
vrcTt refcued from their obfcure tonfinemerlt in the cabinets bf
the curious; The new edition appeared at London in I787, in
R form of typography arid an accuracy of printing which fo ex-
cellent an author. may juftly be faid to merit. Ic was accompa-
nied with an eloquent preface, and republiflied in 1788. The
learned and ingenious editor to whom literature is indebted for
the refloration of fuch a treafure, has charged Middleton with
having meanly withheld his acknowledgements j after having em-
bellifhed the life of Cicero by extrading many ufeful and valu-
able materials from the works bf Bellenden.
BELLENGER (Francis), doftor of the Sorbonne, was
i>orn in the diocefe of Lifieux, and died at Paris the 12th of
April 1749, aged 6i. He was maileir of the greek and latin,
knd of icveralof the living languages. He publifhed, I. A
french tranflation of Dionyfiiis lialicarnenfis, 1723, 2 vol. 4to.
2. A tranflation of the contmuation of Plutarch's Lives by Rowe-
^A critical efTay on the works of Roll in, on the tranflators of
erodotus, and of the dictionary of la Martiuitre, in 8vo. with
a continuation. This work, though heavily written, is efteemed.
The refult of the fir(i part is, that RoUin had but a flight
knowledge of greek, and that he often appropriated the fenti-
ments and obfervations bf french authors, without citing them.
The two other parts are neither Icfs juft nor lefs learned. He
]eft in MS. a french verfion of Herodotus, with notes replete
with erudition. His tratiflations are faithful ; but he had nei-
ther the eafe nor the elegance of ftyle of that fame Rollin, whom
he furpafTcd in the knowledge of greek.
BELLET (Charles), member of the academy of Moritau-
ban, and bcncficier of the cathedral there, was born at Querci,
imd died at Paris in 177 1. Several prizes gained at Marfeilles,
at Bourdeaux, at Pau, at Rouen, his literary and ecclefiaftical
learning, and the purity of his manners, caufed hini to be re-
fpefled at Montauban. By him are, i. L' Adoration chre-
tienne, dans la devotion du rofaire, 1754, l2mo. 2. Several
{iieces of eloquence. 3. Les droits de la religion fur le coear de
rhommc, 1764, 2 vol. i2mo.
Vol. IL R BELLIN
1
24Z BELLINI.
BELLIN (Gentil), born at Venice 1421. He was empfoycdJ
by that republic, and to him and his brother the Venetians arcr
indebted for the noble works ta be feen in the council-hall. We
are told that Mahomet II. emperor of the Turks, ha^'ing feen
fome of his performances, was fo ftruck with them, that he
wrote to the republic, entreating them to fend him. The painter
accordingly went to Conftantinople, where he did many excellent
pieces. Amongft the reft he painted the decollation of St. John
the Baptift, whom the Turks revere as a great prophet. Ma-
homet admired the proportion and fliadowing of the iJ^ork, but
he remarked one defe£l m regard to the Ikin of the neck, from*
W'hich the head was feparated ; and in order to prove the truth
of this obfervation, he fent for a flare, and ordered his head to
be ftruck ofr[ul. This light fo fliockcd the painter, that he could
not be eafy till he had obtained his difmlflion, which the grand-
Hgnior granted, and made him a prcfent of a gold chain. The
republic fettled a penfion upon him at his return, and made him
a knight of vSt. Mark. He died, i 50T, in the 80th year of his age.
BELLIN (Jon ^), a painter of Venice. In company with hi»
brother Gentil Bellin he 'executed thofe magnificent piflures
that are in the council chamber at Venice. John was one of
the firft who painted in oil. He publiflied this fecret, after
having ftole it from Antoine de Melline, to whom he had in-
troduced himfelf in the difguifc of a noble Venetian. He died
in 1512, at the age of 90.
BELLIN (Nicholas), geographical engineer of the marine,,
member of the royal faciety of London, born at Paris in 1703,
died the aift of March 1772. He had a fingular knowledge in
his art, which he employed with great indullry. He publifhed,.
under the title of Hydrographie Fran^oife, a feries of marine
charts, to the number of fourfcore. 2. EfTais gcographiques fur
les ifles Britanniques, in 4to. 3. Eflais fur le Guyane, 4to»
4. Lc petit Atlas Maritime, 4 vol. 4to. He was Sr very labo-
rious author.
BELLINI (Laurence), an eminent phyfician, born at Flo-
rence, 1643. After having fiiulhed his ftudies in polite litera-
ture, he went to Pifa, where he was afiifted by the gcncrofity
of the grand duke Ferdinand II. and ftudied under two of the
moft learned men of that age, Oliva and Borelli. Oliva in-
ftruftcd him in natural philofophy, and Borelli taught him ma-
thematics. At 20 years of age, he was chofen profefTor of pW-
lofophy at Pifa, .but did not continue long in this office ; for he
had acquired fuch a reputntlon for his fkill in anatomy, that
the grand duke procured him a profeflbrftiip in that fcience*
[u] DiiSlioanaire Portotif dc beaux' aits.'
This
i E L L O I, Uj
^his prmrfe was often prefent at hh leftutes, atld was highly
Satisfied with his abilities and performances. Bellini) after
having held his profeflbrfliip almoft 30 years, accepted of an in,,
vitation to Florence, when he was about 50 years of age [x].
Here he praftifed phyfic with great fuccefs ; and was advanced
to be firft phyfician to the grand duke Gofmo III. He died
January 8, 1703, being 60 years of age. His works were read
«nd explained publicly during his life, by the famous fcottiOi
phyfician, Dr. Pitcairn, profeflbr of phyfic inLeyden[Y],
i3ELLOCC^(PETER), born at Paris, valet dc chambre to
Louis XIV. was entertaining to the court by his genius, his
fallies of wit, and his phynognomy. He was the friend of
Cohere and of Racine* He wrote again ft the fatire on women,
byDefpreaux; but was afterwards reconciled with him. His
fatires on petit-maltres and novellifts, written with great fpiric,
were attended with proportionable fuccefs; as alfo was hi$
poem on the Hotel dts Invalides. He died the 4th of Oftober
1704, aged sp.
BELLOI (Peter), avocat-gcncral in the parliament of Tou-
loufe, was born at Montauban of a roman catholic family. His
jiittachment to the royalifts during the time of the Ligue, brought
upon him the charge of heretic and incendiary. Henry III.
tl^hofe caufe he aflerted in his Apologic Catholique contre les
libelles publics par les Ligues, had him put in prifon in the
year 1587. Henry IV. more equitable to his merits, took himi,
from the prefidial, where he was no more than counfellor,
to give him the pofb of avocat-general of the parliament. He
left behind him fevefal works, but little known at prefent.
BELLOr(PHTER Lawrence BuYRETTE du), of the Aca-
demie Fran^oife, was born at St. Flour in Auvergne in 1727.
He ^t-as educated at Paris under one of his uncles, a diftinguifhetl
mvocat aii parlftment. After having finiflied his ftudies with ap-
^laufe at the coUcge-Mazarin, he took to the bar ; or rather,
fn entering on this profcflion, he followed his uncle's inclinationss
in oppofition to his own. Captivated by an ardent paffion for
literacure, and defpairing of ever being able to move his benc-
faftor, a man fevere and abfolute in all his determinations, he
expatriated himfelf and went to Rufiia, there to exercife the
profeffion of a comedian, that he might be difpenfed from exer-
fx] Niccron, iVfemoires pour fervir i epiftola ad Scr, Fcrdinandrm II, & pro-
I'hU^". dcs hommcs ilLiirt. torn, v, poliflo rneclianica. Pil'a, 1670, in isoio.
[y ] He wrote the following works : t. 4. De urinis 8c puliibus, dc miffione fan-
Exsiciutio Anatomica de ftrudtura & ufu guint!;, de febribus, dc morbis capitis St
fenum. AmiV. i66;» in lamo. 2. Guftus pectoris. Bologna^ ibS^, in4to. Franc-
Organum noviffimc deprehcnfum; prae- fort & Lcipfic, 1685, in 4to. 5. Opuf-
to'iPTu ad faciliorcm iatelligentiatn «[uibuf- cula ali(^uot dc lirinls, de motucordii, de
iam de faporibus. Bologna, (665, in motu bills, dt miiHone fanguinis. L. Bat.
umo. 3, Gratiaium a£tio> ad Ser. fie- 1696^410. Tbis is dedicated to Dr. Pic«
tauum ^u^ QaaBdaoa Anatomica in cuiru.
R 2 cifing
244 B E L L O I.
cifing that of a lawyer at Paris. Being returned to that capifat
in 1758, he brought upon the ftage his tragedy of Titus> imi-*
tated from the Clemenza di I'ito of Metaftafio. This copy of
a piece barely tolerable, is only a very faint iketch of the ner-»
vous ftrokes of Corneille, whofe ftyle the autlior ftrovc to re-
fenible Du Bellot afterwards gave Zelmire, wherein he acctt-*
Ululated the moll foijced fituations and the moft affe^ing ftrokes
of the dramatic art. It was attended with fuccefs, though no-»
thing better than an abfurd romance, and badly written, which
owed the applaufe of the fpeflators to the illufion of the re«
prefentation. The Cege of Calais, a tragedy he brought out itl
1765, was a (hining epocha of his lifcr This piece, which
prefems one of the mod ftriking events in the hiftory of France,
procured the author the rccompenfe it dcferved. The king fent
him a gold medal, weighing 25 louis d'ors, and a confidcrable
gratification belules. '1 he magiftrates of Calais prefented him
with the freedom of their city in a gold box v and his portrait
was placed in the hotel-de-ville among thofe of their bene-
faftors. Thefe teftimonies of gratitude were due to a poet who
fet his brethren the example of choofmg their fubjefts from th(J
national hiftory ; and he would have been the more deferving
of them if he had taken better care of his verfification, too fre-
quently incorreft, harfti^ and bombaftic. In ftyle, a particular
fo efTential, du Belloi was abfolutely deficient ; but this defe£k
fhould not prevent the critic from doing juftiee to tihe grand
ftrokes, to the generous and noblfe fenti»ients, to the pathetic
fituations which made the fortune of the ^icge de Calais. Vol-
taire, who wrote the moft flattering letters to the author, ought
not to have retrafted his encomiums after his death ; and if this
tragedy was too much extolled at firft, it was too much degraded
afterwards. Gafton and Ba'iard, in the plan of which are feveral
faults againft probability, did not excite fo livdy emotions as
the mayor of Calais. However, the public admired the honeft
and ftcady charafter, and the fublime virtues of the chevalier
fans peur & fans reproche. His two pieces, Peter the cruel
and Gabrielle de Vcrgi, the former dead as foon as born, and
the latter applauded without rcafon, becaufe it is an unnatural
piece, are ftill inferior to Bayard. The author was well enough
acquainted with the proper fituations for producing a grand efledl }
but he wanted the art to prepare them, and to bring them on in
a natural manner. He fubftituted' extraordinary theatrical efforts
for the fimple and true pathetic, and the little tricks of oratory
for the eloquence of the heart ; and by this means he conm-
butcd not a little to degrade and debafe the french drama.. The
fall of Peter the cruel was a fatal flroke to his extreme fenfi-
bility, and haftencd the term of his life. He was attacked hf
n linj^eripg diftcmper, which Lifted for feveral months, and ex-
haufted
BEL ON, , t4S
ttaoded his very moderate fliarc of bodily ftrength. A beneficent
monareh (Louis XVI.) before whona the Siege de .Calais was
performed the firtt time, being informed of the lamentable con-
dition of the author, fent him a prefent of 5olouis d'ors. The
players, from motives of a laudable generofity, gave a reprefen*
tation of the fame tragedy for the benefit of die dying poet.
lie expired fliortly after, on the jth of March 1775$ juilly re-
gretted by his friends, who experienced in him great goodnefs
of difpofition and warmth of friendihip. M. Gaillard, of the
Academic Fran^oife, publiflied his works in 1779, in 6 vols,
8vo. la this edition are contaii;^ed his theatrical pieces, three
of which are followed by hidorical memoirs full of erudition,
with interefting obfervations by the editors divers fugitive
pieces in hard and vulgar poetry, for the mod part produced xn
RuiSa, and which had better havfi been left there i and the life
.of the author by M. Gaillard. This piece is at the head of the
coUeftion, to which it is bo difparagement.
BELLORI (John Peter), born at Rome, and died in 1696,
at the age of 80, dired^ed his iiudies to antiquities and painting.
His principal works are, i. Explication des Medaillons les plu$
rares du cabioet du cardinal Campegne, to whom Bellori was
attaclied; pjubliihed at Rome 1607, 4to. in italian. 2. Les
vies des peintres, archite£les & fculpteurs modernes, at Rome,
1672, 4to, in italian. • This work, which the author never
finiflied, is cfteemed, though it is not always exaft, and it is
now become fqarcc,* 3. Defcription des Tableaux pcints par
Raphael au Vatican.; Rome, 1695, folio, if\ italian: a very cu-
cious book, and much fought after by painters. 4. L'Antiche
Lucerne fepolcrali, with plates, in italian, 1694, folio. 5. Gli
Antichi Sepolcri ; 1699, folio, or Leyden, 1728, folio. Ducker
tranflated thefe two works into latin, Leyden, 1 702, fol. 6. Ve-
neres Arcus Auguftorum i Leyden, 1690, folio. 7. Admiranda
Roma* antiquasyeiligia; Rome, 1693, ^olio. B. Second edition
of the Hiftoria Augufta of Angeloni ; Rome, 1685, fol. tranf-
lated into latin ; Rome, 1738, folio. 9. Fragmenta veftig. vc-
ceris Romae, 1673, in folio, 10. La Colonna Antoniana ; in
folio. 11. Pitturc del Sepolcro di Nafoni ; 1680, in folio. 12.
Lnagines vetcrum philofophorum ; Rome, 1685, in fOlio. All
thefe worikS are in great requeil among the antiquaries. Queen
Chriilina made him keeper of her library and cabinet.
BELON (Peter), M. U. of the faculty of Paris, was born
about 15x8 in the Maine. He travelled into Judca, Greece and
Arabia ; and publiflied in 1555, '" 4^o* * relation of whatever
he had remarked moll worthy of notice in thofe countries. He
compofed feveral other works, now rare, which were much
cfteemed at the time, for their exaftitude and the erudition with
•which they abound. Tlic chief of them are, i. De Arboribus
R 3 coniferisi
246 B E J. S U N C E-
coniferis; Paris, 1553, 4to* with plates, a. Hlftoryof Birdj ^
1555, folio. 3. Portraits d'Oileauxj 1557, 4to. 4. Hiftory
6f Fifti ; i5Sij 4to. with plates. 5. Of the nature and diver-
fity of Fifli ; IS55> 8vo. The fame in latin. He was preparing
other works for the prefs, when he was afTafiinated from privates
refcntment near Paris, in 1564. Henry II. and Charles IX.
vouchfafed him tl^eir efteem^ and the cardinal de Tournon his
friend (hip.
BELOT (John), de Blois, advocate to the privy council of
Louis XIV. compofcd an Apologie de la LangueLatine-, Paris,
1637, in 8vo. in which he attempts to prove that the french
tongue ought not to be m^de ufe of in learned works. One of
his reafons is, that by communicating 10 the people at large the
fecrct of certain fciences, great evils have been produced. 'Fhis
performance, of 80 pages, is dedicated to M. Scguier, chan-
cellor of France. Menage, in his Requcte des Ditlionnaires,
fays, that the charity of Bclot towards the latin ws|s the more
commendable, as he had not the honour of being acquainted
with it ", and that he was like thofe knights who fought for un-
known damfels.
LELSUNCE (M. Du), bi(hop of Marfeillcs. This illuftriou^
prelate was of a noble family in Guienne, had been of the order
of jefuits, and was made bifliop of Marfeilles in 1709. The
^iTiliance he gave his flock during the plague of 1720, that de-
folated the city of Marfeilles, is well known. As fome french
writer fays of him, " II courut de rue en rue pour porter
Ics fecours temporels & fpirituelles a fes ouaille^. He was feeix
everywhere during that terrible calamity, as the magiftrate, the
phyfician, the almoner, the fpiritual direftor of his flock. In the
town-houfe of Marfeilles there is a pifture reprefenting hin^
giving his benediftion to fome poor wretches who are dying at
his feet. He is diftinguiihed from the reft of his attendant;^
by a golden crofs on his breaft, Louis the XVth, in 1723, in
confideration of his exemplary behaviour during the plague,
made him an ofter of the bi{hopric of Laon, in ricardy, a fee
of greater value and of higher rank than his own. Of this
however he would not accept, faying, that he refufed this very
honourable tranflatlon " pour nc pas abandonner une eglife que
)a facrifice de fa vie & de fes biens lui avoit rendu chere.'*
The pope honoured him with the pallium (a mark of diftin£liot^
in drefs worn only by archbifliops), and Louis XV. infifted upoi\
his acceptance of a patent, by which, even in the firft inftance,
any law-fuit he might be fo unfortunate as to have, either for
temporal or fpiritual matters, was permitted to be brought be-
fore the grande chanibrc du parlcment de Paris. He died ii^
1 75 J, doling a life of the mofl aftive benevolence with the ut-
riioit devotion jiiul rcfjgnation. He founded a^ Marfeilles a coU
lege^
BELSUNCE. 247
lege, which ftHl bears his name. He wrote LViftoire dcs
Eveques (le MarfcilJc; Des Inftruftions Paftorales; and in 1707,
when he was very young, he publiihed La vie dc Mademoifelle
de Foix Candalc, a relation of his, who had been eminent for
her piety. A particular account of the exertions of this bene-
volent prelate during the terrible calamity that aflliflted Mar-
feilles is to be found in the Relation de la Pcfte dc Matfeilles, par
J. Bertrand, i2mo. and in Oratio funebris illuft. domini de Bel-
funce Maflilienfium epifcopi, with the traullation by the abbe
Lanfant, 1756, 8vo.
The Relation de la Pelle de Marfeilles, by M. Bertrand, is
a very well written and a very authentic account of it. He
was a phyfician, and ftaid in the town during the whole time of
its ravages.
The toliowing letter from this excellent bifliop to the bifhop-
of Soiffons fpeaks fo much in his favour, that we fliall make
>io apology for inferting i^
*. Sept. ao, 1710, N.S.
" I wlfli, my lord, I were as eloquent as you are full of zeal
and charity, to teflify my grateful acknowledgement of your
liberality, and the charities you have procured u» j but in our
prefent conflernation, we are not in a condition to exprefs any
other fentiment than that of grief. Your alms came at a very
feafonable time, for I was reduced almoft to the laft penny. I
lam labouring to get money for two bills for 1000 livres, which
the bilhop of Frcjus was pleafed to fend us, and fix more of
Mr. Fontantcu, though ju(t upon the decay of the bills of 1000
livres, they arc not very current, yet I hope I fliall fucceed.
You, my lord, have prevented thefe difficulties, and we are
doubly obliged to you for it. Might I prefume to beg the favour
of you to thank, in my name, cardinal de Rohan, M. and
Madame Dangeau, and the curate of St. Sulpice, for their cha-
rities.
" It is but ju (I that I give you fome account of a defolate town
you was pleafed to fuccour. Never was defolation greater, nor ever
was any like this. There have been many cruel plagues, but none
was ever more cruel : to be fick and dead was almoft the fame
thing. As foon as the diftemper gets into a houfe, it never leaves
it till it has fwept alUhe inhabitants one after another. The flight
and confternation are fo extremely great, that the fick circ aban-
doned by their own relations, and cafl out of their houfes ijito the
ftreets, upon quilts or ftraw beds, amongfl the dead bouics, whicli
lie there for want of people to inter them. What a melancholy
fpeftacle have we here on all fides ! We go into the ftreets full
of dead bodies half rotten, through which we pafs to come to
a dying body, to excite him to an aft of contrition, and give
R 4 hlni
>48 BELSUNCE.
him abfolution. For above 14 days together, the blefled Sacra^
ment was carried every where to all the fick, and the extreme
undlion was given them with a zeal of which we have few ex>
amples. But the churches being infefted with the ftench of
the dead bodies flung ^t the doors, vie were obliged to leave
off, and be content \Kith confeflTing the poor people. At prefent
I have no more confeflbrs 5 the pretended corruptors of the mor
raliiy of Jefus Chrill (the jefuits), without any obligation, have
f^icrificed the,mfelves, and given their lives for their brethren ;
vrhilft the gentlemen of the fevere morality (the JanfeniftsJ are
all flown, and have fecurcd themfelves, notwithllanding the
obligations their benefices impofed on them ; and nothing can
recal them, nor ferret them out of their houfcs. The two
.communities of the jefuits are quite difabled, to the referve ot
pne old man of 74 years, who ftill goes about night and day*
and vifits the hofpitals. One more is juft come from Lyon;,
purpofcly to hear the confeflions o£ the infedled, whofe zeal
does not favour much of the pretended laxity. I have ha4
twenty-four capuchins dead, and fourteen fick, but I am in ex-
pe£lation of more. Seven rccollecs, 9$ many cordeliers, five or
fix carms, and feveral minims, are dead, and all the belt of the
clergy, both fecular and regular ; which grievoufly afili£ls me.
" I lland in need of prayers, to enable me to fupport all the
crofles that almpll opprefs me. At lafl the plague got into
my palace, and within feven days I loft my fteward, who ac-
companied me in the flrects, two fervants, two chairmen, and
my confeflbr : my fecretary and another lie fick, fo that they
have obliged me to quit my palace, and retire to the firll
prefident, >vho was fo kind as to lend me his houfe. We
are deflitute of all fuccour •, we have no meat ; and whatfoevcr
1 could do, going all about the towp, I could not meet with
any that would undertake to diflribute broth to the poor that
were in want. '1 he do£lors of Montpelier, who came hither
fhree or four days ago, are frightened at the horrid ftench of
the ftrects, and refufe to vifit the fick till the dead bodies arc
removed, and the ftreets cleanfed. They had been much more
furprifed had they come a fortnight fooner ; then nothing but
frightful dead bodies were feen on all fides, and fhere was no
ftirring without vinegar at our nofes, though that could not
hinder our perceiving the filthy ftench of them. I had 200 dead
bodies that lay rotting under my windows for the fpace of eight
days, and but for the authority of the firft prefident they had.
remained there much longer. At prefent things are much
changed; I made my round about the town, and found
but few; but a prodigious number of quilts and blankets^
and of all forts of the richeft clothes, which people would touch
po fJiore, and fire going to burp.
« There
I BEMBQi H3
** There are a£tually in the ftreets to the value of above
I 200,000 livres. The diforder and confuiion have hitherto been
j /extremely great; but all our hopes are in the great care of the
I chevalier de Langeron, governor of the town. He has already
' caufed fome fhops to be opened, l^he change of the governor^
and of the feafon, by the grace of God, will be advantageous.
Had we not afFe£\ed to deceive the public, by afluring that the
evil which reigned was not the plague ; and had we quried the
dead bodies which lay a whole fortnight in the ftreets, I believe
the mortality had ceafed, and we fliould have nothing to do but
provide againft the extreme mifery which neceflarily muft be
the fequel of this calamity.
' ** You cannot imagine the horror which we have feen, nor.
^an any believe it that has not feen it j my little courage has
often almost failed me. May it pleafe Almighty God to let us foon
fee an end of it. There is a great diminution of the mortality s
and thofc who hold that the moon contributes to all this, are or
; opinion, that we owe this diminution to the decline to the moon,
and that we {hall have reafon to fear when it comes of the full.'
For my part, I am convinced, we owe all to the mercies of God,
from whom alone we muft hope for relief in the deplorable con-
flition we have been in fo long a while.
"I am, &c.
*' HENRY, bifliopofMarfeiUes.'* .
When the plague had ceafed, M. de Lauzun aflced an abbey
in commendam for the humane and benevolent prelate who had
attended his flock with fuch affiduity during the tinrie of that
^ 4readful vifitation. The regent, to whom the requeft was
i made, had forgotten M. de Lauzun's requeft, and appeared
I' much embarrafled at having neglef^ed to prefer a man of fuch
tranfcendant virtue as M. de Belfunze was. When M. de Lau-
zun iterated his requeft to him, Lanyon, lookirig archly at him,
' faid merely, ** Monfcigneur, il fera mieux un autre fois^^ The
1 regent, however, foon afterwards gave him a benefice to hold
1 With the bifhopric of Marfeilles, which he could never be pre-
> vailed upon to quit for a more lucrative one. Father Vanier, no
lefs than our Mr. Pope, has, in his poem of the " Praedium Rufti-
cum," paid that- tribute to his memory, to which he is entitled,
as the friend and benefaftor of mankind.
BEMBQ (Peter), a Venetian of an ancient and noble family,
born 1470. His father Bernard was governor of Ravenna, and
employed in many important negotiations. When he went am-
baffador to Florence, he took his fon with him ; and here Peter
acquired that delicacy and purity of ftyle in the tufcan lan-
guage, for which he is fo much admired in his works. He ap-
plied liimfelf likewifie tq th;; grepk language, which he {^udied
at
'±^0 B E M B O.
at Sicily under Augudine Lafcaris ; and when Us father went
to Ferrara, he accompanied him thither, where he went through ^
courfe of philofophy under Nicholas Leoniceno. His works were
• much admired in Italy *, but, notwithilanding the elegance of
his ftyle, he has been thought fomctimes to run into aflPeflatioxi
by an improper ufe of latin phrafes[2]. He lived aretired life
^i*^ iS^3> when pope Leo X. made choice of him for his fecre*
tary; but his great application to bufinefs and (ludy brought
lipon him a bad ftate of health, which obliged him, for a change
oi air, to remove to Padua, where he reCded in 1 521, when
he received the news of the pope's death. He then retired to
Venicp, where he fpent his time very agreeably amongft book$
and men of letters till 1538, when pope Paul III. created him
a cardinal, and foon after gave him the biihopric of Bergamo,
He difcharged the duties of his fun£lion with great ^delity, till
1547, when he died aged 77, by a hurt which he received on
his (ide, by his horfe's running him againft a wall. He wa9
buried in the choir of the church of Minerva, where there is ai^
epitaph to his memory, compofed by his fon Torquato Bembo \
and fome time after his death a very fme marble ftatue wa$
erected for him at Padua, in the famous church of St. Anthony,
by his friend Jerome Quirii)i. John dc la Cafa has written
the life of this cardinal, and has given us an exaft lift of his
Italian and latin works. Amongft the latter, there are fixteen
books of letters, which he wrote for Leo X. when he was his
fecretary ; fix books of familiar epiftles j a dialogue containing
the life of Gui Ubaldo de Montefeltro, the duke of Urbino ;
feveral fpeeches 5 and the hiftorv of Venice in twelve books,
)ie was named by the council ot ten, to write this hiftory in
15^0; he was dcfired to take it up where Sabellicus had left
it off, and to continue it to his own time ; which interval coniT
prehended forty- four years 5 but he did not accomplilh it, con-
cluding his work at the death of Julius II. Amongft his Italian
pieces, the poem he had made on the death of his brother Charles
is reckoned one of the beft. He was efteemed an elegant latin
as well as italian poet \ bnt he has been cenfured for having
publiftied poems thj^t were too loofe and immodeft [a].
[zj How many abfurditics (fays the for faying, that the fenateo/ Venice wrote
aifthor of thp Art of Thinking, p. 366. to the pope, apd bade him *' put his truft
Ami^ ^dit. 1685.) have fomc italian au- in the immortal Gods.whofc vicegerent he
thors run into, by a fantaftical aSeifiatlon wason carHi ; uti fidatdiis immortalibus."
of the Ciceronian ftyle, or what they call Ep. 57^ Ccntur. 2. Mifcell, p. 177.
pure latin! Who can forbear laughing [a] Petrus Bcmbus clegiaco (carmine)
when Bembo fays that a pope was elected cam partem corporis humani celebravit»
by the favour and concurrence of the imr fins 'jua nulla obfccenit^s foret. Lcgatur
mortal GodS; *' Deorum immoiuljum be- ejus elegia, cujus Initium :
neliciis.**
Ju:lus Lipfius had likcwife before this Ante alias omnes, meus hie quas educat
author crilicif.-d the btin fVylc of Bembo j hortus,
^nd auioDg other things he blames him Uua pueiUies allicit hcrba manu^.
Uaod
BENBOW^ a5l
BENAVIDIO, or ]^ENAVIDIUS (Marcus Mantua), pro-r
feffox of jurifprudence at Padiia, his native country. He waf
three times created chevalier, in 1545 by the emperor Charles V«
\n 1 561 by Ferdinand I. and in 1564 by Pius IV. He died the
28th of March 1 58 2> at the age of 93, He wrote, i . Colledanea
fuper Jus Cwfareum, Venice, 1584, folio. 2. Vitae virorum il-?
luilrium, Paris, 1565, 4to. i and other work^, which evince great
erudition.
BENBQW (John), vice admiral of the blue, and one of the*
mod eminent engUth feamen mentioned in our hiftorics, wa^
born about the year 1650. His father dying when he was very
young, left this fon John no other provifion than that of the
profeiTion to which he was bred, viz. the fea, a profeffion in
which he fucceeded fo happily, that before he was 30 he be-?
^ame mailer, and, in a good meafure, owner of a (hip called the
Benbow frigate, employed in the mediterranean trade, in which
Hup he was fo fortunate as to defend himfelf with great bravery
againft a Sallce rover, infinitely fuperior in force to him, and to
kill thirteen of their men : after which putting into Cadiz, his
a£lion came to the ears of Charles II. then king of Spain, who
was fo much pleafed with it, that he would needs fee the en-'
glifli captain, who made a journey to court, where he was re-
ceived with great teftimonies of refpecl, and not only difmifTed
with a handfome prefent, but his catholic majedy was alfo
pleafed to write a letter in his behalf to king JamoB, who, upoa
the captain's return, gave him a fliip, which was his introduc-
tion to the royal navy. After the revolution he was conftantly
employed either in prote£ling our trade or bombarding the
french ports 5 in both of which fervices he was very fuccefsful.
He was early promoted to the flag, and intruded v^ith the care
pf blocking up Di^nkirk, In 1695 we find him thus employed
with a few engliih and dutch fliips, when the famous du Bart
had the good luck to efcape him with nine fail of clean fhips,
with which he did a great deal of mifchief both to our trade
and that of the Dutch. In 1697 he convoyed the Virginia and
XVeft-lndia fleets, and faw them fafe into port. On the 30th
pf June he again went in fearch of du Bart, who was once more
fo lucky as to efcape him. After concluding the peace of Ryf-
wic, king William formed a defign of doing fomething very
ponfiderable in the Weft-Indies, in cafe his pacific views (hpuld
be difappointed, or Charles II. of Spain (liould die fuddenly.
Admiral Benbow was pitched upon by the king to go on this
expedition, which, though it did not fucceed in every refpecl,
yet Benbow relieved the colonies, which were in a very diftref-
Quod po.'ma merito vocare poOis oh. tichorum eft. ^aliger. confuCaC. tabube
fcaenilTinimelcganti.iin.4uteIejAntitrinnani Burdonum^ p> ^Z3>
^bfcttrntatem. Uaiua'et ^ua-Jragintii dif-
fed
•5^ BEN BOW,
fed condition ; and in fomc difputes with ^thc fpanifli governor
aflerted the glory of the britilli name, in a manner that redound-
-cd much to his honour. On his return to Jamaica he received
a fupply of provifions, and foon after, orders to return home^
ivhere he arrived fafe, bringing with him from the plantations
fufficient teftimony of his having difcharged his duty, which fe-
cured him from all danger of cenfure, though the houfe of com-
mons exprelTed very high refentment at fome circuniftances that
attended the fending the fleet. But in regard to the admiral
the greateil compliments were made to his courage, capacity, and
integrity by all parties. He was once more difpatched to the
Well-Indies, on the probability of the king of Spain's death,
Ti'liere he vviis no fooner arrived than he received advice that
M. du C:iiib V. as in the neip^hbourhood of Ilifpaniola with a
fqiiadron of french ihips, ^5'ith an intent to fettle the uliicnto in
favour of the French, and ro cieflroy the engliih aiid dutch trade
for negroes. Upon this he detached rear admiral Wbetilone in
purfuit of him, when having received advice that Du Cafle was
failed for Carthagena,' and from tJience was to fail for Porto
Bfcllo, he refolved to follow him -, and accordingly failed that
day for the fpaniih coaft of St. Martha 5 when having come up
to them near that place the engagement began : the fight lafted
till dark ; and though the firing ceafed, Benbow kept them com-
pany all night, and continued purfuing and Ikirmiihing with the
enemy's fleet for four days more, but was never duly fecondcd
by feveral flnps of his fquadron. On the 23d of Auguft, about
eight at noon, the whole fquadron wns up with the vice admiral,
and the enemy not two miks oflT. There was now a profpe£t
of doing fomething, and the vice admiral made the bed of his
way after them; but his whole fquadron, except the Falmouth, fell
aftern again. The next morning the vice admiral came up with
the enemy's fternmoft fliip and fired his broadfide, which was
returned by the french fliip very brilkly, and about three the
vice admiral's right leg was broken to pieces by a chain (hot.
In this condition he was carried down to be dreflcd ; but as foon
as it was practicable, he caufed himfelf to be carried up and
placed in his cradle upon the quarter deck, and continued the
fight till day, when they difcovered the enemy -in very bad conr
dition ; and had it not been for the cowardice of fome of the
captaitis in not minding the fignals, they might have taken fe-
veral of their difabled (hips. About 10 o'clock on the 25th the
admiral ordered the captain to purfue the enemy, tlien about
three miles to the leeward, his line of battle fignal out all the
while 5 and captain Fogg, by the admiral's orders, fent to the
other captains, to order them to keep to the line and behwe
like men. Up»^n this Capt. Kirkby came on board the admiral,
and told him " He had better dcfjll, that the French were very
i^rong.
BEN BO W. tSi
ftrong, a-nd that, from what had pafTed, he might guefs he coulft
make nothing of it." Admiral Benbovv, more furprifed at thi»
language than at all that had hitherto happened, faid verjr calm-
ly, that this was but one man's opinion, and therefore made af
fignal for the reft of the captains to come on board, who, wheu
they came, fell tooeafily into Capt. Kirkby's fentiments, and in
conjunction ^ith him figned a paper, importing, in the captain's'
own words to the admiral, that there was nothing more to be
done : though at this very time they had the faireft opportunity
imaginable of taking or dettroying the enemy's whole fquadron,
as we had fix fliips in very good conilition, and they only four
very much difabled. But Benbow feeing hknfelf abfolutely witlw
out^fupport (his own captain having figned the paper above-
mentioned) determined to give over the fight, and to return to
Jamaica. The French, glad of their efcape, continued theif
courfe towards the fpanifli coafls, and the engliih (quadron ar-
rived fafe in Port-royal harbour, where, as foon as the vice ad-
miral came on fliorc, he ordered the officers who had fo fcan-*
dalottfly mifbehaved to be brought out of their fliips and confined^
and immediately after direftcd a commiffion to rear admiral
Whetftone, to liold a court martial for their trial, which wa»
accordingly done, and upon the fulleft and cleareft evidence
fome of the moft guilty were condemned, and fufFered according
to their deferts. As for admiral Benbow, though he fo far re-
covered from the fever induced by his broken kg, as to be able
to attend the trials of the captains who deferted him, yet heftill
continued in a declining way, occafioncd partly by the heat o£
the climate^ but chiefly from the grief which this mifcarriage
occafioned. During all tlie time of his illnefs he behaved witJ^
great calmnefs and prefence of mind, having never flattered
himfelf from tlic time his leg was cut oiF with any hopes of re-
covery •,. but fliewed an earneft defire to be as ufcful as he could
while he was yet living, giving the neceflary directions for Ra-
tioning the Ihips of his fquadron, for protecting the commerce
and incommoding the enemy. He continued tlius difcharging
his duty to the laft moment ; for dying of a fort of confump-
tion, his fpirits did not fail him till very near his end, and his
fcnfes were very found to the day h$i expired, which was the
4th of Nov. 1 702 [b].
BENBOW (John), fon to the vice admiral above mentioned.
He was intended by his father for the fea, and educated accord--
ingly. His misfortunes began very early, viz, in the fame year
his father died in the Weft Indies ; he was fliipwrccked on the
coaft,of Madagafcar, where, after many difmal and dangerous ad-
[b] Abrii^ed &010 the Biogwph. Brit.
ventures.
454 feENDLOWES.
tcntores, he was reduced to live withj and in manner of the lii^
fives, for many years ; and at laft, when he leaft expcfted it, he
was taken on board by a dutch captain, out of refpccl to th«
memory of his father, and brought fafe to England, when hi^
rchuions thought him long fince dead. He was a young gentle-
man naturally of a very bride and lively temper, but by a long
fcries of untoward events, he altered his difpofition fo as to
appear very ferious or melancholy, and did not much afFe£$
fpe^king Except amongft a few intimate friends. But the noife
of his remaining fo* long, and in fuch a condition upon the ifland
of Madagafcar, induced many to vifit him 5 for though naturally
taciturn, he was very communicative on that fubjeft. But
hotwithftanding his freedom in communicating this part of hi^
hiftory, very few particulars relating to it can now be recovered*
it is very probable that the world might receive full fatisfaftion
in this as well as in many other refpecls if a large work he
Compofed on the fubjetl, intituled A complete Defcription of
the South part of the ifland of Mad;igafcar, in reference to the
foil, climate, produce, animals, and inhabitants, with remarks
on the coafts, harbours, and commerce of that ifland, and the
improvements of which they are capable, could be met with.
'1 his was a large and very comprehenfive work, containing sC
multitude of very curious circumftances, which occafioned its
being often borrowed by fome or other of his acquaintance, in
whofc curtody (if it is yet remaining) it is tO be found : for
notv/ithllanding the ftridteft fearch made immediately after his^
deceafe by the family, they have been able to obtain no account
of It *. Even at this time, in cafe it ftioold be found, we have no'
doubt but the publication of it would be highly acceptable to
the world. Our author lived feveral years after his return to
England, but pafKrd his days in privacy, and died without
iflae [c].
BPINDLOWES (Edward), was born in the year 1613, was
carefully educated in grammar learning, and at fixteen years of
»ge admitted a fellow-commoner of St. John's college, Cam-
bridge ;-from whence he went with a tutor to travel ; and having
gone through feveral countries, he returned home a mod ac-
compliflied gentleman, but a little tinftured with the principled
♦ In the thirty-ninth volume of the Mr. John Benbow's book, it being no-
Centlcxndn's Magazine there is a nar- thing elfe than a journal of the fame nature
ration oi various circumfUiices relative to with thofethjt are kept by every Tea officer..
the life of William Beiibow, the younger Thisjournalwasaccidcnrally burnt in 17144
Ion of the admiral. Had not this account in a fire which happened at Mr. Willianv
unfortunately efcaped our attention, we BcnbowS lodgings near Aldgate. The
(hould have been able to correct our miC loCs of it is believed to be wrirfupplied by
take above coaveroiog the importance of Drury's defcription of M^dagafcar.
f 0] Biograph. Brit,
. oP
I tB E N E D I C f • isi
I of po()Cff . Being very imprudent in the management of his
♦rorldly concerns, he made a Ihift to fquander away an eftate of
loool. or 70©!. a year on poets, buffoons, muficians, and flat-
ferers, and in buying curiofities j and having engaged bimfelf for
the payment of other men^s debts, he was put into prifon at
Oxford, but foon after rcleafed : he fpent the remainder of hi&
life, which was eight years, in that city. He was efteemed in
Iiis younger days a great patron of the poets, efpecially Quaries^
Davenant, Payne, Fifher, &c. who either dedicated books to
fam, or wrote epigrams or poems on him. Towards tlie latter
end of his life he was drawn off from his inclination to popery,
i and would often take occafion to difpute againft the papifts and
' their opinions. This gentleman, reduced by his own indifcre-
toon to great want, died at Oxford the i8th of Dec- 1686, aged
73 years. He was author of fome poetical pieces mentioned
below [n].
BENEDETTO (Le), or Benedict Castiglione, a fa^
I mous painter, was born at Genoa in 16 16, and died at iMantua
I in 1670. He ftudied fucceflivcly in the fchools of Pagi, of
I Ferrari, and of Vandyck. The difciple was equal to his mafters.
Rome, Naples, Florence, Parma, and Venice alternately had
pofleffion of this artift. The duke of Mantua fettled him at his
court by giving him a liberal penfion and keeping him a coach.
Benedetto fucceeded equally well in hiftory-pieces, portraits, and
landfcapes ; but his particular talent and tafte lay iti pailoral
fcenes, markets, and animals. His touch is delicate^ his draw-
ing elegant, his colouring lively. Few painters have better un-
, cfcrftood the clear-obfcure. Genoa is in pofleffion of his prin-
cipal performances. Benedetto alfo engraved : feveral of his
works in aqua-fortis are dill extant^ full of fire and tafte.
BENEDICT (St.), the founder of the ord^r of the benediain
mcnks, born in Italy about 480. He was fent to Rome when,
he was very young, and there received the firft part of his edu-
cation. At fourteen years ©f age he was removed from thtnce
to Sublaco, about forty miles diftant. Here he lived a moft
afcetic life, and (hut himfelf up in a cavern, where nobody
knew any thing of him except St. Romanus, who, we are told,
nfed to dcfcend fo him by a rope, and fupply him with pro-
vrfions: but being afterwards difcovered by the monks of a
neighbouring monaftery, they chofe him for their abbot. Their
manners however not agreeing with thofe of Benedict, he re-
turned to his folitude, whither many perfons followed him,
and put thcmfclves under his ilireflioii, fo that in a ihort time
[d] r. Sphinx Thcologica, feu mufica and feveral others long Gncc funk info oh-
Tccnpli, ubi difcordia concors, Camp, livion, though they in thofe days gauged
i6z6, Svo. 2. Hunorifica armorum celTa- Mr. Bcndlowes the appellation of the di--
liOf s^45i 8^0. j.Theophlla, 1652, ibl. vine author.
he
36 B E N E F I E L D.
he built twelve monaftcrics. About 528^ he retired to Mount Gsif-
fmo, where idolatry was ftill prevalent; a temple of Apollo bein^
crefted there. He inftrufled the people in the adjacent country^
and having converted them, broke the image of Apollo, and
built two chapels on the mountain. Here he founded alfo a
monaflcrv, ^nd inftituted the order of his name, which in time
became 10 famous and extended over all Europe. , It was here
too that he compofcd hisRegula Monachorum [e], which Gre-
gory the Great fpeaks of, as the moft fenfible and beft written
piec* of that kind ever pi^bliihed* Authors are not agreed as
to the place where Benedict died : fome fay at Mount Caflino,
ofhers affirm it to have been at Rome, when he Was fent thithe^r
by pope Boniface. Nor is the year afcertained, fome aflerting it
to have been in 542, or 543, and others in 547. St. Gregory thef
Great has written his life in the fecond book of his Dialogues^
where he has given a long detail of his pretended miracles.
BENEDICT, a famous abbot in the viith century, defcended
of a noble family among the Saxons, and flouriftied under Ofwi
and Egfrid, kings of Northumberland. In his 25tli vear he
abandoned all temporal views, in order to devote himfelf to re-
ligion } and by his frequent voyages did not a little contributed
to introduce the polite arts into this ifland- Architcdlurey paint-
ing, mufic, and other arts, received great improvements from
thoie artifts he brought over with him from Rome and France ;
and what added no fmall commendation to him was, that all hi*
embelliQiments w^re appropriated to the fervice of the church.
Chanting in choirs was introduced by him in 678. He founded
two very confiderable monafteries, lived an exemplary life, and
enjoyed one quality feldom to be met with in a faint, a refined
talle joined to a remarkable aufterity. After his death he was
canonized j a cullom ftill pra£lifed in the roman church, where"
poor faints and rich fmners are equally entitled to a place in
the kalendar.
ISE^sfEDICTUS (ALEXANDER)yan Italian anatomical author,
flourifhed about 1495. lie cultivated anatomy, and wrote a book
intituled Alcxandri Benedrfti phyfici, anatomix, five de hiftoria
corporis humani, Bafil, 1527, 8vo. His Epift. Nuncupat. was
printed Venet. 1497, and his Opera Medica Venet. 1535, fol.
Bafil, 1539, 4to. and fol. ibid. 1549. His Hiftoria corporis
humani, together with fome of his aphorifms, was printed irt
J 5 27, i2mo. but at what place is not mentioned.
BENEFIKLD (Sebastian), a learned engliih divine, born ab
[t] Du Pin fays, that tills is the only fermon upon the deceaCeof St. Maurus; a
genuine woik of St. Bcnedi<^. There have fermon upon the paffion of St. PUcidu^
been Icveral editions of thcfe rules. Several and his companions ; and a difoourfe De
othT tract, are however afcribcJ to him, ordiiie monaiterii. Bibl dciaut. ecclcf.
as paaicuUiIy, a letter to Sr. Maurus f a
Prcftbur|
fh-eftbury in Gloucefter(h!te 1559. He was ymttted a fcholar
of Corpus ChrilU college in OxtoM 158<^, and chofen probd-
tioncr^fellow 1590 [fJ. After he had taken his degree of raaftet"
of arts, he entered into orders. In 1608 he became D. D. and
five years after was appointed Margaret profeflbr of divinity in
that univerfity. He difcharged this office with great fuccefs for
fourteen years, when he refigned it, and retired tb his reftoty
of Meyfey Hampton in Gloucefterfhire, to which he had bech
induced feveral years before. He fpent here the remainder tff
his life 5 and was eminent for piety, integrity, and exteniivb
learning. He was well (killed in all parts of knowledge, and
extremely converfant in the writings of the fafhcifs and fchool-
men. Some perfons have accufed him as a fchifmatic } but Df.
Ravis, bifliop of London, approved of him as free from fchifm,
and much abounding in fcience. He was a fedentary man, ami
fond of retirement, which rendered him Icfs cafy and affable iti
converfation : he was particularly attached to the opinions of
Calvin, efpecially that of predeftination \ fo that he has beeh
ftyled a downright and doftrinal calvinift. He died at Meyfey
Hampton in 16 ]0. He was the author of feveral learned works
upon theological fubjefts.
BENEZET (Anthony), in early life was put apprentice
to a merchant j but finding commerce opened temptations to a
•worldly fpirit, he left his mafter, and bound himfelf apprentice
to a cooper. Finding this bufinefs too laborious for his cdnftU
tution, he declined it, and devoted himfdf to fchool- keeping 5
4n which ufeful employment he continued during the greateft
part of his life. He was author of " A Caution to Great Britain
and her Colonies, in a (hort reprefentation of the calamitous ftatc
of the enflaved negroes in the Brltiih dominions, 8vo» 1707 ;"
— ** Some hiftorical Account of Guinea 5 with an enquiry into
the rife and progrefs of the Slave Trade, its nature, and la-
mentable efFe£ls, 6vo. 1772 1** and fome other tra£ts on the
fame fubjeft. He ^fleifed uncommon afiivky and tndudry in
everjr think he undertook. He did every thing as if the «(xrord8
of his Saviour were perpetually founding in his ears, ** Wift ye
not that I muft be about my Father's bufinefs ?" He ufed to
•fay, " the higheft aft oJF charity it the world was to bear witfi
the unreafonablenefs Of mankind." He generally wore plufli
clothes ; and gave as a reafon for it, that after he had worn
them for two or three years, they made comfortable and decent
Garments for the poor. He once informed a young friend, that
is memory began to fail him ; ** but this," faid he, " gives
me one great advantage over you $ for you can find entertain-,
mem in reading a good book only once— but I enjoy that pleafure
[f] Wood** Athcn. Oxoa. vol. i.
Vol. IL S a$
t5-8 BENJAMIN. '
ja ohtn a& trfeaA It 5 for it is always new to me," Few men fince
the days of the apoftles ever lived a more difinteredcd life ; and
yet upon his death-bed he faid, he wiftied to live a little longer,
that " he might bring down self." The lafl time he ever walked
acrofs his rbom, was to take from his delk fix dollars, which he
fave to a poor widow whom he had long aflifted to maintain. j
lis funeral was attended by perfons of all religious denomina- I
tionsy and by many hundred negroes. An officer, who had ferved
in the american army during the late war, in returning from the
funeral, pronounced an eulogium upon him. It con filled only of
the following words : " I would rather," faid he, " be Anthony
Bcnczet in that coffin, than George Waftiington with all hi^
fame."
BENI (Paul), profcflbr.of eloquence in the univerfity qf
Padua [g]. He was a Greek by nation, according to Bayle;
though other authors affirmi that he was born af Eup^ubio in
the duchy of Urbino. He was in the focicty of jefuits for fomc
time, but quitted them upon their rchifing him permiffion to
publi(h a commentary on the banquet of Plato. He was a great
critic, and maintained a difpute with the academy deila Crufcsi
of Florence. He publifhed a treatife againft their italian dic-
tionary, under the title of Anti-Crufca, He had likewiie another
.contefl: with the fame academy in regard to TafTo, whofe de-
fence he undertook, and publiihed two pieces on this fubjei^.
In one of thefe he compares Taflb to Virgil, and Ariofto to
Homer, in fome particulars giving Taflb the preference to
thcfc twp' ancients : in the other he anfwers the critical cciv-
;fures which had been made again fl this author. He publiflied
-alfo fome difcourfes upon the Pallor Fido of Guarini. ThefjS
pieces wiiich we. have mentioned, were in Italian; but be ha#
lef( a greater number pf works in latin £h]* ^ He died the 12th
.of February, 1625.
BliiSfJAMIN OF TuDELA, was born at Tudela iji Navarre,
and died Jn 1 173. He viiUed all the fynagogues in the world*
-in order, to fee the cuftoms and ceremonies of each. H© gave
a very curious relation of his travels, printed at Conftantinople
:in i543,'8vo. Renaudot thinks this edition t{ie leaft faulty, anfl
pretends that thtf relations of this rabbi are true ; afluring us
that the cenfures pafTed upon him (hibuld properly fall alone on
.the incorredl verfions of Arias Montanus, at Antwerp, 1575,
•and of Conftantine TEmpereur, Leyden, 1633, in 24.to. John
[c] HlfVoire des ouvrages det Savans, tium. 4. PUtonisPoeticaev dialogis col-
Dec. 1690, p. 166. le^a. 5. Difpenfaiiode Baronii aonalibus.
[h] Moreri mentions the following: 6. Pifputatiode hiftoria. 7. Uifpucatrode
. I. Canunentadi in 6 lib. prtorea Virgilii. auxiliit. 8. Oritiones 75. 9. IHc^dfs
2, Commentarii io Ariftoteiis pocticam et tres ia PlatonisTimftum.
lib. Rhetori 3. Commeauni in Saliuf-
.PWIp
B E N N E,T. 25^
Philip Baratier publlflied in 1734 a french tran^atton of the
Travels of Benjamin, in 2 vols. 8vo.
BENIVIENI (J krome), gentleman and poet of Florence, died'
i" ' 542} aged 89, was one of the firil who auitted that low and
trivial tafte that had taken pofTeflTion of the uajian poetry in the
xvth century, and which charac^erifcs, among others, che Mor-
fante of Lewis Puici and the CiriiTo Calvaneo of Luke Pulci hi^
rother, to approach nearer to th^ llyle of Dante and Petrarch*
The greater part of his poems turn upon divine love. His
Canzone dell' Amor celede e divino is in great efteem, as con«
taiiiing the mod fublime ideas of the philofophy of Plato, on
fove. This work was printed at Florence in 1519, in 8vo. with
other poetical pieces of the fame author. There had already
been an edition of his works, at Florence, in folio, 1500, which
is extremely fcarce. Another performance of his is intituled,
Commento di Hicronimo Bcnivieni, cittadino Fiorentino, fopra
a piu fue Canzone e Sonnetti dello amore e della belleza divina,
&c. printed at Florence in 1500, i(i folio: an edition much
prized by the curious. Benivieni, not lefs eilimable for the
purity of his manners than for the extent of his talents, was in-
timately connected with the celebrated John Pico dc Mirandola,
ind made it his requell to be interred m tlie fan^e grave with
him,
BENNET (Henry), earl of Arlinston, was defccnded of an
ancient family feated at Arlington in middlefex, and fecond fon
of fir John Bennet, knight, by .Dorothy, daughter of fir John
Crofts, of baxam in Norfolk, Icnight [i1. He was born j6i8,
and after being inftru£led in grammar learning in his father's
houfe, was fent to Chrill Church in Oxford, where he took the
degree of mafter of arts, and diftioguiihed himfelf by his turn
for engHfti poetry. Upon the king's coming to Oxford, after
the breaking out of the civil war, he entered himfelf a volun-
teer ; and was afterwards made choice of by George lord Digby,
fecretary of ftate, to be his under fecrctary. He was prcfent in
the rencounter at Andover, in which he received fevcral wounds.
When he could no longer remain in England with fafety, he
went to France, and from thence to Italy, On his return to
France, in 1649, he became fecretary to ihe duke of York. In
1658, Charles II. who placed great confidence in hini, knighted
him at JHruges, and fent him in quality of his minifter to the
oourt of Madrid, After the king's reftoration, he recalled him
from Madrid, and appomtcd him privy purfe. Odober 2, 1661,
|ie yr%s noioluated fecrctary of Rate, in the room of fir £dward
Nicholas, September 28, 1663, the univerfuy of Oxford con-»
fcrrcd upon him the degree of do^or of laws. March foUpwlng
1 1] WMi'i Fail. (Hm. v«l. ii. cpI. li^
Sz ht
i6o BEN NET.
he was created baron of Arlington in Middlefex. At tTiis tixttt
he had, as fecretary, almofl the folc management of foreign af-»
fairs [k], and his capacity was eq^al to his pofts [l]. He had »
great hand in the firft dutch war, but he likewife appears td
nave had no fmall fliare in the negotiations for peace, A new
fet of minifters having, under pretence of their influence pvcr
the parliament, raifed themfelvcs to power, lord Arlington de-
clined in his credit with the king ; bur as he had been lor?g in
feufinefs, loved a court, and was dcfirous of power, he conrmued
to acl as fecretnry of ilate under the new adminiftvation, and
became one of the cabinet council diftinguifhed by the nam*
tf the Cabal ["m]. A dcfign was fct on foot to change the con-
Hitution into an abfclutc monarchy, but no writer charges liin*
with having a fliare in it ; nor did he zA farther than his ofBce
as fecretary of llatc obliged him to aft, in the breach which the
^ other violent members of the cabal puflied the king lo make
with Holland f n].
April 22, 1672, he was raifed to the dignity of earl of Arlihg-'
ton in Middlefex, and vifcount Thetford in Norfolk; and on:
the 15th of June following was made a knight of the garter^
Soon after he was feut to Utrecht with the duKC of Backingliani
and the earl of Halifax, to treat of a peace between the allies
and the ftates-gencral ; but thie negotiation had no effect [[o]^
The houfe of common*, difliking the war againfl Holland, de-
termined to call the advifers and promoters of it to an account.
They firft attacked tlie'duke of Lauderdale, and next the duke of
Buckingham, who, being admitted to be heard, endeavoured to
throw ail the odium upon the earl of Arlington ; and this lord'*
anfwer not fatisfying the commons, artrcles^ of impeachment
were tirawn up, cnarging him with having been a conftant and
yehement promoter of popery and popifli councils f with having
been guilty of many undue pra<ftices to oromote his ewn great-
ijiefs J with having cmbcxzfed the treaiure of the nation, and
falfely and treacheroutly betrayed, the important truft rcpofed in
him as a counfellor vind principal fecretary of ftatc. He ap-
peared before the fioufc of commons, and fpoke much betteir
than was expccbed. He excused himfelf, but wi-thout blaming-
[k] Sir \^illiirm 'Temphc'i works, tereft, and made one of the caKaT. '
^l. ii. p. 749. ' [m] This tiame was combed* ^f tb#
- [l] On the recirmincndation of the initlat lettett of thrlr titles^ vix. CipibMj
4ukc of Or mond- he brought Mr. Temple, Afhiey (afterwards Shaftcfhuryh, Buck*
afterwards fir William Temple, intobu- ingham, Arlihgconrl'auderdale. They ha^
tnefs, and e«» ployed him in the treaty aM of thcn\ grwr ptir'cms ffo!n Vnnc^t
with the Vilhop of MuniUry for attacking Ictfdes whatzvaS'OpcAly g{ven tkeim. TM
^e Datx;^.by }Ai)d>frV''^ wcdJd it hy f<la. french aiabdfladflr gave each of them ft
Tcmyfe's works, Vol. ii. p. 1. 51. Burnet pi^lure ofthe krng of France, fkt li di*-^
lells «a (Ilift. of his own times, vol. t. monds, txv the value of ^cool.
p. 578)1 that Arfingtort afte^atMstftfeW fn) Hio^ti^^Bt'n.
I^Hb oS, when he went iabo the frt nch m^ \o] Kapin, voL u. p. 664*
BENN EX
261
Ac king-, and tTiis ha(J fo good nn cfFcfl:, that though he, as fe-
rrctary of Ibnte, war, more expofed than any other man, by the
many warrants and orders he lind figned, yet he was acquitted,
though by a fmall majority [f]. In the mean time he continued
to prefs the king to a feparate peace with the Dutch, in which
he happily fuccecded [c^].
Having refigned his poll of fccrctary, he was made lord cham-
berlain Sept- 1(574, with this public reafon given, that it was in
confuieration of his long and faithful fervice, particularly in the
execution of his office of principal fecretary of (late, for the
fpace of twelve years [r]. Soon after, he made a frpfli trial for
recovering the king's confidence [s], by offering to go over to
Holland with the earl of Oflbry.: he tokl the king that he did
not <iOubt l>ut he could bring the prince of Orange into an entire
xJepen<lence on his uncle, and in particular difpofe him to a
general peace; on which the kiog was much fet^jt bei«g earneftjy
defired by France. It was likL^'wife believed tliat he had orders
to give the prince hopes of marrying the duke of York's daughter,
Mady Mary, whom he afterwards did marry. This journey proved
altogether unfuccefsful (^tJ 5 and his credit was fo much funk,
that
[p] He wa« brought off by ihc per-
fonal friendfhip of a noble pcrfon nearly
•Hied to hini, viz. the earl of OfTory,
dded {9n to the duk.e of Ormond. and
mairied to Aalington's wife's fiOier, and
then the mod popular man of his iji>aliey
in Englan<i, who ftood* for 6ve days that
the debate lafted» in the lobby of the houfe
of oommnnst and follicitedthe members in
his favour, as ihey entered the houfc :
This brought over fome of the moft vio-
lent men on the other iide, and induced
others to attend who might probably have
declined it. Carre's life ot the duke of
Ormond. Hirtoryofthe reign of Charles U.
Bioi^raph Brit.
[<^J BiOiop Burnet teJIs us, that, af-
ter iigning the treaty at the lord Ar-
lington's office, the king came up imme-
diately into the drawing- ioom, where fee-
ing Rouvigny, the frc*nch ambalfador, he
took him atidc, and toM h'm he had been
.doing a thing that went more againit his
heart than loiing his right hand. He h al
Tigucd a peace with the Dutch. He faw no-
thing could content the houfc of com'^ions,
or draw money from them : and lord Ar-
lington had prefTed him fo hard, that he
f.ad l^oud out till he was weary of his life.
He faw it was im^oirible for him to carry
4)n the war without fupplies ; of which it
wus plain he coUid have no hopes. The
bithop farther tells us, t hut Arlington, who
)ud bruught about the peace, •' was fa en-
tirely loft by it, that tliougl) he 'ko£w 100
nuich of the fecrct to be ill ufed, yet he
could never recover the ground ht fa»d
loft."
[a] Dujdalc's Baronage, vol. iii.p.4S2.
[»J I'mby having fuccecded lord Clif-
ford in the office ot lord high- trtafu rer,
which had ever been the height of lord
Arlington's ambition, the latter had co».
ccived an implacable hatred againft him^
and uftd his utmoft efforts to fupp4aot hira,
Vut in vain. Arlingtoo had i ike wrfie loft
the {iifc£tIonof th« duke 6( York, bv advi»
ling his being fent from court. Burnet,
Hiit. of hisuwn times, vol. i. p. ^9^ ^.
[t] Sir William Temple tells vs, that
the peniionary de Witt and count Waldeelc
perceived that Arlington's bent was to draw
the prince into fuch meafures of a peace
as Fiance then fo much de6red; into a
difcovcry of thofe pcrfons who had made
advances to the prince or the ftatea of
railing commotions in England during die
late war; into fecret meafures with the
king, of aififting him againft any rebels at
home, as well as enemies abroad ; and into
liopes or dciigns of a match with the duke's
eldcft daughter. But the prince would
not enter at all into the UtiI, was oh/ii-
nate againft the fecond, treated the third
as difrefpe«?t t« the king, to think that he
(hould be Co lU-belovcd, or fo imprudent
to need it; and upon mention made by
lord Oflory of the iaft, lie took 00 fur«
3 tkRr
fe6i B E N N £ T.
that fcvcral perfons at court took the liberty to aft artd mimltf
his pcrfon and behaviour, as had been formerly done againll thd
lord chancellor Clarendon ; and it became a common jeft for
fome courtier to put a black patch upon his nofe, and ftrut
about with a white ftaff in his hand, in order to make the king
merry. The king^s coldnefs, or perhaps difpieafure, is believed
to have proceeded from Arlington's late turning towards the
popu ir ftream, and more cfpecially his outward proceedings
againft the papifts, when the court believed him to be one in-
wardly himfclf. Neverthelefs, he was continued in his office
and the privy council in all the changes ic underwent } and at
his majefty's deceafe, king James confirmed him in his office of
chamberlain, which he held to the day of his death, July 28,
t685» liy his lady Ifabella, daughter to Lewis dc NaiVau, lord
Bevcrwaert, he had one daughter Ifabella, who married, Auguft i,
16-2, Henry earl of Euftun, fon to king Charles II. by the
duchefs of Cleveland, created afterwards duke of Grafton.
•• He was, according to bilhop Hurnet, a proud man i his
parts were folid but not quick ; he had the art of obfervlng the
king's temper, and managing it» beyond all ti^e men of that time.
He was believed a papitt, he had once pr-^feifcd it, and when he
died, he again reconciled himfelf to tliat church : yet, in the
whole courfe of his miniftry, he feemed to have made it .a
maxim, that the king ought to fliew no favour to popery, but
that his whole affairs would be fpoiled, if ever he turned that
way ', which made the papifts become his mortal enemies, and
accufe him as an apoftate, and the betrayer of their interefts."
BENNET (Dr. Thomas)> an engli(h divine, was born at
Ralifbury May 7, 1673 ["J* I'rom the free (bhool in that'city
he was removed to St. John^s college, Cambridge, where he
took his degrees in arts, and afterwards became a fellow of the
cher hold of it, than faying, that his for- had dooe« and fo contrary to at) the endi
tunes were not in a ccndilion for him to which the author ot it propolcd to himfetf.
think of a wife. Temple's works* vol. i. Inftead of advancing the peace, he letc it
^. 397. We are informed by Burret, that dcfperate ; tutlcad of eibbli(hiog a friend-*
lord Arlington talked to the prince in the Ihip between the king and the prince, he
^rain of a governor, and feemed to pre- left all colder than he found ir ( iniiead of
fume too much on his youth and want of entering into great peifoiial carfidence and
experience; but, inftead of prevailing on friendihip wtth the prince> he lett un un*
)iim« loft him entirely, (o that all hiii en- kindnefs which lafted ever after; int^ead
d^avours afterwards could not beget any of retrieving his own credit at court*
confidenct in him. The lord Arlington which he found waining by the increafe
(fayt Temple), after his return, was re- of lord Danby's, he made an end ol all
ceivcd but coldly by the king, nod ill by that he had lett with the king, who never
the duke^ who was angry that any men- afterwards ufed him with .my confijetice
tron (hould be made of his daughter the further than the forms of his place, knd
lady Mary, though it wat only done by the fovnd alfothe lord treaiu^er's credit with the
lord Offory, and whether with order from kingmoic advmced in fix week< which he
the king or not was not known ; fo that had been awiy, than it had in many months
sever any ftrain of court ikill and contri- before. Tempi?''* works} vol. i. p. 398.
vtoce fucceeded fo unlci lunatciy as thii [u] Gen. Didt.
5 college.
B E N N E T/ 263
eollcge. Itt 1699 ^^ publxflicd " An anfwer to the diflcntcrs '
plea for reparation, or an abridgment of the London cafes."
The following ycat, taking a journey to vifit his friend Mr.
John Rayne, reftor of iSt. James's in Colchcfter, and finding
him dead, he preached his funeral fermon, with which tlie inha-
bitants were fo highly pleafed, that they warmly recommended
him to Compton bifliop of London, wno thereupon prefented
him to that living. The other livings in the town being very
indifferently provided for, he was extremely followed, and his
alfiftance deflred upon all occafions -, fo that he was minifler
not only of one parifli, but even in a manner of the whole
town. The fame year he publifhed at Cambridge his •* Confuta-
tion of popery [x]." In 1702 he publiflied a tra£V relative to-
the Separation of the difl'enters, intituled, " A difcourfe of
Schifm [t]." This book being animadverted upon by Mr. Shep*
herd, one of the diffenting miniflers to whom it was addrcfTed '
by way of letter, he publifhed an anfwer to Mr. Shepherd, in-
tituled, " Devotions [z].*' In 1705 he printed at Cambridge!
his " Confutation of quakerifm," and in j 708 ** A brief hiftory ^
of the joint ufe of precompofed fet forms of prayer [a]/* In'
this year likcwife came abroad his difcourfe of Joint Prayers |]b]»
Ifi('l76pTic publiftied in 8vo his Paraphrafe with annotations
upon tnc book of common prayer. In this treatife he obfervcs,
that the ufmg of the morning prayer, the litany, and com-
munion fcrvice, at one and the fame time in one continued or-*
[s J It was divided into three parts.- joined in any prayers but preoompoTcd feC
I, The controverfy concerning the rule of forms only.' e.Thatthofe precompofeA
faiih is dctcimineJ. a. The particular fet forms, in which iheyjoioedf were fuch
do^rlnes of the church cf Rome are con- ai the refpec^ive congregations were at«
fated. 3. The popifh objc^ions againft cuftomed to, and thoroughly acquainted
tU« church of England are anfwered* A with, j- That their practice warrants
paflage in the fixit part of this difcourfe the impofition of a national precompofed ,
ihews, that, Mr Bennet did not confider liturgy. To this crcattfe he has annexed
the authority of the aniieut fathers as at ** A difcourie of the gift of prayer," the
all neceilary or decifive in controveriies of inieot ot which b to (hew» that what the
religion. diiTeuters^nean by the gift of prayer, vis,
fv] Shewing, i. What is meant by a faculty ot conceiving prayers extern jtore,
Ichifm. 2. That fchifm is adamnable (in. is not comprifed in fcripiure.
>. That there is a fchifm between the [a] In this piece he (hews, r. What
etUblifhed church of England and the dif- it meant by joint prayer. 2. Th<it the
fenters. 4. That this fvhifm is to be joint ufe of prayers conceived extempore*
•barged on the diflentert fifle. 5. Th;ic hinders devotion, and con&quently diC--
the modern pretences of toleration, agree- pleafes God ; whefeas ihe jomiufe of fuch
saent in fundamentals* ice. will not ex- precompoftd fet torms, as the congrega-
cufe the diflcnters from being guilty of tion is accuAomed to, and thoroughly ac**
irhifm. quaintcd wiih, does efedually promote ae-
[z] vis. Confeffions, Petitions, Inter-^ voiiun,/attd confe^uemly is commanded by
ccfiions, and Thankfgiviogs, for every day God. 3. That the lay diffcnicrs aie ob-.
of the week, and alfo before, at, and after liged, upon their own principles, to abhor
the facrament. with occaGonal prayers for the prayers ofl'ered in their feparate af-
»Xl perfons whatfoever. fiemblies, and to join in communtun with
[a] In which he endeavours to fhew« the ct^abliibed church. This tr<'atife was
!• That the aotient Jews, our Saviour, his animadvciUd upon in fetreral pieces.
«^oftlc<« and Uic primiiivc chriltians ^ never ,
S 4 der,
264 BEN NET.
d^r, ifi contrary to the firft intention and prajiice of the chutclu.
The next piece he made public was a fermon recommending
charhy-fchools, preached at St. James's church in Colchefter,
March io> 1710, and publifhed at the requeft of the truftees. -
The fame year he wrote a letter to Mr. B. Robinfon, occafioncd
by his review of the cafe of liturgies and their impofition : and
fqon after, a fecond letter upon the fame fubjeft. The year fol-
lowing he fent abroad his " Rights of the clergy in the chri-
ft^an church," wherein he aflerts, that church authority is not
derived from the people, that the laity have no divine right to
elcck the clergy> nor to choofc their own particubr paftors.
About this time he took the degree of doclor in dlvimty. In
171 1 he publiflied at London his " L^ire6tions for ftudying,
r* A general fyftem of divinity. 2. The thirty-nine articles ^
to which is added, St. Jerome's epiflle to Nepotianus. The
fame year was pubiifhed his " Eflay on the thirty- nine articles
of religion, agi'ced on in 1562, and revifcd in J 57 1 [c]. Before
the publication of this book he found it necefTary to leave Col-
chefter. The otl^r livings being filled up with men of merit
afid charaSer, in which he was highly inllrumental, his large
ccmgregation and his fubfcriptions, which amounted to near
30oUa year, fell ofFfo, that the income of his two livings of St.
James and St. Nicholas did not amount to 60I. VVhereforC he
removed to London^ and was appoiuted deputy-chaplain to
Chelfea hoipital under Dr. Cannon. Soon after happening to
preach the funeral fermon of his friend Mr. Erington, le£lurcr
of St. Olave in Southwark, it was fo highly approved of by that
pliri{h> that he was unanimoufly chofen lecSlurcr without the
l^aft Tollicitation. We find him in 1715 morning preacher at
St. Lawrence Jewry ; and foon after he was prefentcd by the
dean and chapter of St. Paul's ro the vicarage of St. Giles,
Cripplegate, worth near 500I. a year. Whilft in this Ration,
He was engaged in feveral expcnfive law-fuits in defence of the
rights of that church, to which he recovered 150I. per annum.
In 1716 he pubiifhed a pamphlet intituled, " The nonjurors
feparation from the public aflemblies of the church of England^
examined, and proved to be fchifmatical upon their own prin-
ciples i" and the " Cafe of the reformed cpifcopal churches in
(^reat Poland and Foli(h Pruflia, in a fermon preached at St.
Lawrence Jewry in the morning, and at St. Olave's, Southwark,
in the afcernoon [dj •,'* two editions of which were pubiifhed^
the*
[c] The text btinp firft exhihired io genuine ? and the cafe of fuSfcriptvon to
latin and engli(h} aud the minutcft Taria- the articles is confidered irt point of law,
tlonsof c.fThreen of the moft antient and hiftory And confcience, with a prefatory
authentic copies carefully noted, an ac-> epiftle to Anthony CoUint« efq. wherein
count is given of the proceedings of convo-' the egregious falfhoods of the author of
cation in forming artd fettling the text of *• Prieftcrafi in perfcttion" arc expofed.
the articles t the cotftrbverted' claufe of ' [d] This was occafioncd by a book in«
the twentieth article it demooftrated to be titultd, **' A collcftion Df-papert> writtea
f * * * by
B E N N E T. 265
the fame year. In 1 717 he pubiiflied a 'fpital fermon before the
lord mayor, aldermenf See. of London. And in 17 18 came
abroad his '' Difcourfe of the ever blefled trinity in unity, with
an examination of Dr. Clarke's fcripture do£lrine of the tri-
|iity[EJ"; in which he treats Dr. Clarke with great decency
and civility. In 1726 he publifhed a Hebrew Grammar £fj«
He died of aa apoplexy at London, 0£lober the 9th, 172^*
%ed 55.
BENNET (Christopher), mws born in ^'omcrfet^lire about
1617, and educated at Lincoln college, Oxford, where he was
entered a commoner in 1632 [g3« Having taken both his degrees
in arts, he entered upon the phyfic line, and afterwards was
eletSled a fellow of the college of phyficians in London, where
he praftifed with fuccefs. He died iu April 1655. His writ-*
ings are, " Theatri tabidorum veftibulum. £xercitationes dia-
gnofticae' cam hiftoriis demonftrativis, quibiis alimentorum et
Sanguinis vitia deteguntur in plerifque morbis." He alfo cor-
reded ^nd enlanged Dr. Moufet's treatife intituled. Health's
improvement.
BENNET (RoB£RT, B. D.). He had his education at Oxford,
and wfts prcfented by Lord Wharton to the reftory of Waddef^
den in the county of Buckingham, where he continued till he
was eje6led for nonconformity in it>6z. He afterwards fettled
at Aylefbury, where he preached privately to a fmall congrega-
tion, and from thence removed to Reading, where he died in
J 68 7. He was author of an excellent work intituled ** A the-
plogicai concordance of the fynonymous words in fcripture.
b]r the late R. R. George Hickes, D. D. madverted upon by Thomas Emlyiii in «
1716,'* in which ihc church of England piece pubiiflied in lyrS, intituled* ** Dr.
\^as charged with heiefy, fchifm, perjury, Dennet's new theory of the trinity e«-
and treafon. Dr. Bennet's trad proved, mined, or fome coniideratioas oo his dif.
however, unfitis factory to many perfons ; courfe of the ever bletTed trinity in unity,
and fev:ral repiie's were made to it, parti- and his examination of Dr. Clarke's fcrip-
cularly in a pamphlet intituled, "The turedo^rine of the trinity/* It was alfo
Kayman's vindication of the church of replied to in another trad, printed ia
England, as well againft Mr. Howell's 1 7 1 q, under the title of ** A modcft plea
charge of fchifm, as againft Dr. Bennet's for the bapdfmal and fcriptural notions of
pretended anfwer to it;*' and another, the trinity ; wherein the fch ernes of the
dated <)d. the ltd, 1716, and intituled, reverend Drs. Bennctand Clarke are com.
'* Or. Bennet's concedions to the nonju- pared, by Mr. John Jackfon, redtor o£'
rors, proved to be dellruftive to the caufe Roflingion in Yorkfliire."
which he endeavours to defend, as they [f] ** The title is Thorn* Bennet, S.
Aake the nonjurors to be catholics, and T. P. GrammaticaHebrza, cum uberrima
his own communion to be fchifmatical ; ia Praxi, in ufum Tironum qui linguam He*
a letter to a friend, Lond. 1717," in 8vo. braeam :ibrque praeceptoris viva voce Hd*
Mr. J:imes Pierce, an eminent diflentin^ que in breviflimo tern ports compendioje*
sniniller, wrote likewife *' A letter to Dr. difcere cupiunt. Accedit confilium dc
Benneti occa(|oned by his late treatife con- Audio prsecipuarum linguarum orientali.
cerning the nonjurors feparation,'* ^c. um, Hcbrairae, fcil. Chaldxx, Syro-Sama*
dated at Exeter, Nov. the ijthy 1716, rxtanae, et Arabic9| inditueodo et perii«
ftod printed in 1 7 1 7. ciendo. "
Qej This difcourfe was afterwards aoi. [g] Biogr.Brit.
JiENOIT
±66 BENSERADE.
BENOIT (Elie), a learned minifter of the reformed churchy
bom at Paris in the year 164c, and fled to Holland on the rcvo-
otion 6f the edi£l of Nantes. Here he was clefted paftor of
tlie church of Delft, and died in 1728. He left many writings
highly efteemed : i. Hiftoirc ct apologie de la retraite des paf-
tcur^> a caufe de la perfecution de France, 1688, i2mo. 2. Hif-
foire de Tedit de Nantes, in 5 vols. 4ro, Delft, 1693. This is
2ja excellent work, but very much decried by the papifts. 3. Me-
langes de rcmarques critiques, hiftoriques, &c. on two diflcrta-
tk>ns of Toland, 1712, 8va. Benoit, after being forced to fly
his country, was not more happy in Holland* He had a wife,
in comparifon of whom that of Socrates was
Mild as light, and ibft as evening gales.
Ijet ns fee the portrait he draws of her in one of his manufcript
memorandums : -Uxorem duxi • . . • , vitiis omnibus qux conju*
gi pacem amanti gravia cflTc poflunt, implicita : avara, procax^
jurgiofa, inconflans et varia indefcfla contradicendi libidine, per.
annos quadraginta-feptem miferum conjugera omnibus diris af-
fecit. As to the temper of the hufband 5 he was patient, timid^
fond of quiet, clofe and diligent in his literary labours : though
ready to contract friend (liip, he was not fuccefsful in the choice
ef his friet.d^. He has been accufed of -avarice j but unjuftly :
the humour of his wife proceeding to the moft fordid extreme of
niggard linefs, obliged him to reprcfs his inclination to liberality.
BENSERADE (Isaac DE)^a frcnch poet of the lad century,,
horn at Lyons, near Roan. He was born but not educated a
protcftant, his father having turned catholic when he was very
voung. When Henferade was about fevcn or eight years of age^
he went to be confirmed ; the bifhop who performed the certn
mony aflwed him " If he was not willing to change his name of
liaac,. for one more chriftian/* " With all my heart," replied
he, " provided 1 get any thing by the exchange.'* '1 he biihop,
fnrprifed at fuch a ready anfwer, would not change his name.
** Let his name be li'aac lUll," bid he, " for whatever it is, he
will become famous [h]." fcenfcradc loft his father when he.
^as very young y and being left with little fortune, and this much
involved in law, he chofe rather to give it up than fue for it.
We have been lold by fomc authors, that he was related to car-
dinal Richelieu, and that the cardinal took care of his educa^
tion^ it is certain however that Benfcradc foon became famous
at court for his wit ^m\ poetry, and that Richelieu granted him
Ik pcufion, which was coutinued till the death of this cardinal ^
diid it is probable that Bcnfcrade would have found the fame
[h] Vicfjice of M» khhi Talkmaut to Bcaferade'i works, Paris 1697.
prote£liOti
B E N S E R A D E. 267
prt)tc£lion in the duchefs of Aiguillon, if the followitig fonr
VerfeSy which he made on the death of the cardiaalj had not
given her great offence :
*' Cy gill, oui gift, par U mort-bIeu» Here lies, alas t 'tis true*
l.e canlinal dc Richelico ; Good cardinal de Richelieu ! •
Etce qni nud moo eunuy» But what in truth dilturbi me moft
Ma pciiiioa avec luy. *^ Is, that with him my per4fian*s loft.
After the death of Richelieu, he got into favour with the duke
de Breze, whom he accompanied in mod of his expeditions^
and when this nobleman died, he returned to court, where his
poetry became highly elleemedfij. We are told in one of
Collar's letters to the marchionefs de Lavardin, that Benferade
was named envoy to Chridina, queen of Sweden j it is certain^
however, that he never went in this employment 5 hence the
humorous Scarron thus dates an epidle of his to the countefs
de Fiefque :
L'an que le Sicur de Benferade
N'alla point a Ton dmbafTade.
. • Benferade had furprifing fuccefs in what he compofed for
7 the king's interludes. There was quite an original turn in thefc
' compofitions, \yh?ch charad'terlzed at once the poecical divinities,
and the perfons wlio reprefented them. " With the defcription
I of the gods and other perfonages," fays the author of the Re.-*
cueil de bons contes, fuppofed to be M* de Calliere, ** who were
.reprefented in thefe interludes, he mixed lively pidures of the
courtiers who reprefented them* He therein often difcovered
their inclinations, attachments, and even their moft fecret ad-
l ventures ; but in fo agreeable, fo delicatej and fo concealed a
j manner, that thofe who were rallied were the firft who were
' pleafed at it^ and his jefts left no refentment or concern in their
minds, which is a mark of their pcrfedion." Tlic fonnet which
Benferade fent to a young lady, with his paraphrafe on Job, ren-
dered his name very famous. A parallel was drawn betwixt it
and the Ufania of Voiture ; and a difpute thence arofc, which
divided the wits, and the whole court. Thofe who gave the
preference to that of Benferade were ftyled the Jobifts, and their
antagonifts the Uranifls. The prince of Conti declared himfclf
a Jobift. " The one fonnet," faid he, meaning; that of Voiture,
•* is more grand and itniihed } but'l would rather have been the
author of the other [k]." Benferade %vrote Rondeaux upon
Ovid, fome of which are reckoned tolerable, but upon the whole
{1] Nicer, torn. xiv. I jtion of Juvenal. Menagiana, p* 189. 2i
kJ Tartaron prefat. ttpift^ CO his Uuf- Holi. edic Hillgirc de 1' Acad.
ihey
a68 3 E N S O N.
llicy arc not much eftcj?mcd. He applied himfelf to vorks of
pictjr fomc years before his death, and tranllated alrooft all tte
Pfalms. M. L'Abbc Olivet fays, that Bcnferade towards the
tatter end of his life withdrew from court, and made Gentilly
the place of his retirement. When he was a youth, he fays, it
was the cuftom to vifit the remains of the ornaments, with
which Bcnferade had embelliflied his houfe and gardens, where
every thing favoured of his poetical genius. The barks of the
trees were full of infcriptions, asd amongft others he rcm«n)«>
bers the firft which prcfentcd itfclf was as follows ;
Adieu fortune, hoTineurs, adieu tpous ct Ics votrci,
Jc vicns ici vous oublier ;
Adien roi-m6me amoitr, bicn plus que le« autrrt
Difficile ^ congedier.
Fortune and bonours all adieu.
And wbatfoe'er belonga to you.
I to this retirement run,
All your vanities to (hun ;
Thou too adieu, o powerful love! ^
From thee 'tis hardeft to remove.
Mr. Voltaire is of opinion that thcfe infcriptions were the
heft of his productions, and he regrets that they have not been
col led ed.
Bcnferade fuffered at lad fo much from the ftonc, that, nob-
withftanding his great age, he refolved to fubmit to the opera-
tion of cutting. But his conftancy was not put to this lal^
proof ; for a furgcon letting him blood, by way of precaution,
pricked an artery, and, inflead of endeavouring to ttop the cfFu-
'fion of bJood, ran away : there was but juft time to call F. Conv
mire, his friend and* confeflbr, who came foon enough to fee
him die. This happened Oft. 19, 1690.
BENSON (Georck), a learned and eminent diflenting
teacher, was born at Great Salkeld in Cumberland, September
1699 [t]. He wa^ early deftined by his parents for the chri-
ftian miniftry, on account of the ferioufncfs of his difpofition
and his love of learning ; which was fo ftrong and fuccefsfui,
that at eleven years of age he was able to read the greek tefta-
tncnt. After iinidnng his grammar learning, he went to an
academy kept by Dr. Dixon at Whitehaven, from whence lie
removed to Glafgow ; where, with great application and fuccefs,
he purfued his lludies until ?vlay 1711, when he left the univer-
fity. Towards the dole of the year he came to London j and
having been examined and approved by feveral of the moft emi^
ncnt prelbytcrian miniilcrs, he began to preach •, firft at Chcrt-
[lJ Aroory*s memoirs of the liic, cbara^r, and wrktngt of Dr. Bcnfon .
BENSON. 26^
fty, and aftejcwards in London. The learned Df . Calarhy was
his great friend, and kindly took him for a time into his family.
By this gentleman's recommendation he went to Abingdon m
Berkfliire ; where, after preaching as a candidate, he was una-*'
nimoufly chofcn their pallor, by the congregation of proteftant
diflentcrs in that town. During his ftay here, which was about
Icvcn years, he preached and publiflied tliree feriaus prkdical
difcourfes, addreifed to young perfons ; which were well re-
ceived. But he afterwards uippreiTcd them, as not teaching
what he thought on further enquiry the exact truth, in relation
to fome do£lrines of chriftianity. In 1729 he received a call
from a fociety of proteftant difTenters in Southwark, among
whom he laboured with great diligence and fidelity for eleven
Jcars, and was greatly beloved by them. In 1 740 he was chofen
y the congregation at Crutched Friars, colleague to the learned
and judicious Dr. Lardner ; and when infirmities obliged Dr.
Lardner to quit the fervice of the churchy the whole care of it
devolved on him.
From the time of his engaging in the miniftry, he feems ta.
have propofed to himfelf the critical ftudy of the fcriptures, andf.
particularly of the New Teftament, as a principal part of hi^
Dufmefs ) and to have purfued the difcovery of the facred truth*
it contained, with uncommon diligence and fidelity. The fifft
fruit of thefe ftudies which he prefentcd to the public was> A
defence of of the reafonablencfs of Prayer, with A tranflation of
a difcourfe of Maximus Tyrius, containing fomc popular ob-
jb£ltons ttgainft prayer, and an anfwer to thefe. Some time
after this, he manifefted his love to moderation aiid chriltian li-
berty, and his averfion to perfccution, by whomfocvcr pra£lifed ^
by extra£ling from the Memoirs of Literature, and reprinting
lir. de la Roche's account of tlie perfecution and burning of
Scrvetus by Calvin, with fuch refleftions as were proper to ex-
pofe the injuftice and inconfiftence of this condu£t in that re-
former ; and to prevent its bJing employed to countenance a likft
tamper and conduit hereafter. To this he afterwards addcd^
^ defence of the account of Servetus ; and A brief account of
archbifliop Laud's cruel treatment of Dr. Leighton. About the
fame time, to guard chriftians againft the corruptions of popcry»
and to prevent their being urged by the deifts as plaufible ob-
jections againft chriftianity; he publiflied A diffcrtatiod on
aThefll ii. vcr. 1 — 12. In illuftrating die obfervations of the
learned Jofeph Mede» he ihewed thefe grofs corruptions of th©
heft rtligten to have been exprcfsly foretold, and chrlftfan^jr
Strongly cautioned againft them '; and that, in this view, they
were among the evidences of the divine authority of the (ci'ipn
twes \ as riiey proved thfe facred writers to have been infpired
by a divine fpiiit, which Could alone clearly foretcl events i'(>
dillant.
tjo B E N T H A M.
dBftant, contingent, and unlikely. The light which Mr. Locke,
bait thrown on the obfcurefl: parts of St. raul's epiftlc, by niik-.
Big him his own expofitor, cncouragetl and determined Mr. Bcn-
fon to attempt an illuftration of the remaining epiftles in the
fane manner. In 1731 he publiflied A paraphrafe and notes
TO the cpiftle to Philemon, as a fpecimen. • This was well re-
ceived, and the author encouraged to proceed in his defign.
With the cpiftle to Philemon, was publiflied, A fliort diflcrta-
tion, to prove from the fpirit and fentiments of tlie apoftle,
tlifcovcred in his epiftles, that he was neither an ertthnfiaft nor
ifnpollor j and confequently that the religion, which he aflcrted
Be received immediately from heaven, and confirmed by a va-
riety of miracles, is indeed divine. This argument hath fince
Irecn improved and illuftrated, with great delicacy and ftrength,
in a review of the apoftle's entire condudl and charaftcr, by
lord Lyttelton. Mr. Benlbn proceeded with great diligence
and reputation to publifh Paraphrafes and Notes on the two
epiftles to the Theflalonians, the firft and fecond to Timothy,
and the epiftle to Titus -, adding, DiiTertationd on feveral im«
jjortant fubiefls, particularly on infpiration.
In 1775 he publiftied a Hiftory of the firft planting of chri-
ftlanity, taken from the A£ls of the apoftlcs and their Epiftles,
in a vols. 4to. In this work, befides illuftrating throughout the
kiftory of the A£ls, and moft of the Epiftles, by an hUloticai
iriew of the times •, the occafion of the feveral epiftles, and the
ftate of the churches to whom they v/ere addreiTed ; he efta*
Wiflied the truth of the cliriftian religjon on a number of fafts,
tlie moft public, important, and inconteftable. Thefe works
procured hirti great reputation. One of the univerfities in Scot-
land fcnt him a diplom:i with a doctov^s degree ; and many of.
high rank in the cftaMilhcd church, as Herring, Hoadly, Butler,
Bcnfon, Conybeare, &c. ftiewed him great marks of favour and
regard, He purfued the fame ftudies with great application
and fuccefs till the time of his dcath| which happened IJ^^^ ^^
the 64th' vear of his age [mJ.
' B^NTHAM (EowARn), canon of Chrift-church, Oxford;
and king's profeflbr of divinity in that univcrfity, was born in
the college at Ely, July 23, 1707 [n]. His father, Mr. Samuel^
Bcntham, was a very worthy clergyman, and vicar of Witch-
ford, a fmall living near that city 5 who having a numerous fa-
■fw] His worlcj, bcHdas thofc a!ready offcrmons on feveral important fubjcftt.
mfntioned, are, 1. A paraphraffc and noies ;. The hiitoryof th« lit« of Jefiis Chrifty.
«ii the feven catholic cpUUcs \ to which taken from the New Teitainent{ with oh-
fre annexea, feveral critical difTeitations, fcrvations and re fle£^ioni proper to illuf*
4to. t. The reafonaMenrfs of the chri- trate the excellence of his chara^er, and
ftian reli^iod, ac delivered ia the fcrip. the dWinityofhis miflionand religioo.
furei, in twpvolf. ^vo. 3. A collet ion [n] Abridged from Dr. Ki|)pis, iu Bi-
ff i^ads agaiuft perfeiuliou'.^A. A volume og. Brit«
imljr.
BENTHAM. tft
iDil/, bis fon Edw«rdy on «.he recpmmendatioQ of Dr. Smalrldge^
(dean of Chrid-church) was fent in 1717 to the fchool of t^(
/college. . Having there received tlie rudiments ef claOita! cd<v-
facioni he was in Lent term 1723) when nearly 16 years of agc^
admitted of the univerfity of Oxford, and placed at CorpuSr !
Chriili college under his relation Dr. John Burton« jln this fi- '
tuation, his ferlous and regular deport men t^ and hia gi^e^t profit
ciency in all kinds of academical learning, recommended him to
the notice of fereral eminent men ) and, among others, to the
favour of Dr. Tanner, canon of Chrift-church, by whofe de^th
he was disappointed of a nomination to a iludentfhip in that fo*
cjcty. /vt Corpus-Chrifti college he formed adrifk frieudihip
with Robert Hoblyn, efq. of Nanfwydden in Cornwall, aftcr^
wards reprefentativc for the city of Briftolj whofp charafier, as
a fchoiar and a member of parliament, rendered him defervedly
.efteemcd by thq lovers of literature ^nd of their country* la
company with thift geiitleman and another intimate friend, Dr«
Katcliff, after'vards mafter of Pembroke college, Mr. Benthao^
made, at diifcrent times, the tour of part of France, and otlier
places. Having taken the degree of B. A. he w|is invited bf
Dr. Cotes, principal of IVlagt]^len-h<^l,.to b|^ his. YJcc-principalii
and was accordingly admitted to that . fpqictys , M^rck ^» '73*^
Here he continued only a iliort tira^ ; for, pn;fhe^3d,of April
in tlie year following, he was dtOctd JcUa^-iOi Oriel callegcv
In a£I term, 1732, he proc.^eded to the d^gip^ qf M. A. aa^^
about the fame time, was apppiut^d. %^t(^ i^.-tl|e'coU€g§',.i#
which capacity he difchar[^ldirisduty^ix;illie nM)il laU^iQusan^
confcientious manner, for niore tlian c\fency years. March 2^
1743, Mr. Bcnthara took the degree of B; P,. j and. April 2i^
iti tlic Lmc year, was. colhtcd to the prcb^di^f JJpndretcn,'i|i
die cathedral church of Hereford. July p, if^^y he. procaeded
ro the degree of D. D. ; • and in ApriJr^JS^ w^fypfpmQtcd to tho
.fifth ilall in that cathedral. Horerh^q^iti.^i)^- t)i9iAHine a<3,ivfi
land ufcful courfe of life for which he Jud- •alifayil^, ^et^.ditlin-
fuiihed. He fervcd the offices, of, fvib-dc?n,rftn^ tre'iftirer, for
Imfelf and others, above twelve years..* The,f^iijiir*-of the trea*-
fury, which Dr. Bcntham found in great [copfufipn, he entirely
*ncw modelled, and put into a train/4" bijfiuiiefe in which they
have continued ever fmce, to thg^gr^'at cafe, of hiS/fMCceiTors,
and benefit of the fociety. ;.So ii^jcnt waii he; upon' the re^guk*-
tion and management of tlie concerns of the college, that he
refufcd feveral preferments whigh were pfiere^lhim,fFom.a cpor
fcientious perfuafion that the avqcations |hey would- prod u$;p
were incompatible with the proper .difct^arjs^e. of .,th^,ctfi)C<;8 h^
had voluntarily undertaken. Beii,!Lg app^n^ed ;by,tj^Qf iking* 19
fill the divinity chair, vacant by the dqpth;pf Dr. F>M>ftiawo,
Dr« Bentliam was» }^'iih much relu^npc,. an^ ^ft^r |v;|ving rj^
i peatedly
«7a ft E N T H A M.
^tedlf declined it, perfaaded, by atchbiifhop Seeker iind liil
other learned friends, to accept of it; and^ on the 9th of May,
1763, he was remoTcd to the 8th ftall in the cathedral, ftis
4ttnwiIKngiiefs to appear in this ftation wns increafed by the bu*
jinefs he had to tranfa£t in his former Gtuation, and which he
'Was afraid would be impeded by the acceflion of new duties :
not to fay that a life fpent in his laborious and fedentary man*
ner had produced fome unfavourable efFcfts on his conlHtution,
tnd rendered a greater attention than he had hitherto (hewn to
private eafe and health, abfolutely neceflary. Befides, as the
dutiesi when properly difcharged, were great and interefting,
fo the ftation itfelf was of that elevated and public nature to
which his ambition never inclined him: latere maluit atque
prodeiie. The diffidence he had of his abilities had ever taught
him to fufpeft his own fufficiency 5 and his inauguratory lefture
breathed the fame fpirit, the text of which was, " Who is fuf-
ficient for thefe things ?" But whatever objeftions Dr. Bentham
might have to the profefTorfliip before he entered upon it, when
once he had accepted of it, he never fufFered them to difcourage
bim in the leaft from exerting his mod fincere endeavours to
render it both ufeful and honourable to the univerfity. He fet
himfelf immediately to draw out a courfe of Icftures tor the be-
«efit of young ftudents irt divinity, which he conftantly read at
bis houfe at Chrift-church, gratis^ three times a week during
^erm-timC) till his dcceafe. ^fhe courfe took up a year ; and he
»ot only exhibited in it a complete fyftem of divinity, but re-
<ommended proper books, fome of which he peneroufly diftri-
biited to his auditor:^. His intenfe application to the purfuit of*
che plan he had laid down, together with thofe concerns in
which his affeflion for his friends^ and his zeal for the public
good in every ihapc, involved him, proved more than a counter-
balance for all the advantages of health and vigour that a ftri^fc
and uniform temperance could procure. It is certain that he
•funk under the rigorous exercife of that conduft he had propofed
to hirtTfclf : for though 68 years are a confiderable proportion
in the ftrongeft men's lives, yet his remarkable abftemioufne{»
and felf-dcnial, added to a difpoGtion of body naturally ftrong,
promifed, in the ordinary courfe of things, a longer period. Dr.
Bentham was a very early rifer, and had tranfadcd half a day's
^ufinefs before many others begin their day. His countenance
Was uncommonly mild and engaging, being ftrongly charafte-
Tiftic of the piety and benevolence of his mind ; and at the
fame time it by no means wanted expreflion, but, upon proper
occafions, could aflume a very becoming and afle£linp^ autho-
rity. In his attendance upon the public duties of religion, he
Was exceedingly ftri£k and conftant -, not fufiering himfelf ever
^p be diverted from it by any motives, cither of intercft or
2. pleafurCr
fi E N T H A M. 273
Jpil^afure. Whilft he was thus diligent in the difcharge of his
own duty, he was not fevere upon thofe who were not equally
fo in theirs. He could fcarcely ever be prevailed upon to deliver
his opinion upon fubje£ls that were to the difadvantage of other
inen ; and when he could not avoid doing it, his fentiments
were exprefltd with the utmoft delicacy and candour. No one
was more ready to difcover, commend, and reward every meri-^
toriotts endeavour. Of himfelf he never was heard to fpeak ;
and if his own merits were touched upon in the flighted man->
ner, he felt a real uneafniefs. Though he was not fond of the
formalities of vifiting, he entered into the fpiric of friendly fo-
ciety and intefcourfe with great pleafure* His c'onflant engage^
inents, indeed, of one kind or other, left him not much time to
be devoted to company; and the greater part of his leifure
hours he fpent in the enjoyment of domeftic pleafures, for
which his amiable and peaceable difpofition feemed moft calcu-
lated.
Till within the laft half-year of his life, in which he de«
clined very faft, Dr. Bentham was fcarcely ever out of order i
and he was never prevented from difcharging his duty, except-
ing by weaknefs that occafionally attacked his eyes« and which
had bieen brought on by too free an ufe of them when he was
young. That part of his laft illnefs which confined him, v:as
only from the a3d of July to the firft of Auguft. Even death
itfeif found him engaged in the fame laborious application which
he had always dire£^ed to the glory of the fupreme being, and
the benefit of mankind } and it was not till he was abfolutelj
forbidden by his phvficians, that he gave over a particular courle
of reading, chat had oeen undertaken by him with a view of mak-
ing remarks on Mr. Gibbon's Roman Hiftory. Thus he died
in the faithful difcharge of the duties of religion. That ferenity
of mind and mecknefs of difpofition, which he had manifefted
on every former occafion, (hone forth in a more efpecial manner
in his latter moments j and, together with the confcioufnefs of
a whole life fpent in the divine fervice, exhibited a fcene of true
chriftian triumph. After a few days illnefs, in which he fuf-
fered a confiderable degree of pain without repining, a quiet
Ugh put a period to his temporal exiftence, on the firft of Au-
Bift 1776, when he had entered into the 69th year of his age.
is remains were depofited in the weft end of the great aile in
the cathedral of Chrift-church, Oxford. Dr. Bentham refided,
the principal part of the year, fo regularly at Oxford, that he
never miffed a term from his matriculation to his death. In the
fummer he generally made a tour of fome part of the kingdom
with his family } and, for the laft thirty years of his life, feldom
failed in carrying them to meet all his brothers and fifters at
Ely, amongft whom the greateft harmony, and affe£lion ever
Vol. II. T prevailed.
a74 B E N T H A M.
prevailed. A lift of his works may be feen in the Bio^aphit
Britannica.
BENTHAM (James), M. A. and F. A. S. prebendary of
Ely, re£lor cf Bow-brick-hill in the county of Bucks, and do-
rneftic chaplain to the right, hon. lord Cadogan, was the brother
of the above-mentioned Edward. Having received the rudi-
ments of clafTical learning in the grammar fchool of Ely, he was
admitted of Trinity- college, Cambridge, March 26, 1727, where
he proceeded B. A. i''30, and M. A. 1738, and was ele£led
F. A. S. 1767. In the year 1733 ^^ ^^^ prefented to the vi-
Carage of Stapleford in Cambridgefliirc, which he refigned in
I73^> on being made minor canon in the church of Ely. In
1767 he was prefented by bifhop Mawfon to the vicarage of
Wymondham in Norfolk, which he refigned in the year follow*
ing for the reftory of Feltwell St. Nicholas, in the fame county.
This he refigned in 1774 for the rectory of Northwold, which
in 1779 ^^ ^^® induced to change for a prebendal ftall in the
church of Ely, though he was far from improving his income by
the change. But his attachment to his native place, with which
church the family had been conne£ted without any intermiflion
for more than 100 years, furmounted every other confideration.
In 1783 he was prefented to the reftory of Bow-brick-hill, hj
tnj rev. Edward Guellaume. From his firft appointment loan
oilice in the church of Ely, he feems to have direfted his atten-
tion to the ftudy of church architefture. It is probable that he
was determined to the purfuit of ecclefiaftical antiquities by the
eminent example of bifliop Tanner (a prebendary of the fame
ftall which Mr. Bcntham afterwards held), who had honoured
the family with many marks of his kindnefs and friendftiip.
For refearchee of this kind Mr. Bentham feems to have been ex-
cellently qualified. To a found |udgm«nt and a confiderable
degree of penetration, accompanied by a minutenefs and accu«
racy of enquiry altogether uncommon, Mr. Bentham added
the moft patient afliduity and unwearied induftry. The hiftory
of the church with which he was connefted afforded him full
fcope for the exercife of his talents. It abounds with almoft
all the various fpecimens of church architecture ufed in Eng-
land to the time of the reformation. Having previoufly exa-
mined with great attention every hiftorical monument and au-
thority which could throw any light upon his fubjeft, after he
bad circulated, in 1756, a catalogue of the principal members
of this church (Ely), viz. abbcfies, abbots, bifhops, priors, deans,
prebendaries, and archdeacons, in order to colled further infor-
mation concerning them, he publiftied " The hiftory and anti-
S^uities of the conventual and cathedral church of Ely, from the
oundation of the monaftery, A. D. 675, to the year 17711 il-
luftrated with coppcr-platesj Cambridge^ 177 1/' 4tp* In the in-
trodu£lioa
B E tsr T H A M. 5175
trodudion the author thought it might be ufeful to give fome
account of faxon, norman, and what is ufually called gothic
archite^lure. The many novel and ingenious remarks, which
occurred in this part of the work, foon attradodthe attention of
thofe who had turned their thoughts to the fubjecl. This fiiort
cflay was favourably received by the public, and has been fre-
quently cited and referred to by molt writers on gothic archi-
teflurc. By a llrange miitake thefe obfervations were haftily
attributed to the celebrated Mr. Gray, merely becaufe Mr. Ben-
tham has mentioned his name among that of others to whom he
conceived himfelf indebted for communications and hint$. Mr*
Bcntham was never informed of this extraordinary circuni-
ftance till the year 1783, when he accidentally met with it in
the Gentleman 3 magazine for the month of February in that
year ; upon which he immediately thought it nccefiary to rec-
tify the miftake, and to vindicate his own charafter and repu-
tation as an author from the charge of having been obliged to
Mr. Gray for that treatife, when he had publifhed it as his
own 'j and this he was enabled to do fatisfaftorily, having for-
tunately prefcrved the only letter which he had received from
Mr. Gray on the fubjecl. The truth was, that Mr. Benthaih
had written the treatife long before he had the honour of any
acquaintance with Mr. Gray, and it was that which firft intro-
duced him to Mr. Gray. What his obligations were will ap-
pear by reference to a copy of that letter [o] which he received
from Mr. Gray when he returned the fix Iheets which Mr. Ben-
tham had fubmitted to him at his own requcft. It happened
that the two laft (hects, though compofed, were not worked off,
which gave Mr. Bentham an opportunity of inferting fome ad-
ditions alluded to in Mr. Gray's letter. In the magazine for
July 1784, may be feen the full and hanclfome apology which
this explanation produced from a correfpondent, who, undef
the fignature of S. fc. had inadvertently afcribcd thefe remarks
to Mr. Gray. When the dean and chapter of Ely had deter-
mined upon the general repair of the fabric of their church, and
the judicious removal of the choir from the dome to the pref-
bytery at the eail end, Mr. Bentham was requefted to fuperin-
tend that concern as clerk of the works. With what indefati-
gable indullry and attention he acquitted himfelf in that llation,
and how much he contributed to the improvement and fuccefs
of the public works then carrying on, appears as well by the
minutes oC thofe tranfaftions, as by the fatisfadion with which
the body recognized his fcrvices. This employment gave him a
thorough infight into the principles and peculiarities of thefe
antient buildings, and fuggelled to him the idea of a general
£oJ Infcrted in the Cent. Mjig. vol. liv, April 17S4.
T z hiftory
2j6 B E N T H A M.
hiftory of antient architeAure in this kingdom, which he juftif
confidered a defideratum of the learned and inquifitive antiqua-
ry. He was ftill intent upon this fubje£tj and during the amufe-
ment of his leifure hours continued almoft to the laft to make
colledions with a view to fome further illudration of this curi-
ous point, though his avocations of one kind or another pre-
vented him from reducing them to any regular form or feries.
But he did not fufFer the£ purfuits to call him off from the pro-
feiBonal duties of his ftation, or from contributing his endea-
vours towards promoting works of general utility to the neigh*
bourhood. To a laudable fpirit of tnis latter kind, animated by
a zeal for his native place, truly patriotic, is to b^ referred his
fteady perfeverance in recommending to his countrymen, under
all the difcouragements of obloquy and prejudice, the plans fug-
gefted for the improvement of their fens by draining, and the
pradicability of increafing their intercourfe with the neighbour-
ing counties by means of turnpike roads ; a meafure till then
unattempted, and for a long time treated with a contempt and
ridicule due only to the mod wild and vifionary projeds, the
merit of which ne was at laft forced to reft upon the refult of
an experiment made by himfelf. With this view, in 1757, he
publimed his fentiments under the title of Queries offered to
the confideration of the principal inhabitants o7 the city of Ely,
and towns adjacent, &c. and had at length the fatisfa£tion to
fee the attention of the public direfted to the favourite objeA
of thofe with whom he was aflbciated. Several gentlemen of
property and confideration in the county generoufly engaged in
contributing donations towards fetting on foot a fcheme to
eftablifh turnpike roads. By the liberal example of lord chan-
cellor Hardwicke, lord Royfton, and bifliop Mawfon, and the
feafonable bequeft of 200I. by Geo. Riftc, efq. of Cambridge,
others were incited to additional fubfcriptions. In a ihorc time
thefe amounted to upwards of loool. and nearly to double that
fum on intereft. The fcheme being thus invigorated by thefe
helps, and by the increafing loans of thofe whofe prejudices be-
gan now to wear away, an aft was obtained in 1763 for improv-
ing the road from Cambridge to Ely. Similar powers and pro-
vifions were in a few years obtained by fubfequent afts, and the
benefit extended to other parts of the ifle in all dire£tions, the
fuccefs of which hath anfwercd the moft fanguine expeftations
of its advocates. With the fame beneficent difpofition, Mr.
Bentham in 1778 fubmitted a plan for inclofing ai«l draining a
large traft of common in the vicinity of tly, called Gruntifen,
containing near 1300 acres, under the title of Confiderations and
reflexions upon the prefent ftate of the fens near Ely, &c. Cam-
bridge, 8vo. 1778 The inclofure, however, from whatever
caufe, did not then take place i but fome of the hints therein
fuggefted
BENTIVOGLIO. 277
fttggefted have formed the groundwork of many of the improve-
ments which have fince obtained in the culture and drainage of
the fens. Exertions of this kind could not fail to procure him
the efteem and refped of all who knew him, efpecially as they
were wholly unaccompanied with that parade and oftentation by
which the oeft public fervices are fometimes difgraced. Mr.
Bentham was naturally of a delicate and tender conftitution, to
which his fedentary life and habits of application were very un«
favourable ; but this was fo far corre£ied by rigid temperance
and regularity, that he was rarely prevented from giving due at-
tention either to the calls of his profeilion or to the purfuits of
his leifure hours. He retained his faculties in full vieour to the
lafti though his bodily infirmities debarred him latterly from at-
tendance upon public worfhip, which he always exceedingly la-
mentedyhaving been uniformly exemplary in that duty. He.read^
with full relifli and fpirit, molt publications of note or merit as
they appeared, and, till within a tew days of his death, continued
his cuftomary intercourfe with his friends. He died Nov. 17^
1704, in the 86th year of his age.
BENTIVOGLIO (Guy), cardinal, born at Ferrara in 1579.
He went to ftudy at Padua, where he made a confiderable pro-
ficiency in polite literature. He was at this place in 15971 when
Alfonfo duke of Ferrara died. Caefar the duke's coufin claimed
the right of fucceflion, but the pope oppofed him. The mar-
quis Hippolyte Bentivoglio, brother to Guy, efpoufed the caufe
of Caefar, and put himfelf at the head of his troops, which
extremely irritated cardinal Aldrobrandin, nephew to Cle-
ment VIiI. who commanded the ecclefialtical troops. Guy left
Padua in order to wait upon Aldrobrandin, and to endeavour to
appeafe his refentment. He fucceeded in his endeavours, being
the chief inftrument in bringing about that peace which was
concluded the January following. Guy Bentivoglio was after
this extremely well received by the pope, who made him his
chamberlain, and gave him leave to go and finifh his iludies at
Padua. Upon his leaving the univerfity, he went to reiide at
Rome, where he became univerfally efleemed* He was fent
nuncio to Flanders, and then to France, in both which employ-
ments his behaviour was fuch as gave great fatisfa£tion to
Paul V. who made him a cardinal, which was the laft promotion
he made, a little before his death in Jan. 162 1. Bentivoglio was
at this time in France, where Louis XIII. and all the french
court congratulated him on his new dignity ; and when he re-
turned to Rome, his chriftian majcfty entrufted him with the
management of the french afiairs at that court. Pope Urban VIL
had a high efteem for him, for he was of opinion he could
not find a friend more faithful and difinterefted than cardinal
Bentivoglio^ nor one who had a more confummate knowledge
T 3 in
*'78
B E N T L E Y.
in bufinefs. He was beloved by the people, and eftccmcd by
the cardinalvS ; and his qualities were fuch, that in all probabi-t
lity he would have been raifed to the pontificate on the death of
Urban in 1644: but the cardinal having gone to the conclave
during the time of the mod intolerable heats at Rome, it affect-
ed his body to fuch a degree, that he could not fleep for eleven
nights afterwards ; and this want of reft threw him into a fever,
of which he died the 7th of Sept. 1644, being then 65 years of
age. He has left feveral works, the moft remarkable of which
^re : i. His Hiftory of the civil wars of Flanders ; 2. An ac-
count of Flanders ; 3. Letters and memoirs,
BENTLEY (Richard), an eminent critic and divine, was
the fon of a mechanic at Wakefield in Yorkfliire, where
he was born in 1662, and probably received the fir ft part of
his education. Being removed to St. John's college in Cam-
bridge, he followed hij ftudies with indefatigable induftry •, and
his inclination leading him ftroni^ly to critical learning, the ac-
quirements he had made in thnt department of fcience recom-
mended him to Dr. Edward Stillingflcct, who was bred at the
fame college, and in 1685 appointed Inm private tutor to his
fon. In 1689 he attended his pupil to Wadham college in Ox-
ford, where he was incorporated mailer of arts July 4th that
year, having taken that degree fome time before in his own
univerfity. He was then alfo in orders, and his patron (to whom
he had been very ferviceable) being advanced to the fee of Wor-
ccfter in 1692, collated him to a prebend in that church, into
which he was inftalled 0*5t. 2d of that year, and alfo made him
his domcftic chaplain, in which laft ftation he continued till his
lordfhip's death f p]. That learned prelate, as well as Dr. William
Lloyd, then bifliop of Lichfield, had feen proofs of our au-
thor's extraordinary merit [o^J, when they concurred in recomr
mending him as a fit perfon to open the le£tures upon Mr.
Poyle^s foundation, in defence of natural and revealed religion.
I'his gave him a fine opportunity of eftablifliing his fame.
He faw it well ; and refolved to pufh it to the utmoit. Sir Ifaac
Newton's Principia had been publiflied but a few years, and the
book was little known and lefs underftood -, Mr. Bcntley there-
fore determined to fpare no pains in difplaying to the oeft ad-
vantage the profound demonftrations which that excellent work
furnifhed in proof of a Deity ; and that nothing might be want-
[p] Willis's cathedrals, vol. iii. p. 671. by Mr. Humphry Hody. This epiftle, he
[9JI ^^^dcs private conununicationitour tells us himfclty was both written and pub*
author had wrote a latin addrefs to Dr. li(hed at the exprcrsdcGre of the 5i{hop of
MilU principal of St. Edmund's Hill in Lichfield. Bcntley againil Boyle. Pref.
Oxford* containipg fome critical obferva- p i^S. Mr. Hody was appointed college
tions upon Jo. Antiochen{L>« which was tutor to young Mr. Sttllingfleet, and was
iubjoined to the edition of that greek hif- afterwards his father's ckaplain. Sec his
toripgraphe/y printed at Oxford, in 169 1, article in Biog. Bri(.
BENTLEY. 279
ing which lay m his power to complete his defign, he applied
to the great author, and received from him the folution of fome
difficulties, which had not fallen within the plan of his work [rJ.
Our author alfo did not forget to heighten the novelty of his plan,
by introducing and afTerting Mr. Locke's lately advanced notion
concerning the innate idea of a God, in his firft fermon. With
the help of fuch advantages, Mr. lieniley's fermons at Boyle's
le£tures, became the wonder and admiration of the world, and
raifed the higheft opinion of the preacher's abilities. Accord-
ingly he foon reaped the fruits of his reputation, being appointed
keeper of the royal library at St. James's the following year j for
which the warrant was made out of the fecretary's office, Dec. 23,
1693, ^"^ ^^^ patent in April 1694. But he was fcarcely fet^.
tied in this office, when he fell under the difpleafure of the
hon. Mr. Charles Boyle, eldeft fon to the earl of Orrery ; a
young nobleman of the greateft hopes, who was then in th^
courfe of his education at Chrift-Church in Oxford. Mr. Boyle
was about to put out a new edition of the " Epiftles of Phalaris,"
and for that purpofe had obtained the ufe of a MS. of the book
out of St. James's library. But our librarian demanding it back
fooner than was expedled, and before the collation of it was
finifhed, this was refented by Mr. Boyle, and gave rife to thp
well-known controverfy betwixt Boyle and Bentley. This was
carried on with admirable fpirit, wit, and learning, in feveral
writings on both (ides until the year 1699, and gave our author
another opportunity of furprifing the world with his genius and
knowledge in critical learning [s] : and Dr. Montague dying
the next year, he was prefented by the crown to the mafterfhip
of Trinity college in Cambridge, upon which promotion he
refigned nis prebend of Worcefter. He was afterwards C(S-
lated to the archdeaconry of Ely, June 12, 1707, and befides
this was prefented to a benefice in that ifland. He was alfo ap-
pointed chaplain, both to king William and queen Anne.
Having thus, obtained cafe, affluence, and honour, he took
his doctor's degree in divinity, entered into matrimony, and in-
(dulged his inclination in critical purfuits ; and as he gave the
(k] "J^hit w» the hypothecs of deriv- confulttng the Principia, he would hav«
ing the frame of the worUf by mechanic efcaped the error of proving the moon not
principles^ from matter evenly fpread to turn round her own axis, becaufe (he
through the heavens, which is To clearly always (hews the fame face to the earth,
ftated and computed ^y that incomparable A mifUke in thefe fermons, which laid
mathematician and philofopher, as his bim open to the raillery of Dr. Keill^
jnannf r was, that the reader curious in who, inftigated by the wits of Chrift-
thefe mattery will be glad to perufe it in churchy did not (pare to bang him with
four letters from iir Ifaac Newton to Dr. his own flail. See Kcill (John's) article
Pentley,&c. Lend. 1756, 8vo. Mr. Bent* in Biog. Brit.
ley's diligence in confulting fir Ifaac on fs] There is a lift of the feveral piecty
this occafion was highly comm.ndable; produced by thii controverfy in Biography
and if he had been equally diligent in Qrit.
T 4 fruity
?8o B E N T L E Y.
fruits of his labours occafionally to the public, thefe were ob«
ferved feverally fo to abound with erudition and fagacity, that
he grew by degrees up to the chara£ter of being the firft critic
of his age [tJ. In the mean time he carried matters with fo
high a hand in the government of his college, that in 1709 a
complaint was brought before the bifhop of Ely, as vifitor, againft
him, by feveral of the fellows } who, in order to have him re-
moved from the maiterlhip, charged him with embezzling the
college money, and other mifdemeanours. In anfwer to this,
he prefcnted his defence to the biftiop, which was publiftied in
1 710, under the title of the Prefent State of Trinity College,
8vo. : and thus began a laiting quarrel, which, having the nature
of a bellum inteftinum, was carried on, like other civil wars,
with the moft virulent animofity on each fide, till, after above
twenty years continuance, it ended at lad in the doctor's fa»
▼our[uJ.
Nor was this the only trial which cxercifed his fpirit, and
procured him triumph over his adverfaries. During the courfe
of the former difpute, he had been promoted to the regius pro*
fcflbifliip of divinity; and George I. on a vifit to the univerfity
in Odlober 1717, having nominated by mandate, as ufual on fucn
occafions, feveral perfons for a doftor's degree in that faculty; our
profeflbr, to whom belonged the ceremony called creation, made
a demand of four guineas from each perfon as a fee due to this
office, befides a broad piece of gold [x], which had cuftomarily
been received as a prefent, and abfolutely refufed to create any
do£tor without the fee. Hence grew a long and warm difpute,
during which the doflor was firft fufpended from his degrees
by the univerfity, Oflober 3, 17 18, and then degraded on the
17th of that month ; but on a petition to his majefty for relief
from that fentence, the affair was referred by the council to the
court of king's bench, where the proceedings againft him being
reverfcd, a mandamus was iffued on the 7th of February the
fame year, charging the univerfity to reftorc him.
He was happily endued with a natural hardinefs of temper,
which enabled him to ride out both thefe ftorms without any
[t] Befides thofe already mentionedi peared again in 17139 in hit Remarks
the pieces which he publifhed within the upon Collins's dlfcourfe of free thinking*
period intimated in the text are, t. A col- for which, June i <;, 1714} he received the
led^ion of the fragments of Callimachust public thanks of the univerfity. 5. Hif
with notes, printed in i097» by Graevius, edition of Horace, which is reckoned hit
in his edition of that poet's works. 2. Notes capital work, came out in 1711.
upon the firft comedies of AriAophanes, [u] There is a large account of th!ff
publiOied iit Amilerdamt in 17 10. 3. E- difputej and feveral books wrote in it, in
Ihendationes, ftc on the fragments of Me- the Biog. Brit.
Dander and Philemon, printed about the [x] Commonly a Jacobus, worth 251.
fame time at Rhcims. This he fubfcribcd Thefe, as well as the Carolus's of 238.
by the feigned name of Phileleuthrus Lip- have been called tn^ and none coined
6enlis. 4. Under (hit ckarader he ap- iince.
I extra*
B E N T L E Y^ aSi
extmordtnary diftorbance, fo that he went on as before in tho
career of literature ; where he never failed to make a confpicuoua
figure. The 5th of November, 17 15, he preached a fermon bc-<
fore the univerlity, which was printed with the title of, A
Sermon upon Popery ; and fome Remarks being publiflied upon
it, the doaor anfwered in a piece intituled, Refle£tions on the
fcandalous afperfions call on the clergy by the author of the
Remarks, &c. This came out in 1717, 8vo. He had the pre-
ceding year printed fome account of an edition which he in-
tended to give of the New Teftament in greek 5 and having re-
volved the defign in his mind for the fpace of four years, in 1721
he iiTued propofals for printing it by lubfcription, together with
the latin verfion of St, Jcrom, to which a fpecimen of the whole
was annexed f y]. Thefe were attacked warmly by Dr. Conyers
Middleton, who had been a fellow of his college, and was from
the firft, and all along continued to be, a principal leader among
his antagonifts there. Some pieces were written upon the oc-
cafion : the refult of which was, that the defign was dropped.
In 1726 came out, in 4to. his Terence with notes, and a fchedi-
gfma concerning the metre and accents of that writer. This
was reprinted the following year at Amfterdam, with fome cor«
re£bions and additions by our author, who alfo annexed thereto
a beautiful edition, with notes, of Phxdrus's Fables in latin.
The lait piece which employed the doftor's critical talents was
Milton's Paradife Loft, a new edition of which he gave the
public in 1732, 4to. with notes and emendations: but though
tome of thofe exhibited ftrong proofs of his mafterly genius, yet
in the main here was a great falling oiF, fuch as evidently dif-
covered that he was now declining apace. Indeed he grew ap-
parently fenfible of his decay ; and though he continued on this
fide the grave ten years longer, yet he languifhed the remainder
of his days a miles emeritus, feeble and ina£^ive to his death,
which happened July 14, 1742, at the age of fourfcore years.
He died in his lodge at Trinity college, Cambridge, ana was
buried in that chapel, to which he had been a confiderable bene«
fa£lor [z]. His literary charader is known in all parts of Eu-
rope, wherever learning is known. In his private charadier he was
hearty, fincere and warm in his friendfliip, an afie£t:ionately ten-
der hufband, and a good father ; he loved hofpitality and refpedk,
maintained the dignity and munificence of the ancient abbots
in houfe-keeping at his lodge, which he beautified with (lately
faih windows and marble chimney-pieces ; and in converfation
he tempered the fevcrity of the critic with a peculiar (train of
vivacity and pleafantry.
[y] The propofals are printed at length 9cc, not long after hit obtainiog the ina£-
in the Biogruph. Brit. tcribip.
£z] He gave aool. towards repairing it,
B7
a8i BENYOWSKY.
By liis wife, who was an excellent woman, and died before
. him in 1740, he had three children •, a fon called after his own
name, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Joanna. His fon was
bred under his own tuition at Trinity college, where be was
chofcn a fellow, and fucceeded his father in the library-keeper's
place at St. James's, but refigned it in 1745. His eldeft daughter
Elizabeth was married about the year 1727, to fir Humphry
Ridge, eldeft fon to a Mr. Ridge, brewer to the navy at Portlt
mouth, a gentleman of an ample fortune. The youngeft, Joanna,
cfpoufed not long after the eldeft fon of Dr. Richard Cumber-
land, the biihop of Peterborough 5 the firft iflue of which match
is now a diftinguiflied ornament to the republic of letters.
BENTLEY (Thomas, efq.), his nephew, was the author of
the Wilhes, a comedy, which appeared at Drury-lane in the
fummer of 1761, and was revived in 1782 ; but the piece, as it
was fuppofed, having fome tendency to party fatire, was con-
demned, and withdrawn from the ft age by the author. He
wrote alfo Philodamus, a tragedy, 1767 ; and Patriotifm, a fe-
¥cre fatirical poem, prefcrvcd in Dilly's Repofitory. He died
fome where about 1782.
BENYOWiSKY (Count Mauritius Augustus de), Mag-
nate of the kingdoms of Hungary and Poland, was born in
the year 1741, at Verbowa, the hereditary lordfliip of his fa-
mily, fjtuatcd in the county of Nittria, in Hungary. The
early part of his life was cmpL^ycd in the courfe ot education
which the court of Vienna aiibrds to fuch of its vafTals as
are of illuftrious families; and upon his attaining the age of
fourteen years, he fixed on the profcirion of arms. He was ac-
cordingly received into the regiment of Siebenfchien, in quality
of lieutenant ; and joining the imperial army, then in the field
again ft the king of Pruflia, was pre lent at the battles of Lowofitz,
Prague, Schweidnitz, and Darmftadt. Soon after this period,^
1758, he quitted the imperial fe^^'ice and haftened into Lidiu-
ania, at the inftance of his uncle the ftaroft of Benyowflcy, and
fucceeded as his heir to the pofleflion of his efiatcs- The tran-
quillity, however, which he now enjoyed was interrupted by in-
telligence of the fudden death of his father, and that his bro-
thers-in-law had taken pofleffion of his inheritance. Thefe cir-
cumftances demanding his immediate prefence in Hungary, he
^quitted Lithuania with the fole view of obtaining pofleflion of
the property of his family; but on his arrival he found the
whole in the hands of his brothers-in-law, who, by force, op-
pofcd his entrance into his own caftle. Attending in this con-
juncture to the juftice of his caufe and the di^lates of his vi-
vacity, he repaired to Krufliava, a lordftiip dependant on the
caiUe of Verbowa, where, after having caufed himfelf to be ac-
knowledged by his vaflals^ and being aflured of their fidelity, he
armc4
BENYOWSKY. «»j
•rmed them, and by their alfiftance gained pofleflion of all hi3
efFefts -, but his brothers, thus defeated of their ufurpation, re-
prefented him at the court of Vienna as a rebel and difturber of
the public peace; and, in confequence of this falfe information,
the emprefs queen iflued a decree in chancery againft the count,
by which he was not only deprived of his property, but com-
pelled to withdraw with the utmoft expedition into Poland, This
expuliion from his native country, joined to the aftive difpo(i«
tion of his mind, made him determine to travel \ but after taking^
feveral voyages to Hamburgh, Amftcrdam, and Plymbuth, with
intention to apply himfelf to navigation, he received feveral letters
from the magnates and fenators of Poland, which induced him
to repair to War fa w, where he joined the confederation then
forming, and entered into an obligation, upon oath, not to ac-
knowledge the king, until the confederation, as the only lawful
tribunal of the republic, fhould have declared him lawfully
clefted 5 to oppofe the Ruffians by force of arms 5 and not to
forfake the colours of the confederation fo long as the Ruffians
Should remain in Poland. Leaving Warfaw, in the month of
December, he attempted to make his rights known at the court
of Vienna ; but difappointed in this endeavour, and deprived of
all hope of juftice, he refolved to quit for ever the dominions
of the houfe of Auftria. On his return to Poland, he was at-
tacked, during his paflage through the cpunty of Zips, with a
violent fever ; and being received into the houfe of Mr. Henfky,
a gentleman of diltinftion, he became enamoured of one of his
three daughters, with whom he foon after had the pleafure to
be united by marriage ; but it was not his fate to continue long
in pofleffion of happinefs or repofe. The confederate dates
of Poland, a party of whom had declared themfelves at Cracow,
obfcrving that the count was one of the firft who had figned
their union at Warfaw, wrote to him to join them ; and, com-
pelled by the ftrong tie of the oath he had taken, he departed
•without informing his wife, and arrived at Cracow on the very
day count Panin made the afl'ault. He was received with open
arms by mavfhal Czarnellcy, and immediately appointed colonel
general, commander of cavalry, and quarter-nialler-general. On
the 6th of July 1768, he was detached to Navitaig to conduft a
polifh regiment to Crftcow, and he not only brought the whole
regiment, compofed of fix hundred men, through the camp of
the enemy before the town, but foon afterwards defeated a body
of Ruffians at Kremenka ; reduced Landfcroen, which prince
Lubomirflcy, who had joined the confederacy with two thoufand
regular troops, had attempted in vain 5 and, by his great gal-
lantry and addrefs, contrived the means of introducing fupplies
into Cracow when befieged by the Ruffians : but the count,
paving loft above lizteeq hundred men in affording this affift-
6 ance
tU BENYOWSKY.
ancc to the towh, was obliged to make a precipitate retreat the
moment he had efFefted his purpofe j and being purfucd by the
ruffian cavalry, compofed of coffacks and huflars, he had the mif-
fortune to have his horfe killed under him, and fell at laft, after
receiving two wounds, into the hands of the enemy. Apraxin,
the ruffian general, being informed of the fuccefsful manoeuvre
of the count, was imprefled with a very high opinion of him, and
propofcd to him to enter into the ruffian fervice 5 but rejefting
the overtures with difdain, he was only faved from being fent
to Kiovia with the other prifoners by the interpofition of his
friends, who paid 962 1. fterling for his ranfom. Thus fet at
liberty, he confidered himfelf as rclcafed from the parole which
he had given to the Ruffians ; and again entering the town of
Cracow, he was received with the mod perfed fatisfaAion by
the whole confederacy. The town being no longer tenable, it
became an objed of the utmoft confequence to tecure another
place of retreat ; and the count, upon his own propofal and re-^
queft, was appointed to feize the caftie of Lublau, filuated on
the frontier of Hungary : but after vifiting the commanding
officer of the caftle, who was not apprehenfive of the leaft dan-
ger, and engaging more than one half of the garrifon by oath
in the interells of the confederation, an inferior officer, who
was difpatched to affift him, indifcreetly divulged the defign,
and the count was fei;ed and carried into the fortrefs of Geor-
genburgh, and fent from thence to general Apraxin. Un his
way to that general, however, he was refcued by a party of con-
federates, and returned to Lublin, a town where the reft of the
confederation of Cracow had appointed to meet, in order to join
thofe of Bar, from which time he performed a variety of gallant
anions, and underwent great viciffitudcs of fortune. On the 19th
of May, the ruffian colonel judging that the count was march-
ing towards Stry to join the confederate parties at Sauok, like-
wife haftened his march, and arrived thither half a day before
the count, whofe forces were weakened by fatigue and hunger.
In this (late he was attacked about noon by colonel Brincken,
at the head of four thoufand men. The count was at firft com-
pelled to give way ; but, on the arrival of his cannon, he, in
his turn, forced the colonel to retire, who at laft quitted the
field and retreated towards Stry. The advantage of the viftory
ferved only to augment the mifery of the count, who in this
fjnglc aftion had three hundred wounded and two hundred and
fixty-cight flain, and who had no other profpefl: before him
than either to perifli by hunger with his troops in the foreft, or
to cxpofe himfelf to be cut to pieces by the enemy. On the morn-
ing of the 20th, however, the count, by the advice of his of-
ficers and troops, rcfumed his march, and arrived about ten
o'clock at the village of Szuka, where, being obliged to halt for
refrcfli-
BENYOWSKY. 485
rcfrcfhment, he was furprifed by a party of coffacks, and had
only time to quit the village and form his troops in order of
battle on the plain, before he was attacked by the enemy's ca-
valry, and foon after by their infantry, fupported by fcveral
pieces of cannon, which caufed the greateft dedru^lion among
the forces of the count. At length, in the heat of combat, the
count, having received two wounds with a fabre, was wounded
in the body by the (hot of a cannon loaded with old iron and
other deftru£live rubbifh. His fate decided that of his party ;
and the Ruffians had at lad the fatisfa£l;ion of feeing him their
prifoner. The count was fent to the commander in chief of the
ruffian armies, then encamped at Tampool, a man equally cruel
and bafcf who, contrary to every fentiment of humanity, infult*
ing the misfortunes of his prifoner, not only forbade the furgeons
to drefs his wounds, but, after reducing him to bread and water,
loaded him with chains, and in that ftate tranfported him to
Kiow. On his arrival at Polene, his negle£ted wound had fo
far endangered his life, that his conduAor was induced to apply
to colonel Sirkow, the commanding officer at that place, *and he
was fent to the hofpital, where he was cured of his wounds by a
French furgeon of the name of Blanchard, and afterwards lodged
in the town, with an advance of fifty roubles for his fubfiftence*
Upon the arrival, however, of brigadier Bannia, who relieved
colonel Sirkow in his command, and who had a ftrong pre-
judice againil the count, he was again loaded with chains, and
conduced to the dungeon with the reft of the prifoners, to
whom this inhuman tyrant allowed no other fubfiftence than
bread and water. Upon his entrance he recognized feveral officers
and foldiers who had ferved under him *, and their demonftration
of efteeit) and friendfhip was the only confolation he received in
his diftrefled (ituation. Twenty-two days were thus confumed
in a fubterraneous prifon, together with eighty of his compa-
nions, without light, and even without air, except what was
admitted through an aperture which communicated with the
cafements. Thefe unhappy wretches were not permitted to go
out even on their natural occafions, which produced fuch an in-
fe£lion, that thirty-five of them died in eighteen or twenty days i
and fuch were the inhumanity and barbarity of the commander,
that he fuffered the dead to remain and putrefy among the living.
On the 16th of July the prifon was opened, and one hundred
and forty-eight prifoners, who had furvived out of feven hun-
dred and eighty-two, were driven, under every fpecies of cruelty
that can be well imagined, from Polene to Kiow, where the
ftrength of the count's conititutlon, which had hitherto enabled
him to refift fuch an accumulation of hardfhips and fatigue, at
length gave way, and he was attacked with a malignant fever,
which produced a delirium. The governor, however^ count Voi-
cikow.
ft86 BENYOWSKY.
cikow, being informed of his quality, ordered that he (hould fcrf
fcparately lodged in a houfe, and that two roubles a day (hould be
paid him for uib(i(tence. This treatment, by enabling the count
to procure proper diet, foon put him in a fair way of recovery }
but at this crifis an order arrived from Peterfburgh to fend all
the prifoners to Cazan. The count, however, from the fatigues
of the journey, experienced a relapfe, and the officer was obliged
to leave him at Nizym, a town dependant on the government of
Kiow« At this place, a Mr. Lewner, a germ an merchant, in-
terefted himfelf in favour of the count, procured him comfort-
able accommodation, fuperintended the redoration of his health,
and on his departure made him a prefent of two hundred roubles,
which he placed for fafety in the hands of the officer until his ar-
rival at Cazan, but who had afterwards the effrontery to deny that
he had ever received the money ; and carried his malice fo far,
that he accufed the count of attempting to raife a revolt among
the prifoners, and caufed him to be loaded with chains and com-
mitted to the prifon of Cazan, from which he was not delivered
but at the prelfing indances of marfhal Czarneiky Potockzy and
the young Palanzky. On his deliverance from prifon, he was
lodged at the houfe of a goldfmith, of ihe name of Vendifchow,
a native of Sweden 5 and being invited to dine with a man of
quality in the place, he was follicitcd, and confented to join
in a confederacy againfl the government. But on the 6th of
November 1769,. on a quarrel happening between two ruffian
lords, one of them informed the governor that the prifoners, in
concert with the Tartars, meditated a defign agaiiift his perfon
and the garrifon. This apoftate lord accufed the count, in order
to fayc his friends and countrymen, and on the 7 th, at eleven
at night, the count, not fufpefting any fuch event, heard a
knocking at his door. He came down, entirely undireffcd, with
a candle in his hand, to enquire the caufe j and, upon opening
his door, was furprifed to fee an officer with twenty foldiers,
who demanded if the prifoner was at home. On his replying
in the affirmative, the officer fnatched the candle out of his
hand, and, ordering his men to follow him, went haftily up to
the count's apartment. The count immediately took advantage
of his miftake, quitted his houfe ; and, after apprifmg fome of
the confederates that their plot was difcovercd, he made his
efcape, and arrived at Peterfburgh on the 19th of November,
where he engaged with a dutch captain to take him to HoUand.
The captain, however, inflead of taking him on board the en-
duing morning, purfuant to his promifc, appointed him to meet
on the bridge over the Neva at midnight, and there betrayed
him- to twenty ruffian foldiers colle£led for tlie purpofe, who
feized him, knocked him down, and carried him to count Cfec-
ferini lieutenant-general of the police. The couuc was conveyed
to
BENYOWSKY. aS;
to the fort of St. Peter and St. Paul, confined in a fubterrancous
dungeon, and after three days fail prefented with a morfel of
bread and a pitcher of water ; but, on the 22d of Novembec 1769^
he at length, in hopes of procuring his difcharge, was induced
to fjgn a paper, promifing for ever to quit the dominions of her
imperial majefty, and obliging himfelf under pain of death not
to enter them again on any pretext whatever.
The count having figned the engagement in the manner already
defcribed, inftead of being fet at liberty, as he expeded, was re-
condu£l;ed to his prifon, and there confined till 4th December
1769, when, about two hours after midnight, an officer with
feven foldiers came Co him ; and, giving orders that they (hould
take off his chains, and clothe him with a fheep-lkin garment, he
was conduced into the court of the prifon, thrown upon a fledge
to which two horfes were harnefl'ed, and immediately driven
away with the greateft fwiftnefs. The darknefs of t^c night
Erevented the count from difcerning the objefts around him ;
ut the continual noife of bells, which refounded from a variety
of places, induced him to fuppofe that he was followed by fcve-
tal fledges conftrufted for the purpofe of pafllng the frozen
plains over which he was now deitined to go. On the ap-
proach of day-light he perceived that major Wynblath, Vaffiii
Panow, Hippolitus Stephanow, Afaph Baturin, Ivan Sopronow,
and feveral other prifoners, were the companions of his misfor-
tunes; and after fufiering, from the unexampled brutality of
their condu£ior, a feries of hardihips, equally difficult and pain-
ful to relate, in paffing through Tobolzk the capital of Siberia,
the city of Tara, the town and river of Tomflcy, the villages of
Jakutzk and Judoma, they embarked in the harbour of Ochoczk,
on the 26th Odober 17709 and arrived at Kamfchatka on the 3d
December following. The enfuing day they were condudled
before Mr. Nilow the governor ; and the following orders and
regulations which were made will afford fome faint idea of the
treatment which unfortunate exiles meet with, in this dreary,
diflant, and inhofpitable region of the gfobc. — ift, That they
fhould be fet at liberty on the following day, and provided with
fubfiftence for three days, after which, they muft depend upon
themfclves for their maintenance. 2dly, That each perfon (hould
receive from the chancery a mufquet and a lance, with one pound
of powder, four pounds of lead, a hatchet, feveral knives and
other inftruments, and carpenter's tools, with which they might
build cabins in any fituations they chofc, at the didance of one
league from the town ; but that they fliould be bound to pay in
furs, during the fir ft year, each one hundred roubles, in return
' for thefe advantages. 3<lly, That every one mult work at the
corvee, one day in the week, for the fervice of government, and
not abfcnt themfclves from their huts for twenty-four hours,
without
iSS fifiNtOWSKY.
without the gOvcirnor^s permiffiori. 4thiyi That each exile fliotiM
bring to the chancery fix fables (kins, fifty rabbits (kins, twd
foxes ikins, and twenty-four ermines, every year. 5thly, That nd
exile could pofTefs property ; and that the foldiers of the garrifon
may enter their huts and carry away whatever they pleafed*
6thly9 That if an exile (hould be fo rafh, upon any provocation,
to ftrike a citizen or foldier, he ihall be ftarved to death,
^thly. That their lives being granted to them for no other pur-
pofe dian to implore the mercy of God, and the remiilion of their
fins, they could be employed only in the meaneft works to gain
their daily fubfiftence. Under tnefe regulations the exiles fet-
tled the places of their habitations, built miferable huts to (heU
ter themfelves from the inclemency of the weather, formed
themfelves into a congrefs \ and after choofing the count de Be-'
siyowiky their chief or captain, in order to rivet their union, they
fwore with great folemnity mutual friendihip and eternal fide.-
Ixty. Among the number of unhappy wretches who had long
groaned under the miferies of banifhment, was a Mr. Cruftiew,
who had acquired confiderable afcendancy over his fellow- fuf-
ferers ; and to obtain the particular confidence and edeem of
this man was the firfl; obje£l of the count's attention ; in which,
with the talent he fo fingularly pofieficd of agitating and impel-
ling the minds of others, it is almoft unnecefiary to fay that he
foon fucceeded. The pains and perils incident to the fituation
to which thefe men were reduced, were borne for fome time in
murmuring fufferance, until the' accidental finding an old copy
of Anfon's Voyage infpired them with an idea of making an ef-
cape from Kamfchatka to the Marian I (lands; and the count,
Mr. Panow, Baturin, Stephanow, Solmanow, majors Wynblath,
Cruftiew, and one Wafili, an old and faithful fervant of the
count's, who had followed his mafter into exile, formed a con-
federacy for this purpofe. While thefe tranfaftions were fe-
cretly pa(fing, the fame of count Benyow(ky's rank and abilities
reached the ear of the governor ; and as he fpoke feveral lan-
guages, he was after fome time admitted familiarly into the houfe
of the governor, and at length appointed to fuperintend the edu-
cation of his fon and his three daughters. ** One day," fays the
count, " while I was exercifing my o(fice of language-mafter,
the youngeft of the three daughters, whofe name was Apha**
nafia, who was fixteen years of age, propofed many queftions
concerning my thoughts in my prefent fituation, which con-
vinced me that her father had given them fome information con--
cerning my birth and misfortunes. I therefore gave them an ac-
count of my adventures, at which my fcholars appeared to be
highly aflFe^ed, but the youngell wept very much. She was at
beautiful girl, and her fenfibility created much emotion in my
mind — but, alas, I was an exile 1" The merits of the count
however
BENYOWSKT. 289
lio^CTer foon furmounted the difadvantages of his fituation, in
the generous mind of mifs Nilow, and the increafing intimacjr
and confidence which he daily gained in the family, joined to
the advantages of a fine perfon and mod infinuating addrefs,
foon converted the feelings of admiration into the flame of love;
and on the nth of January 1771 9 madame Nilow the mother
confented that her daughter fhoUld do the honours of an enter-
tainment then in contemplation, and be publicly declared his
future fpotife. But the count, though he had cultivated and o1>
tained the aSeflions of his fair pupil, had z€ted more from po-
licy than paflion, and, intending to ufe her intereft rather as a
means of efie^uating the meditated efcape of himfelf and his
companions, than as any ferious obje£): of matrimonial union,
contrived to fufpend the nuptials, by perfuading the governor
to make an excurfion from Kamfchatka to the neighbouring
iilands, witiv a view or under pretence of eftablifhing a new co-
lony. During thefe tranfa£tions the exiles were fecretly at
work } and in order to conceal their defign from all fufpicion,
Mr. Cruftiew and Mr. Panow were on the 30th of March de**
puted to wait on the governor with five-and-tweuty of their affo- ,
ciates, to requeft that he would pleafe to receive the title of
Protector of the new colony ', and the embafTy was not only
favourably received, but orders were given to prepare every
thing that might be neceflary for the execution of the proje£):.
At this criGs however an accident occurred which had nearly
overturned the fuccefs of the fcheme; and as it tends to difcover
the difpofition of the count, we (hall relate it in his own words.
" About ten o'clock this day (ift of April 1771), I received a
meflage from mifs Nilow, that (he would call on me- in the after-
noon, requefting at the fame time that I would be alone, be-
caufe 0ie had a^airs of importance to communicate. A% I fup-
pofed the latter part of this melTage to be mere pleafantry, I was
far from expefling any extraordinary information; and my fur-
prife at the event was much greater, as I had not the leail reafon
to fuppofe (he had made any difcovery of my intentions. Mifs
Nilow arrived at three in the afternoon ; her agitation on her
firft appearance convinced mc that fhe was exceedingly afili£ted.
At fight .of me fhe paufed a moment, and fdon after burft into
tears, and threw herfelf into my arms, crying out, that fhe was
unfortunate and forfakcn. Her fighs and tears were fo extreme,
that it was more than a quarter oF an hour before I could obtain
a connected fentence. I was extremely afieftcd at her fituation,
and ufed every expedient to calm her mind 5 but this was ex-
tremely difficult, becaufe 1 was entirely ignorant of the reafon of
her afflidion.
** As foon as (he bdcame a little compofed, fhe begged me to
fliut the door, that no one might interrupt us. I came back, and
. VoL.lI. IT on
itgo BENYOWSKY.
on my knees entreated her to explain the caufe of her prefent
iituation, which (he did to the following efie£t :
^* She informed me that her maid had difcovered to her, that
a certain perfon» named Ivan Kudrin, one of my aflbciates> had
propofed to her to ihare his fortune, and that this indifcreet per-
fon had aiTured the girl, that he was about to quit Kamfchatka
with me, to make a voyage to Europe, where he hoped to place
her in an agreeable fituation. The maid had firft related the
•circumftance to her mifirefs,; but as (he could never believe me
capable of fuch bafe and treacherous behaviour to her, fhe wa»
defirous of hearing the account herfelf, and had, for that pur-
pofe, perfuaded the fervant to appoint a meeting with KudriD>
in order to queition him more amply> while (he herielf miglit
hear the whole, by being concealed behind a curtain. In this
manner, (lie faid, ihe became convinced of her unhapptnefs and
my treachery, and that ihe would have fpared me' the confutioR
of hearing this, if, from a convi£lion that ihe could not live after
fuch an aflront, ihe had not been defirous of bidding me a laft
farewell.
*^ On iinifting thefe words flie fainted \ and though I was
exceedingly alarmed and diftreiTed on the occafion, yet I did not
fail to arrange a plan in my mind, during the interval of her in-
fenfibility. When this amiable young lady recovered, ihe aflced
if ihe might give credit to what ihe had heard. I then threw my-
felf at her feet, and entreated her to hear me calmly, and judge
whether I was to blame or not. She promifed ihe would, and I
addrefled her in the following terms :
" You may recolleft, my dear friend, the account I gave you
of my birth, and the rank I held in Europe : I remember the tears
you ilied on that occafion. The misfortune of being exiled to
Kamfchatka, would long (incehave compelled me to deliver my-
felf from tyranny by death, if your acquaintance and attachment
had not preferved me- I have lived for you, and if you could
read my heart, I am fure I ihould have your pity ; for the pof-
feffion of your perfon is become as neceffary to my exiftencc as
liberty itfelf. 1 he liberty I fpeak of, is not that which your
worthy father has given me, but implies the poflcffion of my
eilate and rank. I have hoped for the poflcffion of your perfon^
with a view of reiid.ering you happy, in the participation of my
fortune and dignity. Thefe views cannot be accomplifhed at
Kamfchatka. What rank can I beilow on my love but that of
an exile ? The favours of your worthy father may be of th©^
ihorteft duration. His fucceflbr may foon recall his ordinances^
and plunge me again into that ilate of fuffering and contempt,,
from which I was delivered for a ihort moment. Reprefent to
yourfelf, my deareft friend, the affliction and dcfpair that woXild
overwhelm my foul, when I beheld you a fliarcr in my p \in and
<rif^race ^
BENYOWSKY. igi
difgracc ) for you well know, that all the Ruffians cftcem the
exiles as diflionoured perfons. You hare forced me to this de«
claration of my intentions, in which I have been guided by the
attachment and fincerity of my heart. I deferred the commu-
nication to you, but I fwear that fuch was my refolution."-^
** Why then," interrupted flie, " did you conceal your intention
from me, who am ready to follow you to the farthcft limits of
the univerfe ?"— ^This ^^irance encouraged me to proceed, and
engage this charming young lady in my interests. I told hcr^
therefore, that I was prevented only by the fear left flie fhould
refufe my propofals on account of her attachment to her pa«
rents ; but that, as I now had nothing to fear in that refpe£t, I
Could inform her, that my intention b^ing to leave Kamfchatka,
I had determined to carry her off; and in order to convince her,
I was ready to call Mr. (Jruftiew, who would confirm the truth.
On this afTurance flie embraced me, and entx'eated me to forgivd
her Svant of confidence, at the fame time that fhe declared hei"
readinefs to accompany me.
" This degree of confidential intercoUrfe being eftabliflicd, I
perfuaded her to difmifs every fear from her mind. Many were
the trials I made of her refoiution, and the eveiit convinced me
that fhe was petfedly determined to follow my fortunes. The
iecret being thus fecure, by her promife to keep it inviolably, I
had no other uneafmefs remaining but what arofe from the
cominunication having been made to her fervant. I mentioned
my fears to mifs Nilow, who removed them, by aiTuring me that
her fervant was too much attached to her to betray her fecret ;
and had, befides, an affeflion for Kudrin, fo that ihe could zn*
fwer for her difcretion* Thus agreeably ended our convcrfatioui
though the commencement was rather tragical ; and I received
the vows of attachment and fidelity from an artlefs and innocent
mind."
On the 23d of April 1771, however, "Mifs Aphanafia,"
fays the count, " oame to me incognito. She informed me that
her mothefr was in tears, and her father had talked with her in
a manner which gava reafon to fear that he fufpecled our plot.
She conjured me to be careful, and not to come to the fort if
fent for. She expreffed her fears, 'that it would not be in her
power to come to me again, but promifed fhe would in that
cafe fend her fervant j and fhe entreated me at all events, if I
fhould be compelled to ufe force again ft government, I would
be careful of the life of her father, and not endanger my own*
I tenderly embraced this charming young lady, and thanked her
for the intereft ihe took in my preservation 5 ajid as it appeared
important that her abfencc fhould not be diicovcrcd, I begged
her to return and recommend the ifluc of our intentions to good
•iortUne. Before her departure, I renjinded her to look minutely
U 2 after
291 BENYOWSKY.
after her father, and to (end me a red ribband in cafe goverrf «
ment fhould determine to arreft or attack me j and, in the fe-
cond place, that atHhe moment of ah alarm, Ihe would open
the (butter of her window which looked to the garden, and caufe
a fledge to be laid over the ditch on that fide. She promifed
to comply with my inftruflions, and confirmed her promifes
with vows and tears."
The apprehenfions of this faithful |y:I for the fafety of the
man (he loved, were far from being without foundation ; and
on the 26th of April (he fent the count two red ribbands, to
fignify the double danger to which (he perceived he was ex-
pofed. The count, however, coolly prepared to brave the im-
pending dorm ; and gave orders to the leaders of his a(rociate8^
amounting in all to 59 perfons, to place themfelves at the
head of their divifions, and (bation themfelves round his houfe,
in readinefs to 2& in the night, in cafe an attack (hould be made
by the cofTacks of the town, and foldiers of the garrifon, who,
it was rumoured, were bufied in preparing their arms. At five
o'clock in the evening, a corporal, with four grenadiers, (lopped
at the count's door, demanding admittance m the name of the
emprefs, and ordered him to follow the guard to the fort. The
count however propofed, from a window, to the corporal, that
he (hould enter alone, and drink a glafs of wine ; but on his
being admitted the door was inftantly (hut upon him, and four
piftols clapped to his breaft ; by the terror of which he wa»
made to dil'clofe every thing that was tranfafling at the forty
and at length obliged to call the four grenadiers fcparately into
the houfc, under pretence of drinking, when they were all five
bound together, and d^pofited fafely in the cellar.
This meafure was, of courfe, tlie fignal of refiftance, and
the count marfhalling his a(rociates, who had fecretly furniQied
themfelves with arms and ammunition by the treachery of the
flore-keepers, ifTued forth from the houfe to oppofe, with greater
advantage, another detachment who had been fent to arrelt him.
After levelling feveral foldiers to the ground, the count, by
the mifmana^cment of their commander, feized their cannon,
turned them with fuccefs again ft the fort itfelf, and, entering
by means of the drawbridge, difpatched the twelve remaining
guards who were then within it. " Madame Nilow and her
children," fays the count, *' at fight of me implored my pro-
tection to favc their father andhufband. I ipimediately haftcned
to his apartment, and begged him to go to his children's room
to prefcrve his life ; but he anfwered that he would firft take
mine, and inllantly fired a piftol, which wounded me. I was
defirous n<^vcrthclcfs of prcferving him, and continued to reprc-
fent that all rcfifknce would be ufelcfs, for which reafon I en-
ivcaicd iilm to retire. His wife and children threw themfelves
on
BENYOWSKY. 493
•n their knees, but nothing would avail : he flew upon me,
feized me by the throat, and left me no other alternative than
cither to give up my own life, or run my fword through liis
body. At this peViod the petard, by which my aflbcrates at-
tempted to make a breach, exploded, and burft the outer gate.
The fecond was open ; and I law Mr. Panow enter at the neAd
of a party. He entreated the gorcrnor to let me go ; but not being
able to prevail on him, he fct me at liberty, by fplitting his fkull."
The count by this event became complete matter of the fort,
and by the cannon and ammunition which he found on the
rampart, was enabled, with the ready and aftive afliftance of
his now incrcafed aifociates, to repel the attack which was
made upon him by the coiTacks ; but flight, not refiftance, was
the ultimate obje£i of this bold commander ; and in order to
obtain this opportunity, he difpatched a drum and a woman as
a iign of parley to the coflacks, who had quitted the town and
retired to the heights .with a refolution to inveft the fort and
ftarvc the infurgents, informing them of his refolution to fend
a detachment o? aifociates into the town to drive all the women
and children into the church, and there to burn them all to deaths
unlefs they laid down their arms. While this embafly was fent,
preparation was made for carrying the threat it contained into
immediate execution 5 but by fubmitting to the propofal, the
execution of this horrid meafure was rendered unneceffary ; and
the count not only received into the fort fifty-two of the principal
inhabitants of the town, as hoftages for the ndelity of the reft, out
procured the archbifhop to preach a fermon in the church in fa-
vour of the revolution. The count was now complete governor
of Kamfchatka ; and having time, without danger, to prepare
every thing neceflary for the intended departure, he amufcd him-
felfwith ranfacking the archives of the town, where he found
fcveral manufcripts of voyages made to the ea ft ward of Kam-
fchatka. The count alfo, *• to profit by the leifure-time he en-
joyed, and to divert difagreeable refleftions," was led to form a
chart, with details refpeftine Siberia and the fea-coaft of Kam-
fchatka, and a defeription of the Kurelles and Aleuthes iflands.
This <ihart has not furvived the fate of its compofer.
We are now to behold him, not in the chara£ber of a defign-
ing captive meditating fchemes for the attainment of his liberty,
but in that of an intrepid commander, at the head of a troop of
obedient followers, boldly feeking their vagrant fortunes as fate
or fancy pointed out the way. The confpirators, previous to
their hoftilities againft the governor, had prudently fccured a
corvette- of the name of St. Peter and St. Paul, which then
rode at anchor in the port of Bolflia, and their fubfequent fuc- *
cefs afforded them the means of providing her with fuch ftores
as were neceflary for the intended voyage.
U3 On
194 BENYOWSKY.
On tlic nth of May 177 1, the count, as commander In
chief, attended by Mr. Cruftiew as fecond, by fixteen of his
fellow-captives as quarter-guards, and by fifty-feven foremaft
men, together with twelve paiTengers and nine women, among
whom was the lovely Aphanafia, difguifed in Tailor's apparel^
went on board this veflel ; and on the next day weighed anchor,
and failed out of the harbour on a fouthern courfc, intending to
continue their voyage to China.
On the 20th of May, the count and his companions anchored
their veflel in a bay on the coaft of Beering's ifland, where they
found the celebrated captain Ochotyn and his followers, whq
had alfo efcaped from exile in Siberia, and were wandering in
fearch of that fettlement which, from their reftlefs difpofitionS|
they were doomed never to find.
The count however was not to be detained by the blandift-
ments of friendfhip ; he departed from this ifland, and arrived,
after experiencing many hardfhips and dangers at fea, at the
harbour of UClpatchar in Japan on the ad of Auguft ; from
whence, not meeting with a very friendly reception, he again
immediately fet fail, and arrived on Sunday the 28th of Auguft
at the ifland of Formofa. The inhabitants of .Formofa at firft
^ippcared inclined to treat him with refped and civility, particu-
larly don Hieronymo Pacbeco, formerly captain at tne port of
Cavith at Manilla, who had fled from that employment to the
ifland of Formofa, in confequence of his having in a moment
of rage raalFacred his wife and a dominican whom he had found
in her company : but thefe profeflfions were foon found to be
deceitful } for on fending his men on (bore to fetch water,
they were attacked by a party of twenty Indians, many of them
dangcroufly wounded, and Mr. Panow, the count's moll faithful
friend, kilfcd. Don Hieronymo, however, contrived to excul-
pate himfelf from any knowledge of, or concern in this treachery,
and to advifc the count to fcek revenge by a conqueft of the ifland ;
but he contented himfelf with provoking the natiyes to a fecond
attack, and repulfing them with confiderable flaughter. His
men, however, infifted on going in queft of the Indians, in order
to make them feel their further vengeance. The remonftrance^
of the count were to no efFecl, and at length, complying with
their defires, he rcquefted don Hieronymo to guide them to-
wards the principal refidence of the nation who Had given him
fo bad a reception, where, after a fhort and unequal conflift,
he killed eleven hundred and fifty-fjx, took fix hundred and
forty-three prifoners, who had proftrnted thcmfelves on the
ground to beg for mercy from their ail^iilants, and fet fire to their
town. 1 he prince of the country, notwithdanding this muflacre
of his fubjecis, was introduced to the count by his fpanifli friend,
and a cordiality at le^igth took place between them to fuch a
degree,
BENYOWSKY. 295
degree, that the count entered into a formal treaty for returning
and fettling at Formofa ; but his fecret motives for making this
engagement appear to have been^ the execution of a projed he
had filently conceived of eftablifliing a colony on the iiland.
On Monday the 12th of September the count and his aflb-
ciates failed from Formofa ; on the Thurfday following the coafl:
of China appeared in fight ^ and two days afterwards his veiTel
was piloted into the port of Macao. At this place he was treated
with great refpe^ by the governor and the principal men of the
town; and on the 3d of October 17719 captain Gore, then in
the fervice of the Englifh Eaft-India company, made an offer of
fervices to him on the part of the directors, and a free pafTage to
Europe, provided he would bind himfelf to entruft his manu-
scripts to the company, engage to enter into their fervice, and
make no communication of the difcoveries he had made. l3ut
having accepted propofals from the french direftors, the offers
of captain Gore were rejected, and the count foon afterwards
returned from Macao to Europe on board a french (hip.
He arrived on the 8th of Auguft 1772 in Champagne, where
the duke d' Aiguillon, the miniiter of France, then was ; *^ and
he received me," fays the count, " with cordiality and diflinc-
tion, and propofed to me to enter the fervice of his mafter,
with the offer of a regiment of infantry ; which I accepted, on
condition that his majefty would be pleafed to employ me in
forming eftabhfhments beyond the Cape " In confequence of
this condition, the duke nis patron propofed to him from his
majeily to form an eftablifhment on the ifland of Madagafcar,
upon the fame footing as he had propofed upon the ifland of
Formofa, the whole fcheme of which is publiflied in his memoirs
of his own life, and difcovers vaft knowledge of the interefts of
commerce, and a deep infight into the charaders of men.
To a romantic mind and adventurous fpirit fuch as the count
poflefTed, a propofal like the prefent was irrefiftible ; and after
receiving the mod pofitive aiTurances from the french 1 /tniftry,
that he mould conftantly receive from them the regular lupplies
necefTary to promote the fuccefs of his undertaking, he fet fail
on the aad of March 1773 from Port L'Orient for Madagafcar,
under the treacherous aufpices of recommendatory letters to
Mr. De Ternay, governor of the ifle of France, where he landed
with a company of between four and five hundred men on the
22d of September following. Indead however of receiving the
promifed afTiftance at this place, the governor endeavoured by
every means in his power to thwart the fuccefs of his cntcr-
prife ; and " no other ftcp," fays the count, " remained for me
to take, than that of haftening my departure for Madagafcar, at
the rifque of being expofed to the lad mifery, and abandoned
in the moft cruel manner." The count accordingly fct fail in
U 4 the
296 BENYOWSKY.
the Dcs Tories, a vcflel badly provided with thofc ftores that
were moft likely to be of ufc, and came to an anchor at Mada-
gafcar on the 14th of February 1774. The oppofition which he
met from the fevcral nations placed him in a delicate and dan-
gerous fituation ; but by the fpirit and addrefs that marked every
a£lion of his life, he at length, with great difficulty, formed an
cftabliftiment on Foul Point, entered into a commercial inters
courfe, and formed treaties of friendihip and alliance with the
greater part of the inhabitants of this extenfivc ifland ; ** and if
I ,had not been," fays the count, ** totally abandoned by the
minifter, which was the fource of the difeafes, miferies, and
mortality to which myfelf and my people were expofed, the
ifland of Madagafcar, in alliance with France, would have
for;ned a power capable of fupporting her colonies in the ifles
of France and Bourbon, and defending her eftabliihments in
India, as well as fecuring new branches of commerce to that
kingdom, which would have carried immenfe fums into the
royal treafury ." But whether the count, whofe commiffion only
extended to open a friendly intercourfc with the natives, was
abandoned by the miniiler from the cruelty of negled, whilft
he was in t|ie regular execution of the commands of his fo-
vereign, or becaufe his exorbitant fpirit and ambition began to
foar to more than an ordinary pitch of power and greatnefs, the
following curious and extraordinary narrative of his fubfequent
conduft will manifeftly (hew.
The ifland of Madagafcar, as is well known, is of vaft ex-
tent, and is inhabited by a great variety of different nations.
Among thefe is the natioh of Sam^arines, formerly governed by
a chief of the name and titles of Rohandrian Ampanfacabe
Kamini Larizon ; whofe only child, a lovely daughter, had, it
feems, been taken prifoner, and fold as a captive; and from this
circumftance, upon the death of Ramini, his family was fup-
pofed to be extinft. ; >' .
*' On the 2d of February," fays the count, " M- Corbi, one
of my mofl confidential officers, with the interpreter, informed
me, that the old negrefs Sufanna, whom I had brought from the
ifle of France, and who in her early youth had been fold to the
frcnch, and had lived upwards of fitty years at the ifle of France,
had reported, that her companion the daughter of Ramini,
having likewifc been made a prifoner, was fold to foreigners,
and that flie had certain marks that I was her fon. This officer
likewife reprcfcnted to me, that in confoquence of her report
the Siimbarine nation had held fcveral Cabars to declare me the
heir of Ramini, and confequcntly proprietor of the province of
Manahar, and fucceflbr to the title of Ampanfacabe, or fuprem^
chief of the nation. This information appeared to me of th?
greateil coufcquence, and I determined to take the advantage
of
BENYOWSKY. 197
et it, to conduA that bravQ. and generous nation to a civilized
ftate. But as I had no perfon to whom I could entruft the
fecrct of mjr mind, I lamented to myfelf at the refle£lion how
blind the minifter of Verfailles was to the true interefts of France.
On the fame day I interrogated Sufanna on the report (he had
fpread concerning my birth. The good old woman threw her-
felf at my knees, and ezcufed herfelf by confeffing that (he had
a£led entirely upon a convidion of the truth. For (he faid
that flie had knowa my mother, whofe phyfiognomy refembled
mine, and that (he bad herfelf been infpired in a dream by tho
Zahanhar to publiOi the fecret. Her manner of fpeaking con-*
vinced me that (he really believed what ihe faid. I therefore
embraced her, and told tier that I had reafons for keeping the
fecret refpefting my birth ; but that neverthelefs if flic had any
confidential friends (he might acquaint them with it. At the(e
words (he arofe, ki(red my hands, and declared that the Sam*
barine nation was informed of the ctrcumftances, and that the
Rohandrian RafTangour waited only for a favourable moment to
acknowledge the blood of Ramini."
The fallacy to which the old woman thus gave evidence,
feeble as the texture of it may appear to enlightened and pene-
trating minds, was managed ^y the count with fuch profound
dexterity and addrefs, that he was declared the heir of Ramini,
invefted with the fovereignty of the nation, received amba(ra-
dors and formed alliances in the capacity of a king, with other
tribes, made war and peace, led his armies in perfon into the
field, and received fubmifTion from his vanqui(hed enemies. In
this fituation it is not wonderful that he (libuld forget the aU
legiance he was under to the king of Fjance ; and, reprefenting to
his fubje£ls the difficulties he had experienced from the negleft
of the minifter, and the probable advantages that might refult
by forming a new and national compzCt either with that or
fome other powerful kingdom in Europe, he perfuaded them to
permit him to return to Europe for that purpofe ; and " on the
I ith of Ofliobcr 1776," fays the count, ** I took my leave to go
on board : and at this fingle moment of my life 1 experienced
what a heart is capable of fuffering, when torn from a beloved
and aiFe£lionate fociety to which it is devoted."
This account concludes his narrative ; but among the me-
moirs and papers which fill the remaining part of the volume,
it appears, that on his arrival in Europe his propofals to the
court of France were rejcfted ; that he made fubfequent offers
of his fervice to tlie emperor of Germany, which met with no
better fuccefs; and that on the 25th of December 178;^ he of-
fered, in the charafter of fovereign of the ifland of Madagafcar,
terms for an ofFenfive and defenfive alliance with the king of
Great Britain : but this propofal was alfo declined. The ardour
of
298 benyowsky;
of the count, howcTer, was not abated by diefe difappointments ;
he looked with contempt on kings who could be fo blind to the
interefls and advantages of their people ; and, fending for his
family from Hungary, he failed from London with fome of his
aflbciates for Maryland, on the 14th of April 1784, with a cargo
of the value of near 40001. ilerling, confifting it feems of articles
intended for the Madagafcar trade. A refpe£table commercial
houfe in Baltimore was induced to join in his fchemci and fup-
plied him with a (hip of 450 tons, whofe lading was eftimated at
more than loooL in which he failed from that place on the 25th
of 0£l. 1784, and landed at Antangara on the illand of Madagaf-
car, on the 7th of July 1 785, from whence he departed to An-
gouci, and commenced hoililities againft the French by feizing
their ftorehoufe. Here he bufied himfelf in ere£iing a town after
the manner of the country, and from hence he fent a detach-
ment of one hundred men to take pofleflTion of the french fac-*
tory at Foul Point ; but they were prevented from carrying their
purpofe into execution by the fight of a frigate w*hich was at
anchor off the Point. In confequence of thefe movements, the
governor of the ifle of France fent a iliip with fixty regulars on
board, who landed and attacked the count on the morning of
tlie 23d of May 1786. He had conftruAed a fmall redoubt de-
fended by two cannon, in which himfelf, with two europeans
and thirty natives, waited the approach of the enemy. The
blacks fled at the fir ft fire, and Benyowfky, having received a
ball in his ri^ht breaft, fell behind the parapet s whence he was
dragged by the hair, and expired a few minutes afterwards.
BEOLCO (Angelo), furnamed Ruzzante, was born at Padua,
and died in i ;42. He applied himfelf early in life to (ludy the
manners, gefture, and language of villagers, and copied every
particular that favoured of fimplicity, drollery, and the gro-
tefque. He was the Vade of the Italians. His ruftic farces,
though written in a low and vulgar ftyle, are yet pleafing to
people of education, by the exaSitude with which the cov|ntry-
men are rcprefented, and by the acute witticifms with yrhich
they are feafoned. He preferred being the firft in this fpecies
of compofition, to being the fccond in a more elevated line. His
principal pieces are, la Vaccaria, TAnconitana, la Mofchetta, la
Fiorina, la Piovana, &c. Thefe were printed- with other pocm&
of the fame kind in 1584 in ismo, under this title: Tutte le
opere del famofinimo Ruzzante.
BERAUIA) (Nicholas), in latin Beraldus, a native of Or-
leans, difiinguifhed himfelf in the early part of the xvith century
in the univerfity of Paris, by his proficiency in the belles-lettres
and the mathematics. -He was preceptor to the admiral Coligny
and lu3 two brothers. He did not live much beyond the year
15-^9. . Accordingly he could not be in 157 1 principal of th«
college of Monf.iigis, as the laft editor of Ladvocat has ad-
I vanccd ;
berenger; 490
Vanced: tliat place was then occupied bv Francis Berauld, his
fon, who became a calyinifl:. By Nicholas Berauld there is an
edition of the works of William, arehbifhop of Paris, 1516, fol.
one of Pliny's natural hiftory, and other works. His virtue in
conjunction with his talents procured him the friendfhip and
efteem of the famous £rafmus> and of feveral Qther illuiirioue
perfonages.
BERENGARIUS (Jacobus), an eminent furgeon and great
anatomift of Carpo, famous for being the firft that cured thelue«
venerea with a mercurial ointment, which carried it entirely off
by a falivation ; by which difcovery he gained both riches and
reputation. He flourifhed about 1520. The Arabians were the
firft that ufed either crude mercury or a chemical fubllmate from
it, mixed with lard or other fat or oily fubftances, made into an
ointment, with which they cured the itch, the morphea alba eC
nigra, the albaras,and afapha, feveral hundred years before; and
St is probable that he took the hint from them, as Paracelfus af-
terwards ftole it from him, and got fo much riches and fame,
as made him fo infolent, as to write an audacious and brutifli
letter to the king of Spain and the pope, when they fent for him
to come to cure fome perfons of great diftin£lion at the courts
of Spain and Rome, and he refufed to come } for which, and for
bis drunkennefs, the pope threatened to excommunicate him.
The curious reader is referred to Fracaft.in Aphrodifiac. p. 200.
BERENGER, archdeacon of Angers, and treafurer of St*
Martin de Tours, was famous in the xlth century for reviving
what is called the errors of John Scotus, furnamed Erigena, and
which were again renewed fomc centuries after by the Sacra-
mentarians. His herefy, as it is called by ecclefiaftics, is no
more than right reafon with philofci^' ts, and ferves to fliew
the opinion of thofe times relating ^ <:he real prefence. He
affirmed that what would caufe an invjgeftion, if eaten in too
great a quantity, could be nothing but jodilyfood; that what
would caufe intoxication, if drank in to j large a quantity, was a
real liquor j that thefe things were nothing more than what they
really appeared to be, and that the fecond pcrfon in the Trinity
was only to be eaten and drank by faith alone* What more rea-
fonable than this ? But Berenger had a great reputation, and
confequently many enemies. The perfon who diftinguiihcd him-
fclf moft againft him, was Lanfranc a native of Lombardy, born
at Pavia, who was come to France to fcek his fortune 5 and his
reputation was equal to that of Berenger. He made ufe of the
following arguments to confound him, in his treatife De Corpore
Domini : '^ We may fay with truth, that the body of our Lord
in the Eucharifl is the fame as that brought forth by the Virgin,
and that it is not the fame, as to the eflence and properties of
re^l natyre } and it is not the fame^ as to the fpecies of bread
and
303 B E R E T I N.
and wine : fo that it is the fame as to the fubftancc, and it is not
the fame as to the form." This admirable reafoning prevailed,
and Lanfranc's opinion was confirmed by the church. Berengcr
had rcafoned merely as a philofopher ; but the point in queftion
was an article of faith, a myftery which the church confidered as
incomprehcnfible, and to which Bercnger as a member ought to
have fubmitted his reafon. He was condemned at the council
of Paris in 1050, as alfo at Rome in 1079, and in feveral other
councils ; and he was obliged to pronounce his recantation : but
this being forced, only ferved to confirm him in thofe fentiments.
He therefore died in the fame opinion, which did not at that time
caufe a civil war. In 1088, temporalities alone, fays M. dc Vol-
taire, were the grand objedls that excited the ambition of man-
kind.
BERENICIUS, a man utterly unknown, who appeared in
Holland in the year 1670. He was thought to be a jefuit, or a
renegade from fome other religious fraternity. He got his bread
by fweeping^ chimnies and grinding knives. He died in a bog,
fufFocated in a fit of drunkennefs. His talents, if the hiftorians
that mention him are to be credited, were extraordinary. He
verfified with fo much eafe, that he would recite extempore,
and in tolerably good poetry, whatever was faid to him in profe.
He has been feen to tranflate the flemifh gazettes from that lan-
guage into greek or latin verfe, (landing on one foot. The dead
languages, the living languages, greek,Hatin, french, and Italian,
were as familiar to him as his mother tongue. He could repeat
by heart Horace, Virgil, Homer, Ariftophanes, and feveral pieces
of Gcero, of the one and the other Pliny ; and, after reciting
Jong paflages from them, point out the book and the chapter
from whence they were taken. It is fuppofed that the Geor-
garchoniomachia is by him.
BERETIN (Peter), born at Cortona in Tufcany in 1596, at
firfl. betrayed but little talent for painting ; but his difpofitions
burft forth on a fudden, to the aftoniftiment of thofe compa-
nions who had laughed at his incapacity. Rome and Florence
fucceflivcly had him. Alexander VII. created him knight of the
golden fpur. The prand duke Ferdinand If. alfo conferred on
him feveral marks of his cftecm. That prince one day admiring
the figure of a child weeping which he had juft painted, he only
gave it one touch of the pencil, and it appeared laughing ; then,
with another touch, he put it in its former ftate : " Prince,'* faid
Berctin, " you kc how eafily children laugh and cry." He was
io laborious, t^at the gout, with which he was tormented, did not
prevent him from working; but his fedentary life, in conjunftion
with his extreme application, augmented that cruel difeafe, and
he died of it in 1669. His company was amiable, his manners
pure, his nature mild, his heart fcnfible to fricndfliip. His genius
was
BERKELEY. 301
\ras unbounded, and required grand fubjeds for its employ^
ment. His fmall pictures are of far lefs value than thofe he has
executed on a larger fcale. He threw a lingular srace into the
airs of his heads, a brilliancy and fre(bnefs into his colouring,
and gave a dignity to his ideas ; but his drawing is not always
correal, his draperies not fufficiently regular, and his iiguTQs are
fomctimes clumfy.^ Beretin, known alfo under the name of
Fietro di Cortona, was not lefs fuccefsful in architecture.
BERGAMO (James Philip db), an auguftin monk, born at
Bergamo in 1434) wrote a Chronicle in latin from the creatioa
of me world to the year 1503, and a Treatife of Uluftrious Wo-
men,
BERGHEM (Vak}, was born at Haarlem in 1624, and died
there aged 59, This painter, who nearly attained to univerfal
excellence, having great elegance in his choice, and happinefs
of compofition, was particularly eftimable*, for that notwith-
(landing his freedom of defign in general, his bold grouping, and
g^eat mafles of light and &ade, teem,' at iirft view, to indicate
rather a hafty execution, yet not the minuted: objeft in his pieces
will be found to difcovcr any negligence : on the contrary, a
ilone, a plant, are obferved to be in equal accuracy and per-
feflion with his principal figure.
HERGIER (NiCHOLAs), had the title of hiftoriographer of
France, but he is more known by his curious hiftory of the great
roads of the Roman Empire, which are now furpafied by ours
in beauty though not in (olidity. His fon put the finiihing hand
to this ufeful work, and printed it under the reign of Lewis XIV.
He died in 1723.
BERIGARD (Claude), bom at Moulins in 1578, taught
philofophy with reputation at Fifa, and at Padua, where he died
of an umbilical hernia in 1663, at the age of 85. We have by
him, I. Circulus Pifanus, printed in 1 641 at Florence, 4to*
I'hls book treats of the ancient philofophy, and that of Aridotle.
2. Dubitationes in dialogum Galilaei pro terras immobilitate,
1 63 2, 4to ; a work which brought upon him the charge of pyr*
rhonifm andmaterialifm, not without foundation. He has been
reproached with acknowledging no other moving principle of the
'World than primitive matter. The real name of this philofopher
is, Claude Guillermet de Beauregarde.
BERING (Vitus), profeflbr in poetry at Copenhagen, and
hiltoriographer to the king of Denmark about the middle of the
lad century, left a great number of latin poems of all kinds. Such
as read other latin poetry than that of the ancients, efteem his
lyrics. Several of his pieces have been colle£led in the ad vol.
of the beauties of the danifh poets.
BERKELEY (Dr. George), the learned ^nd moil ingenious
bifliop of Cloyoe in Ireland, was born in that kingdom, at KiU
critt,
361 S£RtCELEV.
crin, near Thomaftown, the 12th of March 1684 C^]. He v(tii
the Ion of William Berkeley of Thomaftown, in the county o^
Kilkenny 5 whofe father, the family having fuffered for their
loyalty to Charles I. went over to Ireland after the rcftoration,
and there obtained the colledorfhip of Bclfaft [b]. George had
the firft part of his education at Kilkenny fchool j was admitted
penfioner of Trinity college, Dublin, at the age of fifteen, under
Dr. Hifton ; and chofen fellow of that college June the 9th 1 707^
and placed under the tuition of Dr. Hall.
The firft public proof he gave of his literary abilities was,
Arithmetica abfque Algebra aut Euclide demonftrata ) which,
from the preface, he appears to have written before he was
twenty years old^ though he did not publiih it till 1707. It ig
dedicated to Mr. Pallifer, fon to the archbifliop of Cafiiel *, and
is followed by a mathematical mifcellany, containing obfervationsi
and theorems infcribed to his pupil Mr. Samuel Molineut, whofe
father was the friend and correfpondent of Locke.
In 1709, came forth the Theory of Vifion, which, of all his
works, feems to do the greateft honour to his fagacity ; being,
as a certain writer obferves [c], the firft attempt that ever was
made to diftinguifli the immediate and natural objeAs of fight,
from the condufions we have been accuftomed from infancy to
draw from them. The boundary is here traced out between the
ideas of fight and touch ; and it is fhewn, that, though habit has
fo conneftcd thefe two clafies of ideas in our minds, that they
-are not without a ftrong eflbrt to be feparated from each other,
yet originally they have no fuch connexion ; infomuch, that a
perfon born blind, and fuddenly made to. fee, would at firft be
utterly unable to tell how any objeft that afFeAed his fight
would zScQ, his touch ; and particularly would not from fight
receive any idea of diftance, outnefs, or external fpace, but
would imagine all obje£ls to be in his eye, or rather in his mind.
This was furprifingly confirmed in the cafe of a young man born
blind, and couched at fourteen years of age by Mr Chefclden
in 1728[dJ. A vindication of the Theory of Vifion was pub**
liihed by him in 1733.
In 1710 appeared The Principles of human Knowledge ; and,
• in 1713, Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous: the objeftof
both which pieces is, to prove that the commonly received no-
tion of the exiftence of matter is falfo ; that fenfible material
cbjeds, as they are called, arc not external to the mind, but ex-
ift in it, and are nothing more than impreflions made upon it by
the immediate aft of God, according to certain rules termed
laws of nature, from which, in the ordinary coiirfe of his go-
' [a] Life of Bp. Berkeley, p. 2, 1776, [c] Rcii's Inquiry into the Mind,
Svo. ch. 6. fed. I r.
[b] Second edition, t-jZ^ [d] IMiilof. Tranf. No.4'^2w
vcrnmcnt.
BERKELEY. 303
▼ernment, he never deviates ; and thac the fteady adherence of
the Supreme Spirit to thefe rules is what conftitutes the reality
of things to his creatures. Thefe works are declared to have
been written in oppoiition to fceptics and atheifts ; and herein
is inquired into the chief caufe of error and difficulty in the
iciences, with the grounds of fcepticifm, atheifm, and irreligion:
which caufe and grounds are found to be the doftrines of the
exiftehce of matter. He feems perfuaded, that men never could
have been deluded into a falfe opinion of the exigence of mat-
ter, if they had not fancied themfelves inverted with a power of
abftratSking fubftance from the qualities under which it is per-
ceived ; and hence, as the general foundation of his argument,
is led to combat and explode a do£lrine maintained by Locke
and others, of there being a power in the mind of abitra£bing
general ideas. Mr. Hume [e], having regard to thefe writings
of the very ingenious author, as he calls him, fays, that they
*^ form the ben lefibns of fcepticifm, which are to be found ei-
ther among the ancient or modern philofophers, Bayle not ex-
cepted." He profefles, however, in his title page, and undoubt-
edly with great truth, to have compofed his books againft the
fceptics, as well as againft the atheifts and freethinkers : but that
all his arguments, though otherwife intended, are, in reality,
merely fceptical, appears from this, that they /idmit of no anfwerj
andprodtue no convi^ion. Their only effe£t is, to caufe that mo-
mentary amazement and irrefolution and confufion, which is
the refult of fcepticifm. It may juft be obferved, that Berkeley
had not reached his 27th year, when he publiihed this (ingular
fyftem.
In 1 712, he publiftied three fermons in favour of paffive obe-
dience and non-refiftance[F], which underwent at leaft three
editions, and afterwards had nearly done him fome injury in his
fortune. They caufed him to be reprefented as a Jacobite, and
ftood in his way with the houfe of Hanover,, till Mr. Molineux,
above*mentioned, took off the impreffion, and fisft made hin\,
known to queen Caroline, whofe fecretary when princefs Mr*>
Molineux had been. Acutenefs of parts and beauty of imagi-
nation were fo confpicuous in his writings, that his reputation
was now eftabliftied, and his company courted even where his
opinions did not find admidion. Men of oppofite parties con-
curred in recommending him ; fir Richard Steele, for inftance,
and Dr. Swift. For the former he wrote feveral papers in the
Guardian, and at his houfe became acquainted with Pope, with
whom he always lived in friendftiip. Swift recommended him
to the celebrated earl of Peterborough, who being appointed
£k] £n)i3rs, Tol^ii^p. 17^. Evo. [p] ftsattic on Trutlv V* 444- ^^ *^'^'-
ambafTador
504 BERKELEY.
ambafTador to the king of Sicily and the italian dates, took
Berkeley with him as chaplain and fecretary in November 1713.
He returned to England with this nobleman in Auguft 17149
and towards, the dole of the year had a fever, which gave occa-
fion to Dr. Arbuthnot to indulge a little picafantry on Berkeley's
fyftem. Poor philofopher Berkeley, fays he to his friend Swifc^
has now the idea of health, which was very hard to produce in
him ; for he had an idea of a ftrange fever on him fo ilrong,
that it was very hard to deftroy it by introducing a contrary
one.
His hopes of preferment expiring with the fall of queen
Anne's miniftry, he fome time after embraced an offer, made
him by Afhe, bifhop of Cloeher, of accompanying his fon in a
tour through Europe. In this he employed four years ) and,
•beGdes thofe places which fail within the grand tour, vifited
fome that are lefs frequented. He travelled over Apulia (from
V^hich he wrote an account of the tarantula to Dr. Freind), Ca*
, labria, and the whole iiland of Sicily. This laft country engaged
his attention fo ftrongly, that be had with great induftry col-
levied very confiderable materials for a natural hiftory of it, but
unfortunately loft them in the paflage to Naples ; and what an
injury the literary world has fuftained by this mifchance, may
be collected from the fpecimen of his talents for this fort oi
work, in a letter to Mr. Pope concerning the iiland of Inarimc
(now lichia) dated Oftober 22, 17 17 [g] \ and in another from
the lame city to Dr. Arbuthnot, giving an account of an eruption
of Vefuviu8[H]. He arrived at London in 1721 } and, being
much afFe£ted with the mifcries of the nation, occasioned by the
South Sea fcheme in 1720, publiihed the fame year An effay to-
wards preventing the ruin of Great Britain \ reprinted in his
mifcellaneous trads.
His way was open now into the very firft company. Mr. Pope
introduced him to lord Burlington, and lord Burlington recom-
mended him to the duke of Grafton; who, being lord-lieutenant
of Ireland, took him over as one of his chaplains in 172 1. No-
vember this year, he accumulated the degrees of bachelor and
do£lor in divinity. The year folloM-ing he had a very unex-
Eefted increafe of fortune from Mrs. Vanhomrigh, the cele-
rated Vaneffa, to whom he had been introduced by Swift : this
lady had intended Swift for her heir ; but, perceiving herfelf to
be flighted by him, fhe left near 8000 1. between her two exe-
cutors, of whom Berkeley was one. May 18, 1724, he was pro-
moted to the deanery of Derry, worth iiool. per annum.
In 1725, he publiihed, atid it has fmce been reprinted in his
[o] Pope's \V9rks, vol. viii, [h] Li.'c, p. 38. PiuL Tranf. No. 354.
mii'cellaneous
BERKELEY. 505
IhWceJlailcous trafts, " A propofal for converting the favagc
' Americans to chriftianity, by a college to be crefted in the
Summer lilands, otherwife called the Ifles of Bermuda :" a
fchemc which had employed his thoughts for three or four years
pafl ; and it is really furprifmg to confuier how far he carried it.
He ofFercd to refign all his preferment, and to dedicate the re-
mainder of his life to inftrufting the american youth, on p fti-
pend of 1 00 1, yearly: he prevailed with three junior fellows-of
Trinity college, Dublin, to give up all their profpcfts of prefer-
ment at home, and to exchange their fellowihips for a fettlemcnt
in the Atlantic Ocean at 40 1. a year: he procured his plan to
be laid before George I. who commanded fir Robert Walpolc to
lay it before the commons: -•id further granted him a charter
for creeling a college in Bermuda, to coniift of a prefident and
nine fellows, who were obliged to maintain and educate indian
fcholars at 1 o 1. a year each : he obtained a grant from the com-
mons of a fum, to be determined by the king; and accordingly
I0,oool. was promifed by the minifter,for the purchafe of lands,
and cre£ling the college. He married the daughter of John
Forfter, cfq. fpeaker of the iri(h houfe of commons, the ift of
Auguil 1728; and aftually fet fail in September following for
Khode liland, which lay neareft to Bermuda, taking with him
his wife, a fmgle lady, and two gentlemen of fortune. Was not
this going a great way, and was not here a full proipeft of fuc-
cefs ? Yet the fcheme entirely failed, and Berkeley wss obliged
to return, after refiding near two years at Newport. The rc;ifon
given is, that the minifter never heartily embraced the projeft,
and the money was turned into another channel.
In '732, he publiihed The Minute Philofopher, in two vo-
lumes 8vo. Thib mafterly work is written in a fcries of dialogues
on the model of Plato, a philofopher he is faid to have been very
fond of; and in it he purfues the freethinker through the va-
rious charafters of atheill, libertine, enthufiaft, iccrncr, critic,
metaphyfician, fataliit, and fceptic. The fame ycrir he piirucd
a fermon, preached before the fociety for propagating the gofj^el
in foreign parts. In 1733, he was made bifhop of Lloyne, and
might have been removed in 1745, by lord Chefterfield, to
Clogher, but declined it. He refided conltantly at Cloyne, where
he faithfully difcharged all the oifices of a good bilhop, yet con-
tinued his itudies with unabated attention.
About this time he engaged in a controverfy with the mathe-
maticians, which made a good deal of noife in the literary world;
and the occafion of it isfaid to have been this: Mr. Addifon had
g ven the biihop an account of tiieir common friend Dr. Garth's
behaviour in his laft illnefs, which was equally unplcafinfr to
both thcfe advocates of revealed religion. For, when Mdifoa
went to fee the do£lor, and began to difcourfe with him fcrioufly
Vol. IL X about
3o6 BERKELEY.
about another world, " Surely, Addifon,'* replied he, ** I Iiarrf
i^ood reafon not to believe thofe trifles, fince my friend Dr. HaU
ey, who has dealt fo much in demonftration, has aflured me,
that the do£trines of chrifttanity are incomprehenfible, and the
religion itfelf an impofture." The bifhop, therefore, addreffed
to him, as to an infidel mathematician, a difcourfe called the
Analvft ; with a view of (hewing, that myfteries in faith were.
unjuftiy obje£led to by mathematicians, who admitted much
greater myfteries, and even falfehoods in fcience, of which he
endeavoured to prove, that the do&rine of fluxions fumifhed a
clear example. This attack gave occafion to Maclaurin's trea*
tife, and other fmaller works, upon the fubjed of fluxions ^ but
the dixtSt anfwers to ihe Analyft were fet forth by a perfon
under the name of Philalethes Cantabrigienfis, but generally
fuppofed to be Dr. Jurin, who publifhed a piece intituled^
Geometry no friend to infidelity, 1734. To this the bifhop re«
plied in A defence of freethinking in mathematics, 1735; which
drew a fecond anfwer the fame year from Philalethes, ftyled.
The minute mathematician, or the freethinker no juft thinker.
And here the controverfy ended.
But the bifhop, ever zEtivt and attentive to the public good,
was continually fending forth fomething or other : in 17359 the
Querift; in 1736, A difcourfe addreflTed to magiftrates, occa-
Coned by the enormous licence and irreligion of the times i and
many other things afterwards of a fmaller kind. In 1744, came
forth his celebrated and curious book, intituled, Siris ; a chain
of philofophical refleflions and inquiries concerning the virtues
of Tar Water : a work which, he has been heard to declare, coft
him more time and pains than any other he had ever been en«
gaged in. It underwent a fecond impreflion, with additions and
emendations, in 1747; and was followed by ^'Farther thoughts
on Tar Water," in 1752. In July, the fame year, he removed
with his lady and family to Oxford, partly to fuperintend the
education of a fon, but chiefly to indulge the paflion for learned
retirement, which had ever ftrongly poffefred him, and was one
of his motives to form the Bermuda projefl. He would have
refigned his bifhopric for a canonrv or headfhip at Oxford ; but
it was not permitted him. At Oxford he lived highly rcfpeded,
and colle£led and printed the fame year all his fmaller pieces in
8vo ; but he did not live long ; for, on Sunday evening, Jan. 14,
i7S3t SIS he was in the midil of his family, liftening to a fermon
which his lady was reading to him, he was feized with what was
called- a palfyin the heart, and inflantly expired. The accident
was fo fudden, that his body was cold, and his joints fliflT, before
it was difcovered ; as he lay upon a couch, and feemed to be
afleep, till his daughter, on prefenting him with a difh of tea, firft
perceived his infenfibility. Hh remains were interred at Chrift
church
BERKELEY. 307
diurcK Otfordi and there is an elegant marble monument over
htm, with an infcription by Dr. Markham, then dean.
As to his perfon, he was handfome, with a countenance full of
meaning .and kindnefs, remarkable for great ftrtngth of limbs ^
ttnd, till his fedentary life impaired ic, of a very robuft confti-
tution. He was, however, often troubled with the hypochondria,
and latterly with a nervous colic, from which however he was
greatly relieved by the virtues of tar-water. At Cloyne he con-
ftantly rofe between three and four o'clock in the morning, and
fummoned his family to a leffon on the bafs viol, from an italiati
mafter he kept in the houfe for the inftrufiion of his children ;
though he himfelf had no ear for mufic. He fpent the reft of
the momtngi and often a great part of the day, in (ludy -, and
l^lato, from whom many of his notions were borrowed, was hia
faveurite author. The excellence of his moral chara£ler is con«
fpicuous in his writings : he was certai.ily a very amiable as well
ms verj great man; and Pope is fcarcely thought to have faid too
mucb| when he afcribes
To Berkeley every virtue under heaven.
BERKELEY (George, L.L. D. prebendary of Canterbury)^
fecond fon of the celebrated George lord bifliop of Cloyne, oy
Anne, eldeft daughter of the right hon. John Forfter, a privy«
counfellor and fpeaker of the irifii houfe of commons, by Anne^
daughter to the right hon. John Monck, brother to the duke of
Albemarle, was bom on the 28th of September 17331 old ftyle^
in Grofvenor^ftrcet, Grofvenor-fquare. In his infancy he was
removed with the family to Ireland, where he was inflrufled
in the dailies by his father only, the bi(hop taking that part of
the education ot his fons on himfelf. Inftru£led in every ele*
gant and ufeful accomplifliment, Mr. Berkeley was, at the age
of 19, fent over to Oxford ^ his father leaving it to his owa
choice to enter a gentleman commoner, either at Chriil-church
or St. John*s college. But bifhop Conybcare, then dean of
Chrift-church, on his arrival offering him a fludentfliip in that
fociety, he accepted it, finding many of the ftudents to be gen*
tlemen of the nrft chara£ler for learning and rank in the king*
dom. His firft tutor was the nrefent learned archbifhop of
York ; on whofe removal to Weftminfter-fchool, he put himfelf
under the tuition of the prefent amiable and worthy bifliop of
Oxford. Having taken the degree of B. A. he ferved the office
of coUedor in the univerfity, and as he was allowed by his con-
temporaries to be an excellent latin fcholar, no wonder that his
coUedor's fpeech was univerfally admired and applauded. In
1758 he took a fmall living from his fociety, the vicarage of Eaft
Grarfton, Berks, from which he was removed, in 17^9, by arch-
biihop Scckex his fole patron, to the famous vicarage of Bray,
X a Berks;
3o8 BERKELEY.
Berks ^ of which he was only the fifth vicar fince the re-*
formation. In 17^9 alfo he took the degree of M. A. — ^The
kindnefs of archbifhop Seeker (who teftified the highefl refpetl
for biftop Dcr*:ley's memory in attention to his defc/ving km)
did not reft here ; he gave him alfo the chancellorfhip of Breck-
nock, the reftory of A£ton, Middiefex, and the fixth prcbendal
ftall in the c) UTch of Canterbury. In 1768 he had taken the
degree of L L. D. for which he went out grand compounder.
He foon afterwards refigned the redlory ot Acton in a noble>
unfolicited, and unexpected manner. Soon after he had ob-
tained the chanceilorihip of Brecknock alfo, he put himfclf to
very confiderable expence in order to render permanent two ten
pounds per annum, iiTuing out of the eiiate, to two poor wellh
curacies. The vicarage of Bray he afterwards exchanged for
that of Cookham near Maidenhead. He liad afterwards from
the church of Canterbury the vicara^je of Eaft-Peckham, Kenc^
which he relinquiilitd on obtaining the re6lory of St. Clement's
Danes ; which with the vicarage of Tyfhurft, SuiTex (to which
he was prefented by the church of Canterbury in, 1792, when he
vacated Cookham), and with the chanceilorihip of Brecknock,
he held till his death. His illnefshad been long and painful, but
borne with exemplary refii^nation ; and his death was fo calm
and cafy that no pang was obferved, no groan was heard, by hia
attending wife and relations. Not long before his death, he ex-
preffed his warmed gratitude to Mrs. Berkeley, of whofe af-
fection he was truly fcnfible, and of whom he took a molt ten-
der farewell. Dr. . crkeley's ou. Ufications and attainments were
fuch as mu(t oicafion his death to be lamented not only by a few,
but by many indeed. He was the charitable divine, the affec-
tionate and a<flive friend, the elegant fcholar, the accomplifhed
gentleman. He.pollcfl'ed an exquifite fenfibility. To alleviate
the fufferings of the Tick and needy, and to patronize the friend-
lefs, were employments in which his heart and his hand ever co-
operated. In the pulpit his manner was animated, and his mat-
ter forcible. His converiation always enlivened the iocial meet-
ings where he wac prefeiit ; for he was equalled by few in affa-
bility of temper and addrcfs, in the happy recital of agreeable
anecdote, in the ingenious difcufiion of literary fubjedts, or in
the brilliant difplay of a lively imagination.
Dr. Berkeley pul>lifhed two or three (ingle fermons ; one of
which, preached on the annivcrfary of king Charles's martyr-
dom, 1785, intituled, "The danger of violent innovations in-
the ftatc, how fpccious foevcr the pretence, exemplified from
the reigns of the two firit Stuarts," has gone through fix edi-i
• tions, the lad in I7v4; one on Good Friday j7^7; one at
Cookham on the king's acceTion, 1780. He married, in 1761,
Eliza, dded daughter and coheirefs ci the rev. Henry .Finfham»<
, . M. A.
BERKENHOUT. 309
Mi A. by Eliza, youngcft daughter and one of the coheircflcs of
the truly pious and learned Francis Cherry, efq. of Shottefbrook*
houfe in the county of Berks, by whom he had four children, now
no more. He died 6th January 1795, and was buried in the
fame vault where his father lies, in the cathedral of Chrift-church,
Oxford, on the 14th of the fame month. His remains were at-
tended to the grave by four of his friends, one of whom indeed
was an early friend and acquaintance, the prefcnt dean of He-
reford. The late biihop Home, we may add, was one of Dr.
Berkeley's earlieil and mod intimate friends, the lofs of whom
he feverely felt, and of whom he was ufed to fpeak with the Hn-
ccreft rcfpeft and the mod afFeclionatc regard.
BERKENHOirr (Dr. John), was born, about the year I730>
at Leeds in Yorkfliire, and educated at the grammar-fchool in
that town. His father, who was a merchant, and a native of
Holland, intended him for trade ; and with that view fent him
at an early age to Germany, in order to learn foreign languages^
After continuing a few years in that country, he made the tour
of turopc i» company with one or more englHh noblen>en. On
their return to Germany they vifited Berlin, where Mr. Berken-
hout met with a near relation of his father's, the baron de Biek-
feldt, a nobleman then in high eftimation with the late king of
Pruffia; diilinguifhed as one of the founders of the royal aca-
demy of fcienccs at Berlin, and univerfally known as a politician
and a man of letters. With this relation our young traveller
Axed his abode for fome time ; and, regardlefs of his original
dedination, became a cadet in a pruiFian regiment of foot. He
foon obtained an enfign's commiilion ; and, in the fpace of a few
years, was advanced to the rank of captain. He quitted th^
pruiTian fcrvice on the declaration of war bet^'cen England and
France in 1756, an^ was honoured with the command of a com-
pany in thefervice of his native country. When peace was
concluded in 1760, not chooting, we fuppofe, to lead a life of
inadltvicy on half-pay, he went down to Edinburgh, and com-
menced fludent of phyfic. During his refidence at that uni-
vcrfity he publifhed his Clavis Anglica l-inguse i.otanicx; a book
of fin^ular utility to all Itudei'ts of botany. This book -has been
long out of print. It is the only botanical lexicon in our lan-
guage, and particularly expletive of the linnaean fyitem.
Having continued fome years at Edinburgh, Mr. Berkenhout
went to the univerfity of Leyden, where he took the degree of
dotVor of phyfic . This was in the year 1765, as we learn front
the tlate of his thefis, which we have feen. It is intituled, Dif-
fertatio medica inauguralis dc Podagra, and dedicated to his re«
lation baron de Bielfeldt. Returning to England, Dr. BeVken-
hout fettled at lileworth in iVliddlefex, and foon after puWlilhed
bis Pharmacopoeia Medici, the third edition of wliich was
X 3 printed
310 BERKENHOUT.
printed in 178a. In 1778, he was fent by government with tlie
commiflioners to America. Neither the commiflioners nor their
fccrctary were fuffcred by the congrefs to proceed further than
New-York. Dr. Berkennout, however^ found means to pene«
trate as far as Philadelphia, where the congrefs was then aflem*
bled. He appears to have remained in that city for fome time
without moleftation ; but at laft they began to fufped that ha
.was fent by lord North for the purpofe of tampering with fome
of their leading members. The do£lor was immediately feized
and committed to prifon.
How long he remained a (late prifoner, or by what means he
obtained his liberty, we are not informed ; but we find from the
public prints, that he rejoined the commiflioners at New York,
and returned with them to England. — For this temporary facri«
fice of the emoluments of his profeflion, and in confideration of
his having} in the fervice of his fovereign, committed himfelf to
the mercy of a congrefs of incenfed republicans, he obtained a
f)enrion.
Many years previous to this event (viz. in 1769 or 1770) Dr.
Berkenhout publiflied his Outlines of the Natural Hiftory of
Great Britain and Ireland, in 3 vols. J2mo ; a work which efta-
bliflied his reputation as a naturalift. This very ufeful book was
alfo long out of print ; but we are informed that a new edition
has been lately publi(hed. In the year 1773 he wrote a pam«
phlet, intituled, An eflay on the bite of a mad dog, in which
the claim to infallibility of the principal prefervative remedies
againft the hydrophobia is examined. This pamphlet is infcribed
to fir George Baker, and deferves to be univerfally read. In the
yfcar following Dr. Berkenhout publilhed his Symptomatology }
a book which is too univerfally known to require any recom<v
mendation. His lad publication, which appeared at the be*
ginning of the yeir 1788, is intituled, Firil lines of the theory
and pra£lice of philofophical chemiftry. It is dedicated to Mr«
Eden, afterwards ambaflador to the court of Spain, now lord
euckland, whom the do£lor accompanied to America. Of this
^ok ic is fuflicient to fay, that it exhibits a fatisfadory difplay
of the prefent ftate of chemiftry ^ and that it is the only fyftema*
tical book on this fubjed in the englifh language. I'hefe, we
believe, except a learned preface to the tranflation of Dr,
Pomme's treatife on hyfteric difeafes, are all Dr. Borkenhout's
writings in the line of his profeffion : but he is not lefs known
as the author of other valuable works, particularly the Biographia
Jjiteraria, publiihed by Dodfley. We have alfo good reafon to
fuppofe him the author of certain humorous publications, in profe
and verfe, to which he did not think fit to prefix his name. We
likewife remember to have feen a tranflation from the fwedifh
languagei of the celebrated count Teflui's letters to ^ late king
BERNARD. 311
^t Sweden, by our author. It is dedicated to the prince of
Wales, hi$ prefent majefty of Great Britain \ and was^ we be*
lieve, Mr. Berkenhout's firft publication.
Dr. Berkenhout was likewife the author of Lucubrations on
Ways and Means; from which fcveral of our prefent taxes were
adopted $ alfo of an anfwer to Dr. Cadogan's pamphlet on the
gout. He died the 3d of April 1791, aged 60.
When we rcflefl: on the variety of books tliat bear his name,
we cannot but be furprifed at the extent and variety of the
knowledge they contain. He was originally intended for a mer-
chant 5 thence his knowledge of the principles of commerce.
He was fome years in one of the beft difciplined armies in Eu-
rope ; thence nis knowledge of the art of war. His tranilation
of count Tei&n's Letters ihew him to be well acquainted with
ihc fwedifli language, and that he is a good poet. His Pharma-*
copceta Medici, &c. demonilrate his (kill in his profeflion. His
Outlines of Natural Hiftory and his Botanical Lexicon prove hia
knowledge in every branch of natural hiftory. His Firft Lines
of Philofophical Cnemiftry have convinced the world of his inti-
mate acquaintance with that fcience. His Eflay on Ways and
Means proves him to be better acquainted with the fyftem of
taxation than any other writer on the fubjefb. All his writings
prove him to have been a claffical fcholar, and it is known tha^
the Italian, french, german and dutch languages were familiar to
him. His biographical knowledge is evident trom his Biographi;i
Literaria. He was moreover a painter i and played well, it ia
&id, on various muHcal inftruments^ To thefe acquirements may
be added, a confiderable degree of mathematical knowledge,
which he attained in the courfe of his military ftudies. An indi.*
vidual fo univerfally informed as Dr. Berkenhout is an extraor-
dinary appearance in the republic of letters.
BERKLEY (Sir Willliam), was conftituted governor of
Virginia in 1660, after the death of colonel Matthews ; wrote a
defcription of that country, and collected the laws then in force
into one body, and added moft of the beft laws himfelf, which
he procured to be confirmed by the grand aiTembly anno 1661 «
He died July 13, 1677, and was at firft buried in the middle
chancel of Twickenham church, but was afterwards removed
into a vault, made for lord John Berkley, in 1678.
BERNARD (St.), one of the fathers of the church, born
1091, in the village of Fontaine in Burgundy. In 11 15, the
monaftery of Clah'vaux was founded, and Bernard was made
the firft abbot of this religious houfe, where many famous men
were bred up under his tuition. He acquired fo great efteem
amonsft the clergy, nobility, and com];non people, that no ec-
clefiaftical affair or difpute was carried on without having re-
courfe to his advice* It was owing to him^ that Innocent IL
X 4 wa
51* BERNARD.
was acknowledged fovercign pontiff and after the death of Petc«
Leonis, anti-pope, that Viftor, who had been named fuccefibr,
made a voluntary abdication of his dignity. He convicted Abe-
lard at the council of Sens, hi 1140. He oppofed the monk
Raoul ; he perkcuted the followers of Arnaud de Brcflcj and
in 1148, he got Gilbert de la Porvice, biGiop of Poitiers and
Eon de TEioile, to be condemned in the council of Rheims. By
furh zealous behaviour he verified, fays Mr. Bayle, the inter-
pretation of his mother's dream. She dreamt, when (he was
with child of him, that (he (hould bring forth a white dog, whofe
barking (hould be very loud [i]. Being aftoniflied at this
dream, ihe confulted a monk, who faid to her, " Be of good
courage j you fliall have a fon who ihall guard the houfe of
God, and bark loudly again (l the enemies of the faith." This
turbulent and hot-headed fanatic died in 1153, after having
founded i6q monafteries, and wrought innumerable miracles>
and was made one of the great faints of the romifh communion.
He lirtS left many works j the bell edition is that publilhed in
1690, by father Mabillon, in two volumes folio.
BERN/.RD (Edward;, a learned critic and aftronomer,
born at Perry St. Paul, commonly called Panler's Perry, near*
1 owceller in Northampton (lure, the 2d of May 163b [KJ. He
received fome part of his education at Northampton •, but his
father dying when he was very young, his mother fent him to
an uncle in London^ who entered him at Merchant-taylors-
fchool, in 1648 : here he continued till June 1655, when he was
cleded fcholar of St. John's college in Oxford, of which alfohe
became afterwards fellow. During his (lay at fchool, he had
laid in an uncommon fund of claflical learning, fo that when l\c
went to the univcrfity, he was a great matter of the greek and
latin tongues, and not unacquainted with the hebrew. He had.
acquired a good latin (lyle, and could compofe verfes well ; fo
that he often ufed to divert himfelf with writing epigrams. In
the univeriity, he applied himfelf to hiftory, philology, and phi*
lofophy ; nor was he fatisfied with the knowledge of the Ian*
guages of Greece and Kome, but likewife made himfelf mafter
of the hebrew, fyriac, arabic, and Coptic. He applied himfelf
next to the niiithematics, under the famous D. J. Wall is. He
took the degree of B. A Feb. the 12th, 1658 ; that of mafter,
April 16, 1662} and that of B. D. June 9, i668. December
following he went to Leyden, to coiiiult feveral oriental manu**
fcripts left to that univerfity by Jofeph tScaliger and Levinua
Warncrus, anil efpecially the 5th, 6th, and 7th books of Apol-
lonius Per^asub's conic fe^bions 5 the greek text of which is loft,
fi I Francis Ambocs. vit. Bernard, Smi'ii's vita Bcrn.irdi at the end of blfhop
lib. I.' Huniingdoo's cpilVies, Lond. 1704. Svo.
[kJ Viood'i Athen. Oxoa. vol. ii. |). 4,
but
BERNARD, 315
tut whicli arc preferred in the arabic verfion of that author*
Thw verfion had been brought from the eaft bv James Goliust
and wras in the pofleffion of his executor, who nnding Mr. Ber-
nard's chief deiign in coming to Holland was to examine this
manufcripty allowed him the free ufe of it. He accordingljr
(ranfcribed thefc three books, with the diagrams, intending ta
publiih them at Oxford, with a latin verfion, and proper com-
mentaries; but was prevented from completing this defign.
Abraham Echellenfis had publifhed a latin tranllation of thefc
books in 1661, and Chriftianus Ravius gave another in 1669:
but Dr. Smith remarks, that chefe two authors, though weU
(killed in the arable language, were entirely ignorant of the ma-
thematics, which made it regretted that Golius died while he was
preparing that work for the prefs ^ and that Mr. Bernard, who
underftood both the language and the fubje£t, and was fur^
niihed with all the proper helps for fuch a detign, was aban-
doned by his friends, though they had before urged him to un«
dertake it[L].
At his return to Oxford, he examined and collated the moft
valuable manufcripts in the bodleian library; which induced
thofe who publiihed ancient authors, to apply to him for obfer^
vations or emendations : thefe he readily imparted, and by this
means became engaged in a very extenfivc correfpondence with
the learhed in moil countries [mJ. In 1669, the famous Chrif-
topher Wren, favilian profefTor of aftronomy at Oxford, having
been appointed furveyor-general of his majelly's works, and be-
ing much detained at London by this employment, obtained leave
to name a deputy at Oxford, and pitched upon Mr. Bernardj
which engaged the latter in a more particular application to the
ftudy of aftronomy. In 1672, the ma iter and fellows of his*col-
lege prefenced him to the redlory of Cheamein Surrey ; and Fe-
bruary following. Dr. Peter iVicws, the matter, being advanced
to the bittiopric of Bath and H ells, appointed Mr. Bernard one
of his chaplains. But the following year he quitted all views o£
preferment, by accepting the lav i Han profcflbrlhip of attronomy^
vacant by the refignation of fir Chriliopher Wren ; for, by the
ftatutes of the founder, fir Henry Savile, the profefibrs are not
allowed to hold any other office either ecclefiaftical or civil.
About this time a fcheme was fet on foot at Oxford, of coU
Icding and puhliihing the ancient mathematicians. Mr. Ber-
nard, who had firit formed the proje£t, coileded all the old books
publiihed on that fubjeft fince the invention of printing, and all
the MSS. he could difcover in the bodleian and favilian libraries^
[l] This book was publiihed :it len^ih own Ingenuity and induftry the Sth booky
by Or. HnlJcy, at Ox^'ord. 1710, lolio, who which is lof>
has given a latin tranflation of the thrrc l.ift [m] ^^miiu'i vita BernarJi, &C. 8vo.
^coksout of arable, and fupplitd by his p. z^,^^-
which
314 BERNARD.
^hich he arranged in order of time, and according to the matter
they contained. Of this he drew up a fynopfis or view, which
he prefented to bifhop Fell, a great encourager of the under*
taking [n]. As a fpecimen he publiflied alfo a few (heets of
Euclid in folio, containing the greek text, and a latin verfion,
with Proclus's commentary in greek and latin, and learned fcho«
lia and corollaries. He undertook alfo an edition of the Parva
fvntaxis Alexandrina ; in which, befides Euclid, are contained
tne fmall trcatifes of Theodofius, Autolycus, Menelaus, Ariftar*
chus, and HipGcIes : but it was never publiQied [o]. In 1676^
he was fent to France by Charles II. to be tutor to the dukes of
Grafton and Northumberland, natural fons of the king, by the
ifuchefs of Cleveland, with whom they then lived at Paris ; but
the plainnefs and nmplicity of his manners not fuiting the gaiety
of the duchefs's family, he continued with them only one year,
when he returned to Oxford : he reaped however the advantage,
during his day at Paris, of becoming acquainted with moft of
the learned men in that city.
Upon his return to the univerfity, he applied. himfelf to his
former fludies ; and though, in conformity to the obligation of
his profefTorfhip, he devoted the greateft part of his time to ma«>
^ thematics, yet his inclination was now more to hiitory, chrono*
logy, and antiquities. He undertook a new edition of Jofephus,
but it was never completed. In 1683, he went again to Leyden,
to be prefent at the fale of Nicholas Heinfius's library ; where
he purchafed, at a great price, feveral of the claifical authors,
that had been cither collated with manufcripts, or illuftrated
with the original notes of Jofeph Scaliger, fionaventure Vul-
canius, the two Heinfiufes, and other celebrated critics. Here
he renewed his acquaintance with feveral perfons of eminent
learning, and was fo taken with their civilities, and the oppor«
tunities he had of making improvements in oriental learnings
that he would have fettled at Leyden, if he could have been
chofen profefTor of the oriental languages in that univerfity j but
not being able to compafs this, he returned to Oxford. He began
now to be tired of aftronomy, and his health declining, he was
defirous to refign ; but no other preferment offering, he was
obliged to hold his profefibrfliip fome years longer than he in««
tended; however, in 1691, being prefented to the re£lory of
Brightwell in Berkihire, he foon after quitted his profeiforihip,
and was fuccceded by David Gregory, profeflbr of mathematics
at Edinburgh.
[n] It was publiflied hy Dr. Smith at greek writers, «vho are fuppofcd to be loft
|he end of his life of our author, under the ia their own Uiiguag^, but are preferved in
title of Veterum Mzihematicorum grxco- the fyriac or anthictrannationsof them.
rvin,latinorum,erar4buin, fynopfis. And [o] Smitli'a vita ficroaidi, &c. Syou
St tbie end of it there is a caulogue of fomc p. % j» 25.
Towards
BERNARD. 315
Towards the latter end of his life, he was much afflii^ed with
-the ftonc j yet, notwithftanding this, and other infirmities, he
took a third voyage to Holland, to attend the fale of Golius'a
manufcripts fpj. After fix or ftven weeks abfence he returned
to London, and from thence to Oxford. There he fell into a
languifhing confumption, which put an end to his life, Jan. 12,
1696, before he was quite fifty- nine years of age. Four days
after, he was interred in St. John's chapel, where a monument
of white marble was foon ereded for him. As to this learned
man's charader, Dr Smith, who knew him well, gives him %
very great one. *' He was (fays he) of a mild difpofition, averfc •
to wrangling and difputes ; and if by chance or otherwifc he hap*
pened to be prefent where contefts ran high, he would deliver
his opinion with great candour and modefty, and in few words,
but entirely to the purpofe. He was a candid judge of other
men's performances ; ^ot too cenforlous even on trilling books,
if they contained nothing contrary to good manners, virtue, or
religion -, and to thofe 'which difplayed wit, learning, or good
fenfe, none gave more ready and more ample praile. Though
he was a true fan of the church of £ngland, yet he judged fa*
vourably and charitably of difienters of all denominations. His
piety and prudence tXever fufFered him to be hurried away by an
immoderate zeal, in declaiming againft the errors of others, His
piety was fincere and unaffe£ted, and his devotions both in public
and private very regular and exemplary. Of his great and cx-
tenfive learning, the works he publilhed, and tlie manufcripts he
h^s left, are a fufiicient evidence.**
BERNARD (James), profeflbr of philofophy and mathema*
tics, and mintfter of the Walloon church at Leydeo, born Sept*
X, 16589 at Nions in Dauphine. He had the rudiments of his
education in a proceftant academy, at Die in Dauphine[(^]t He
went afterwards to Geneva, where he iludied philofophy, and
applied (o the hebrew language under the profeflbr Michael
Turretin. He returned to France in 1679, and was chofcn
mintiler of Venterol, a village in Dauphine. Some time after
he was removed to the church of Vinfobres in the fame pro«
vince; but the perfecutions raifed againft the proteftaiits in
France, having obliged him to leave his native country, he retired
to Geneva in 1683^ and afterwards to Laufanne in Switzerland.
In 1685, ^^ went to Holland, where he was appointed one of
the penfionary minifters of Ganda, and taught philofophy : but
having been married fince he came to Hplland, and the city of
Qanda not being very populous^ hp bad not a fufiicient number «
[p] Smith's vita Bernard! at the end of [q^] I^ Cicrc Blogc de M.Bernar4
biOiop Huntingdon's epUUci. Load. 1704. Nauvcllci de la rcpub. dca Icures i6iS»
Sjto. p. 4. May tfP l^l^t P- ^9**
3i6 BERNARD.
©f fcholars to maintain his family; and therefore obtained leave
to refide at the Ha.;ae, but went to Ganda to preach in his turn,
which was about four times a year Before he went to live at
the Hague, he had publiihed a kind of political ftate of Europe,
intituled, Hilloire abregce de PEaropc, 6£C. The work was begun
in July 1686, and continued monthly till December 1688: it
makes five volumes in i2mo. In 1692, he began his Lettres
Hilloriques, containing an account of the moft important tranf-
ad>ions in Europe, with necellUry reflc£>ions, which %Vas alfo
publifhed monthly, till 1698: it was afterwards continued by
other hands, and contains a great many volumes. Mr. Le Clerc
kaving left off his Bibliotheque univerfelle, in J69 1, Mr. Bernard
wrote the grcateft part of the ?orh volume, and by himfelf car-
Tied on the five following, to the year '693. In 1699, he col-
lected and publifhed Aftes et Negotiations de la Paix de Ryfwic>
in four volumes i2mo: a new edition of this collection was
publiihed in 1707, in five volume i2mo[R]. He did not put
his name to any of thefe works, nor to the general colleftion of
the treaties of peace, which he publiihed in 1700 [s]. But he
prefixed it to the Nouvelles de la Republique des Lettres, which
was bt'gun in i6g8, and continued till December 1710. This
undertaking engao:ed liim in fome difputes, 'particularly with one
Mr. de Vallone, a monk, who having embraced the reformed
leligion, wrote fome metaphyfical books concerning predeftina-
tion^T]. Mr Bernard havincr given an account of one of thefe
books, the author was fo dilpieafcd with it, that he printed a
libel againft: Mr. Bernard, antl gave it about privately amongfl his
friends. He was alfo engaged in a long difputc with Mr. Bayle
vpon the two following queitions : i. Whether the general
agreement of all nations in favour of a deity, be a good proof
of the exiilence of a deity ? 2. Vv hethcr atheifm be worfe^
than idolatry fu]?
Mr. Bernard having acquired great reputation by his works,
aft well as by his fermons at Gaiuia and the Hague, the con-
gregation of the Walloon church at 1 eyden were dcfirous
to have him for one of their miiiifters: but they could not
accompliih their defire whilft kinj:: William lived, who rcfufcd
twice to confirm the election of Mr. Bernard, as being a re«
[r] Nouv. de la Repub. de Let. 1609, i6"0. The third includes the treaties
Juiilct, p. III. from r6ot to i6c*; aud^h^ tourtb, thole
[*3 This collcftion confiib of the trca- from «66t to i:oo. with a general al-
fjc?, contraft«, a£ls of guai.mty, &c be- phaSciical index to the \v!iolc.
tvnxt the powers of Europe, tour volumes [i J ^^pu^' ^^ Let. 1703, April, p. 46a,
in folio. The firft contains the prcJ^cc, Sec.
ju»d the treaties made fio c th»t year rjjb to [u] Bayle,continuation de pen fees diver-
150?. The fecoml coniirts 01 Mr Amclor Ic-s, torn. 1. p. 5^. rep. de kitres, i'»oc,
^ U H«crff*y*s hiftoricat and po'itin! re- Feh. p. tin, &c. Bavle ihid. torn. 2. rep.
Hcdioosy and the treaties froia 13C0 to dcslet. Mar. 1/05, p. ^^9, &c.
publicsm
BERNARD. jt;
}>ubrican m his principles, and having delivered his fentimenta
too freely in a fermoii befor^ this prince. After the death of
ling William, he was iinanimoufly chofcn in 1705 ; and about
the fame time appointed profeflbr of philofophy and mathema**
tics at Leyden ; the univerfity prcienting him with the degrees
of doctor of philofophy, and mailer of arts. In 1715, he pub-
lilhed A Supplement to iVJoreri's dictionary, in two volumes
foho. The fame year he rcfumcd his Nouveiles de la Repub«-
lique dcs Lettres, and continued it till his death, which happened
the 27th of April 1718, in the 60th year of his age.
• Mr. Bernard was well (killed in polite literature, and a pcrfeft
mafter of the hebrew tongue, lie (ludied the fcriptures with
great attention ; and though he was not reckoned of the firft
clafs of mathematicians, yet he could explain the principles of
that fcience in a very clear and able manner [x]. As to philo-
fophy, he had applied himfeli to that of Cartefius 5 yet after he
came into Holland, having learned the englifh tongue, he ufed
to read the bell books from England, and had acquired fome
tafte in the Newtonian philofophy. He left fcrmons and other
works in manufcript.
. BERNARD (Catharine), of the academy of the Ricovrati
of Padua, was born at Rouen, and died at Paris in i*;"!!. Her
works were feveral times crowned by the french academy, and
that of the jeux floraux. Two of her tragedies were repre-
fentedatthe french theatre, Brutus (in 1091) and Laodamia.
It is thought ihe compofcd thefe pieces conjointly with Fonte-
nelie, her friend and countryman. Of her are feveral other
works in verfe, which are written with cafe, and fometimes with
delicacy. Some diflinftion is fet upon her placet to Louis XIV.
to alk for the 200 crowns, the annual graiilic-.uion given her by
that prince; it is to be icen in the Rccueil dc vers choifis du
pere Bouhours. hhe difcontinued working for the theatre at
the inllance of madame la chancel icre dc Hont-Chartrain, who
gave her a pcnfion. She even fupprefied feveral little pieces,
which might have given bad imprefliuns of her manners and
her religion. . Two romances are iikowifc afcribed to her : The
count d'Amboife, in i2mo. and ines of Coniov.i, i2mo. Some,
of the journalids have attributed to m^dcmoirjlle Bernard the
account of the ifle of Borneo, and others to Foiuenelle. " It
may be doubted," fays the abbe irublct, " whether it be hers ^
and it is to be wiflied that it is not."
BERNARD of Thuringia, a fanatical vifionary, who an-
nounced at the latter end of the tenth century that the end of
the wuilii was near at hand, lie wore the habit of a hermit,
[xj Journ. Lit. 171S. torn. 10. p. 223.
and
3i8 BERNARD-
aind lived an auftcre life. He alarmed all minds; and M ediplCr
of the fun happening at that time, man^ people hid themfeliretf
among rocks and caves ; the return of light even did not calnH
their fears. It was neccflary that Gerberge, wife of Lewis d'Ou-
tremer, fhould engage the theologians to clear uf. this mattef.
Mod of them had fenfe enough to prove that the reign of Anti«
chrift was yet many years diftant. The world fubfidedyand the
reveries of the hermit Bernard were no more regarded. Some
ignorant people have afcribed the dreams of this enthufiaft to
St. Bernard abbe of Cit.
BERNARD op Brussels, known by his hunting -pieces, in
which heintroduced portraits of his patron the emperor Charles V«
and the principal lords of his court. There is dill of his painting
at Antwerp a reprefentation of the laft judgment; of which he
made the ground colour gold, that the luftre of it might repr«»
fent the glory of the heavens more naturally. We kiloWff^Kder
the time of his birth or of his death ; but he flourUhei Aear the
middle of the fixteenth century.
BERNARD (Peter Joseph), fecretairc- general des dragons^
and librarian of the king's cabinet at the chateau de Choifi-le-roi^
was thefonof afculptor atGrenoble inDauphine,andbornini7io.
Being fent to the college of jtfuits at Lyons, he made rapid pro*
grefs under able mailers, who were denrous of attaching him tQ
their body ; but the young fcholar, too fond of liberty and pleafure^
would not confent to that confinement. Being drawn to Paris
by the wifh to make a figure by his talent for poetry, he was
obliged to drive the quill for a couple of years as clerk to a no«
tary. The light pieces of poetry he fent abroad at intervals^
of which the prettied are the epiftle to Claudine, and the fong
of the Rofe, delivered him from this difagreeable employment.
The marquis de Pezay took him with him to the campaign of
Italy. Bernard was at the battles of Parma and Guaftalla ; and^
though a poet, behaved better than Horace. 1 his was the crifis
of his fortune. Prefented to the marecHal de Coigni who com-*
manded there, he was luckv enough to pleafe him, by his wic
and agreeable manners. Tne marechal took him to be his fe-«
cretary, admitted him to his intimacy, and fome time after**
wards procured him the place of fecretary general of the dra-
eoons. From gratitude he attached himfelf conftantly to hi^
Maecenas, till 1756, when he was deprived of him by death.
He was in great requeft in all the feleft companies of the court
and of Paris ; whom he delighted by that brilliant wit, by that
feducing epicurifm with which his verfes and his airs abound^
and of which fome are worthy of Anacreon. In 1771 the fudden
lofs of his memory put an end to his happinefs. Thence-^
forward he endured, \n imbecility of mind, a Ihade of life far
worf<
BERNARDINE. 319
Wotfe than death* In this condition he went to a revival of his
opera of Caftor, and was inceflantly aflcing, ^ Is the king come f
Is the king pleafed with it ? Is madame de Pompadotrr pleafed
with it ?" He thought he was all the while at Verfaillcs •, it
was the delirium of a courtly poet. He died in this unhappy
ftate, Nov. 1, 1775. Bcfides his lighter pieces of poetry which
got him the appellation of le gentil bernard> feveral operas added
much to his reputation.
BERNARD (Dr. Francis), was chief phyfician to king
James II. He was a man of learning, and well vcrfcd in lite-
rature. His own private colle^ioil of books, which were fcarce
and curious, fold for upwards of 1600I. in 1698; a large fum
at that time, when the pailion for rare books was much more
moderate than now. Died Feb. 9, 1697, aged 69 years. Mr.
Charles Bernard, brother to Francis, and furgeon to the princefs
Anne, daughter of king James, had alfo a curious library, which
was fold by audion in 1 7 1 1 • The Spaccio della Beftia triomfante^
by Jordano Bruno, an Italian atheift, which is faid in numb. 189
of the Spectator to have fold for 30I. was in this fale. Mr.
Ames informs us that this book was printed in England by
Thomas Vautroliier in 1584. An englifh edition of it was
printed in 1713*
BERNARD (Richard), re£lor of Batccombe in Somerfct-
fliire, was author of '^ Thefaurus Biblicus,*' a laborious work
formerly much ufed by way of concordance. He was alfo author
of an ** Ab{lra£l and Epitome of the Bible.** In 1627 he pub-
liflied ** A guide to grand jurymen with refpeft to witches/*
the country where he lived being, if we may believe Glanville^
formerly much iofefted with them. He died in 1641, and was
fucceeded by the famous non-conformifr Richard AUein, of
whom there is an account in vol. i^ p. 268 of this work.
BERNARDI( John), born at Caftel-bolognezc, died at Facnza
in 1555- This artift employed himfelf chiefly in cutting grand
fubjefls in cryftals, which were afterwards fet in goldfmiths*
work* His produ<^ions have been thought comparable with
the belt performances of the antients in this way. He was pa*
tronized by feveral princes, and particularly bv the cardinal
Alexander Farnefe. He excelled likewife in architedure.
BERNARDINE, an ecclefiaftic and faint, born at Maffa, in
Tufcany, 1380 [y]. He loft his mother at three years of age,
and his father at feven. In 1 392, his relations fent for him to
Sienna, where he learned grammar under Onuphrius, and phi*
lofophy under John Spalctanus. In 1 396, he entered himfclf
among the confraternity of the difciplinaries in the hofpital de
la Scala in that city : and in 1400, when the plague ravaged all
£t] Du Pifi, biblioth. eccIeC
Italy,
320 BERNIA, Ok BERNL
Italy, he attended upon the (Ick in that hofpital with the uttttoft
diligence and humanity. In 1404, he entered into a monaitery
of the francifcan order, near Sienna, and, having been ordained
prieil, became an eminent preacher. He was afterwards fcnt
to Jerufalcm, as commifl'ary of the holy land ; and upon his re-
turn to Italy, vifited feveral cities, where he preached with great
applaufe. His enemies accufed him to pope Mart in V. of having
advanced in his fcrmons erroneous proportions ; upon which he
was ordered to Rome, where he vindicated himfclf, and was
.allowed to continue his preaching fz]. The cities of Ferrara,
Sienna, and Urbino, deHred pope Eugenius IV. to appoint him
their bifliopv but Bernardine refufed to accept of this honour. He
repaired and founded above 300 moiufteries in that country [a].
He died at Aquila in Abruzzo, 1444, and was canonifed in 1450
by pope Nicholas f b].
13ERNAZZANO, of Milan, an excellent landfcapc painter
of the xvith century, was very fuccefsful in rcprefcnting animals :
tut, as he could never attain to the art of drawing the figure,
he took into partncrDiip an artifl who was able to execute that
branch. It is faid, that, having painted fomc ftrawberries in
'^ frefco upon a wall, the peacocks came fo often to peck at them,
that they broke the plaillcr.
BERNIA, or BEKNI (Francis), a canon of Florence, born
at Lamporechio in Tufcany, of a noble though poor family,
originally from Florence, was brought up under the care of Julio
de Mcdicis, afterwards pope under the n-me of Clement Xil.
He was then made fecrefary to Gibcrti bifliop of Verona, and
obtained a canonicate of Florence, where he died in 1543. He
has given his name to a fpecies of buriefque which in Italy is
called bcrniefque. He excelled in that way. He was thcScarron
of the Italians. He had, beiiiles, the dangerous talent of fatire.
Some authors have put him at the head of the Italian burleique
poets. In 1548 a collection was made of his italian pieces of
poetry, together with thofe of Varchi, of Moro, of Dolce, &c.
in 8vo. 2 vols, reprinted at London, 1721 and 1724, after the
edition of Venice. This colle6lion is in great requeil. His
Orlando inamorato rifatto, a poem highly eilcemed in Italy for it«
purity and copioufnefs of language, is the work of Bo'iardo recom-
pofed. He faithfully followed his ori^Miial, making fcarcely any al-
teration cither in the plan or in the condud of the piece. He
contented himfelf with corre:ting the llyle of Boiardo, which
is often negligent and barbarous ; and iiifufing more poetry,
fz] Du Pin. biblioth. ccclcf. dolph'JS, bifhop of Siiiiraglia; and ai Pjris,
[a] Wharton's appendix lo Cave's hid. by fath r J >'i.i u«. h fl yne, a fra-ii .iVan, ^
liter. in 2 vol,, in I0I o. What bookrcller ia '
[b] His viorks wcrr puhlifhed at Ve- Euio^x would venture to publilb tiieni nov\?
■ke, in i59i> 4 vols. 4:0, by I'ctcr Ro-
morc
B E R N I E R. 32t
more ornament and fpirit through the whole. It certainly con-
tains many inftances of wit j but they are not in the bed taftc,
and frequently degenerate into buffooneries of the moft trivial
kind. He likewiS prefixed a prologue to every canto, in which
he delivers long maxims of morality, but always in a comic vein.
He is the firft to ridicule the prodigious feats of his pahdins, the
amazing force of their arms, who at one ftrokc cleave in two
both the rider and his horfe, &c. The bcft edition of his
poem is that of Venice, 1^45, in 4to. .There is another, very
neatly printed at Paris 1768, 4 vols. i2mo. His latin poems
are colle£led with tliofe of Segni; of Varchi, &c. Florenccj
1562, 8vo.
BERNIER (Francis), furnamed the Mogul, on account of
his voyages and r^jfidence in the Mogul's country, was born at
Angers in France. After he had taken his deforce of do6lor of
> phyfic at Montpelier, he gratified the ftrong natural inclination
^he had. for travelling. He left his own country in 1^)54, and
went firft to the holy land, and thence into -5£gypt. He con-
tinued a year at Cairo, where he was infcfted with the plague.
tie embarked afterwards at Suez for the kingdom of the Mogul \
and rcfided twelve years at the court of that prince, whom he
Attended in feveral of his journies, and a£lcd as his phyfician
for eight years. Upon his return to France in 1670, he pub-
lifhed the hiftoryof the countries which he had virited[c], and
feveral other works, in the compofition of which he fpent the
remainder of his life. He made a voyage to England, in 1685,
and died three years after at Paris, on the aad of September
1688 [d].
BERNIER (John), a phyfician at Blois, his native place,
and afterwards at Paris, had the title of phyfician to Madame.
He wrote, i. A hiftory of Blois. Paris, 1682, 4to. very inac-
curate in the opinion of Dr« Liron. 2. Medical Eflays, 1689,
4to. 3. Anti-Menagiana, 1693, i2mo. 4. Critique on the
works of Rabelais. Paris, 1697, '2"*o. full of verbofity and
falfe wit. His rank of phyfician to Madame did not refcuc
him from poverty. His difappointments gave him a ftrong
tinflure of melancholy, which is manifeft in all his writings.
His erudition was extremely fuperficial, and he is called by
Menage, vir levis armaturx. He died at an advanced age in
1668.
[c] Hit hiOory and defcription of the aume de Kachemire, &c. Amfl. 1699 and
Countries which he vifucd, were pub- J710," in iimo. 2 vols. They a e
fiihcd at firll feparaieiy in four different efteemed to be the moft exafl account we
volumes, with ditlerent titles. They were have of thofe countries. Mr. Beriiier pub-
afterwards however reprinted under the li!hcd alfo an abridgement of GalTendus't
general title of** Voyages de Francois Ber- piiilcfophy, 8 vols. lamo. :
nier, conteoant la defcripiiondcsetats du [nj Niceron memoires, &c. torn. 2 j.
grand Mogul, de rHindtnuUn, du roy-
Vol. 11. Y BERNINI,
322. BERNOULLL
BERNINI, or BERNIN (John Lawrence), commonly
called Cavaliero Bernin, born at Naples, was famous for his
fkill in painting, fculpture, architcflurc, and mechanics. He
began firft to be known under the pontificate of Paul V. who
foretold his future fame as foon as he faw his firft performances,
kome is indebted to this artift for fome of her grcatcft orna-
ments. TTiere are, in the church of St. Peter, no Icfs than
fifteen different works of his. Of thefe the moft admired are
the great altar and tabernacle ; St. Peter*s chair ; the tombs of
Urban VIII. and Alexailder VII. ; the cqueftrian ftatue of
Conftantine; the porticos fupported by a great number of pillars^
which furround the court of St. Pe^^r; tlie fountain in the fquare
Navonna ; the church of St. Andrew, for the noviciate je-
fuits •, and the ftatue of Daphne, in the family of Borghefe. In
1665, Bernini was invited to France, to worlc in the Louvre |
and here he executed a buft of the king, which gained him
the applaufe of the whole court. He likcwife undertook an
cqueftrian ftatue of his raajefty. Bernini died at Rome, the
ipth of November, 1680. He was a man fomewhat auftere in
his difpofition, and of a hafty violent temper 5 and, in the bult
of him at Paris, there is faid to be a great likenefs, and a ftrong
cxprefTion of his temper.
BERNOULLI (Jam ns), a celebrated mathematician, bom at
Bafil, Dec. 27, 1654 [e]. After he had ftudieJ polite literature,
he learned the old philofophy of the fchools.; and, having taken
his degrees 1ri the univerfity of Bafil, applied himfelf to divinity,
not fo much by inclination, as from coniplaifance to his father.
He gave very early proofs of his genius for mathematics, and
foon became a geometrician, without any affiftance from mafters,
and at firft almoft without books: for he was not allowed to have
any books of this kind ; and if one fell by chance into his hands,
he was obliged toconceil it, that he mignt not incur the difplea-
fure of his father, who defigned him for other ftudies. ihis
feverity made him choofe for his device, Phaeton driving the
chariot of the fun, with thefe words, Invito patrc fidera verfo,
I traverfe the ftars againft my father's inclination : it had a par-
ticular reference to aftronomy, the part of mathematics to
which he at firft applied himfelf. But the precautions of his
father did not avail, for he purfued his favourite ftudv with
great application. In 1676 he began his travels. When he W2$
at Geneva, he fell upon a method to teach a young girl to write,
though (he had loft her fight when the was but two months old.
At Bourdeaux he compofed univerfal gnomonic tables, but they
were never publifticd. He returned from France to his own
coiintry In^So. About this time there appealed a comet, tlicj
fs] Fontenc11S|Clopdc M.'Bcrmnlli.
return
BERNOULLI §23
tctuni of wbich he foretold, and wrote a fmall treatife upon
it, which he afterwards tranflated into latin. He went foon
«fter to Holland, where he applied himfelf to the new philofo*
fhj^ and particularly to that part of tlie mathematics which
confifts in refolving problems and demonftrations. After having
ViOted Flanders and Brabant, he went to Calais, and pafled over
to England [fJ. At London he contra£ted an acquaintance
with all the moft eminent men in the feveral fciences ; and had
the honour of being frequently prefent at the philofophical fo-
, cieties held at the houfe of the famous Mr. Boyle. He returned
to his native country in 1682, and exhibited at Bafil a courfe of
I experiments in natural philofophy and mechanics, which con-
fided of various new difcoveries. The fame year he publiflied
his eflay of A new fyftem of comets [g], and the year following
his Dittertation upon the weight of air[H]. In 1684, he was
invited to be profeflbr of mathematics at Heidelberg, and would
1 have accepted of this ofitr, had not his marriage with a lady of
good familv' fixed him in his own country.
Mr. Leionitz publiflied about this time in the A£^a eruditorum
' at Leipfic fome eflays on his new Calculus difierentialis, or in-
I finiment petits, but concealed the art and method of it. Mr.
^ Bernoulli however, and one of his brothers, who was likewife
an excellent geometrician, endeavoured to unfold the fecret i
which they did with fo much fuccefs, that Mr. Leibnitz de«
clared them to have an equal right with himfelf to a (hare in this
invention. In 1687, the profefforfhip of mathematics at Bafil
■being vacant, Mr. Bernoulli was appointed the fuccefibr. Ho
difcharged this truft with univerfal applaufe. His reputation
drew a great number of foreigners from all parts to hear hia
lectures. He had an admirable talent in teaching, and adapting
himfelf t<f the different genius and capacity of his fcholars. In
%6Q^i he was admitted injto the academy of fciences at Paris as
a foreign member; and, in 1 701, the fame honour was con-
ferred upon him by the academy of Berlin. He wrote feveral
pieces in the Acta eruditorum of Leipfic, the Journal des Sa^^-
vans, and the Hiftoire de I'academie des fciences. *At length
application to itudy brought upon him the gout, and by degrees
.1^
Niceron menioireiy ice. torn. 2. more fine and fubtle than what we breathe.
It waapublifhcd at Amfterdam, in He/KCouni& for the kardnefs of bodies frum
2682, in 8vo. under the following title, the weight and prefTure of the air. He
** Coaamen novi Syftemaiis cometarum, prottlU in his preface, that when he ift-
.^ro motu eorum Tub cakulun revocando* vented this fyftein» he did not remember
CI apparitionibus praedicendis. *' that he had read it in Malebranche's fearch
'nj Publifhed at Amflerdam, in Svo, after truth; and he congratulates himfelf
1683. i
53. and intituled ** piffertatiode gravi- upon having fallen on the fame hypothefis
tate i£therit etCceli." In this piece he with that phi lofopher, and having traced
not only treats of the weight of the air> it out by the fame fte|dP^ Niceron^ p. 6i,
but fpeaki very particularly of the Kther, 62.
which he fuppofcs to be a matter much
1 • . Y a jcducci
324 BERNOULLI.
.reduced him to a* flow fever» of which be died die i6di cjf
Auguft 1705 [i]* Archimedes, having difcovered the propor-
tion of a fphere to- a cylinder circumfcribed about it, ordered it
to be engraved upon his monument ; in* imitation of which,
Bernoulli ordered a fpiral logarithmical curve to be infcribed
upon Hiis tomb, with thefe words, Eadem mutata refurgO, I
rife the fame though changed : alluding to the hopes of a re*
furreftion, in fome meafure reprefentcd by the properties of
-that curve, which he had the honour of diicovermg.
BERNOULLI (John), brother to James, profeflbr of maw
thematics at Bafil, and member of the aeademies of fciences of
Paris, of London, of Berlin, and of Peteriburgh, was born in
1667 at Bafil, and died there in 1748. He purfued the fame
career with his brother, and attained to no lefs diftintQion in
it. At Laufanne was publiihed in 1742 a coUedion of aH d)c
works of Bernoulli, jn 4 vols. 4to. One of the greateft geome-
tricians of Europe, the late M. d'Alembert, acknowledged that
it was almoft folely to them that he owed the progrefs he had
made in geometry: this acknowledgment difpenfes us from
making his panegyric. At the age of 1 8 he conceived the dif>-
.ferential calculation, or infniiment-petits, upon the vague ideas
that Leibnitz had given of that calculation, and found out the
firft principles of the integral calculation [k]. This difcovery
enabled him to folve the moft difficult problems, and to*pcrform
furprifing matters. In 1690 this ingenious man came to Paris,
for the fiike of converfing with the philofophers there. Here
he became acquainted with Malebranche, Caflini, la Hire, Va^
rignon, and the marquis de I'Hopital. This noblemran was fo
charmed with his mediod of reafoning on geometry, that he
was dcfirous of having him to himfe)f. He conduced him to-
his eftate in the country, where they together employed themu
felves in folving the moft difficult problems in geometry- It
was in l^is phllofophic retreat that Bernoulli invented the expo-
nential calculation* At his return he propofed different problems
to the mathematicians, and decreed the prizes to Newton, to
Leibnita, and to tlie marquis de THopital ; that is to fay, to
the greateft geometricians of the age. His brother was a can-
didate for thefe prizes, and afked him in his turn for folutions.
It was a fort of challenee that gave rife to a very fpirited difpute
between thefe two illulcrious fcholars. It was only terminated
by the death of Jaqies Bernoulli. Jahn alfo engaged in a war
concerning the barometer, with Hartzoeker a celebrated na-
turalift, and avenged Leibnitz for the fort of infult fomeEnglifti-
menj provoked by Keill, had put upon bim on the fubjed o£
[1] Ftfutcnellcy ibid. Kiccrort, p. 53, ful See thf fsitfMof nrticlt.
? 9: t&r
BEROALDUS. 325
the calculus different lalis. Bernoulli wrote on the art of ma-*
noeuvring (hips, and on all the branches of mathematics^ en-
riching them with grand objefts and new difcoveries. His
opinion on the forces-vives^ adopted now by many geometricians,
had numberlefs obje£^ions and much oppofition to encounter.
This mathematician fometimes, like his brother, amufed himfelf
with making latin verfes : perhaps about as good, faid a wit, as
ftench verfes made by a native of Pckin, He had maintained
at the age of i8, a theGs in greek verfe, on this queftion :
** That the prince is for the fubjefts ;" a fubjeft more interefting
to mankind than all the fpeculations of geometry. Voltaire put
under his portrait thefe four lines :
Son cfprit vit la ^ventc,
£t fon cGBur connut la judice ;
11 a fait r.honneur de la Suiflc
iEt celui de t'hum^nite.
Which have been thus rendered into latiu :
Iftc fuit cultor jufti, Ycriqiic repcrtor:
Extxtit Heivctiis <]ectiSy ct dccus extitit orW.
Bernoulli left children worthy of fuch a father, Nicholas
SernouHi, called by the tzar Peter to fill a chair as. mathema-
tical profeflbr in the rifing academy of St. Peterfburg, died
eight months afterwards of a flow fever in 1726; the tzarina'
Catharine defrayed the expences of his funeral. Daniel and
John, two other of his fons, brought no Icfs honour to their
country.
BEROALDUS (Philip), born of a noble family at Bologna,
^'^ ^4S3j ^i^d the 25th of July 1505, at the age of 52, profeflecl
the belles-lettres in the place of his nativity, where he enjoyed
a great reputation. He was fond of the pleafures of the table,
where fprightlinefs and mirth abounded. He was paffionately'
addicted to play, to which he (iicrificcd all he was worth. He
was an ardent votary of the fair fcx ; and thouj^ht no pains nor
cxpence too great for accomplifhing his v/iflus. He dreaded
wedlock, both on his own account and that of his mother,
whom he always tenderly loved. But at kngtli he found a lady
to his mind, and all thole diftercnt pafl'ions that had agitated
the youth of BeroaUlus werc.appeafcd the moment he was mar*
ried. 'I'he mild and engaging manners of his bride infpircd
him with prudence and occonomy. Beroaldus was from that
time forward quite another man. Regular, gentle, polite, bc-
ne&ccnc, -envious of no one, doing no wrong and fpcaking • no
evil, giving merit its due, unambitious of honours, and content
with hurably accepting fuch as were offered him. It was not
Y 3 till
3i6 BERQUIN.
till after much follicitation from his friends that he accepted the*
place of fecretary to the fenate of Bologna, which he filled for
lomc ihonths. As to his literary merit, he was very learned
for the time in which he lived, and one of thofe who contri-
buted moft to purify the latin language from the ruft and bar«
barifm of the ages of ignorance, though his latinity is not a
model for imitation. He compofed fcveral works in profe, of
various kinds, and fome in verfe ; but he applied bimfelf chiefly
to the publifhing of antient authors, greek and latin, with com-
mentaries. We have by him, i. Commentaries on Apaleius,
Venice, 1501, fol. and on other writers. Beroaldus, accord**
ing to Paulus Jovius, by illuftrating the obfcurcft "authors of an-
tiquity, brought into ufe a great number of old words, long
difcarded by good writers : a circumftance that burdened bis
ftyle with hard expreiGons and incorrcft phrafes. 2. Le Re*
cueil des CEuvres, 1507 and 15131 2 vols. 4to. His life was
publiihed in latin by Jean Pins, at Bologna, 1 505, 4to. Bian-
chini has given another at the head of the Suetonius by Beroat
dus, Lyons, 1548, folio.
BEROALDUS (Philip), nephew of the former, a man of
genius and vivacity, was librarian of the Vatican undet Leo X.
He publiihed feveral pieces of poetry, efteemed in their time,
in the Delicise poetarum italorum. The mod confiderable of
his works confids of three books of panegyrics and epigrams in
latin. This colle<Elion may be read with pleafure \ though it is
eafily feen that the author did not put the fini(hing hand to
it. The edition, which is very neat and very fcarce, was pub^
lifhed at Rome in 153O) twelve years after the author's death,
who terminated his career in 1518, at the age of about 40.
Vexation at being refufed the emoluments annexed to his placd
of librarian is faid to have, fhortened his davs.
BERQUIN (Lewis de), a gentleman of Artois, who was
burnt forfceing a proteftant, at Paris^ 1529 [l]. He was lord
of a village, whence he took his name, and for fome time
made a confiderable figure at the court of France, where he
was honoured with the title of king's counfellor. Erafmus fays>
that his great crime was openly profeffing to hate the monks }
and that from hence arofe his warm conteft with William
Quernus, one of the mod violent inquifitors of his time. A
charge of herefy was trumped up agntnft him, and the articles
of his accufation were drawn out of a book which he had pub-
liflied : he was thereupon committed to prifon, but when his
affair came to a trial, he was acquitted by the judges. His
accufers pretended that he would not have efcaped, had not
the king interpofed his authority ^ but Berquin himfelf afcribed
^ [l] EreTmus cpift 4. lib. 24. p. 127.
B E R H I M A N. 327
It entirely to tlic juftice of his caufc, and was no more cautious
than before. Some time after, Noel Beda and his emiffarics
made extra£ls from fome of his books, and accufed him of per*
niciou^ errors, whereupon he was again fent to prifon, an3, tlic
caufe being tried, fentencc was paflcd againft him j viz. that his
books be committed to the flames, that he retra£\ his errors, and
make a proper fubmiilioa, and if herefufe to comply, that he be
burnt. Being a man of an undaunted inflexible fpirit, he
would fubmit to nothing ; and in all probability would at this
time have fuffered death, had not fome of the judges, who
perceived the violence of his accufers, got the affair to be again
heard and examined. It is thought this vi'as owing to the in-
terceflion of madanie the regent. In the mean time Francis 1.
returning from Spain, and finding the danger of his counfellor
from Beda and his fadiop, wrot^ to the parliament, telling
them to be captious how they proceeded, for that he himfelf
would take cognizance of the affair. Soon after Berquin was
fet at liberty, which gave him fuch courage, that he turned
accufer againft his accufers : he profecuted them for irreligion,
though, if he had taken the advice of Erafmus, he would have
efteemed it a fufficient triumph that he had got free from the
g^rfecution of fuch people [m]]* But not content, fays Mr.
ayle, with efcaping fronfi his accufers, he mud needs have
the honour of a vi£iory, as a reward of his labour. He was
fent a third time to prifon, and condemned to a public recan-
tation and perpetual imprifonment. He would not acquiefce
in this judgement ^ and being therefore condemned as an ob-
ilinate heretic, he was (Irangled on the Greve, and afterwardis
burnt. He fuffered death with great conftancy and refolution,
being then about 40 years of age. The monk, who accompanied
him on the fcaffold, declared, that he had obferved in him
fiens of abjuration : which Erafmus however believes to be a
falfchood [n]. " It is always," fays he,. " their cuftom in like
cafes. Thefe pious frauds ferve to keep up their credit as the
avengers of religion, and to juftify to the deluded people thofc
who have accufed and condemned the burnt heretic."
BERRIMAN (Dr. William), was born Sept. 24, 1688.
he had his grammar learning at Banbury in Oxfordfliire, and at
Merchant Taylors School. At 1 7 years of age he was entered
a commoner of Oriel college in Oxford, where he took his fe-
veral degrees when he was of proper ftanding for them. He
was curate and lefturer of Allhallows, Thames-ftreet, and lec-
turer of bt. Michael's Queenhithe. He ws^s appointed domeftic
chaplain to Dr. Robirifon^ bilhop of London, in J 720, and foon ^
[m] Ep. 4. lib. 24. ft. J280. [n] Ep. 4. lib. 24. p« t^^Z^
Y 4 after
328 BERRY.
after collated by him to the living of St. Andrew Undcrfliaft.
In 1727 he was elefted fellow of Eton college by the intercft of
Dr. Godolphin, the provoft, without any folHcitatlon. Here he
chiefly refidcd in the fummer, and in his parfonage houfe in
the winter, where he died Feb. 5, 1750, In the 62d year of hi$
-age [o].
BERRUYER (Joseph Isaac), a celebrated frcnch writer, of
'the order of Jcfus ; born at Rouen in Normandy, Nov. 6, 1682.
He was defigned for the pulpit, but the weaknefs of his frame
*iiot allowing him to declamc, he gave himfelf up to the quiet
but fevere ftudies of the clofet, and produced fome critical works
of importance, which his countrymen in their popi(h fpirit of
intolerance thought fit to fupprefs : and the reading of his Hif-
toire du peuple de Dieu was torbid by the archbifliop of Paris,
which the Sorbonne were fix years reviewing. The firft part of
this work made its appearance in 8 vols. 4to, with a nipple-
ment, 1728, reprinted in 1733, 8 vols. 4to, and 10 vols. i2mos
'this ends with the times of the Mefliah : the fecond part came
out in 1753 in 4 vols. 4to, and 8 vols. i2mo ; and the third
part in 2 vols. 4to, or 5 vols, in i2mo, containing a literal para*
phrafe of the epiftles, was printed in 1758, notwithftanding it
was cenfured and condemned by the pope and clergy as contain^
ing abominable errors. Died at Paris, Feb. 18, 1758.
BERRY (Sir John), a naval commander, fuccefsful againft
the Buccaneers who infefted the Atlantic ocean j diftinguilhed
Jiimfelf at the famous battle of Southwold-bay, for which he
was knighted. In 1682, he commanded the Gloucefter frigate,
on board of which the Duke of York embarked for Scotlajid j
but by the careleflliefs of the pilot, the veflel was loft at' the
rnouth of the Humber. In the midft of this confufioB, fir
John retained that prefence of mind for which he was always
remarkable, and by that means preferved the duke, and as many
of his retinue as the long-boat would carry. Soon after he was
promoted to a flag, and commanded as vice-admiral under lord
Dartmouth, at the demolition of Tangier, and on his return
was m^de a commifiioner of the navy j which port he enjoyed till
his death. He was in great favour with king James II. whp
made choice of him to command under lord Dartmouth, when
[o] His writings are, 1. A feafonable 5. A review of the rnuark*. 6. S«rmont
review of Mr. Whifton*» account of pri- at Boyle's lectures, I7?:?» in 2 vols. 8v«.
mitive doxi^ogics, 17 9. 2. An hii^ori- Belide& thefc he publiihed many occalional
cal account ot the tnnitarian controvcrfy, fermons to bis life-time, and after hit
in eight fermoi.s, at lady Moyer's lefture, death were publifecd by h".s brother John
1725. •^. A defence of fome pafTages in ficrriinanp M. A. from his originai ma-
the hllVoiical account, 17^1. 4. Brief nufcript, *< Chrifti an doctrines and duties
remarks on Mr. Chandler's^ introdudion ezplaiaed aindrecoounendedi" 2 vols. (vo«
\o ihc hiftj y of the in^uiluion, 1733,
tho
BERTHEAU.
Sa$
tTie prince of Orange landed in England ; and when hU lordfliip
kft the fleet, the whole command devolved on fir John Berry,
who held it till the (hips were laid up. After the revolution fiv
John continued in his pofts, and was frequently confulted hf
Jcing William, who entertained a high opinion of his aUlities in
military affairs ; but he was poifoned in the beginning of Febru*
ary 1691, on board one of his majefty's (hips at Portfmouth^
wncre he was paying her off, in the 56th year of his age. His
^dy was brought to London and interred at Stepney.
BERSMANf>J (George), a native of Germany, was bom in
1538 at Annaberg, a little town of Mifnia, near the river Schop^
on the fide of Bohemia. He was educated with €are« and made
Sreat progrefs in the fciences. He was particularly fond of the
udy of medicine, phyfics, the belles-lettres, and the learned Ian*
guages. He excelledf in latin and greek, and took delight in
travelling over France and Italy for forming acquaintance with
thofe who were in mod reputation among the literati. On hid
return, he taught in various places till his death, which happen*
cd the 5th of 0£kober 161 1, the 73d year of his age. Berfmann
jmt into verfe the pfalms of David,' 4nd made notes on Virgil,
Ovid, Horace, Lucan, Cicero, and other authors of antiquity.
He was not lefs fertile in body than in mind ; having 14 fon9
and fix daughters by his marriage with a daughter of Peter
Hcllebron.
^ BERTAUD (John), firft chaplain to queen Catherine de
Medici^, fecretary of the cabinet and reader to Henry III. coun-
fellor of ftate, abbot of Aulnai, and laftly bifhop of Seez ; was
born at Caen in the yc^r 1522, and died the 8th of June i6ri,
?ged 59. Bertaud, the contemporary and friend of Ronfard,
and de Defportes was greatly their fuperior. Some of his ftanzai
are written with eafe and elegance \ and would not have been
excelled by the beft poets of our own times. He has left poems
facred and profane, canticles, fongs, fonnets, and pfalms. They
are interfperfed with fevcral happy thoughts,* but turned in
points ; he caught this tafte from Seneca. He feems to have
condufted himfelf with great propriety after his being advanced
to the prelacy, and the bifliop bluflied at the productions of the
courtier. But, as a fenfe of decorum more than religion had
worked this alteration, he gathered up all that his negligent
mufe had fcattered. His poetical works were printed in 1620,
8vo. He left alfo a tranflation of fome books of St. Ambrofe,
feveral controverfial trafts, impcrfe6l ; fermons for the prin-
pipal feftivals of the church, and a funeral difcourfe on Henry
IV. to whofe converfion he had greatly contributed. He was
uncle to Madame de Mottcville, firft woman of the bedchamber
to Anne of Auflria.
BERTHEAU ,(Charles), a learned frcnch protcftant di-
vine, ,
330 BEHTHIER,
vine, kmg r^ftcknt in I(On4ont W94 bon» in 1660 ^tlSontpdktt
Kfr ftu<iied pHUofbphy and ^iyinuy, partly in France and partly
in Holland, a^d was admitted a roiniftcr in the fynod held at
Vi»n in i69», and wa9 aeit year chofen paftor to the churcji
of MootpcUer ^ biM he did not mal^e any long ftay in that city,
for he was iom aft^r promoted to be one of the minifters of
the ehureh of Paris. On the Tcvocatioa of the cdi£l of Nantz^
Mr. J^ertheaa found hiaifelf obliged to quit his nati?e coimtry<L
He accordingly can^e to England in 1685, and the following
veav was cltoien one of the minifters of the Walloon church in
JTbread-Acedle ilreet , iondon, where he difcharged the duties q£
the paftoral oltce for about 44 years, in fuch a manner as pror
cured bim very general applaufe. He died 25th Dec 17339
in the 73d year of his age. He poflfefled confiderable abilities^
•was diftinguilbcd for his good fenfe and found judgment, and
for a retentive memory. He was a very eloquent preacher,
%nd has left behind him two volumes of fermons printed in
french [p].
bERTHET (JoHn), born at Tarafcon in Provence in 1612,
died in i6g2^ made himfelfiamous by his profound knowledge in
the languages, antient and modern. He entered of the fociety of
Jefus, where for fome time he was nrofeflbr of humanities, and
•fterwards feveral other branches of fcience. He wrote learned
diflertations on various fubjeds, odes, italian, french and fpanifh
fonnets *, provesfal ballads, epigrams, madrigals, and other Uttlo
pieces in different languages*
BERTHIER (Guuxauiie Frakcois), born at Ifibudun en
Bern in 1704, entered himfelf among the iefuits in 1722. In
i>745 he had the management of the Journal de Treroux, which
he conduced for 17 years, to the fatisfadion of the learned and
the public in general* This employment, fays the abbe de Fon*
tenayy procured him a high reputation, by the care and exa^i-
tude evident in the analyiis of the works that came before him,
and by the ftyle of a mafterly, impartial, and intrepid critic.
But this e^affc impartiality was difpleafing to feveral writers,
Bttd efpecially to Voltaire. When that poet publifhed, without
his nanie, his panegyric on Louis XV. pere Berthier faw it in
no other light than as the attempt of a young man who was
hunting after antithefes, though not deftitute o? ingenuity, and
jhewjcd fome difpofition towards writing well. So humiliating
a critique was fenfibly felt by Voltaire, who made no hefitation to
declare himfelf the author of the work fo fcverely handled. His
mortification was increafed when pere Berthier having given
an accounjt of a publication, wherein .the poet was charaaerifed
under the titie of " the worthy rival of Homer and Sophocles,**
the journalift put coldly in a note : ** We are not acquainted
[r] Biog.Bn|.
with
^ B E R T L jjt
wkh him." Laftlf^ what Taifed the ckoTcf of Veltafre to its ut-*
raoft pitchy was a very juft cenfare of feveral reprehenfible paf «
fages in his effay on general hiftory. The irritated poet declared
openlv in 1759 againik the jefuit in a fort of diatribe, which he*
piaceo after ins ode on the death of the margravine of Bareith«
The jefuit repelled hb {hafts with a liberal and manly fpirit in
the journal de Trevoux. Upon this the poet changed his bat-
tery. Infiead of a ferions ainfwer^ he brought out in 1 760 a
foece of humour intituled. An account of the ficknefs, confef-
(ion, and death of the jefuit tierthier. The learned jefuit 4idi
not think proper to make any reply to ao adverfary who fubfti«»
tuted jokes for argaments, and continued the journal de Tie^
voux till the diflblution of the fociety in France. He then quit««
ted his literary occupations for going into retxiement. At the
clofe of 1 762 the dauphin appointed him keeper of the royal
library, and adjunA in the education of Louis XV I. and of
monfieur. But eighteen months afterwards fome circumftance^
relative to the fociety obliged him to leave the court He
went and fettled at Ofiemboure, a petty imperial town, fivo
league from Straiboarg, and there compofed the book inti«»
tuled, The pfalms, tranflated into french, with notes and reileo-»
tions, Paris, 1785, 8 vols. i2mo. After remaining ten years in
that town he returned to France, where he devoted his time to
ftudy and the exercifes of religion. He died of a fall at fiourges^
Dec. 15, 1782, aged 78 years and nine months. The chapter of
the metropolitan church gave him diftinguifhed ^honoavs at his
interment ; a teftimony due to a man of iucb eminent piety, ex*
tenfive erudition, and excellent judgment.
BERTI (John Lawrence], a famous auguftine monk, bora
May 98, 1696, at Serravezza, a fmall village in Tufcany, was
called to Rome by his fuperiors, and obtained the title of affiii#
ant-general of Italy, and the place of prefieA of the bibliothe<|«e
angelique. His great proficiency in theological ftudies pnH
cured him thefe diftinAions, and appeased to advantage in has
grand work, De difciplinis theologicis, printed at Rjoime in 8
vols. 4to. He here adopts the fentimeats of St. Auguftine is
their utmoft rigour, after die example of Bellelli his brother**
monk. The archbifliop of Vienna [Saleon], or rather the ]e#
faits who managed him, publiihed under his name in 1744, two
pieces againft the two auguftine theologues, inveighmg agatnft
them as being too feverely auguftine^ The firft is intituledf
Baianifmus redivivus in fcriptis pp. Bellelli et Berti, in 4to. The
fecond bore this title : Janfenifmus redivivus in fcriptis pp. Bel*
lelli et Berti, in 4to« At the fame time pere Berti was acettfed
to pope Benedi£l XIV. as a difciple of Baius and of JantauiM*
The prud^it pontiff*, without returning any anfwer to die ac«
cufers, advifed pere Berti to defend himelf ^ wfaicb be acootd^
o inglf
33« B E R T I U S.
ingly did in a work of two vols. 4to. In this apology, rather-
long, though learned and lively, he laid down the difierence
there is between janfenifm and auguftinianifm. After this piece
pere Berti brought out feverai others, the principal of which is
an ecclefiaftical hiftory ta latin, in 7 vols. 4toc it made however
but little wav out of Italy, by reafon of the 4rynefs of the hifto-
rian, and of his prejudices in favour of exploded tenets. He
fpeaks of the pope, both in his theology aiul in his hiftory, as
tne abfolute monarch of kingdoms and empires, and that all
4it];ier princes are but his lieutenants. Pere Berti wrote alfo
^iflertatioDS, dialogues, panegyrics, academical difcourfes, fon^e
Italian poems, which are by no means his beft produ£)ions. Aa
edition in folio of all his works has been printed at Venice. He
idied at the age of 70, May 26, 1 766, at Pifa, whither he had
been called by Francis I. grand duke of Tuicany.
BERTIER (Joseph Stephen), of the oratory, bom at Aix in
Provence, died Nov. 15, 1 783, at a pretty advanced age, is known
by two works which at the time made fome notfe among the
natuxalifts ; one is intituled, Phyfique des ^omet^s, 1 760, 1 amo $
the other, Phyfique des corps animes, 1755, lamo. The author
iiad cultivated th^ fciences wkh fuccefs ; and in perfon had a
Ariking refemblance with pere Malebranche.
BERTIN (Nicholas), painter, and difciplc of Jfouvenet and
<de Boullogne the elder, was born at Paris in 1664. His father
was a fculptot. The academy of painting decreed him the firft
prize at the age of 18, and admitted him afterwards of their
number. During his (lay at Rome he completed bis ftudies.
At his return to France he was appointed direftor of the romaii
Ichool ; but an afiair of gallantry, which would have brought on
fome confequences if he had returned to Rome, prevented him
from accepting that place. Louis XIV. the eleflors of Mentz
and of Bavaria employed him fucceffively in various works. The
laft was defirotts of attaching him to himfelf by handfome penr
lions ; <but Berlin would never confent to quit his country. He
died at Paris in 1736^ His manner was vigorous and graceful ;
and his excellence lay in fmail pictures. At Paris there are fe«
veral works of his in the church of St. Luke, the abbey of St,
Germain des pres, and in the halls of the academy.
BERTIUS (Peter), a man diftinguifhed by religious adven-
tures as well as letters, was born in a fmall town of Fhmders
in i?65. He became profeflbr of philofophy at Leyden, but
Joft his profeflbrihip for taking part with the Arminians. He
went to Paris, where he abjured the proteftant religion in 1620,
was made cofmographcr to the king, and royal profeffor extraor-
dinary of mathematics. He died in 1629, aged 64; and left
fome better things behind him than he had written about the
ComariiU and Arminians* i. Commeniuria rerum Gcrntani-
carum.
FERULL.E. S33I
catrvm, rimo. 2. A good edition of Ptolemy'is Geogtaphy ia
greek and latin, folio. 3. De Aggeribus et Pontibus. 4. Ii»>
trodudio in univerfam geographiam.
BERTRAM (Qornehus Bonavbnture), minifter, and
profeflbr of hebrew at Geneva, at Frankenthal and at Lau-
fanne, was born at Thouars in Poitou in 153 1, of a reputable
family^ atlkd to the hoafc of la TrimouiHe, and died at Lau-
fanne in 1594. He gave lo the world, i. A difTertation on the re-
public of the Hebrews, Geneva, 1580; again at Leyden in 164!,
8'vo, written with precifion and method. 2*. A revifion of the
french bible of Geneva, according to the hebrew text, Geneva^
'1588. He correfted that verfion (by Calvin and Olivetan) in x
great number of places ; but in others he has too clofely follow-
ed the authority of the rabbins, and not fufficiently that of the
old interpreters, it is the bible ftill in ufe among the calvin«
His. 3. A new edition of the Thefaurus lingua fanftae of Pag-
ninus. 4. A parallel of the hebrew tongue with the arable*
5. Lucnbrationes Frankendalenfes, 1685.
BERTRAND (Joitn B/^ptist), phyfician^ member of the
academy of Marfeilles, born at Martigues, July 12, i6yo, died
'Sept. 10, 1752. He was a ikilful praftrtioner, and not neglr-
gent of the theory of his profeifion. His hiftorical account of
the plague at Marfeilles, in i2mo, 1721, is not the only per-
formance of this learned phyfieran. He wrote likewife letters
toM. Dcider on the mufcular motion, 1732, i2mo, andDifler^
rations on fea^air, 1724, 4to, containing good obfervations.
BERULLE, (Peter), born in 1575, at the chateau dc Se-^
rilli, near Troyes in Champagne, of a noble family, embraced the
ecclefiaftical (late, and diftinguifhed himfelf early in Hfe by his
piety and his learning. He got great repute in the famous con-
ference of Fontainbleau, where du Perron contended with dtt
Pleffis-Mornay, called the pope of the Huguenots. He was
fent by Henry IV. to whom he was chaplain, into Spain, for the
purpofe of bringing fome carmelites to Paris. It was by his
means that this order flouriflied fo much in France. Some time
afterwards he founded the congregation of the oratory of France^
of which he was the firfl general. This new inftitution waa
approved by a bull of pope Paul V. in 161 3. It has always
been reckoned by the papills a great fervice done to the church.
In that congregation, according to the expreflion of BofTuet, the
members obey without dependance, and govern without com-,
manding •, their whole time is divided between ftudy and prayer.
'I'heir piety is Kberal and enlightened, their knowledge ufeful
and almoft always modeft. Urban VIII. rewarded the merit of
Berulle by a cardinal's hat. Henry IV. and Louis XIII. vainly
ftrove to make him accept of confiderable b'.fhoprics. Cardinal
334 B E S P L A S.
ide BeToUe died Oa. 2, 1629, aged 55^, while lie wa$ btflag
•mafs ^ which gave occafion to the following diftich (
Coepta fub extrcmia nequeo dum facra liiocrdot
Pcrficcrc, at faltem vidlima perikiaou y"" - < ., y^
. St. Francis de Sales, Cacfar dc Bus, cardinal Bcntiroglio, See*
were among his friends and the admirers of his virtues. An
edition of his controverfiai and fpiritual works, publiflied in
1644, folio, was reprinted in 1657 ^Y ^^ PP* Bourgoing and
Oibieuf.
BESLER (Uasil), apotliecarv of Nuremberg, bom in 1561,
prefcnted to the public, i. Hortus Lyftettenfis, 1613, folio,
with plates; the reimpreflion of 1640 is lefs elegant: that of
J 750 ftill worfe. It contains 36^ fpecimens. 2. Icones florum
et herbarum, 1616, 4to. and the continuation, 1622, folio. The
Gazophyiacium rerum naturalium, Nuremberg, 1642, folio, is
by Michael Rupert Befler, fon of Bafil, died do£lor of phyfic
in 1 66 1. This book was reprinted in 1716, but lefa efteemed
of this edition than the former. Lockner gave the defcription
of the cabinet of Bafil and of M. R. Beiler, 17 16, which is in
great requeft.
BESLY (John), the king's advocate at Fontenay-le-comte in
Poitou, born at Coulongnes4es*royaux, died in 1644, at 72
.years old. Thcie is by him, i . A hiltory of Poitou, Earis, 1647,
folio, efteemed. 2. The bifliops of Poitiers, 1647, 4to. He
was a man well verfed in the antiquities of France ; an incor*
jc€t writer, but an accurate and profound hiftorian.
BESPLAS (Joseph Mart Anne Gros de), do£tor of the
Sorbonne, chaplain to monfieur, abbot of TEpau, born at Caftel-
naudari in Languedoc in 1734, died at Paris in 1783, at firft
difcharged with not lefs fortitude than charity, the paiuful office
of accompanying and exhorting the criminals fentenced to die.
Afterwards, devoting his talents to the pulpit, he preached with
applaufe at Verfailles and at Paris, though the rapidity of his
utterance diminiilied fomewhat of the efTc^ of his difcourfes.
IJis fermon on the laft fupper prefented a piece of eloquence
fo afie£ling on the fad condition of the prifoners in the leveral
jails, that the immediate regulation of them, as to accommoda-
tions and health, with the eftablifliment of the Hotel de force,
were among the happy efTefls of it. The abbo de Befplas was
ferviceable to humanity, not only by his difcourfes, but by his
worka. We have by him a treatife. Of the caufes of public
happinefs, 1778, 2 vols. i2mo, replete with excellent fuggeft-
lons, political and moral, enriched with great and noble ideas, to
which nothing is wanting but a more methodical arrangement
and a ftyle lefs pompous. The faipe cenfurc might be paffed upon
« his
BESSET, ^35
Us Cffiiy on tKe elbquence of the pulpit ; a ptcdtiAion of hit
j*outh, df which the fecond edition of 1778 was carefully re<»
touched. The abbe de Befplas was beneficent as much from,
inclination as from principle \ he had the art of uniting vivacitf
with gentlenefs, of pleafing without affording room for fcandal,
of being inftruftive without pedantry, and tolerant without in-
I difference \ in his whole figure and deportment was feen that fe«
i renity) that gentle gaiety which ever accompanies an honeft and
contented heart.
BESSARION, titular patriarch of Conftantinople and arch-
bifliop of Nicci and 6nc of thofe illuftrious perfons who contri-
buted to the refurreftion of letters in the xvth century, was bom
^' \ at Trebifond. He was very zealous to reunite the greek with
the latin church, and engaged the emperor John Paleologus to
intereft himfelf in bringing this great work about. He pafied
into Italy, appeared at the council of Florence, harangued the
fathers, and made himfelf admired, as well by his modcfty as by
his uncommon abilities. The greek fchifmatics conceived fo
mortal an averfion to him, that he was obliged to remain in
Italy-, where pope Eugenius IV. honoured him with the purple
in 1439. He fixed his abode at Rome, and would have been
! raifed to the papal chair, if cardinal Alain had not oppofed it|
as injurious to the latin church, to choofe a greek however iU
luilrious. He was employed in fcveral embaffies, but that to
^ France proved fatal to him. When legate at this court, he hap-
pened to vifit the duke of Burgundy, before he faw Louis XL
which fo difconcerted the capricious haughty monarch, as to oc-
cafion hini a very ungracious reception. Nay, the king even
took the cardinal legate by his mod magnificent beard, faying in
his fine- latin, Barbara Grscca genus retinent quod habere fole-
bant ; and this affront fo chagrined the cardinal as to occafion
his death, at Ravenna, upon his return in 1472. This at leaft
is what Matthieu relates, in his hiftory of I^uis XL
Beffarion loved the literati and protected them. Argyropi-
lus, Theodore of Gaza, Poggius, Laurentius Valla, &c. formed
a kind of academy in his houfe. His library was large and cu-
rious ; and the fenate of Venice, to whom he gave it, prefervc
it to this day with attention and regard. He left fome works,
which rank among thofe that helped to revive letters ; as, De-
fenfio do^^rinac Platonicae, &c. Tranflations of fome pieces of
Ariftotle. Orations, Epiftles, &c. See Hody dc viris illuftri-
bus, &c.
BESSET (Henry db), ficur de la Chapclle-Milon, infpeftor
of the beaux arts under the marquis de Villacerf, and comptrol-
ler of the public works, when the great Colbert was appointed in
16B3 fuperintendant of them. He was at the fame time fecretary
to the academy of infcriptions and medals. His account of the
campaigns
V-
336 B E T T E R T O N.
campaigns of Rocroi and Fribourg) in 1644 and 1645, tltrHoi
written with an elegant fimplicity, is a complete model in that
fpecics of compofition. He died in 1693.
BETHAM (Edward B. D.) received his education at Eton,
of which feminary he was a diftinguiihed ornament } was dtd-^
cd from thence to King's college^ Cambridge, in 1728, of which
he became a fellow in 17 31 5 was fomc time burfar, and by
the provoft and fellows, when fenior fellow, was prefented to
the living of Grcenford in Middlefex. In 177 1 the provoft and
fellows of Eton elefted him to a vacant fellowfliip in that fo-
ciety. So unexceptionable was his life, that he may truly be
faid to have made no enemy in the progrefs of it. His fortune
was not large, yet his liberality kept more than equal pace with
it, and pointed out objefls to which it was impoflible for his na-
ture to rcfift lending his afliftance. In his life-time he gav^
2000I. for the better maintaining the b jtmical garden at Cam-
bridgCi thereby encouraging a ftudy which did peculiar honour
to his tafte, and materially benefited mankind. So humane was
his difpofition, that he founded and endowed a charity fchool
in his own parifh ; and this moft nobly in his life-time, when
avarice might have forbid it, or the fear of want might have ex-
cepted againft it. As in his life he indicated the moft extenfivc
. liberality, fo at his death he exhibited a lafting record of his gra-
titude. Impreffed with the higheft fenfe of the munificence of
the royal founder of Eton, within whofe walls he had imbibed
the firft feeds of education,^ he by his will direded a ftatue of
marble, in honour of Henry VI. to be ere£ted at the expence of
600I. And, in order infallibly to carry his purpofe into execu-
tion, he contra£ted a few months before his death with Mr*
Bacon to execute it; fo very grateful Vas his difpodtion, that
he could not content himfelf witliout this inftance of difplay-
ing it.
BETTERTON (Thomas), a famous englifli aftor, was born
in Tothill-ftreet, Weftminfter, 1635 ; and, after having left
fchool, is faid to have been put apprentice to a bookfeller. The
particulars, however, relating to the early part of his life, are not
afcertained. It is generally thought that .he made his firft ap-
pearance on the ftage in 1656, at the opera-hottfe in Charter-*
houfe-yard, under the direftion of fir William Davenant [<^]-
He continued to perform here till the reftoration, when king
Charles granted patents to two companies, the one was called
the king's company, and the other the duke's. The former
afted at the theatre royal in Drury-lanc, and the latter at the
theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-fields. Bctterton went over to Paris,
at the command of king Cliarles IL to take a view of the french
C*^] ^^'«o<i'* Athcn. 0x00. vol. ii. col. 412. Philips's tbcatrum poeurum, p. 191.
^ . fcenery.
BETTERTON. 337
fccncry, and trt his return made fuch Improvements as added
greatly to the luftre of the englifh ftage. For feveral years both
companies rafted with the higheft applaufe, and the tafte for dra-
matic entertainments was never ftronger than whilft thefe two
companies played [r]. The two companies were however at
length united 5 though the time of this union is not prccifely
known, Gildon placing it in 1682, and Gibber in 1684. But
however this may be, it was in this united company that Mr.
Betterton firft fhone forth with the greatefl degree of luflre ;
for, having furvived the famous aftors upon whofe model he had
formed himfelf, he was now at liberty to diiplay his genius in
its full extent. His merit as an after may perhaps exceed de-
fcription ; but, if an idea can be obtained of it, it muft be from
the f6llo>ving pafTage in Gibber's Apology : '* Betterton was an
ador, fays he, as Shakfpeare was an author, both without com-
petitors, formed for the mutual afliftance and illuftration of each
other's genius ! How Shakfpeare wrote, all men who have a
tafte for nature may read and know ; but with what higher rap-
ture would he ftill be read, could they conceive how Betterton
played him ! Then might they know the one was born alone to
fpeak, what the other only knew to write ! Pity it is that the mo-
mentary beauties, flowing from an harmonious elocution, can-
not, like thofe of poetry, be their own record ! — that the ani-
mated graces of the player can live no longer than the inftant
breath and motion that prefent them, or at beft can But faintly
glimmer through the memory or imperfeft atteftation of a few
furviving fpeftators ! Gould how Betterton fpoke be as eafily
known as what he fpoke, then might you fee the mufe of Shak-
fpeare in her triumph, with all her beauties in her beft array,
rifing into real life, and charming her beholders. But alas !
fincc all this is fo far out of the reach of defcription, how fhall I
(Iiew you Betterton ? Should I therefore tell you that all the
Othellos, Haoilets, Hotfpurs, Macbeths, and Brutufcs, you have
feen fince his time, have fallen fliort of him, this ftill would
give you no idea of his particular excellence. Let us fee then
what a particular comparifon may do, whether that may yet
draw him nearer to you ? You have feen a Hamlet perhaps,
[»] Mr. Gibber fays, that plays having plays therefore of Shakfpeare, Fletcher,
i)e«n fo long prohibiceil, people cSime to and Jonfon, were divided betwixt thenif by
tfkcm with greater eagernefs, liice folks af- tlie approbation of the court, and their
tcr a long faft to a great feall; and that own choice; fo that when Hart was fa-
women being now brought upon the fta^c mous for Othello, Betrcrton had no lefs a
vns a great advantage ; for on all former reputation for Hamlet. By this means the
ilages, female charaders were performed town was fupplicd with greater variety of
by boys, or young men of the moft effc- plays than could poflibly have been (hewn,
minate afpedt. ' He takes notice alfo of a had both companies been employed at the
rule which was eftablifticd, that no play fame time upon the fame phy. Cib'ber's
which was a£tcd at one houfe (Itould be Apology for his life, p. 74, 75, &c.
attempted at the other. All the capital
Vol. II. Z who.
338 BETTERTON.
who, on the firft appearance of his father's fpirit, has thrown
himfelf into all the {training vociferation requifite to cxptefs
rage and fury ; and the houfe has thundered with applaufe,
though the mifguided aftor was all the while (as Shakfpeare
terms it) tearing a paffion into rags. I am the more bold to of-
fer you this particular inftance, becaufc the late Mr. Addifon,
while I fat by him to fee this fcene adled, made the fame obfer-
vation ; a (king me, with fomc furprife, if I thought Hamlet
fliould be in fo violent a paffion with the ghoft, which, though
it might have aftoniihed, had not provoked him ? For you may
obferve, that in this beautiful fpeech, the paffion never rifes be-
yond an almoft breathlefs aftonifhment, or an impatience, limited
by filial reverence, to enquire into the fufpedled wrongs that
may have raifed him from his peaceful tomb ; and a defire to
know what a fpirit fo feemingly diftreft might wifli or enjoin a
forrowful fon to execute towards his future quiet in the grave.
This was the light into which Betterton threw this fcene 5 which
he opened with a paufe of mute amazement ! Then rifing flow-
ly to a folemn, trembling voice, he made the ghoft equally ter-
rible to the fpcftator as to himfelf. And in the defcriptive part
of the natural emotions which the ghaftly vifion gave him, the
boldnefs of his expoftulation was ftill governed by decency ;
manly, but not braving 5 his voice never rifing into that feeming
outrage, or wild defiance, of what he naturally revered. But,
alas I to preferve this medium between mouthing, and meaning
too little, to keep the attention more pleafingly awake by a tem-
pered fpirit, than by mere vehemence of voice, is, of all the
xnafter Itrokes of an aftor, the moil difficult to^ reach. In this
none have equalled Betterton. He that feels not himfelf the
paffion he would raife, will talk to a fleeping audience. But
this was never the fault of Betterton. A farther excellence in.
him was, that he could vary his fpirit to the different charafters
he a£led. Thofe wild impatient ftarts, that fierce and flafliing
fire which he threw into Hotfpur, never came from the un-
ruffled temper of his Brutus (for I have more than once feen a
Brutus as warm as Hotf»iur) : when the J^etterton Brutus waa
provoked in his difpute with Caffius, his fpirits flew out of his
eyes 9 his (teady looks alone fup plied that terror which he dif-
dained an intemperance in his voice (hould rife to. Thus, with
a fettled dignity of contempt, like an unheeding rock, he repel-
led upon himfelf the foam of Caffins ; not but in fome part of
this fcene, where he reproaches Caffius, his temper is not under
this fuppreffion, but opens into that warmth which becomes a
man of virtue ; yet this is that hafty fpark of anger, which Bru-
tus himfelf endeavours to excufe. But with whatever ftrength
of nature wc fee the poet ffiew at once the philofopher and the
hcroj yet tlie image of the aftor's excellence will be Hill imper-
fed
BETTERTON. 339
led to you, unlefs language could put colours in our words to
paiiit the voice with. The mod that a Vandyck can arrive vti
IS, to make his portraits of great perfons feem to think ; a Shak-
fpeare goes farther yet, and tells you what his pictures thought ;
a Betterton fteps bevond them bdth, and calls them from the
grave to breathe, and be themfelves again in feature, fpeech and
motion at once united ^ and gratifies at once your eye, your ear,
your underftanding. From thefe various excellencies, betterton
iiad fo full a pofleSion of the efteem and regard of his auditors^
that, upon his entrance into every fcene, he feemcd to felze upon
,the eyes and cats of the giddy and inadvertent. To have talked
or looked another way, would have been thought infenfibility ot
Ignorance. In all his foliloquies of monient, the ftrongeft intel-
ligence of attitude and afpe£t drew you into fuch an impatient
gaze and eager expe£tation, that jrdu alnioft imbibed the fenti^
ment with your eye, before the ear could reach it [s]."
Endowed with fuch excellencies, it is no wonder that Better*
ton attra£led the notice of his fovereign, the proreftion of the
nobility^ and the general refpe£t of all ranks of people. Th6
jpatehtees however, as there was now only one theatre, began to
conGder it as ail ihftfum^nt of accumulating wealth to them-
felves by the labours of others ; and this had fuch an ihflyence
on their condu£t, that the a£t6rs had manjr hardihips impofed
iipon them, arid were oppreffed in the moft tyrannical manner.
Betterton eiideavoured to convince the managers of the injuflice
and ubfurdity of fuch a behaviour ; which language not pleafing^
^hem, they began to give away fome of his capital parts to young
a£lors, fuppofmg this would abate his influence. This policy
hurt the pateiitdes, and proved of fervice to Betterton ; for the
j>ublic refent^d having plays ill a£ted, when they knew they
might be afted better. The befl players attached themfelves
wholly to Betterton, urging him to turn his thoughts on fome
faiethod of procuring himfelf and them juftice. Having a ge-*
neral acquaintance with people of fafliion, he reprefented the
aflair in fuch a manner, that at length, by the intercefOon of the -
^arl of Dorfet, he procured a patent for building a new play-
houfe in LiitcoliiVinn-fleids, which he did by fubfcriptiori. The
new theatre was opened in 1695. Mr. Conereve accepted a
ihare with this company, and the firft play mey a£ted was his
comedy o^ Love for Love. The king honoured it with his
prefence j when Betterton fpoke a proldgiie, and Mrsi Brace-
girdle an epilogue on the occafion. But notwithftanding all the
advantages this company enjoyed, atid the favourable recep-
tion they at firfl met with, they were unable to keep up their
fun of fuccefs, above two or three feafons. Vanbrugh and Cib-
[1] Cibber's J.jfe, p. 83, 84, Sec,
Z 2 ker.
340 B E T T E R T O N.
ber, who wrote for the other houfc, were expeditious in tfieif
produftions ; and the frequency of new pieces gave fuch a turn
in their favour, that Betterton's company, with all their merit,
muft have been undone, had not the Mourning Bride and the
Way of the World come to their relief, and faved them at the
laft extremity. In a few years, however, it appearing that they
could not maintain their independence without fome new fup-
port from their friends, the patrons of Betterton opened a fub-
icription for building a theatre in the Haymarket, which was
finiihed in 1706. Betterton however being now grown old,
and his health much impaired by conftant application, declined
the management of this houfe, rcfigning it entirely to fir John?
Vanbrugh and Mr. Congrevc 5 but from the decay of Better-
ton, many of the old players -dying, and other accidents, a re-
union of the companies feemed neceiTary, and accordingly took
place foon after.
When Betterton had reached feventy, his infirmities increafed
to a great degree, and his fits of the gout were extremely fevere.
His circumftances alfo grew daily worfe and worfe, yet he kept
up a remarkable fpirit and ferenity of mind ; and afted when his
health would permit. The public, remembering the pleafnre he
had given them, would not allow fo defeiving a man, after fifty
Jears fejrvice, to withdraw without fome marks of their bounty,
n the Ipring of 1709, a benefit, which was then a very uncom-
mon favour, was granted to him, and the play of Love for Loa'c
was afted for this purpofe- He himfelf performed Valentine ^
Mrs. Bracegirdle and Mrs. Barry, though they had quitted the
ftage, appeared on this occafion 5 the former in the charafter of
Angelica, and Mrs. Barry in that of Frail. After the play waa
over, tbefe two aftrefles appeared leading on Betterton \ and
Mrs. Barry fpoke an epilogue, written by Mr. Rowe.
Betterton got by this benefit 500I. and a promife was given?
him, that the favour iflioijd be annually repeated as long as he
lived. Sept. 20, in the fucceeding winter, he performed the
part of Hamlet with great vivacity. This activity of his kept ofF
the gout longer than ufual, but the fit returned upon him in the
fpring witli greater violence, and it was the more unlncky, as
this was the time of his benefit. The play he fixed upon was,
the Maid's Tragedy, in which he afted the part of Melan-
thus ; and notice was given thereof by his friend the Tatfer ;
but the fit intervening, that he might not difappoint the town,
he was obliged to fubmit to external applications, to reduce the
fwelling of his feqt, which enabled him to appear on the ftagc,r
though he was obliged to ufe a flipper. *' He was obferved that
day to have a more than an ordinary fpirit, and met with fuitable
applaufe ; but the unhappy confcquence of tampering with his
4 diftemper
BEVERIDGE.
341
dlftempcr was, that It flew into his head, and killed him [t]." He
died April 28, 1710, and was interred in Weftminftcr-abbey.
Sir Richard Steele attended the ceremony, and two days after
publiflied a paper in the Tatler to his memory [u]. Mr. Booth,
who knew him only in his decline, ufed to fay, that he never
faw him off or on the ftage, without learning fomething from
him; and frequently obferved, that Betterton was no a£lor,
that he put on his part with his clothes, and was the very mdn
he undertook to be till the play was over, and nothing more^x].
So exa£l was he in following nature, that the look of furprife he
affumed in the charader of Hamlet, aftoniflicd Booth (when he
firft perfonated tlie ghoft) to fuch a degree, that he was unable
to proceed in his part for fome moments [y].
BEVERIDGE (William), a learned engllfh divine, born at
Barrow in Leicefterfliire, 1638. He was educated at St. John's
college, Cambridge j where he applied with great afllduity to the
oriental languages, and made fuch proficiency in this part of
[tT Gibber's Life, p. 99.
' Having received notice," fayi
the a'uthor of tKis paper, <* that the fa.
snous Mr. Bettertoa was to be interred
this evening in the cloiiters, near Wed-
minilcr-abbey, I was refolved to walk
thither, and fee the lail ofHce done to a
man whom I had always very much ad-
mired, and from whofe action I had re-
ceived more impreOions of what is great^
and noble in human nature, than from
the arguments of the moft foiid philofo-
phers, or the dcfcriptions pf the moft
charming poets I had ever read. Such an
a£lor as Mr. Betterton ought to be recorded
with the fajne refpe^ as Rofcius amongil
the Romans. The greated orator has
thought fit to quote his judgement, and
celebrate his life. Rofcius was the ex-
ample to all that would form themfelves
into a proper and winning behaviour.
His adion was fo well adapted to the fen-
timents he exptefled, that the youth of
Rome thought they wanted only to be
virtuous, to be as graceful in their appear-
ance as Rofcius. I have hardly a notiooi
that any performance of antiquity could
furpafs the a£^ion of Mr. Betterton, in
any of the occaftons in which he has ap«>'
peared on our ftage. The wonderful
agony which he appeared in, when he
examined the circurattances of the hand«f
kerchief in Othello; the mixture of love
that intruded upon his mind upon the in-
nocent anfwers Defdemona makes, be-
trayed in his geilures fuch a variety and
viciHitude of paflions, as would admonilh
9 man Co be afraid of his own heart,
9nd perfedtJy coaviac9 himi that it is to
z
ft^ab it to admit that word of daggers*
jealoufy. Whoever reads in his clofet
this admirable fcene, will fi'id that he
cannot, unlefs he has at: warm an imagi-
nation as Shakfpeare himfclf, find any .
but dry, incoherent, and broken fcntenccs :
but a reader that has feen Betterton atft
it, obftrves, there could not be a word
added ; that longer fpeeches had been un-
natural, nay impoin.ile, in Othello's cir-
cumdanres. The charming paflfage in
the fame tragedy, where he tells the man*
ncr of winning the iffcdtion of his midrefs, ^
was urged with fo moving and graceful an
energy, that while I walked in the cloif-
ters, I thoughtof him with the fame con-
cern as if I waited for the remains of a
rirfon who hiid in real life done aU that
had feen him reprefent. The gloom of
the place, and faint lights before the
ceremony appeared, contributed to the
melancholy difpofition I was in; and I
began to be extremely afHiiJted that Uni^ '
tus and Cilfius had any di^erence ; that
Hotfpur's gallantry was fo unfortunate ;
and that the mirth and ^ood humour of
Falitaif could not exempt him from the
grave." Tatler, No. 167.
[x] Biographia Britannica.
[yJ The following drama tic works were*
publiftied by Mr. Bottcrron. i. The wo,
man madcajuftice, a comedy. 2. The
unjuft judge; or, Appius and Virginia, t
trasiedy, written originally bv Mr. John
Wcbfter, an old poet, who fl.iurilhe^ in
the reign of James I. It was only altered
by Mr. Betterton. 3. The amorous wi-
d'lw, or, the wanton wife, i play written
on (he pUnof Molicre's George Dandin.
3 learning.
2^1 BEVERIDQE.
learning, that at eighteen years of age he wrote a Trcatife of th«
excellency and ufe of the oriental tongues, efpecially the hcbrew,
chaldee, fyriac, arable, and famaritan ; with a fyriac grammar.
Jan. 3d, 1 661, he was ordained deacon by Rooert, Diihop of
. Lincoln, and pried the 3 1 ft of that month ; and, about the lame
time, was prefented to the vicarage of Yealing in Middlefex,
which he refigned about a year after, upon his being chofen rec-
tor of St. Peter's, Cornhill, by the mayor and aldermen of Lon-
don [z]. He applied himfelr to the difcharge pf his miniftryi
with the utmoft zeal and aiTiduity. He was highly inftruftive
in his difcourfes from the pulpit ; ^nd his labours were crowned
with fuch fuccefs, that he was ftyled " The great reviver and
Tcftorer of primitive piety [a]," Bifliop Hinchm^n, his diocefan,
having conceived a great efteem for him, collated him to a pre-
bend of St. Paul's, Dec. 22, 1674 j and his fucceffbr, Dr. Comp-
ton, conferred upon him the archdeaconry of Colchefter, Nov. 3^
168 r. Nov. the 5th, 1684, he was inftalled prebendary of Can-
terbury ; and about the fame time appointed chaplain to king
William and queen Mary^ In 169 1, he was offered, but refufcd
to accept of, the fee of Bath and Wells, vacant by the depriva-
tion of Dr. Kenn, on his refufing to take the oaths to king Wil-
liam and queen Mary : but fome time after he accepted of that
of St. Afaph, and was confecrated July 16, 1704 [b]. Upon hii(
advancement to the epifcopal chair, he wrote a pathetic letter to
the clergy of his diocefe, recommcndipg to t}iem •* the duty of
patechiflng and inftrufling the people committed to their charge,
in the principles of the chriilian religion 5 to the end they
might know what they were tq believe and do, in order to fal-
vation :" and to enable them to do this the more effedually, he
fent them a plain expoHtion upon the church catechifm. This
prelate did not enjoy his epifcopal dignity above three years an4
fome months ; for he died March the 5th, 1707, in the 7 ift year
pf his age, and was buried in St. Paul's cathedral. He left the
greateft parf: of his eftate to the focieties for propagating chrif-
tian knowledge. He was a benefaftor to the vicarage of barrow
where he was born, and tp the curacy of Mount Sorrel, in the
parilh of Barrow [c].
^ BEVERLAND
[s] Newcourt*sRepert.ecc1eiuft. Tol. i. meticet chronologicae libellis. 1669. 3t
m. 764. £ty3^tx)», five Pandedtat canonum S. S.
[a! Ibid. p. ^16,93. apollolorum ct conciliorum ab ecclefi*
fB] "food's Fafti, vol. ii. col. 176. graeca receptorum, Ac. Oxonii* i6'7a.
[cj B:(hop Bcvcridgc left many learntd 2 vols, folio. 4. Codex canonum eccleliaB
ivorkn. Thofe publifiicd by himfelf ateas primitivae vindicatui et illuftratus. J679.
follow: I. De linguamm orientalium* 5. The church catechifm explained for th«
prsefcrtim hebraicae, chaldaicsr, fynacae, ufe of the diocefe of Se. Afaph. 1704.410.
trabicae, et famaritanicz, piaeftantia et Reprinted feveral times iincc in a fmall
ufu. 1658. 2. Inftitutionum chronolo- volume. — Beiides the above-mentioned
vicarMmiibriduo, una cum totideiq aritb* works of this prelate^ wc have the foU
^ i«?ini»
BEVERLAND. J43
BEVERLAND (Hadrian), born at Middleburgh in Zealand,
"was a man of genius, but proftituted his talents by employing
them in the compofition of loofe and obfccne pieces. He took
the degree of dodor of law, and became an advocate ; but his
paffion for polite literature diverted him from any purfuits in
that way. He was a paffionate admirer of Ovid, Catullus, Pe-
tronius, and fuch authos. Mr. Wood tells us, that Beverland
was at tho univcrfity of Oxford in 1672 [d]. His trcatife on
original fin [eJ involved him in great trouble and difficulties-
He was committed to prifon at the Hague, and his book con-
demned to be burnt ; he was difcharged however after he had
paid a fine, and taken an oath that he would never write again
upon fuch fubjefts. He removed to Utrecht, where he led a
moft dilTolute life, and boafted every where of his book, which
had been burnt at the Hague. His behaviour at length obliged
the magiftrates to fend him notice privately, that they cxpefted
he (hould immediately leave the city. He removed from thence
to Leyden, where he wrote a fevere fatire againft the magiftrates
and minifters of that city, under the title of ** Vox clamantis in
deferto,** which was difperfed in manufcript : but finding after
this, that it would not be fafe for him to remain in Holland, he
went over to England, where Dr. Ifaac Voffius procured him a
penfion. His income was inconfiderable, yet he fpent the
greateft part of it in purchafing fcarce books, obfcene defigns,
lowing, publiOied after his death ; 6. Prif thers, councils, Sec. 17x1. 4 vols. 8ro.
vate thoughts upon religion, digefted into ir. A defence of the book of Pfalms, coU
twelve articles, with pradbcal refolutions l«ded into engliflimette, by Thomas Stem-
formed thereupon ; writrrn in his younger hold, John Hopkins, and others, with cri«
years (when he was about twrncyr three tical obfervations on the new verfion corn-
years old) for the fettling of his principles pared with the old. 17 10. 8vo. In ihit
and condu<:2 in life. 1709* 7. Private book he gives the old veriion the prefer-
thoughts upon a chriilian Itfe ; or necef- ence to the new. 12. Expolition of the 39
fary directions for its beginning and pro- articles. 1710, 1716^ folio,
grcfs upon earth, in order to its final per- fn] Fafti, vol. ii. edit. 1721.
fe^tion inthebeati^cviiioQ. 17C9. >i. The If] It is intituled **Peccatum originate
great ncceflity and advantage of puHiic xar ({o^^iy, ^c nuncupatum philologies
prayer and irequcntcommunion. Defigncd problemaiicos elucubratum ^ Themidii
to revive primitive piety; with mediia- alumno. Vera reditfacics, dillimulata pe .
Cioni, ejaculations, and prayers, before, at, fit. Eleuthcropoli. Extra pUteam obfcu-
and after the facrament. 1710. Thefe ram, privilcgio authoris, ahfque ubi ci
have been reprinted fevcral times in 8vo. quando. At the end of the book are ihefc
and lamo. 9. One hundred and fifty fer- words: "In horto Hcfperi.lum typis
mons and difcourfes, on feveral fubjedls. Adami EvaeTerr«filii, 1678." Hisdefign
1708, in 12 vols. 8vo. Printed in 1719, in this piece is to (hew, that Adam's fm
Ui 2 vols, folio. 10. Thefaurus theolo- confillcd entirely in the commerce with his
gicus : or, a complete fyftem of divinity, wife, and that original fin is noching elfe
fummcd up in brief notes upon felea places but the inclination of the fexes to each
of the old and new teftament ; wherein other. He expatiates very largely upon
tJie ficrcd text is reduced under proper this inclination, and the eflredts of it, and
heads, explained and illuftrated with the introduces the moft obfcene terms.
«pinjons and auihorities of the apcient fa-
Z 4 pi£lure$.
344 BEVERWICK.
piclurcs, medals, and ftrange (hells. He feems aftenrards to
have repented of his irregular life, and to have been forty he had
written fuch pieces [fJ: and as an atonement he is faid to have
publilhed his treatife Dc Fornicatione cavenda f g], in 1698. He
tells us, in an advertifement prefixed to this book, that it was the
refult of his repentance ; and fpeaks of his loofe pieces in the
following terms : " I condemn the warmth of my imprudent
youth ; I deteit my ioofe ilyle, and my libertine fentiments. I
tjiank God, who has removed from my eyes the veil which blind-
ed my fight in a miferable manner, and who would not fufFer
me any longer to feek out weak arguments to defend this crime.
He has likewifc infpirod me with fuch a refolution, that I have
burnt all that I have written upon this fubjccl, and fent to the rec-
tor magnificus of the univerfity of Leyden, the books De Profti-
bulis Vcterum. I defirc all perfons who have procured any ma-
nufcript of my writing either privately or in any other method,
to return it to nic, that I may burn it myfelf. And if any per-
fon (hould rcfufe this, I wi(h him all the misfortunes which ufe
to happen to one who violates his truft." Yet, notwithflanding
thefe exprefTions, his fincerity has been fufpc£\ed ; and it has
been alleged, that he wrote this lafl: piece with no other view
than to raife the curiofity of mankind, to enquire after the for-
mer. After VolDus's death, he fell into the moft extreme po-p
verty, and incurred an univerfal hatred from the many violent
fatires which he had written againft different perfons. Befides
this misfortune, his head began to be a little turned •, and in the
year 1712, he wandered from one part of England to another,
imagining, that two hundred men had confederated together to
aflalfinate him. It is probable that he died foon after j for we
hear no more of him from that time [h].
BEVLRWICK (John de), in latin Beverovicios, born at
Dordrecht in 1 594 of a noble family. Brought up from his in-»
fancy under the eyes of Gerard John Voffius, he vifited feveral
univerfities for acquiring knowledge in the art of medicine, and
took his doftor's degree at Padua. He praftifed in the place of
his nativity, where he likewifc filled feveral pods with dif-
tinftion. He-died in 1647, aged 51; and though his courfe was
not remarkably long, yet Daniel Hcinfius, in the epitaph he
made on him, caUs him, Vita: artifex, mortis fugator. His prin-
cipal works are, i. De termino vitas, fatali an mobili ? Rotter-
[f] In t68^, he p-.iblifhed in 8vo. at Voflius in his commentary upon Catullus,
Lcyiicn, his book, De Itolatae virginit.itis Niccron, Memoirs, &c.
jure lucubratia acndeniica, which is a [c] The title o! it is as follows : ** De
VC17 loofe piece. Ke wrote likewife ano- fornicatione cavcnJa admonitio, five ad-
ihtr of ihe fame kind, De proftibulis vc- hortatio ad pudi:iuam ct caftiiatem.'*
terum, i« c. Of the brotliels of the jin- Lond. in ^vo. 16^8.
cicnts; part of which wis infcrtcd by Jfaac [h] Niceroo, Memoirs, (cc, torn. xiv.
damji
BEZA. 345
«dam, 1644, 8vo; and Leyden, 1651, 4to. This book made fom^
noife at the time. He difcufles this queftion : Whether the term
of life of every individual be fixed and immutable ; or, whether
it may be changed, 2. De excellentia fexCis foeminei; Dordrech^,
1639, 8vo, 3. De calculo; Leyden, 1638 — 1641, 8vo. 4. In-
trodudlio ad medicinam indigenara 5 Leyden, 1663, lamo. This
book, fays Vigneul Marville, is a very fmall volume, but ex-
tremely well filled. Beverovicius proves in it, to every man's
fatisfaftion, that, without having recourfe to remedies from fo-
reign countries, Holland fhould be contented with her own in
the praftice of medicine.
BEUF (John le), born at Auxerre in 1687, became a mem-
ber of the academy of belles-lettres and infcriptions of Paris in
1750. He died in 1760, aged 73. He wrote feveral books.
The mofl known of them are, i. Recueil de divers ecrits fervant
a I'cclairciirement de rhiiloire de France 5 2 vols, i^zmo. I73t5-
2. Diflertations fur Thiftoire eccleCaltique et civile de Paris j
to which are added feveral matters that elucidate the hiftory of
France ; 3 vols. i2mo. 3. Traitc hiftorique et pratique fur Ic
chant ecclefiallique 5 1741, 8vo. 4. Mcmoires fur Thiftoirc
d' Auxerre j 2 vols. 4to. 1743. 5. Hiftoire de la ville et de tout
le diocefe de Paris; 15 vols. i2mo. 6. Several diflertations
difperfed in the journals, and in the memoirs of the academy of
which he was member. The learned are indebted to him like-
wife for the difcovery of a number of original pieces, which he
dragged out of the oblivion in which they had long been lo(h
The abbe le Beuf was a prodigy of erudition. It breaks forth
in all his works; but it is often. ill-dlgelled. He never ceafed
till the end of his days from making laborious refearches. He
undertook feveral journies through the different provinces of
France for invcftigating the remains of antiquity. The writer of
this article had the pleafure of making his acquaintance at
JSIifmes. The curious monuments of ancient art with whicl^
that town is enriched, threw him into tranfports of enthufiafm
and fuch abfences of mind as made the common people iizrc^
but caufed no furprife to men of tafte.
BEZ'\ (Theopori), a moft zealous promoter and defender
of the reformed church, born at Vezelai, in Burgundy, June
the 24th, 1^19. He was brought up by his uncle Nicholas dc
Bcza, counfellor of the parliament of Paris, till December 1528,
when he was fent to Orleans under the care of Melchior Wol-
mar. He lived feven years with Wolmar, under whom he made
an extraordinary progrefs in polite learning, and from him im-
bibed the principles of the proteftant religion [i]. His uncle in-
tended him for the bar. The law however not fuiting his dif-
[1] Bezx Epift. ad VVolinarum.
pofition.
34^
BEZA.
E^CitioUj he bcftowed moft of his time in reading the greek and
tin authors, and in compofing vcrfes. He took his licentiate's
degree in 1539, and went to Paris. He had made a promife to
Pi young woman to marry her publicly as foon as certain obfla-
cles fhould be removed, and in the mean time not to engage
himfelf in the ecclenafttcal (late. A fudden and dangerous ill-
nefs prevented him Come time from putting his defign in exe-
cution, but, as foon as he recovered, he fled with this woman tp
Geneva; where he arrived Oft. 24th, 1548, and from thence
went to Tubingen, to fee Melchicr Wolmar. The year after he
accepted of the greek profefTorfliip at Laufannci which he held
for nine or ten years, and then returned to Geneva, where he be^
came a proteftant minifter. He did not confine himfelf whilft
Ic held his profcflbrfhip to the greek lectures, but alfo read in
french on the new Tcftament, and publiflied fcvcral books whilft
lie refided at Laufannc [k*. Having fettled at Geneva in 1959,
lie adhered to Calvin in the ftrifleft manner, and became in a
Kttle time his colleague in the church and in the univerfity. He
was fent to Ncrac, to the king of Navarre, to confer with hin^
Bpon affairs of importance [lJ. This prince had exprefled hi^
defire, both by letters and deputies, that Theodore Beza might
aflift at the conference of Poifli ; and the fenate of Geneva com-
plied with his requeil : nor could they have made choice of a
perfon more capable of doing honour to the caufe ; for Beza was
an excellent fpcaker,kncw the world, and had a great (hare of wit.
The whole audience hearkened attentively to his harangue, till
Ic touched upon the real prefence, on which fubjeft he dropped
an cxpreflion which occafioned fome murmuring [m]« Through-
out the whole conference, he behaved himfelf as a very able
man. He often preached before the king of Navarre and the
f k] The firft piece he puWiflie4 here, the book which Caftalio, under the feigned
was aVrcnch trjgi-comedy, intituled, ** Lc lumc of Mjrtinus Bellius, had compofcd
SacrtHce d*Abraham." jacomot turned it on this important fubjedt* a liule after the
jpto latin in 1 598* Aimoit at the fame tim^ punifhment of Servelus.
Jfimes Bruno trunllatcd it into the lame He publiflicd alfo at this place, A {hoT%
lan^^uage at Amfteidam- expofiiion of chriftianity ex do^rina dc
Bexa had been acciirtomed to po to Cc- atterna Dei prKdellinatioce ; An anfwer
vevain the vdCJtions, to fee CaMn, who 10 Joachim Weftphalus, concerning the
exhorted him to dcdicilc his taicnt> to ihc Lord's fupper ; Two dialogues on the fame
fervice of the chuich, and advifed him to fnbje^agninftTillemannus Heftiufius; and
finiih what Marot had begun. Beza tol. An anf^er to Caftalio concerning the doc-
lowed this aJvice, and tranlhted the bun. trine of predeflination.
dred pfalms tlut remained into fret.ch [tj Ant. Fayus, de vita et obilu Th.
vcrfe ; and fh"y werr printed, with the Bezx, p. 2r.
king's privilei;e, in 1501. One of the moll [m] The expreffion was this : " We dy
remarkable wri^in^s vkhi<:h he puhliOied that ttte body ot Jcfus Chiil) is as dillant
during his (lay at Laufanne, was the trea- from the bread and wn)c» as the higheft
life *• Oe hxip icis a magillratu punicn- heaven is from the earth.'* Baza, hi^. ee«
dis." He publilliei it by way pf .-^i^lwer to ciefiail. book ly. p- 316,
prince
B E Z A. 347
prince of Conde. After the maflacre of Vaffi, he was deputed
to the king, to complain of this violence; the civil war followed
foon after, during which the prince of Conde kept him with him,
Beza was prefent at the battle of Dreux, and did not return to
Geneva till after the peace of 1 563. He revifited France in 1 568.
He publifhed feveral books after his return to Geneva [n]. He
went again to France in 1571, to aflift at the national fynod of
Rochelle, of which he was chofen moderator. The year after
he was prefent at that of Nifmes, where he oppofed the fa£tion
of John Morel. He was at the conferences ot Montbeliard, in
1586, where he difputed with John Andreas a divine of Tu-
bingen. Beza defired that the difpute might be held by argu-
ments in form 5 but he was obliged to comply with his adver-
fary, who was unwilling to be con drained by the rules of fyllo-
gifm In 1588, he was at the fynod of Bern, where the doc-?
trine of Samuel Huberus, relating to our juftification before God^
was condemned.
The infirmities of old age beginning to fall heavy upon him
in 1597, he could feldom fpeak in public ; and at lad, in the
^ginning of 1 boo, he rclinquiflied it entirely. However, in
1597, he wrote fome animated verfes againft the Jefuits, on oc-
cafion of the report that was made of his death, and of his hav-
ing before he died made profeffion of the roman faith. He lived
till 0£k. 13, 1605. He was a man of extraordinaiy merit, and
Qne who did great fervices to the proteftant caufe, which expofed
him to innumerable flanders and calumnies ; but he (hewed both
the catholics and lutherans, that he underftood how to defend
)iimfe|f. fiis poen^s^ intitqled Juvenilia, have made 9 great
[n] Sqon after the eftablifliment in the forts of la^in verfe. He publiflied a treatife
^hurch of Geneva> he turned into latin a of the facraments, and a book againft Hoff-
cenfeflSon of faith, which he had formerly mannus; fome fermons on the paflion of
written in french, to juftify himfplf to his Jefus Chrift* and on Solomon's Song; a
father» and to endeavour to convert the good veriion of the Canticlesi in lyric verfe ; an
old man. He publifhed this confeifion in anfwer to Genebrard* to whom this tranf*
1 560, and dedicated it to his maimer Mel- lation had afforded a new fubjed of repeat*
chior Wolmar. His pen lay ftill whilft he ing his abuies.
was in the armyt either with the prince of In 1590, he publiflied his treatlfe De
Conde, or the admiral de Coligny ; but as excommunicatione et preibyterio> againft
foon as he was come back to Geneva, he Thomas Eraftus. Some time after he ez-
wrote two anfwers, one to Caftalio, the amioed Saravia*s book, De miniftrorum
other to Francis Baudouin. cvangelii gradibus. A more particular ac*
He afterwards attacked Brenttus and count of his writings may be feen in An*
James Andreas, upon (hcirdodrineof the thony |a Faye's catalogue, at the end of
ubiquity. About the fame time he wrote his work De vita et obituTheodori Bezse{
his book De divortiis et repudiis, agaiaft but he has omitted the icones of the famous
Bernardine Orchin, who' had written in men who fet their hand to the work of the
favour of polygamy. reformation, and the ecclefiafttcal hiftory
He alfo atucked the errors of FUcius of the reformed churches there; averycu-
XUyricus. HeanfweredClaudiu«deSainrest rious work, which reaches from 152X down
^elneccerus, James Andreas, Pappus, &c. to the peace of Nfarcb 131 1563.
He cranllatcd the Ffalms of David into al)
noife*
548
B I A N C H I N I.
noife [o]. They have been thought to contain verfes too frce^
and not fuited to the purity of the chriftian religion.
BEZOUT (Stephen), of the academy of fciences, examiner
of marines, and of the pupils of artillery, was born at Nemours
March 31, 1730, and died at Paris, Sept. 27, 1783. He i&
chiefly known by his Courfe of Mathematics, 4 vols. 8vo. con-
fpicuous for its method and precifion. He publifhed alfo a trea-
tife of Navigation, 1 769, 8vo. It is a fort of continuation of the
foregoing work. The author was zcaloufly attached to the du-
ties of his places. Being obliged to hold an examination at Tou-
lon, he heard that two of his pupils were attacked by the fmall
pox, which difordcr he had never had. He difmifled all fear of
catching it ; and, in order not to deprive the young men of a
year's advancement, went and examined them in their bed.
BIANCHI (Peter), was born at Rome in 1 694. This painter,
fucceeded equally well in hiftory, landfcapes, portraits, fea-pieces,
and animals* His works are at Rome, where he died in 1739»
He excelled in the corredncfs of his drawing and the force of
bis colouring. He broii|;ht the art of making anatomical figures
in coloured wax to great perfcclion,
BIANCHINI (Francis), born at Verona, Dec. 13, 16.-^2, of a.
family of dillinclion, gained a reputation from his very youth by
the eilablifhmcnt of the academy of the Aletofili, i. e. the lovers
of truth. This fociety, efpecially devoted to mathematicaJ and
phyfical fubjeds, was much benefited by the ftudies of its foun-
der. Cardinal Ottobcmi, afterwards pope under the name of
Alexander VIII. made him his librarian. He was then promoted
to a canonicate in the church of St. Mary of the Rotonda, anij
prefently after to another in that of St. Laurence in Damafo,
He was fccretary to the conferences on the reformation of the
calendar; to which place he was nominated by Clement XL,
Innocent XII 1. and Benedict XIII. conferred on him public
marks of their elleem. In 1705 the fenate incorporated him
with the roman noblcde ; an honour attached to his family and
all their defcendants. He died March 2, 1729, at the age of 67,
member of fevcral academies. For eight years he had been em-
ployed in making obfervations for enabling him to trace a me-
ridian for Italy. The citizens of Verona, after his death, fet up
a bull of him in their cathedral ; an honour they had already
paid to the memory of cardinal Ncris. The public have by Bian-
chini, I. Palazzo di Cefari-, Verona, J738, folio, cum fig. 2. In-
fcrizzioni fepolcrali della cafa di Auguilo*, Rome, 1727, folio.
Thefe two works are evident tcftimonies of his Ikill in antiqui^
ties. 3. An edition of AnailaRus Bibliothecarius, 1718, 4 vols,
o] TheywercpfinrcJ at Pari«;in IC49, Thefe poems confift of Silv^, Epitaphs^
^ Jodocus Badius Afccnfius, with a privi. Images^ Icones, and Epigrams.
I^e of the farlumcn( for three years.
folio I
1>yi'
B t D D L E. 349
folio ; with notc6, diflertations, prefaces, prolegomena, and va-
tiantes. Here we fee a great profufion of learning 5 but the
book is full of typographical errors. 4. Pieces of poetry and
eloquence. 5. A univerfal Hiflory, in Italian; printed at Rome
in 4to. J 697, with plates. It is held in high efteem, becaufe the
author refts folely on the genuine monuments of antiquity. He
was an univerfal fcholar. — Care muft be taken not to confound
him with Jofeph Bianchini, likewife of Verona, an orator of
Rome, who wrote againft the Bellum Papale of Thomas James.
His anfwer is to be found in the colle£lion intituled, Vindiciae ca«
nonicarum fcripturarum vulgat« edit. Rome, r 740, folio.
' BIBIENA (Ferdinand Galli), painter and architedl, was
born at Boulogne in 1657. He ftudied the elements of his art
under the Cignani, a diltinguiflied artift. The mailer produced
his difciple to the world. His talents for architecture, for thea-
trical decorations, and for perfpe£live, obtained him a good re-
ception. The duke of Parma and the emperor gave him the title
of their firfl: painter, and loaded him with favours. Several mag-
nificent edifices were raifdd after his plans. His pieces of per-
fpeflive are full of tafte. There have not been wanting however
fome critics who have cenfured him for having a pencil more
fantaftic than natural and juft. He died blind in 1743, leaving
two books of architefture, and fons worthy of their father. It
is probable that to one of them (J. Galli Bibiena) the public
IS indebted for the Hiftory of the amours of Valeria and the
noble Venetian Barbarigo ; tranflated into french ; Laufanne
and Genfeva, 1751.
BIBLIANDER (Theodore), profeflbr of theology at Zurich,
died th^re of the plague in 1564, at the age of 65, after having
publiflied feveral works. The principal are, i. An edition of
the Koran, with marginal notes) Roftock, 1638, 4to, 2. A gol-
ledlion of ancient writings on mohammedanifm ; folio, 1543.
This colleftion is curious, and is now become fcarcc. 3. An
edition of the bible of Leon de Juda ; Zurich, 1543, folio.
4. Commentaries on feveral books of fcripture, &c. He was
very expert in the oriental tongues.
BIDDLE (John), born in 16 15, at Wotten-under-Edge, in
Gloucefterfliire [p]. He was educated at the frce-fchool in that
town ; and, being a promifing youth, was noticed by George lord
Berkeley, who made him an allowance of lol. a year [(^]. In
1634 he was fent to Oxford, and entered at Magdalcn-hall.
June 23, 1683, he took the degree of bachelor of arts, and foon
after was invited to be mailer of the fchool of his native place ;
[f] Short account of the life of T. lated Virgil's eclogues, and the two firft
Rddle, prefixed to the ift vol. of Sociniaa fatircs of juvenaU into englilh veifc. Borh
tracts, printed at London, 1691, 410. which trandatlons were printed at Lon.'->n
[vj Whild he was at fchool, he traof* in 1634 in 8yo.
but
3$o BIDDLfij
but declined it. May 20, 1691, he took his degree of mafter o#
arts ; and the magillrates of Gloucefter having cnofen him mafter
of the free-fchool of St. Mary de Crypt in that city, he went and
fettled there, and was much efteemed for his diligence. Falling,
however, into fomc opinions concerning the trinity, different
from thofe commonly received [r], and having expreiTed his
thoughts with too much freedom, he was accufed of herefy :
and being fummoned before the magidrates, he exhibited in
Writing a ConfeiTion, which not being thought fatisfa£tory, he
wa^ obliged to make another more explicit than the former.
"When he had fully confidered this doftrine, he comprifed it iii
twelve arguments drawn from the fcripture ; wherein the com-*
monly received opinion, touching the deity of the holy fpirit^-
is refuted [s]. An acquaintance who had a copy of them, having
(hewed them to the magidrates of Glouceller, and to the par-
liament committee then refiding there, he was committed, De-
cember 2, 1645, to the common gaol (though at that time
a£9i£ted by a fore fever), to remain in that place till the parliamen£
fiiould take cognizance of the matter. However, an eminent
perfon in Gloucefter procured his enlargement, by giving fe-«
curity for his appearance when the parliament (hould fend for
him. June 1646, archbifliop Uflier, pafling through Gloucefter
in his way to London, had a conference with our author, and
endeavoured, but in Vain, to convince him of his etrors. Six
months after he had been fet at liberty he was fummoned to
appear at Weftminfter, and the parliament appointed a com-
mittee to examine him ; before whom he freely confeiTed, that
he did not acknowledge the commonly received notion of the
divinity of the holy ghoft ; but, however, was ready to hear
what could be oppofed to him, and, if he could not make out
his opinion to be true, honeftly to own his error. But being
wearied with tedious and expenfive delays, he wrote a letter to
fir Henry Vane, a member of the committee, requefting him
either to procure his difcharge, or to make a report of his cafe
to the houfe of commons. The refult of this was, his being
committed to the cuftody of one of their officers, which reftraint
continued the five years following. He was at length referred
to the affqmbly of divines then fitting at Weftminfter, before
[r ] " The author of his life teUt ut, that, covor his reafon of queftioning It. "'
having laid slide the impediments of preju- [s] Theftt twelve arguments, ^c. were
dice, he gave himfelf liberty to tryallthingSy firft publidied io 1647, and reprinted ib
that he might hold faft that which is good. 1653, and laftly in 169 1, 4to. in a col-
Thus diligently reading the holy fcriptures le£lion of fociniaii tra6s, intituled, The
(for focinian books hfi had read none) he faith of one God, &c. They were an-*
perceived the common doArioe concern- fwered by Matthew Poole, M. A. the
ing the holy trinity was not well grounded leasned editor of Synopfis Criticorum, i»
in revelation, mucU lefs in reafon ; and his plea for the godhead of the holy ghoft^
being as generous in fpeakin| as free in &c. aad by others at home and abroad*
judging, he did, as occadon offered^ dif-
o waofii
BIDt)LE* 351
iRrhom he often appeared, and gave them in wilting his twelve
arguments, which were publiflicd the fame year. Upon their
publication, he was fummoned to appear at the bar of the houfe
of commons ; where being alked, ** Whether he owned this
treatife, and the opinions therein ?** he anfwered in the affirma*
tive. Upon which he was committed to prifon, and the houfe or-
dered, Sept. 6, 1747, tliat the book fliould be called in and burnt
by the hangman, and the author be examined by the committee
of plundered minifters [t]. But Mr. Biddle drew a greater
ftorm upon himfelf by two tracts he publiOied in 1648, ** A
confeffion of faith touching the holy trinity according to the
fcripture :** and " The teftimonies of Irenaeus, Juftin Martyr,
TcrtuUian, Novatianus, 1 heophilus, Origen, alfo of Arnobius,
La£bantius, Eufebius, Hilary, and Hrightman, concerning that
one God, and the perfons of the holy trinity, together with ob-
fervations on the fame." As foon as they were publifiied, the
aflcmbly of divines folicited the parliament, and procured an or-
dinance, inflifting death upon thofe that held opinions contrary
to the received doftrine about the trinity, and fevcre penalties
upon thofe who differed in lefler matters. Biddle, however,
efcaped by a diifenfion in the parliament, part of which was
{'oined by the army ; many of whom, both officers and foldiers,
)eing liable to the feverities of the ordinance above-mentioned,
it therefore from that time lay unregarded for feveral years.
Biddle had now more liberty allowed him by his keepers ; who
fufFered him, upon fecurity given, to go into StafFordfhire, where
he lived fome time with a juftice of peace, who entertained him
with great hofpitality, and at his death left him a legacy. Ser-
jeant John Bradfhaw, prefident of the council of flate, his mortal
enemy, having got intelligence of this indulgence granted him,
caufed him to be recalled, and more flridly confined. In this
confinement he fpent his whole fubftance, and was reduced to
great indigence, till he was employed by Roger Daniel of Lon-
don, to correft an impreflion 01 the feptuagint bible, which
that printer was about to publifh : and this gained him for fome
time a comfortable fubfiilence. In 1654, the parliament pub-
Jifhed a general aft of oblivion, when Biddle was reflored to his
liberry. This he improved among thofe friends he had gained
in London, in meeting together every funday for expounding
the fcripture, and difcourfing thereupon ; by which means his
opinions concerning the unity of God, Chrifl his only fon, and
his holy fpirit, were fo propagated, that the prcfb^terian mini-
flers became highly offended. The fame year he publiihed his
** Twofold fcripture catcchifm[uj," which coming into the
hands
[t] Whuelock'i Memoirs, tilt, 173?, [p] A largrr and fliorter Catcchirm,
f. i6S. in winch the aiifw^rs are eipreffed in th«
very
flS^ B I D D L E.
hands of (bme of the members of Cromweirs parliament, meet-
ing Sept. 3, 1654, a complaint was made ugainft it in the houfe
of commons. Upon this, the author being brought to the bar, and
afked, " Whether he wrote that book ?'* anfwered by afking,
« Whether it fecmed reafonable, that one brought before a judge-
ment-feat as a criminal, Ihould accufe himfelf." After fomc de-
bates and refolutions, he was, Dec. 13, committed clofe prifoner
to the Gatehoufc. A bill likewife was ordered to be brought in
forpunifliing him ; but, after about fix months imprifonraent, he
obtained his liberty at the court of king's bench, by due courfe
of law. About a year after, another no lefs formidable danger
» overtook him, by his engaging in a difpute with one Griffin an
anabaptift teacher. Many of Griffin's congregation having em-
braced Biddlc's opinions concerning the trinity, he thought the
beft way to (lop the fpreading of fuch errors would be openly to
confute his tenets. For this purpofe he challenges Biddle to a
public difputation at his meeting in the Stone Chapel in St. Paul's
cathedral, on this queftion, " Whether Jefus Chrift be the mod
high, or almighty God ?" Biddle would have declined the dif-
pute, but was obliged to accept of it ; and the two antagoniits hav-
ing met amidft a numerous audience. Griffin repeats the queftion,
alking " if any man there did deny, that Chrift was God moft
highr' to which Biddle refolutely anfwered, " I do deny it;**
and by this open profeffion gave his adverfarics the opportunity
of a poGtive and clear accufation, which they foon laid hold
of. But Griffin being baffled, the difputation was deferred till
another day, when Biddle was to take his turn of proving the
negative of the queftion. Meanwhile, Griffin and his party not
thinking themiclves a match for our author, accufed him of
frefli blafphemics, and procured an order from the proteftor to
apprehend him, July the 3d (being the day before the intended
fecond difputation), and to commit him to the Compter, [x]. He
was afterwards fent to Newgate, and ordered to be tried for
his life the next feffions, on the ordinance againft blafphemy.
However, the protector not choofmg to have him either con-
demned or abfolved, took him out of the hands of the law, and
detained him in prifon ; till at length, being wearied with re-
ceiving petitions for and ajrainft him, he banifhed him to St.
Mary's caftle in the iHe of Scilly, where he was fent Oft. 1655.
Inuring this exile he employed himfelf in ftudying feveral in-
tricate matters, particularly the Revelation of St. John, and,
tcry words of fcripturc, without cither plicity and truth of the fcriplure." This
confequcnccs or comments ; ** conipofed two-fold catcchifm was animadverted up-
(he fays) tor their fakes that would tain be on by Dr. Owen, in his Vindicis £van*
mere chriilians, and not of this or that gelicx, or Myfleiy of the gofpd vindicated,
fett, in as much as all fctts of chriftlans, &c. Oxon. 1655, 410.
by what names foever diftinguifhed, have [x] Life, &c. p, 67*
•ithcr mure or leU departed fiom the dm*
after
B t D L O O. 3S3
^fter Ws return to London, publiflied an cfTay towards explain-
ing it. In 1658, the protestor, through the interceflion of many
friends, fufFered a writ of habeas corpus to be granted out of
the king's bench, M'hercby the prifoner was brought back, and,
nothing being laid to his charge, was fet at liberty. Upon his
return to London, he became paltor of an independent meet-
ing : but did not continue long in town ; for Cromwell dying
'^^P^* 3> '^58, his fon Richard called a parliament, confifting
chiefly of preft)yterians, whom of all men Biddle moft dreaded :
he therefore retired privately into the country. This parliament
being foon diflblved, he returned to his former employment till
the reftoration of king Charles the fccond, when the liberty of
dillenters was taken away, and their meetings punifhed as fc-,
ditious. Biddle then retrained himfelf from public to morfc
private aiTemblies, but could not even fo be fafe ; for, June I,
1662, he was fcizcd in his lodging, where he and fome few of
his friends had met fgr divine worfliip, and was, with them,
carried before a juftice of peace, who committed them all to
prifon, where they lay, till the recorder took fecurity for their
anfwering to the charge brought againft them at the next fef-
fion. Eut the court not being then able to find a ftatute whereon
to form any criminal indiftment, they were referred to the fef-
Con following, and proceeded againft at common law \ each
of the hearers was fined 20I. Biddle lool. and to lie in prifon
till pai^. But in iefs than five weeks he, by clofe confinement,
contraded a difeafe, which put an end to his life, Sept. 22, 1662,
in the 47th year of his age. He was buried in the cemetery
near Old Bethlem, in Moorfields ; and a monument was erefted
over his grave, with an infcription. His life was publiflied in
latin at London 1682 : the author, Mr. Farrington, of the Inner
Temple, who gives him a high charadler for piety and morals.
BIDLOO (Godfrey), a famous anatomical writer, born at
Amfterdam in 1649. After he had palTed through his acade-
fnical (ludies, he applied himfelf to phyfic and anatomy, and
took his degree of M. D. [y]. He foon got into confiderable
practice; in 1688 was made profcflbr of anatomy at the Hague,
Which he quitted in 1694 for the profeflbrfhip of anatomy and
chirurgery at Leyden ; and afterwards William of England ap-
Eointcd him his phyfician, which he accepted on condition of
olding his profeflbrihip. The king died in 1702, and Bidloo
returned to his former employments, which he had been inter-
rupted in the difcharge of by his conftant attendance upon that
prince. He died at Leyden, April 171 3, being 64 years of age*
There was publiflied at Leyden, 17 »9j a mifcellaneous coUedlioli
of our author's poems in low dutch.
[v] Niceron, Memoirei, &c. toia, 7.
Vol. It A a BEEFIELD
354 BERNOUILLI.
BIEFIELD (James Frederic bakon de), born at Hamburght
the 3 ill of March 17 17, accompanied, as fecrctairc de legation,
the count de Truchfes, ambaflador from the king of Pruffia to
the court of London. In 1745 the king of Pruflia appointed
him preceptor to prince Ferdinand, his brother } curator of tlic
univerfities 1747, and in the year following created him baron
and privy- counfellor. He afte^rwards retired to an eftate Jie had
in the country of Altembourg ; where he divided his time be-
tween ftudv and the cares of his family. During his laft ill-
nefs he caufed himfelf to be carried to Altembourg ; where he
died the 5th of April 1770* He publiflied fevcral works, which
are notof the firft quality : i. Inflitutions politiques, Liege, 1774,
3 vols. 8vo. 2. Progres des Allemands dans les belles-lettres,
8vo. 3. Amufemensdramatiqucs* 4. Lettres familicrcs. 5. Traits
d'erudltion univerfelle. 6. A periodical publication, intituled,
the Hermit ; which flood its ground for three years.
BERNOUILLI (Daniel) [^z], * member of all poffible acade-
mies, &c. born at Groningcn, Feb. 9, 1700 j died in March 1782.
Intended for trade— his pride, on folving a difficult problem in
a very fliort time, taken down by his father's faying to him, in-
flead of the praifc he expccled, " Ought not you to have an-
fwered it at once ?" — palVrd fome time in Italy, and at 24 re-
fufed to be preGdent of an academy meant to have been efta-r
bliflied at Genoa \ paflcd fome years at St. Peter(burg, with great
credit, and in 1733 returned to BaCl, where he fucceffivcly filled
the chair of phyfic, natural and fpcculative philofophy. In his
firft work, " Exercitatlones mathematics," he took the only title
he then had, viz. " Son of John Bcmouilli/' and never would
fuffer any other to be added to it. This work appeared in Italy,
with the Great Inquifitor's privilege added to it, and it clafled
Bernouilli in the rank of inventors. He gained or divided nind
prizes, which were contended for by the moft illuftrious mathe-
maticians in Europe, from the Academy of Sciences. The only
man who has had fuccefs of the fame kind is Euler, his country-^
man, difciple, rival, and friend. His firft prize he gained at
24 years of age. In 1734 he divided one with his father : but
this hurt the family union ; foi^the father conftrucd the conteft
itfelf into a want of refpe£t 5 and the fon did not fufficiently
conceal that he thought (what was really the cafe) his owa
piece better than his father's. Befides this, he declared for
Newton, againft,whom his father had contended all his life. In
J 740, Mr. Bernouilli divided the prize " On the tides of the fca"
with Eulcr and Maclaurin. The academy at the fame time
crowned a fourth piece, whofe only merit was that of being
[t] Maty'i Review, Not. 1785, from the • Owing to a miftike, this trticle wat
Eloge re«d «t the AcaUcjay of Scieuccs. entitled io its proper piacc> p. 325.
CarteCscn ;
B I G N E. 355
Carteihn ; but tlils was the hft public a£l of adoration paid hj
it to the authority of the author of the Vortices, which it had
obeyed, perhaps, too long. In 1748, Mr. Daniel fiernouilli fuc-
cceded his father in the Academy of Sciences, and was himfelf
fucceeded by his brother John ; this place, fiftce its firft eredlion,
i. e. 84 years, never having been without a Bernouilli to fill it.
He was extremely refpcftfed at Bad ; and to bow to Daniel Ber-
nouilli, when they met him in the ftrects, was one of the firft
leflbns which every father gave his child. He ufed to tell two
little adventures, which he faid had given him more pleafure
than all the other honours he had received. He was travelling
with a learned Granger, who, being plcafed with his convcrfa-
eion, afked his name : " I am Daniel Bernouilli,** anfwered he,
with great modelty : ** And I," faid the ftranger (who thought
he meant to laugh at him), ** am I faac Newton/* Another time
he was giving a dinner to the famous Koenig the mathematician,
who boafted, with a fufficient degree of felf-complacency, of a
difficult problem he had folved with much trouble. Bernouilli
went on doing the honours of his table ; and, when they went
to drink coffee, prefented him with a folution of the problem'
more elegant than his own.
BIFIELl) (Nicholas), preacher at St. Peter's church atChef-
ter, where he was much followed and admired ; became vicar of
. Ifleworth church in Middlefex, and continued there to his death,
which happened in 1622. He was a zealous obferver of the
Lord's day, and wrote feveral things to perfuade others to .it,
as well as preached much for fuch a devout keeping of it. Mr.
Edward Brerewood, one of his auditors, oppofed his do£lrinc.
He died at 44 years of age, having written many books,
which were an argument of his great parts, hisinduftry, and his
quicknefs.
BIGNE (G ACE DE la), and not de la Vigne, as he is generally
called by writers who have occafion to name him [for it is thus
he gives his own name in his Roman dcs Oifeaux], was of a
noble family of the diocefe of Bayeux. He was chaplain to
king John, and followed that prince into England after the
battle of Poi£kiers. Being at Rochefort in 1359 he began a
poem on the chace, intituled, Le Roman des Oifeaux, which he
finifhed on his return to France. This he did at the command
of the king for the inftrudion of his fon Philip duke of Bur-
gundy. The abbe* Goujct attributes this poem to Gafton de
Foix, from its being printed at the end of the Miroir de la
Chafle by that prince, but greatly different from the manu-
fcripts. It is thought Gacee lived at leaft till 1374.
BIGNE (Marguerin D£ la), fprung from the fame family
with the foregoing, doftor of Sorbonne, and grand-doyen of
the church of Mans, was bom in 1546 at Bayeux^ and was ftill
A a a livini^
35^
B I G N O N.
living in 1591. He publiflicd in 157^ a Bibliotheca patnim, in
8 vols, folio ; which he republiihed in 1589 in 9 vols. He was
the firft that undertook a work of that kind. The mod copious
edition we have of it is in 27 vols, in folio, Lyons, 1677. Wc have
one in 1 6 vols, folio, of 1644, which is much efteemed, as contain-
ing the IcflTcr greek fathers. Aoother was fcnt forth at Cologne
in 1694. Pcre Philip de St. Jacques gave an abridgment of
this collcftion in 2 voFs. fol. 1719. To the Biblioth. pp. are
S;enetaUy added. Index locorum fcripturx fa crae, Genoa, 1707,
61. and the Apparatus of Nourri, Paris, 1703 and 1715? 2 vols.
fol. Such is the completed edition. La Bigne diftinguiftied
himfelf alfo by his harangues and his fcrmons. He gave a col-
lection of fynodal ftatutes in 1578, 8vo. and an edition of
Ifidore of Seville in 1580, fol. He was a very ftudious man ^
and, having got into fome quarrels thr.t v.erc .brought before
the magiftratcs of Bayeux, he rather cht^fc to give up his bene-
fices than his literary purfuits. He retire] to Paris, where it is
fuppofed he died.
BIGNICOURT (Simon de), anclcn confeiller au prefidial dc
Reims, where he was born in 1709, n:id died in 1775. ^^^ ^^*
well verfed in ancient and modern literature. Wc have by him,
1. A collcftion of latin and french poems, 1767, i2mo; they
are ihort, and in an eafy and natural ilyle. His epigrams are
very much in the manner of the chevalier de Cailli ; and he
loffcflcs one uncommon merit in his poetical produclions, that
iC has not one piece cither in latin or french that exceeds
twenty lines. Some of his countrymen have compared them
to Catullus, and feveral writers ia the journals have extolled
them as produftions of extraordinary merit. But M. Bignicourt
is bcft known for his, 2, Pcnfees ct reflc6lions. philofophiques.
This work, which had before been publiflied under the title of
THomme du monde & Thomme de lettrcs, has however its ad-
mirers and its cenfurers with refpeft to the metliod of writings
fet phrafes, and giving them for thoughts and maxims.
BIGNON (Jerome), a french writer, horn at Paris in iSpor.
His father took the care of his education upon himfelf, and
taught him the languages, philofophy, mathematics, civil law,
and divinity. Jerome acquired great knowledge in a very (hort
time, and at ten years of age publifhcd his Defcription of the
Holy Land [a] •, and three years after two other works [b], which
gained him gicat reputation in France. Henry IV. appointed
£im page of honour to the dauphin, afterwards Lewis Xlllr
[a] It U intituled, Chorograpbie, ou hritrx 4*icc!lc. The other work it Traitg
ielcription dc li Tcrre Sainte. fomroaire dc Tcl^fkion dc$ papcs : in which.
• [■] The hrft vif, Difcours de U ▼iUc p^ecc he %\vcs an acount of the different
it KomCf priacipaies aau^uUcK & tkgu- maoAcr ol eici^tiu^ the popci formerly.
He
I
BILFINGER. 357
He wrote a trcatifc of the precedency of the kings of France [c],
which he dedicated to this king, who ordered him to continue.
his refearchcs upon the fubjctS j but the death of this prince
interrupted his defi^n, and made him leave the court } whither
he was foon recalled at the follicitatlon of Mr. leFevre, pre-
ceptor to Lewis AIlI. and continued there till the death oi his
friend, in 1613 he publiflicd an edition of the Formulae of
Marculphus [d]; and the year following took ajourney toltalyv
where he received many marks of efteem from Paul v . Father
Paul likewife being pleafed with his converfation, detained him
fome time at Venice.
Upon his return from his travels, he applied himfelf to the
pradice of the bar with great fuccefs. ttis father procured for
him the poft of advocate general in the grand council ;. in the
difcharge of which he railed himfelf fo great a reputation, that
the king nominated him fome time after counfellor of (late, and
at lafl advocate general in the parliament. In 1641 he refolved
to confine himfelf entirely to his bufinefs in the council of
ftate, and therefore refigned his place of advocate-general to
Mr. Briquet his fon-in-law. The year following he was ap-
pointed the king's librarian. His fon-in-law dying in 16451 ^
was obliged to refume his poft of advocate-general, in order to
preferve it for his fon. H,e had alfo a confiderable iliare in the
ordinance of the year 1639 ; and he difcharged with great in-
tegrity the commiflions of Arriereban, and other pofts which he
was intrufted with at different times. Queen Anne of Auftria,
during her regency, fent for him to council upon the moft im-
portant occafions. He adjufted the differences between Mr.
d'Avaux and Mr. Servien, plenipotentiaries at Munfter--, and he
had a fliare, with M. dc Brienne and d'Emery, in making the
treaty of alliance with the ftates of Holland in 1649. He was
appointed, in 1691, to regulate the great affair of the fucceffion
of Mantua ; and in 1654, to conclude the treaty with the Hans
Towns. Mr. Bignon died, aged 66^ on the 7th of April 1656,
of an afthma, with which he was feized the autumn before.
BILFINGER (George Bernarp), born at Canftadt in
1693, a univerfal fcholar, profeffor of philofophy at St. Peterf-
burg, and of theology at Tubingen, died in 1 750. It has been re-
marked, that all the perfons of this family come into .the world
with twelve fingers and twelve toes. It was not however this
[c] It 19 intituled, De rezcellence dei of the kings of Spain* under the title of
roit He du royaume de France, traitant de De dignttaie regum Hif|>ant9. Qrtnada,
la pref'eaoce tc dea prerogatives des rois des 1601, in foi.
France par delTuB tou» les autres, 8c de [d] The title of it is, Marculphi no**
raufcs d'icelles. This book was written in nachi formula;. Ex bikiiotheca regia
order to confute what Diego Valdes, coun* Hieron. Bignonius edidit, ft notis iUuf-r
fellor of the royal chamber of Granada, trafit. Pviij j6J3«Svo. Sttalb^rg, 1655,
lud published iA favour of ibe f rcccdcucy 4to.
A a 3 , circum-*
35« B I L L I.
^ circumftance that mod diftinguiflied Bel finger. His writing^
raifed him a name in Germany. The mod fought after is that
which bears the title of, Dilucidationcs philofophicse dc Deo,
anima humana, mundo, & generalibus rerum affcftionibus. He
cfpoufed the parry of Leibnitz. The academies of Petersburg
and Berlin admitted him of their number.
BILLAU 1' (Ada.m;, known under the name of Maitre
ADAM,ajoineratNevcrs aboutthe clofe of the reign of Louis XIII*
and the beginning of that of Louis XIV. was called by the poets
of his time Lc Virgile au rabot. He made vcrfes am id ft his tools
and his bottles. Cardinal Richelieu and the duke of Orleans
fettled penfions on him. His Chevilles, 1644, 4^0. ; his Ville-
' brcquin, 1663 -, his Rabot, in 1 2mo, &c. had a great run. Among
a confiderable number of dull frivolities we meet with fopac
happy lines. His famous fong^
Auflitot que la lumierc
Vient redorcr no« coteaux,
Jc commence ma carricrc
Tar viflter mes tonnaux, &c«
IS full of poetry and fpirit. He died in 1662 at Nevers, which
he never could be brought to quit for a lodging at Verfailles.
He had a juft notion 01 greatnefs, and was capable of feeling
and infpiring the charms of friendfhip. An epicurean without
libertinifm, and a ftoic without fuperftition, he fo afTociated
thofe two fe£^s as to have it faid, that if Epicurus and Zeno had
lived in his time, he would have brought them to drink toge-
ther. He ftuck to his mediocrity in order to preferve his hap-
pinefs. The poets his contemporaries were his friends, and not
envious of his fame. Mainard fays, that the mufes ought never
to be feated but on tabourets made by the hand of this poetical
joiner. St. Amand proved that he underftood the art of poetry
as well as that of making boxes. The duke de St. Aignan tells
him, in fome very agreeable lines, that, by his verfes and his
name, he is the fir ft of men.
BILLI (Jacques de), born at Guife in Picardy, of which
place his father was governor, died at Paris at the houfc of
Genebrard his friend, the 25th of December 1581, at the age
of 47. He prefided over the abbey of St. Michel en THerm,
which John his brother had ceded to him in order to become a
carthufian monk. There are of his feveral pieces both in vcrfe
and profc ; and cfpecially tranflations of the greek fathers into
latin The moft efteemed of them are, thole of St. Gregory
of N.!zianzen, of St. Ifulore of Pelufium, and of St. John Da-
mafccnus. Few of the learned have been more mafters of the
greek tongue. He diftinguifheu himfeif in other departments
of literature. He compofed feveral pieces of frcnch poetry.
BILSON; 359
J 576, In 8vo. and gave learned Obfervationes facrx,^ ^jSj, in
folio. His life was written in latin by Chatard, Paris, 1582, in
4to. It is alfo found at the end of the works of St. Gregory
Nazianzenus, of the edition of 1583.
BILLI (Jacques de), a jefuit, born at Compiegne in 1602,
died at Dijon in 1679, aged 775 publifhed a great number of
mathematical works, of which the Opus ailronomicon, Paris^
1661, in 4to. is the moft known.
BILSON (Thomas), a learned bifliop, born in Winchefter^
and educated at Wykeham's fchool[E]. In 1565 he was ad-
mitted fellow of New College, Oxford, after he had ftudied
there two years.' He tooLin due courfe the degrees of bachelor,
and mafter of arts 5 of bachelor and doftor of divinity : the la ft
in 1580. In his younger years he had a great paffion for poetry,
and made a gooa proficiency in philofophy and phyfic : but after
he entered into orders, he applied hirafelf wholly to divinity,
and became an excellent preacher. The firft preferment he had
was the mafteffliip of Wincheiler-fchool. He was next made
prebendary of Winchefter, and afterwards warden of the col-
lege. Whilft he held this office he was of great fervicc to the
college in 1584, in faving the revenues, which had like to have
been taken from them by forgery.
In 1585 he publifhed his book, " Of the true difFerence be-
tween chriftian fubjcftion and unchriftian rebellion. He dedi-
cated it to queen Elizabeth. In 1593, came out another work*
intituled. The perpetual government of Chrift*s church, &c. in
whofe caufe' it was written. June 1596 he was confecrafed
bifliop^ of Worcefter, tranflatcd May following to the bifhopric
of Winchefter, and made a privy counfcllor. In 1 599 he pub-
lifhed " The efFeft of certain fermons touching the full re-
demption of mankind by the death and blood of Jefus Chrift,*'
&c. in which he fhews, that the church of God hath always
been governed by an inequality and fuperiority of paftors among
themfelves, 4to. Thefe fermons greatly alarmed* the puritans,
becaufe they contradifted fome of their tenets. They coUefted
their obfervations thereon, and fent them to Henry Jacob, a
learned puritan ; who publifhed them with his colleftions, and
undtfr his own name. The queen, who was at Farnham cafUe,
which belonged to the bifhop of Winchefter, direftly com-t
manded him, " neither to defert the doftrine, nor to let the
calling which he tore in the church of God, to be trampled
under foot by fuch unquiet refufers of truth and authority.'*
Upon which nc wrote that learned treatife which was publifhed
in 1604, under the title of " The furvey of Chrift's fufFerings
for man's redemption, and of his defcent to Hades or heU iox
[k] Fuller*! Worthies ia Haatihire, p. 7. A. Wood's hift. ami anti^. uiviv. QxpR*
lib. ii. p. 142^ '
A a4 QMX
i^a
BINGHAM.
our dclkcrance." It was this prelate who preached at Weft-
minfter before king Jamea the firft and his queen, at their coro-
nation on bt. James's day, 28th July 1603, from Rom. xiii. 1 j
4nd his fermon was publifhcd at London 1603, 8vo. In Ja-
nuary 1604 he was one of the fpeakers and managers at the
Hampton Court conference. The care of revifmg and putting
the laft hand to the new tranflation of the englilh Bible, was
committed to biihop Bilfon and Dr. Miles Smith, afterwards
biihop of Gloucefter. The laft public affair wherein he was
concerned was, being one of the delegates that pronounced and
figned the fentcncc of divorce between Robert Devercux earl of
tflcx and the lac'y Frances Howard in 16 13. 1 his prelate died
the 1 8th of June 16. 6, and was buried in Weftminlicr-abbcy.
BINGHaM (Joseph) [f1, the writer of feveral trafts on
tlieoiogic.il fubjefts, and author of that laborious performance,
Origines ecclefiaftica ; or, the Antiqtiities of the chriilian
church. The father of this eminent divine was Mr. Francig
Bingham, a refpeftable inhabitant of Wakefield in Yorkftiire,
where our author was born in September 1668. He learned
the firft rudiments of grammar at a fchool in the fame town,
and on the 26th of May 1684 was admitted a member of Uni-
verfity college in Oxford. There he applied with perfevering
indultry to thofe ftudies which are generally confidered as moit
laborious. Though he by no means negleftcd the writers of
Greece or Rome, yet he employed moft of his time in ftm^yinp:
the writings of the fathers. How eHrnellly he devoted himftlf
to thefe abflrufe enquiries, he had an early opportunity of
gjving an Lonourablc teftimony, which will prefently be men-
tioned more at large. He took the degree of B. A. in 1688,
and on the ift of July 1689 was eleded fellow of the abovc-
mentiored college. His eledlion to this fellowfhip was attended
with fomc flattering marks of honour and diftindion [g]. On.
the 23d of June 1691, he was created M. A. about four years
after which a circuniftance occurred which eventually occafioned
him to leave the univerfity. Being called on to preach before
that learned body, he would not let flip the opportunity it gave
him of evincing publicly his intimate acquaintance with the
[f ]j From materials communicated by was Mr. John Potter, who afterwards
tihe Rev. Rjchird B'ugham, B. A- minifter became archhiihop of Canterbury. Mr.
ot Gofport chjpel, Hant^. and late fellow Potter's tutor happening to die when he
#f New college, Ozfordi great grandfon of was no more than two years ftanJin? io
th's l<*arned writer. the unjveriity, Mr. Bingham took hi*
[0} Id that fituation he paid particular young fncnd and townfm.tn under his
attention to the inftrud^iion of a young wing ; and to his having givrn fom« gt-
jnan whom he had brought from W^ike. nrral diredions to ht« ftudirs, iimilar to
^cld, and introduce4 at Univcriity college ; his own, it is reafonahle to fuppofe that
and who, foon after Mr. Bingham's elec- we owe that excellent book, •* Potter OQ
tjon to a fellowfhipy was, by his means, church govcfUAcm,"
tlcdcd fcholar of the fame college. ThU
opinion^
ET*
BINGHAM. 361
opinions and doftrincs of the fathers, and at tlie fame tune of
difplaying the zcaJ with which he was refolvcd to defend their
tenets conccrninj^ the trinity, in oppofition to the attacks of
mzn in much more confpicuous Rations than himfelf. Having
heard v\h it lie conceived to be a very erroneous Itatement (J
that fubjcM delivered by a leading man from the pulpit at
St.' Mary's, he thought it his duty on this occafion to point
out to his hearers what the fathers had aflcrted to be the ecclc-
fiallical notion of the term per/on. In purfuance of this deter-
mination he delivered a very long difcourfe on the 28th of
Odober 1695, from the famous words of the apoftle ** There
are three that bear record in heaven, &C." This fermon,
though concnining nothing more than an elaborate' defence of
the term perfon, in oppofition to the explanation which he had
lately heard, drew a very heavy [h] cenfure on the preacher
from the ruling members of the univerfity, charging him with
having afierted doctrines falfe, impious, and heretical, con-
trary to thofe of the catholic church. This cenfure was fol-
lowed by other charges in the public prints, viz. thofe of
arianifra, tritheifm, and the herefy of Valentinus Gentilis*
Thefe matters ran fo high, that he found himfelf under the
necelfity of refigning his fellowfhip, and of withdrawing from
the univerfity ; the former of which took place on the 23d of
November 1695. ^^^^ wholly unmerited thefe accufations
were, not only appears from the fermon itfelf, now in the poC-
fedion of the writer of this article, but alfo from the whole
tenor of his life and writings, coiiftantly ihcwing himfelf in
both a zealous defender of what is called the orthodox notion
of the trinity.
About this time our author was prefented, without any folli-
citation on his part, by the famous Dr. RadclifFe, to the reSory
of Headbourne-Worthy, a living valued at that time at about
one hundred pounds a year ; fituated near Winchefter. Within
a few months after his fettling in this country, being called on
to preach at a vifitation held in the cathedral of Winchefter, on
the 12th of May 1696, he feized that opportunity of purfuing.
the fubje£l which he had begun at Oxford, and of exculpating
himfelf from thofe charges which had been brought again it
him. How little our divine had defervtd thofe imputations in
the opinion of liis brethren, before whom he preached, may
in fome degree be judged from his having been, at no greater
diftante of time than the i6th of September 1^97, again ap-
pointed to preach before them on a fimilar pccafion* He then
[h] That fuch a cenfure was pjiffed tt persofoor author; ^ut we arc afTurcd that
tfioft cert4in, as weU from domeilic tra. no traces thereof are now to be found Ia
dition, at from the me.ittoa which if re- die books of Uxc wniveriir^.
fCktcd\y mvU of U m. the inaiMi£cript ftm
brought
$6z BINGHAM.
trouglit to a conclufion what he wiftied farther to fay on that
fubje<fl, his mniiner of treating which had expofed him to the
cenfure of the univerfity : and having done fo, he prepared to
-commit his three fcrmons to the prefs. * Why this intention
tv'as not fultilied cannot be gathered from any of his papers,
though there ex ills among them a long preface to the fcrmon
preached at Oxford, explaining and jullifying His motives for
having preached and publifhed it; and afecond preface annexed
to the hrft of thofe preached at Winton, in which he dedicates
the two viiitation fcrmons to the clergy of the deanery before
whom they were delivered ; wherein he tells them, that he has
been induced to do fo not only from the fubjeft contained in
them being luch as was their immediate concern, but alfo that
lie niight have an opportunity of giving a more full account of
the motives and circumftances which had occafioned him. ta
write or to publifh them.
The preface gives a very long and learned account of what
Mr. Bingham had in his fermons aflerted concerning the opi-
nions of the fathers. To follow or repeat his obfervations on
this fubjett would lead us into matter too prolix for an article
of biography.
Abt)ut fix or feven years after our author had taken up his
Tefidence at Worthy, he married Dorothea, one of the daughters
of the rev. Richard Pococke, at that time redlor of Colmer in
Hampihire. By this lady, before he had any other preferment
than the fmall living above mentioned, he became the father of
ten children ; yet neither did he fufTer the rapid increafe of his
family, nor the confequent narrownefs of his finances, totleprefs
his fpirits, or impede the progrefs of his ftudies. On the con-
trary he appears to have applied to his literary purfuits with a
clofeij and more perfevcrinj induftry ; and by thofe means, in
the courfe of what cannot be confidered as a long life, he was
enabled to complete in this country retirement, befides feveral
other fingle volumes [i],.a mod learned and laborious work,
ciofely printed in ten volumes in oftavo, under the title of Ori-
[i] Of thcfe were, T. The french Part II. with Come confiderations on Dr.
chunh's apolo;y for ihc church of Eng- Biett's anfvvcr to the firft part, 8ro. To
l:'nd ; o^ ihc obj^^flions of diffcuters againft which is prefixed, The ftaic of the prc-
t.nc ariiclcs, homilies, liturgy and canoiis fcnt controverfy : and M the end is an Ap-
of the englilh church, confidcied, and an* pcndix, containing fome remarks on the
fAcred upon fhe princi|'lcsof the reformed author of the fecond part of L^y-baptifm
ciiurcliof France. A work chiefly extracted invaiid. 4. A difcfturfc conceding the
out of ths TuthcBtic a£ls and decrees of the mercy of God to penitent (in^ners : in-
french na;iondl fynods, and the mod ap- tended forihc ufe of pcrfons troubled in
proved V* titers of that church, 1706, Svo. mind. Being a fcrmon on Pfalm ciii. Tj.
3. Scholailical hillory of the pradice of ihc Printed fingiy at firfti and reprinted aiQong
ch'ircK in reference to the adminillralion the rell of his workSy in z vols. foUa>
of baptifm by hymen; Fart I. 17 12, Rvo.. 1725.
3. A fchoUilical Uulory of lay-baplifai.
gine*
BINGHAM. 363
gtnes ccclcfiaftic«, or the Antiquities of the chriftian churcli,
the firft volume of which he publifhed in 1708. He committed
the iaft volume to the prefs in 1722. Of the various diificulties
tidth which our author had to contend in the profecution of
his labours, he frequently fpeaks.in fuch pointed terms as
cannot but excite both our fympathy and regret. He telJs us
that he had to ftruggle with an infirm and fickly conftitution^
and conftantly laboured under the greatelt difad vantages, for
want of many iteceflary books, which he had no opportunity to
fee, and no ability to purchafe. At the fame time he does not
omit to exprefs his gratitude to providence, which had fo
E laced him, that he could {lave recourfe to a very excellent IW
rary [k], though even that was deficient in many works to
which he had occafion to refer; and yet when we turn to the
Index audorum at the end of his work, we ihall perhaps be
aftoniflicd at the vaft number of books which he appears to have
confultcd. But to fuch ftraits was he driven for want of books,
that he frequently procured impcrfeft copies at a cheap rate,
and then employed a part of that time, of which fo fmall a
portion was allotted him, and which therefore could fo ill be
(pared, in the tedious talk of tranfcribing the deficient pages 5
inftances of which are ftill in being, and ferve as memorials of
his indefatigable induflry on all occafions.
In the year 1712,'fir Jonathan Frelawney, at that time bifhop
of Winchefter, was pleafed to collate our learned divine to the
Teftory of Havant, near Portfmouth, as a reward for his
diligence ; which preferment, together with the fums he was
daily receiving from the fale of his works, fcemed in fomc mea-
fure to have removed the narrownefs of his circumdances, and
to promife a comfortable maintenance for his numerous family;
but this pleafing profpe£t (hortly difappeared : he loft almofl; or
quite the whole of his hardly earned gains in 1 720, by the burfting
of the well-known fouth-fea bubble. Yet fuch was the tranquillity
of his difpofition, that he continued his fludies without inter*
miOion almoft to the very end^ of his life j for though but a
few months elapfed between the publication of the lalt volume
of Origines and his death, yet that fliort time was employed in
preparing materials for other laborious works, and in making
preparations for a new edition of Origines. With this view he
mferted many manufcript obfervations, in a fet of the Antiquities
which he prefcrvcd for his own ufe, and which arc now in the
poflefTion of the farnilher of this article. But from this and aU
other employments he was prevented by death. His con(litu-«
[k] TKe library of the cathedral church advancement of learning amoagft the pa«
of Winchefter; hemg a very valuable rochiai clerigy, by ihe itl^owne^ bUbof
CtUcdliM be^ucathc4 tQ that body for the Morlcy.
S64 BINGHAM.
tion, which was by nature extremely weak and delicate, could
not be otherwife than much impaired by fo unremitted a courfe
of laborious ftudies, in a life wholly fedentary and rcclufe,
which brought on at an early period all the fymptorns and in-
firmities of a very advanced age. The approach of*liis dilTolu-
tion being clearly vifible both to himfelf and friends, it wa$
fettled between the then bi(hup of Winchefter [l] and himfelf,
that he fhould refign Havant to enable his lordfhip to appoint
fomc friend of the family to hold it, till his eldpfl. fon, then
about 20 years of age, could be collated to it. As this how-
ever was not carried into execution, it is probable that his
death came on more haflily than had been expefted[M].
After a life thus fpent in laborious puriuits, Mr. Bingham
died on the 17th of Auguft 1723, it may truly be faid of old
age, though he was then only in his 55th year. His body was
buried in the church-yard ot Headbourne Worthy 5 but as he
frequently exprefled a diflike to monuments and pompous in-
fcriptions, nothing of that fort was erefled to his memory.
At the time of his deceafc only fix of his ten children, two fons
and four daughters, were living ; thcfe, with iheir widowed mo-
ther, were left in very contracted circum (lances. Mrs. Bingham
was therefore induced to fell Jibe copy-right of her late hu{band*s
writings to the bookfellers, who immediately republiflicd the
wl>olc of his works in two volumes in folio, without making
any alterations whatfoever; and though the eldeft fon undertook
the office of correcting the pr^fs, he did not infert any of the
manufcript additions which his father had prepared ; as he was
then fo very young, that he probably had not had an ' opportu-
nity of examining his father's books and papers fuificiently to
difcover that any fuch preparations for a new edition had been
made. Of the four daughters, one married a gentleman of
Hampihire ; the other three died fingle. The fecond fon will
be mentioned in the fuccecding article. The widow died in a
very advanced age, in bifhop Warner's college for clergymen's
widows, at Bromley in Kent, in 1755.
Of fuch importance have the works of this eminent writer
been efteemed in foreign countries, that they have all been
correftly tranflated into latin by a divine of a german univer-
Cty. He did not live to receive this flattering mark of appro-
bation 5 for he died in 1723, and we find the firft volume of
his Origines was publiflied in latin by Johannes Henricus Grif-
[l] Dr. Charles Trimnell, who fuc- learned divine to the firft x'acafit prebend
cecded fir Jon<than Trclawricy in 172 1. in the church of Winch'cfter ; which, toge-
[m] Here it will not be thought impcr- thcr with that before-mentioned, arc fuch
tinent to mention, in juftice to the mc* proofs o( his lordfhip's difcernment and
tnory ofe bitliop Trimnell, .that it was his love of learning as ought never to be for^
declared intention to have collaud our gottta*
choniusi
BINGHAM. 365
choniuSy at Halle, in 1724- Here it may not be amifs to
obferve how frequently it occurs that the merits of an emi-
nent anceftor derive honour and emolument on their pofterity.
It is prefumcd that the charader of the perfon whofe life wc
have been writing, was the means of procuring the living of
Havant for his eldcft fon, and the late learned and excellent
bifliop of London [n] exprefsly afligns that reafon for beftowing
a comfortable living on his grandfon. " I venerate (fays he
in a letter which conveyed the prefentation) the memory of
your excellent grandfather, my father's particular and mod in-*
timate friend. He was not rewarded as he ought to have been ;
I therefore give you this living as a fmall recompenfe for hi^
great and ineftimable merits," We (liall conclude this articld
by giving the geneml charafter of this divine : As a writer his
learning was exteufive and acute •, his ftyle zealous and perfua-'
five, and his application uncommonly perfevering. His temper,
on all common and indifferent occafions, was mild and benevo-
lent ; and to thefe he united ereat zeal in tlie caufe in which he
was engaged. Though his paflions were fo wholly fubjeft to the
guidance of religion and virtue, that no worldly lodes were
futficicnt to difcompofe him, yet whenever he believed the im-
portant intereds of the church to be in danger, he was always
eager to ftep forth in its defence.
BINGHAM (Joseph), the fecond fon of the eminent writer
before mentioned, was the laft of his numerous family, and
confequently extremely young at the time of his father's death.
Though he died in very early life, yet during the (hort period
of his exiftence, he purfued his (ludics with fuch unremitting
perfeverance, and gave fuch early proofs of genius and found
underftanding, and fo ftrongly evinced his determination to
tread in the footfteps of his fatiier, ' as fully entitle him to
hang, as it were, on the arm of his learned parent, and thus
obtain a few lines from the pen of the biographer. This
young man received his education on the foundation at the
Charter-houfe, from whence he was at the ufual age re-
moved to Corpus college in Oxford. In the univerfity he was
a mod exemplary and perfevering ftudent, and was preparing.
to give public pi^oofs of his diligence, having aftually printed
every part, except the title-page and preface of a very valuable
edition of the Theban ftory, which was completed and pub-
lifhed after his death by a gentleman, into whofe hands his
Eapers had fallen, as a fecurity for a fum of money which had
een borrowed to facilitate the publication. Whilft he was thus
ufefully employed, and'juft as he was on the point of being
incd^ with every profpeil of promotion from the patronage
fKl Dr. LowOk.
5 of
j66 BIO N.
•f archbiftop Potter, he was fuddenly brought to his grsT'e, ^t
the immature age of 22, by an illnefs wholly occafioned by toa
fedcntary a Jife, and too clofe an application to his ftudies^
He lies buried in the cloifters of Corpus college, M'ithout cither
monument, infcription, or ilone crefted to his memory, though
k might moil truly be faid of him, that he fell a martyr to ap-.
plicaiion, induftry, and learning.
BINNING (Hugh), was born in the fliire of Air 1625,
and educated in the univerfity of Glafgow, where he took his
degrees, and was fome years profeflbr of moral philofophy, as
then taught in tlie fchools. His talents were extremely popular^
and after he had preached fome time as a probationer, he was
clecled mlnifter of Govan, near Glafgow. In his minifterial con-
duct and character few excelled himi and the fweetnefs of his
temper was fuch, that all feemed to know his worth but himfelf.
At lad his in ccflant labours brought on a confumption, which
put a period to his life at Govan, 1654, aged 29. His tra£ls,
fermons, and commentaries on the epiflle to the Romans were
publiflied feparately \ but they have been fince colledled into one
■volume quarto, and printed at Edinburgh 1735.
BIQERNSTAHL, born at Rotarbo in Sudermania, in a con-
dition not much above indigence, became tutor to the children
tof baron Rudbeck, and travelled over a great part of Europe
with his pupils. On his return he was appointed afliflant pro-
feilbr of the oriental languages at Upfal, profeflbr of philofophy
in 1776, and profeflbr of the oriental and greek languages in
1779 at Lunden. Having undertaken a voyage to Turkey, by
order of his fovercign, the king of Sweden, he died at Salonica ^
the I2th of July 1779. We have by him, Letters written during
the courfe of his travels, in fwedifh, tranflated into german by
M. Grolkurd ; Lcipfic 1779, in 8vo. and a continuation of
thefe letters in 178 r, in 8vo. They prefent us with interefting
matters, and impartial ftatements. We find in them fome curious
anecdotes concerning Voltaire, whom he faw at Ferney.
BION. SeeMOSCHUS.
BION of Borifthenes, difciple of Crates, afterwards cynic,
addicled himfelf to poetry and mufic ; and pronounced a t>"eat
number of maxims, fome of them ingenious, and others void
of fenfe. Bion quitted the cloak and the wallet of the cynics
to follow the leflbns of Theodorus, furnamed the Atheift, and
afterwards thofc of Theophraftus, with whom he learnt to ftrew
flowers along the path of philofophy. He was fond of often-
tation and applaufe. It is reported, that, being at Rhodes, he
drefied the failors as fcholars, and paraded the ftreets with
this brilliant train. Bion flourifhcd 276 years before the vulgar
«ra.— We muft not miftake him for another Bion, of the fe<!i
q{ DemocrituSj and mathematician of Abdera* This latter was
the
BIRCH. 3«7
the firfl: who conjefiured that there were certain regions, where
the days and the nights lafted fix months.
BiONDI (Francis) [o], born in Liefena, an ifland in Dal-
matiai in the Gulf of Venice, was introduced by the cele-
brated fir Henry Wotton, the ambafTador there, to the notice o£
king James I. He was by that prince fent with fecret com-
millions to the duke of Savoy, and was afterwards made a
gentleman of the bedchamber, and received the honour rf
knighthood. His elegant " Hiftory of the civil wars betwixt
the houfes of York and Lancafter," which was written in
Italian, and ttanflated into englifh by Henry Carey, earl of
Monmouth, gained him great reputation. It (liould be obfervcd
that, like other foreign writers of our englifli ftory, he has made
wild work with proper names.
BIRCH (Thomas), a diftinguilhed hiftorical and biographical
writer, was born in the parifli of St. John, Clerkenv/ell, Lon-
don, Nov. 23, 1705, of parents who were quakers[p^. Hia
father was a coftee-mill maker, and meant to bring up jiis foil
to his own trade ; but the youth's paflion for reading was fa
ardent, that the fatlicr confented to his purfuit of letters, upon
his promife to provide for himfelf. The firft fchool he went
to was at Hemel-Hemplled in Hertfordfliire ; where he after-
wards officiated as uflier. He was ulher in two fchools after-
wards, which, as well as the firft, were kept by quakers. In
1728, he married, arid was fingularly happy in his wife : but
his felicity was of a fliort duration, as (lie foon died ^ of a con-
fumption, occafioned by her firft child-bearing. Almoft in the
very article of death, fhe wrote to her huftjand the following
letter : •** This day I return you, my dearcft life, my finccrc
hearty thanks for every favour, beftowed on your moft faithful
and obedient wife, Hannah Birch, July 3r, 1729." How
much he was afFefted by this calamity, appears from a copy of
verfes written by him, Aug. 3, on his wife's coffin : too long
for the fcale of our work, but inferted in the Biographia Bri-
tannica* There are, in thcBritifti mufcum, feveral manufcript
poems of Dr. Birch's j written, as is fuppofed, when he was
young. ,
When he quitted quakerifm does not appear ; but he was foon
after recommended as a proper perfon for orders. He was or-
dained deacon by the bifhop of Salift>ury, at King's -ftreet cha-
pel, London, Jan. 17, 1730; and priell by the fame bifliop,
Dec. 21, 173 «• He was at the fame time prefented to the
reftory of Liddington St. Mary, and the vicarage of Sidding-
ton St, Peter, Glouccfterihir*!. He had forae time before
been recommended to lord Hardwicke, then attorney-general i
£0] Granger, vol. ii. p. 36. [p] Biograph. Brit. 2 A edit.
to
368 B I R C M.
to whom, and the prefcnt lord Hardwicke, he was indebted fof
sll his preferments. May, this .year, he was inftituted to th<5
living of lilting in Eflcx. In 1734, he was appointed adomeftic
chaplain to lord Kilmarnock, afterwards executed for rebellion
in 1 746 ; who however mult then have been reputed a whig^
Cnce under no other chara£ler could Mr. Birch have been re-
commended to him. In 1735, he became F. R. S. ; and, the
fame year, F. A. S. ; juft before which la!l he had a degree of
M- A. conferred on him, by diploma from the Marifchal coU
lege of Aberdeen. In 1743, he was prefented by the crown to
the rcftory of Landewy Wclfrey, in Perabrokefliire, a finecure.
In I744> he was prefented to the redories of St. Michael
Wood-ilreet and St. Mary Staining united; and, in 1745-6^
to the united rectories of St. Margaret Pattens and St. Ga-
briel Fcnchurch-ftrcct. In 1752, he was elefted fccretary of
the Royal Society. In 1753, the Marifchal collerre of Aber-
deen created him D. D. •, and, in that year, the fame honour
was conferred upon him by Herring, archb;ftiop of Canterbury.
The lad preferment given to him was the reftory of Dcpden
in Eflbx, 1 761; and he continued pofTefl^d of this, together
with that of St. Margaret Pattens, till his death. This hap-
pened the gth of Jan. 1766, and was occafioned by a fall from
his horfe, betwixt London and Hampftead ; though it is nor
certain that this fall was not occafioned by an apoplexy : for he
had laboured under much indifpofition, and an extreme de-
jeclion of fpirits fome time before [q^].
The
fi^] His various pti1>HcatioTis were as fame year, LI Tc of Mrs. Cock burn, prc-
fbliow : f . The general didionary, hif- fiicd to her works, in two volt. fcvo.
torical and critical, in ten vols, foiio : the 9. Life of Tillotfou, 1752, 8vo. fecond
firil of which was publifhcd in 1734, the edition, enlarged, 175^, 8vo. 10. Lite
lift in 17.^1. This work he executed in of Milton, ptcfi-^ed to his profc works, lu
c<mjun£tion with die rev. Mr. Bernard and tvvo vols. 4to, the fame year. tt. Mc-
Mr. Lockman ; and Mr. &ale drew up moiri of the reign of queen Elitabeih,
•he articles reUting to oriental hiftory. from r58i till her dc2il>> I7$4f 2. vols.
X. Thurlo«'b State Papers, I742» in 7 410. iz. Hiftory of the Royal Society from
▼ols. folio. 3. Life of the hon. Robert its firtV life : in which the moft confider-
Boylc, elq. i744»8vo. 4. Hcadt of il« able of thofe papers, which have hitherto
Ittllriou^pcrfons of Great Britain, engrav- not been publifDcd, are inferted in their
cd by Houbraken aud Vertuc; with lives proper order, as a fnpplement to the Phr-
and chara£lerS) by Dr. Birch, 2 vols. fol. lofophical Tranfaflioiis, 4 vols. 4(0, 175$
»747, and i75«. 5. Enquiry into the and 1757. 13. Life of Henry prince of
Ihare which Charles I. had in the tranf. Wales, eldeft fon of James I. T?^, ?▼©•
actions of the earl of Glamorgan, 1747, 14. Letters, fpecchcs, Sec. of lord Bacoov
Svo. A fecond edition, to whii:h is added 1763, 8vo, There arc other fmallerpro-
. an appendix of letters from the king to dudtiunsof Dr. Birch, which need not be
the earl, was publiihed in 1756, fvo. particularly infifted on ; and, at the time
6r Hiftortcal view of the negotiations of his death, he had prepared for the prefv
httwern the courts of-£AgUnd, France, a colled ion of letters, to which he had
and BruifelSk from 1592 to 1617, 1749) giy^ti the following title : Hiftoricul let«
€to. 7. Mifcellafleous works of fir WaU ters, written in the reigns of James 1. and
Ur RAltigh, Z75 r, 1 vols. 8 vo. 8. The Charles I . coauiaing a detail of the public
traofaftious
The 6ornpilef, or rather hew modeller of this article (for it
Jiris compiled by Dr. Kippis for the Biographia Britannica), knew
I)r. Birch well, and confbrted with him much, for the laft 13
years of his life. He believes him to have been an honeft, hu«
hiane, and generous man ; warm and zealous in his attach-
ments to perfons and principle, but of univerfal benevolence,
and ever ready to promote the happinefs of all men. He was'
cheerful, lively, and fpirited, in the higheft degree ; and, not-
withftanding the labours and drudgery he went thfough in his
hiilorical purfnitsj no man mixed more in Company i but he
was a very early rifer^ and thus had done the bufmefs of a
morning before others had begun it« He was not a man of
learning, properly fo called ; he underftood the latin and french
languages, not critically, but very well ; of the greek he knew
very little. He was however a man of great general know-
ledge, and excelled particularly in modern hiftory. As a col-
lector and compiler, he was in the main judicious in the choice
of his materials ; but was fometimes too minute in uninterefting
details, and did not always exercife, with due feverity, the
J)0wer of feleftion. He had a favourite pofition, that we could
not be pofTefled of too many fa£ls ; and he never departed from
it, though it was often urged to him, that fa£ts, which admit
of no reafoning, and tend to no edification, which can only
ferve td encumber, and, as it i*rere^ fmother ufeful intelligence^
had better be configned to oblivion, than recorded. And in-
deed, in this vety viray of biographical compilation, we have
always beeil of opipion^ that, if it were lefs fafhionabl^ to relat<5
particulars of every man, which ire common to almoft all men,
Ive fhould be equally knowing, and out libraries would be by
far lefs crowded. In his manners, Dr^ Birch was fimple and
ttnafFeded; vety communicative, and forward to aflift in any ufe-
ful undertakings and of a fpirit perf&dly difinterefted, and (as his
friends ufed to tell him) too inattentive to his own emolument.
In his life-rime, he was very kind to his relations : and nd
Jiear ones being living at his deceafe, he bequeathed his books
and manufcripts to the Britifli Mufeum, of which he was a
truftec. He likewife left the remainder of his fortune, not
much more than 500I. to increafe the ftipend of the three'
4iE(lant librarians of the faid Mufeum. To conclude, he was
a very worthy man, and a very ufeful member of focicty.
BIRD ( Wii.LiAM)[it ], fuppofed to be the fon of Thomas Bird^
trinra^iont aod eventt in Great Britain Private CoUe^^toAt. Se* AyfcooghS Pre-
during that period ; with a varietur of par- face to his Catah^ue of manufcripts in thiT
liculars not mentioned by our hilloriaos. Britifh Mufeum, page 5.
yiow firft published from the originals ift [r] Abridged from fir John Hawkins'^
tiie Britiftk Mufeum> Paper Office, and Hiftory of molic, vol.iii. p.iSj&fcq.
Vol. U. B b
370 BIRKENHEAD.
one of the gentlemen of the chapel^ and clerk of the cheqiicr,
in the reign of Edward VI. was one of the children of the cha-
pel 'f and, as it is 'afTerted by Wood, was bred up under Tallls*
There are forae particulars relating to this eminent perfon, that
embarrafs his hiftory, and render it difficult to afcertain pre-
cifely either the time of his birth or his age when he died> and
confequently the period in which he flourished. The moft pro-
bable conjecture that can be formed touching this particular
feems to be, that he was a child of the chapel under Edward
VI ) and as his name does not occur in the chapel eftablifhment
of queen Mary, that he was either not in her fervicei or, if he
was, that he did not receive a ftipend as Tallis and others did^
whofe names are entered on the roll.
There can be very little doubt, confidering the time when
he lived, but that Bird was of the romiih communion. It was
not to be expected that in thofe times the fervants of the chapel
fliould be either divines or cafuifts; therefore it is not to be won-
dered at if he accommodated himfelf to thofe fucceffivc changes
of the national religion which were made before the revolution
was completed.
Upon the acceflion of queen Elizabeth, and the refolutions
taken by her to reform the choral fervice, Bird feems to have
no provifion made for him at court. On the contrary, he went
to Lincoln, of which cathedral he was chofen organ! ft in 1563 ;
nor does it appear that he had any employment in the chapel
till 1569, when he was appointed a gentleman thereof, and per-
mitted to execute his office of organift of Lincoln by a fubftitute.
In 1575 we find him organift of the royal chapel. Wood in
his account of Morley, Fafti, anno 1588, fays of Bird, that he
was Ikilled in the mathematics as well as mufic.
Thefe are all the particulars of his life that can now be re-
covered, excepting that he died on the 4th of July 1623, and
that he had a fon named 1 homas, educated in his own pro-
fciiion.
The compofitlons of Bird are fo many and various, that we
muft refer the reader to fir John Hawkins's Hiftory of mufic,
vol. iii, for a copious lift and particular account of them.
BIRKENHEAD or BERKENHEAD (Sir John), a famous
political author, born about 1615. After a fchool education, he
went to Oxford* and was entered, in 1637, a fervitor of Oriel
college, under the learned Dr. Humphry Lloyd, afterwards bi-
ihop of Bangor ; by whom being recommended to Dr. William
Laud, archbifliop of Canterbury, he became his fecretary. In
this office he ftiewed fuch capacity and diligence, that the arch-
biffiop, by his diploma, created him M. A. in i6^^j ; and the year
following, by letter commendatory from the fame prelate, he
was
BISSET. 371
%as chofen probationer fellow of All Souls college j^s], Thfe
obliged him to refide conftantly at Oxford ; and on king Charles's
making that city his head quarters, our author was made choice
of to write a kind of journal, in defence of the royal caufc, by
which he gained great reputation [t]* By his majefty's recom-
mendation he was chofen reader in motal philol'ophy 5 which
employment he enjoyed till 1648, when he was expelled by the
parliament vifitors. He retired afterwards to London, where he
Wrote feveral poetical pieces ; and having adhered (leadily to his
principles, he acquired the tide of the loyal poet, and fufFered fe-
veral imprifonments* He publiflied, while he thus lived in ob-
fcurity, fome very fatlrical compofitions, moftly levelled againft
the republicans [tJ J. Upon the reftoration of Charles II. he was
rewarded for his loyalty [x]. He was created, April 6, 166 1,
on the king's letter fent for that purpofe, doftor of the civil law
by the univerfity of Oxford ; and in that quality, as an eminent
civilian, wasconfultedby the convocation on the queftion, Whe*
thcr bifliops ought to be prefent in capital cafes ? He was about
the fame time eleflcd to ferve in parliament for Wilton [y],
10 the county of Wilts. He was knighted, Nov. 14, 1662 ; and^
upon fir Richard Fanfhaw*s going in a public charafter to the
court of Madrid, appointed to fucceed him as mafter of requefts.
He lived afterwards in credit and efteem, and received various
favours from the court, which, however, drew upon him fome
very fevere attacks from thofe who oppofed it. Wood has
treated him with great fcverity •, but his memory has been tranf-
mitted with honour to pofterity by others, particularly by Dry-
den, Langbaine^ and Winftanly [z ). He died in Weftminfter^
Dec. 4, 16701 and was interred in St. Martin's in the Fields.
BISSET (Charles), took his degree of M. D. at St. Andrew's
in 1765. He was the author of, r. An eflay on the theory and
conftruftion of fortifications, 8vo. 1751. 2. A treatife on the
fcurvy, 8vo. 175s* 3. An eflay on the medical conftitution of
Es] Wood't Fafti Oxon. vol. i. col. 28a. manchefteredj&c. 16: 8.3**^1. PauPsrhurch-
tJ This work was iutitu'ed) Mercu- yard; lihri theolot'.iei, poiitici, hiltorici,
tlus Aulicus, communicating the intelli- nuudinis Paulinis (uin cum tcmpio) pro-
gence and affairs of the court to the reft of ftant vcnalcs, &c. prir.tcd in three (hcets*
die kingdom. It was printed weekly in cjuarto* 1649. Thefe llieet^ were pub! iOied
one fheet, and fometimcs more, in quarto i feparatelVf as if they had been parts of one
and was chiefly calculated to raifc the re- general catilogue. 4. The four-icgped
^utation of the king's friends and com- Quaker, a bjHlaJ, to the tuce ot rhe dog
tnanders, and nm down and ridicule ihofc and elder's maid. A new ballad of a famous
who fidcd with the parliament. They german prii.cc, ^^itho;lt date. &c.
•ame out regularly, from ihe beginning of [1] Wood» &f. vol ii. col. 640.
l6ca to the latter end of 1643, and after- [yJ Kcnnet's repiVer, p. 61c,
wards occaiionally. f t] Dc fence of an < iV^y upon dramatic
[uj Among thciip were, i.THeAffem- poetry, prctixtd to the ixidian Emperor*
biy-man ; written in it»47> ^"^ primed, as Account of engliflj dramatic poets, p. 206.
Wood tclli bs, 1661-3. 2. News from Livej of englilh poets, p. 181.
PtaiM-ok« ajid Moatgomtry { or, Oxfurd
Bb 2 Great
37* BLACKBURN.
Great Britain, 8vo« 1762. Dr. Biflet, in a lettehfome yeari
fince, after obferving that manj perfons who had read of his
having publiihed a work on fortifications, were at a lofs how to
reconcile the medical with the military charafter ; and were in-
clined to believe, that he had not a regular education Tn the line
of his profeffion : he wifhed therefore to have it made known^
that after a proper courfe of medical ftudies at Edinburgh, he
vas appointed fccond furgeon to the military hofpital in Jamaica^
where he continued from 1740 to 1745, when he returned to
England, purchafed a commiflion in the army, and ferved in
Flanders as a lieutenant and engineer extraordinary till the peace
of 1748, when he was reduced on half pay. In 1751 he retired
to the village of Skclton in Cleveland, Yorkfliire, and refumed
the pradice of phyfic ; where, and in that neighbourhood, he
continued till his death, which happened at Knayton, near
Thirflc, the beginning qf May 1791, being then in his 75th
year.
BITO, a mathematician who lived about the year 335 before
the common epoch, conipofed a treatife on the machines matlc
ufe of in war, to be found in the Mathcmatici Vctere8> Paris,
1593^ folio.
BIZOT (Peter), canon of St. Sauveur d'Heriflbn, in the dio-
cefe of Bourges, is author of the Hiftoire metallique de la re-
publique de Hollande, printed in folio at Paris in 1687, and re-
printed by Pierre Morticr, at Amfterdam, 1688, 3 vols. 8vo#
This if a fine edition, of which Bizot*s hi (lory was very deferv-
ing, as a curious and interefting work. But that of Vanloom,
1732, 5 vols, in folio, is far more complete. He died in ,1696,
at the age of 66.
BLACKBURN (William), an eminent furvcvor and archi-
tcd, was born in the borough of Southwark, on tlie 20th of De-
cember, 1750. His father was a refpe£lable tradefman in St.
John's parilh, and his mother was a native of Spain. The whole
of his grammatical education was derived from a common fe-
minary in the neighbourhood -, and at a proper age he was placed.
under a« furveyor of no eminence, and from whom he derived
very few advantages in the knowledge of his profeflion. How-
ever, from the natural bent of an ardent mind, he fought the
acquaintance of men of genius, feveral of whom belonged to the
Royal Academy. Into that academy he was admitted as a ftu-
dent; and in 1773 ^^ ^^^ prcfcnted with the medal for thebeft
drawing of the infide of St. Stephen's church in Walbrook.
This prize he bore away from many competitors ; and, at the
delivery of it, received a high compliment to his abilities from
the late fir Jofliua Reynolds, the prefident. About the fame
time he entered into bufinefs for himfelf in Southwark, and car-
ried it ou for fome years with increafing fucccTs among his pri^
vate
BLACKBURN. S73
Yate connexions, when an event occurred which brought him
into public notice and reputation. An a£t of parliament had
palled in the year 1779, declaring, that ** if any offenders con-
vifted of crimes for which tran^ortation had been ufually in-
fli&ed, were ordered to folitary imprifonment, accompanied by
well regulated labour and religious inftruftion, it might be the
means, under providence, not only of deterring others from the
commiffion of the like crimes, but alfo of reforming the indivi<*
duals, and enuring them to the habits of induftry/' By this ad
his majefty was authorifed to appoint three perfons to bq fu<*
pervifors of the buildings to be erefted ; and the fupcrvifdrs
were to fix upon any common, heath, or wafte, or any other
piece' of ground, in Middlefex, Eflex, Kent, or Surrey, on which
ihould be crefted two plain ftrong edifices, to be called ** Peni-
tentiary Houfes ;" one for the confinement and employment of
fix hundred males, the other of tfirce hundred females [a]. In
the fame year in which the a£l was pafled, three fupcrvifors
were appointed to carry it into execution. Thefe were John
Howard, efq. George Whatley, efq. and Dr. John Fothergill[Bj.
This commiflion however was diflblved, firft by the death of
Dr. Fothergill, and foon after that event by the refignation of
Mr. Howard, who found it not in his power to coadefce with hit
remaining colleague [c]. Another fet of fu pervifors was there-
«fore appointed in 1781, being fir Gilbert Elliot, hart, fir Charles
Bunbury, bart. and Thomas Bowdler, efq. One of the principal
obje£ls with thefe gentlemen was to provide that they ihould be
con(lru£ted in the manner moft conducive to the ends of folitary
confinement, ufeful labour, and moral reformation. Accord*
ingly, the fupervifors propofed premiums for the bed plans that
ihould be produced of the penitentiary houfes intended to be
ereded. The higheft premium was a hundred guineas, which
was unanimoufly afligned to Mr. Blackburn, in the montti of
March 1782. This preference, as a pecuniary confideration,
was a matter of little. confequenc/s. The grand advantage that
was to be expefted from it, with regard to Mr. Blackburn, was,
that he ihould be employed as the architefl and furvevor of the
buildings propofed. And in hd he was appointed oy the fu«
pervifors to that office ; and the plan of a penitentiary houfe for
Biale offenders was accordingly arranged by him, and proper
draughts were made for the ufe of the workmen y and a great
part of the work was actually contraded for hj different perfons.
Vet the defigns of government were not carried into execution;
the circumftances of the times having diverted the attention of
public men from this important obje£l : nor has it ever iince
a
Gent. Mag. yol. Iv. p. 3 2 «j. [c] Aikin't Lift of John Howard) el^.
Cent. Mag. vol .xliz. p. 367. p. xo8, 109.
Bb 3 becA
374 BLACKBURN.
been refumcd. Ncverthelcfs, though Mr. Blackburn might in
this rcfpecl be difappointed of his juft cxpeftations, he did not:
lofc his reward, nor was the nation deprived of the benefit
arifino from his ingenuity. A fpirit of ere£ling prifons in con-
formity to his plans was immediately excited; and many county
gaols, and other itruftures of the fame nature, were built under
his iiifpcclion. Be fides the completion of feveral prifons, Mr.
Blackburn was engaged in other defigns of a fimilar nature, when
he was arrefted by the hand of death, in the fortieth year of his
age.* He departed this life on the 28th day of O£^ober 1790, at
Pfefton in Lancafliire, being on a journey to Scotland, whither
he was going at the inftance of hie grace the duke of Buccleugh,
;ind the lord provoll of Glafgow, with a view to the creftion of
a new gaol in that city. I* rom Prefton his remains were re-
moved to London, and interred in the burying-ground of BunhiU
Fields.
A few weeks before his deceafe, he had been applied to re*
fpefting a penitentiary houfe for Ireland. At a former period^
in the year 1787, he went over to that country upon an appli-
cation from Limerick ; in confequence of which, he drew the
plan of a new gaol for that city. He alfo fuggefted many im-
provements which mijrht be made in the gaol of Newgate in the
city of Dublin, and which were accordingly adopted.
It was not to the erection of prifons only that Mr. Blackburn's
talents were confined. ') hree elegant defigns were drawn by
him for a new church at Hackney, one of which was intended to
have been carried into execution j but after his deceafe the
fcheme was laid a fide, on account of the expence which the
completion of it would occafion. He was employed, likewife,
in prepanrg various defigns for houfes, villas, &c. In many of
his driwings gre.it taftc is difplayed, as well as a thorough
kncAvlcdgc of his favourite fciencc of architefture. It -was in
conteniplarjon, fome time after his death, to engrave and publilh
bis princip;il drawiiigs *, but the intention qi doing it is dropped,
^t lead for the prefcnt.
Being a difi*enter of the prefl^yterian denomination, he was in
the habits of intimacy with the principal perfons of that per*
fuafion both in town and country ; without however confining
his regard and affedion to any particular feft. But what con-
fers peculiar honour on Mr. Blackburn's memory is, that he en-
joyed the intimate fricndfiiip and entire efteem of the excellent
Mr. Howard ; that he concurred with him in his ideas, and emi-
nently f romoted his benevolent defigns. Mr. Blackburn fre-
quently correfponded with Mr. Howard, when that gentleman
was cngrj.cd, either at heme or abroad, in his journies and voy-
5uge.^ of humanity. Of Mr. Blackburn Mr. Howard ufed to fay,
that he was the onjy man he ever met with, who was capable of
delineating
BLACKBALL. 375
delineating to his mind, upon paper, his ideas of wfiat a prifon
ought to be.
'Ihe perfon of Mr. Blackburn was of the middle ftature ; and
from his early youth he was fo very corpulent, that his friends
were filled with apprehenfions, too unhappily verified, that his
life would not be a long one. Till he became twenty-five years
of age, he drank nothing but water. But at that time, in con-
fequence of a fcvere fit of ficknefs, he was advifed by the late
Dr. John Fothergill to change his beverage for malt liquor, and
occafionally to take a glafs of wine. The affliftion of another
fevere illnefs, later in life, was fuftained by him with eminent
and exemplary refignation and fortitude. Previoufly to his laft
journey he was confiderably better, and entertained hopes that
travelling might contribute to the reftoration of his former
health : but it was ordered otherwife by the fupreme Difpofer of
events. By a fudden ftroke he was for ever taken from his be-
loved wife and children ; who, with a number of k\c& friends,
were left to lament a lofs, which they muft feel fo long as they
remain in this world.
The charafter of Mr. Blackburn was, in every view of it,
amiable and refpeftable. In difcharging the duties and relations
of life, he was uniform and confident. He was very cheerful in
his temper, and affable and engaging in his behaviour. Being
endued with a great flow of fpirits, and much vivacity of mind,
his converfation was at once agreeable and inftruftive.
In February 1783, Mr. Blackburn married Lydia, the daughter
of Mn Joiliua Hobfon, an eminent builder in his neighbour-
hood 5 an amiable woman, with whom he lived in the moft per-
fe£b harmony, and by whom he left four children.
BLACKHALL (Offspring, D.D.), an eminent englifli di«
vine, was born in London, 1654, and educated at Catherine
Hall, Cambridge. In 1690, he was indu£ted into the living of
South Okenden, Eflex^ and four years afterwards to the redory
of St. Mary Aldermary, London 5 and was fucceflively chofen
le£lurer of St. Olave's, and of St. Dunftan's in the Weft. He
was likewife appointed chaplain to king William. He preached
before the houfe of commons Jan. 30, 1699, and in his fermon
animadverted on Mr. Toland for his aflerting in his life of Mil-
ton, that Charles I. was not the author of Icon Bafilike, and for
fome infinualions againft the authenticity of the holy fcriptures ;
which drew him into fome controverfy with that author. In
1 700, he preached a courfe of fermons at Boyle's lefture, in the
cathedral church of St. Paul, which were afterwards publiflied.
In 1707, he was confecrated to the biftiopric of Exeter. Bur-
net [dJ, having mentioned him and fir William Dawes as raifcd
[b] Hift. vol. ii. p. 487, 488.
Bb 4 to
J76 BLACK LOCK.
to biflioprics, tells us, *^ that thefe divines were in themfehret
men of value and worth ; but their notions were all on the other
fide. They had fubmitted to the government 5 but they, at lead
Blackball, feemed to condemn the revolution, and all that had
been done purfuant to it.'' And it is aiTerted in an anonymous
pamphlet, publiihed in 1705, that he had refufed for two year^
to take the oath of allegiance to king William.
He died at Exeter, Nov. 29, 17 16, and was interred in the
cathedral there. Archbp. Dawes, who h^d a long and intimate
friendfhip with him, declares [e], that in his whole converfatioQ
he never met with a more perfeft pattern of a true chriftian life,
in all its -parts, than in him : fo much primitive fimplicity and.
integrity ; fuch conftanc evennefs of mind, and uniform con-
dud of behaviour ; fuch unafFeded and yet moft ardent piety
towards God ^ fuch orthodox and ftedfaft faith in Cbriil j fuch
difinterefted and fervent charity to all mankind ; fuch profound
modelly, humility, and fobriety^ fuch an equal mixture of n^eek-
nefs and courage, of cheerfulnefs and gravity ; fuch an exa£k
difcharge of all relative duties ; and in one word, fuch an indif-
ferency to this lower world and the things of it ; and fuch an
entire afleftion and joyous hope and expeftation of things above.
He fays alfo, that his •* manner of preaching was fo excellent,
cafy, clccir, jvuilcious, fubftantial, pious, afFetling, and upon all
accounts truly ufcful and edifying, that he univerfally acquired
the reputnticn of being one of the bcft preachers of his time.'^
Feltcn, in ]]\^ ^l.tilics, commends him as an excellent writer.
M. de la K ocho» n\ his Memoirs of literature, tells us, that our
prelate was o^ v^ of thofe ei.cUfli di-ines, who, when they under-
take to treat a fubjed, dive into the bottoip of it, and exhauft the
matter Tfj.
B(/ACkl/)CK (Thomas). This perfon, in the woyds of
Mr. 8penct , 1. light be efieemed one of the moft extraordinary
charaGers thrr has appeared in this or any other age. He wa$
the fon of a poor tradefman at Annan in Scotland [Cf J, where he
was born in the year 1721. Before he was fix months old, he
-was totally deprived of his eye-fight by the fmall-pox. His fa-
ther (who by his fon's account of him niuft have been a parti-
cularly good man) had intended to breed him up to his own, or
[e] Preface to his works. morial. They generally followed ajri-
[p j His works were publifhcd in i vols, culture ; and were diftinguifted fora know,
lb' jo, 1713, confiftng of Pvadlical dif- ledge and humanity above their fphere.
courfes on our Saviour^s ferm^n OD ihe His lather was ah hooeft and worthy tradef-
jTijuat, and on the Lord's praver, tojclhcr man, had been in good circumftances, hut
with his fermons prracheJ at Boyle's lee- was reduced by a feries of misfortunes. His
ture, with h^tiA others upon particular mother was daughter of Mr. Richard Rae,
occadons. an extenfive dealer in cattle > a couiideiable
[o] His father and mother were natives bufinefs in that county ; and was equally
•f the county of Cumberland, where his efteemed as a sun of fortune and inport-
^ttrnal anceftors lired from time imnie- «nce»
J fome
BLACKLOCK, 377
(omt othev trade : but as this misfortune rendered him incapable
of any, all that this worthy parent could do, was to fhew the
^tmoft care and attention that he was able toward him, in fo
unfortunate a fituation ; and this goodnefs of his left fo (Irong
an impreffion on the mind of his fon, that he ever ipoke of it fH J
with the greateft warmth of gratitude and affeftion. What was
wanting to this poor youth from %hc lofs of his fight and the
narrownefs of his fortune, feems to have been repaid him in the
goodnefs of his heart and the capacities of his.mind. It was very
early that he fbewed a ftrong inclination toward poetry in parti-
jcular. His father, and a few of his other friends, ufed often to
read to divert him j and among the reft, they read feveral paf^
• jfages out of fome of our poets. Thefe were his chief delight
and entertainment. He heard them not only with an uncom-
mon pleafure, but with a fort pf congenial -enthufiafm; and from
loving and admiring them fo much, he foon began to endeavour
to imitate them. Among thefe early efiays of his genius, there
was one which is inferted in his works r It was compofed when
he was but twelve years old ; and has fomething very pretty in
the turn of it, and very promifing, fo? one of fo tender an age.
Providence was fo kind as to indulge him in the afliftance
pf this good father till he was nineteen, in the year 174O9
^hen hie was deprived of him by a melancholy accident ; and
as this misfortune, when it did happen [i ], necefTitated his fall-
ing into more hands than he had ever before been ufed to, it was
from tha^ time that he began by degrees to be fomewhat more
talked of, and his extraordinary talents more known. It was
about a ypar after that he was fent for to Edinburgh by Dr. Ste-
Fenfon, ^man of tafte, and one of the phyficians in chat city;
who had the goodnefs to fupply him with every thing neceflary
for his living and ftudying in the univerfity there. Dr. Blacklock
looked on this gentleman as his Maecenas -, and the poem placed
at the entrance to his works was a gratitude-piece addrefied to
ih;ra, in imitation of the firft ode of Horace to that great patron.
He had got fome rudiments of latin in his youth, but could
not eafily read a latin author till he was near twenty, when
Dr. Stevenfon put him to a grammar-fchool in Edinburgh. He
afterwards ftudied jn that univerfity ; where he not only per-
feQcd himfelf in latin, but alfo went through all the beft greek
authors with a very lively pleafure. He was alfo a mafter of the
frehch language, which he acquired by his intimacy in the fa-
inily of Mr. provo^ Alexander, whofe lady was a Farifian.
{hI See his Poems, p. 158, 4tD .edition, the failure lay ; when the principal beani
I J Dr. Blackloclc's father was a brick- coming down upon him* with eighty bufbels
layer, and being informed (hat a kiln be- of malt, which were upon the kiln at tha(
longing to a fon-in-law of his was giving time, he was in oac moxpeat cruihcd to
way, hit folicitude for his intereft made death.
^im Ttoture in below the ribs to fee wfaoxt
After
378 BLACKLOCK.
After he had followed his ftadies at Edinburgh for four years,
he retreated from thence into the country, on the breaking out
of the rebellion in 1745 ; and it was during this recefs that he
was prevailed on by fome of his friends to publifh a little col-
leftion of his poems at Glafgow. When that tcmpeft was blown
ever, and the calm entirely reftored, he returned again to the
univerfity of Edinburgh, and purfued his ftudies there for fix
years more. The fecond edition of his poems was publifhed
by him there, in the beginning of the year 17541 very much im-
proved and enlarged ; and they might have been much more
numerous than they were, had he not (hewn a great deal more
nicenefs and delicacy than is ufual ; and keptfeveral pieces from
the prefs, for reafons which feemed much ftronger to himfelf
than they did to his friends, fomc of whom were concerned at
his excels of fcrupuloufnefs, and much wiflied not to have had
him deprived of fo much more reputation, noV the world of fo
many poetical beauties as abounded in them.
Dr. Blacklock, during his ten years ftudies at the univerfity,
•* not only acquired," as Mr. Hume wrote to a friend, " a great
Inowledge in the greek, latin, and french languages, but alfo
made a confidcrable progrefs in all the fciences •," and (what is
yet more extraordinary) has attained a confiderable excellence in
poefry ; though the chief inlets for poetical ideas were barred
up in him, and all the vifiblc beauties of the creation had been
long fince totally blotted out of his memory. How far be con-
trived, by the uncommon force of his genius, to compenfate for
this yaft defed 5 with what elegance and harmony he often
wrote ; with how much propriety, how much fenfe, and how
much emotion, are things as eafy to be perceived in reading his
poems, as they would be difficult to be fully accounted for*
Confidered in either of thefe points, he will appear to have a
great fharc of merit ; but if thoroughly confidered in all to-
gether, we are very much inclined to lay (with his friend Mr.
Hume), "he may be regarded as a prodigy.**
Of his moral charadtcr Mr. Hume obferved, *' that his mo-
defty was equal to the goodnefs of his difpofition, and the beauty
of his genius j" and the author of the account prefixed to his ^^
works, ifpcaking of the pieces which Dr. Blacklock would not !
fufFcr to be printed, and which, he faid, abounded with fo many
poetical beauties that nothing could do him greater honour, cor-
rc£ting himfelf, added, " Yet I mull ftill except his private cha-
rafter, which, were it generally known, would recommend him
more to the public efteem, than the united talents of an accom-
pliflicd writer."
Among his particular virtues, one of the firft to be admired
was his cafe and contcntednefs of mind under fo many circum-
ftances^ any one almoft of which might be thought capable of
dcpreffing
BLACKLOCK. 379
deprefljng it. Confidering the meaiuiefs of his birth ; the low-t
nefs of his fituation ; the defpicablenefs (at lead as he himfelf fo
fpoke of it) of his perfon ; the narrownefs and difficulties of his
fortune ; and, above all, his fo early lofs of his (ight, and his in«
capacity from thence of any way relieving himfelf under all thefe
burthens ; it ipay be reckoned no fmall degree of virtue in him,
even not to have been generally difpirited and complaining.
Each of thefe humiliating circumilances he fpoke of in fome
part or other of his poems \ but what he dwelt upon with the
mod lading caft of melancholy was his lofs of fight, which in
one place carries him on in a deploring ftyle for above fifty lines
together. But at the fame time it ought to be confidered, that
this is in a piece written when his fpirits were particularly de-
prefled by an incident that very nearly threatened his lifetK*! j
from which he had but juft efcaped with a great deal of diffi-
culty, and with all the terrors of fo great a danger, and the dc-
je£lion occafioned by them jud frefli upon his mind.
It is in the fame melancholy poem that -he exprefied his dread
of falling into extreme want.
However, his good fenfe and religion enabled him to get the
better of thefe fears, and of all his other calamities, in his calmer
hours ; and indeed in this very poem (which is the mod gloomy
of any he had written) he feemed to have a gleam of light fall in
upon his mind, and recovered himfelf enough to exprefs his
hopes that the care of Providence, which had hitherto always
prote£ted him, would again interfere, and diffipate the clouds
that were gathering over him.
Towards the clofe of the fame piece, he (hewed not only that
he was fatisfied with his own condition, but that he could dif-
cover fome very great bleffings in it ; and through the general
courfe of his other poems, one may difcem fuch a judnefs of
thinking about the things of this world, and fuch an eafy and
contented turn of mind, as was every way becoming a good
chridian and a good philofopher.
This was the charafter given of our author by Mr. Spence,
who in the year 1754 took upon himfelf the patronage of Dr.
Blacklock, and fuccefsfully introduced him to the notice of the
public. In that year he publiflied a pamphlet, intituled. An ac-
count of the life, chara£ler, and poems of Mr. Hlacklock, dudent
of philofophy in the univerfity of Edinburgh, 8vo. which, with
fome improvements, was prefixed to a quarto edition of Dr.
Blacklock's poems publiflied by fubfcripiion. By this publi-
cation a confiderable fum of money was obtained, and foon after
[k3 ^'^ ^^^ beginning of his Soliloquy, ably loft, if a favourite lap-dog had not (by
p. T53 ; a poem (as he there fays) occa- the found of its feet upon the board with
(ioned by his efcape from falling into a deep which the well was covered) warned him
veil i wlicrc he muft have^cen irrccover* of bis danger.
our
38o BLACKMOllE.
our poet was fixed in an eligible fituation in the univerfity of
Edinburgh [l]. In 1760 he contributed fomc poems to a fcotch
colleftion publi{hcd.at Edinburgh in that yearj and being there
ftyled the rev, Mr. Blacklock, it appears he had then entered
into holy orders. About j 766 he obtained the degree of D, I>.
and in 1767 publifhed Paraclefis; or, Confolations deduced from
natural and revealed religion, in two diil'ertations<, 8vo. In 1 768
ke printed two difcourfes on the fpirit and evidences of chrifti-
anity, tranflated from the french of Mr. James Armand, and de-»
dicated to the rev. moderator of the general afTembly, 8vo. and
in 1774 produced The Graham, an heroic ballad in four cantos,
4to» In 1776 appeared Remarks on the nature and extent of
liberty as compatible with the genius of civil focieties j on the
principles of gov -rnment, and the proper limits of its powers
in free dates ; and on the judice and policy of the amcrican
war^ occafioned by perufing the obfervations of Dr. Price on
fhefe fubjefts, 8vo. Edinburgh. This we have been afTured was
irritten by our author, who at length, at the age of 70, died in
July 1 79 1.
BLACKMORE (Sir Richard), a phyfician, and an indefa-
tigable writer, has left a great number of wojks, theological^
poetical, and phyfical. He received the- firft part pf his edu-
cation at a private fchool in the country, from whence be was
xemoved to Weftminftcr, and s^ftcrwards to Oiford. When he
lad finiihed his academical iludtes, he travelled to Italy, and
took his degrees in phyfic at Padua. He vifited alfo France,
Germany, and the Low Countries ; and after a year and a half *s
sibfence, returned to England, where he praftifcd phyfic, and was
chofen fcjiow of the college of phyficians. He had declared
kimfelf early a favourer of the revolution, fo that king William,
in 1697, chofe him one of his phyficians in ordinary, and fome
time after conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. Upon
que^n Anne's acceflion to the throne, he was alfo appointed one
of her phyficians, pnd continued fo for fome time.
Dryden and Pope have treated the poetical performances of
6r Richard with great contempt ^ the former iays, that he
Writ to the rumbling of his coach's wheels.
And Mr* Pope thus chara£terifes him in his Dunciad [m3 ;
But far o'er all, fonorous Blackmore's ftrain ;
Walls, (lecples, (kics, br9y back to him again.
ft.^ Id his dedication of the fccond p.irt to ^rour benevolence tn fome meafur* my
of PiTJtclcdi to Mr. Spence. he fays. •* It prefent comfortable filiation.'*
b to your kind patronage that I qwc my [mJ Bopk. ii. ¥91.259. 2()8*
iotrodudiaa lotothc republic oi Icucntaod
Id
BLACKMORE. ^-^8i
In Tot'nam fields, the brethren, with amnei
Trick all their ears up, and Forget to graze ;
*Long Chanc'ry-lane retentive rolls the founds
And cowts to couits return it round and round;
Thames wafts it thence to Rufus' roaring hall.
And Hungerford re-echoes bawl for bawl.
All hail him vidor in both gifts of fong,
Who lings fo loudly, and who fings fo long.
" A juft charafler," fays the aimotator upon Pope, "of fif
Richard Blackmore, knight, whofe indefatigable mufe produced
no'Iefs than fix epic poems: Prince and king Arthur, twenty
books ; Eliza, ten ; Alfred, twelve ; the Redeemer, fix ; befides
Job, in folio ; the whole book of Pfalms ; the Creation, fevea
books 5 Nature of rtan, three books, and many more." But not-»
withftanding fir Richard has been fo much depreciated by thefe
whs, yet much merit he certainly had. His poem on the Crea-
tion is his mod celebrated performance; and, on the recom-
mendation of Dr. Johnfon, has lately been inferted in the col-
leftion of the Engliih Poets. Addifon [n], after having criticifed
on that book of Milton, which gives an account of the works of
the creation, thus proceeds : ** I cannot conclude this book upon
the creation, without mentioning a poem which has lately ap-
peared under that title. The work was undertaken with fo good
an intention, and executed with fo great a maftery, that it de-
fcrves to be looked upon as one of the moft ufeful and noble
produdions in our englifli verfe. The reader cannot but be
pleafed. to find the depths of philofDphy enlivened with all the
charms of poetry, and to fee fo great a ilrcngth of reafon amidit
fo beautiful a redundancy of the imagination." It muft be men-
tioned too in honour of fir Richard, thnthe was a chafte writer,
and a warm advocate for virtue, at a time when an almoft uni-
verfal degeneracy prevailed. He had been very free in his cen-
fures on the libertine writers of his age ; and it was fome liberty^
he had taken of this kind, which drew upon him the refentment
of Dryden. He had likemfe given offence to Pope ; for having'
been informed by Curll that he was the author of a Traveftic on
the firft Pfalm, he took occafion to reprehend him for it in his
Eflay on polite learning [o]. Sir Richard died Oft. 9, 1729.
Towards the end of his life, his bufinefs as a phyfician declined;
bot as in his earlier years he had been the firll in his profeflion,
and his praftice very confiderable, it is therefore highly probable
he was in eafy circumflanccs in his old age [b],
fifl Spectator, No. 31(9. feveral treatifes on the plague, rma11*poz»
rot Vol. ii. p, 270. conrumptioiu, th« fpleen,gouc»dropry, &c«
[vj Befid«s what are mentioned above, and ma«y fma^l poetical pieces.
fr Riclurd wioic ioai: theological craCU i
DLACKSTONE
f
38^— BLACKSTONE.
BLACKSTONE (Sir WillIam, knt. and LL.D.), an illtif-
trious engliih lawyer, was born at his father's houfe in Cheap-^
fide, London, July 10, 1723 [q^J. His father was a filkman; hi3
mother the daughter of Lovelace Bigg, efq. of Chilton-Foliot in
Wiltfliire : and he was the youngeft of four children. His fa-
ther dying before he was bom, and his mother before he was
twelve years old, the care of his ediication and fortune fell to
his uncle Mr. 1 homas Bigg. In 17 jo, he was put to the Char«
ter-houfe fchool ; and, in 173$, admitted upon the foiindatioa
there. November 1738, he was entered a commoner of Pem-t
broke college, Oxford, and ele£ked by the governors to one of
the Charter-houfe exhibitions. December 1 2, he fpoke the an-
nual, oration at the fchool ; and, about the fame time, obtained
alfo Mr. Benfon's gold prize-medal of Milton, for verfes on that
poet. Furfuing his (ludies with unremitting ardour, and attend-
ing not only to his favourite clafTics, but alfo to logic, mathe-
matics, &c. at the age of twenty he compiled a treatife intituled
Elements of architecture \ intended only for his own ufe, but
much approved by thofe who have perufed it*
Quitting, however, with regret, thefe amuGng purfuits, he en*
gageS in the feverer ftudics of the law ; which tegret he ele-
gantly exprefled in a copy of verfes, called " The lawyer's fare-
well to his mufe;" fince printed in vol. iv. of Dodfley's Mifcellanies*
Several little poetical pieces he has alfo left unpublifhed ; and his
notes on Shakfpeare, inferted in Mr. Malone's fupplement to the
lail edition, (hew how well he underftood, as well as relifhed,
that author.
November 1740, he was entered of the Middle Tcnlple ; No-
vember 1743, ele£led into All Souls college j November 17441
fpoke the annual commem oration -fpeech, and was admitted
adual fellow. Henceforward he divided his time between the
univerfity and the Temple. June 1745, he commenced bache-
lor of law ; and, November 1746, was called to the bar. As a
counfel, he made his way but (lowly, not having a flow of elo-
cution, or a graceful delivery i but at Oxford, as a burfar, he
arranged their muniments, and improved their eftates ; haftened
the completion of the Codrington library, and greatly diftin-
guifhed himfelf as a man of bufmefs, as well as a man ot letters.
In 1749, he was elefted recorder of the borough of Wallingford
in Berkfliire. April 1750, he became LL.D. and publifhed " Aa
eflay on collateral con fanguinity," relative to the exclufive claim
to fellowfhips, made by the. founder's kin at All Souls. The
profits of his profeffion being inadequate to the expence, he de-
termined, in 1 753, to retire to his fellowfhip ; ftill continuing to
pra£life as a provincial counfel. Soon after, he began to read
[<^] Life prefixed to his Reports.
2 Ills
BLACKSTONE. 383
hi8 lefturcs on the laws of England; publifliing, in 1755, hi^
Analyfis of thefc laws, as a guide to his auditors, on their firfli
introduAion to this fludy. His ConGdcrations on copyholders
was publifhed in March 1758 ; and a bill to decide the contro*
verted point of their voting foon after paiTed into a law.
Oftober 20, 1758, he was unanimouily elefted Vinerian pro*
feflbr of the common law; and, on the 25th, read his intro-^
dudtory Iqdlure, fince prefixed to his Commentaries. In 1759^
he publiflied " Reflexions On the opinions of Meflrs. Pratt^
Moreton, and Wilbraham, relating tq lord Litchfield's difquali-
fication," who was then a candidate for the chancellorftiip ; and
** A cafe for the opinion of counfel, on the right of the univerfity
to make new ftatutes." Michaelmas term 1759, having previ-
oufly bought chambers in the Temple, he refumed his attendance
at Weftminfter ; -ftill continuing to read his leclures at Oxford-
November following, he published a new edition of the Great
charter, and charter of the foreft, where he (hewed himfelf as
an antiquary and hiftorian, as well as a lawyer ; and, about the
fame time, a fmall treatife " On the law of defcents in fee-fim«
ple.** March 1 761, he was returned to parliament for Hindon
in Wiltfhire ; and in May had a patent of precedence granted
him to rank as king's counfel, having before declined the chief
jufticeihip of the court of common pleas in Ireland. May 1761,
he married Sarah the daughter of James Clitherow, of Bofton
Houfe in Middlefcx, efq. with whom he lived near nineteen years^
and left fevcn children by her.
His fellowfliip of All Souls being now vacant, he was, in June
176 1, appointed by the chancellor of the univerfity principal of
New-Inn Hall. In 1762, he collefted and republifticd feveral
of his pieces, iinder the title of " Law trads," in two volumes
8vo. In 1 763, he was chofen folicitor-general to the queen, and
a bencher of the Middle Temple. November 1 764, he publifhed
the firft volume of his leftures, under the title of " CJommen**
tarics on the laws of England ;" and, in the four fucceeding
years, the other three volumes. In 1766, he refigned the Vine-
rian profcfforfhip, and the principality of New Inn Hall ; thefc
fituations being incompatible with his profeflional attendance in
London. In the new parliament, chofen in 1768, he was re-
turned burgefs for Weftbury in Wiltfhire. In the courfe of this
parliament, what he faid in the debate on the queftion. Whether
a member expelled was eligible or not in the fame parliament?
being deemed by fome gontradidlory to what he had laid down
on the fame fubjedl in his Commentaries, he was w.irmly at-
tacked in a pamphlet, fuppofed to be written by another mem-
ber, a baronet. Dr. Priellley and Dr. Fiirneaux alfo animad-
verted on fome pofitions in the fame work, relative to oilencea
againft the doctrine of the eftablifhed church 5 to both of whom
he
ih
feLACitWALt^
he replied [r^. May 1770, he became a junior jurfgc m tke coaff
cf king's bench ; andy in Jtiney was removed to the fame fituationr
in the common pleas* On this promotion, he refigned the re<«'
corderihip of Wallingford 5 a town, in which he had refideci
more or lefs, at his villa called Priory Place, from about 1750.
Having now obtained the fummit of his wiihea, of turn cum dig*
nitate^ he refided conRantly in London ; and, when not occupied
in the formalities of his calling, i» as always engaged in* fome
fcheme of public utility. The laft of this kind was the z(k of
parliament for providing detached houfcs of hard labour for
convi£^s, as a fubditute tor tranfportation. A few weeks before
he died, his ailiftance was requefted by the late fnr George Down-i
ing's trnilees, in forming a proper plan or body of (tatutes for his
new foundation at Cambridge : but, before any thing co^ild bcf
done in it, death put an end to him. His (onititution, hurt by
the gout, a nervous diforder, and corpulency, occafioned by mid-*
night ftudies, and an aver lion to ejoercifc, broke him lip fome-
what early. About Cliriilmas 1779, ^ ^^^ fcized with a vio-<
knt ihortnefs of breath \ and, tnough this was foon removed/
•the caufe remained : for, on coming to town to attend Hilary
ferm^ he was attacked again. This brought on drowfinefs and
a Ih.por ; fo that he became at laft for fome days almoft totally
infei.fible, and expired, February 14, 1780, in his 56th year.
Since his death, have been publilhed, from his original MSS^
according to the diretlions in his will, " Reports of cafes de-
termined in the feveral courts of Weftminfter Hall from 1746
to 1779 [sj." With a preface, containing memoirs of his lifei
a vols, folio.
BLACK WALL (Anthony), a native of Derbyfhirc, was ad-
mitted fizer in Emanuel college, Cambridge, Sept. 13, 1690;
proceeded B. A. in 1694, and went out M. A. 1698 [t]. He
was appointed head mafter of the free-fchool at Derby, and
lefturer of All-hallows there, where in 1706 he diftinguiihed
himfelf in the literary world by *' Theognidis Megarenfis fen-
tentia; morales, nova latina verQone, notis et cmendationibus^
cxplaiiatx et exomatae : una cum variis ledlionibus, &c." 8vo«
IVhilft at Derby he alfo publiflied An uurodu£lion to the claf-
[r] But tfce moft formidable objc^ions is highly worthy of pcrafal, at writtea with
Id his book are difplayed in a work intitu- iib^olity and fpirit.
led, A fragment on government ; being an [s J •' Wc mull not always rely on the,
examination of what it delivered on the wotdsof reporti, though under great uames»
fubje^ of government in general, in ihe^ Mr. juftlce Blackftone's Reports arc nde
introduction to fir William Blackttone's very accurate ;" per lord Mansfield ia
Commentaries : with a preface, in which Halfel v. Simpfon. Dougbfi*i Reports^
is given a critique on the work at large, 2d edit. 171^7,% note.
two, X776. The objections here rendered [t] NicbQU's Hiftory of Hinckley^
|Alpableftilt remain unanfwered. It i^ faid p« I77»
|o be che produdlion of Mr BeiiihaiDy and
ficsi
BLACKWELL. 38^
fics ; containing a (hort difccmife on their excellences, and dL-
tecflions how to ftudy them to advantage : with an eflay on the
nature and ufe of thofe emphatical and beautiful figures which
give ftrengch and ornament to writing, 171 8, i2mo; in which
he difplayed the beauties of thofe admirable writers of antiquity,
to the underftanding and imitation even of common capacities ;
and that in (b concife and clear a manner as feemed peculiar to
himfelf. In 1722 he was appointed head mafter of the free-
fchool at Market-Bofworth in Leicefterfhire •, and in 1725 ap-
peared, in quarto, his greateft and moft celebrated work, The
facred claflics defended and illuftrated. A fecond volume (com-
pleted but a few weeks before his death) was publifhed in 1731,
under the title of The facred claflics defended and illuftrated.
The fecond and laft volume. To this volume was prefixed a
portrait of the author by Vertue, from an original painting.
Both volumes were reprinted in 4to, Lipfix, 1736. Mr. Black-
wall had the felicity to bring up many excellent fcholars in his
feminarics at Derby and Bof worth j among others, the celebrtted
Richard Dawes, author of the I^ifcellanea Critica, and fir Henry
Atkins, bart. who, being patron of the church of Clapham in
Surry, prefented him, Od. 12, 1726, to that redlory (then fup-
pofed to be worth 300 1. a year), as a mark of his gratitude and
cfteem. This happened late in Mr. Blackwall's life. The gram-
mar whereby he initiated the youth under his care into latin
was of his own compofing ; and fo happily fitted to the pur-
pofe, that in 1728 he was prevailed upon to make it public,
though his modefty would not permit him to fix his name to it,
beca.ufe he would not be thought to prefcribe to other inftrudlors
of youth. Early in 1729 he refigned the reftory of Clapham ;
and retired to Market-Bofworth, where he was equally refpefled
for his abilities and conviviality. He died at his fchool there,
April 8, 1730. His fon, John, who was many years an attor-
ney at Stoke, in that neighbourhood, died July 5, 1 763, aged 56.
A daughter of the fchoolmafter was married to Mr. William
Cantrell, bookfeller at Derby.
BLACKWELL (Thomas), was fon of a minifter at Aber-
deen, and born there, 4th Aug. i7oi[u]. He had his gram-
matical learning at a fchool in Aberdeen, ftudied greek and phi-
lofophy in the Marifchal college there, and took the degree of
M. A. in 1 7 18. Being greatly diftinguiflied by uncommon parts,
and an early proficiency in letters, he was, Dec. 1723, made
greek profeflbr in the college, where he had been educated ; and
continued to teach that language with applaufc, even to his
death. In 17379 was publifhed at London, but without his
name, An enquiry into the life and writings of Homer, 8vo. ;
[u] Biof . Brit, sd ediU
. Vol. n« C c ^ fecon^
388 BL A GRAVE.
a counfellor, or fcnator, at Poiftiers. He died m 1613. His
writings, which fhew him to have been a civilian, a poet, and
divine, were coUcdled and publilhed at Paris, by Sebaftian Cra-
moifv, 1644.
BLADEN (Martin, cfq.)} a gentleman of Abrey Hatch in
Eflcx, and formerly a lieutenant-colonel in queen Anne's reign,
is more diftinguiihed by a tranflation of Cscfar's Commentaries,
which he dedicated to his general, the great duke of Marl-
borough, than by. his dramatic pieces, Orpheus and Euridice a
mafque, and Solon a tragi-comedy. However, it is but juftice
to him to fay, that thefe were printed, 1705, without his con-
fcnt. Ihis gentleman was in five parliaments. In 1714 he was
made comptroller of the Mint ; in 1717 one of the lords com-
mifiioners of trade and plantations ; and, the fame year, ap-
pointed envoy extraordinary to the court of Spain, which he
declined. He died in 1746 [7].
BLAEU, or JANSSEN (William), difciple and intimate
friend of Tycho Brahe, acquired celebrity by his geographical
works and his impreffions. In the compofition of his Atlaflcs
he employed the mod Ikilful geographers and the beft workmen.
Some of his maps have not yet been excelled in neatnefs. There
is by him, an Atlas, in 3 vols. fol. Amllerdam, 1638 ; a treatife
on the globes, &c. This excellent printer died at Amflerdam,
the place of his nativity, in 1638, at the age of 67. His two
fons, John and Cornelius, gave in 1663, a new edition of their
father's Atlas, in 14 vols, folio : the celeftial and the maritime
Atlas, forming each a feparate volume, are comprifed in that
number. This colleftion fells dear, efpecially when tlie maps
are coloured. A fire, in which they loft almoft the whole of
their ftock in trade, contributed not a little to enhance the price
of this b6ok. John Blaeu is alfo author of the defigns of the
Nouveau Theatre d'ltalie ; Amfterdam, 1 704, 4 vols. fol. with
plates.
BLAGRAVE (John), an eminent mathematician, who
flouriftied in the i6th and 17th centuries. He acquired the ru-
diments of his education at Reading, whence he removed to St.
John's college, Oxford. He foon quitted the univerfity, and re-
tired to Southcote Lodge at Reading, where he devoted his time
to ftudy and contemplation. His genius feemed to be turned
moft to mathematics ; and that he might ftudy this fcience with-
out interruption, he devoted himfelf to a retired life [a]. He
employed himfelf chiefly in compiling fuch works, as might
render fpeculative mathematics accurate, and the praftical parts
cafy. He accordingly finiflied fome learned and ufeful works on
[«] Anecdote* of Bowyer, by Nicholi. [a] Wood's Athtwe, Oxon. vol. i. col. 3 70.
tf mathe-
BL A GRAVE. 389
mathematical fubjefts [bJ. What he propofed in all his writings
was to render thofe fciences more univerfally underftood. He
endeavoured to (hew the ufefulnefs of fuch ftudies, that they
were not mere amufements for fcholars and fpeculative perfons,
but of general advantage, and abfolutely indifpenfable in many of
the neceflaries and conveniences of life.
Blagrave was a man of great beneficence in private life. As
he was born in the town of Reading, and had (pent moil of his
time there, he was therefore defirous of leaving in that place
fome monuments of his beneficent difpofition ; and fuch too as
might have reference to each of the three pariihes of Reading.
He accordingly bequeathed a legacy for this purpofe, of which *
we have an account by Afhm.ole, in the following words [c] :
** You are to note, that he doth dcvife that each church-warden
(hould fend on Good-Friday one virtuous n\aid that has lived
five years with her mafter : all three maids appear at the town-
hall before the mayor and aldermen, and call dice. She that
throws moll has lol. put in a purfe, and fhe is to be attended
with the other two that loft the throw. The next year come again
the two jnaids, and one more added to them. He orders in his
will that each maid (hould have three throws before fhe lofes it ;
and if (he has no luck in the three years, he orders that ftill new
faces may come and be prefented. On the fame Good-Friday
he gives eighty widows money to attend, and orders los. for a
good fermon, and fo he wifties well to all his countrymen. It
is lucky money, for I never heard but the maid that had the i ol.
fuddenly had a good hulband." Blagrave died at his own houfe
near Reading, Auguft 9, 161 i,and lies interred near his mother
in the church of St. Lawrence ; with a fine monument to his
memory, and an infcription ; the following account of which is
given by Mr. Aflimole [d]. On the north againll the wall is a
noble monument, reprefenting a man under an arch to the
middle, holding one hand on a globe, the other on a quadrant.
He is habited in a fhort cloak, a caflbck, and a ruff, furrounded
with books on each fide of him. On one fide is the figure of
a woman to the breafts, naked, holding an inftrument in her
hand, as offering it to him, and under her feet the word CUBUS^
On the other fide is another woman, fomewhat naked, though
[bJ He publUhed the four following with, as for that it performeth the geome*
works : i. A mathematical jewel, ihcw- trical menfuration of all altitudes, 1590,
iug the making and molt excellent ufe of 410. 3. Aftrolabium uranicum generate ; a
an inftrument fo called : the ufe of which neceifary and plcafant fol jce and recreation
jewel is fo abundant, that it leadeth the for navigators in their long journeying ;
dircd path- way through the whole art of containing the ufe of an inftrument, or
aftronomy, cofmography, geography, Sec. aftrolabe. Sec. 1596, 4to. 4. The art of
1 581, fol, 2. or the making and ufcof th^ dialling, in two parts. 1609, 4to.
familiar ftaff, fo called: for that it may [c] A(hmoic''sBerkih»re,voI. iii.p.372.
be made ufeful and familiarly to walk [dJ Ibid. vol. ii. p.359<
C c 3 with
39®
BLAIR;
with a fcarf thrown clofely round her, and offering In like mun*
ner 5 under her feet, TETPAEAPON. On the top are two wo-
men leaning on their arms, infcribcd OKTAEAPON AHAEKA-
EAPON. In the middle, a perfon armed, cap-a-pee, intituiedy
ElKOSEAPON. And under the firft figure mentioned, this in-
fcription, in an oval :
JOHANNES BLAG RAVE, totus roathematicus, cum matr^ fcpultuft,
* Here lies his corpfe, which living had a fpirit,
Wherein much worthy knowledge did inherit.
By which with zeal our God he did adore.
Left for maid fcrvants, and to feed the poor.
His virtuous mother came of worthy race, .
A Hunpfciford, and burled in this place,
When God fent death their lives away to call|
Thsy liv*d bplov'd, and died bcwaiPd of all,
BLAGR AVE (Joseph), a noted aftrologer, was author of a
large fupplement to Culpeper's Herbal, with a new tra£t 01
Chirurgery, bVo. He wa§ alfo author of the Aftrological Prac-
tice of Phyfic, 8vo ; and Introduftion to Aftrology, oto, 16.82.
lie was a ftrenuous advocate for the doftrin^ of the ftars. Died
sbout 1688 [e],
BLAIR (John). All we know of this perfon is, that he
was chaplain to the famous fir William Wallace, who was bafely
put to death by order of Edward I. of England. After the fa-
mous battle of Bannockburn, 1312, Thomas Randolph, earl of
Murray, took Blair into his family, and promoted him to a
living, where he fpent the remainder of his days in cafe and re-
tirement. He died during the reign of king Robert Bruce. He
wrote a mod elegant htin poem on the death of Wallace, of
which there is a beautiful tranflation in Hume'^ Hiftory of the
Douglaflcs.
BLAIR (Jamfs, M. A.) was born and bred in Scotland, and
ordained and beneficed in the epifcopal church there ; but meet-
ing with fome difcouragements under an unfettled ftate of af-
fairs, and having a profpecl of difcharging his minifterial func-
tion more ufefully elfewhere, he quitted his preferments, and
came into England near the end of Charles the lid's reign.
It was not long before he was taken notice of by Compton
laifiiop of London, who prevailed with him to go as miffionary
to Virginia, about 1685 > where, by exemplary condu£b, and
vnwearied labours in the work of the miniftry, ne did good fcr-
yice to religion, and gained to himfelf a good report amongft
all : fo that the fame bilhop Compton, being well tipprifed of
his true and great worth, made choice of him, about 1689, ^^.
[c] Biograph. Brit.
X his
f;
BLAIR. 39t
liis commiflary for Virginia, the highcft office in the church
there ; which, however, did nqt take him ofF from his paltoral
care, but only rendered him the more fhining example of it to
the reft of the clergy.
While his thoughts were intent upon doing good in his ofEce,
he obferved witli concern that the want of fchools, and proper
feminaries for religion and learning, was fuch a damp upon all
attempts for the propagation of the gofpel, that little could be
hoped for, without urft removing that obftacle. He therefore
formed a vaft defign of ere£ling and endowing a college in Vir-
inia, at Williamfburgh, t)ie capital of that country, for pro-
eiTors and ftudents in academical learning : in order to which,
he had himfelf fct on foot a voluntary fubfcription, amounting
to a great fum ; and, not content with that, came over into
England in .1693, to folicit the affair at court. Queen Mary was
fo well pleafed with the noble defign, that fhe elpoufed it with
a particular zeal ; and king William alfo very readily concurred
with her in it. Accordingly a patent paffed iot cre£ling and
endowing a college, by the name of the William and Mary
college J and Mr. Blair, who had the principal hand in laying,
folliciting, and concerting the defign, was appointed prefident
of the college. He was bcfides reftor of Williamfburgh in Vir-
ginia, and prefident of the council in that colony [f]. He con-
tinued prefident of the college near 50, and a minifter of the
gofpel above 60 years. He was a faithful labourer in God*s vine-
yard, an ornament to his profeffion and his feveral offices ; and
m a good old age went to enjoy the high prize of his calling,
in the year 1743 L^]'
BLAIR CJoHN), was educated at Edinburgh ; and came to
London in company with Andew Henderfon, a voluminous
writer, who, in his title-pages ftyled himfelf A. M. and for fomc
years kept a bookfeller's {hop in Weftminfter-hall [h]. Hen-
derfon's firft employment was that of an uiher at a fchool in
Hedge-lane, in which he was fucceeded by his friend Blaij, who,
in 1794, obliged the world with a valuable publicaticn, under
the title of " The chronology and hiftory ot the world, from
the creation to the year of Chrift 1753. lUuftrated in 56 tables ;
of which four are introdu£lory, and contain the centuries prior
to the firft olympaid ; and each of the remaining 52, contain in
one expanded view 50 years, or half a century. Hy the rev. John
Blair, L.L. D." This volume, which is dedicated to lord chan-
[p] Burnet's Hift. vol. ii. p. 119. 4V0U. 8vo. The executors of Dr. Bray
Humphrey's HiA. account, p. 9, 10. (to whom the author had previoufly tranf-
[cj His works arc y *' Our Saviour's ierred his copy.right) afterwards publiihcd
divine fermon on the mount, explained ; a new impreffioni revlfed and corre^ed.
and t!ie pradice of it recommended in di- [h J Nichols's hift. of Hinckley, p.189.
vers iermons and difcourf^pSy Loiid.1742."
C c 4 ccUor
39^ BLAIR.
cellorHardwickc, was publifhed by fubfcription, on account of the
great ex pence of the plates, for which the author apologized in
his preface, where he acknowledged great obligations to the earl
of Bath, and announced fome chronological diflertations, where*-
in he propofed to illuftrate the difputcd points, to explain the
prevailing fyftems of chronology, and to eftablifh the authorities
upon which fome of the particular aeras depend. In January
1755 he was clefted F. R. S. and in 1761 F. A. S. In 1756 he
publifhed a fecond edition of his Chronological Tables. In Sept.
1757, he was appointed chaplain to the princefs dowager of
Wales, and mathematical tutor to the duke of York ; and, on
Dr. Townihend's promotion to the deanry of Norwich, the fer-
vices of Dr. Blair were rewarded, March 10, 1761, with a pre*
bendal ftall at Weftminfter. The vicarage of Hinckley happen-*
ing to fall vacant fix days after, by the death of Dr. Morres, Dr.
Blair was prefented to it by the dean and chapter of Weft-
minfler ; and in Auguft that year he obtained a difpenfation to
hold with it the rcftory of Burton Goggles in LincolnOiire. In
September 1 763 he attended his royal pupil the duke of York
in a tour to the continent 5 had the fatisfatlion of vifiting Liibon,
Gibraltar, Minorca, mod of the principal cities in Italy, and
feveral parts of France ; and returned with the duke in Auguft
1764. In 1768 he publifhed an improved edition of his Chro-
nological Tables, which he dedicated to the princefs of Wales,
who had expreffed her early approbation of the former edition.
To the edition were annexed, fourteen maps of ancient and mo-
dern geography, for illuftrating the tables of chronology and
hiftory. To which is prefixed a difiertation on the progrefs of
geography. In March 1771 he was prefented by the dean and
chapter of Weflminfter to the vicarage of St. Bride's in the
city of London 5 which made it necefTary for him to refign
Hinckley, where he had never refided for any length of time.
On the death of Mr. Sims, in April 1776, he refigned St. Bride's,
and was prefented to the reftory of St. John the evangelift in
Weftminfter j and in June that year obtained a difpenfation to
hold the reftory of St. John with that of Horton, near Cole-
brooke, Bucks. His brother captain Blair [ij falling glorioufly
[1] This able oflicer, for his gallant the bed of honour, and became one of
conduct in ihe Dolphin frigate in the en- tliree heroes to whom their country, by
ragement with the Dutch on the Dogger its reprefentatives, has voted a monuments
Sank, Augufl 5, 178 1, was promoted tp for which an ingenious writer in the Gen-
the command ot the Anfon, a new fhip of tkman's Magazine has propofed the fol.
64 guns. By bravely dlftmgulihing him- lowing well-adapted lines as ^art of ai^
fc}f und^r (ir George Rodney, he fell m epitaph :
*• This Urt juft tribute grateful Britain pays.
That diltant time may learn her Heroes* praife.
Fir'd with like x.al, fleets yet unform'd diAW gain
Another Blair, a Manners, and a Ba v n e ;
A"<i future Chiefs (hall unrepining bleed,
WI)«o Sen»(es chus rewv4 apd cckbratc the dec4."
in
BLAKE. 393
in the fcrvice of his country in the memorable fea* fight of
April 12, 1782, the fliock accelerated the doftor's death. He
had at the fame time the influenza in a fevere degree, which put
a period to his lifci June 24, 1782. His library was fold by
auAion December 1 1-13, 1781 ; and a courfe of his Le£tureson
the canons of the Old Teftament, has fince appeared.
BLAKE (Robert), a famous admiral, born Aiiguft 1599, at
Bridgewacer, in Somerfetfliire, where he was educated at the
grammar-fchool [k]. He went from thence to Oxford, where
he was entered at St. Alban's hall, but removed to Wadham
college, and in 1617 took the degree of B.A. [l]. In 1623
he wrote a copy of verfes on the death of Camden^ and foon
after left the univerfity. He was tinfturcd pretty early with
republican principles; and diiliking that feverity with which
Laud, then bifliop of Bath and Wells, preiTed uniformity
in his diocefe, he began to fall into the puritanical opinions.
The natural bluntnefs and fincerity of his difpofition led him to
fpeak freely upon all occafions, infomuch that, his fentiments
being generally known, the puritan party got him eledlcd mem-
ber tor Bridge water in 1640 [m]. When the civil war broke out,
he declared for the parliament. In 1643 ^^ ^^^ ^^ Briftol, under
the command of col. Fiennes, who intrufted him with a little
fort on the line ; and, when prince Rupert attacked Briftol, and
the governor had agreed to furrender it upon articles, Blake
neverthelefs for fome time held out his fort, and killed feveral
of the kirtg's forces : which exafperated prince Rupert to fuch a
degree, that he talked of hanging him, had not fome friends
interpofed, and excufed him on account of his want of experi-
ence in war [n]. He ferved afterwards in Somerfetihire, under
the command of Popham, governor of Lyme ; and, being much
beloved in thofe parts, he had fuch good intelligence there, that
in conjun£lion with fir Robert Pye, he furprifed Taunton for
the parliament [o J. In 1644 he was appointed governor of this
place, which was of the utmoft importance, being the only gar-
rifon the parliament had in the weft. The works about it were
not flrong, nor was the garrifon numerous } yet, by his AriBt
difcipline, and kind behaviour to the townfmen, he found means
to keep the place, though not properly furnifhed with fupplies,
and fometimes befieged, and even blocked up by the king's
forces. At length Goring made a breach, and a£lually took part
of the town ; while Blake ftill held out the other part and the
caftle, till relief came. For this fervice the parliament ordered the
garrifon a bounty of 2oool. and the governor a prefent of 500L
[k] Lives I^ritiOi and ForeigUi vol. ii« fv] Clarendon's Hid. vol.iii. p. 6^2.
p. 75. Loud. 1 7041 Svo. To] RufliworUi'a Hiilorical coUcAionSff
f l] Wood's Fafti, OxoD.vol. i. cqL aoj, f oC ▼. p. 685.
[mJ Ibid. C9i..204.
When
594 BLAKE.
When the parliament had voted no farther addrcflcs fliould b^
jnade to the king, Blake joined in an addrefs from the borough
of Taunton, exprefling their gratefuliiefs for this ftep taken by
the houfe of commons [p]. However, when the king came to
be tiied, Blake difapproved of that meafure, as illegal j and was
frequently heard to fay, he would as freely venture his life to
fave tire king's, as ever he did to ferve the parliament. But this
Js thought to have been chiefly owing to the humanity of his
temper ; lince after the death of the king he fell in wholly with
/he republican party, and, next to Cromwell, was the ableft
pfficer the parliament had.
Feb. 12, 1649, he was appointed to command the fleet, in
conjunftion with coL Deane and col. Popham. Soon after he
was ordered to fail, with a fquadron of men of war, in purfuit
of prince Rupert. Blake came before Kinfale in June 1649^
where prince Rupert lay in harbour. He kept him in the har-»
bour till the beginning of October ; when the prince, defpaxring
pf relief by fea, and Cromwell being ready to take the town by
land, provifions of all forts falling fhort, he refolved to force
his way through Blake's fquadron, which he effefted with the
lofs of three of his (hips. The prince's fleet fteercd their coii^rfe
to Lifbon, where they were protefted by the king of Portugal.
Jrlake fcnt to the king for leave to enter, and coming near with
his (hips, the cadle (hot at him ; upon which he dropped anchor,
and fent a boat to know th^reafon of this hoftility. The captain
of the caftle anfwered, he nad no orders from tne king to Ic^
his (hips pafs : however, the king commanded one of the lords
of the court to wait upon Blake, and to defire him not to come
1% except the weather proycd bad, left fome quarrel (houl4
happen between him and jrrince Rupert ; the king fent him, at
the fame time, a large prcfcnt of frefli provifions. The weather
proving bad, Blake failed up the river- into the bay of Wyers,
but two miles from the place where prince Rupert's (hips lay 5
and thence he fent capt. Moulton, to inform the king of the
falfities in the prince's declaration. The king, however, (till rc-
fufin^ to allow the admiral to attack prince Rupert,. Blake took
five of the Brazil fleet richly laden, and at the fame time fent
notice to him, that unlcfs he ordered the prince's (hips out from
his river, he would feize the reft of the portuguefe fleet from
America [q^]. Sept. 1650 the prince endeavoured to get out of
the harbour, but was foon driven in again by Blake, who fent
to England nine portuguefe ftiips bound for Brazil. Odlobcr
following, he a^id Popham met with a fleet of 23 fail from Brazil
for Lilbon, of whom they funk the admiral, took the vice-ad-
miral, and II other fliips, having 10,000 chefts of fugar on
[pj Lives Englifli and Foreign, vol, U. p. 81, 82. [^, lbid» vol. ij. p. 89.
board.
B L A K !jS. 391
4>5ari. In Ms return home, he met with two (hips in fcarch of
jfhc prince, whom he followed up the Stteights ; when he took
a French man of war, the captain of which had committed hof-r
tilities. He fent this prize, which was reported worth a million,
into Calais, and followed the prince to the port of Carthagena,
where he lay with the remainder of his fleet. As foon as Blake
pame to anchor before the for^, he fent a meffenger to the fpaniih
governor, informing him, that an enemy to the ftatc of England
was in his port, that the parliament had commanded him to pur-
fuc him, and the king of Spain being in amity with the parliament,
he defired leave to take all advantages againft their enemy. The
governor repUed, he could not take notice of the difference of
;iny nations or perfons amongft themfelves, only fuch as w^rc
declared enemies to the king his matter ; that they came in thir
ther for fafety, therefore he could not refufe them protection,,
and that he would do the like for the admiral. Blake ftill prefled
the governor to permit him to attack the prince, and the Spaniard
put him off till he could have orders from Madrid. While the
admiral was cruizing in the Mediteranean, prince Rupert got
out of Carthagena, and failed to Malaga [r]. Blake having no-
tice of his dcllroying many englifti (hips, followed him 5 and at-
tacking him in the port, burnt and dellroyed his whole fleet,
^wo (hip? only excepted ; this was in January 1651 [s]. In Fe-
bruary, Blake took a french man of war of 40 guns, and fent it,
with other prizes, to England. Soon after he came with his
fquadron to Plymouth, when he received the thanks of the par-
liament, and was made warden of the cinque ports. March fol-
lowing, an aft pafled, whereby colonel Blake, colonel Popham,
and colonel Deane, or any two of them^ were appointed ad-
mirals and generals of the fleet, for the year enfuing. The next
fcrvicc he was put upon, was the reducing the ifles of Scilly,
which were held for the king [t]. He failed in May, with a
body of 800 land troops on board. Sir John Grenville, who
commanded in thofe parts for the king, after fome fmall refift-
ance fubmitted. He failed next for Guernfey, which was held
for the king, by (ir George Carteret. He arrived there in 0£lo-
|>er, and landing what forces he had the very next day, he did
every thing in his power in order to make a fpeedy conqueft
of the illand, which was not completed that year. In the be-
ginning of the next, however, the governor, finding all hopes
of relief vain, thought proper to make the bed terms he could.
For this fervice Blake had thanks from the parliament, and was
ele£led one of the council of ftate. March 25, 1652, he was
appointed fole admiral for nine months, on the profpefl: of 2
Eii]Bates,elenchuimotuum»p.ii.p.72. [t] Lives EniliOi and Foreign, vol. ii.
s] Hcath'i chroB. of the civil vtut, p. 93.
dutch
396 BLAKE.
dutch war. The flatcs fent Van Trump, with 45 fail of mcS
of war, into the Downs, to infult the Englifli : Blake, how-
ever, though he' had but 23 (hips, and could expecSl no fuccour
but from major Bourne, who commanded eight more, yet, being
attacked by Van Trurap, fought him bravely, and forced him to
retreat. This was on the 19th of May 1652. After this engage-
ment the ftates feemed inclined to peace ; but the common-
wealth of England demanded fuch terms as could not be com*
plied with, and therefore both (ides prepared to carry on the
war with greater vigour. Blake now harafled the enemy by
taking their merchant (hips, in which he had great fuccefs. On
the 10th of June, a det-^chment from his fleet fell upon 26 fjiil
of dutch merchantmen, and took them every one ; and, by the
end of June, he had fent into port 40 prizes. On the 2d of
July, he failed, with a (troug fquadron, northwards. In his
courfe he took a dutch man of war ; and about tlie latter end
of the month, he fell on 12 men of war, convoy to their herring
bufles, took the whole convoy, 100 of their bud'es, and difperfed
the reft. Auguft 12 he returned into the Downs, with (ix of
the dutch men of war, and 900 prifoners [u]. Thence he flood
over to the coaft of Holland, and, on Sept. aStli, having dif-
covered the dutch about noon, though he had only tliree of his
own fquadron with liim^ vice-admiral Penn with his fquadron
at fome diftance, and the reft a league or two aftern, he bore
in among the dutch fleet, being bravely feconded by Penn and
Bourne ; when three of the enemy's fliips were wholly difabled
at the (irft brunt, and another as ihe was towing off. The rear-
admiral was taken by captain Mildmay ; and had not night in-
tervened, it was thought not a fxngle (hip of the dutch fleet
would have efcaped. On the 29th, about day-break, the Englifti
fpied the dutch fleet N. E. two leagues ofl^; the admiral bore
vp to them, but the enemy having the wind of him, he could
not reach them ; however, he commanded his light frigates
to ply as near as they could, and keep firing while the reft
bore up after them .5 upon which the Dutch hoifted their
fails and run for it. The Englifti, being in want of provifions,
returned to the Downs. Blake having been obliged to make
large detachments from his fleet. Van Trump, who had again
the command of the dutch navy, confifting of 80 men of war,
refolved to take this opportunity of attacking him in the Downs,
knowing he had not above half his number of (hips. He ac-
cordingly failed away to the back of the Goodwin. Blake having
intelligence of this, called a council of war, wherein it was re-
folved to fight, though at fo great a difadvantage. The <^ngage^
ment began November 29, about two in the morning, and lafted
[u] Heath's Chronicle; p. 32%.
tiU
BLAKE; 597
till near fix m the evening. Blake was aboard the Triumph ;
this Ihip, the Vidlory, and the Vanguard, fufFcred moft, having
been engaged, at one time, with 20 of the enemy*s beft (hips.
The admiral, finding his (hips much difabled, and that the
Dutch had the advantage of the wind, drew o£F his fleet in the
night into the Thames, having loft the Garland and Bonaven-
ture, which were taken by the Dutch ; a fmall frigate was alfo
burnt, and three funk ; and his remaining (hips much ihattered
and difabled : Trump, however, bought this vjftory dear, one
of his flag (hips being blown up, all the men drowned, and hh
own fliip andDe Ruyter's both unfit for fervice till they were re-
paired. This fuccefs puffed up the Dutch exceedingly ; Van
• Trump failed through the channel with a broom at his maih-'
top-maft, to fignify that he had fwcpt the feas of englifh (hips.
In the mean time Blake having repaired his fleet, and Monk
and Deane being now joined in commiflipn with him, failed,
Feb. 8, 1653 , from Queenfborough with fixty men of war, which
were foon after joined with twenty more from Portfmouth [^J«
On the 1 8th they difcovercd Van Trump with feventy men of
war and 300 merchant (hips under his convoy. Blake, with
twelve (hips, came up with and engaged the Dutch fleet, and,
though grievoufly wounded in the thigh, continued the fight till
night, when the Dutth, who had fix men of war funk and
taken, retired. After having put afhore his wounded men at
j Portfmouth, he followed the enemy, whom he came up with
I next day, when the fight was renewed, to the lofs of the Dutch,
who continued retreating towards Bulloign. All the night fol-
lowing Blake continued the purfuit, and, in the morning of the
20th, the two fleets fought again till four in the afternoon, when
the wind blowing favourably for the Dutch, they fecured them-
felves on the flats of Dunkirk and Calais. In thefe three en-
gagements the Dutch loft eleven men of war, thirty merchant
fliips, and had fifteen hundred men flain. The Englifh loft
only one fhip, but not fewer meil than the enemy. In April
i Cromwell turned out the parliament, and (hortly after aflumed
I the fupreme power. The ftates hoped great advantages from
this, but were difappointed ; Blake faid on this occafion to his
^ oflicers, *^ It is not for us to mind ftate aflairs, but to keep fo-
reigners from fooling us[y3." Towards the end of the month
>' Blake and his colleagues, with a fleet of an hundred fail, ftood
over to the dutch coaft, and forced their fleet to take fhelter in
I the Texel ; where, for fome time, they were kept by Monk and
Deane, while Blake failed northward : at laft Trump got out,
and drew together a fleet of an hundred and twenty men of
war. June 3d, Deane and Monk engaged him off tne North
[x] Htatli's Chronicle, p. 381. [v] Batesi eUnchus mot. p. 2. p. i74«
Foreland.
398 BLAKE.
•
Foteland fz]. On the 4^ Blake came to their affiftance widi
eighteen frcfh .fliips, by which means a complete viftory was
gained ; and if the Dutch had not again faved themfelves on
Calais fands, their whole fleet had been funk or taken. Crom-
well having called the parliament, ftyled the Little Parliament,
Blake, Oft. 10, took his feat in the houfe, ^here he received
their folemn thanks for his many and faithful fervices. The pro-^
tcftor afterwards called a new parliament, confifting of four
hundred, where Blake fat alfo, being the reprcfenrative for his
native town of Bridgewater. Dec. <)th, he was appointed one o£
the commiflloners of the adniiralty. Nov. 1654, Cromwell fen£
him with a ftrong fleet into the Mediterranean, with inftrudlion^
to fupport the honour of the engliOi flag, and to procure fatif-
fadion for any injuries that might have been done to our mer-
chants* In December Blake came into the road of Cadiz, where
he was treated with great refped ; a dutch admiral would not
hoift his flag while he was there. The Algerines were fo much
afraid of him that they Hopped their Sallce rovers, obliged them
to deliver up what engliih prifoners they had on board, and fent
them to Blake in order to procure his favour. Neverthelefs he
came before Algiers on the loth of March, when he fent ah of-
ficer on (hore to the dey, to tell him he had orders to demand
fatisfaSion for the piracies committed on the Engliih, and to
infift on the releafe of all fuch englifti captives as were then in
the place. To this the dey made anfwer, that the captures
belonging to particular men he could not reftote; but, if
Mr. Blake pleafed, he might redeem what engliih captives were
there at a reafonable price ; and, if he thought proper^ the Al-
gerines would conclude a peace with him, and for this future
offer no afts of hoftility to the Englifti. This anfwer wad ac-
companied with a prefent of frefti provifions. Elake failed to
Tunis on the fame errand. The dey of Tunis fent him a
haughty anfwer. ** Here (faid he) are our caftlcs of Goletta
and Porto Ferino, do your worft I do you think we fear your
fleet ?'* On the hearing this, Blake, as his cuftom was when id
a paflion, began to curl his whiflcers *, and, after a fliort conful-
tation with his officers, bore into the bay of Porto Ferino with
his great (hips ; when, coming within mufquet fhot of the callle^
he fired on it fo briikly, that in two hours it was rendered de-
fencekfs, and the guns on the works along the fhore were dif-
mounted, though fixty of them played at a time upon the En-
. glifli. He found nine (hips in the road, and ordered every cap-J
tain, even of his own ftiip, to man his long boat with choice
men, and thefe to enter the harbour and fire the Tunifcens,
while he and his fleet covered them from the caflle, by playing
[z] LiTCt Eo^ih and Foieign, vol. 11. p. 109.
continuallf
BLAKE. ^9^
^ntinually ot) it with their cannon. The feamen in thek boat$
holdly aiTaulted the pirates, and burnt all their (hips, with the
lofs of twenty-five men killed and forty-eight wounded [a]»
This daring a£lion fprcad the terror of his name through Africa
and Aiia, which had for a long time before been formidable in
Europe. He alfo ilruck fuch terror into the piratical itate of
Tripoly, that he made them glad to ftrike up a peace with Eng-
land. Thefe and other exploits raifed the glory of the englilb
name fo hieh, that mod of the princes and flates in Italy thought
fit to pay their compliments to the proteftor, particularly the
grand duke of Tufcany, and the republic of Venice, who
fent magnificent embaflies for tliat purpofe. The war in the
mean time was grown pretty hot with Spain ; and Blake ufed
his utmoft eftbrts to ruin their maritime force in Europe, as
Penn had done in the Weft Indies. But, finding hittifelf now
in a declining ftate of health, and fearing the ill confequences
which might enfue, in cafe he (hould die without any colleague
to take charge of the fleet, he wrote letters into England, defir-
ing fome proper perfon to be named in commifTion with himj
upon which general Montague was fent joint-admiral with &
ftrong fquadron to aflift him [bJ. Soon after his arrival in the
Mediterranean, the two admirals failed with their whole fleet to
block up a fpanifh fquadron in the bay of Cadiz. At length, in
September, being in great want of water, Blake and RJontaguc
ftood away for the coaft of Portugal, leaving captain Stayner
with feven Ihips to look after the enemy. Soon after they were
gone, the fpaniih plate fleet appeared, but were intercepted by
Stayner, who took the vice-admiral and another galleon, which
I were afterwards burnt by accident, the rear-admiral, with two
millions of plate on board, and another fiiip richly laden. Tiiefe
prizes, together with all the prifoners, were fent into England
under general Montague, and Blake alone remained in the Me-
diterranean ;■ till being informed that another plate fleet had put
j* into Santa Cruz, in the ifland of TenerifFe, he failed thithec
j in April 1657 with a fleet of twenty-five men of war. On the
20th he came into the road of Santa Cruz ; and though the fpa-
niih governor had timely notice, was a man of courage and con-
du£l, and had difpofed all things in the moft proper manner, fo
that he looked upon an' attack as what no wife admiral would
think prafticable ; yet Blake having fummoned him, and receiv-
ed a fhort anfwer, was determined to force the place, and to
burn the fleet therein : and he performed it in fuch a manner
as appears next to incredible. It is allowed to be one of the
-moft remarkable adions chat ever happened at fea [cj. As footi
[a] Lives Engliih and Foreign, vol.2. [c] Hetrh's Chronicle, p. 591. Ci^-
'Knd(Xi'$ hift. vol. 3* p. 6oi.
Clarendon *« Hift. vol. 3. p. 580.
at
'■i>!
40O B L A K E.
as the ncw8 arrived of this extraordinary aftiofl, the protcflor
fent to acquaint his fccond parliament, then fitting, therewith 9
upon which they ordered a public thankfgiving, and direfted 3
diamond ring worth 500I. to be fent to Blake ; and the thanka
of the hoUfe was ordered to all the officers and feamen, and to
be given them by their admiral. Upon his return to the Medi-
terranean he cruifed fome time before Cadiz ; but finding him-
felf declining faft,' refolved to return home. He accordingly
failed for England, but lived not to fee again his native land ; for
he died^s the fleet was entering Plymouth, the 17th of Augult
1657, aged 58. His body was conveyed to Weftminfter abbey,
and interred with great funeral pomp in Henry VII.'s chapel;
but removed from thence in 1661, and rc-interred in St. Mar-
garet's church yard [d].
BLAKE (John Bradley), a gentleman who was cut off early
in life v but whofe progrefs and improvements in natural know-
ledge were fo great, that the editors of the fecond edition of
Biographia Britannica have tliought him entitled to an honour-
able place in their work. He was the fon of John Blake, Efq.
^nd born in London, Nov. 4, 1745 ; educated at Weftminfter
fchool; afterwards inftrudied in mathematics, chemiftry, and
drawing : but botany was his favourite objeft, in which he made
a great progrefs. With thefe advantages he fet out in life, and
in 1766 was fent as one of the Eaft India company's fuper-
cargoes at Canton in China : where he was no fooner nxed, than
he refolved to employ every moment of his time, which could be
fpared from the duties of his ftation, to the advancement of na-
tural fcience for the benefit of his countrymen. His plan was,
to procure the feeds of all the vegetables found in China, which
are ufed in medicine, manufa£tures, and food ; and to fend into
Europe not only fuch feeds, but the plants by which they were
produced. His view in this was, that they might be propagated
cither in Great Britain and Ireland, or in thofe colonies of Ame-
rica, the foil and climate of which might fuit them beft. But it
[d] Clarcndoa having mentioned all man who brought the (hips to contemn
Blake's employmeots to the time of his caflles on (hore, which had been thought
firft going on board the fleet, concludes ever very formidable, and' were difcovered
thus : " He then betook himfelf wholly by him to make a noife only, and to friglit
to the Tea, and quickly made himfelf fig- thofe whb could be rarely hurt by them,
xial there. He was the firtlman that de- He was the firft that iofufed that propor-
dined the old track, and made it manifell tion of courage into the feamen, by mak-
that the fcience might be attained in lefs ing them fee by experience what mightj
time than was imagined, and d^fpifed things they could do if they were refolvedp
thofe rules' which had been long in prac- and taught them to fight in fire as well
tice, to keep his (hip and his men out of as upon water ; and though he has becji
danger ; which had been held in former very well imitated and followed, he was
times a point of great ability and circum- the firft that gave the example of that
fpedion, as if the principal art rcquifite in kind of naval courage, and bold and fcfo-
the captain of a (hip had been to be fure lute achievements." Hilt vol. iii« p. 39s.
10 come fafe home again. He was the firft
was
BLANC. 401
was not to botanic fubjefis alone, that Mr. Blake's genius wail
confined : he had begun to collect foflils and ores ', and he now
attended as much to mineralogy, as he had done to botany.
It would exceed the limits of our plan, to relate particularly
what he did in both. However, he is fuppofed to hate facri^^
ficed his life to the clofenefs and ardour of his purfuits. By de-
nying himfelf the needful recreations, and by fitting too intenfe*
ly to his drawing and ftudies, he brought on a gravelly com-
plaint ; and this increafing to the (lone, and being accompanied
with a fever, carried him off at Canton, Nov. 16, 1773, in his
29th year. The friends of natural knowledge in England were
preparing to have him enrolled among the members of the
Royal Society, when the news of his death arrived : however, fir
John Pringle, the prefident, took an opportunity of making his
eloge, and lamented the lofs of him very pathetically, as a public
misfortune.
BLANC (Thomas le), jcfuit of Vitri in Champagne, who
diedatRheims in 16^9, after having been provincial, was pious
and learned There are a great number of works by him, on
the duties of the feveral conditions in life : le bon Valec \ la boime
Servante ; le bon Vigneron ; le bon Laboureur j le bon Artifan ;
le bon Riche ; le bon Pauvre ; le bon Ecolier 9 le Soldat gene-
reux, &c. But the book that brought him the greated reputa^
tion is an ample commentary on the Pfalms, under this title :
Analyfis pfalmorum davidicorum, I>yons, 1665, 6 vols folio,
reprinted at Cologne in 1681. The author docs not confine
himfelf to the literal fenfe ; he enters into all the myftical ap-
plications of the different expofitors, and therefore one may^
well be aftoniOied that he could crowd his matter into fix vo->
lumes folio.
BLANC (John Bernard le), hiftoriographer of build-
ings of the academy della Crufca, and of that of the Arcades at
Rome, was born at Dijon in 1 707, of prrents but ill provided
with the goods of fortune. He went to Paris, where he gained
friends and patrons. He then came to London, where he met
with the fame advantage In 1746 Maupcrtuis offered liimi on
the part of the king of Pruffia, a place fuitable to a man of* let-
ters, at the court of Berlin; but, endued with philofophy and
moderation, he preferred mediocrity at home to flatiering hopes
held out to him from abroad. Abbe le Blanc died in 1781. His
tragedy of ^benfai'de, the fubjeft of which is very intercfting,
was well received at firft, notwithftanding the harfhnefs of the
vcrfification ; but it did not fupport this fucCefs, when revived on
the flage in 1 743. What moil brought the abbe le Blanc into
repute was the colleflion of his letters on the englifli, 1758, .
3 vols. i2mo. where we meet with matters properly feen, found
judgments, and judicious refIe£lions: but he is heavy, formal^
Vol. lU D d fruitful
401 B L A N C H E T.
fruitful in vulgar notions, and trivial in his erudition; He re-
peats, and fometimes contradi<fis himfelf. The praifes he be*
ftows on the great men, or the literati to whom he addreffes his
letters, are deficient in eafe, precifion and delicacy. The letters
of abbe le Blanc cannot bear a comparifon with the London of
Grofley, who has had the art of making his work more plcafing
and poignant.
BLANCHARD (James), an eminent painter, bom at Paris
in 1600. He learnt the rudiments of his profeflion under his
uncle Nicholas Bolleri, but left him at twenty years of age with
an intention to travel to Italy. He (topped at Lyons in his way
thither, where he (laid for fome time ; and during his re(idence
here reaped both profit and improvement. He pa(red on to
Rome, where he continued about two years. From thence he
went to Venice, where he was fo much pleafed with the works
of Titirv, Tintoret, and Paul Veronefe, that he refolved to fol-
low their manner ; and in this he fucceeded fo far, that at his
return to Paris he foon got into high employment ; being gene-
rally efteemed for the novelty, beauty, and force of his pen-
cil [e]. He painted two galleries at Paris, one belonging to
the firft prefident, Perrault, and the other to monfieur de Bul-
lion, fuperintendant of the finances. But his capital piece is
reckoned to be that at the church of Notre Dame, St. Andrew
kneeling before the crofs, and the holy ghoft defcending. Blan-
chard was in a likely way of making his fortune ; but a fever
and an impodhume in the-lungs carried him ofF in his 38th year.
Of all the french painters Blanchard was efteemed the beft co-
lourift, having ftudied this part of painting with great care in
the Venetian fchool. There are few grand compofitions of his ;
but what he has left of this kind (hew him to have had great ge-
nius. He was moftiy taken up with madonnas, which prevented
his employing himfelf in fubjeds of greater extent.
BLANCHET (Thomas), a painter, born at Paris in 161 7,
th« difciple and friend of Pou(rm and Albano, was appointed
profeffbr of painting by the academy of Paris, though abfent,
which is contrary to eftabliflied cuftom 5 but Blanchet was de-
ferving of this departure from the rules. Le Brun prefentcd his
pidure for reception, reprefenting Cadmus killing a dragon.
He fpent a part of his life at Lyons, and there died in 1689. A
cieling at the town-houfe of that place, in which Blanchet dif-
played the whole force of his talents, was burnt by fire. This
painter excelled in hiftory and portraits. His touches are bold,
agreeable and cafy, his drawing correft, his colouring excellent*
Several of his pi<ftures are feen at Paris and at Lyons.
BLANCHET (Abbe), cenfor royal, interpreter at the royal
[k] Du Piles* Lives of the pain ten.
library.
BLAND; 403
^library, and keeper of the books ifi the french king^s cabinet,
quitted that place to go and live in obfcurity at St- Germain-
en-laye. It was there he died in 1784, at about 80. His difpo^
fition was amiable in fociety, where he appeared but little ; but
he was gloomy and rnelancholy in the folitude to which he con-
demned himfelf. Premature infirmities had confiderably al-
tered his temper. He was opprefled with vapours, from which
he fufFered alone, and by which he was afraid of making others
fufFer. It was this that made him feck retirement. ** Such as I am,
faid he, I muft bear with myfelf \ but are others obliged to bear
with me ?^' By nature difmterefted, he conftaritly refufed favours
and benefits, and it was with great difficulty he could be made
to accept of any thing. The advancement of his friends was
tiot fo indifferent to him as his own ; he \vas delighted when
tJiey were promoted to any agreeable or ufcful place. Thd
abbe Blanchet was fcarcely known to the public till after his
death. Of his writing arc the Varietes morales et amufantes,
1784; and, Apologues et contes orientaux, 1785, 8vo. From
both colle£lions he (hews himfelf as a maii well read, who has
the talent of writing with much fentiment, philofophy and
iafte. There are likewife by hfm feveral little pieces of poetry,
of the light and agreeable kind, of which the greater part were
attributed to the beft poets of the time, who did not fhew any
Vehement difdain at the imputation ; which made the abbe Blan-
chet fay ; I am delighted that the rich adopt my children.
BLAND (Elizabeth). This gentlewoman was remarkable
both for her knowledge of the hebrew language, and for ^ pecu-»
liar (kilfulnefs in writing it.
She was born about the time of the reftoration, and waj
daughter and heir of Mr. Robert Fiflier of Long-acre.
April 26, 1681^ (he married Mr. Nathanael Bland (then a li-
nen-draper in London, afterwards lord of the manor of Beefton
in Yorkfhire), by whom (he had fix children, who all died in
tbeir infancy, excepting one fon named Jofeph, and a daughter
called Martha, who was married to Mr. George Moore of Bee-
fton aforefaid. She was in(lru£led in the hebrew language by
the lord Van Helmont, which (he underftood to fuch a degree of
perfeftion, thatflie taught it to her fon and daughter.
Among the curiofities of the royal fociety is preferved of her
t^riting, a phylaftery in hebrew, of which Dr. Grew has ^iven
us adefcription in his Account of rarities preferved at Greftiam
college, folio, London, 1681. It was written by her at the re-
queft of Mr. Thorefby, and flie gave it to that repofitory.
By the two pedigrees of the family, printed in Mr. Thorefby's .
Ducatus Leodienfis, pages 209 and 587, it fccms that flic was
living in 1712.
Ddi Thil
4^4 B L E T £ R f £•
This IS all the accotltit we hare been able to procure eit&er of
her or her writings, which probably were confiderable, as her
attainments in this one branch of learning were fo complete [fJ.
BLELCK (Peter Van), air eminent painter, died July 20,
1764^ He painted thofe celebrated comedians^ Johnfon and
Griffin, in the characters of Ananias and Tribulation in the
Alchymift. Mr. Walpole mentions Johnfon as the mod na-
tural aftor he ever faw, and fays, *' he well fupported the info-
fcnt dignity of perfecution in bilhop Gardiner, and, completely
a pricft, fhifted it in an inftant to the fawning infidious flave, as
foon as Henry frowned. This was indeed hiftory, when Shak-
fpeare wrote it, and Johnfon reprcfented it : but when we read
it in fictitious harangues, and wordy declamations, it is a tale toU
by a pedant to a fchool-boy [o]."
BLETERIE[h], (John Philip Rene de la), born at
Rennes, entered early into the congregation of the oratory, and
was there a diftinguiftied profeffor. The order againft wigs oc-
cafioned his guirting itj but he retained the friendihip and
efteem of his former brethren. He went fo Paris, where his ta-
lents procured him a chair of eloquence in the college royal, and
a place in the academy of belles lettres. He pubhihed feveral
works which have been well received by the public : i- The life
of the emperor Julian, Paris, 1735, 1746, i2mo. a curious per-
formance [i], well written, amd diftinguiftied at once by impar-
tiality, precifion, elegance and judgment. 2. The hiftory of the
emperor Jovian, with tranflations of fome works of the emperor
Juliair, Paris, 174.8, 2 vols. i2mo [k], a book no lefs valuable
than the former, by the art with which the author has felefled^
arranged and eftabliflied fafts, and by the free and varied turn*
of the tranflator, l^he life of Jovian, however, fecms much in-
ferior to that of Julian. But the difference, foys Mr. Peliflbt,
may be owing to the chaVaftcr of thofe two pcrfons, who in fadi
are very diffimirlar. 3. A tranflation of fome works of Tacitus>
Parity *7SS* ^ ^°^*' '^n^^- The manners of the Germans, and
the life of Agrkola, are the two pieces comprrfed in this vcrfion,
which rs equally elegant and faithful. Prefixed b a Life of
Tacitus, which is alfo worthy of this writer, by the ftrength of
its fentiments, and the anrmation of its ftyle. For this hiftoriaa
the abbe de la Bleterie had a kind of prediIe£lion ; he fpoke of
Ikim inceffantly to his friends. " To Taciitus, faid he, I am
much indebted *, I ought therefore m juftice to dedicate to hi»
glory the remainder of my life.'* 4. Tiberius, of the fix firft
[r"] Bar.ard^sMenxoin of learned Iadic» [1] Trandated into englHh under Uie
lA the ivth ainU xviihr centuries. infpc^ion of Mr. Bowycr, in 1746.
To] Walpole's anecdotes of painting. [k] Abridged, by Mr. Duncombe, in
[mJ his thus printed with a fiftgU T &o5cleA works of the emperor Julian,
ifft hit Htiblre de Julka. 17841 % Yoh, SvQ*
booU
• B L O N D E L* 405
^ools of the annals of Tacitus, traaflated into French, Paris,
1768, 3 vols. i2mo. This work has 'Undergone fome juft cri-
ticifms ; it is written in a vulgar, affe£3bed ftyle, and we very
feldom difcover in it the elegant hiftoiian xnf Julian. It occa-
fioned at the time tfaefc two lines :
Des dogmes de {^efnel un tt^fle proSlyte
£n boui^eots du Marais fait parler Tacite [l].
This tranflation is in other reTpefts fufficieatly exaA. 5. Let«
ters occafioned by the account of Quietifm given by M. Phely-
peaux, 1733, i2mo. This pamphlet, which is fcarce, and very
well written, contains a defence of the condufl of Madame de
Guyon. 6. Some diflertations [m] in the Memoirs «f the aca*
demy of belles lettres, well eftcemed. 7. Mod: humble remon-*
ftrances of M. dc Montrempuis; an obfcure and indifferent
work, fays M. PeliiTot, in favour of a pedant, who had made
himfelf ridiculous by an abfurd and unlucky adventure. The
abbe de la Bleterie died at an advanced age in I772» He
was a man of learning, attached to religion, and his morals did
not belie his principles. His knowledge being fblid and diver^
fificd, rendered his converfation ufeful and intcrefting. With
found rather than brilliant talents, endowed with more judg-
ment than imagination, he had the merit of knowing how td
choofe his friends, and how to retain them.
I BLOEMART, a painter, born at Gorcum in Holland, 1567.
I His father was an architeft, who retired from the Low Coun*
■' tries during the didurbances there, to Utrecht, whither his foa
I followed him ; and here it was that he learnt the firft principles
of his profeflion [nX He was never fo lucky however as to be
under any able mafter. He formed a manner tc himfelf, as na*
lure and nis genius direded him. It was eafy, graceful, and
univerfal : he underftood the claro obfcuro. The folds of his
draperies were large, and had a good effefl ; but his manner of
defigning had too much of his own country in it. A great num«
ber of prints have been engraved after his works. He died ill
164.7, aged 80.
BLONDEL (David), a proteftant minifter, famous for his
knowledge in ecelefiaflical and civil hiftory, bom at Chalons in
Champagne, 1591. He was admitted minifter at a fynod of
the Ifle of France in 1614. ,A few years, afterwards he began
I to write if} defence of oroleftantifm ; for in 16 19 he publiftied a
treatife intituled, ** Modefte declaration de la finccrite et veritc
[l] Of Quefnel's tenets afad (ie\'Otec Duncombe*s tranflation of the Sclent
Has made a burgher, Tacitus, of works of Julian» ^ol. ti. p. 365.
thcc. [n] Du Piles' ifivcft of the paiolen.
[uj O&e of Uiofe i« Abridged in Mr.
D d 3 des
4o8 BLOUNT.
for his pity to the keeper, whofe life he fpared, and by that meant
wai diicovercd. it was with no fmall difficulty that,the crown
was wrefted from him. The following famous epigram was
made on the occafion :
When dating Blood his rent to have regainedy
Upon the Englifh diadem ditirained,
He chofe the cafTock, furcingle, and gowm.
The fitteft garb for him that fteals a crown :
But his lay -pity underneath prevailed.
And while he fpared the keeper's life, he failed.
"Wtih the prieft's veilments bad he but put on
The prelate^ cruelty, the crown had gone [a].
•
Charles II. having a curiofity to fee him, Blood not only
owned his guilt, but even declared his having engaged in a
fcheme to murder him, but was checked by the awe of ma-
jcfty when he was about to {hoot him. Whatever were the
king's motives, he firft granted Blood a pardon, then an eilate
of 500I. a year in Ireland, and treated him afterward with fuch
familiarity, that many applied to him for favours from the king.
So that the king's enemies ufed to fay, he kept that villain about
him to intimidate tbofe who fliould dare to offend him : allud*
ing to the recent fate of fir John Coventry.
BLOUNT (Thomas), a learned cnglifli writer, born at Bor*
deflcy in Worcefterftiire in 161 9. He had not the advantage of
91 univerfity education, but by ftrcngth of genius and great ap*
plication made a confiderable progrefs in literature. Upon the
breaking out of the popifh plot in the reign of Charles II. being
much alarmed on account of his being a zealous roman catholic,
he contraftcd a palfy, as he informed Mr. Wood in a letter dated
April the 28th, 167^; adding, that he had then quitted all
books, except thofe of devotion [s]. He died the 26th of De-
cember following [t]. He was a barrifter at law, and of the
Inner Temple.
fk] Cenf. Mag for T7S0, p. ti^. 6. Booker refuted, or Animadverfiont «fi
U] Wood's Albcn.Oxon. vol. ii. Booker's Tclefcopium Uianicum, or E^
[tJ His v^orks are as fo low : i. The phcmeria, 1(6 » \%hich i» vcrycrri-aeooat
acjJemy ^f cluquence, co. ulnirg a com- ice. i66;, in one Qitti, ^to. 7. A law
pleat engltih rhetoric, z GioiTograph.ca, dictionary, 16:1. folio* S. Animadvei^
W « did>ionary ioterptciiiig fuch hard fions upon fir Richard Baker's chroni^ley
vords, whether hcbiew, fuc^ck, Uiin* ita- and its continuation, ^c. ^679, 8vow
Hani &c. th:it nrc now uicd in our lefined 9. A world of erroia difcovercd intbc new
tngllfti tongue &c, i6<6, c^vo. ;. The ^ or Id ot words, Ac. i' 7^, folio. 10. Frag-
]azapsofihe law, and ihe light of the go- n)riUaantiquit.itis j^ntienitfriures of iandt
ipcl : or the titles of fome late fpirituaj, and jocular cuftomsoi feme manors, t^?^.
polemical, and inetaph\tiral new books, it. Bofcobel, dec. the fecond part, Lond*
4. BrfioKfl ; or tk: htOory nt his maji;- )6^i, in 8vo; to i^hick is added, Clatf*
iiy'sefcapc afier |the battle of Worcerter, trum resale referatnm, oi the king's con*
1660, Svo. (. *fheca hol.c almanac f^r ccjlment i*t Trent, in Som«rfctfhire, fobf
> 166 1, 6», 6 3« Itc. But this not kill ng lb liihcd by Mrs Aooc Windham of Trent.
yfiii a^s John Booker 'k iilmaoac, he wrtftCj
?LOUNT
BLOUNT. 409
BLOUNT (Sir Henry), an cnglifli writer, bom Dec. 15,
1602, at Tittenhanger in Hertford (hire. He was educated at
the free-fchool of St. Alban's, from whence he was removed to
Triniiy college, Oxford, 16 16. He was a youth of a cheerful
difpofltion, and had a ftrong taile for claiBcal learning. In 16 18
he took his degree of bachelor of arts, and foon after left Ox*
ford. Then he went to Gray's Inn, where for fome time he ap-
plied himfelf to the law, and in 1634 fet out on his travels [u]«
After having vifited France, Spain, and Italy, he went to Venice,
where he contra£^ed an acquaintance with a janizary, whom he
refolved to accompany to the turkifli dominions. He according-
ly embarked, May 1634, on board a Venetian galley for Spalatro,
and thence continued his journey by land to Conitantinople.
His ftay at Conftantinople was ihort, for he went from thence
to Grand Cairo ; and after having been abroad two years re*
turned to England, where, in ib36, he printed an accojumt of
his travels. This work went through feveral editions. The
title of the 8th runs thus : ** A voyage into the Levant, being
a brief relation of a journey performed from England by the
way of Venice, into Dalmatia, Sclavonia, Bofnia, Hungary, Ma-
cedonia, 1 heflaly, Thrace, Rhodes, and iEgypt, into Grand
Cairo, with particular obfervations concerning the modern con-
dition of the Turks and other people under t»at empire."
In 1638 his father died, and left htm the feat of Blount's
hall in StafFordfliire, with a confiderable fortune. March 21,
1639, the king conferred on him the honour of kilighthood %
and upon the breaking out of the civil war, he attended his ma-
jefty to feveral places, was prefent at the battle of Edgehill ; and
at this jun£lurc is fuppofcd to have had the care of the young
princes. He afterwards quitted his majefty's fervice, and re-r
turned to London, where he was called to an account for ad-
hering to the king, but brought himfelf off by alleging his duty
on account of his port [x]. In 165 1 he was named by the par-
liament in a committee of twenty perfons, for infpefling the
praQice of the law, and remedying its abufes ; and about this
time he (hewed himfelf very aftive againit the payment of tithes,
being defirous to have reduced the income of parilh minifters to
one hundred pounds a year. He alfo fat with Dr. Zouch, Dr.
Clarke, Dr. Turner, civilians, and other eminent perfons ia
the court of King's (then called the upper) bench, in Weftmin-
fter-hall, on the 5th of July 1654, by virtue of a commiffion
from Oliver Cromwell, for trying Don Pantalion Sa, brother tp
the purtuguefe ambaflador, for murder. Nov. i, 1655, he was
appointed one of the twenty-one commilfioners to confider of
f he trade and navigation of the commonwealth.
[u] Voyage to the Levant; p. 25. [x] Wood's Athcn. Qsoo.
Be
410 BLOUNT.
He was received Into favour and confidence on the king's rc-
ftoration, and appointed high fhcriff of the county of Hertford
in 1 66 1 [y]. From this time he lived as a private gentleman,
fatisfied with the honours he had acquired and the eilate he
p^fTcfTed ; and after having paiTed upwards of twenty years in
tiiis manner, died 0£l. 9, ]682.
BLOLlNT (Sir Thomas Pope), an eminent englifli writer,
fon of the preceding fir Henry Blount, born at Upper Hollo-
way in Middlefex, Sept. 12, 1649. Lharles II. conferred upon
him the degree of a baronet in 1679 [z]. He was elcfted bur-
gefs for St. Alban's in HertfordOiire, the fame year, and was
knight of the iliire in three parliaments after the revolution ;
being alfo appointed commiflioner of accounts for the three laft
years of his life by the houfe of commons. He always diftin-
guifhed himfelf as a lover of liberty. He was a man of great
learning, and well verfcd in the beft writers ; of which he gave
a proof In his famous work, Cenfura celebriorum authorum,
i^cc [a]. His capacity for writing on a variety of important and
entertaining fubjecls appears from his eflays [b]. His extenfive
knowlcge is farther dil'played in another learned piece on na-
tural hiftory [c]. He wrote alfo a work on poetry, " De re po*
ctica, or remarks upon poetry ; with charafters and cenfures of
t\e mod confidcratie poets, whether antient or modern, extra£t-«
cd out of the bed and choicell critics." It i;j dedicated to John
earl of Mulgrave. After having acquired great honour in his
feveral public chara£lers, with cilcem and fricndfliip in private
life, he quietly ended his days at Ttttenhanger, June 30, 1697^
pot quite 48 vcars old.
13i-OUN l^ (Charles), younger fon of fir Henry Blount>
and an eminent writer alfo, born April 27, 1654. He had an
excellent capacity ; and, being trained by his father, quickly ac-
quired an extraordinary ikill in the arts and fciences[D]. In
[vj Chaunccy*s Hcrtfordfliirc, p. 51a. education is oot always rffedlual. 4. Of
[2J li^ronctagc cf England, vol. iii. the ancients, and the ref^ed that is due
p. 6; 2. unto them; that we Oiould not too much en*
[a] More fully, thus: ** Cenfura cc- fljve ourfeives to their opinions. 5.Whc-
lebriorum authorum, five tra6tatii$ in quo ther the men of this preieut age are any
▼aria virorum dodorum de ciariflimis cu- way inferior to thofc of former ages, either
jufquc feculi fciiploribus judicia tradun- in refpcft of viriue, learning or long life ?
tur» 1690, folio. 6. Ofpaflion; and whether the palhons
[b] His eflays are in number feven, on are an advantage or difadvantage to men i
the following fubjedts: 7. The variety of opinions, vkhence it pio-
I. That interefl governs the world, and cecds ; the uocerUiuty ol human know.
that^pcry is nothing but priert craft, or ledge.
an invention of the prieih to get money. [cj The title of the book runs thua,
2. The great mifchief and prejudice of A natuial hilloiy, containing mjny not
learning, and that a wife man ought to be common obfervations, extracted out of the
preferred before a man of learning. 3. Of beft modern writers, 169^, lamo.
education and cuiYom ; the great influence. [oj Bloua(*s life piehxed to his works.
at haih upon molt men : but that a good
1679,
BLOUNT. 411
1679, he publiflicd his Anima Mundi, which giving great of-
fence, complaint was made to Compton bifhop of London [b]. •
Blount was a ftrenuous advocate for liberty, of which he gave
tcftimonjr in a pamphlet on the popiOi plot, and the fear of a
popifli luccefTor, fubfcribed Junius Brutus [f]; In 1680 he
printed his work which rendered him moft known to the world,
the life of Apollonius Tyaneus, which was foon after fupprefled,
as an attack upon revealed religion [g]. The fame year came
out his Diana of the Ephefians, in which, while expoHng fu«
perdition, he ft^ikes at revelation [h]. In 1684 he publiihed a
kind of " Introduftion to polite literature [i]."
Blount- was a warm friend t^ the revolution: he gave a
ftrong teftimony of attachment to his principles, and the love
of freedom, in a treatife he wrote for the liberty of the prefs ;
wherein he (hews, that all reftraints thereon can have no other
tendency than to eftablifh fuperftition and tyranny, by abafmg
the fpirits of mankind, and injuring the human underftand-
ing. Warmth of temper, affe£^ion for king William, and ftrong
defire to fee things fettled according to his wiflies, led him to
write a pamphlet, in which he aflerted king William and queen
Mary to be conquerors \ which piece, however, was condemned
to be burnt by both houfes of parliament. After the death of
his wife, he became enamoured of her iifter, a lady of beauty,
wit, and virtue, who is fatd not to have been infenOble on her
fide, but fcrupiUous only as to marrving him after her fifter Qc].
He wrote a letter on this fubjeci, wherein he flates the cafe as
of a third perfon, and treats it with great learning and addrefs.
It is alfo faid that he applied to the archbifhop of Canterbury,
and other divines, who decided againft his opinion ; and this
decifion rendering the lady inflexible, threw him into a fit of de-^
fpair, which ended in a phrenfy, fo that he Ihot himfelf[L].
The wound, however, did not prove immediately mortal : he
lived after it fome days, and died in Auguft 1693. After his
deceafe many of his private letters were publiihed in a work
[e] The title of this work at hfge ii, faid to have been taken from the manu-
' ** Anima mundi ; or, an hiftorical narra- fcript writing of the famous lord Herbert
tionof the opinions of the aotientt concern, of Chcrbury. Bayle, in Apollonius.
ing man^s foul after this life, according to /[hJ The title : *' Great is Diana of
unenlightened nature." Several anfwers the Ephefians, or the original of idolatry,
were written to it. ' • together with the political inftitution of
[p] The title runs thus : " An appeal the Ceatiles' facrifices. The motto :
from the country to the city, for the pie- /^ _ r • /• -^ -a-
ferv.tion of hi. m.jefty'. ^rfon. liber.y, *^'"» «' 'f^' '"^'"' »»"«»"" "'-aim.
'TfThn'V,!:;rrr"Th:;wo *f •'-« --»•-- c^r^c^^
"--■'- — •- - ■ • tern.
firft books of Phiioftratus, concerning the
life of Apollonius Tyaneus, written ori-
ginally in greek, with philological notes
upon each chapter," a thin folio. The
fkQtcs, which chiefly gave the offcocci are [l] Athen. Oxoa. vol. ii.
life of Apollonius Tyaneus, written ori- fi] Athen. Oxon. vol. !i.
finally in greek, with philological notes [k] Compleic hiftory of England, vol.
upon each chapter," a thin folb. The iii. p. 657.
Ken. Ozon. vol. ii.
called^
}
412 BO C CAGE.
called, The oracles of rcafon, by Mr. Gildon ; and which wa«
afterwards printed, with feveral of our author's pieces, under
the title of The mifcellaneous works of Charles Blount, efq.
BLOW (Dr. John), an eminent mufician, was born at Col*
Kngham in Nottinghamftiire about the year 1648 [m]. In 1674
he was appointed mailer of the children of the royal chapel ^ in
1685, compofer to his nuijefty ; in 1687^ almoner and mafter
of the chorifters of 8t. Paul's cathedral. Blow was not a gra«
duate of either univerfity ; but archbiffaop Sancroft conferred
on him the degree of dodior in mufic. Upon the deceafe of
Purcelf, in 1695, he became organifl of Wcftminfter abbey.
He died Oft. 1, 1708, and was buried in the north aifle of
Weftminfter abbey.
BLUTEAU (DOM. Raphael), theatin, born at London of
french parents in 1638, went over to France and became diftin-
guifhed as a fcholar and a preacher. From thence he went to
Liibon, where he died in 1 734, 96 years old. There is by hint
a didionary, portuguefe and latin, much cfteemed, 8 vols, folio &
Coimbra, 1712 to 1721 ; with a Supplement, Lifbon, 1727 an<f
1728, two vols, folio. Two doftors of the academy of the Ap-
pliques, delivered each of them a dtfcourfe for the difcufijon of
this problem : Whether it was more glorious for England in
having given birth to this fcholar, or for Portugal in having pof-
feficd him ?
BOBART (Jacob), a German, whom Dr. Plot calls an ex-
cellent gardener and botaniil, was by the earl of Danby, founder
of the phyfic garden at Oxford, appointed the firft keeper of it.
He was author of Catalogus plantarum horti medici Oxonien*
fisj fell. Latino-Anglicus et Anglico-Latinus, Ox. 1648, 8vo«
Died Feb. 1679, aged 81 [n].
BOCCACE (John), an eminent writer, bom at Certaldo^
in Tufcany, 13 13. His father defigned him for bufinefs, and
placed him with a merchant of Florence, who took him to
Paris, and with whom Boccace lived fix years; but being at
length tired of trade, and having declared his averfion to it, he
was fent to ftudy the canon law. He difliked this alfo, his paf*
t:
Em] Hawkins's Hift. of mufic, iv. 486, cd wiogs. He kt it dry as hard as pof.
n) Dr, Zachary Grey, in his notes on fible. The Jeamed immediately pro-
Hudibraft, vol i. p.* 1 25, gives us the foJ. nounced it a dragon; and one of theni
levying anecdote of Jacob Bobart the fon. fent an accurate defcription of it to Mag-
I^e fays : " Mr. Smith of Bedford ob- liabechi, librarian to the grand duke of
icrves to me on the word Dragon as fol- Tufcany; fereral fine copies of verfea
lows : Mr. Jacob Bobart, botany profciTor were wrote on fo rare a fubjed; but at
of Oxford* did) about 4? years ago, find a laft Mr. Bobart owned the cheat : how«
dead rat in the phyiic-gaiden, which he ever, it was looked upon as a mafterpiece
sii^idc to refemSIc the common pidurc of of art, and* asfuch, depofited in themu^
dragonf, by alter in? the head and tail, and feum, or anatomy fchool, where I faw it
thruftins in taper fijarp rtlcks, which ex- fomc y^rs ^ftcr.*'
feuded the ikin 00 edcb fide till it mimic*
fioa
BOCCACE. 41J
6on being for poetry ; nor could his father's commands, or the
exhortations of his friends, induce him to fupprefs this inclina-
tion. However, he could not wholly difengage himfelf from
the law till after his father's death; but then renounced it,
and gave himfelf wholly up to poetry. He put himfelf under
the inilru£iion of Petrarch, and fought every where for the
moft eminent mailers ; but not having an income fuihcient
for his expences, he was reduced to the necclBty of being alfill-
ed by others; and was particularly obliged to Petrarch, who
furnifhed him with money as well as books. Boccacc was a
great admirer of the greek language : he found means to get
Homer tranflated into latin for his own ufe *, and procured a
profeffor's chair at Florence for Leontius Pylautus> in order to
have this poet explained by him. 1 he republic of Florence
honoured Hoccace with the freedom of that city, and employed
him in public affairs, particularly to negotiate the return of Pe-
trarch ; but Petrarch not only refufed to return to Florence,
but perfuaded Boccace alfo to retire from thence, on account of
the fa£l:ion8 which prevailed in that republic. Having quitted
Florence, he went to feveral places in Italy, and (lopped at lad
at Naples, where king Robert gave him a very kind reception.
He conceived a violent afie£lion for the natural daughter of that
prince, which made him remain a confiderable time at Naples.
He alfo made a long (lay in Sicily, where he was in high favour
with queen Joan. When the troubles were fomewhat abated
at Florence, he returned thither : but foon retired to Certaldo,
where he fpent his time in (ludy. His intenfe application
brought on him a (icknefs in the ftomach, which put an end to
him m 1375. He left feveral works, feme in latin, and fome
in Italian [o]. Of ail his compofitions his Decameron is the
moft famous : it was received, fays Mr. Bullart, with applaufe^
by all Italy ; it likewifc was fo favourably entertained by foreign
nations, that every one would have it in their own tongue ; and
it was fought after fo much the more eagerly, as pains were
taken to fupprefs it, his ftorics being too licentious and fatirical
on the monks. Boccace publiflied it in 1 348, at a time when
Florence was made defolate, and almoft a defert, by a cruel
plague. It may be reckoned among the fineft of his writings
compofed for entertainment. Petrarch found fo many charms
[o] I. An abridgmeot of Roman luf- foner by the Englifli in T356. Printei
Ipry, from Romulus to the year of Rome at Paris» in folio, by John Thievri of
724. Cologn, 1534. 2. The hiftory of Beauvais.
illuilrious women. Bern, 1579. 3. Tht He wrote the following pieces in the
genealogy of the Gods, with a treat! fe of Italian language, i. 11 Philocalo. z. La
mountains, fcas, rivers, lakes, &c. Bafil, Fiammeiu. 3. L'Amcto. 4. II labirinro
1532. 4. Of the fortunes of illuftrious d'Amore. 5. La Vita di Dance. 6. IV
men. This work begins at Adam, and Decamcros.
c|lds at John king of i'Vance* uken pri-
in
414 B o c c o N r;
ih It, that he was at the pains to tranilate it into latin* Thitf
writer was one of the firil who gave to the italian language the
graces, the fweetnefs, and elegance, which di(lingui(h it from
ail living languages. Boccace could not equal Petrarch in poetry^
but his profe is recommended as a model (till.
3OCCALINI (Trajan), a fatirical wit, bom at Rome,
about the beginning of the xviith century. 1 he method he
took to indulge his turn for fatire was, by feigning that Apollo,-
holding his courts on t^arnaflus, heard the complaints of the ^
whole world, and gave judgment as the cafe required. He was
received into the academies of Italy, where he gained great
applaufe by his political difcoUrfes, and his elegant criticifms.
l^he cardinals Borghefe and Cajetan having declared themfelvetf
his patrons, he publiflied his Ragguagli di ParnafTo, and Secre-
taria di Apollo, a continuation thereof; which works being
well received, he proceeded farther, and printed his Pietra di
Paragone ; wherein he attacks the court of Spain, fetting forth
their defigns againft the liberty of Italy, and inveighing parti-^
cularly againft them for the tyranny they exercifed in the king<2
dom of Naples. The Spaniards complained of him in form^
and were determined at any rate to be revenged. Boccalini was
frightened, and retired to Venice. Some time after he was
murdered in a furprifing manner. He lodged with one of his
friends, who having got up early one morning left Boccalini iii
bed ; when a minute after four armed men entered his chamber^
and gave him fo many blows with bags full of fand that they left
him for dead ; fo that his friend, upon his return, found him
unable to utter one word. Great fearch was made' at Venice for
the authors of this murder } and though they were never dif-
covered, yet it was univcrfally believed that they were fet to
work by the court of Spain« Moreri tells us, that BocCalint
was compofing difcourfes on Tacitus when he was ^flafEnated ;
but Bayle affirms, that they were not only finiihed at that time,
but had gone through two editions at Geneva. His Ragguagli
di Parnailb has been tranftated into englifh, and many other
languages.
BOCCAMAZZA (Angelus), bi(hop of Catania in Sicily, is
the author of a (hort Chronicle, which comprifes the mod re-
markable things tranfafled in Sicily, from 1027 to 1283 j in-
cluding the conqueft of the Normans in that ifland, and the'
viftories they obtained over the Saracens, whom they drove
quite out of that ifland. He was made bifhop in 1279, and
held his dignity to the time of his death, which happened after
I2q6. His Brevis Chronica is xnferted in the Rerum ItaL
Script, of Muratori.
BOCCONI (Stlvio), a celebrated natural hiftoriauy born at
Palermo in Sicily, the 24th of April 1633. After he had gqne
through
I
B O C H A R T.
4*5
through the ufual courfe of ftudiesjhe applied hlmfelf chiefly
to natural hiftory, in which he made a moil furprifmg progrefs*
He was afterwards ordained pried, and entered into the cider -
cian order : but this new way of life did not in the leaft divert
him from his favourite ftudy ; for he purfued it with greater
vigour than ever, and travelled not only over Sicily, but like-
wife vifited the iile of Malta, Italy, the Low Countries, Eng-
land, France, Germany, Poland, and feveral other nations. In
1696, he was admitted a member of the academy of the virtuoll
in Germany. He was at Padua fome time, where he (tudied
under James Pighi, firft profcflbr of anatomy there : upon his
return to Sicily, he retired to a convent of his own order, near
Palermo, where he died Dec. 22^ 1704. He left many curious
works [p].
BOCH ART (Samuel), a learned french proteftant, born at
Roan in Normandy, 1599- He made a very early progrefs in
learning, particularly in the greek language, of which we have a
proof in the vcrfcs he compofed in praife of Thomas Dempfter,
under whom he ftudied at Paris. He went through a cobrfe of
philofophy at Sedan, and ftudied divinity at Saumur under Ca-
mero, whom he followed to London, the academy at Saumur
being difperfed during the civil war. He made however but a
(hort ftay in England, for about the end of 1621 he was at
Leyden, where he applied himfelf to the ftudy of the arabic
under Erpenius. When Bochart returned to France, he was
[p] They are as follow : i. Delia Pictra
Belzuar Mincrale Siciliana. Printed at
Monteleone, 1669, 410. 2. Novitiato
alia fegrctaria Icttura grata non meno a
jn'incipiy che a lore fcgretani, per mon-
ftrare con faciliu e brcvita Parte d'un ac-
corto fegretario. Genoa, i2rao. 3. Re-
cherches Sc obfervations naturelles tou-
chant le corail, la pierre eroilee, I'em-
brarement du mont Etna. Paris, 1672,
12 mo. 4. Epiftoli Botanica. Naples,
1673? 4*0. 5. Lcttre ecritc I I'Auteur
du Journal des Savans touchant une gem me
ou cfpece de Baume, qui ell fouverain
Er lea bleffures. This is inferted in the
rnal desfavans of Jan. 20, 1676. 6.
les Se defcriptiones rariorum plantarum
Siciliae, Melit«e, Galliae, et Italiae, qua-
rum unaquieque proprio chara£^ere (ig-
nata ab aliis ejufdcm claflis facile didin-
guitur. Cum praefatione Roberti Mori-
fonii. Oxon. 1674, 4.(0* with curs. 7. Of-
fervazioni natural!, ove fi contengono Ma-
tefie Medico- fifiche, e di Botanica, pro.
duzioni naturali, FuflbforidiveHi, Fuochi
Socteranei d 'Italia, Sc altre curiofita, dif-
poftc in trattati familiari. Bologua, 1684,
8vo. 8. Mufeo di Fifica di efperanza va»
riato di ofTervazioni naturali, note medi-
cinale, h Raggionamenti, fccondo i pria*
cipii de modcrni, con una difTcrtatione
dell' origine, h della prima imprefliona
delle produzioni marine. 9. Remarks
upon feveral points of natural hidory, ex-
tracted from the Mufeo di Fifica, printed
in high dutch at Francfort, 1697, iimo*
This piece contains twenty-four obferva*
tions extracted from the preceding work.
TO. Mufeo di Piante rara della Sicilia*
Malta, Corfica, Italia, Fiemonte, & Gcr*
mania. Con figure m 7. Venice, 16(^7 ,
4to. 1 1 . Obfcrvatio circa nonnuUas plantas
marinas imperfedtas, uti fucas, corallinas,
zoophyta, fungos, elcfimiles, eanimque oii-
gincm. 12. De materia Umili Lithomar*
ga: Agricolae aut Agarico Mineral! fer-
rantis Jmperati, qu^ in cavliate quorun-
dam faxorum aut filicum indif^ri^u civi-
tatis Rhotomagenlis Sc Portiis Gratiae in
Normannia iuvenitur. This peice is in.
ferted in the firlt and fecond centuries of
the Journal above mentioned, and in Mau-
getus's Bibliotheca Scripioruni Medico*
rum, torn. i.
chofen
4i6 ^ BO CHI US.
cTiofcn miiiiftcr of Caeti^ where he diftinguifhed liimfelf hf
public difputations with father Veron, a very famous contro-
verfiil. J he difpute was held in the caille of Caen, in prefence
of a great number of Cittholics and proteftants. Bochart came
off with honour and reputation, which was not a little increafed
upon the publication of his Phaleg and Canaan, which are the
titles of the two parts of his Geographica Sacra, 1646. He
acquired alfo great fame by his Hierozoicon, printed at London,
1675. This treats dc animalibus facrae fcripturae. The great
learning difplayed in thefe works rendered nim edeemed not
only amongll thofe of his own perfuafion, but amongft all
lovers of knowledge of whatever denomination. In 1652, the
<]ueen of Sweden invited him to Stockholm, where (he gave
him many proofs of her regard and efteem. At his return into
France, in 165^, he continued his ordinary exercifes, and \ias
one of the members of the academy of Caen, which confifted
of all the learned men of that place. He died fuddenly, when
he was fpeaking in this academy. May 6, 1667, which gave M«
Brieux' occafion to make the following epitaph on him;
Scilicet haec cuique eft data fors arquinima, talis
Ut fit mors, qualis vita* pera6la fuit.
Mufanim in gremio teneris qui vixit ab anni\
Mufarum in gremio dcbuit illc mori.
Befides what we have mentioned, he wrote a treatife on the
terredrial paradife, on the plants and precious ftoncs mentioned
in fcripture, and fomc other pieces, but he left thefe unfiniftied.
He left alfo a great number of fermons. As many of his dif-
fertations as could be colieGed were publiihed in the edition of
his works printed in Holland 1692.
BOCHIUS (John), born at Eruflels in 1555. He was a good
latin poet, and thence ftylcd the Virgil of the Low Countries.
He accompanied cardinal Radzivil to Rome, where he ftudied
under Bellarmin. Bochius, after having vifited mod parts of
Italy, went through Poland, Livonia, and Ruflia. In going
from Smolcnfko to Mofcow he fuffcied much from the cold,
and his feet were frozen to fuch a degree that fome thought he
would be obliged to have them cut off: but he recovered with*
out the operation. Upon his return to the Low Countries, the
duke of Parma made him fecretary of Antwerp. He died Jan.
13, 1609 [O
[qJ He has left the following pieces. 5.0ratione9. 6. Poemata, Set. Hit poeti-
X. De Belgii piincipAtu. 2. i'arodia he- cal pieccii <on(iftiiTg of epigrams, elegies*
roica pralmorum davidicorum. v Obferi- &c. were colledled and primed atCologna,
vationes phyiicae, cthicte, poltticae et ui 1615.
hiftoricse in pfalmot. 4. Vita DiiTidis.
* BOC-
BOD IN. 417
BOCQUILLOT (Lazarus Andrew), born dt Avalon, of
obfcure parents, attended in 1670 Nointel ambaffador to Con-
ftantinoplc. On his return to France he was admitted* advo«
cate at Dijon, and addidled himfelf with equal ardour to plea^
fure and to ftudy. He afterwards took orders, was made cure
of Chatelux, and afterwards canon of Avalon. At this latter*
place he died Sept. 22, 1728, at the age of 80. Having lived
lome time at Port- Royal, he caught a tafte at once for literature
and piety. He wrote, 1. Several volumes of homilies, and
other works of devotion. Bocquillot made a prefent of them to
the printers, and fixed himfelf the price of each copy, in ordet
that they might not be out of the reach of the poor. 2. A
tra£k on the Liturgy, 8vo. printed at Paris in 1701, curious
and interefting to the admirers of ecclefiaftical antiquities. 34
Hiftory of the chevalier Bayard, i2mo. under the name of
Lonval. 4. Letters in i2mo. and diflertations.
BODDSf (John), a celebrated french lawyer, b,orn at Angers*
He ftudied the law at Toiiloufe, where he took degrees, and
afterwards read leftures with great applaufe. He intended to
fettle there as law profeflbr, and, in order to ingratiate himfelf
with the Touloufians, compofed his oration, De inftituenda in
republica juventute : which he addrefled to the people and fe-
nate of Touloufe, and recited it publicly in the fchools. But
he at length preferred the common to the civil law, and quitted
the fchool of Touloufe for the bar of Paris : where however
*not fucceeding, he applied himfelf wholly to compofing books,
in virhich he had furprifing fuccefs. The firft work he pub-
lUhed was his Commentary on Oppian's books of Hunting, and
his tranflation of them into latin verfc, 1555 ; Method of Hif-
tory, 1566; Difcourfe on Coins, &c. 1568; Republic, 1576,
in folio, and afterwards fevcral times in 8vo. : the fame year, .
Account of the States of Blois ; Law Tables, intituled Juris
univerfi diftributio, 1578; Demonomanie des Sorciers, 1579;
and a little before his death. Theatre de la nature univerfellc.
He ordered by will that his books De imperio, et jurifdiflione,
et legis a£lionibus, et decretis, et judicils, ihould be burnt,
which was accordingly done. Befides what we have mentioned,
he wrote alfo a book by way of dialogue on religions, intituled
Heptaplomeron, five de abditis rerum fublifnium arcanis : this,
however, was never publiflied.
The reputation of Bodin as a man of wit and learning induced
king Henry III. to fee him ; and as he was alfo extremely agree-
able in converfation, his majefty conceived a fondnefs fdr
him, and took delight in his company ; but the royal favour
was not of long continuance. However, 'he found means to get
into the good graces of the duke pf ^Alcn^on, whom he accom-
panied to England ; where he ha^ the pleafure to find that hi»
Vol. II. 'E « • booka.
4i8 BODLEY-
booisof tJie <^ Republic ** were read pubScly in the umveriity
of Cambridge, and that the Englifti had tranflatcd tliem into
latin from the french origin a], which induced him afterwards ta
tranflatc them himfelf into latin. 1 hey were likewife tranflated
from the french and latin copies into engliih by Richard KnoUes,
and pubfifhed at London 1606, m folio.
Upon the death of the duke of Alcnjon, Bodin retired to
Laon, where ht married. He had an olJice in the prxfidial of
this city ; and it was perhaps on account of this office, that he
^as depute* in 1576, by. the third ftate of Vcrmandois, to the
ftates of lilois. He theite fpokc with great fpirit for the right*
of the people. In Charles the IXtli's time he was the king's
Iblicitor with a coHimiflion for the forefts of Normandy, He
died of the plague at Laon, in 1596.
BODLEY (Sir Thomas), from whom the bodlfeian library at
Oxford takes its name, the eldeft fon of Mr. John Bbdiey, bori*
at Exeter, March 2, 1 544. He was about twelve years of age,.
when his father removed with his family to Geneva [r]. " My
father," fays he, ** in the time of queen Mary, being noteit
and known to be an enemy to popery, was fo cruelly threatened^
and fo narrowly obferved by thofe that maliced his religion,
thift, for the fafeguard of himfelf and my mother, who waa
wholly affefled as my father, he knew no way fo fecure, as to fly
into Germany 5 where after a while he found means to call over
my mother, with all bis children and family, whom he fettled
for a while at Wefel, in Cleveland (for there then were many
Englifli, which had left their country for their confcience, and
with quietnefe enjoyed their meetings and preachings) ; and
ftom thence we removed to the town of Frankfort, where was:
in like fort another englifli congregation. Howbeit we made
no long tarriunce in either of thofe two towns, for that my fa-
ther had refolved to fix his abode in the city of Geneva, where
(as far as I remember) the englifli church confifted of fome hun-
dred' perfons." The univerfity of Geneva being then newly
ereSed, young Bodley applied himfelf to thc'ftudy of the learned
languages under .the moft celebrated profeiTors. He frequented
the public leftures of Chevalcrius in the hebrew tongue, Bc-
roaldus in the gveek, and Calvin and-Beza in divinity. Upon»
the acceflion of queeu> Elizabeth in 1558, he returned to Eng-
land with his father, who fettled in London j. and foon after
was fent to Magdalen college, in Oxford. In 1563, he took,
the degree of B. A. and tlic year following wns admitted fellow^
of Mcrton college- In 1565, he undertook the reading of a^
greek leclure in the hall of that college. In 1566, he took the
[k] tUe of fir Tliomas Bodley, written publiflicd bvT, Heame. Lond. 1703, 8»D.
Mr L'imfcU'y p. r. 2.^ RcJiquiatBcdlciansOj
degree
tacgrcc of M. A. and the fame year read natural philofophy in
ih^ public fchools. In 1569, he was eledcd one of the prodlors
of the univerfity ; and, for a confiderable time, fupplied the
}»lace of univerfity orator. In 1576, he went abroad, and fpcnt
bur years in France, Germany, and Italy. Upon his return^
he applied himfelf to the ftudy of hiftory and politics [s]. In
158;, he was made gentleman ufliet to queen Elizabeth. About
two years after he was employed in feveral cmbaffies, to the
king of Denmark, duke of JSrunfwick, the landgrave of Hefle,
and other german princes, to engage them in the afliftance of
the kine of Navarre, afterwards Henry IV» of France ; and^
having difcharged that commifTion, he was fent to Henry III. at
the time when this prince was forced by the duke of Guife to
quit Paris. In 1588, he was fent to the Hague, where, ac-
cording to an agreement between the Queen and the States, he
was admitted one of the council of ftate, and took his place
next to count Maurice. In this (tation he behaved entirely to
the fati$fa£tion of his royal miftrefs. After about five years
refidence in Holland, he obtained leave to return into England^
to fettle his private affairs ; but was fliortly after remanded to
the Hague. At length having finiOied all his negotiations, he
had his final revocation in 1597. After his return, finding
his advancement at court obftrud^ed by the jealoufies and in*
trigues of the great men, he retired from all public bufinefs,
and never after would accept of any employment. The fame
year he fet about the noble work of reftoring the public library
. at Oxford.
Having, in the account of his life, given us the motives of
his retiring from court, and choofing a private life, he goes on
thus : ^^ Only this I muft truly coniefs myfelf, that though I
did never yet repent me of thofe, and fome other, my often
tcfufals of honourable ofl^ers, in refpsft of enriching my private
eftate, yet fomewhat more of late I have blamed myfelf and my
nicety that way, for the love that I bear to my reverend mother
the univerfity of Oxon, and to the advancement of her good^
by fuch kind of « means as I have fince undertaken. For thus
I fell to difcourfe and debate in my mind, that although I might
find it fitteft for me to keep out of the throng of court conten-*
tions, and addrcfs my thoughts and deeds to fuch ends altoge*
thcr, as I myfelf could beft efFeft ; yet withal I was to think,
that my duty towards God, th^ expeflation of the world, and
my natural inclination, and very morality did require, that I
(hould not wholly fo hide thofe little abilities that I had, but
that in fome meafure, and in one kind or other, I (hould do
the true part of a profitable member of the ftate. Whereupon,
[s] Reliquiae Bodleian*, Kic. p. 4.
£ e 2 eaumining
4^6^ B O D L E Y/
examining ex«ftly for the reft of my life what coutfcrl might
t^ke, and having fought (as I thought) all the ways to thd
wood, to fcleft the moft proper, I concluded at the laft to fet
up my ftafFat the library door in Oion, being thoroughly per-
fuaded that, in my folitude and furceafe from the common-'
wealth affairs, I could not bufy myfelf to better* purpofe, than
by reducing that place (which then in every part lay ruined and
wafte) to the public ufe of ftadents. For the effef^ing whereof
I found myfelf futnrilied, in a con>petent proportion, of fuch
four kinds of aids, as, u'nlefs I had them all, there was no hope
df good fucccts. For without fome kind of knowledge, aS'
well in the learned" and modern tongues, as in fundry other forts
of fcholaftic literature ; without fome purfe ability, to go through
^frith the charge ; without great ftore of honourable friends, to
further* fhe defign; and without fpecial good Icifur? to follow
fuch a work, it could but have proved a vain attempt and in-
confidcrate." Camden fays, this undertaking was a talk fuited
to the dignity of a crowned head.
Bodlcy wrote a letter, dated London, Feb, 23, I597> to Dr.
Ravis, dean of Chriit-church, then vice chancellor, to be com-
municated to the univerfity; offering therein, to reftore the
fabric of the library, and to fettle an annual income for the*
pufchafe of books, and the fupport of fuch officers as might be
neceflary to take care of it. This letter was received with the
greateft fatisfartion by the univerfity, and an anfwer returned,
teflifying their moil grateful acknowledgement and acceptance
of his nobte oiFcr[T]. Whereupon Bodley immediately fet
about the work, and in two years time brought it to a good
degree of perfcdion. He farniftied it with a large colftftion of
books, purchafed in foreign countries at a great expence j and
this colleftion m a fliort time became fo greatly enlarged, by
the generous bcncfadions of feveral noblemen, bifhops, and
others, that neither the ihelvcs nor the room could contain them.
Whereupon Roc! Icy offering to make a conCiderable addition
to the building, the motion was readily embraced; and, July 19,
l<5io, the firft llone of the new foundation was laid with great
folcninity, the vice-chancellor, dofiors, mailers tf arts, &c. at*
tending in their proper habits, and a fpeech being made upon
the occafion. But liodley did not live to fee this part of his
dcfign completed, though he left fufHcicnt to do it with fome
of his friends in truft ; for, as appears by the copy of his will,
he beflowcd his whole cRate (his debts, Icgncies, and funeral
charges defrayed) to tJic noble purpofe?. of this fonnilation. By
this means, and thi;^ help of other bcncfa£lions, in procuring
whidi he was very fcTviotrnbtc by his great intercll with m?ny
fi] WvAfd'shiil. ct mtiq. uiiir. Oxon. 1. z, ^4%,
craincnif
BODLEY.
4-1
•mincnt pcrfons, the univerfity was enabled to ^dd tlircc other
fides to what was already built ; whereby was formed a noble
quadrangle, and fpacious rooms for fchools of arts. By his
will 200I. per annum was fettled on the library for ever 5 out of
which he appointed near 40I. to the head librarian, lol. for the
fub librarian, and 81. for the junior. He drew up likewife g
body of excellent ftatutes for the government of the library [u].
In this library is a llatue erefted to the memory of fir Thomas
Bodley (for he was knighted by king James upon his accefiion
to the throne) by the earl of Dorfet, chancellor of the univerfity,
'Vvith the following infcription : Thomas Sackvillus Dorset-
Ti^ Comes, Summus Angli-® Thesaurarius, et hujos
Academic Cancellarius, Thoivi^ Bodleio Equiti Aqrato,
Qui BlBLIOTHECAM HANC INSTlTUIT, HoNORIS CAUSA PIB
i-osuiT. The Bodleian library is juftly elteemed one of the
noble ft in the world. James I. wc are told, when he came to
Oxford in 1605, and among other edifices took a view of this
famous library, at his departure, in imitation cf Alexander,
feroke out into this fpeech : " If I were not a king, I would be
f<x] The original copy of ^em, written
ky his own hji>d, is prelcrvcd in the ar-
ciiives of the Bodlctan library. They pro-
vide, I. That the keeper or librarian fliall
be a' graduate^ without cure of fouit*, and
unmarried ; and that both the elci'^or^
and eleded (bail take an oath, picfcraSed
in the ftatutes, the clcdijn to be made
after the fame manner as in the choice of
proftors. 3. The Ubr^irian's office is to
keep ihc great rcgifter book, in which ace
enrolled the canass aad gifts of all bene-
fadors to the library; to preferve the dif-
poiition of the whole, and to range all
books that fliall be given under their pro-
per cladcs; anJ to attend iu the library
from eight to eleven in the morning, and
from two to four or live in the afternoon,
fuch days and times only excepted as arc
fpecificd in the Itatutes. 3. To prevent
accidents from tire, neither the keeper
i\or any perfon frequcQting the library, to
be allowed candle, or any other kind of
light. 4. The keeper to deliver the b^oks
JCitb the hand of porfons, dctiring ihcm to
be ufed in fighr, and reftorpd before fuch
perfons depart; and no book, upon any
pretence whatever, to be lent out oi the
library. 5. In cafe of licknefs or other
neceltary avocationi the keeper may be al-
lowed a deputy, who mull be a grad:iaic,
and uke the fame oath as the keeper did
»i his admilfion. He is allowed likewife
an alTiilant in his office, and an inferior
attendant (ufually fome poor fcholar) (o
keep ,thc library clean. 6. The revenue
'■ ■ li
fettled for Aic maiatenance of the library.
Sec. to be lodged in the univerfity chQ((»
and managed by the vice-chancci or an4
proftors ior the time being. 7. None to
enjoy the freedom of ftudy there, but only
d >dors and licentiates of xhe three facuU
ties, hachcJors of divinity, maftersof arts,
bacbiL-lors of ph^'fic and law, and bachelors
of arti of two years Handing ; alfo lords,
and the fons of members of parliament ;
and thofe who become bcnefadors to the
library ; and all fuch, before admiflion
to fuch privilege, to take ap oath pre-
fer i bed in the ftatutes. 8. Any graduate
or other pci Ton who (ball be convi»Sted of
difmembering or purloining, or altering
any wurd or paiTage of any book or i>ooks,
to be publicly degraded, and expelled the
univerfity. 9. Eight overfeers or vifitors
ot the i.brary ire appointed, vii. the vice-
chancellor and proitori, the three profef-
fors of divinity, law, and phyiic, and the
two regius profefTors of hebrewand greek,
who are to infpcd the ftale both of the
biiilduig and the books, the behaviour of
the keeper. Sec. annually on the dth of No-
vember; and on the vifitarion day, foity
Ihiliings are allowed to be expended on a
dinner or Cupper for the vilitors, aud gloves
to be prefenicd them by a be-jdle, vii. fevca
pair of ten (hillingtf the pair, to the five
profclT^rs and two proilors* ; and one pair
of twenty ihiliings price to the vice chan-
cellor, befides forty ftiiilings in money to
each of the prodorx, and twcoty nobles to
the vice chancellor.
63
w
4t% B CE H M E N. '
an univerfity man ; and if it were fo that I muft be a pri*
foner, if I might have my wifli, I would have no other piifon
than that library, and be chained together with fo many good
authors [x J."
Sir Thomas Bodley died Jan. 28, 1612, and wa$ buried with
great folemnity at the upper end of Merton college choir. Over
him is eroded a monument of black and white marble, on
which is placed his cfligies, in a fcholar's gown, furrounded
with books; at the four corners (land Grammar, Rhetoric.
Mufic, and Arithmetic. On each hand of his effigies (lands an
angel, that on the left holding out to him a crown, that on the
right a book open, in which are thefe words, " Non delebo
nomcn ejus de libro vitie.*' Underneath is the figure of a
woman, fitting before the (lairs of the old library, holding in
one hand a key, and in the other a book, wherein the greatc(l
part of the alphabet appears ; and behind are feen three fmall
books (hut, infcribed with the names of Prifcianus, Diomedes,
and Donatus. B.eneath all are engraven thefe word$ : Memo*
rix Thom% Bodley militis, publican bibliotheca: fundatoris, fa*
cnim. Obiitjan. 28, 1612"
^n r.nnual fpcech in his praife is liill made at Oxford^
Noy. 8, at which time is the vifitation of the library,
BGECLER (John Henry), hidoriographer of Sweden, and
profcfTbr of hi(lory at Stra(burg, was born in Franconia 161 1,
and died in 1686. He received penfions from feveral princes ;
among others, from Lewis XIV. and Chriilina, which latter
^nvited him to Sweden. His principal works arc, i. Com*
xxientationes Pltnianse. 2. Timur, vulgo Tamerlanus, 1657,
4to. 3. Notitia Sancli Romani Imperii, 1681, 4to. 4. Hif«»
toria, fchola Principum. 5. Commentatio in Grotii librum de
Jure Belli et Pacis. With ail the warmth and zeal, which
Commentators and biographers ufually have for their principals,
he layi(he$ panc^ryric upon Grotius. Ue fwears, in a letter
publifued after his death, that no man will ever approach him |
3ind that whoever (hould attempt to equal this work of his,
would only furni(h matter of laughter to poderity. Thefe
enthudadic admirers of Grotius were called at Stra(burgl^
Crotians.
BCEHMEN (Jacob), a teutonic philofophcr, a noted vifionary,
born in a village of Germany, near Gorlitz, 1575. His edu-
cation was fuit^ble to the circum(lances and views of his parents^
whoj defigning him for a mechanic trade, took him from fchool
as foon as he could read and write, and put hjm apprentice to a
ihoemaker. He^ firft began to ufc that opcupatioir as a mader
at Gorlitz, in iyj4 -, and getting into fuch bufmcfs as enabled
[x] Ifaaci >iVarc Rex Plafnicuf.
B CE H M E N. 43|
* him to fuppoTt a family, he entered after fomc time into matii-
•mony, and had fcveral childrecu
In the mean time, being naturally of a religious tur« of mind,
he was a conllant frequenter of fermons from his youth, and
took all opportunities of reading books of divinity. Whereby
not being able to fatisfy himfelt about the diiFerencee and con»-
troverfies in religion, he grew very uneafy, till happening one
day to hear from the pulpit that fpecch of our Saviour, Your
^heavenly Father will give the holy fpirit to them that afk it$ he
was prefently fo afFe£ied, ftiat from this moment he never ceafed
aiking, feeking, and knocking, that he might know the truth.
Upon this, as he tells us himfclf [t], by the divine drawing and
will he was in fpirit rapt into the holy (abbath, where he re-
mained feven whole days in the higheft joy ; after which, oJming
to himfelf, he laid afide all the follies of youth, and was driven
by divine zeal earneftly to reprehend impudent, fcandalous, and
blafphemous fpceches, and in all his afitions forbore the leaft
appearance of evil, continuing to earn a comfortable livelihood
by diligent application to his trade. In n^ioo, he was a fecond
time poflefled with a divine light, and by the fight of a fudden
objed brought to the inward ground or centre of the hidden
nature ; yet fomewhat doubting, he went out into an open
field, and there beheld the mira(?ulous works of the Creator in
the fignatures, figures, or fliapes of all created things very
clearly and manifeitly laid open, Vhereupon he was taken with
^exceeding joy, yet held his peace, in fHence praifing God. But
ten years after, in 1610, through the overfhadowing of the
holy fpirit, he was a third time touched by God, and became
fo enlightened, that, left fo great grace beftowed upon him
(hould flip out of his memory, and he refift his God, he began
to write privately for his ov/n ufe (without the help of any books
except the holy fcripture), the truths which had been thus re-
vealed to him. in this fpirit he fitft publiihed his treatife, in-
tituled *• Aurora, or the Rifmg of the Sun," in 161 2: which
book was immediately carried to the magiftrates of Gorlitz by
George Richterus [z J, dean of the minrifters of that place, who
coqiplained of its containing many of the eVrors of Paracelfua
and Wigelius ; for Bochmen had amufed himfelf with chemiftry
in his youth. The magiftrates fupprcflfed the piecje as mucn
as poflible, and commanded the author to write no more ; ob-
serving to him, that fuch erpployment was properly the bu-
fmefs of the clergy, and did not oelong to his profeflfion and
condition.
Thus rebuked, he remained filent for feven years •, but finding
that tlfe dire£tors of the eledoral laboratory had recommended
[y] In various parts of his writiogi.
[ij pr rather Gregory Richtcr.
E c 4, him
4t4 BCEHMEN*
him to a great many perfons of the court as a good chemift, lie
* lifted up his head, and boldly oppofcd Richterus: and, taking
vp his pen again, was refolved to redeem the time he had
loll ; infomuch that in the remaining five years of his life he
wrote above twenty books, the laft of which, intituled, *' A
table of his principles, or a key of his writings," was publifhecj*
in 1624. He did not long furvive it; for betimes in the
inorning, Nov. 18, of that year, he called one of his fons, and
?ifked him, ** if he aUo heard that excellent mufic ?" To which
'being anfwered in the negative, he ordered the door to be fet
ppcn, that the mufic might be the better heard. He aiked
;iftcrward3 what o'clock it was ? and being told it had ftruck
two, he faid, *' It is not yet my time, my time is three hours
hence." In the interim he was heard to fpeak thefe words,
** O thou ftrong God of hods deliver me according to thy
will : O thou crucified lord Jefus, have mercy upon mc, and
receive me into thy kingdom." When it was near fix o'clock,
he took leave of his wife and fons, and' blefled them, and faid,
f* Now I go hence into paradife ;" then bidding his fon turn
him, he immediately expired in a deep figh[A].
A great number of perfons have been inveigled by the vifions
pi this fanatic \ among others the famous Quirinus Kahlman [b]
in Germany, who fays, that Jie had iearneSf more being alone
in his ftudy from Bosrimen, than he could h^ve learned from
all the wife men of that age together : and that w^ may not be
in the dark as to what fort pf knowledge this was, he acquaints
us, that ^mid{l an infinite number of vifions it happened,
.that being fnatphed out of his Rudy, he faw thoufands of thou-
sands of lights riCng round aJ)out him. But our author is
better known among ourfelves, where he has hundreds of ad-
jnirers[c]; and no wonder, fince, as Dr. Henry More obferves,
the feft of the quakers have borrowed a great many of thpir
doctrines from our teutonic philofopher [d] ; of whpm we (hall
venture to' fay, from a perufal of fome of his writings, that he
fioflcVed the ^rand arcanum of myftcrizing plain truths by an
nextricably senigmatical expreffion [e]. He ha$ ftill many dif»
Cif Ics i^ England.
POER-
[a] Hislifr prefixed to h}$ anfwcr to [z] As hU books have be^n all tranf-
thc 4oq\icfti<^s of the foul, &c. laicd into cnglifh, and are much enquired
[bJ Micrelius's hift. ecclef. p. 1449. after, We fhall give a lift of ^hcm as fol-
cdit. i6on. lows : i. Aurora, or the /ifing of the fun.
[c] Among the reft the famous Mr. 1612. zOt the three principles, together
William Law, author of ** Chrifiian with an appendix of the threefold life of,
Ferfedio.J," &c. ftands charaAerifed as man. 1619. 3. Of the thrcetold life of
a principal one. See preface jo the Divine man. 1620. 4. An anfwer to Aie forty
t.cuaiioi) of Mofcs, &c. r d t 1758. ijueftions of the foul, propounded by Dr.
[d] In his trcatifc adarcflcd to the Walter, &c. ibid, s- Three books, the
juakcrs. firft of the incarnation of Jefus X^\(k ;
' the
BOERHAAVE.
425
BOERHAAVE (Herman), an illuftrious phyBcian and pro-
fcflbr at Leyden, born Dec. 31, 1668, at Voorhoot, a fmall vil-
lage in Holland, about two miles from that city. His father in-
tended him for divinity, and with this view initiated him in let-
ters himfelf [f]. About the twelfth year of his age, he was
affli£led with an ulcer in his left thigh, which feemed to baffle
the art o^ furgery, and occafioncd fuch cxceffive pain, as greatly
interrupted his ftudies for fome time ; but at length, by foments
ing it with fait and wine, he*efFe£led a cure himfelf, and there-
upon conceived his firft thoughts of (ludying phyfic. In 1682,
he was fent to the public fchool at Leyden, and at the expiration
of the year got into the fixth and higheft clafs, whence it is^cuf-
tomary, after fix months, to be removed to the univerfityfc].
At this junfture his father died, who left a wife and nine chil-
dren, with but a fletider provifion ; of whom Herman, though but
fixteen, was the eldeft. Upon his admiffion into the univerfity,
he was particularly noticed by a friend of his father, Mr. Trig-
land, one of the profeflbrs of divinity, who procured him the pa-
tronage of Mr. 13aniel Van Alphen, burgo-mafter of Leyden ;
and by the advice of thcfe gentlemen he attended Senguerd's
]c£lurts on logic, the ufe of the globes, natural philofophy, mc-
taphyfics, and ethics : he likewife attended the learned Jacob
Gronovius on greek and latin authors, Rykius on latin claflics^
rhetoric, chronology, and geography, and Trigland and Scaafe
on the hebrew and chaldee languages, in order to underftand
the facred writings in their originals. In 1687, he applied to
mathematics, dnd found the ttudy fo entertaining, that, after
having gone through geometry and trigonometry, he proceeded
the fecond, of the fuffertng, death, and re«>
furreftion of Chrift ; the third, of the tree
of faith, ibid. 6. Of fix parts* ibid. 7. Of
the heavenly and earthly myfterium, ibid.
^. Of the laft times, to P. K. ibid. 9. De
(ignaturi rcrum, or the fignature of all
tilings, 1 62 1, i"^. A confoiatory book of
the four complexions, ibid. 1 1. An apology
to Balthazaf Til ken, in two parts, ibid.
12. A confideration upon Hfaias, Steefel's
hookt ibid. 13. Of true repentance, 1022.
14. Of true refignation, ibid. 15. Of re-
generation, ibid 16. Of predefti nation and
election of God ; at the end of which is a
treatifc, intituled, 17. A (hort compendium
of repentance, 1613. 18. The myfterium
magnum upon Genefu, ibid. 19. A table of
the principles, or key of his writings, to
G. F. and J. H. 20. Of the fuperfenfual
life, ibid. 21. Of the two teftamenu of
Chrift, vis. baptifm and the fupper of the
I.ord, ibid. 22. A dialogue between the
enlightened and unenlightened foul, ibid.
f J. An apology upo» tkc book of uue xcr
pentance, directed againll a pafquil of the
principal minifter of Gotlitz, called Gre-
gory RicUter, ibid. 14. An epitome ef the
myfterium magnum, ibid. 15. A tabic of
the divine manifeftation, or an cxpofitioii
of the threefold world, to J. S. V. S and
A. V. F. ibid. The following are without
date. 26. Of the errors of the feds of
Ezekiel Mcths, to A. P. A. or an apology
to Efaias Steefel. 27. Of the laft judge-,
ment. 28. Certain letters todivcrle per-
fon«, written at diverfe times, with certain
koys for fome bidden words. Befides thefe
our author left unfiniflied, 29. A little
bcok of divine contemplation. 30. A book
of one hundred and feventy.feven theofo-
phick queftions. 3 1. The holy weeks, or
the prayer-book.
[f] An account of his life and writings,
by W. Burton, M. D. p. 2.
[c] CommentariolusBoerhaayii, atthe
end of Dr. Burton's Ufe of our author,
feet. 4.
to
426 BOERHAAVE.
to algebrai un^^r Voider, in 1689. This year lie garc a Tpc-
.cimen of his karning in an academic oration, proving, " 1 hat
the doftrine of Epicurus concerning the chief good was well
, underftood by Cicero ; and for this received the golden medal,
I which ufually accompanies the merit of fuch probationary exer-
j cife. In 1690 he took a degree in philofophy. In his thefison
I this occafion, with great ftrength of argument, he confuted the
\ fyftems of Epicurus, Hobbcs, and Spinofa. After having kid a
folid foundation in all other parts of learning, he proceeded to
divinity under tlie profeflbrs Trigland and »Spanheim ; the firft
of whom gave lectures on hcbrcw antiquities, the fecond on ec-
cleliaflicai hiftory.
Notwithftanding he was thus qualified for entering into orderf,
which, according to his fathcr^s intention, he had hitherto chiefly
I in view, and that his patrimony was by this time aim oft wholly
I cxhauftcd ; yet Aich was his diffidence, that he attempted rather,
i by teaching mathematics, to defray the expcncc atter^dinc^ the
farther profecution of his theological iludies. By this means
he not only increafed his reputation, but (what laid the foun*
dation of his future fortune) was introduced to an intimate
friendfliip with John Vandenburg, burgo-mafter of Leyden. By
this new connedlion he was recommended to the curators, to
compare the Voliian manufcripts (purchafed in England for the
public library at Leyden) with the catalogue of fale ; which he
executed with fuch accuracy as procured him the eftcem of the
univerfity, and recommended hini in fo particular a manner to
Mr. Vandenburg, that this gentleman became ever after foli^
citous for his advancement; and obferving the amazing progrcft
Boerhaave made in whatever he applied to, perfuadcd him to
join the ftudy of phy fie to philofophy and theology. As a re-
laxation therefore from divinity, and in complaiiance to thi$
gentleman, he dipt into phyfic, being duly prepared for it by hi$
acquaintance with the learned languages, mathematics, and na*
tural philofophy j and he refolved to take a degree in phyfic be*
fore his ordination. I he ftudy of medicine commencing with
that of anatomy, he diligently perufed Vefalius, Fallopius, and
Bartholin, oftentimes himfelf difledting and attending the public
difle^Hons of profellor Nuck. He next applied himfelf to the
fathers of phyfic, beginning with Hippocrates; and, in their
chronological order, reading carefully all the greek and latin
phyficians : but foon finding that the later writers ^* were almoi^
wholly indebted to that prince of phyficians for whatever was
valuable in them, he refumed Hippocrates, to whom alone m
this faculty he devoted himfelf for fome time, milking extraftsj
and digefting them in fuch a manner, as to render thofc inefti-
mable remains of antiquity quite familiar to him.'^ He after-
wards made himfelf acquainted with the beft ipodern authors^
particularly
BOERHAAVE. 427
partkulariy with Sydenham, whom he ufually ftyled the immor^
(al Sydenham. He next applied to chemiftry, which fo capti-
vated him,^ that he fometimjes fpent days and nights fuccefBvely
in the ftudy and procefTes of this art. He made alfo a confi*
jderable proficiency in botany ; not contented with infpe£ling
die plants in the phyfic-garden, he fought others with fatigue in
fields, rivers, &c. and fometimes with danger in almoll inac*
jcelTible places, thoroughly examining what he found, and com«
•paring them with the delineations of authors.
His progrefs in phyfic hitherto was without any aflidance from
Jeftures, except thofc mentioned in anatomy, and a few by pro-
feiTor Drelincourt on the theory ; nor had he yet any thoughts
of declining the priefthood : amidft mathematical, philofophical,
anatomical, chemical and medical refearches, he dill earneftly
purfued divinity. He went to the univerfity of Harderwick in
•Guclderland, and in July 1693 was created there M. D. Upon
his return to Leyden, he ftill perfifted in his defign of engaging
in the miniftry, but found an invincible obilru£tion to his in-
tention. In a paiTage-boat where he happened to be, fome dif-
courfe was accidentally ftarted about the doftrine,of Spinofa, as
fubverfive of all religion ; and one of the paffengers, who ex-
erted himfelf moft, oppofmg to this philofopher's pretended ma-
thematical demonftrations only the loud inveftive of a blind
zeal, Boerhaave afked him calmly, " Whether he had ever read
the works of the author he decried ?" The orator was at once
ftruck dumb, and fired with filent refentment. Another paf-
fenger whifpered the perfon next him, to learn Boerhaavc's
Ifiame, and took it down in his pocket-book ; and as foon as he
arrived at Leyden, gave it out every where, that Boerhaave was
become a Spinofift. Boerhaave, finding that fuch prejudices
gained ground, thought it imprudent to rifque the refufal of a
licence for the pulpit, when he had fo fair a profpeft of rifing
by phyfic. He now therefore applied wholly to phyfic, and
joined pra£lice with reading. In 1701, he took the ofiice of
le£lurer upon the inftitutes of phyfic ; and delivered an oration
the 1 8th of May,' the fubjefl of which was a recommendation
of the ftudy of Hippocrates : apprehending that, either through
indolence or arrogance, this founder of phyfic had been fhame-
fully ncgle£ied by thofe whofe authority was likely to have too
great weight with the ftudents of medicine. He officiated as a
profeflbr, with the title of le£lurer only, till 17C9, when the pro-
fefibrihip of medicine and botany jiras conferred on him ; his in-
augural oration was upon the fimplicity of true medical fcience^
wherein, exploding the fallacies and oiFentation of alchemiftical
aifd metaphyfical writers, he reinUates medicine on the ancient
foundation of obfervatien and experiments. In a few years he
enriched the phyfic-garden with fuch a number of plants, that it
^ was
4ft« BOERHAAVE.-
was found ncceflary to enlarge it to twice its original extents
In 17 14, he arrived to the higheft dignity in the univerfity, the
rc£loriliip ; and, at its expiration, delivered an oration on the
method of obtaining certainty in phyfics. Here, having aflerted
our ignorance of the firft principles of things, and that all our
knowledge of their qualities is derived from experiments, he
was thence led to reprehend many fyftcms of the philofophers,
»nd in particular that of Dcs Cartes, the idol of the times. This
drew upon him the outrageous inveftives of Mr. R. Andala, an
orthodox cartefian profeffor of divinity and philofophy at Fra.-
iieker, who founded the alarm, that the church was in danger j
and that the introduftion of fcepticifm, and even fpinofifm, mufk
be the confequence of undermining the cartefian fyftem by fuch
a profcfled ignorance of the principles of things : his virulence
was carried to fuch a degree, that the governors of the univerfity
thought themfclves in honour obliged (notwithilanding Boer-*
haave's remonlh-anccs to the contrary) to infift upon his retradl-
ing his afperlions. He accordingly made a recantation, with
offers of further fatisfa£lion : to which Boerhaave generoufly
replied, that the moft agreeable fatisfaftion he could receive
was, that fo eminent a divine fliould have no more trouble on
his account. In 1728, he was elccled of the academy of fciences
at Paris; and,* in 1730, of the royal fociety of London. In
1718, he fucceeded Le Mort in the profeflbrfliip of chemiftry j
and made an oration on this fubjedl, " 1 hat chemiftry was ca-
pable of clearing itfelf from its own errors." Auguft 1722, he
was taken ill and confined to his bed for fix months, with exqui-
lite arthritic pains; he fuffered another violent illnefs in 1727 ;
and being threatened with a relapfe in 1729, be found himfelf
under the necefiity of refigning the profeflbrfhips ©f botany and
chemiftry. This gave occafion to an elegant oration, in which
he recounts many fortunate incidents of his life, and returns his
grateful acknowledgements to thofe who contributed thereto.
Yet he was not lefs afilduous in his private labours till the yc^^r
1737, when a difficulty of breathing firft fcized him, and after-
wards gradually increafed. In a letter to baron Baffand, he
writes thus of nimfelf [h J : ** An impofthumation of the lungs,
which has daily increafed for thefe laft three months, almoft fuf-
focares me upon the leaft motion : if it fliould continue to in-
creafe without breaking, I muft fink under it; if it iliould break,
the event is iiill dubious : happen what may, why ihould I be
concerned ? fincc it cannot bg but according to the will of the
Supreme Being, what elfe fhould I defire ? God be praifed ! in
the mean time, I am not wanting in the ufe of the moft approved
remedies, in order to mitigate the difeafe, by prompting ma^u-
[ 11] T;. Burton'e Life, p. €8,
ration
.\
4
60ERHAAVB. 4^^
tatiofl, no ways anxious about the fuccefs of them : I nave lived
to upwards ot fixty-eight years, and always cheerful." Finding
alfo unufual pulfations of the artery in the right fide of the neck,
and intermiffions of thepulfe,he concluded there were polypous
€oncretion»between the heart and lungs, with a dilatatioh of the
veflels. Sept. 8. 1738, he wrote his cafe to Dr. Mortimer, fe-
cretary of the royal fociety j and for fome days there were flat-
tering hopes of his recovery ; but they foon vaniflied, and he died
the 23d, aged almoft feventy [i].
No profeflbr was ever attended in public as well as private
leftures by fo great a number of ftudents, from fuch different
and diftant parts, for fo many years fucceflively : none heard
him without conceiving a veneration for his perfon, at the fame
time they exprefled their furprife at his prodigious attainments ;
and it may be juflly affirmed, that none in fo private a ftation
ever attradled a more univerfal efteem. He amall'ed greater
wealth than ever any phyfician in that country from the prafticc
of phyGc, which was owing as much at leaft to his ceconomy, as
the largenefs of his fees ; he was falfely accufed of penuriouf-
nefs, for he was liberal to the diftrcfled, but without often tation:
his manner of obliging his friends was fuch, that they often
knew not, unlefs by accident, to whom they were indebted. In
friendQiip he was fincere, conftant, and aifef^ionate \ he was
communicative without conceitednefs, and zealous though dif«
paffionate in contending fcfr truth; fo unmoved was he by de-
traAion, as to fay, " The fparks of calumny will be prefenily
cxtinfl of themfelves, unlefs you blow them."
In the latter part of his life his chief plcafure was retiring to
his country feat, where he had a garden of near eight acres, en-
riched with all the exotic trees and plants he could poflibly pro- .
cure, that would flouri(h and live in that climate and foil : fa
intent was he upon (locking it with the greateft variety, that he
ffyles a prefent of american fhrub feeds, " munera auro cariora,"
[0 The following is a lift of his wnrks, cosHiofccndts et oirandis morbls, in ufun>>
» given by himfelf ia the preface Co his .do£trio% domediczr, 1709. Index planta-
Elementa chemise, f. Oratio dc com. rum in bono Lugd. Bat. reperc. 17 10.
mendando Audio Hippocracico. An. 1701. Libeilus de materia medica, et remedi-
a* de ufu ratiocinii mechatiici in medi* orum formulis qux fcrviunt aphorifmiSf
cimti 1703. J. qua repurgatae medicinse 1719. Index alter plantarum, 4}u« in
facilis aCferitur umpUcnas, 1709. 4. de horto X.ugd Bat. aluotur, 1720, 2 voU
«omparando certo in phydcisi 171 5. 5. de F.piilola ad Ruyfchium de fabrica glandu-
chemia fuos errorcs expurgante, 1718. laojm in corpore humano, 1721, p. 129.
6. da vita et obitu CI, fiernardt Albini, Atro«:s nee delcripti prius morbt hiftoria*
I72T. 7. quam habuit, quum hooeAa mif- f«:undum medicse art'n leges conCcripra,
fione impetrata, bounicam et chcmicam 1724. Atrocis rariHimique morbi hilloriA
profeffionem publiceponercm, 1729. 8. de alrera, 172S. Traftatui medicus de lue
honore medici* fervituie, 173'; 44« 45>^- aphrodifiaca, prsefuus aphrodiluco, edit,
liilitutionis med icx in ufuj annuae cxerci« 1718.
tatioAii domefticos^ 1 708. Aphjulfmide
gift*
430 -IS 6 E t rt I U Si
V
gifts more precious than gold : and that of two cedar trees, *' re*
gall bcarc dono," making him ha^py by a royal benefadlion.
BOETHIE (Etienne de la), of Sarlat in Perigord, confeillcr
su parlement dc Bordeaux, cultivated both latin and french
poetry with fuccfefs. He was an author at the age of i6, and
died at 32 in 1563, at Germignan, two leagues^ from Bordeaux.
Montagne, his friend, to whom he left his library, collefted his
works in 8vo in 1571. They confift of tranflations of feveral
works of Plutarch and Xenophon, of political difcourfes, pieces
of poetry, &c. His Authenoticon, or Voluntary flavery, was
publiflied in 1575, at the time of the bloody diflenfions about
religion in Frnnce.
BOETHIUS, or BOETIUS (Flavius Anicius Manlius
ToRquATUs Skverinus), a profe as well as poetical writer of
the fixth century, bom of one of the nobleft families in Rome.
His father dying when he was an infant, he was fent to Athens,
where he not only attained to a perfedl knowledge of the greek
tongue, but alfo of philofophy, and all other kinds of fcience.
Returning to Rome, he foon became univerfally efteemed, and
was advanced to the chief dignities of his country. In 1523,
having remonftrated with great fpirit againft the conduct of
Theodoric, who began every day to exert new inftances of ty-
ranny, he fell under his refentment ; and foon after was accufed
of having carried on a confpiracy with the emperor Juftin againft
the Goths. Theodoric brought the caufe before the fenate,
where the accufers producing fuborned evidence, who exhibited
forged letters to Juflin in the name of Boethius, though abfent,
unheard, undefended, he was condemned to death : but the
king, fearing the confequence of fuch injuftice and inhumanity,
changed his fentence from death to banifliment. He was ba-
nifhed to Milan, or (as others fay) confined to Ticinum, oow
Pavia ; and all his friends forbidden to accompany him on his
way, or to follow him thither. During his exile, he wrote his *
books pf the confolation of philofophy, and that upon the trinity.
The year following, or fomewhat later, according to fome wri-
ters, he was beheaded in prifon by the command of Theodoric.
The tomb of Boethius is to be feen in the church of St. Auguf-
tine at Pavia, near to the fteps of the chancel, witli the foUowinj^
epitaph :
Mseonia ct Latia lingna clanflimus, ct qui
Conful eram, hic perii, miffus In cxilium.
Et quid mors rapuit ? Probitas me vexit ad auras |
£.t nunc fama viget 'maxima, vivit opus.
Boethius wrote many philofophical works, the greater part in
the logical way: but his ethic piece, l>e confolatione philofophize,
2 i^
BOETHIUS. 43r
1$ his chief performance, and has always been juftly admired
both for the matter Jnd for the ftyle. It is a fuppofed confer-
ence between the author and philofophy, who as a perfon en-
deavours to comfort him ; and is partly profe, and partly vcrfe.
It was englifhed by our Chaucer ; and Camden tells us, that
queen Elizabeth,^ after having read it to mitigate grief, tranflated
it alfo into very elegant enf^Iifti [k]. A writer of diftififtion ob-
I ferved, that ** with Boethius the latin tongue, and the laft re-
mains of roman dignity, may be faid to have funk in the weftcrit
world f l]/' The beft edition of his works is that of Leydeu,
1671, in 8vo.
I BOETHIUS, BOECE, or BOEIS (Hector), a famous fcot-
' tifli hiilorian^ born at Dundee* in the (hire of Angus, about 1470^
After having ftudied at Dundee and Aberdeen, he was fent t<r
the univerfity of Paris, where he applied to philofophy, and be-
came a profeflbr of it there. Here he contrafked an acquaint-
ance with feveral eminent perfons,* particularly with Erafmus,
who kept a correfpondence with him afterwards ^m]. Elphin-
fton biihop of Aberdeen, having founded the king's college in
that city about 1500, fent for Boeis from Paris, and appointed
him principal. He took for his colleague Mr. William Hay, and
by their joint labour the kingdom was furniflied with feveral
eminent fcholnrs. Upon the death of his patron, he undertook
jl to write his life, and thofe of his predcceiTors in that fee. The
|1 work is in latin, and intituled, Vitae epifcoporum Murthlacen-
j; fium et Aberdonenfmm. Paris, 1522, 4to. He begins at Beanus,
I I the fird bifhop, and ends at Gawin Dunbar, who was bifhop
!'. when the book was publifhed. A third part of the work is fpent
in the life of Elphrnfton, for whofe fake it was undertaken [n].
He next applied to write in the fame language the hiftory of
, Scotland : the firft edition of which was printed at Paris by Ba-
! • . dius Afcenfius in 1526, which confifted of feventeen books, and
ended with the death of James^L but the next in 1 574 was much
enlarged, having the addition of the 18th book and part of the
' 19th : the work was afterwards brought down to the reign of
James III. by Ferrerius> a Piedmontefe. Mackenzie obferves,
that of all fcois hidorians, next to Buchanan, Boetius has been
the moft cenfured and commended by the learned men who have
mentioned him. Nicolfon tells us, that in the fird lix book^
there are a great many particulars not to be found in Fordiin or
any other writer now extant •, and that, ** unlefs the authors
which he pretends to have feen be hereiifter difcovered, he will
continue to be ihrewdly fufpecled for the contriver of almoft as
many tales as JeofJVey of Monmouth.*' His i8th book however
fiftory of (^Elhabeth. nent fcgtt writers .
ianris's Hei ncs. ' [n] Bp. NicoIfon*! ScHtUh hiftorical
^mJ >4'Acken2lc'»Litreiofthcincikeoii- Wbraury,-
is
0 W'fl
432 B O Jl A D I N.
is highly commended by Tcrrerius, who fays, "that he h^
treated of things there in fo comprehenfive a manner, that he
believes no one could have done it more fully or fignificanily ori
the fame fubje£l." His ftyle, fays another writer, has all the
purity of Csefar's, and is fo nervous both in the refleftions and
diction, that he fcems to have abfolutely entered into the gravity
of Livy, and made it his own. Erafmus, who was intimately ac-
quainted with him^ fays, in one of his epiftles, " that he was a
man of an extraordinary happy genius, and of great eloquence."
** He was certainly," fays another writer, " a great maftcr of
polite learning, well Ikilled in divinity, philofophy, and hiftory v
but fomewhat credulous, and much addifted to the belief of le-
gendary (lories. With regard to his other accomplifhments, he
was difcreet, well-bred, attentive, generous, affable, and cour-
teous [o].'*
BOFFRAND (Germain), a celebrated french architea,wa»
the fon. of a fculptor, and of a fifter of the famous Quinaut ;
and born at Nantes in Bretagne, 1667. He was trained under
Harduin Manfarad, who trufled him with conducing his great-
eft works. BofFrand was admitted into the french academy of
architefture in 1709: many princes of Germany chofe him for
their architcfl, and raifed confiderable edifices, upon his plans.
His manner of building approached that of Palladio } and there
was much of grandeur in all his defigns. As engineer and in-
fpcclor-general of the bridges and highways, he caufed to be
conftrufted a number of canals, fluices, bridges, and other me-
chanical works. There is of this illuftrious architeft a curious
and ufeful book, which contains the general principles of his
art ; to which is adtlcd an account of the plans, profiles, and
elevations of the principal works which he executed in France
and other countries. A very gracious idea is tranfmitted to us of
this artift, who is reprefcnted as of a noble and difintercftcd
fpirlt, and of a pleafing and agreeable manner. He died at Paris,
in 1755* dean of the academy of archite£lure, firft engineer and
infpeClor-general of the bridges and highways, architeft and ad-
ininillrator of the general hofpital.
BOHADIN, an arabian hillorian of great note, celebrated, for
his Life of Saladin, in whofc court he llouriflied in the xiith
century. 'What makes his hiftory particularly valuable, is hia
being contemporary to tlie events he writes; and what is more,
he was a favourite of Saladin's, conftantly about his perfon, and
high in oihce. He is very accurate in his account of the cru-
fadea, and Saladin's taking of Jerufalem j and mentions our Ri-
chard 1. who made fuch a figure as Saladin's antagonift. The
accurate Schuitens has publiflied a very excellent edition in folio
[o] MacUcnaie, p. 4,5U
witb
6 O I L E A O. 433
Vith much emditidn, Leydcrt, i^J^. It has been bbferved by
ta able critic, that this hiftorian^ as well as Abulpharagius and
Abulfeda, bears much refcmblancc to Plutarch ; as they have en-
Hched their hiftories with fo many ftriking anecdotes and cu-
rious information on the progrefs and ftate of literature in their
refoedlive ages and countries.
BOILEAU (Giles), member of the french academy, and
the cldeft brother of the celebrated Boileau Defpreaux, wrote a
tranflation of Epiftetus, two diflertationsagainft Menage and
Caftor, and fomc other works. He died in 1669, aged 38.
• BOILEAU (James), brother of the former, and a learned
doftor of the Sorbonne, was born at Paris on the i6th of March
1635. After having been d6an and grand vicar of Sens under
M. de Goudrin, he returned to Paris in 1694, and was made
canon of the holy Chapel. He died when dean of the faculty of
divinity, on the ift of Auguft 17 16. He publiflied a great num-
ber of curious works, the principal of which are, i. The De-
cretal fuper fpccula de magiftris. 2. De antiquo jure prefby-
terqrum in regimine ecclefiaflico. 3. De antiquis et niajoribos
cpifcoporum caufis, in 4to. 4. An hiftory of auricular confeflion,
in latin, &c.
BOILEAU (John James), canon of the church of St. Honori
at Paris, was of the diocefe of Agen, in which he enjoyed a cu-
racy. The delicacy of his conlHtution having obliged him to
quit it, he repaired to Paris. The cardinal de Noailles a (Forded
him many marks of his efteem. He died the lOth of March
1735, aged 86. There are by him, i. Letters on various fubjefts
of rhorxlity and devotion, 2 vols. i2mo. 2. The life of the duchefs
of Liancourt, and that of madame Combe, fuperior of the houfe
of the Bon Paftcur. All thefe works evince a fund of fenfe and
good fentiments ; but he is too much the orator in every one of
them.
BOILEAU, Sieur Despreaux (Nicholas), a celebrated
french poet, born at Paris, Nov. i, 1636. His mother died when
he was in his infancy, and he loft his father before he was feven-
teen. After he had finifhed his philofophical ftudies, he was
perfuaded to ftudy the law; in which he made a confiderable
proficiency, and was admitted advocate, Dec. 4, 1656 [p]. But
though he had all the qualifications neceifary to make him a great
lawyer, yet the profeffion, dealing fo much in falfehood and chi-
canery, did not fuit the candour and fmcerity of his difpofition ;
for which reafon he quitted the bar. He has exprefled his avcrfion .
to the law ia his fifth cpiftle.
[p] Dcf MalzeauxU Life of Boileau, prefixed to the engliih tranflation of his works,
c4it. 171a.
.Vol. II. F f He
434 ROILEAU.
He now refohred to fti)dy divinUy* and accordmglj went ta
the Sorbonne; but in a little time he contrafted a ftrong avcrfion
to this purfuit ; for he foundj to his aftoniihment, the mod im-
portant points of falvation reduced to empty fpeculation, wrapt
up in terms of obfcurity^ and thereby giving rife to endlefs dif-
putes. He therefore left the Sorbonne, and applied himfelf to
the more polite ftudies,efpecially to poetry^ for which his genius
was partictilarly formed ; and he loon carried the palm from
every poet in France. The fuccefs which his firft works met
withy is humoroufly hinted at in his epiftle to his book.
He wrote fatires, wherein he expofed the bad tafte of his time-
He was likewife extremely fevere againft vice, and the corrupt
manners of the age. His pieces gained him vaft applaufe, but
he was blamed for mentionmg names [<^« As incorrcftr copies
of his performances were handed about in manufcripti and
others afcribed to him, of which he was not the author, he tl;ierc-i
fore got a privilege from the king, and publiflied his works hiinn
felf. With regard to his naming of perfons, he publiihed a fa*^
tire Zvl] in his own defence: he wrote alfo a difcourfe upon
fatire, wherein he vindicated himfelf by the example of both
french and roman fatiriils. In 1669, he infcribed an epiftle to,
the king, upon the peace then lately concluded with Spain [s].
There is likewife a (mall produ£lion of his, intituled, A dialogue
of the dead ; expofmg the abfurditjr of feveral dramatic pieces
and romances, which were then in hieh reputarion. The fuccefs
of Lewis in Holland, in 1672, furni&ed Boileau with an occa«
fion of addrefling another epiftle to his majefty* The king was
a great admirer of Boileau's performances ; nor was he fatisfied
with only fignifying his approbation in private, but likewife gave
a public teftimotiy thereof, in the licence granted him for puh«
lifiiing his works [t]. October 1677, Boileau was fixed upon
[<^ J The duke of Moneaufier faid once able hero, and to (hew that a king may be
in a paflion, that Boileau and all fatinc poets a great an^l glorious prince in peace as well
ihould be fent into the river to rhime. It as wan Remarques de Brofl'ette, fur ep. 1.
was to this perhaps our poet alluded in his [t] The beginning of the licence is t«
ninth fatire, where he fays, the following purpofe : " Whereas our dear
and wclUbcloved the (ieur Defpreaox has
Your fireedomwillio drowning end in time, humbly remonftrated to us that he hat
And I (hall to the Seine be fent to rhimc. wiittca divers pieces which he defires to
have printed, and likevtife to reprint his
[ It 1 This fatire was written in 1 66 7* and fatires, the licence whereof is expired, if '
is thought to be the moft excellent of all his we (hould pleafe to grant him our letterr
produ^ions. of permifliou for fo doing : Wherefore, be*
[s] Notwith (landing there wa^ a peace ing delirous to encourage the faid fieur
concluded in 1668, yet the French in ge- Defpreaux, and to give to the public* by
neral wi(hed for s fre(h war. Colbert alone the reading of his works, the fame pleafur»
diffiiaded the king i\om it; and it was to we oorfelves received thereby^ we have
countenance thii great miniller's views, permitted him to caufe the faid works to
that Boileau wrote this epiftle, wherein he be printedi &c.**
ciidcavoors Co celebrate the king as a peace-
B O I L E A U. 455
hf the king to Write his hiidofy^ in conjun£(!on with Ractne [ir] ^ ;
and in 16841 he was chofen a member of the French academy [xj.
BSoileau's fatirical pieces raifed him many enemies : his Satire
againft the women, in particular; was much talked of, and occa-
fioned great clamour [r]. Having been attacked by the authors'
of a journal printed at Trevoux, he made reprifals on them
in fome epigrams, and in his fatire againft equivocation. In
1701, he was eleQed penfionary of th^ academy of infcriptions
and medals, which place he filled with honour till 1705, when,
being grown deaf and infirm, he defired and obtained leave to
refign. He quitted the court, and fpent the remainder of his
life in quiet and tranquillity amoji^fl: a few kleSt friendis. He
died March 2, 1 7 1 i , iged 74. v
^^ Bruyere, in his fp*ech to the french academy, fpeaking of
Boileau as a writer, ifays, ^* that he excels Juvenal, comes up to
Horace, feems to create the thoughts of another, and to make
^ whatever he handles his own. He h6s, in what he borrows from
others, all the graces of novelty and invention : his vcrfes, ftrong
and harmo^iou^, made by genius, though wrought with art, wiU
be read even when the language Is obfolete, and will be the lalfc
^ [u ] The poUlc howeter never had thit to thtt gendemtn 1 and, when the depudet
work urhich thej eipe^cd from Boiletu oftfae academy, accordi ng to cvftom, waited
and Racine. Valincourt writes thin to on the king tor his approbation of their
the abbot Olivet upon this fubje^ : <* Mef- choice, he difmifled them without an an- ^
fiemi Oefpreauk^and Racine, having for fwer, and went to the fiegt of Luzembttrg
fotee'time endeavoured to write that hif* ' Without declariog his nind. During this
torfy foon feuAd thit fucH a work did not inieiVal, Beions, a privv counfellor, and «
at all fuit their ge%^us { and befides, they n^ember of the french academy, died |
juftly thought, that the hillory of fuch a whereupon the academy immediately cbofe
prince as the late king was filled with fo Boileau to fucceed him, and the king a|u
many and givat ciiru'raiRfnces, could not. proving their choice, confirmed at the fam*
well be written till an hundred years after time Fontaine's eledioa. BroiTettey Oeuv. ■
his deathi except pne could coAipofe' it only de Boileao, torn. iv. p. 7 J, 74.
from infipid eitrads of the public news* [y^ Bc^leao, in an advenUement prt*
y P'P^"* *^ ^^"^ pitKiil writers have done, fiscd to this piece, makes a fort of apoiogy
f who ventured to write that hiftory." Oli* to the ladrcs for the liberty he had taken
vet's Hift. de 1' Academic Franc, p. 371; in pimtlng their vices: " All theplfturea '
Paris edit. I h^ve drawn/' fays he, '* are fo general*
[x] A place Eefng vacant by the death ' that, far from being afraid of o0eoding'th«
of Colbert, which happened Sept. i6Sjf ladies, it is on their approbation and curi-
fome of th« memben waited on Boiteau, ofity that I giound my greateft hopes of
and a(ked him whether he would accept of fuccefs. One thing, at leaft, I am fure«
that place, is cafe theacadcmy dfered it to they will commend mmfoi, which is, my
htm. Boileau leccivcd the offer very ci* having treated this delicate matter fo, that
viUy, but declared pofitivcly that he would not arwovd has efeaped me, which can give •
not petition for It. The gentlemen accord- oflmee to modcfty.: wherefore I hope I;
ingly proposed him 10 the academy, Foo- (hatTcaliiy obtain m^ pardon s and that the
taine being at the fame time piopofed to ladies will not be more (hocked at my
fupply this vacancy ; tlie academy being pnaching againft their faults in this fatire, .
divided betwixt theft tw« great men, and \ than at the fatirea the pteachers make •
feveral of the memberli piqued' at finding ' every day agaiitft the fame faults from the
their names in Bolleau'a fatircs, the ma.' pulpit." Sec tl^e eogliih trtnflnwn of hit
jority of voices fell to Fontaine;. The king ■ works, vol. i,. p* a5i,
was not pleaPsd with the preference given . . /
Viz ruini
436 BOINDIN. '
ruins of it [z].'* ' But his fame has not been confined to h?s otrn '
country : he has been no lefs praifed by other nations. Baron
Spanheim has beftowed very high encomiums on him. Lord
Shaftefbury calls him ^' a noole fatirift, who applied his criticifm
with juft fcverity even to his own works [a]." Dr. Warton, the
ingenious author of An eflay on the writings and genius of Pope,
fbeaking of Boileau's Art of poetry, fays it is the beft dompo-
mion of that kind extant. <^ The brevity of his precepts, (ays this
writer, enlivened by propet imagery, the juftncfs of his meta^
phors, the harmony of his numbers, as far as alexandrine line»
will admit, the ^xa£lnefs of his method, the perfpicuity of hia
renvarks, and the energy pf his ftyle, all duly confidered^ may ren-
der this opinion not unreafonable. It is to this work he owea
his Hnmortallty, which was of the higheft utility to his nation,
io dlffuring a juft way of thinking and writing, banifliing ever/
fpecies of faIC& wit, and introducing a general tafte for the nianly
fimplicity of the ancients, on whofe writings this poet had formed
his tafte [b]."
' There have been many editions of Boileau^s works ; but that
piibliflied by BroiTette, with hif notes and commentary, is th»
moft famous [c].
BOINDIN (Nicholas), bom at Paris in x676|Of aprocnreur
du roi in the ofiice of the finances, entered into the regiment of
mufqueteers in 1696. The weaknefs of his conftitution, unablc
to refift the fatigues of the fervice, obliged him to lay down his
arms and take to the clofen He was received in 1706 into the
academy of iiifcriptions and belles-fettres ; and would have been
of the academie fran^oife, if the public profeflion he made of
atbeifm had not determined his exciufion. He was affllfied to*
^ards the latter end of his days with a fiftula, which carried him
off the 30th of Nov. 1 751, at the age of 75. He was denied the .
honours of fepulture j being inhumed the day following without
ceremony at three o'clock in the momtng[D]. M.Parfait the
elder^ wno inherited the works of Boin£a^ g;we them to the
[x] Preface to hi* tsaniktiofi of Juliaa't a doTe corrci)>OBdeiice with Boilfiau. (<n
Bmpcrort, p. 5. above twelve yean. This edition confifty «
[a] ChasafieriAicSt. ¥oU i.. p. %i%. of four yolucnes» and was firft printed at -
!•). iii. p. 28a. Geneva in 1 7 1 6.
[8l£frayonthewritinciofPbperp.9^. [oj A bel-efprit made this epigram*
[cj A great many pa&get in Boikaia matical epitaph upon him :
were become untnteliigibk, becaufe thcf
liinted at fcveral thiogsy whicb moft tea. SUns murmtirer cootre la Piuquey.
dert were ignorant of, or had forgot H« Dont il coonoiflbit le peuvoir,
inentions alfo many perfoos> whofe lives Boindin viant de pafler la barque»
and »Skians were unknown to the -greateft £t nous a dit I tous bon-foir.
part of the world, To that a commentary be. II I'a fait (ana ceremonia.
came at neceflaiy to underftand BoUeaity On f^ait qu'encos demieramooenk
•• Horae»9 Perfius> or Juvenal,' Brollette On fuit volontieis fon gtnie :
was undoubtedly the moft proper pcrfon to>/ Ujn'aimoit paa ies oompiiinens.
wril^ fwh a commentaryj as he had kept
8?
T
B O I S. 437
^uibKc in 17539 in 2 vols, f 2mo. .In the firft we have foar co^ '
xnedies in profe: i. Les trois Gar9on8> compofed in concert
with la Motte ; they afterwards difputed to whom it moft be-
longed: Moliere would certainly not have laid claim to it, though
it contains feveral artful and agreeable ftrokes. 2. Le Bal d'Au-
tuei]» the fubje£b of which is laughable, and the plot ftriking and
ingenious. It is in the manner of Dancour, whom the authoi
imitates even in the dialogue. 3. Le Fort de Mer, in conr
junfilon with la Motte, and more worthy of giving birth to a
quarrel of pretenfions between them. It was applauded, and is
<;ontintted on the ftage. 4. Le Petit-maltre de Robe ; too fim-
pie, though tolerably well dialogued. At the he;id of the firft
volume is a memoir on his life and writings, compofed bv him*
felf. This man, who plumed himfelf on being a philou>pher,
here gives himfelf, without fcruple, all the praifes that a dull
anegyrift would have found fome difficulty in affording him.
"here is alfo by him a memoir, very circumflantial and very
flandcrous, in which he accufes, after a lapfe of forty years, la
Motte, Saurln, and Malaflaire a merchant, of having plotted the
ftratagem that caafed the celebrated and unhappy Roufleau to
be condcmi^edfEJ. Boindin, though an atheift, in point of
inorais was irreproachable. His heart was generous : but to his
vixtues he added prefumption and obflinacy, was capricious and
iinfociable. He was a fine fpeaker, and a tolerable writer. He
efcaped the perfecution and chaftifement that ufually follow the
profeilion of atheifm, becaufe, in the difputes between the jefuits
and their adverfaries, he ufed frequently to declaim in the
cofFee-houfes againit the latter. M. de la Place relates, that he
faid to a man who thought like him, and who was threatened for
his opinions, *^ They plague you, becaufe you are a jaufeniitic
atheift; but they let me alone, becaufe I am a moliniftic atheift."
Not that he inclined more to Molina than to Janfenius ; but he
ibund that he fhould get more by fpeaking in behalf of thofe
Jthat were then in favour,
BOIS (Jean du). Joannes a Bofco, born at Paris, W2is orU
ginally a celeftine monk; but, having obtained permifhon to leave
the cloifler, he embraced the military fervice, and there diftin*
guifiied liimfelf in fuch a manner, that Henry III. never called
him by any other name than the emperor of monks. After the
extinftion of the Ligue he re-entered his order, became preacher
in ordinary to Henry IV. and obtained fo much of the favour of
[1] Boindin is defcribed in the Temple Je vieos fifler tous cc ^u*<m tppUudtt"
iu Gout in the following manner : Lors le critique apparut, etlui dit :
'*Ami Bardou, vous cLcsun grand mA*Cre:
.Un raifonncur, avcc un fauffct aierc, Mais n'cntrercz en cct aimablc lieu:
Crioit: I'Mcflieurs, je ruiscejugeintcgre, Vous j venci pour fronder notre I>i«u, •'
.Q^i couJQun p^rlCf aiyfie et conTredit, Cuntcntez \pu) de ne pas It conxioitre/' .
F f 3 cardinal
43» BOISMORAND.
cardinal Olmer, that he permitted him to bear his name and his
arms, and procured him the abbey of Beavlieu in Argonnc*
After the death of Henry IV« he nlled his fermons with invec-
fives againft the jefui^, whom he bcliered to be the contrivers of
it| and who had the art to punifh him for it ; for, having gone
to Rome in 1612, he was prefently (hut up in St. Angelo's
^ftle, where he died in 1626. He printed at his own expence
the Bibliotheca floriacenfis ; Lyons, 1605, in 8vo. It is a coU
le£iion of fmall tra£is by the ancient ecclefiaftical authors, taken
from the manufcripts of the library belonging to the monafteij
of Fleuri^fur-Ijoire. The third part alone contains fome opul*
cula of the editor; amon^ others, the portrait-royal of Henrv FV.
(it is his funeral difcourfe] 1610, Svo; that of cardinal Olivier
his benefa£ior ; Rome, 1610, 4to ; and a number of letters.
60IS (Gerard du), of the Oratoire, a native of Orleans,
died July 15, 1696, at 67 ; fucceeded pere le Cointe his friend
in the place of librarian to the houfe of 8t. Honore, and inherited
bis papers. They were not ufeiefs in his hands. He revifed
the eighth volume of the EccleGaftical annals of France, and
publiflied it in 1683. This work procured him apenfion of a
thoufand llvres granted him by the clergy. He afterwards un«
dfertook, at the entreaty of Harlay archbifliop of Paris, the Hif*
tory of that church ; 1690, 2 vols, folio. The feconJ did not
appear till eight years after his death, by the care of pere de la
Rippe, and pere Defmolets of the oratory. He frequently min*
gles civil with eccleOaftical hiftory. His digreiBons have^letogth*
ened his work ; but they have alfo diverfified it. The differtations
with which he has accompanied it evince great fagacity in dif-
ceming what is true from what is falfe. His hiftory is written
an latin, and the ftyle is pure and elegant.
BOIS (Philippe4v)> born in the diocefe of Payeux, dodor of
Sorbonne, librarian to le Tellier archbifhop of Rheims, died in
X703. There is by him, i. A catalogue of the library under his
care^ i^93» at the Louvre, folio, a. An edition of Tibullus,
Catullus, and Propertius, in 2 vols. 8vo. adufum Delphini, 1685.
3. An edition of the theological works of Malddnat, in folio }
Paris, itS77. '^^^ dedication and the preface, in which he apo*
logizes for the manners and the do£irine of that jefuit, are only
in fomc of the copies.
BOISMORAND (the abbe Chiron de), bom at Quimper
about 1680, was long a jefuit, and died at Paris in 1740, under
the cilice and the cowl, after having been one of the greateft
fwearers and gamefters in France. After having emptied his
pur/e at piay, one of his refources was to throw out a fatirical
f)amphlet againfl the jefuits, his old companions^ which he pub-
ifhed under the veil of fome fi£litious name. This done, he
would go and make an oficr %q the very people ht; had abufed^
to
BOISSARD. 439
to refute the calumnies that h;ld been fo wickedly launched
againfl them ; and this he really did, in confideration of a good
douceur. This petty artifice was difcovered by the jefuitsj who
thought it beft to dilTemble with a man who brandiflied a for-
midable pen. It muft be confefled that the abbe de Boifmorand
had a ready wit, ftrong fenfe, and a lively and fertile imagi-
nation. There are extant of his feveral memoirs, which develop
fome very intricate and famous tranfadions. There are three
or four thjt may be pronounced equal to any thing of the kind
that has hitherto been produced ; and are at the fame time mo-
dels of eloquence. Several authors afcribe to him the Memoirs
of the court of Philip Auguftus, known under the name of Ma-
demoifelle de Laffan.
BOISROBERT ^Frakjois lk Metel de), of the french
academy, to the eftaolifhment whereof he contributed greatly,
abbot of Chatilly- fur-Seine, was born at Caen in the year 1592,
and died in 1662. He was remarkably brilliant in converfation.
He knew by heart many of the tales of Boccace, of Beroald, and
efpecially the Moyen de parvenir of the latter. His imagination,
foftered early by the writings of all the facetious authors, fur-
niihed him with the means of amufing and of exciting laughter.
Citois, firft phyfician to the cardinal de Richelieu, ufed to fay to
that minifler, when he was indifpofed, Monfeigneur, all our
drugs are of no avail, unlefs you mix with them a dram of Boif-
robert. The cardinal could not do without his jokes. He was
his bel-efprit and his buffoon. Boifrobert falling into difgrace,
had recourfe to Citois, who put at the bottom of his paper to
the cardipal, as if it had been a prefcription, Recipe Boisro*
BERT. This jeit had its eflfe£t, by caufing him to be recalled.—
His jocularity accompanied him even to the brink of the prave«
On his death-bed, being preiTed to fend for a confeflbr. On yes,
by all means, faid he, let fomebody go and fetch me. one ; but
let them take care not to brine me a janfenift.^-Boifrobert pub-
liihed, r. Divers poems; the tirft part 1647, 4to, and the fecond
1659, 8vo. 2. Letters, in the colleftion of Faret ; 8vo. 3. Tra-
gedies, comedies, and tales, which^bear the name of his brother
Antoine le Metel, fieur d'Ouvillc. 4. Hiftoirc indienne d'Anax-
andre et d'Orafie; 1629, 8 vo. 5. Nouvelles heroiques, 1627,
8vo. His theatrical pieces, applauded by cardinal Richelieu and
by fome of his flatterers, are buried in the dud.
BOI^SARD (John James), a famous antiquary, born at Be-
fan^on in France, 1528. He publifhed feveral colle£tions, which
are of great ufe to fuch as would underftand the roman antiqui-
ties. He had a violent paflion for this ftudy ; he drew plans of
all the ancient monuments in Italy, and vifited all the antiquities
of the ifles of Corfu, Cephalonia, and Zant. He went alfo to
the Morea, and would have proceeded to Syria, had he not been
F f 4 prevented
440 BOISSI.
prevented By a dangerous fever, which feized him afc MetfaonCr.
Upon his return to his own countryi he was appointed tutor to
tlic fons of Anthony de Vienne> baron de Clervant, with whom
he travelled into Germany and Italy. He had left at Mpntbe-
Ijard his antiquities which he had been coIle£ling with fo much
pains ; and was fo unlucky as to lofe them all, when the people
of Lorraine ravaged Franchc Comte. He had none left except
thofe which he had tranfported to Metz, where he himfelf had
retired ; but as it was well known that he intended to publifh
a large colleftion of antiquities, there were fcnt to him from all
parts many fketches and draughts of old monuments. By this
means he was enabled to favour the public with his work, inti-
tuled, De Romanx urbis topographia et antiquitate. It confift$
of four volumes in folio, which arc enriched with feveral prints.
He publifhed alfo the lives of many famous perfons, with i;heir
portraits. This, work, intituled, Tneatrum vitae humanae, is d\^
vided into four parts, in 4to: the firft printed at Frankfort, 159(7^
the fecond and third in 1598; and the fourth in 1599- His trea-
tife, De divinatione et magicis praeftigiis, was not printed till
after his death, which happened at Metz, 06^.30, 1602. There
have been two editions. of it : one at Hainau in 161 1, 4to ; ano-
ther at Qppenheim in 1625, folio. He wrote alfo a book of
Epigrams, Elegies, and Letters ; but thefe are not fo much ef-
tecmed as his other performances [r]*
' BOISSI (Louis de), a celebrated french comic writer of na-
tive wit and genuine humour, and inconteftably one of the ^rft
geniufes that France has produced. But, as has often been the
fate of fuch extraordinary favourites of the mufcs, though be
laboured incelTantly for the public, his works procured him only
a competency of fame— he wanted bread. In fliort, whi]e the
theatres and coffce-houfes of Paris were ringing with plaudits oq
his uncommon talents to promote their mirth, he was languifli-
ing, with a wife and child, under the preflures of the extremeft
poverty. Yet, melancholy as his fituation was, he loft nothing
of that pride, the ufual concomitant of gen\uS| whether great or
fmall. He could not creep and fawn at the feet of a patron*
BoifTi had friends, who would readily have relieved him ; but
tliey were never made acquainted with his real condition, or had
ript that friendly impetuofity which forces affiftance on the mo-
dcft fuflerer. ne at length became the prey of diftrefs,and fiink
into dcfpondency. The fliorteft way to rid himCqlf at once of
his load of mifcry fcemcd to him to be death. By continually
cherifliing this idea, the formidable monarch appeared to him in
the li^ht of a friend, a faviour, and deliverer, and won his af-
fc(flion. His tender fpoufe, who was no lefs weary of life,lif«
f f] Mariinus Haxnkius dt Scripioribi^s R^r. Roman. to|n, I, Cr 76.
tcnejl
BOISSL 441
Vned with participation as often as he dedaimedy m all the.
warmth of poetic rapture, on the topic of deliverance from this
earthly prifon, and the fmiling profpe£ls of futurity ; till at
length tie took up the refolution to accompany him m death.
But {he could not bear to think of leaving her beloved fon, of
five years old, in a world of miferv and forrow ; it was therefore
agreed to take the child along with them, on their paflage into
another and a better.
They were now firmlv refolved to die. But what mode of
death mould they adopt r They made choice of ftarvmg. 'To
this end, they {hut themfelves up in their folitary and deferted
^^partment, waiting their difiblution with immovable fortitude.
When any one came and knocked, they fled trembling into a
comer, for fear of being difcovered. Their little boy, who had
not yet learned to lilence the calls of hunger by artificial reafons^
whimpering and crying, aiked for bread y but they always found
means to quiet him.
^ It occurred to one of Boiffi's friends, that it was very extraor^
dinary he {hould never find him at home. At firilhe thought
the family had changed their lodgings y but, on aiTuring himlelf
of the contrary, he began to be alarmed. He called feveral times
in one day : always nobody at home ! At lafl: he proceeded to
burft open the door. — Haw great was }iis furprife, at feeing his
friend, with his wife and fon, extended on the bed, pale and
emaciated, fcarcely able to utter a found I The bov lay in the
middle, and the hu{band and wife had their arms tnrown over
him. The child {tretched out his little hands towards his deli-
verer, and his firft word was — ^Bread ! It was now the third day
that not a mprfel of food had entered his lips. The parents lay
{till in a petfef): ftupor i they had never heard the burfting open
of the door, and felt nothing of the embraces of their agitated
friend. Their wafted eyes were direfted towards the boy } and
the tendereft exprefiions of pity were in the look with which
diey had laft beheld him, and ftill faw him dying. Their friend
haftened to take meafures for their recovery ; but could not fuc-
cced without difficulty. They thought themfelves already far
from the troubles of life, and were terrified at being fuddenly
brought back to them. Void of fenfe and refleftion, they fub-
mitted to the attempts that were made to recall them to life.
At length a thought occurred to their friend, which happily
fucceeded. He took the child from their arms, and thus roufed
the laft fpark of paternal and maternal tendernefs. He gave the
<;hild to eat ; who, witli one hand held his bread, and with the
other alternately fhook liis father and mother. It feemed at
once to rekindle the love of life in their hearts, on perceiving
thjxt the child had left the bed and their embraces. Nature did
her ofiicc. Their friend procured thcra ftrcngthening broths^
9 which
44^ BOKHARL
which he put to their lips with die ntmoft caution, tnd did not
lesnre them till every fymptom of reftored life was fully vifible.
This tranfaAioo made much noife in Paris, and at length
reached the ears of the marcliionefs de Pompadour. Boifli's de-
plorable fituation moved her. She iramedbtelv fent him a hun*
dred louis-d'ors, and foon after procured him tiie profitable
place of comptrotleur du Mercure de France, with a penfion for
Lis wife and child, if they ontUved him.-!-His CEuvres de theatre
are. in 9 rois. 8vo. His Italian comedy, in which path he is the
author of numerous pieces, has not the merit of the above. He
was of the french academy. Boifli died in April 1758*
BOIVIN (FRAN901S D£), baron of VtHars, was fecretary to
die marechal de Briflac, and accompanied him into Piemont
mnder Henry IL We have by him, THiftoire des goerres de
Pi6mont, depuis ]550jufqu'en 1561 ; Paris, a vols. 8vo. This
hiftorian is neither elegant nor accurate in general ; but he may
be confulted with fafety on the exploits that paflbd under his
€iwn obfervation. Boivin died in 1618 very old. His Hiftory,
contintted by Q. Malinger, appeared in 1630.
BOIVIN (John), profcffor of greek in the colTege-ropI, was
bom at Montreuil 1' Argile. Being fent for to Paris by his elder
brochcTy young Boivin foon made great progrefs in literature, in
die hn£uages» and efpecially in the knowledge of the greek.
He died October ap, 1726, aged 64, member of the academic
lran9oife, of that of belles-lettres, and keeper of the king*s library.
He profiteer by this literary treafure, by drawing from it a variety
of information, and to a great extent. He had every quality
aeccflary to a man of letters, gentle manners, and a umplicitj
snore amiable in fcholars than in the reft of mankind, but whicn
they do not always poflefs. He wrote, i. The apologj for Ho^
mer, and the Shield of Achilles, in 1 amo. 2. Tranflation of the
Bairachom^omachia of Homer into french verfe^ under his
name latinifed into Biberimero. 3. The CBdipus of Sophocles,
and the Bi%ls of Ariflophanes, tranflated into french, in i2mo.
if. Pieces of greek poetry. 5. The edition of the Mathematict
vetcres, 1693, in folio. 6. A latin life 9f Claude le Peletier, in
4to, written in a ilyle rather t^o inflated. 7. A tranflation of
Ae Byzantine hiftory of Nicephorus Gregoras, exad, elegant,
and enriched with a curious preface, and notes replete with eru-
dition.
BOKHARIfc], one of the mod celebrated dof^ors of muf-
fulmanifm, was born in Arabia in the 194th year of the Hegira,
under the calipliat of Amin. He began his iludics when he was
but ten years old, and particularly applied himfelf to the know-
[c] His real name was Abu AbduIU is more generally kno>«-n bj that of Bok«
Mebammcd Ben ll'mail Al Qis&, but he hari.
ledge
BOLEYN. 443
fedge of the law and religion of his country. He came to Bok^
harah when Abu Heifs was tnufti of it ; and was received verf
coolly by shim, becaufe he maintained the principles of predefti'*
nation, and becaufe he was of the fame opinion as Motazales as
to the creation of the alcoran ; in which he did no more than
propagate the fentiments of his mafter Marifli. It is however
{aid that Bokhari retra£led as to thefe two points before his death.
Not being pleafed with his abode at Bokharah, he determined on
retiring to one of the fuburbs of the city of Samarcand called
Khertenk, where he died the firft day of the month Scheval in
the 256th year of the hegira, under the caliphate of Motamed*
Ben Kozuimah fays, that no mufTulman doctor wa$ ever fo fa-
mous as Bokhari in traditions. Indeed the grand work of this
do£ior is that which he has intituled Techioh, the Sincere, where
he fays himfelf that be has colle£led 7275 mod authentic tra-
ditions, fele£led from 100,000 traditions, all of which he be-
lieved to be true ; and that he had feparated thefe 100,000 from
aoo,ooo others, which he had reje£ted as falfe. He wrote this
work at Mecca. The authority of all thefe traditions is princi«
pally founded on the faith of Ben Hanbeil, one of the four chiefs
of tne orthodox fe^ of Mohammedans. What has confiderably
incseafed the reputation of the fahib, is that few books have had
more commentators. We have other things of his writing, but
they are of much leff confeauence {h]. Our author left a fon
named Iman Zade al Bokhari, who trod in the footfteps of his
fether[i3.
BOLEYN (Anne), wife of Henry VIII. king of England, and
memorable for giving occafion to the reformation in this country^
was the daughter of fir Thomas Boleyn, and bom in 1507. She
.was carried into France at feven years of aee by Henry VIITs
fifter, who was wife of Lewis XII :• nor did the return into Eng-
land, when that queen retired thither after the death of herhul-
band ; but ftaid in the fervice of queen Claudia, the wife of
Francis I. and after the death of that princefs went to the du-
chefs of Alenfon [kJ. 1 he year of her return is not well
known : fome will have it to have been in 1527, others in 1525.
Thus much is certain, that^ihe was maid of honour to queen
Catherine of Spain, Henry VIIFs firft wife ; and that the king
fell extremely in love with her. She behaved herfelf with fo
much art and addrefs, that, by refufing to gratify his paffion, ihe
brought hiiti to think of marrying her : and the king, deceived
by her into a perfuafion that he ihould never enjoy her unlefii
[k] They are thefe : 1. Ad«b al Mof. [1] D'Herbelot B«U. Orient toI. t.
fcdat dl hadtth, i. e. the peculiar qualities p. 410, 41 1 .
of traditions ; and 2. Efma al Jahaba, 1. c. [k] Burnet's Htft* of Reform* YoL i*
the name of the firft dodlo» of mohain* b. ii.
inedanifm.
be
ii44 bo.leyn:
he made her his^ifej was induced to fet onfopt tfa^ afiair of dSI
divorce with Catherine, which at laft was executed with great
foiemnity and form. A celebrated author obferves, that ♦* that,
which would have been very pralfe-worthy on another occaficHi^
was Anne Boleyn's chief crime ; fince her refufing to comply
with an aqaorous king, unlefs he would divorce his wife, was t
much more enormous crime than to have been his concubine.
A concubine, fays he, would not have dethroned a queen, nor
taken her crown or her huiband from her ; whereas the crafty
Anne Boleyn, by pretending to be chafte and fcrupulous, aimtd
only at the ufurpation of the throne^ and the exclufion of Ca-
therine of Arragon, and her daughter, from all the honours due
to thtm [l].''
In the mean time,. Henry could* not procure a divorce from
the pope ; which made him refolve at length to difown his au-
thority, and to fling ofFhis yoke. Neverthelefs he married Aiine
JBolcyn privately upon the 14th of November 1532, without
waiting any longer for a releafe from Rome } and, as foon as he
perceived that his new wife was with child, he made his mar<*
jiagc public [m]. He caufed Anne Boleyn to be declared queen
of England on £a(ler-eve 1533* and to be crowned the firft of
June k)lIowing. She was brought to bed, upon the 7th of Sep-
tember, of a daughter, who was afterwards queen Elizabeth;
and continued to be much beloved by the king, till the charms
of Jane Seymour had fired that prinee's heart in 1536. Then
his love for his wife was changed into violent hatred*, he believea
her to be unchafte, and caufed her Co be imprifoned and tried.
•* She was indifted of high treafon, for that (he had procured
ker brother an^ other four to lie witli her, which they had done
often; thaj; flie had faid to them, that the king never had her
heart ; and had faid to every .one of them by themfelves, that (he
loved him better than any perfon whatever, which was to the
flander of the ifiue that was begotten between the king and her.
And this was tr<!afon according to the (latute made in the 26th
year of this reign j fo that the law, which was made for her and
the ifluc of her marriuge, is now made ufe of to deftroy her.'*
She was condemned to be either burnt or beheaded \ and (he
underwent the latter, ou the 19th of May 1536. The right re-
Terend author of the Hiftory of tlie reformation relates fomc
very remarkable things of her behaviour during the time of her
imprifonmcnt, and a little before her execution. When (he was
imprifoned, (he is faid to have a£bed very different parts ; forne*
times feeming devout and (bedding abundance of tears*, and then
9II of a fudden breaking out into a loud laughter. A few hours
before her death, (lie faid, that the executioner was very handy j
[1.] Bayk*s Dldl. art.BotV vtf. [n] Bu-nct, S:c.
' \ ' and
B O L S E C* : 445.
and beGdes^ tKat {he had a very fmall neck ; at the fame tiite
feeling it with her hands, and laughing heartily. H(>wever> ic
is agreed that (he died with great refolution, taking care to
fpread her gown about her feet, that (he might fall with decency;
a$ the poets have related of Polyxena, and the hiilorians of Juliu$
Cacfar. ♦ . '
Roman catholic writers have taken all occafions to rail at this
unhappy woman, as well through vexation at the fchifm which
Ihe occafioned, as for the fake of defaming and difhonouring
queen Elizabeth by this means; and they have triumphed vehc^
mently, that, in the long reign of that queen, uo» endeavours,
were ufed to juftify her mother. But either queen Elizabeth ov
her minifters are greatly to be admired for prudence in this re*
fpe£t ; fince it is certain, that Anne Boleyn's juftiiication could
never have been carried on, without difcotering many things,
which mult have been extremely prejudicial to the queen, and
have weakened her right, inftead of eftablifhing it. For though
the reprefentations of the papifts are in no wife to be regarded,
yet many things might have been faid to the difadvantagc of her
mother, without tranfgreffing the laws of true hiltary : as, that
(be was a woman gay even to immodefty, indifcreet in the libera*
ties (he took, and of an irregular and licentious behaviour.
BOLSEC (Jerome), a proper $;xample to (hew the vanity and
futility of fame ; (uice it will (hew that fome circumftances are
fufficient to make the fate of a fcoundrel equal to that of the*
greateft men, and the moft bruti(h follies as much refpeAed a$ .
the fineft produ£ltons of human wit. This man's. wnole merit-
was inventing abominable lies and abfurdities againft the firft
reformers in the (ixteentli century^ and by this means fupplying
f popi(h mi(rionaries with matter of inventive againft them, he was
often quoted, and became refpe£ted.
! He was a Carmelite of Paris *, who, having preached fomc*
what freely in St. Bartholomew's church, forfook hi* order, and
\ fled into Italy [n]. He fet up for a phy(ician, and married : but
fpon after did iomething or other for which he .wa& driven arway.
He fet up afterwards in Geneva as a phyfician ; but^not fuc-*
ceeding in that profedion; he went over to divinity. At (irft he
dogmatized privately on the myftery of predeftination, according .
to the principles of Felagius } and afterwards had the boldnefs
to make a public difcourfe againft the received opinion. Upon
this, Calvin went to fee him, and ccnfured him mildly. Then he.
fent for him to his houfe, and endeavoured to reclaim him from
his error : but this did not hinder Bolfec from Ueltvering in pub-
lic an infuking difcourfe againft the decree of eternal predefti-*
nation. Calvin was among his auditors : but, hiding himfelC
in the crowd, was not feen by Bolfec, which made him the
[n] BcK^ia vit^i Calviox. '
bolder.
446 BOLSWERD.
bolder. As* foon a6 Bolfec had ended hi$ fertnon, Calvxn Rood-
up, and confuted all he had been faying. ** He anfwcred, over*
fety and confounded him, fays Beza, with fo many teftimonies
from the word of God, with (b many paffagcs, chiefly from St.
Augufline— in (hort, with fo many folid arguments, that every
body was mifcrably afhamccl for him, except the brazen-faced
monk himfelf.'' This was not all : a magiflrate, who was pre*
fent in that aflembly, called him a feditious fellow, and fent him
to prifdn. The caufe was difcufled very fully ; and it laft, with
the advice of the fwifs churches, the fenate of Geneva declared
Bolfec convi&ed of fedition and pelagianifm ; and as fuch ba«
nt(hed him from the territory of the republic, on pain o£ being,
whipped if he (hould return thither. This was done in 155 1.
He retired inta a neighbouring place, which depended on the
canton of Bern, and raifed a great deal of didurbance there.
He boldly accufed Calvin of making God the author of fin. CaU
vin, to prevent the impreflions which fuch complaints might
make upon the gentlemen of Bern, caufed himfelf to be deputed
to them, and p4eaded his caufe before them. He was fo fortu-
mte, that thougli he could not get a determination upon his doc«
trine, whether it was true or falfe, yet Bolfec was ordered to quit
the country.
He returned to France, and applied himfelf to the protefianti;
firft at Paris, afterwards at Orleans. He (hewed a great defire
to be promoted, to the mioiftry, and to be reconciled to the
church of Geneva : but the perfecution 'that arofe againft the
proteftants, made him refolve to take up his firft religion, and
the praAice of phyfic. He went and fettled at Autun, and prof-
tituted his wife to the canons of that place i and, to ingratiate
himfelf the more with the papifts, exerted a moft flaming zeal
againft the reformed. He changed his habitation often : he lived
at Lyons in 15^2, as appears by the title of a book, which he
csiufecf to be printed then at Paris againft Beza. He died not'
long after : for he was not living in 1585. ' The book juft men-
tioned is intittiled. The hiftory bf the life, dodrine, and beha-* ^
viourof Theodorus Beza, called the fpe£bable and great minifter
of Geneva.. This was preceded by the Hiftory of the life, adions,
dodrine, conftancy, and death of John Calvin, heretofore mi-
nifter of Geneva ; which was printed at Lyons in 1 577. Both
thefe hiftories are altogether unworthy of credit, as well becaufe '
they are written by an audior full of refentment, as bectufe thej
contain fads notorioufly falfe.
BOLSWERD (Scheldt), a native of the Low Countries; '
engraved a great number of plates from the works of Rtibens, ^
Vandyke, and Jordano, and has perfeflly imitated the .tafte of*
thofe great mailers. Adam and Boetius Bolfwerd, though ex-
cellent engravers, of the fame namOf yet never equalled Scheldt.
BOLTON
BOLTON* 447
BOLTON (Robbrt), wa$ bom in Noithamptoaflu):e» abeia
the year 1608, and received bis education at Wadham college^
O.cford^ where^ on the 13th June *i7i8| he took the degree oC
M. A. Being a valetudinarian and hypochondriac^ he found a
college-life not agreeable to his temper ; and being poflefied of
a fmall private fortune, he did not refide long at Oxford* Im
1720 he lived at Fulharo, where his acquaintance commenced
with Mrs. Butler, which afterwards occafioned his being knowa
to Mr. Pope ^ and he foroetimes took up his abode with old
lad J Blount at Twickenham. About IJ24 he reiided at Ken*
Cngtony where the celebrated Mr. Whilton then dwelt ; and in
part by his recommendation, on the refignation of Dr. Butler*,
afterwards bifliop of Durham, of the chapiainfhip to fir Jofepb
Jekyl, mailer of the rolls, our author was received into that
gentleman's family in the fame capacity, and continued there
unto the time of fir Tofepb's death* In the year 1 734 he printed
in the newfpaper of the time, a charader of Mrs. Butler, the
lady before n^entioned. This enlogium produced the following
lines, in the name of the deceafed lady, from Mr. Pope to our
author, which are not inferted in any edition of his works [pj :
Stript to the naked ibul, efcap^d from clay.
From doubts unfettered, and dliTolv'd in day ;
UnwsrmM by vanity, unreach'd by ilrife.
And all my hopes and fears thrown off with lifie ;
Why am I charmM by frieQdOiip's fond cflfays.
And tho' unbcxiyM confcious of thy prsife ?
Has pride a portion in the parted foul ? ^
Does paifion Hill the firmcft mind controul ?
Can gratitude .outpant the filent breath ?
Or a friend's forrow pierce the eloom of death i
No— His a fpirit's nobler taflc of blifs,
That feels the worth it left in proofs like this;
That not its own applaufe, but thioe approves,
Whofe pn^lice praifes, and whofe virtue loves ;
Who h'v'll to crown departed friends with fame.
Then dying late (hah all thou gav*fl reclaim.
It IS to be prefumcd that Dr. Bolton's conncflion with fir
Jofeph Jekyl introduced him to the patronage of lord Hard-
wickcy by whofe means in the year 1735 he was promoted to
the deanery of Carlifle. In 173^ he was appointed vicar of Sc
Mary*S) Reading; and both thefe preferments, the only ones he
V
fol Mr. RuiThead, in his life of Pope, were printed foon after the writinj of
p. 4:>tt, has g>iven thct'e verfei, which he them in the Prompter, No. S. and fincc io
fays, «* have never yet been printed, and il»e works ol Aaron Hill, vol. iv.p. 1 53.
for which the public is indebted to H.e who by miftake afcribcs the chara^cr of
honourable Mr. Yorke.*' In this alTcr- Mu. Butler to Mr. Pope,
tioni hoA'Cveff ht was milLiken ; thej
o ever
4+8 fiOLTOl^.
^er received, he held until the time of his death. He was an
excellent parlfli prieft, and a good preacher, charitable to the
poor ; and having from his own valetudinary (late acquired fomc
knovirledge of phyfic, he kindly affifted them by advice and
medicine. He was greatly beloved by his parifhioncrsi and dc-
fcrvedly ; for he performed every part of his duty in a truly ex-
emplary manner. On Eafter Tuefday in 1739 he preached one
of the fpltal fermons at St. Bride's, Fleet-ftrect, which was af-
terwards printed in 4t0. We do not find that he afpired to the
character of an author> though fo well t[ualified for it, until late
in life. His firft performance was intituled, A Letter to a lady
on card-plaving on the Lord's day, 8vo, 1748 ; fctting forth in
1 lively and forcible manner the many evils attending the prac-
tice of gaming on Sundays, and of an immoderate attachment
to that fatal purfuit at any time. In 1750 appeared The em-
ployment of time, three eflays, 8vo« dedicated to lord Hard-
wicke ; the moft popular of our author's performances, and, on
its original publication, generally afcribed to Gilbert Weft. The
next year, 175 1, produced The Deity's delay in puniftiing the
guilty confideredon the principles of reafon, 8vo; and in 1755,**
An anfwer to the queftion^ Where are your arguments againft
what you call lewdnefs, if you can make no uie of the Bible ?
o£iavo.
Continuing to combat the prevailing vices of the times, he
{>ubli{hed*in 1757, A letter to an officer of the army on travel-
ing on Sundays, 8vo ; and in the fame year. The ghoft of £r-
neSy W^^t grandfather of her royal highnefs the princefs dowa-
ger 01 Wales, with fome account of his life, 8vo. Each of the
above performances contains good fenfe, learning) philanthropy^
and religion, and each of tliem is calculated for die advantage of
fociety.
The laft work which Dr. Bolton gave the public was not the
leaft valuable. It was intituled Letters and crads on the choioe
of company, and other fubje£ls, 8vo, 1761. This he dedicated
to his early patron lord Hardwicke, to whom he had infcribed
The employment of time, and who at tliis period was no longer
chancellor. In his addrefs to'tlas nobleman he favs, *> An ad-
drefs to your lordfliip on tliis oc^u^lon in the ufual ityie would as
ill fuit your inclinations as it doth my age and profeflion. We
are botn of us on the confines of eternity, and (hould therefore
alike make truth our care, that truth which duly influencing our
praftice will be the fecurity of our eternal happinefs.
** Diftinguiflied by my obligations to your lordfiiip, I would
be fo by my acknowledgments of them : I would not be thought
to have only then owned them when they might have been aug-
mented. vVhatcver teltimony I gave of refpe£l to you when in
tlic higheft civil office under your prince, I would exprefs the-
fame
BOLTON. .449
tame when you have reGgned it ; and (hew as ftrong an attach^
^ njent to lord Hardwiclce as I ever did to the lord chancellor.
" Receive, therefore, a tribute of thanks, the laft which I am
ever likely in this manner to pay. But I am haftening to my
•grave, with a profpedl which muft be highly pleafing to me, un-
lefs divefted of all juft regard to thofe who furvive me."
. We have already obferved, that Dr. Bolton was originally of
a valetudinarian habit, though he preferved himfelf by tempe*
ranee to a confidetable age. In the preface to the ivork now
under confideration, he fpeaks of the feeble frame he with fo
much difficulty fupported 5 and afterwards fays, " My decay is
now fuch, that it is with what I write as with what I ad 5 ITec
in it the faults which I know not how to amend." He how-
'cver furvived the publication of it two years, dying in London^
where he came for Dr. Addington's advice, on the 26rh Nov.
-1763, and was buried in the porch between the firlt and fecond
door of the parifti-church of St. Mary, Reading. Since his
death a plain marble has been erefled to his memory.
Dr. Bolton was a very tall man, very thin, very brown. He
underftood well, hebrew, greek, laiin, fpanifh, Italian, and
french. It was a long time before he coiild prevail on him-
felf to fubfcribe to the '^9 articles for preferment ; but at laft, as
articles of peace, and fo far forth as authorifed by fcriptur^, he
did ; for it was generally fuppofed he did not approve of all the
athanalian dodrine. He married Mrs. Holmes, a widow*lady>
with whoin he lived about 25 years in great domeftic happinefs,
but left no children by her Befides the feveral performances
already mentioned^ he wrote and printed a Viihation fermon
in the year 1741.
BOLTON or BOULTON (Edmund), an ingenious englifli
antiquary, who lived in the beginning of the xviith century.
His moft confiderable work is intituled Nero Cxfar, or Monar'^
chie depraved; an hiftorical work, dedicated to the duke of
Buckinghani, lord admiral, printed at London in 1624, folio.
It is adorned with feveral curious and valuable medals, and dU
Tided into 55 chapters, * in fome of which are introduced very cu-
rious obfervations. In the 24th and 25th he gives a particular
account of «the revolt in Britain againft the Romans, under the
conduct of Boadicea, which he intToduc<*s with- a recapitulation
of britifli affairs from the firft entrance df the Romans under
Julius Caefar till the revolt in the reign erf ifetOi The battle in
which Boadicea was defeated he fuppofes to have been fought
on Salifbury plain, between two woods j and that Boadicea was
buried in tnis plain, and Stone-henge or Stonage erefled for her
monument. In chapter 36th he treats of the eaft-india trade
in Nero's time, which was thfcn carried on by the river Nile,
and thence by caravans over land to the Re4 fea, and thence, tp
Ypl,, II. G g the
450 BONA.
the Indian ocean; the ready com carried yearly from ft^onM
upon this account amounting^ according to Pliny's computa*
tlon, to above three hundred thoufand pounds fteriing, and the"
ufual returns in December or January yielding, in clear gain, anr
hundred for one. BeGdes this he wrote feveral other works [p].
BOLTON (Robert [q^]), bom in 1571, was a divine of pu-
ritan principles, very eminent for his piety, andf one of the
created fcholars of his time. The grcelt language was So fami-
Sar to him, that he could fpesdc it with almott as much facility
.as h]^ mother tongue. In 1605, when James L viiiced the uni-
Ycrfity of Oxford, he was appointed by the vice-chancellor to
read in natural philofophy, aud difpute before him in the public
fchools. He was generally efteemed a moft perfuafive preacher^
and as judicious a cafuifl. His pra£lical writings are numerou5«^
His book on happinefs, which has gone through many edi-
tions, was the moft celebrated of his worke. When he lay at
the point of death, one of his friends, taking him by the hand,
afked him if he was not in great pain ^ *^ Truly, faid he, the
greateit pain that I feel is your cold hand i" and prefently ex-^
pired, on the 17th Dec. 1631, aged 60.
BOMBERG (Daniel), a famous printer, born at Antwerp,
and eftablifhed at Venice, died in 1 549, got inio repute by his^
hebrew editions of the bible and the rabbinical books. He ex-^'
pended the whole of his capital in thefe great works.- It is faid*
that he kept near a hundred ^ws to corre£l or to tranflate them*
It is to him we are indebted for the Talmud in 1 1 vols, folio.
Some have affirmed that he printed books to the amount of four
millions in gold» A high value is fet upon his hebvcw lnbl«
printed at Venice in 15491 4 vols, folio.
BON DB St. Hilaire ^FRANfoisXATZBit)!, firft honotarf
)>refident of the chamber ot accounts at Montpeiier, to the aht-
fities of a magiftrate added thofe of a feholar. The academy o£
infcriptions and the royal focieties of London and of MoiUpelier,i
informed of his merit, gave him a fellowihip among them. This
learned perfonage died in 17619 after having pubfiflied feverai^
works: 1. Memoire furies Marrons dTnde, lamo* a* Difler^
lation fur I'utUite de la foie des araignees.
BONA (John), a qard>nal, famous for piety and learnings
was defcended £rom an antient and noblse famSy^ amd bom at
Mondovi, a town in Piedmont,, on the loth 0£t. 1609. He was
devoied to folitude, and, had a contempt of the world from his
fr] t. T]^ lift of kiag Henry If. io men t. for wriciDgor reading our hiftories*
order to have been niftited io Speed's Thii piece was publifhed by Dr. Anthony
diroaicle-; but as he favoured too much Hatl, ac the end oi Nicolai Triveti anna*
<ht hau^ybchawioufof ThomJifi.'ckct, liuoi continuation Oxon. I7JZ» Svo* and
ttto^rlifc was wriiten hy Dr. Burcham. odicr liiUc things never Diihli(hed.
»v The elements of armories, Lond. 1610, £^ drar.ger's Biog. HliV. vol. i. p. 365.
4^ ^ Ky^ eKMtiitai pt * rule o( judg-
iufancy^
BON ANN I. 451
inkncf. At fifteen years of age he betook himrelf to a mona-
fterr near Pignerol, belonging to the begging friars of the order
of St. Bernard J and in 165 1 was made general of his order.
Cardinal Fabio Ghigi, who was Bona's great friend, and in 1655
thofen pope under the name of Alexander VII. would have hnd
him to nave continued in this office, and ufed fome means to
prevail with him i but Bona prefled fo earneftly to be difcharged,
that the pope at length fuffered him to refign it. He did it
however upon this condition,' that Bona fliould not depart from
Rome ; and, in order to reconcile him to it, gave him feveral
very confidcrablc places. Clement IX. continued him in thcfc
places, conferred upon him new ones, and made a cardinal of
nim in Nov. 1669. This pontiff dying foon after, many people
wiihed that Bona might fucceed him in the holy fee ; and a cer-
tain jefuit made the following epigram upon the occafion :
Grartimaticse leges plenimque ecclefia fpernit ;
Forte erit, ut iiceat dicere Bona papa.
Vana foloecifmi ne te conturbet ima.^o :
EiTet papa bonus, d Bona p^pa foret.
The learned know that thcfe lines cannot be franflatcd ; and
therefore we hope the englifh reader will excufe it. In the
mean time Bona was not elefled pope ; which however could
be no mortification to a fnan wholly given up to iludy and de-
votion. He was very learned j held a correfpondence witlx
mod of the literati in Europe, and was fometimes at the pains
of revifing and correfbing their works. He was the author of
feveral things himfelf, chiefly written in the devotional way,
which were much efleemed, and have been tranflated moft of
them into french. Bona died as he had lived, with the greateft
tranquillity and piety, aeed 65.
BONANNI (Philip;, a learned jefuit, died at Rome in
1725, at the age of 87, after having honoural>ly filled different
pods in his order. He has left feveral works of various kinds,
principally turning on natural hiftory, for which he had a pre-
dominant liking. He was engaged in 1 6q8 to put in order the
celebrated cabinet of pere Kircher; and he continued to em-'
ploy himfelf in that bufmefs and the augmentation of it till his
death. The chief of his works are, I. Kecreatio mentis et ocu-
li in obfervatione animalium tedaceorum, Romx, t6.84^ 4^o,
with near 500 figures. He firft compofed this book in italian,
and it was printed in that language in 168 1 in 4to ; he tranflated
it into latin for the benefit of foreigners. 2. Hiftory of the
church of the Vatican ; with the plans both antient and mo«
dcrn, Rome, 1696, folio, in latin. 3. Col led ion of the medals
of the popes, from Martin V. to Innocent XII , Rome, 1699, a
vols, folio, in latin. 4. Catalogue of the orders, religious, mi-
G g 2 litary,
452 BONAVENTURE.
litary, and equeftriani with plates reprefenting their feveral h'ak
biliments, in latin and in Italian, Rome, 1706, 1707, 1710, and
171 1, 4 vols, 4to. The plates in particular render this laft
work highljr iiiterefling and much in requeft. 5. Obfcrvatione*
circa viventia in non viventibus, Rome, 1691, 4to. 6. Mufas-
tim collcgii romani Kirchenanum, Rome, 1709, folio. 7. A
treatifeou'varniihes, in italian, Paris, 1713, I2ma. 8. Gabi-
ncito armonico, 1723, 4to.
BONARKLLI (Gui Ubaldo), an italian count, born at Ur-
bino, Dec- 25, 1563. He brought his talents to great perfeftion
in France and Italy. The duke of Ferrara entrufted him with
feverai negotiations, in which he difplayed his abilities in po«
litics. His turn for poetry did not manifeft itfelf till late. But
hit firft effay, his Filisde Sciro (the handfomeft edition of which
js that of Elzevir, 1678, in 4to, or that of Glafgow, 1763, Zvo\
was compared to the Pallor fido, and to the Amynta. Tliere are .
few paftorals written with greater art and ingenuity ; but that art
is too diftant from nature, and the ingenuity runs too far into re-
finement. His fliepherds arc all courtiers 5 his fliepherdeflcs are
frequently prudes, and their converfations like thofe of the toi-
lette. The author was cenfured for having made Celia, who
lias fo great a fliare in the piece, nothing more than an epifo-
dical perfonage. He was Hill more feverely cenfured for giving,
her an equally ardent love for two fliegherds at once. He at-
tempted to cxcufe this defeft in a traft written on purpofe ^
but that juilification only ferved to. excite more admiration it
his genius and erudition than at histafte and judgment. We
have likewifc fome academical difcourfes of his. He died
Jan. 8, 1608, at the age of 45;
BONAVENTURE (Johw Fidauza), a celebrated dodor,
Ctirdinal, and faint of the church of Rome, was bom in Tuf-
cany, 1221. He was admitted into the order of St. Francis,
about 1243; andiudied divinity at the univerfity of Paris, it
is faid, with fo much fuccefs, that at the end of feven years he
was thought worthy to read public leftures upon the Sentences.
He was created doftor in 1255, and the year after appointed
general of his order. He governed with fo much zeal and pru-
dence, that he perfeftly reftored the difcipline of it, which had
been greatly neglefted. Pope Clement IV. nominated him to
the archbifliopric of York in England j but Bonaventure refufed
it as earnellly as others ufually feck fuch fort of things. After
the death of Clement the fee of Rome lay vacant almoft three
years, the cardinals not being able to agree among themfelves
who ihould be pope. They came at length, however, to a mod
folemn engagement, to leave the choice to Bonaventure ; and to
ded whoever he fliould name, though it Ihould be even himfelf,
Bonaventure named Theobaldji archdeacon of Liege, who was
at
BOND. 453
It that time in the holy Iand» and who took the title of Gre-
g;ory X By this pope he was made a cardinal and biihop of
Alba ; and appointed to aiCfl: at a general council, which was
held at Lyons foon after. He died there in 1274, and was mag-
nificently and honourably condu£ted to his grave ; the pope and
whole council attending, and the cardinal Peter of Tarantais,
afterwards pope Innocent V. making his funeral oration. Six-
tus IV. made a faint of him in f 482 } and Sixtus V. a doftor in
1588. Bellarmine has pronounced Bonarenture a perfon dear
to God and men ; which is nothing near to be wondered at fo
much, as that Luther (hould call him vir praeftantinimus, a mbft
excellent man. His works were printed at Rome in 1588, in
8 volSk folio. Excepting his commentary upon the mader df the
Sentences, they are chiefly on pious and myftical fubjecls, aud
have gained him the name of the feraphic doclor.
BON AVENTURE of Padua, a cardinal, born in that city in
1332, and defcended from a noble and illuftrious family. He
iludied divinity at Paris, where he diilinguiflied himfelr by his
uncommon parts and application. He was of the order of >t.
Auguftin, of which he was made general in 1377. Pope Ur-
ban VL gave him a cardinal's cap the year after ; which engag-
ing him to ftand up for the rights of tne church againft Francis
de Carrario of Padua, that petty monarch contrived to have him
murdered. He was difpatched with the (hot of an arrow, as he
was paffing St. Angelo's bridge at Rome, in 1 386 ; and the man-
ner of his death gave occafion to the following latin diftich,
which cannot be tranflated fo as to be intelligible to an engliCb
reader:
.Qjise BOVK tam cnpide coelo v^ntura rogabai.
In te livoris miiia iagitta dcdic.
He was the author of feveral works : as, Commentaries upon
the epiftles of St. John and St. James, lives of the faints, fermons.
Speculum Marije, &c. He had a very clofe and intimate friend-
fliip with the celebrated Petrarch, whofe funeral oration he pro-
nounced in xhe year 1369.
BOND (John), a celebrated commentator and grammarian,
born in Somerfetfliire in 1550. He was educated at Winchef-
ter fchool, and in 1 569 was entered a iludent at New college in
Oxford, where he became highly efteemed for his academical
learning. In 1579 he took the degree of M. A. and foon after
the warden and fellows of his college appointed him mafter of
the free-fchool of Taunton in Somerfetlhire. Here he continued
>nany years, and feveral of his fcliolars became eminent both in
church and Hate. Being at length, however, tired with the fatigue
of this irkfome employment, he turned his thoughts to the ftudy
0{ phyfic, and praftiied it with great reputation. He died at
O g 3 Tauiuon
454 fiONFADIUS.
Taunton the 3d of Auguft 161 2, and was buried in the chance^
of the church, with the following epitaph over his grave :
Qui mcdicu« do£tus, prudcntis nomine clams
Eloquii fplendor, Pieridumque decus,
VirtiUifi cultor,pietalis vixit amicus,
Hie jacet In tumulo ; fpiritus aha tenet,
Mr. Bond has left Annotationes in poemata Qulntii Horatii»
Lond. 1606, 8vo. Han. 1621, 8vo. His Perfius was not printed
till two years after his death, in 8vo. under the following titlci
Auli Perfii Ftacci Satyrx fex, cum pofthumis commentariis Jo«
hannis Bond. Mr. Wood is of opinion that, b^fidcs thcfe, he
wrote feveral other pieces, which were never publiihed.
BONET (Theophilus), a famous medicinal writer, born at
Geneva in 1620. He took his degree in phyfic in 1643, after
he had gone through moft of 'the famous univerfities. He was
for fonie time phyfician to the duke of Longuevillc, and ikill in
his profelTion got him confiderable pra£tice; but, being feized
with an ex ce (Five deafnefs, was obliged to retire from bufineft.
In this retirement he fouad leifure to colle£l all the obfervations
he had made during a pradice of forty vcars. i. The firft work
he publiflied was. Pharos mediconim, occ. It confifts of prafti-
eal cautions extracted chiefly from the works of BallQnius. ; and
he notes many errors which prevailed amongft the generality of
phyficians. He gave another edition of it with many additions,
it was alfo printed at Geneva in 1687, under the title of Laby-
rinthi medici cxtricati, &c. 2. In 1675 he publiflied Prodror
inus anatomise prafticse, five de abditis mprborum caufis, &Ct
This piece is part of the following, intituled, 3. SepulchretUm,
five anatomia pra£tica ex cadaveribus morbo denatis. He has coi*
lefted in this work a great number of curious obfervations upon
the difeafes of the head, bread, belly, and other parts of the body«
4, Mcrcurius Compitalius, five index medico-pra£licus per deci-
fiones, cautiones, &c. Geneva, 1682, fol. 5. Medicina Septen-
trionalis collatitia, Geneva, fol. in, two volumes ; the firft pub-
Jiftied in 1684, and the fecondin i686. It is a colleilion of the
beft and moft remarkable obfervations in phyfic which had been
made in. England, Germany, and Denmark, which our author
has reduced into certain heads, according to the feveral parts of
the human body. 6. Polyalthes, five Thefaurus medica prafti-.
cus ex quibuflibet rei medica; fcpptoribus congeftus, &c. Ge-
neva, 1691, in folio, 3 vols. 7. Theodori Turqueti de Maerno
traftatus de arthritide, una cum cjufdem aliquot confiliis. 8. Ja-
qobi Rohaulti tra£latus phyficus c gallico in latlnum verfus, Ge-v
pcva, 167s, 8vo.
Dr. Bonet died of a dropfy the 29th of March i689«
BONFADIUS (James), a very polite writer of the xvithccn-
turyj> was born in Italy, near die lake di Garda 5 but we do not
know
BONFADIUS.
455
laow m Tvliat year. He was three years fecretary to cardinal
Ban at Rome ; but loft the fruits of his fervices by the death of
liis maften He then ferved cardinal Glinucci in the fame ca-
pacity 4 but lo;ig fickoefs made him incapable of that employ*
mem. When he was recovered, he found himfelf fo difgufted
with the court, that he refolved to feek his fortune by other
means. He continued a good while in the kingdom of N aples^
but, Springing no game there, he went to Padua, and then to
Genoa ; where he read public ledlures on Ari(lot]e's politics.
He was ordered to read fome like wife upon his rhetoric } and,
fucceeding well in it, many fcholars fioclced to learn good lite-
rature from him. , His reputation increafed daily, fo that the
republic of Genoa made him their hiftoriographer, and affigned
him a handfome peniion for that office. He applied himfelf la-
borlottfly to compofe the annals of that ftate, and publifhed the
five firft books } by which, fpeaking too freely and too fatirically
of fome families, he created himlclf enemies who refolved to
ruin him, They caufed it ro be laid to his charge, that, xnfti*
gated by an inordinate paiTion for a very handfome youth, his
Ifholar, he gratified his unnatural inclinations with him : and
there being witnefles to convi£t him of it, he was condemned to
be burnt. Some have fufpe£ted Boufadlus to have been inno-
cent, and that the fole caule of his perfecution was the freedom
of his pen : but that does not feem to have been the cafe. The
generality of writers have agreed that Bonfadius was guilty §
yet are of opinion, that he had never been accufed, if he had
not given o Jence by fomcthing cHe. It is remarkable, that the
famous fioccalini has blamed Honfadius for his folly and impru^
dence, in touching the chara£icrs of potent families, and has
made him to be juftly puniQied on that account [r] ; but, as
Mr. Bayle well obferves, a man knows the maxims of prudence
better tnan he can praftifc them ; for it is univerfally believed^
that Boccalini himlclf loft his life for having fpokcn too freely
«gainft Sp^in.
Bonfadius was executed in 1^60. Upon the day of his exe*
cution he wrote a note 10 John liaptitt Grimaldi, to tellify his
gratitude to the perfons who had endeavoured to ferve him, and
promifed to inform them, how lie found himfelf in the other
world, if it could be done without frightening them. Such
promifcs have been often in.u)e 5 but we have never heard tliat
any of them, were performed, lie recommended to them his
nephew Bonfadius, who is perhaps the Peter Bonfadius, author
of fome vcrfcs extant in the Garcggiamento poetico del confufo
academico ordito.. It i^ a colleclion of verfes, divided into
eight parts, and printed at Venice in the year f 6 1 1. There urc
extant fome fpeeches, letters, latin and Italian poems, of James
Bonfadius, the fubje£t of this article,
[nl ^ocwljn RagcuafU di Parnaflfoi cenU i. c. ^6.
(; g 4 iiONflNlUS
456 ftONCJARS.
BONPINIUS (Anthony), an hiftorian of the xvth centurf/
born at Afcoli in Italy. Mathias Corvin, king of Hungary,
having heard of his abilities and learning, fent for him to his
Court. Bonfinius paid his refpe£ls to hkn at Rees, a few days
before that prince made his public entr/into Vienna. At his
firft audfence, as he himfelf tells us, he prefented Rim with his
tranflations of Hermogenes and Herodian, and his genealogy of
the Corvins, which he dedicated to his majefty •, and two other
works addreflcd to the queen, one of which treated of yir-
gifljty and conjugal chaftity, and the other a hiftory of Afcoli.
He had dedicated alfo a little colleftion of epigrams to the young
prince John Corvin, to which there is' added a preface- The
king read his pieces with great pleafure, and diftributed them
among his courtiers in high terms of approbation. He would
not allow him to return to Italy, but detained him with a good
penfion, being defirous that he fhould follow him in his army.
He employed him to write the hiftory of the Huns, and Bonfi-
ti'ius accordingly fet about it before the death of this prince; but
it was by order of king Uladillaus that he wrote the general
hiftory of Hungary. He has carried it down to the year 1495.
The original of this work was depofited in the library of Buda,
but was never publiflied. In 1543 one Martin Brenner pub-
liflied thirty books of this work from an imperfe£l copy. The
whole confifted of forty-five books, which Sanbucus publifticd
in 1568, revifed and collated with the beft copies. Bonfinius is
fuppofed to have died in Hungary.
' BONFRERIUS (James), a jefuit, bom tit Dinan in the prin-
tipality of Liege, in 1573^ and died at Tournai, March 9, 16431
aged 70. He wrote, i. Fra;:loquia in totam fcripturam facram,
Antwerp, 1625, folio, much cfteemed by thic papifts. 2. Ono-^
inafticon of the towns and places mentioned m fcripture ; a
work of profound erudition, Paris, 1631, folio. Both thcfe
works are to be found in the Menochius of pere Tournemine.
3, A commentary on the Pentateuch, Antwerp, 1625, folio.
4. Commentaries on almoft all the books of fcripture. Dupin
praifes them on account of their pcrfpicuity and method, and
that juft precifion equally remote from extreme brevity and tirc-
fome prolixity. All thcfe works are in latin.
BON GARS (James), a dilUnguiflied pcrfon, was bom at
Orleans in 15545 and ftudied at Straft)urg in 1571, where he
had an anabaptift for his tutor : for lie was of the proteftant
religion. In j 576, he ftudied the civil law under the celebrated
Cujacius : nevei thelefs he followed the prevailing taftc of thofe
times, which was critical learning ; and though, fays Bayle, he
went not fo far as the Lipfiufes and Cafaubons, yet he acquired
great reputation by it, and perhaps would have equalled thcn\
in it, if he could have devoted himfelf wholly to it, as they did.
But ftatc affairs did not peimit hipi. He was employed, near
30 ycar$
BONG ARS. 457
36 years in the moft important negotiations of Henry IV. fot
whom he wa& feveral times refident with the princes of Ger-
many, ^hd afterwards ambaflador. However, he publifiied a
good edition of Juftin at Paris, 1581, in 8vo. where he (hewed
his fagacity, his learning, his care in cbnfuking good manir-
fcripts, by the many corrupted paflages be reftored, and^ the
many difficulties he cleared in the notes. He had a vail know«
kdge of books, both manufcript and printed ; and made a very
great collediion of them. Befides an edition of Juftin, he was
the author of other works;, which, if they did not ihewhia
kaming fo much, have fpread his fame a great deal more.
Thuanus highly commends an anfwer, which he publiibed in
Germany, to a piece, wherein the bad fuccefs of the expedition
of the year 1587 was imputed to the French, who accompanied
the Germans. The world is indebted to ISongars for the pub-
lication of feveral authors, who wrote the hiftory of the expe-
ditions into Paleftine. That work is intituled, GeftaDei per
Francos; and was printed at Hanaw in 161 1, in two volumes
folio. There arc letters of Bongars, written during his employ^
ments, which are much efteemed -, and upon which Mr. Bayle
has the following note : *^ Though he did not, like fiembo and
Manucius, rcjtQ. all terms that are not in the bed roman au-
thors, yet his ftyle is fine, clear, polite, and full of natural'
charms. . His letters were tranflated, when the dauphin began
to learn the latin language; and it appears by the.epidle dedi-
catory to that young prince, andhy the tranflator's preface, that
nothing was thought more proper for a fcholar of quality, than
to read this work of Hongars : becaufe, by reading it, a man
learns at the fame time to exprefs himfelf in noble terms about
ftate afiairs, and to judge well of the conduft of an ambaiTador.
Not only words and phrafes are to be learnt by it, but alfo the
courfe of affairs of thofe times; and many particular facis^
which ftill have fome relation to the prefent time, and may
be of greater ufe than any thing to be found in Cicero's letters, '
Bongars died at Paris in 1612, when he was 58 years of age :
and the learned Cafaubon, whofe letters fhew that he was ex-
tremely obliged to him, and that he efteemed him much, laments
in one of them, that " the funeral honours, which were due
.to his great merit, and which he would infallibly have received
from the learned in Germany, were not yet paid him at Pa-
ris [s].*' Mr. Bayle thinks that Bongars was never married :
yet tells us, that he was to have been, in 1597, to a french lady,
who had the misfortune to die upon the very day appointed for
the wedding, after a courtfhip of near fix yeurs. This Bongars
fpeaks of in his tetters ; from which we learn alfo, that he was
exceedingly afflicted at it.
[8] fipift.69t.t4U. 1656.
BONI-
458 BONNER.
BONIFACIO (Balthazar), a learned Venetian, arch*
preibyter of Rovigo, archdeacon of Trevifa, and at length bifliop
of Capo d'lftria, had originally been profefibr of law at Padtfa.
To him is owing the inftitutton of the academies of Padua and
Trevifa for the young nobility. This prelate died in 1659^
75 years old, leaving fevcral works in profe and verfe : r» Latin
poems, 1619, ini6to« 2. Hiftoria Trevigiana, 4to. 3. Hiftoria
ludicra, i6gby 4to. Adiverfified and interefting erudition is
manifeft in thefe hiftories.
BONJOUR (Guillaume), an auguftine monk, born at Tou^
loufc, in 1670, was called to Rome by cardinal Noris in 169;,
Clement XI* honoured him with his eiUem, and employed hin^
on fcveral occafions. This pope having formed a congregation
for the purpofe of examining Itriftly the Gregorian calendar, perc
Bonjour fumifhed them with excellent materials for their un«
dertaking. This learned monk died in China 1714, whither
he had gone for propagating popery. He was deeply verfed in
the oriental languages, and efpecially in that of the Cophtes*
He publifhed, i. Diflcrtations on the icripture. 2. Diflertations
en the cophttc monuments in the library of the Vatican, &c.
BONNEFONS (John), lat. Bonnefonios, a latin poet,
bom in 1 554, at Clermont in Auvergne, and filled the poit of
lieutenant-general of Bar^-fur-Seine. His Pancharis, and his
phaleucic vcrfes, in the ftyle of Catullus, are, of all modem
performances, the neareft to the graces, the eafy pencil, tho
delicacy and foftnefs of that ancient poet. La Bergeric has
tranDated the Pancharis into french verfe, very inferior to the
l^tin. The poems of Bonnefong are at the end of thofe of
I^eza, in the edition of that author given at Paris by Barbou»
J757, lamo. There is alfo one of London, 1720 and I7a7>
32nio. Bon ncfons died in 1614, leaving a (on, who likewifc
cultivated fucccfsfully latin poetry.
BONNER (Edmund), bifhop of London, was the fon of
an honeft poor man, and born at Hanley in Worcefterfliirc»
lie was maintained at fchooi by an a|iccftor of Nicholas Lech<-
jnorc, Efq. a baron of the exchequer in the reign of king VfiU
}iam ; and in 1512, he was entered at Broadgate-liall in Oxford,
now Pembroke college [V]. On June 12, 1519, he was ad-
mitted bachelor of the canon, and the (\7\j following bachelor
of the civil law. He entered into onK^js about the fame time 5
and on the 12th of July i 525, was created do£lor of the canon
law. He was a man of learning, but diitinguiihcd himfelf
chiefly by his ikill and dexterity in the management of affairs.
This made him be taken notice of by cardinal Wolfey, who
f t] Sirypc's Ann. of thr Reform* vol. ii. edit. 17^5. fol. p. 5:5- Woo4'» Fafti»
1 . "
\i>l. I
appointed
BONNER. 459
Appointed him his commiflary for the faculties; and he was
with this prelate at Cawood^ when he was arretted for high
treafon. He enjoyed at once the livings of Blaydon and Cherry
Burton in YorkOiire, Ripple in Worcellerfhire, Eaft Dereham
in Norfolk^ and the prebend of Chifwick m the cathedral
church of St. Paul : but the lad he refigned in i ^399 and Eaft
Dereham in 1540. He was inftalled archdeacon of Leicefter^
Oclober 17, 1535 [u].
After the cardinal's death, he got into the good graces of
king Henry VIII. who appointed him one of his chaplains ; an4
he was a promoter of the king's divorce from queen Catherine
^f Spain, and of great ufe to his majefty in abrogating the pope's
fupremacy [x]. He was alfo in high favour with lord Crom-
well, fecretary of ftate, by whofe recommendation he was cm-»
ployed as ambaflador at fcveral courts [y]. In 1532, he
was fent to Rome, along with fir Edward Karne, to excufe king
Henry's perfonal appearance upon the pope's citation. In I533f
he was again fent to Rome to pope Clement VII. then at
Marfeilles, upon the excommunication decreed againft king
Henry VIII. on account of his divorce ; to deliver that king's
appeal from the pope to the next general council. He executed
the order of his mafter in this affiiir with fo much vehemence
and fury, that the pope talked of throwing him into a caldron
of melted lead ; whereupon he thought proper to make his
efcape. He was employed like wife in other embaflfies to the
kings of Denmark and France, and the emperor of Germany [z]«
i^ 1538* being then ambaflador in France, he was nominated
to the bifliopric of Hereford, Nov. 27 j but before confecration
he was tranflated to London,
At the time of the king's death in 1547, Bonner was am*
fv] Wood's Athene* edit. ryiTjTol. i. ft w»s) both to beare my true hart agaii)
f x,J Ibid. unro your Jordlhippe, and alfo remembring
[Yj It was to him he chiefly owed his fuche kindnes, to do unio the fame aU
preferments and dignities, 4s he acknow. fuch fervice and pleafure as might then
iedRes in the following letter to that lord, lie rary fmail power to do. But where, of
written from Bloit in France, 2d Sept. your infinite and ineftimable goodnes, it
1558. '* My very iingular efpecial good hath further liked you of late, firll to ad-
lord, as one mod bounden, T moft humbly vanco me unto the oflSce Of legation from
commende me unto your honourable good fuch a prince as my fovereign lord is, unto
lordfhip. And whereas in times pafledy the emperor and french king, and next
it hach liked the fame, ^^thout any my after to procure and obtayne mine ad*
defertes or merites, even only of your vauncement to fo honourable a promotion
iingulareiceedinggoodnes, tobenowagreat as the bilhoprike of Hcrreford : I mufl:
deale of love, benevolence, and good af- here knowledge the exceeding greatnes of
feflion upon me fopoore a man, and of fo your lordthippe's benefits, with mine own
fniall qualities, exprefilng indeede fondry imbecillitie to recompence it" John
ways the good cffccles thereof to my great Foxe's Adts and Monuments, edit. 1383,
preferment : i wu^ very much bounde there- vol. ii. p. ic88.
oy (into your honourable good lordihippe, [z] fiurnet's *Hi(k. of the Reform,
9id4 thought it always iby duue (as indeed vol. i. id Cfjtit. t6:>i, p. 120.
bdfiador
46q BONNER.
baflador with the emperor Charles V.; and though diDring Henr/#
reign he appeared fo zealous againft the pope, and had concurred
in all the (leps taken to abrogate his fupremacy, yet this feem»
to have been owing to his ambition, becaufe he knew it to be
the readied way to preferment; for he was a papift in hig
hearty as became evident from his fubfequent condu£L On
the I ft of September 1547, not many months after the acceflion
of Edward VI. he fcrupled to take an oathj to renounce and
deny the bifliop of Rome, and to fwear obedience to the
king, and entered a proteftation againft the king's injun£lioa
aiui homilies. For this behaviour he was committed to the
Fleet V but, having fubmitted and recanted his proteftation, was
releafed. He now indeed complied outwardly with the fteps
taken to advance the Refornoation, but ufed -privately all means
in his power to obftruft it. After the lord Thomas Seymour's
death, he appeared greatly remifs in putting the court orders
in execution, particularly that relating to the ufe of the common
prayer book ; for which he was feverely reproved by the privy
council [a]» He feemed thereupon to redouble his diligence :
but ftill, through his reniiflhefs in preaching, and his connivance
at tlie mafs in feveral places, many people in his diocefe being
obferved to withdraw from the divine fervice, and communion,
he was accufed of negle£b in the execution of the .king's orders.
He was fummoned before the privy council on the nth of
Auguft, /when, after a reproof for his negligence, he was en-
joined to preach the Sunday three weeks after at Paul's croGs,
en certain articles delivered to him[B]i and alfo to preach
there
f a] In a letter they wrote to hXm July And therefore we do eftfoones charge an4
&3, 1549, wherein, among other things^ command you upon your ailegiancei to
tliey (cell him»— That *' one unitorme loke well upon yotir dutle herein, as
•sdcr for common prayer and adminiilra* ye tender our pleal'ure." Fox, as above,
il«a of the facraments having been fet p. 1303.
ferthy \v'Kcrehy much idolatry, vaync fu- [a] They were as follow : i.That all
pevftition> and gxf at and flanderous abufes focn as rebell againll their prince, get
ie taken away ; it was 00 fmall occafion unto them damnation ; and thofe that re.
of fiorrowto them, to underll^nd by the fifl the higher power, refift the ordinaunces
complaints of many, that the fa id book of Cod ; and he that dielh therefore in
icmained, in many places of the realm, rebellion, by the woorde of Code is ut«
cither not known at ail, or not u fed, or at terly damned, and fo lofcth bodye and
theleaft veiy feldom; and in a light'and fouie. Ami therefore ihofe rebelles in
irreverent manner. The fault whereof Devonihirr and Corn walU in Norfoike, or
(add they) we muft impute to you, and elfewhere, who take upon them to alTem-
oihers of your vocation." Jnthcconclu- ble a power and force againiV their king
fion they tell him — *' Ifwe fhall hereafter and prince, againft the laws and ltatuic&
(thtfe our letters and commandtnents not- of the lealme, and goe about to (ubverte
withftanding) have ef'fooncs complaint, the ftate and order of the commonwealth*
and find the like faults in your diocefe, not only do deferve death, as traytors and
we (hall have juft caufe to impute the rebels,but do accumulate to themfelves
£»ult thereof, and of all th^it enfue thereof, eternal damnation, even to be in the born-
unto you ; and confequently be uccafioned ing fi.re of hell, with Lucifer the fattier
ibereby to fee otherwyfc to the rvdicffe of and lirft author of pride, difobedience,
«h«i« tluBgs^ whereof wc would be fory. and rebellion^ what preuace focver they
4 havo^
BONNER- 46K
^vtte once a quarter for the future, and be prefent at every
fermon t)reached there, and to celebrate the communion ia
that church on all the principal feads : and to abide and keep
refidence in his houfe in London, till he had licence from the
Oouncil to depart elfewhere [c j. On the day appointed for hu
preaching, he delivered a fermon to a crowded audience oa
the points afligned to him. But he entirely omitted the lait
article, the king*s royal power in his youth ; for which con-
tempt he was complained of to the king by John Hooper, after-
wards biihop of Worceftcr : whereupon archbifliop Cranmer,
bifliop Ridley, fir William Petre, and fir Thomas Smith, fecre-
taries of ftate, and William May, LL. D. and dean of St. Paul's,
were appointed commiflioners to proceed againft him. Appear-
k)g before them feveral days in September, he was, after a long
trial, committed to the Marfhalfea; and towards the end of
(Xlober deprived of his biihopric.
On the acceflion of queen Mary, Bonner had an opportunity
of {hewing himfelf in his proper colours ; he was reftored to his
bifhopric, by a commiflTon read in St. Paul's cathedral the 5th
of September 1553. In 1554, he was made vicegerent, and
preGdent of the convocation, in the room of archbiihop Craii-
mer, who was committed to the Tower. The fame year he
vifited his diocefe, in order to root up all the feeds of the Re-*
formation, and behaved in the mod furious and extravagant
manner; at Hadham, he was exceflively angry becaufe the
bells did not ring at his coming, that the rood loft was not
decked, nor the lacrament bung up. He fwore and raged in the
have* and v^^at isaffes cr holy water plefed Cod fo long m thefe before fpoken
ibever they pi^tende, to go about to make inwarde things be (here. If any man (hall
among themlklvcs; as Chore, Dathan, ufe the old rites, and therefore difobey the
and Abiron, for rebellion againft Mofes, ftipenor power) the devotion of hit cere-
were fw^liowed down alive into hell> monies is made nought by his difobedience;
although they pretended to facrifice utUo fo that which els (fo long as the law did
God. fo ftand) might be good, by pride anddif-
2. Likewife in the order of the churche obedience nowe is made nought,
and externe rites and ceremonies of di* /$, Furthermore ye flial for example, en
vine fer\-ice, for fo muche as God rrquireth Sonday come feventh night after the afote"*
humility of hearts, innocence of living» faid date^ celebrate the comunion at Paulot
knowledge of him, charity and love to church.
our neighbours, and obedience to kit 4. Ye (ball alfo fet fourth in your fer** ,
worde and to his mmif^ers and fuperioure mon, that our authorltie of roy^il power is
powers, thefe we muft bring to all our (as of truth it is} of oo leiTe authoritie
prayers, to all our fervice; and this is and force in this our young age, than is,
the facrifice that Chriil rc^uireth, and or was of any of our predeceiTors, thoogh
thefe be thofe that makes all things ple«- the fame were much elder, as may appeare
Taunt unto God. The externe rites and by example of Jo(xas, and other young
eeremonies be but exercifes of our fcligion, kings in fcripture ; and therefore all our
and appointable by fuperlor powers, in flibje^tes to be no lefs bou^d to the obeit
•hoo(ing whereof we muft obey the nu- dienceof ourpreceptes, lawesand ftatutcs^
fiftrates ; the whyche things alfo we do than if we were of thirty or forty years ci
fee ever hath beene and ihal be (as the age. Fox. ib. p. 13 10, 1311.
ti«ic and place is) dircrsj tad yetal hath [c] Fog, p. 1304, 1305.
church^
46a 60NNER.
church at t)r. Brickct, the rejior, and, calling him knave %nA
heretici went to llrike at him ; but the blow fell upon fif
Thomas Jofcelyn's ear, and almoft ftunned him. He fet up
the mafs again at St. Paul's, before the a£t for teftoring it was
Shaded. The fame year, he was in commiflion to turn out
bme of the reformed bifhops. In 1555, and the three follow-
ing years, he was the occafion of feveral hundreds of innocent
perfons being put to death, for their firm adherence to the
proteftant religion. On the 14th of February 1555-6, he came
to Oxford (with Thirlby biftiop of Ely), to degrade archbilhop
Cranmer, whom he ufed with ^reat infolence. The apth of
December following he was put mto a commiflion to fearch and
raze all regifters and records containing profeflions againft the
pope, fcrutinies taken in religious houfes, &c. And the 8tli
of February 1556-7, he was alfo put in another commiffionj
or kind of inquifition, for fearching after and punifhing all
heretics [d].
Upon queen Elizabeth's acceflion, things took a different
turn. Bonner went to meet her at Highgate^ with, the reft of
the biihops ; but fhe looked on him as a man ftained with blood,
and therefore could ftiew him no mark of her favour. For fome
months he remained unmolefted \ but being called before the
privy council on the 30th of May 1559, he refuted to take the
oath of allegiance and fupremacy : for which reafon he was de«
prived a fecond time of his bifliopric the apth of June following,
and committed to the Marflialfea. After having lived in con*
finement fome ye^rs, he died September 5, 1569 [c]. Three days
after he was buried at midnight, in St. George's church-yard,
Southwark, to ptevent any difturbances that might have been
made by the citizens, who hated him extremely. He*had ftood
excommunicated feveral years, and might have been denied
chriftian burial ; but no advantage was taken thereof. As to
his chara£ler, he was a violent, furious, and pafTionate man,
and extremely cruel in his nature \ in his perfon he was very
fat and corpulent [f]. He was a great mafter of the canon
law, being excelled in that faculty by very few of his time, and
alfo was well ikilied in politics, but underftood little of divinity.
Several pieces were publiflied under his name([G].
BON-
[d] Buraeti aa above, p>34i. to the reader, and a poflfcnpt. Roan*
[ej Woods u^i Tupra, col. i6o. >5^3* ^^o. It is alfo inferted in J. Fox*»
[f' Foi, ib. hook of martyrs. In the preface Bonner
[g^ They are as follow : t. Preface to fpeaks much in favour of king Henry
the Oration of Stephen Gardiner, biChop the Vlllih's marriage with Ann Boleyn«
of Wincheftery concerning true obedience, and againft the tyranny exerc tied by ihe
Printed at London, in latin, i ^34, 15^$, bi(hop of Rome in this kingdom. L.Se-
and at Hamburgh in 15^6, 8vo. Tranf- veral letters to the loid Cromwell. 3. A
lated into engliih.by Michael Wood, a declaration to lord Cromwell, defcribin;
aealous protelUut, with a bitter preface ta him the evil bebariour of Stephen
9 (biihq^
IBONNEVAU 463
1J0NN£VAL (Claudius Alexander tt), count, tflown
In the latter part of his life by the name of Ofman Bafliaw, dc-«
fcended from a family related to the blood royal of France^ en<<
tered himfelf at the age of 16, in the fcrvice of that crown, and
married the daughter of Marlhal dc Biron. He made the cam-
paign in Flanders in 1690, but foon aftcrleft the frcneh army,
and entered into the imfpetial fervice under princfe Eugene,
who honoured him with an intimate friendihip. The intrigues
of the marquis de Prie, his inveterate enemy, mmed his credit
however at the court of Vienna, and caiifcd him to be baniflied
the empire. He then offered his fervice to the republic of Ve-
nice, and to RuiTia ; which being declined^ his next tender wa9
to the Grand Signior, who gladly received him : it was ftipu-
lated that he fliould have a bod^y of 30,000 men at his difpofal ^
that a government (hould be conferred on him, with the rank
of bafhaw of three tails ; a falary of 10,000 afpers a day, equal
to 45,000 livres a year ; and that in cafe of a war, he {hould be
commander in chief. The firft expedition he engaged in after
his arrival at Conftantinople, was to quell an infurredion in
Arabia Petrsea, which he happily cft'eftcd ; and at his return,
had large offers made him by Kouli Khan, but he did not choofe
to accept them. Some time after, he commanded tlie Tutkilb
army aeainii the emperor, over whole forces he gained a vifliory
on tlie oanks of tlie Danube. But fuccefs does not always pro-
tcft a perfon againft difgrace ; for Bonneval, notwithftanding
his fervice, was firft imprifoned, and tlien banifticd tor the ifland
of Chio. The fultan however continued his friend j and the
(biffiop of Wincliefter), with fpecial oaufci E Jmond Bonner's arltcici, concerniog die
therein contained, wherefore, and why, clergy of London diocefe, whereby tliat
he mjiliked of him. 4. Letter of his about execrable anti-chrill is in his right colours
the proceedings at Rome concerning the revealed. 1554, and 1561. 8vo. 11. A
king's divorce from Catherine of Arragon. profiiahle and necelTary doArine, con-
5. An admonition and advertifement given faining an e3ej>oftiion on the Creed, fcvcn
by the btfhop of London to all readen of Sacraments, ten Commandments, the
the bible in the CDglifh tongue. 6. Injunc- Pater N'oiier» Ave NWia^ with certain
tions given by Bonner, biihop of London, homilies yijoining tiKrcto, for the in-
to his clergy (about preaching, with the ftruflion and intVtrm.ition of the diocefe of
names of books prohioited. 7. letter to London. Lond. i^$|-^, 4ti>. This book
Mr. Lech more. 8 . Refponfum & ex hor- wa« drawn ap by his chaplains John
Ut\t>. Land, x^^'ir ^^'*>- Anfwcr and Harpe^field and Henry Pendleton; the
exhortation to the clergy in praifc of prieft- former pjrt of it, which is caiechifm, n
hood; fpoken by the author ift St. Pau/s moltly taken out of the InAirution of a
cathedral*, the 16th Oduher iSSlt ^^^^ chnftcn man. feioutby king Henry V 11 T.
a fermon preached before the clergy, by only varied iu fume points. 12. Stvcra-!
Ji^hn Harpesheld. 9 A letter to Mr. letteri, declaradoi;^, ars;uin«s, difpuies,
Lechmore, 6lh September t^^J. i*^. Ac. of hi* arc cxu'it in ]<;hn Foxe'v book
ArtiJci fc) be enquired of in the ger eral of mmyrs, voi. tail. i^. HU objei'tion*
yilitJlion of Edmund bi(hop^ of LonJoa, againft tbe^piocef? ot Robert Horn, liifljop
cxercifed by hini in the- year 1 5541 in the of WinchtiK^r, who lud tsnicrtd ihc oath
city and diotete of [xMidvn, &c. To vi- ot fupremicy to lum a fecond time, are
4icule thftm. John Bale, bilh^p of Oifory, prcfcxved by Mr. Sr.ypc in his Aonals of
wrote a b.o»k, iuilvuled, A de.Uraiiuii ot th. rciwrnution.
evening
I
4^+ B O N T E MS.
rrening before his departure made him bafhaw general tt the
Archipelago, which, with his former appointment of beglcrbcg
of Arabia, rendered him one of the moft powerful perfons in
the Ottoman empire. In this ifland, he found a retirement
quite agreeable to his wiflies ; but did not long enjoy it, being
fent for back, and made topigi or matter of the ordnance, a poft
of great honour and profit. He died in this employment, aged
75, in 1747 ;. and wrote the memoirs of his own lite.
BONOSUS, known in church hiftory as the heretical bifliop
of NaifTus in Dacia, though fome authors fay of Sardica, the
metropolis of that province. In 391, he was accufed of crimes
againft the canons of the church and the law of God, and was
reported for herefy at the council of Capua, which met the latter
end of that year. The particulars of his crimes cannot now be
known, but his herefy may be gathered from St. Auguftin and
St. Ambrofe. He had, before, been condemned by Damafus,
bifiiop of Rome, who died A. D. 384. The council of
Capua committed the hearing of his caufe to the bifhops of Me-
codon, his neighbours, under their metropolitan Anyfius, bifhop
of Theflalonica. The bifliops affembled, agreeably to the order
of the council, and Bonofus appeared before them ; but they
were fo well convinced of the truth of the charge, that they
immediately fufpended him from all epifcopal functions ; at the
fame time writing a letter to Syricius bifliop of Rome, declaring
Iheir abhorrence of the deteftable error, that the virgin Mary
fiould have other children than Chrift. Bonofus died A. D. 410;
but his do£lrine did not die with him, being maintained by
fome 200 years after his death. Pope Gregory makes mention
of them the latter end of the vith century.
BONTEKOE (Cornelius), a dutchman, phyfician to the
elc£lor of Brandebourg, and profeflbr at Frankfort on the Oder,
died in the flower of his age, left a treatife on tea, and ano-
ther on the climafterical year. Both the one and the other
were tranflated into french in 1690, 2 vol. lamo. His works
were publifhed at Amfterdam 1689, 4to.
BONTEMS (Madame), born at Paris in 1718, died in the
fame city April i3, 1768, aged 50, had received from nature a
good underllanding, and an excellent tafte, which were culti-
vated by a fuitable education. She pofTelTed the foreign Ian-
guagesy and was miflrefs of all the delicate turns of her own.
It is to her that the French are indebted for the tranflation,
pot lefs accurate than elegant, of Thomfon's Seafons, 1759,
i2mo. Madame Bontems had an amiable and feledt fociety
that frequented her houfe. Though fhe had a great talent for
wit, {he only made ufe of it for difplaying that of others. She
was not lefs efteemed for the qualities of her heart thaa tliof<^
ef her mind.
BON-
BOOKER. 465
BONTIlTS (Gerard), ptofeflbr in medicine at the univerGty
bf Leyden in the latter part of the xvith century, was a man of
profound erudition, and well verfed in the* greek language. He
was born at Ryfwick, a fmall village of Guelderland, and died
Sit Leyden, Sept. 15, 1599, 63 years old. Bontius is the in-
ventor of a compofition of pills, which, from his name, are
called Pilulae tartare^ Bontii. The Dutch for a long time kept
this compofition a fecret \ but they have been analyfed by the
induftry of fome phyficians, and the ingredients are now well
known.
BONWICKE (Ambrose), a nonjnring clergyman of great
piety and learning, fon of the rev. John Bonwicke[H], rc£lor
of Micklehani in Surrey, was born April 29, 1652, and educated
at Merchant Taylors fchool j he was elefted to St. John's col-
lege, Oxford, in 1668, where he was appointed librarian in
1670; B. A. 1673; M. A. March 18, 1675; was ordained
deacon May 21, 1676; prieft, June 6 (Trinity funday), 1680;
proceeded B. D. July 21, 1682; and was elefted matter of
Merchant Taylors fchool June 9, 1686. In 1689, the college
of St. John's petitioned the Merchant Taylors Company, that
he. might continue mafter of the fchool (which is a nurfcry for
their college) for life; but, at chriftmas 1691, he was turned
out for refufing to take the oath of allegiance, and was after-
wards for many years mafter of a celebrated fchool at Headley,
near Leatherhead in Surrey, where he had at one time the
honour of having the poet Fenton for his uflier, and Bowyer
(who was afterwards the learned printer) for a fcholar [i].
BOODT (Anselm von) Boetius, phyfieian to the em-
peror Rodolph, died about i66c, got into reputation by a latin
tra£b now very fcarce/ intituled. The complete jeweller, or the
hiftory of precious ftones ; printed by Andrew Toll, with
notes. Leyden 1646 and 1647.
BOOKER (John) [k), was bred a habcrdaflier, but quitted
this employment and followed that of a writing mafter at Hadley
in Middlesex. He in a few years rendered himfelf fo emi-
nent, that he was appointed licenfer of mathematical books.
Under which were included all thofe that related to the celeftial
fciences. Lilly tells us, that he once thought him the greatcft
aftrologer in the world j but it appears that he afterwards funk
[h] AnecdotCB of Bowyer by NichoUi piety and gooci'icfi, may be ftcn in the
p. 14. work which tii-iMihcsthiS article, A copy
[i] Mr. Nichols has in MS. ;i curious oi ]. is verier, wi .Ht fvllow ot St. John's,
torrefpondenceof Mr. Bonwicke withMr. is primed in nn Oxford toUcdtlon, en the
I5lcchynden» on occalion of his ejection deaih ot king Charles II. i'"?!-. By fiis
from the Merchant Taylor^ fchool, wih war (E'itabcih Siubbs) Mr. Bonwukc had
Jiuny of his college cxercifcs, and letters twelve children.
ID his father. Some letters, which cor.- [r] Grainger's Biog. Hift, vo'. iii,
Tey an admirable idta of his una0e£^?d p- 127.
Voj.. n. H h . in
466 BOOTH.
in his cftccm, and that he thought himfelf a much greater man.
We arc told by the fame author, that " he had a curious fancy
injudgTiig of theftSj and as fuccefsful in rcfolving love queftions^'*
whicli was a capital branch of his trade. George Wharton, who
was formerly oneof hisaitrological friends, had a great quarrel
Mith him, which occafioned his publifhing *^ Mercurio-coelico
Madix ; or an Anticaveat to all fuch as have heretofore had themif*
fortune to be cheated and deluded by that great and treacherous
impoftor John Hooker; in an anfwer to his frivolous pamphlet^
intituled iVicrcuriusCoclicus, or a Caveat to all the people of Eng-
land ;" Oxen. 1644, 4to. The only work of Booker's worth die
public notice is, his ** bloody Irifli Almanac," which contains fome
memorable particulars relative to the war in Ireland. He died
April 1667.
BOOni (Barton), a famous englifli aftor, who chiefly
excelled in tragedy, bom in the county palatine of La»ca(ler
168 1 [l]. At the age of nine years he was put to Weftminitcr
fchool, under the tuition of the famous Dr. Bufby, where he
foon difcovcred an excellent genius and capacity. He had a
peculiar turn for latin poetry, and had fixed many of the fineft
paflages of the antients fo firmly in his memory, that he could
repeat them ; which he would do. with fuch propriety of em-
phalis^ and gracefulncfs of a£lion, as to charm every body who
heard him. Thence it was that when, according to cuftom, a
latin play was to be adted, one of the firft parts was given to
young Booth ; who performed it in fuch a manner as gained
him univ.erfal applaufe, and particular refpedt from the dodior.
This firft gave him an inclination for the ftage. His father in-
tended him for the church : but when Barton reached the age
of 17, and was about to be fent to the univerfity, he ftole away
from fchool, and went over to Ireland in 1698, with Mr.
Aflibury, maftcr of the company [m]. Here he was foon diftin-
guiftied greatly by his theatrical abilities, efpecially in tragedy.
For which he feemed to be formed by nature 5 tor he had a
grave countenance and a good perfon, with a fine voice and a
manly adion. When he had been three feafons in Dublin, in
which time he had acquired a great reputation, he refolved to
return to England; which he accordingly did in 1701, and was
recommended to Mr. Betterton, who behaved to him with great
civility, and took him into his company. The firft chara£ter
in which he appeared on the englifli ftage, was that of Maximus,
in the tragedy of Valentinian j and it was fcarce pofTible for a
young aclor to meet with a better reception than he had. The
Ambitious Stepmother coming on fcon ifter, he performed the
part of Artaban, which added conCuerably to the reputation he
.[r J Life of Barton Booth, tfq- C*0 ^''ft- of the Eoj. ftage,- p. 143.
BOOTH. 467
Kad acquit^d, and made him eftcemed one of the firft actors Tn].
Kor was his fame lefs in all the fucceeding chara<Slers which he
attempted ; but he (hone with greateft lultre in the tragedy of
CatOy which was brought on the ftage in 1712. " Although
Cato (fays Mr. Cibber) feems plainly written upon what are
called whig principles, yet the tories at that time had fenfe
enough not to take it as the lead reflection on their adminiftra-
tion [o], but, on the contrary, feemed to brandifli and vaunt
their approbation of every fentimcnt in favour of liberty, which,
by a public aiSt of their generofity, was carried fo high, that
one day while the play was adling, they colle£led 50 guineas in
the boxes, and made a prefent of them to Booth, with this
compliment — For his honeft oppofition to a perpetual di£lator,
and his dying fo bravely in the caufe of liberty." The rcputa*
tion to which Booth was now arrived feemed to entitle him to
a fhare in the management of the theatre ; but this perhaps his
merit would never have procured, had it not been through
the favour of lord Bolingbroke, who, in 1713, recalling all
former licences, procured a new one, in which Booth's name
was added to thofe of Cibber, Wilks, and Dogget, Dogget
however was fo much offended at this, that he threw up his
ihare, and would not accept of any confideratibn for it ; but
Cibber tells us, he only made this a pretence, and that the true
reafon of his quitting was his diflike to Wilks, whofe humour
was become infupportable to him [p]. When Booth came to a
ihare in the management of the houfe, he was in the 33d year
of his age, and in the higheft reputation as an ^Q-or i nor did
his fame as a player (ink by degrees, as fometimes has happened
to thofe who have been moft: applauded, but increafed every day
more and more [(^]. The health of Booth however beginning
to decline, he could not a£l fo often as ufual ; and hence be-
came more evident the public favour towards him, by the
crowded audiences his appearatice drew, when the intervals of
his diftemper permitted him to tread the llage : but his con-
ftitution broke now very fad, and he was attacked with a
complication of diftcmpers, which carried him off. May ip,
1733-
His character as an ador has been celebrated by fome of the
beft judges. Mr. Aaron Hill, a gentleman, who by the (hare
he had in the management of the playhoufe, could not but have
fufficient opportunities of becoming well acquainted with his
merit, has given us a very high character of him. *S Two ad-
vantages (fays this gentleman) diltingui(hed him in the (Iron gelt /
light from the reft of his fraternity 5 he had learning to under-
[n] Remarks on the Britilh ihsatre, fp] lb. p. 4^2.
f. 29^ [<^] Rc$natk»oo th« Dritilb theatrct
[oj Apology for 1^5 lift, p. 37". p. 3-0.
Hh % fltand
468 BOOTH.
•
Aand perfeflly whatever it was his part to fpeak, and judgement
to know how far it agreed ordilagreed with his chara^er. Hence
arofe a peculiar grace which was vifible to every fpe£lator, though
few were at the pains of examining into the caufe of their plea-
furc [r]. He could foften, and Aide over with a kind of ele-
gant negligence, the improprieties in a part he a£led ; while^
on the contrary, he would dwell with energy upon the beauties,
as if he exerted a latent fpirit, which had been kept back for
fuch ;in occafion, that he. might alarm, awaken, and tranfporC
in tliofe places only where the dignity of his own good fenfe
could be fupportcd by that of his author. A little refle£lion
upon this remarkable quality, will teach us to account for that
manifell languor, which has fometimes been obferved in his
a£lion, and which was generally, though I think falfely, im-
puted to the natural indc Icnce of his temper. For the fame
reafon, though in the cuitomary rounds of his bufinefs he would
condefcend to fomc parts in comedy, he feldom appeared in
any of them with much advantage to his charafter. The. paf-
fions which he found in comedy were not ftrong enough to ex-
cite his fire, and what fcemed want of qualification, was only
abfence of impreffion. He had a talent at difcovering the pat-
fions, where they lay hid in fome celebrated parts, by the inju-
dicious pracHcc of otlier a£lors, which when he had difcovered
he foon grew able to exprefs : and his fecret for attaining this
great leiTon of the tlieatre was« an adaption of his look to his
voice, by which artful imitation of nature, the variations in the
found of his words gave propriety to every change in his coun-
tenance. So that it was Mr. Booth's peculiar felicity to be heard
and feen the fame— whether as the pleafed, the grieved, the
pitying, the reproachful, or the angry. One would ainioft be
tempted to borrow the aid of a very bold figure, and, to exprefs
this excellence the more fignificantly,beg permiflion to affirm, that
the blind might have feen him in his voice, and the deaf have
heard him in his vifage. His gefturc, or, as it is commonly
called, his acljon, was but the refult and necefTary confequence
of his dominion over his voice and countenance 5 for having,
by a concurrence of two fuch caufes, impreflcd his imagination
with fuch a ftamp and fpirit of pafTion, he ever obeyed the im-
pulfe by a kind of natural dependency, and relaxed or braced
fucccflivcly into all that fine expreflivenefs, with which he
painted what he fpoke without redraint or atfet'lation."
Mr. Gibber has alfo taken particular notice of Booth, nor
has he omittc-d either his excellencies or defects : this writer,
fpeaking of Wilks and him, fays, " they were aclors fo oppo-
fitc in their manner, that if cither of them could have borrowed
[ft] Hlft. of ihc Eng. ftage, p. 147.
a little
BOOTH. 469
a little of the othcr*s fault, they would both have been improved
by it [s]. If Wilks had fometimes too great a vivacity, Booth
as often contented himfelf with too grave a dignity. The latter
feemed too much to heave up his words, as the other to dart them
to the ear with too quick and {harp a vehemence. Thus Wilks
would too frequently break into the time and m^lire of the har-
mony by too many fpirited accents in one line ; md Booth, by too
folemn a regard to harmony, would as often lofe the necelTary
fpirit of it : fo that (as I have obferved) could we have fome-
times raifed the one and funk the other, they had both been
nearer the mark. Yet this could not be always objedcd to them ;
they had their intervals of unexceptionable excellence, that more
than balanced their errors. The mailer-piece of Booth was
Othello ; then he was mod in charafl;er, and feemed not more
to animate and pleafe himfelf in it than his fpcftators. It is
true he owed his laft and higheft advancement to his aftii\g
Cato ; but it was the novelty and critical appearance of that
charader, that chiefly fwelled the torrent of his applaufc j for,
let the fentimcnts of a declaiming patriot have all the fublimity
of poetry, and let them be delivered with all the utmoft grace
and elocution, yet this is but one light wherein the excellence
of an aftor can (hine ; but in Othello we may fee him in the
variety of nature. In Othello, therefore, I may fafely aver, that
Booth fliewed himfelf thrice the aftor that he could in Cato,
and yet his merit in a£ling Cato need not be diminiflied by
this comparifon. Wilks often regretted, that in tragedy he
had not the full and ftrong voice 'of Booth, to command and
grace his periods with. But Booth ufed to fay, that if his ear had
been equal to it, Wilks had voice enough to have fliewn himfelf a
much better tragedian. Now, though there might be fome
truth in this, yet thefe two aftors were of fo mixed a merit,
that even in tragedy the fuperiority was not always on the fame
fide. In forrow, tendernefs, or refignation, Wilks plainly had
the advantage, and feemed more pathetically to feel, look, and
cxprefs his calamity. But in the more turbulent tranfports of
the heart, Booth again bore the palm, and left all competitors
behind him."
BOOTH (HenryX earl of Warrington and baron Delamer
of Dunham MaflTey, was a very diflinguifhed perfon, and born
of an antient family, in 1561 [tJ. He was knight of the (hire
for the county palatine of Chefter, in feveral parliaments during
the reign of Charles II. ; and was very aftive in promoting the
bill for excluding the duke of York from the throne. He was
extremely zealous again it the papifts ; and this circumftance,
together with his conitant and vigorous oppofition to the arbi-
[s] Cibber*8 apology, p. 476. [t] Biog. Brit. 2d edit.
H h 3 trary
470 BOOTH.
trary meafures then prevailing, made him extremely obnoxious
to the court. In 1684, by the death of his father, he became
lord Delamer ; but, about this time, was committed clofe prl-
foner to the Tower of London. Being fet at liberty, he was
again commiued, foon after the accelTion of James 11. After
fome confinen||nt, he was committed a tliird time, in July
J 685 ; and, when official application from the peers was
made, to know the rcafon, the king anfwered, That he flood
committed for high trcafon, teftified upon oath ; and that orders
were given to proceed again ft him according to law. He was
brought to his trial, Jan. i( 85-6 ; but, in fpitc of all efforts by
JefFerics and the court, was unanimoufly acquitted. After this,
he lived for fome time, in a retired manner, at his feat at Dun-
ham MaiTey 5 but, matters being at length ripe for the revolu-
tion, he exerted himfelf for bringing about that great event,
by raiHng forces and every other means. Soon after the revolu-
tion, he was made a privy counfellor ; chancellor and under
treafurer of the exchequer ; lord lieutenant and cuflos rotulo-
turn of the county of Chefter; which laft offices, with tharof
privy counfellor, ne held for life ; the others, for only about a
year. The reafon appears to have been, that his condu£l aftey
the revolution was a good deal difpleafing to king William ;
inafmuch as he oppofed the meafures of the court, and was
thought to wi(h for dill farther retrench tn en ts of regal prero-
gative. Mr. Walpole fays, that he was difmifled by king WiU
Ham to gratify the tories [ul, and it feems to have been fo ;
for, though he was removed from the adminiftration, it wzs
thought neccifary to confer on him fome mark of royal favour.
Accordingly, he was created earl of Warrington, April 17^^
1690, with a penfion of 2000I. per annum; and it was faid, in
the preamble of the patent for his earldom, that it was conferred
on him, for his great fervices in raifingand bringing great forces
* to his majefty, to refcue his country and religion from tyranny
and popery. He did not enjoy his new dignity long ; for he
died Jan. 2, 1694, not quite forty-two.
The works of Henry earl of Warrington were publifhed 1694,
in one vol. 8vo. and con fift. chiefly of fpeeches made by him in
parliament, prayers ufed by him in his family, fome fhort poli-
tical trafts, and the cafe of William earl of Devonfhire. Collins
informs us, that he was alfo the author of fome obfervatioDS
on the cafe of lord RuflTel.
BOOTH (George), earl of Warrington, fon of the above-
mentioned nobleman, died in 1758. He publifhed, but with*-
out his name, *^ Confidcrations upon the inftitution of marriage,
with fome thoughts concerning the force and obligation of the
[u] Cat of royal and ooble authors.'
marriage-
B O R D E. 471
tninlage contra£b i wherein is confidered, how far divorces
may or ought to be allowed. By a gentleman. Humbly fub-
micced to me judgment of the impartial/' Lond. Printed for
John Whifton, 1739. It is an argument for divorce on dif-
agreement of temper. In the introduftion his lordlhip obferves,
that in the office of the church before matrimony we are en-
joined to cbnfider it as a myilica] union between Chrift and his
church, and as fuch forbidden to take it in hand unadvifedly or
lightly 5 with an exprefs interdid of the defign of fatisfying man's
carnal appetites. But that the moment the marriage is com-
pleted, the fame authority declares that nothing can diiTolve ic,
but a deficience of carnality.
BORBONIUS (Nicholas), a french latin poet, well known
and honoured at the court of Francis I» perfonally acquainted
with Erafmus, Palingenius, Scallger, fir Thomas More, and
other learned men of the avith century. He afFe£l;s an air of
religion and piety> and a very mafculinc french modefty, in his
works. Bis books bear only a favourite french motto, Nugx :
des Bagatelles, firft printed in 1540, and contains a moft fe-
vere inveflive again (t fir Thomas More, loaded with that kind
of reproach which will appear ttrange and incredible to many
readejs, being fo contrary to the fuppofed chara£^er, I mean
the private charafteratleaft, of that famous chanceUor, who was
certainly a gentleman by birth, a learned man, and a particular
friend of Wit and the Mufes.
BORDE (Andrew), or as he ftyles himfelf in latin Andreas
Perforatus, was a very queer chara£ler, and the reputation
he acquired among his contemporaries mull be confidcred as a
fymptom of ftill remaining barbarifm in the manners of the
times. IJe was born at Pevenfey in Sufiex about 1500, and was
educated at Oxford; but before he had taken a degree, entered
?mong .tlie carthufians in or near London. He afterwards left
them, and ftudied phyfic at Oxford ^ and then travelled over
moll parts of Europe and Africa. On his return he fettled at
Wincheftep, where he praclifed phyfic with confiderablc reputa*
tion, and in this capacity he is faid to have ferved Henry VIII.
In 1541 and 1542 he was at Montpellier, where he probably
took tlie degree of doftor, in which he was foon after incor-
porated at Oxford. He lived then for fomc time at Pevenfey,
and afterwards returned to Wincheftcr, ftill obferving all the
aufteriries of the order to which he formerly belonged ; though
he has been accufed of many irregularities. It is certaiji that his
character was very odd and whimfical, as will appear more par-
ticularly from the books he wrote ; yet he is faid to have been
a man of great wit and learning, and an <* efpccial phyfician."
That he was not of confequence eminent enough to rank with
the tirll of his profeffion, may be inferred from his dying In-
folvent in the Fleet, April 1549. Bale, who never bore any good
li h 4 will
47* B b R D E S.
ATili to any papifl, intlinates that he haftened hte end by poifon
on the difcovcry of his keeping a brothel for his brother bachelors*
His works are very various in their fubje£ls ^ one of the moft
confiderable is intituled, A book of the introduftion of know-
ledge, black letter, imprinted by William Coplande, without
date. He there profefl'es to teach ail languages, the cuftoms and
faGuons of all countries, and the value of every fpecies of coin.
This is a motley piece, partly in verfe'and part;ly in profe ; and
is divided into 39 chapters, before each of which is a woodea
cut, reprc renting a man in the habit of fome particular country.
His wcH known fatire on the Englifhman, who, to exprefs the
inconftancy and mutability of his fafhions, is drawn naked with
a cloth and a pair of fhecrs in his hand, is borrowed from the
Venetians, v*'ho charafterifed the French in this manner. Be-
fore the 7th chapter is the effigies of the author, under a canopy,
with a gown, a laurel on his head, and a bqok before him. The
title of this chapter fhews how the author dwelt in Scotland
and other iilands, and went through and round about chriften<»
dom* An edition of this fmgular work was printed in London
in 1542. His Breviary of health, which is a very trifling, coarfe^
and weak performance, was publiflied in 1547, and is fuppofed
by Fuller to be the firft medical piece written in englifh. As
a fpecimen of the ftyle, take what follows, which is the be-
ginning of the Prologue, addrefled to phyficians : ** Egregious
doctors and maifters of the eximious and arcane fcience of
fJiyficke^ of your urbanity exafperate not yourfelves againft me
or making this little volume.". There is alfo curious reafoning
in this book ; he derives the word Gonorrhea from Gomorrha,
and treats alfo of the difeafes of the mind with as much pedantry.
This work, with a fecond part called the Extravagants, was re-
printed in 4to. 1575. He was alfo author of the following;
Compcndyoufe Regimcnte, or Dietary of Healthe made in
Mounte Pyllor, an edition of which was printed feveral years
after his death, in 1562. A famous jeft book called the Merrye
tales of the madmen of Gotham ; The hiftorye of the miller of
Abingdon and the Cambridge fcholars, the fame with that re*
lated by Chaucer in his Canterbury Tales ; a book of Prognof-
tics, and another of Urines, &c. See an account of him in
Hearne's Appendix to his preface to Benedi£lus Abbas Petro*
burgenfis.
BORDEN AVE (Toussaint), profcflbr and direaor of the
academy of furgery at Paris, was born there April lo, 1728, and
died March 12, 1782. His Elements of phyfiology, i2mo. arc
in good repute.
BORDES (Chakles), of the academy of Lyons, the place of
his nativity, died in 1781, was poet and philofopher, and ac*
quitted himfelf well both in profe and verfe. In two difcourfes,
much applauded, he refuted that which J.J. RoulTeau had pub-
lifhcd
B O R D E U. 473
liftitd agalnft the fcicnces. He wrote likewife (hort epiftles in
vcrfe,in fo agreeable a manner that feme of them were attributed
to Voltaire. But his light bagatelles are inferior to a hue Odtf
on War, printed in almoft all the recucils of poetry, and which
warriors as well as poets ought to have by heart. A colleftion
of his works appeared in 4 vols. 8vo. Lyons, 17^3. Among then>
we find a tragedy of diflinguifhed merit, intituled, Blanch^ dc
Bourbon (the itory is the fame with that of Peter the Cruel, by du
Belloi) ; fevcral comedies abounding in ingenuity and wit; poems
fail of genius and reafon; academical pieces well written, &c.
BORDEU ( Theophilus de), born Feb. 22, 1722, at Ifefte
in the valley of OfFan in Beam, was fon of Antoine de Bordeu,
phyfician to the king at Bareges, a man diilinguiOicd in his
profeffion. The fon was worthy of the father. At the age of
20, for his degree of bachelor in the univerfity of Montpellier,
where he was then a ftudcnt, he held a thefis De fenfu g.ene-
ricc confiderato, which contains the ground work of all the pub-
lications he afterwards gave. Such early knowledge determined
his profeflbrs to difpenfe with feveral atls ufual before admiffioA
to practice. Afrer paiTmg fome time at Pau, the young phyfician
repaired to Paris, where he foon acquired a great reputation*
Having ta*ken out his licence in that. city in 1755, he was ap-
pointed phyfician to the hopital de la charite. He died of an
apoplexy, Nov. 24, 1776. A deep melancholy, occafioncd by the
flying gout, was the fore-runner of his end. He was found dead in
his bed. One of the faculty, jealous of his fame, and who had
tried to ruin him by a proiecurion, faid on th« occafion : ** I
fhould never have thought he would have died in a horizontal po-
fition.'* But a witty lady repaired the farcafm, by faying, in a fe-
IcGt company, "that death was fo much afraid of him, that he was
obliged to catch him napping." Vhe facility with which he exer-
Cifed his profefliion, his reludlance to prefcribe remedies, and hit
great confidence in nature, fometimcs drew upon him the reproach
that he had not much faith in medicine 5 but his doubts were fo
much the lefs blameab!e,'ashe was continually occupied in render-
ing the refources of his art more certain. He never difputed at all
towards the latter end of his life, becaufe probably he had dif«
puted much to no purpofe in his youth. Nobody knew better
how to doubt than he, and to pronounce that word which igno-
rance never utters, I do not know. He had little confidence
in his own knowledge, and trufted with no lefs difficulty to that
of others. Seeirrg the great number of courfes of leifturcs in
all branches of fcicncc, advertifed every day, he obferved once
to a friend : Will no one ever give a courio of good fcnfe ? As
he exprefled himfclf at times with rather too much acerbity on
the merits of others, fome of his profefTional brethren would call
his own into queftion. However they cannot be doubted by
thofe who have read his works. The chief of tliem are, j. Let-
i ters
474 B O R E.
tcrs on the mineral waters of Bearn« iy46f and 174S1 I2ina.
2^ Anatomical refearches into the pofltion of the glands, 1751*
lamo. 3. Diflertations on the waters of Bareges in regard to
the fcrophula, 1767, i2mo. 4. Dlflertation on crifes, 17551
lamo. 5. Inquiries into the pulfe, in regard to crifes, 1772,
4 vols. 1 2mo : this work, which difplays uncommon fagacity^
has Been tran Hated into englilh, 6. Examination of fome par-
ticulars in the hiitory of medicine, 1764, 2 vols. i2mo. 7. In*
quiries into tlic mucous tiffu, or cellular organ, and into fome
diforders of the cheft, 1766, i2mo. 8. Treatifc on chronical .
complaints, vol. the fir(l> in 8vo. 1776. 9. Chilificationis hif«
toria, 1751, i2mo.
EORDONE (Paris), an excellent Italian painter, was born
at Venice, about the year 15 12 5 and, being defcended of a noblo
family, was brought up to letters, mufic, and other genteel ac-
complifhments. He was a difciple of Titian, and flourifhed in the
time of Tintoret j but was more commended for the delicacy of
his penQJl, than the purity of his outlines. He came into France
to the court of Francis 1. with whom he was in great favour
and efteem ; and for whom, bcfidcs abundance of hiftories, ho
made the portraits of fcveral court ladies in fo excellent a mannery
that original nature was hardly more charming. From France he
Tcturned home to Venice, laden with honour and riches^ andy
having acquired as much reputation in Italy as he had done
abroad, died in 1587, aged 7^ years.
BOKE (Catharine von), daughter of a gentleman of for-*
tune, was a nun in the convent of Nimptfchen in Germany, two
leagues from Wittemberg, when ftie quitted the veil with .eight
others at the commencement of the reformation, by Luther. It
IB faid to have been Leonard Cope, fenatpr of Torgaw, who
firft animated them to this refolution. However this be, they put
it in practice on a Good-Friday ; Luther undertook the dctenoo
of thefe nuns and of Leonard Cope, and publifhed an apology
in juilificaiion of their exploit. Catharine Bore being retired
to Wittemberg^ the papillsgave out that ihc lived in libertinifm
with the fludents of that univerfity. Luther, paflionately ena«*
moured of this nun, on account of her heroifm in addition to
the excellent qualities of her mind and heart, gained her con-
fcnt, and made her his wife. The report ran that Catharine
was brought to bed within a (hort fpace after her nuptials.
Erafmus gave into this calumny, and is facetious upon it in
one of his letters; but he afterwards difcovered the fal(hood of
the report, and confefles his miftake. Mrs. Luther was then
but fix-and-twenty. To the charms of youth fhe added th«
fprightlinefs of converfation. The reformer, much old^r than
his wife, was as af}e£lionately beloved by her as if he had bceu
in the flower of youth. She brought him a fon 5 and he writes
on this occafion, ^* tliat he would uoc change his condition for
that
B O R E L L L 475
that of Croefus.** The cha^£ler of his fpoufe was indeed ex-
cellently adapted to make him happy. Modett and gentle, d©»
cent in her attire, and oeconomical in the houfe, {he had the
hofpitality of the german nobleflc without their pride. She died
in 1552, aged about 53, after having been the mother of three
fons, Paul, MaT:tin, and John.
BOREL Peter), native of Caftres, phyfician in ordinary to
the french king, member of the academy of fciences for che-
mlftry, died in 1689, at the age of 69. He is the author of,
I. De vcro telefcopii inventore, Hague, 1651, 4(0. 2. The anti-
quities of Caftres, printed in that town, 1649, 8vo. This book
is very fcarce. 3. Trefor des recherches & des antiquites Gao*
loifes, Paris, 1655, 4to. This repertory of old words and phrafes
of the french language is much efteemcd and confulted. It is
tp be found at the end of the laft edition of the etymological
dictionary of Menage. 4. Hiftoriarum & obfervationum me-
dico-phyficarum centarix quinque, Paris, 1676, 8vo. 5. Biblio-
iheca chymica, Paris, '1654, 8vo.
BORELLI (John Alphonso), a famous philofopher and ma-
thematician, born at Naples 28th of January iboS. He was
profeflbr of philofophy and mathematics in fome of the moft
celebrated univerfitics of Italy, efpecially at Florence and Pifa,
where he became highly in favour v/ith the princes of the houfe
of Medicis ; but, having been engaged in the revolt of Mellinai
he was obliged to retire to Rome, where he fpent the remainder
of his life under the proteftion of Chriltina queen of Sweden,
•who honoured him with her friendfliip, and by her liberality
towards him, foftened the rigour of his fortune. He continued
two years in the convent of the regular clergy of »St. Pantaleon,
called the Pious Schools, where he inftrufted the youth in ma-
thematical ftudies. He died therf of a pleurify, Dec. jr, 1679^
in the 7 2d year of his age [x].
BOR.
[x] fiorcUi left the following works : tife De Motu Animalium, and that Ds
I. Le ciufe dellc fcbti milicni, 1649, MotloniSus naiuralibus, in 1^86. 6. Of-
l2mo. 2. Euciides reflitutu;;, ^c. Pifa, fervatione in tor no alia viftu inegualt dczll
1668, 4to. %. ApoUonii Pergsi conico- occi. This piece was inferted in th«
rum, libri v. vi. & vii. paraphrafte Abal- Journal of Rome, for the year 1669. 7. De
phato Afpahanenfinunc pri;Tiumediti. Ad- m^tionihus naturalibus dc gravitate pcn-
ditus in calcc Archimedis afluriiptorum dentihus. Regio Julio, 1670,410. 8. Ms-
libfr, ex codiclbus Arabicis MSS. Ser. D. teorologia y£tnea, tec. Regio Julio, lOyc^
Ecruriae. Abrahamus Ecchctlesifis Mam- 4to. 9. OlTervatJone dell* ecclif!] lunare*
nita Latinos leadidit. Joannes Alphoiifus farti in Roma da Gio Alph. Rorcili la fera
Korcllus in Pilana academic Mathcfeos dcgli i r Gennaro 1675. Infcrtcd in the
profelTor cviraTti in geomeiricis veriiooe Jo'jrnal of Rome 167;, p. ;4 10. Elf .
oatulit, ct notas ubcriorcs in univerfuiuy menta coaica ApoUonii Pe-gari et Archi-
opus adjccit. Floren. 1661, fol. 4. The- mcdis opera nova et breviori methodo de*
orI» Medicorum Planetarum ex caufis monftrata. Printed aC Rome in 16-9, in
phylicis dedudVas. Flor. 16^6, 410. 5. De T2mo. at the end of the 3d edition of his
vi petcnllionis. Bologna 1667, 410. This Euciides feditutus. t i . De Motu Anima*
piece waiiCfrinKdj with his famous (lea- lium: pars prima, lo quacoplofe difcepta-
tut
476 B O R G H I N L
BORGARUTIUS (Prosper), an eminent Italian phyfician,
who lived in the xvith century, ^nd publiflied fome worlcs; the
firft of wliich was a treatife of anatomy [y]. He compofed it
in his native language ; and, finding it well received, tranflated it
intb latin, with the addition of feveral new obfervations, which
he had made while he taught anatomy at Padua. He not only
communicated to the public the difcoveries he had made by the
difTedion of bodies, but ftudied medicine alfo, and printed fomc-
thing on that fubjeft. He took a journey to the court of France
in 1567, and found at Paris the manufcript of the Chirurgia
Magna of Vefalius. He bought it ; and then, correfting and
digefting it into order, publiflied it at Venice, 1569, in 8vo.
The trouble he was involved in during the printing of his own
treatife of anatomy, and the vexation he met with from the
printers, made him in a fret take an oath, that he would nevqr
more have any thing to do with them. When he was got from
tinder the prcfs, he broke his word j and in this compares him-
felf to thofe women who, in the pains of childbirth, protett,
they will never expofe themfelves to the like any more ; ncver-
thelefs, when the pain is over, forget their proteftations.- It is
well known, fays Mr. Bayle, that there are particular and indif-t
penfable reafons, which very Juftly difcharge a woman from any
thing ihe may have fworn on (uch an occafion; It is not, fays he»
the fame thing as it is with vows made at fea in a ftorm, which
are commonly forgot as foon as the parties are fafe on Chore,
BORGHINI (Vincent), born at Florence in 1515 of a
noble family, became a benedi£bine monk in 1531. He wa^
one of the perfons pitched upon for the correflion of the De-
cameron of Boccace, by order of the council of Trent, and exe-
tur de motiontbus conrplculs anlmalium, Baxter obfervest indeed, that Dr. James
iipinpe dc etternarum parlium ct artuum Kcill has (licwn Borelli to be midaken ia
fliiionibus, cxtcnfionibus, ct tandem de calculating the force of the mufcle of the
gret!u, volatu, natatu et ejus anncxis. heart ;. and Monf. Varignon, in hii Aver*
Roir.se, 1650, in 4to. And afterwards tilTemcnt ouTExamcn dc I 'Opinion dc M.
Pais altera : in qua dc caufis motus muf- Borelli fur Icsproprietezde poid« fufpcnduf
culorum et motionibus internist nempe par descordes, has difcove red another mif*
humorum, qui per vafa et vifcera anima* takeofhis> though he allows hi mat the fame
jiumtiunc. Roma?, 1681 » 4to. This was time to be a man of extraordinary merit, ao4
rcflfinifd at Lcyijtn, revifed and purged that his principal works ought to be rnnkcd
tiom many errors; to which was added among the moll valuable and original writ-
JoJin Bernoulli's m.jiheniatical meditations ings of the age, 12. At Leyden, 16S6, ia
crnccining the motion of the mufcles, 410. a more correct and accurate cduion.
Though fevfral iu^tnious men, ancient rcvifcd by J. Brocn, M. D of L"ydcn,of
a. id mativ-rn, have treated of the motion his two pieces Dc vi pcrcuilionis, ct dc
ofaninials, yet iliis work of Borelli may motionibus dc gravitate pcndentibus, &c.
be ciinliocied as the moll complete upon cum ejufdem rcfponfionibus ad Siephani
lliit lubjf.'l. Baxter, in his Enquiry into de Anpclis animadvcrfioncs in librum dc vi
the ii,jt;ue of the Human Soul, puhliOicd percufllonis. 13. De rcnum ufu judicium :
I7?4. in 4to, makes frequent ufe of Bo- this had been publilhcd with Bellini's book
i\.'i\\\ bonk De motu animalium; and re- De ilrudura icoumi At Strafbuigh^ 16649
t I >. to iiiiii as iljc moll authentic writer 8vo.
i»,.ui» the lubjcd of mufcular motion. [v] Basle's Di^.
cuted
BORGIA. 477
cuted it in the edition of Florence, 1573) 8vo. But the heft known
of his worksy and that which did lum die moft honour, is that
intituled, Difcorfi di M. Vincenzo Borghini, printed at Florence
1584 and 1585, in two vols. 4to. and reprinted at the fame
place in 1755, with annotations. He her^ treats of the origin
of Florence, and of feveral interefting particulars of its hiftory:,
of its families, of its coins, &c. Borghini died in 1680, after
having refufed, through humility, the archbifhopric of Pifat
which was offered to him fome time before his death. He (hould
not be confounded with another writer of the fame name [Ra-
faello Borghini], author of fevetal comedies, and of a tra^ on
painting and fculpture, in fome eftimation, under the title of,
Ripofo della pittura, e della fcultura, publiQied at Fl<»rence in
1584, 8vo.
BORGIA (C-«sar), a natural fon of pope Alexander VI. was
a man of fuchcondu£i and eharafler, that Machiavel has thought
fit to propofe him, in his famous book called The Prince, as an
original and pattern to all princes, who would act the part of wife
and politic tyrants. What year he was born in, we do not find :
but he was at his ftudies in the univerfity of Pifa, when Alex^
ander was elected pope, which was in Auguft 1492. Upon the
news of his father's advancement, he banilhed all thoughts of
his former private condition of life ; and, full of ambition, as if
himfelf was to be made emperor of the world, he haftened di«
re£lly to Rome. Alexander received hitn with formality* and
coldnefs, which, whether it was real or only afFefted, is not eafy
to determine. Cxfar however took it to be real ; and, greatly
difgul):ed as well as difappointed, went immediately and com-*
plained to his mother Vanozza. Vanozza comforted him ; bid
him not be caft down ; and told him, that fhe knew the pope's
mind better than any body, "and for what reafons his holinefs
had given him that reception. In the mean time the court*
flatterers follicited the pope to make Cacfar a cardinal, which he
abfolutely refufed ; neverthelefs, that he might not feem alio-
ther forgetful of him, he created him archbifliop of Valeuza, a
benefice which his holinefs had enjoyed in his younger days.
This preferment was by no means acceptable to Ccefar, yet he
thought proper to take up with it ; fince the pope, he found,
was determined to confer the beft of his fecular dignities on his
eldell fon Francis, who at that time was made duke of Gandia
by Ferdinand king of Caftile and Arragon.
Alexander VI. had five children by his miftrefs Vanozza;
Francis and Cacfar, already mtntioned, two other fons, and a
daughter named Lucretia. Francis was a gentleman of a fine
difpofition, of probity and real goodnefs, and in every refpeft
.quite oppofite to his brother Ciefar j but Cxfar feems to have
pofl'efled abilities fuperior to thofe of Francis : which made a
certaio
478 ^ BORGIA.
certain hi dorian fay, ** that Csefar was great aniong th6 vnckcAf
and Francis good among the great." Cxfar however was the'
mother's favourite, as having a temper and principles more con*
formable to hers : for which reafon, at the time when Alexander
was undetermined on which of thefc brothers he fhould beftow
the cardinal's cap, Vanozza declared herfclf in favour of Cxfar,
who was accordingly made a cardinal in the fecond year of
Alexander's pontificate. From henceforward he aded in concert
with his father, and was a great indrument in executing ail the
fchemes of that wicked pope : for he had not the Icaft grain of
virtue or goodnefs in his make, nor was there any thing too
atrocious for him to perpetrate, if it could but tend to make him
a great and formidable tyrant ; for that was the fole obje£^ of
his ambition. This put him upon the murder of his elder bro-
ther Francis, duke of Gandia. All the fccular dignities, which
then were much more coveted than the ecclefiafticai, were heaped
upon Francis ; and this ob(lru£ted Csefar's projc£ls fo encirely,
that he was refolved at all adventures to remove him* Jt was
in the year 1497, ^'^^^ hiring airaiTms, he caufed him to be mur-
dered, and thrown into the 1 iber ; where his body was found
fome days after, full of wounds and extremely mangled. The
pope was afilicEled to the lad degree ; for though he made ufe
of Cxfar as the abler, he loved Francis as the better man. He
caufed therefore ftri£t inquiry to be made after the murderers;
upon which Vanozza, who for that and other reafons was jufUy
fufpe£led to be privy to the affair, went privately to the pope,
and ufed all the arguments fhe could, to diiluade him from
fearching any further. Some fay, chat fhe went fo far as to
aflure his holinefs, that if he did not defift, the fame perfon
who took away his fon's life would not fparc his own.
Caefar, who now fucceeded to his brother*s fortunes and
honours, began to be tired of ecclefiadical matters, and grew
quite fick of the cardinalate, and therefore determined to throw
it off as foon as poffible, that he might have the greater fcope
for praAifing the exceiles, to which his natural ambition and
cruelty prompted him : for cruel as well as ambitious he was in
the highed degree. It is incredible what numbers he caufed
to be taken off by poifon or the fword ; and it is notorious, that
f warms of affaflins were condantly kept in pay by lum at Romcy
for the fake of removing all who were either obnoxious or in-
convenient to him. Getting rid of the cardinalate, he was foon
after made duke of Valentinois by Lewis XII. of France : with
whom he entered into a league for the conqued of the Milanefe.
From this time he experienced various turns of fortune, being
fometimes very profperous, fometimes much otherwife. He
very hardly efcaped dying of poifon in the year 1 503 ; for, having
concerted with the pope u dc&gn of poifoning nine newly created
cardinals
BORLACE. ,479
cardinals at once, in order to poflefs their efie£ls, the poifoned
wine dcftincd for the purpofe was by miftake brought to them-
felvcs and drunk. The pope died of it ; but Caefar, by the vigour
of his youth, and the force of antidotes, after many ftruggleSp
recovered. He only recovered to outlive his fortune and gran-
deur, to fee himfelf deprefied, and his enemies exalted ; for he
was foon after divefted of all his acquifitions, and fent a pri-
foner to Spain, in order to free Italy from an incendiary, and
the Italian princes from thofe dangers which his turbulent and
reftlefs fpirit made them fear, even though he was unarmed.
He efcaped from thence, and got fafe to Navarre to king John
his brother-in-law, where he met with a very friendly reception.
From hence he defigned to go into France ; and there, with the
affiftance of Lewis, to try if he could once more re-eftablifli his
fortune. But Lewis refufed to receive him, not only becaufe
he and Spain had concluded a truce, but becaufe they were alfo
at enmity with the king of Navarre. Nay, the french king, in
order to gratify Spain, had'confifcated Cxfar's duchy of Valen-
tinois, and taken away the yearly penfion which he had from
France. So that Csefar, in a poor and abandoned condition,
without revenue or territory, was forced to be dependent upon
his brother-in-law, who was then at war with his fubje&s. Caefar
ferved as a volunteer in that war ; and, while the armies were
engaged in battle, jind fighting vfnder the walls of Viana, was
killed by the ilroke of a gianette. This happened upon the izth
of March 1507 [2].
BORLAC£ (Dr. Edmund), fon of fir John Borlace, mafter
of the ordnance, and one of the lor4^ juftices of Ireland, was
born in the xviith century, and educated at the univerfity of
Dublin. Then he travelled to Leyden, where he commenced
d7>£lor of phyGc in 1650. He was afterwards admitted to the
fame degree at Oxford [a]. At laft he fettled at Chefter, where
he pradifed phyfic with great reputation and fuccefs ; and where
he died in 1682. Among feveral books which he wrote and
publifhed, are, i. Latham Spaw in Lancaihire : with fome re-
markable cafes agd cures effe£led by it. Lond. 1670, Svo. De*
dicated to Charles earl of Derby. 2. The reduction of Ireland
[z] Csefar Borgia took thefe words for his device, Aut Csefar tuC oihil ; which gSYC
occalioA 10 the following epigrams :
I.
Borgia Caefar craC faftts et nomine CcTar ;
Am nihilt auC Caefar, dizic ; uCrum^ue fulu
2.
Aitt^ nihil, aut Ctffar; vuU diet Borgia : quid ni f
Cum limul et Cxfar poffi^ et ellc Aihil.
Omnia vincchas; fpetabas omnia* Caefar;
Omnia deficiunt, incipis elTe nihil,
f a] Wood's Athen. Oion. '
480 B O R L A S E.
to the crown of England : with the governors fincc the conqueft
by king Henry IL anno 1172, and feme paflages in their go-
vernment. A brief account of the rebellion, ann. dom. 1641.
Alfo the origiuai of the univei fity of Dublin^ and the college
of phyficians. Lend. 1675, 9 large oclavo. 3. The Hiftory of
the execrable Irilh rebellion, traced from many preceding a£t3
to the grand eruption 061. 23, 1641 ; and thence purfued to the
%£t of fettlement 1672. Lond. 1683, folio. Mr. Wood tells
us, that much of this book is tak^n from another, intituled, The
Iriih rebellion ; or, The hiftory of the beginnings and lirft pro-
grefs of the general rebellion raifed within the kingdom of
Ireland Oft. 23, 164K Lond. 1646, 4.to. written by fir John
Temple, mafter of the 'rolls, one of his majelly's privy council
in Ireland, and father of the celebrated fir William Temple.
4. Brief refledlions on the earl of Caftlehaven's memoirs of his
engagement and carriage in the war of Ireland. By which the
government of that time, and the jufticc of the crown fincc, are
vindicated from afperfions caft upon both. Lond. j68/, 8vo.
BORL ASE (William), a very ingenious and learned writer,
was of an ancient family in Cornwall, and born at Pendeen, in
the parifli of St. Juft, Feb. 2, 1696. He was put early to fchool
at Penzance, and in 1709 removed to Plymouth. . March 17 13
he was entered at Exeter college, Oxford ; and, June 17 19, todc
a matter of arts degree. In 1720 he was ordained pried ; and,
in 1722, inftituted to the reftory of Ludgvan in Cornwall. In
17J2 the lord chancellor King prefented him to the vicarage of
St. Jutt, his native parifli ; and this, with the re<9;ory aforefaid>
were all the preferments ^c ever had.
In the parifh of Ludgvan were rich copper works, which
abound with mineral and metallic foflils ; and thefe, being a
man of an a'Aive and inquifitive turn, he coUedled from time to
time, and thence was led to ftudy at large the natural hiftory
of his native county. He was ilruck at the fame time with the
numerous monumei^s of remote antiquity, that are to be met
with in Cornwall j and, enbrging therefore his plan, he deter-
mined to gain as accurate an acquaintance as poilible with the
Druid learning, and with the religion* and cuftoms. of the an-
cient Britons, before their converfion to chriftianity. In 1750
he was admitted a fellow of the Roval Society 5 and, in 1753,
publiihed in folio at Oxford his Antiquities of /Cornwall, a fc-
cond edition of which was publifhed, in the fame form, at Lon-
don, 1769. His next publication was, Obfcrvations on the an«
cient and prefent ftate of the iflands of Scilly, and their im-
portance to the trade of Great Britain. Oxf. 1756, 4to. This
was the extenfion of a paper, which had been read before the
Royal Society in 1753. ^^ '75^ came out his Natural Hiftory
of Cornwall. Ox. foh After thefe publications, he fent a variety
BORRL 481
gf foffils, and. remains of antiquity which he had defcribcd in hia
works, to be rcpofited in. the Aihmolcjn mufcum : for whicii^
and otiier benefadion^ of the fame kind, he received the thanks of
the univerfuy, in a letter from the vice- chancellor, Nov. 18, 1758}
and, March 1 766, the degree of doctor of laws. He died Aug. 3 1 ,
i772, in hij 77th year; leaving two fons out of fix, whom he
ad by a lady he married in 1724.
Befides his literary connections with many ingenious and
learned men, he had a particul^ar correfpondence with Mr. Pope-^
gnd tliere is ftill exifting a large colleftion of letters written by
that poet to Dr. Borlafe. He furnifhed Pope with many of the
materials which formed his grotto at T>vickenham, confiding
of curious fofiUs ;' and there may at prefent be feen Dr. Borlafe*s
name in capitals, compofed of cryftals, in the grotto. On which
occafion Pope fays to Borlafe in a letter, " I am much obliged
to you for your valuable colk£lion of cornifli diamonds : I have
placed them, where they may bed yeprefent yourfelf, in ajbadi\
Itit fljuung^^
We mud not omit to mention, that Dr. Borlafe fent at dif-
ferent times near twenty papers to the Royal Society \ the titles
of which may be feen in note [e] of this article in the Biographia
rrltanaica. Some other works which he intendedi are men-
tioned in the " Anecdotes of Bowyer."
BORRI (Joseph Fkancis), a famous chemid, quack, and
heretic, was a Milanefe, and born in the beginning of the xvilth
century. He finiflied his dudics in the f(?minary at Rome, where
the jcfuits admired him as a prodigy for his parts and memory.
He applied himfclf to chemidry, and made fomc difcOveries;
bur, plunging liimfelf into the mod extravagant debaucheries,
was obliged at lad to take refuge ia a church- This was in
1654. A little while after, he fet up for a pietid j and, affeft-
in^ an appearance of great zeal, lamented the corruption of
manners which prevailed at Rome, faying, that the didemper
was come to the height, and that the time of recovery drew
near : a happy time, wherein there would be but one flieepfold
on the earth, whereof the pope was to be the only (hepherd [b].
** Whofoever fliall refufe, faid he, to enter into that flieepfold,
(hall be dellroycd by tlie pope's armies. Gpd has predcdinated
me to be the general of thofe armies : I am fure, that they (hall
want nothing. I fliall quickly finifti my chemical labours by
the happy produ<fkion of the philofopher'c done; and by that
means I (hall have as much gold as is neceflary for the bufinefs.
I am fura of the adidance of the angels, and particularly of that
pf Micl?.?,cl the archangel. When I began to walk in the fpiritual
jife, I had a vifion in the night, attended with an angelic?! voices
[b] B<?rri'f Life as quoted by Mr. Bjyl«,
482 B O R R I.
tvhich iffbred rte, that I (hould become a prophet. The 6gn
that was given me for it was a pahn, that teemed to me quite
furroundcd with the light of Paradife."
He communicated to his confidants the revebtions which he
1k)afted to have received : bnt after the death of Innocent X.
finding that the new pope Alexander XII. renewed the tribu%
nals, and caufed more care to be taken of every thing, he de-
fpaired of fucceeding here ; and therefore left Rome, and re-
turned to Milan. He a£led the devotee there, and by that means
gained credit with feveral peopte, whom he caufed to perform
certain exercifes, which carried a wonderful appearance of piety.
fit engaged the members of his new congregation, to take ark
oath of fccrecy to him ; and when he found tKem confirmed in
the belief of his extraordinary miflion, he prefcribcd to them
certain vows by tl-e fiiggeftion of his angel, as he petended.
One of thofc vows was that of poverty \ for the performance of
which he caufed all tlie money that every one h«d to be con-
(igned to hinifelf. T he defign of this crafty impoilor was, in
cafe he could get a fulhcient number of followers, to appear in
the great fquare of Milan j there to reprefent the abufes of the
ecclefiadical and fecJ.ir government ; to encourage the peo-
ple to liberty ; and then, poflefling himfelf of the city and
country of Milan, to purfue his contjuefts as well as he could.
fiut his defign mifcinvied, by the imprifonment of fonie of his
flifciples; and as foon as he faw that firll ftep of the inquifi-
tion, he fled with all imaginable halle. They proceeded again ft
him for contumacy in 1659 and ifc6o i and he was condemned
k& an heretic, and burnt in efligy, with his writinjrs, in the field
of Flora at Rome, on the ^d c>f January 1661. He is reported!
to have faid, that he never was fo cold in his life, as on the
day thai he was burnt at Rome : a piece of wit, however, which
has been afcribed to feveral others. He had dictated a trcatife on
his fyitem to his followers : but took it from them as foon as
he perceived the motions of the inquifition, and hid all his paptrs
in a nunnery. From thence they fell into the hands of the in*
quifition, and were found to cootain do£krincs very abfurd znA
very impious.
* Borri ftaid fome time la the city of Strafburgh, to which he
had fled \ and where he found fome aiiiftance and fupport, as
well becaufe he was perfecuted by the inquifition, as bechufe he
was reputed a great chemiil. But this was not a theatre large
enough for Eorri : he went therefore to Amfterdam, where he
made a great noife. Here he appeared in a ftately and fplendid
equipage, and took upon him the title of Excellency : people
flocked to him, as to the phyfician who could cure all difeafes ;
and propofals were concerted for marrying him to great for-
time$| &C« £ut the tables turned, and bis reputation began ta
fink^
B O R R I. 483
fink, either becaiife his miracles, as Mr. Bayle fays, no longer
found any credit, or becaufe his faith could work no more mi-
racles. In fhort, he broke 5 and fled in the night from Am-
ilerdam, with a great many jewels and fums of money, which
he had pilfered. He went to Hamburgh, where queen Chriftina
was at that time. He put himfelf under her proteflion : and
perfuaded her to venture a great deal of money, in order to
find out the philofopher's ftone. Afterwards he went to Copen-
hagen, and infpiied his danifli majefly to fearch for the fame
fecret ; by which means he acquired that prince's favour fo far,
as to become very odious to all the great perfons of the king-
dom. Immediately after the death of the king, whom he had
put upon great cxpences in vain, he left Denmark for fear of
being imprifoncd, and refolved to go into Turkey. Being come
to the frontiers at a time when tlie confpiracy of Nadafti, Serini,
and Frangipani, was difcovered, he was taken for one of the ac-
complices, and fecured : and his name was fent to his imperial
majcfty, to fee if he was one of the confpirators. The pope's
nuncio had audience of the emperor at the fame time that this
information arrived 5 and, as foon as he heard Borri mentioned,
he demanded, in the pope's name, that the prifoner Ihould be
delivered to him. The emperor confentcd to it, and ordered,
that Borri (hould be fent to Vienna ; and afterwards, having firft
obtained from the pope a promife that he (hould not be put to
death, he fent him tojlome ; where he was tried, and condemned
to perpetual confinement in the prifon of the inquifiiion. He
made abjuration of his errors in the month of Oftober 1672.
Some years after he obtained leave to come out, to attend the
duke d'Eftrce, whom all the phyficians had given ovet ; and the
unexpcdcd cure he wrought upon him occafioned it to be faid,
that an arch-heretic had done a great miracle in Rome. It is
faid alfo, that the queen of Sweden fent for him fometimes in
a coach; but that, after the death of that princefs, he went no
more abroad, and that 'none could' fpcak M^ith him without
fpecial leave from the pope. The Utrecht gazette, as Mr. Baylc
relates, of the pth of September, 1695, informed the public, that
Borri was lately dead in the caftle of St. Angelo, being 79 years
of age. It feems that the duke d'Eftree, as a rccompence for
recover iYig hirt, had procured Bonri's prifon to be changed, from
that of the inquifition to the caftle of St. Angelo.
Some pieces were printed at Geneva in 1681, whiclf are
afcribed to him \ as, i . Letters concerning chemiftry ; and
2. Political refleftions. The firft of thefe works is intitule'd, L^
chiavi del gabinetto del cavagliere Giofeppe Francefco Borri,
Milanefsi the fecondy Iftruzioni politiche, del cavagliere
G. F. B. M. date al re di Danimarca. We learn from the lifa
of Borri, that when he was at Strafburg, he publilhcd a letter,
I i a wbigli
484 BORRICHIUS.
which went all over the world. Two other cf his letters arc fa id
to have been printed at Copenbagcii in 1690, atnl infcnbcd to
Bartholinus; one of them, De ortu cerebri, ct ufu medico; the
other, De artificio cculoru;ii humorcs iclcltucndi." The Journal
des Savans, of the 2d of September 1669, fpeaks fully of thcfe
two letters. Koni^ afcribcu nKo another piece to him, intituled,
Notitia gentis Burrhorum. Sorbicre Taw Borri at Amllerdani,
and has left us a defcription and charader of him. He fays,
that " he was a tall black man, pretty well Ihaped, who wore
good clothes, and fpent a good deal ot money : that he did not
want parts, and Uad fome learning, was without doubt fome*
what fltillcd in chemical preparations, had fome knowledge' in
metals, fome methods of imitating pearU or jewels, and, it may
be, fome purgative and (lomachic remedic:^ : but that he was a
quack, an artful impoflor, who pra£tifcd upon the credulity of
thofe whom he (lood moil in need of; of merchants, as well as
princes, whom he dclu;!ed out of great funis of money, under
a pretence of difcovering the philofophcr's ftone, and other fc-
ercts of mighty importance ; and that, the better to carry on this
ilcheme of knavery, he had allumed the ma{k of religion [c]."
BORRICHIUS, a very learned man, fon.of a lutheran mi-
nliler in Denmark, born i67>. He was fcnt to the univerfity
of Copenhagen in 1644, where he remained fix years, during
which time he applied himfelf chiefly to phyfic. He taughc
publicly in his college, and acquired the charadcr of a man in-
defatigable in labour, and of excellent morals. He gained the
eftcem of Cafpar Brochman, bifliop of Zealand, and of the
chancellor of the kingdom, by the recommendation of whom he
obtained tie canonry of Lunden. He was offered the re£lor-
fliip of the famous fchool "of Heflow, but refufed it, having
formed a defign of travelling and perfecting his lludies in phyfic.
He began' to praQife as a pliyfician during a moll terrible plague
in Denmark, which made great havock in the capital city. The
contagion being ceafed, he prepared for travelling as he in-
tended ; but was obliged to defer it for fome time, Mr Gerllprf^
the firft minifter of (late, having infifted on Iiis rcllding ii) his
houfe in the quality of tutor to his children. He continued in
this capacity five years, and then fet out upon liis travels : before
his departure, he had the honour to be appointcvl profclfur in
poetry, chemiRry, and botany. He left Copenhagen in No-
vcm\|er 1660, and, after having vifitcd feveral eminent phyfi-
cians at Hamburg's went to Holland, where he continued a
confiderable time. He went from thence to the Low Countries,
to England, and to Paris, where he remained two years. He
vifited alfo feveral other cities of France, and at Angers had a
[c] Sorblere, Relation d'un Yopg; en AngleterrCf p. 155.
do£lor*d
iu
III,
BORROMEO. 485
dbAor^s clegrec in phyGc conferred upon him. He afterwards
pafled the Alps, and arrived at Rome in Odtober 1665, where
^^ he remained till March 1666, when he was obliged to fet out
^- for Denmark. He pafled through Germany, and arrived in his
^^ native country in Oftober 1666, The advantages which Borri-
'^ chius reaped in his travels were very confiderablc, for he had
^ made himfelf acquainted with all the learned men in the dif-
ferent cities throuj^'h which he pafled. At his return to Den-
^ mark he rcfumed his profeflbrfliip, in the difcharge of which he
^ acquired great reputation, for his aflTiduity, and univerfal learn-
-• irtg} and the books which he publiflied are proofs thereof [d].
is He was made counfellor in the fupreme council of juftice in
If 1686, and counfellor of the royal chancery in 1689. This fame
ii year he had a fevere attack of the (lone, and the pain every day in-
i creafing, he was obliged to be cut for it ; the operation however
did not fuccecd, the flonc being fo big that it could not be ex-
c trafted. *He bore this aflliftion with gfeat conftancy and refolii-
tion till his death, which happened in OiS^ober 1690 [e].
ii BORROMEO (Charles), a faint of the popifh calendar,
was born the 2d of 0£iober 1538, of a good family, in th? cha-
teau d' Atone. Charles addifled himfelf at an early period to re-
r tirement and (ludy. His maternal uncle, Pius IV. fent for him
r to the court of Rome, made him cardinal. in 1560, and after-
wards archbifliop of Milan. Charles was then but 22 years of
age. He however condufted the affairs of the church as if he
had been long accuftomed to it. The Romans were at that
time ignorant and lazy ; he therefore formed an academy com-
pofed of ecclefiaftics and feculars, whom, by his example and his
liberality, he animated to ftudy and to virtue. The young car-
dinal, in the midft of a brilliant court, went along with the tor-
rent, fitted up grand apartments^ furniflied them magnificently,
and kept fplendid equipages. His table was fumptuoufly ferved ;
his houfe was never empty of nobles and fcholars. His uncle,
delighted with this magnificence, gave him amply wherewith
to fupport it. In a very (hort time he was at once grand peni-
tentiary of Rome, archprieft of St. Mary Major j proteftor of
feveral crowns, and of various orders religious and military ;
legate of Jfiologna, of Romania,' and of the marchc of Ancona.
[o] The moft remarluble of which are (criptorum Lariiix iingux praeft-antiorum.
•s follow: I. Cabala caraderalis. z. Dif- id. De aoriqua urbis Romae facie diiTerta*
puudo de arris poeticae natur.i. 5 Dif. tio. n. Tr.t£tatus de ufu plantarum in*
fertauones acadcmica-. 4. Farnallus in digcnarum in mcdicina. The titles of the
Duce. 5. Diii'ertatio de ortu etprogtelfu reH of his periormmcet may be feen iA
<hemia:. 6. Hermctis, i^gyptioium <ac John Molierus's Spicileg- 'Uyp>mneina-
-chemicoram fapientia ab Hermdmii Con- turn de fcripris Danorum, p. 36.
ringil animadveriionibiis vindicata. 7. Co* [eJ Borrichius de vita fud, inferted in
gitationes 4c variis Latinae liiiguce a;t4ti« vol. ii.- of Deliciarum Poetarum Daiio*
i>us. 8. Confpe^tus fcrtptorum ihemico. turn. Leydea* i6f j.
niB) ilhiftriorum. 9. firevis corifped^tis
111 It
486 BORROMEO.
It was at that time that the f;^mous council of Trent was hdd-
Much was faid about the reformation of the clergy : Charles,
after having advifed it to others, executed it on himfclf. He
fuddenly discharged no lefs than eighty livcry-fcrvants, left off
•wearing filk, and impofed on himfclt a weekly faft on bread
and water. From this beginning he foon proceeded greater
lengths. He held councils for confirming the decrees of that of
Trent, terminated partly by his means. He made his houfe into
a feminary of bifhops j he eftablifhed fchools, colleger, commu-
tiities 5 remodelled his clergy and the monafteries ; made infti-
tutions for the poor and orphans ; for girls expofed to ruin, or
who were defirous to return to a regular life after having gone
aftray. His zeal was the admiration of good men, and irritated
fuch as were not fo. The order of the Humilies, which he
attempted to reform, excited againft him a friar Farina, a (hock*
ing member of that fociety^ This wretch fired a gun at the good
0)an while he was at evening prayer with his domeflic^. The
ball having only grazed his flcin, Charles petitioned for the
pardon of his afTaflin, who was puniflied with death not with-
(landing his follicitations, and his order was fupprcJed. Thefe
contradiftions did not abate the ardour of the good arclibifliop.
He vifited the abandoned extremities of his province, abolilhed
the excefles of the carnival, preached to his j)eople, and (hewed
himfeif every where as their paftor and father. During the
ravages of a cruel pcRilence, he alFifted the poor in their fpiritual
concerns by his ecclcfiaftics and his perfonal attentions, fold the
furniiure of his houfe to relieve the fick, put up prayers and
Qiade procefTions, in which he walked barefoot, and vvith a rope
tound his neck. His heroic charity was repaid with ingratitude.
The governor of IViilan prevailed on the magiftrates of that city
to prefer complaints againil Charles, whom they painted in the
blacked colours. " They accufed him (fays Baillct) of having ex-
ceeded the limits of his authority during the time of the plague j
of having introduced dangerous innovations ; of having aboliflied
the public games, the ftage-plays and dances j of having revived
the abftinence on the firlt funday in Lent, in violation of the pri-
vilege granted to that town of including that day in the carnival.*'
'I hey publilhed an injurious and infuhing manifefto againil
him : but, contented with the teflimony of his own confcience,
he rcGgned the care of his juftification to the Almighty. At
length, worn out bv the labours of an aftivc piety, he nnifhed
bis courfe the 3d of"^ November I504> being only in his 47th year.
Paul V* canonized him in 1710. He wrote a very great number
of works on doftrinial and moral fubjefts. They were prime*
1747 at Milan, in 5 vols, folio. The library of St. Sepulchre in
that city is in poffeffion of 31 vols, of the manufcript letters of
this prelate. The clergy of France reprinted at their expencc
the
BOS. 487
the inftitutions he compofcd for the ufc of coafcjflTQrs* His A&^
^cclcfiae mediolancnfis are in great requeft. Milan, 1599, foliQ.
Pcre ' ouron publifhed his Life in ^ vols. izmo. Paris, 1761.
tORlluMEO (FREDrKic), cardinal and archbifliop of Mi*
Ian, inherited the knowledge and the piety of Charles his coi|fi»-
german, died in 16^2, after having founded the famous Anj-
brofian library, and held the 8th' council of Milan. His writing3
are, 1. Sacra colloquia. 2. Sermones fynodalcs. 3. Mcditamentji
litteraria. 4. Ragionamenti fynodali. Milan, 1632, 3 vols. 410..
BORROMINI (Francis), archited, born at Biflbne in thje
dioccfe of Come in 1599, died in 1647 > acquired a great reputa-
tion at Rome, where he was more employed than any archite£k
of his time. A great number of his works are fcen in that city,
the major part of which are by no means models for young
artifts. They abound in deviations from the received rules, ani
other fingularitie^ ; but, at the fame time, wc cannot fail of
perceiving in them a talent of a fuperior order, and fhrong
jnarks of genius. This archite£l had great abilities. It was from
his violent efforts to outdo le Bernin, whofe fame be envied,
that he departed from that fimplicity which is the true bafis of
the beautiful, in order to give extravagant ornaments in thajt
tafte ; which have induced fomc to compare his ftyle in archi-
jtetlurc to the literary ftyle of Seneca or Marini.
BOS (John Baptist du), a celebrated mender of the frencb
academy, was born at Beauvais in the year 1670 $ and defcended
from wealthy and reputable parents, his father Claude du.tio^
being a merchant, and a confiderable magi (Irate in that town.
John Baptift was fent to Paris to finifh his (ludies, and was ad-
mitted a bachelor of the Sorbpnne in 169 1 . In 1 695 he was mad^
jone of the committee for foreign affairs under M^. Torcy, and
was afterwards charged with fome important tranfa£^ions ia
Germany, Italy, England, and Holland. At his return to PariSp
he was handfomely preferred, made an abbi, and had a confider?-
jible penfion fettled on him. He was chofen perpetual fecrctary
of the french academy ; and in this fituation he died at Paris^
, upon the 23d of March 1 742 [f].
BOS (Lambert), profeifor of greek in the univerfity of
Francker, born at Work urn in the Low' Countries 16*70, de-
voted himfelf wholly to ftudy. However, he married when 42^
jiiid had two daughters. Marriage did not diminifli his ardour
J'f] His principal works are, i. Critical England ill undtrftood 'n the prefent war :
edions upon pocfry and painting ; the printed in i ,04. 4. The hiltory of the
bell edition o( which valuable and elcgaac ibur Gordi:inj. confirmed and iiluftrtted by
work is that of Paris, 1740, in 3 vols, medals. 5. The hiilnry of the league of
l2mo. 2. A critical htilory of the ellablifh- Cambray, formed in 1708, againft the rc-
inenfof the french monarchy among the public of Venice : the b«ft cdiiiOQ 1728,
Cauls: the beft edition 1743, *" - ^°^' in A vols, i-lxy*.
4(9. iod (wt ixao. 3. Tbc iQVi-«ib ^f
I i 4 for
488 BOSCHAERtS.
for learning \ and wc have fcvcral works by him cftcemcd fof
their profound erudition, i. An edition of the greek verfion of
the Septuagint, Fr&ncker, 1 709, 2 vols. 410. with variantes atid
prolegomena. 2. Obfervationes in novum teftamentum, 1707»
8vo, 3. Obfervationes in cjuofdam auftores graccos, 17 15, 8vOw
4. An edition of the greek grammar of Vellerus, with additions.
5. The antiquities of Greece. A french tranflation of this, with
the commentaries of Frederic Leifner, by La Granjre, appeared
at Paris 1769, i2mo. This learned man died at Tranckcr, Jan. 6f
1717, at the age of 47.
BOSC (Peter du^ a famous proteftant minifter, and the
greatcft preacher of ms time, was the fon of an advocate of the
parliament of RoUen, born at Bayeux Feb 21, 1623. He wa^
prefented to the church of Caen by a conference in 1645, ^'hen
he was fcarce 23 years of age. His merit created him enemies
among the catholics, who once got him banifhed ; but he was
foon after recalled, and obtained the liberty of returning to his
church in 1664. Lewis XIV. having pUblifhed in 1666 a fevcrc
proclamation againft the proteftants, all their churches fent de-
puties to Paris, ta make humble remon ft ranees to the king, but
of them all none obtained the royal audience but himfelf. He
appeared in behalf of the churches of Normandy, and after
feveral conferences, he obtained fomething againft the declara- '
tion of 1666, He fupported the ihterefts of his party with great
ability till he was filenped by an arret of the parliament of Nor«-
ttiandy, June 6, 1685, whereby he was forbid the exercife of his ~
miniftry any more in the kingdom. After the revocation of the
edici of Nantz he retired into Holland, and was minifter of the
church of Rotterdam to his death, which happened Jan. 2, 1692.
tlis works are fpccimens of chriftian oratory in french, and confift
of 4 vols, of fermons on mifcellaneous texts, three more on the
three firft chapters of the epiftle to the Ephefians, and a concep-
tion of feveral pieces publiilied in 2 vols. 8vo, after his death.
BOSCAN (John), of Barcelona, Was brought to Venice by
Andrew Navagero, ambaflador from the republic to the empcrot
Charles V. It was in this city that he learnt to tranfport rhyming*
terminjitions from the Italian to the fpaniih poetry. Carcilaflb
and he are regarded as the firft who drew this poetry out of
ichaos. His ftyle is majeftic, his cxpreflions are elegant, his fenti-
tnents noble, his lines eafy, and his fubjefts various. His prin*
cipal pieces are, 1. Medina, 1544, 4to, 2. Salamanca, 1547, 8vo»
Bofcan was more fuccefsful in fonnets than in the othet fpecies
of poetry. He died about 1543.
BOSCH AERTS ( Fhomas Wii.lebo$), a flemifli paintcf,
was born at Berg in 1513. The crayon and the pencil were
the toys of his infancy. At twelve years of age he drew his owii
portrait. Th;: prince of Orange was fo great an admirer of hit
piAures^
B 0 S I O. 489
J>i£tuT6s, tKat he bought them all up, and fent for the artlfl: to
the HaguCy where he employed him in embellifliing his palace*
This painter diflinguilhed himfelf in allegory and colouring.
BOSCOViCH (Joseph Roger), a famous geometrician and
tiftronomer, born at Ragufa the i8th of May 1 7 1 1, died at Milan
the 1 2th of February 1787, entered in 1725 of the fociety of
Jcfos, and was fuccellively profeflbr of mathematics at Rome, at
Pavia, and at Milan. The jefuits having been fupprelTed in Italy
in 1773, the patrons he had in France invited him to Paris. Bf
their intereft he obtained the title of dircdior of the optical in-
firuments of the marine, with a penfion of 8000 livres ; this
W7.S an inducement to him to extend his r^fearches towards the
faeweft and mod difficult part of optics : the thcoiTy of ach'-omatic
glafles. It employs a thitd part of ; vols. 4to. which he pub«
lifhcd in 1785; containing new and important obfervatioiis*
Some circumftances obliged liim to quit Paris in 1783, to go
and have his works printed in Italy. He retired to Milan;
where he was held in high confidefation till his death. The
emperor charged him with infpecking the commiflion for mea-
furing a degree which he had orderfed to be done in Lombardy,
The abbe Bofcovich was known to be expert in fuch operations.
In 175O1 the cardinsrt Valenti, having given orders for meafuring
degrees in Italy, our aftronomer undertook the bufincfs con**
jointly with father Maire. The refult of it was a good book iii
4to. tranflated into frcnch, and printed at Paris in 1770. An-
other work of the abbi Bofcovich, publiihed in 1758 and 1763,
is upon the diiferent laws of nature and that of attraftion, con-
Hdered as a confequence of an univerfal law, to which he recurs
with no lefs fagacity than depth of knowledge in mathematics
and mctaphyfics. Few men have ever brought thefe two fcienccs
into fo exquifite and ufeful a conjunftion. Yet he had none of
that barrcnnefs of fancy which afually accompanies a great pro-
ficiency in them. Poetry filled up much of his time. His latin
poem on eclipfes, Dc folis ac lunse defe6libus, which was firft
printed in London, is as tematkable for the elegance of its ftylc.
Sis for the talent of putting into harmonious verfe the mod in-
tricate matters of theory and calculation. The abb? Bofcovich,
always amiable in company, to which he willingly reforted, com-
pofed verfes with the greateft facility, and his ready genius die*
tated them to him in the courfe of converfation, for the cntet-
tainment of his friends of both fexes ; for the mod inflexible
virtue of evety fpecies was never any impediment with him in
the agreeable difplay of focial qualities. He had travelled in aM
parts of Europe, and even in Turkey. The narrativ'e of this lail
cxptfdition was printed firft irt frencn, and afterwards in italian.
BOSIO (Jame«), BOSIUS, native of Milan, and a fervitor of
the order of Maltha. This monk, being detained at Rome at
the
490 Bf O S S U.
the houfc of cardinal Petrochini> his patrotii about iht affaiff rf
liis order, 'to which he was agent, profited by this detention for
compofing there the hiftory which bears his name, under this
litle : Deir Iftoria della facra religione dSll' illuftri^ima militia
di San Gioano Gierofolimitano. This work, which Contains 40
books, is divided into 3 vols, folio, printed at Rome i6ii, 1629^
and 1684. The rivals of the fame of Bofio fpread it abroad that
he had delivered his papers to two cordeliers of the wide fleevc,
called in Italy the Graml-friars, and that thefe two monks put
his book into the form it bears at prefent. This work is not fd
,jnuch valued for the ftyle, as for the multitude and rarity of the
fafts with which it is filled. 1 he generality of the national
hidorians, who, fince Bofio, have pretended to jjive the hiftorv
of Maltha, have been no more than his copyifts or abbrevw
ators.
BOS 10 (Anthony), of Milan, agent to the order of Maltha^
was nephew of the former. His colle£lion, i;uituled, Roma
fotteranea, Rome, 1632, fol. contains the defcription of the
tombs and the epitaphs of the early chriftians which are found
in the catacombs of that capital of catholicity. He often pafled
five or fix days fucceflivcly in fubterrancan caverns. A pried
-of the oratory of Rome (pere .^»ringhij iraoflated his book from
Italian into latin, in 2 vols, folio, 1651. The admirers of eccle-
fiadical antiquities fetmhigh value on this verfion, which is
far more ample than the original,
BUSSE (Abraham), an engraver, native of Tours, gave the
firft lefibris of perfpeclive in the academy of painting at Paris.
He had great judgement in that branch as well as of architec*
ture. He left, i. Three good tracls, on the manner of draw«»
ing the orders of arckiteclure, 1684, folio; on the art of en-
graving, 1645, 8vo J on perfpeclive, 1682, 8vo. 2. Repreienta-r
lion of divers human figures, with their meafures taken from
the antiques at Rome, Paris, i6;6; a pocket volume all en^*
graved. His plates in aqua fortis, but in a peculiar methods are
agreeabJe. The work of Bofle on the art of engraving was re-
publifhed fomc years ago, with the remarks and augmentations
of M. Cochin the younger, jiofie died in his own country about
the year 1 660,
BOSSU (Rene lf), born at Paris, March jd, 1631.
He began his ftudies at Nanterre, where he difcovered an
early tafte for polite literature, and foon made furpriCng pror
preis in all the valuable parts of learning. In 1649 he left
Nanterre, was admitted a canon regular in the abbey of Su
Genevieve, and after a year's probation took the h^ibit in tliis
^bbey. Here he applied to philofophy and divinity, in which
|je made great prqficiency, and took upon him prielt's orders in
105; ; but, cither from inclination, or in obedience to his fu-
periors,
BOSS^UET. 491
periots, ht refumed the belles lettres, and taught polite litera-
ture in feverai religious houfef. After twelve years, being tired
t>f the fatigue of fuch ^n employment, he gave it up, with 4
refolution tc^ad a quiet and retired life. Hete he publifhed hi^
Parallel, oj^dmparifon betwixt the principles of Ariftotle's na-i*
tural philmoply, and thofe of Dcs Cartes, Paris, 1674. His inten**
tion in tjiis piece was not to (hew the oppofition betwixt thefe twQ
philofophers, but rather to make them agree, and tp prove ^hat
they do not differ fo much as is generally thought ; yet this prO'»
dudlion of his was but indifferently received, either becaufe
thefe two pliilofophers differ too widely to be reconciled, or be-
caufe BodU had not made himfelf fufEciently acquainted with
their opinions. I'he next treatife he publilbed was that on epic
poocry [g], which gained him great reputation : Boileau fays i(
is one of the bed compofitions on this fubied that ever ap-
|)eared in the french language [h3- BofTu naving met with ^
piece wrote by St. Solin againit this gentleman, he wrote a
confutation of it, iox which favour fioileau was extremely grate-
ful \ and it produced an intimate friend ihip betwixt them, which
continued tilhour author's death, in March 1680. He left a vaft
number of manufcript volumes, which are kept in the abbey of
4)t. John de Chartres.
BOSSUET (James), bilhop of Meaux, born at Dijon thq
a/th of Septemt>er 1627. He received the firft rudiments of hi9
education there, and in 1642 was fent to Paris to finifh his iiudie^
at the college of Navarre. In 165 a hef received the degree of
D. D. and foon after went to Metz, where he was made a canon*
Whilil he refided here, he applied himfelf chiefly to the (tudj
of the fcripturcs, and the reading of the fathers^ especially St.
Augultine. in a little tim^ he became a celebrated preacher,
and was invited to Paris, where he had for his hearers many of
the moil learned men of his time, and feverai perfons of >^ the
iiril rank at court. In 1669 he was created bilhop of Condom,
and the fame month was appointed preceptor to the dauphin }
upon which occafion, and the applaufe he gained in the dif*
cnarge of it, pope Innocent XI. congratulated him in a very
polite letter. When he had almoft iiniQied the education of this^
prince, he addrefled to him his Difcours fur rHiftoire Univer-*
lelle, which was publiflied in i68i. About a year after he was
made preceptor he gave up his bifliopric, becaufe he could not
[c] It it intitvled, Tnii(€ du focme of: he has prefixed a diibourft to the abb€
clique parleR. P. le BoiTut chanoioe re- de Merfaa, coacainiog an account oi.thp
|ulier de Stfiate Genevieve. The firft edi- treatife, aad foxne encomiums upon it;
tion was publiiheH nt Paris in 1675. 71iis and he has alfo given fomc memoirs coa«
avork has gone through feverai editions, ccroing Bofiu's Ufe«
There was one primed at the Hague in [hJ F. Cuarayer, Men* touchanl le P.
17 14, which f , Le C durajfer had the care le UoiUj p* 29*
refide
491 BOS SUET.
l^fide in his dioccfe, on account of his engagement at couft. Itt
J 680 the king appointed him firft almoner to the dauphinefs,
and the year after gave him the bifhopric of Meaux. In 1697
ke was made counfellor of (late, and the year l^lowing firft
almorter to the duchefs of Burgundy. Nor did tVc learned
world honour him lefs than the court ; for he had ^ecnSdmittcd
a member of the french academy; and in 1695, at the €efire of
the royal college of Navarre, of which he was a member, the
king conftituted him their fuperior.
The Y^fitings of Boffuet had gained him no Icfs fame than
hts fermons. From the year 1655 he had'entered the lifts againft
the proteftants j the moft famous piece he wrote again ft them
was his Refutation du catcchifme de Paul Ferri. in 167 1 he
wrote another, intituled, L'expofition de )a doftrine de Tcglife
• catholique fur les matieres de controverfc. This had the appro-
bation of the bifliops of France, as well as of the prelates and
cardinals of Rome. Innocent XI. wrote him two letters on the
fu^efl, and the work was tranflated into moft of the european
langup.ges : M. l*abbc Montaign was the author of the ertglifh
tranflafion. He brought back feveral to the yohiifli chutch who
bad embraced the proteftant religion •, and it was for the benefit
of fuch that in 1682 he publiftied his Traite de la communion fous
les deux cfpeces, and his Lettre paftorale aux nouveaux catholi-
ques. In i686 he publiftied his Hiftoire des eglifes proteftantes,
for which, as well as feveral other of his writings, he was attack-
ed by Mefl'. Jurieu, Burnet, Bafnage, and feveral other proteftant
minifters. He always dtftinguiihed himfclf as a lealous advo-
cate for the catholic reUgion $ and fo great was his defire to bring
about a re-union of the proteftants with the church of Rome,
that for this puipofe he voluntarily offered to travel into foreign
countries. He formed feveral fchcmcs for this purpofe, which
were approvctl of by the church of Rome, and might perhaps
have had fomc fuccefs, had not the fucceeding wars prevented
bis putting them in execution. His writings in regard to the
difputes with the proteftants, and againft quietifm, make feveral
Volumes.
There are extant of his feveral very Celebrated funeral ora*
tions, particularly thofe on the queen-mother of France in 1667,
on the queen of England 1669, on the dauphinefs 1670, on the
queen of France 1683, on the princefs Palatine 1685, on chan*
cellorle Tellier 1686, on the prince de Conde, Louis de Bour-
bon 1687. Nor, amidft all tlie great aftairs in whichf he was
employed, did he negleft the duty of his dioccfe. The Statuts
Synodaux, which he publilhed in 1691, and feveral other of his
pieces, fliew how attentive he was to maintain regularity of dif-
cipline ;. and this he did with fo much affability and difcretion^
as rendered him uuiverfally loved and refpeded. After having
fpcat
B O S W E L L. 493
fpcnt a life in the fervice of the church, he cfied at Park, April
12, 1704, anil was buried at Meaux j where his funeral was ho*
poured with tlie prefence of many prelates his friends, and an
oration })ronjMinccd in his pvaife by father de la Rue the jefuit.
The (\inie Ifoeour was likewife paid to his memory at Paris, ia
the college ol Navarre, where cardinal Noaillcs performed the
pontifical ceremonies, and the funeral oration was fpokeu by a
doftor of the houfe. Nor was Rome filent* in his praife ; for
an eulogium was fpoken to his menxory *, and, what waa un-*
ufual, it was delivered in the Italian tongue, at the college De
propaganda ficle, by the chevalier MafFei, in prefence of feveral
cardinals, prelates, and other perfons of the tlrll rank. It was
afterwards printed, and dedicated to his illuilrious pupil the
dauphin [1 j. ' .
BOSrOt^ (TnoMAS, A. M), He was oorn at Dunfc la
Scotland, March 17* '676, and took his degrees in the univer-
fity of Edinburgh under many difadvantages, being rather in
indigent circumltances. In 1697 he was iicenfed to preach, and
in 1699 ordained miniRer at Simprin, a fmall parifli near tho
borders of Scotland. In 1706 he was removed to Etterick, ia
the fame neighbourhood, and became one of the moll popular
preachers of that age. In 1719 he pubhihed his famous, book,
intituled, Human nature in its fourfold flate, a book that has
gone through many editions. In 1721 hoppublifhed, in latin^
Remarks on the vowel-points ufed in hebrew, which is now
greatly efteemed on the continent of Europe. He died at Etr
terick, of a fcorbutic diforder, the /Oth of May 1732, aged 56,
He left ready for the prefs, A trcatife on the covenant of
grace, and another on affli£lions, which have been Gnce pub*
Uihed f but the reft of his pofthumous works did not receive
his finiihing corrcftions. He likewife wrote Memoirs of liim-*
felf, publiihed after his death.
BOS WELL (James), was the eldeft fon of Alexander Bof*
well, lord Auchinleck, one of the judges in the fupremc courts
of feilioa and juiliciary in Scotland. He was born at Edinburgh,
Odl. 29, 1740, and received the firft rudiments of .education in
that city. He afterwards ftudied civil law in the univerfities of
Edinburgh and Glafgow. During his refidence in thefe cities,
he acquired by the fociety of the engli(h gentlemen who were
ftudents in the fcotch colleges, that remarkable predile£lion for
their mariners, which neither the force of education, or the dul-»
cedo of his natale folum, could ever eradicate. But, his moi^
intimate acquaintance at this period was the rev. Mr. Temple^
a worthy, learned, and pi6us divine, whofe well- written charac-
[i] He left many works befides what the iSth of Septe^nber 1704, a^d in the
wt have mentioned* an exadt lift of which Memoires de Trevoui for ihe month of
su> b^ fe^qia ttie Jouni4 4c« S4V4(ti of Noven^bcr of Uie T^m^yefr.
tcr
494 B O S W E L L.
ter of Gray was infertcd in Johnfon's life of that poet. Mr- Bo&
lircll imbibed early the ambition of diftinguifhing himfclf by his
literary talents, and had the good fortune to obtain the patron-
age of the late lord Somerviile. This nobleman treated him
with the moft flattering kindnefs ; and Mr. Rofwell ever remem-
bered with gratitude the friendfhip he fo long enjoyed with this
worthy peer- Having always entertained an exalted idea of the
felicity of London, in the year 1160 he vifited that capital 5 in
the manners and amufements of which he found fo much that
was congenial to his own tafle and feelings, that it became ever
ftftct his favourite rcfidence, whither he always returned from
his eftate in Scotland, and from his various rainhlcs in different
parts of Europe, with increafing eagcrnefs and delight ; and wc
find him, nearly twenty years afterwards, condemning Scotland
ss too narrow a fphere, and wi(hingtomake his chief refidencc
in London, which he calls the great fcene of ambition, inftruc-
tion, and, comparatively, making his heaven upon earth. He
was,* doubtlefs, confirmed in this attachment to the metropolis
by the ftrong prcdilccHon entertained towards it by his friend
Dr. Johnfon, whofe fcntimcnts on this fubjcft Mr. Bofwell de-
tails in various pj^rts of his life of thnt great man, and which
sre corroborated by every one, in purfuit of literary and intel-
Icftual attainments, who has enjoyed but a taftc of the rich
feaft which that cit;^fprcads before him.
The politenefs, afrability, and infinuating urbanity of man-
fters, which diftinguiPned Mr. Bofwell, introduced Him into the
company of many eminent and learned men, whofe acquain-
tance and friendthip he culti^'ated with the.greateft afliduity.
In truth, the efteem artd approbation of Icatncd men fcem to
liave been one chief object of his literary ambition ; and wc /
ftnd him fo fuccefsful in purfuing his end, that he enumerated
fome of the greateil men in Scotland among his friends even be-
fore be left it for the firft time. Notwithiianding Mr. Bofwell
by his education was intended for the bar, yet he was ^imfelf
earncftly bent at this period upon obtaining a commiffion in the*
guards, and follicited lord Auchinleck's acqnicfoence ; but re-
turned, however, byliis defire, into Scotland, where he received
tt regular courfe of inftruftion in the law, and paflcd his trials
fts a civilian at Edinburgh. Still, however, ambitious of dif-
playing himfelf as one of the " manly hearts who gu«rd the
fair," he rcvifited London a fecond time in 1762 •, and, varioug
occurrences delaying the purchafe of a comniiffion, he was at
length perfuaded by lord Auchinleck to relinquifli his purfuit,
and become an advocate at the fcotch bar. In compliance,
therefore, with his father's wifhes, he confent^d to go to Utrecht
the cnfuing winter, to hear the leftures of an excellent civilian
in that univerfity ) sifter wbick he bad permiffion lo make his
J grand
BO SWELL/ 495
granc! tour of Europe. The year 1763 may be confidercd thtf
mod important epocha In Mr. Bofwell's life, as he had, what h6
thought a fingular felicity, an introduclion to Dr. Johnfon-
This event, fo aufpicious for Mr. Bofwell, happened on May
16, J 763, Having continued one winter at Utrecht, during
which tiaie he vifited feveral parts of the Netherlands, he com-
menced his projefted travels. Pafling from Utrecht into Ger-
many, he purfiied his route through Switzerland to Geneva;
whence he crolVed the Alps into Italy, having vifited on his
journey Voltaire at Ferney, and Rouflcau in the wilds of Neuf-
chatel. iVlr. Bofwell continued fome time in Italy, where he
met and afTociated with lord Mountituart, to whom he after-
wards dedicated his lliefes Juridicje. Having vifited the moft
remarkable citiea in Italy, Mr. Bofwell failed to Corfica, travelled
over every part of that illand, and obtained the friendlhip of the
illullrious Pafquale de Paoli, in wliofe palace he refided during
his flay at Corfica. He afterwards went to Paris, whence he
returned to Scotland in 1766, and foon after became an advo-
cate at the fcotch bar. The celebrated Douglas caufe was at
that time a fuhjecl of general difcufiion. Mr. Bofwell publiflicd
the " h flcnce of the Douglas caufe ;" a pamphlet which con-
tributed to procure Mr. Douglas the popularity which he at
that time poflcfTcd. In 1 768 Mr. Bofwell publilhed his " Ac-
count of Corfica, with memoirs of General Paoli." Of thisL
printed performance Dr. Johnfon thus expreflcs himfelf;
*' Your foiirnnl h curious and delightful. 1 know not whe-
ther I could name any narrative by which curiofity is betted
excited or better gratified." This book has been tranflated Lnta
the german, dutch, italian, and fpcnch languages ; and was re-
ceived with extraordinary approbation. In the following win-
ter, the theatre-royal- at Edinburgh, hitherto reftraincd by party-
fpirrt, wa? opened. On this occafion Mr. Bofwell \\ as follicitcd
by David Rofs, efq. to write a prologue. The effeft of this pro-
logue upon the audience was highly flattering to the author, and
'beneficial to the manager ; as it fccurcd to the latter, by the an-
nihilation of the oppofition v»'hich had been till that time too
fuccefsfully exerted again ft him, the uninterrupted pofrefTion of
his patent, which he enjoyed till his death, which happened in
September 1790. Mr. Bofwell attended his funeral as chief
ntourncr, and paid the laft honours to a man with whom b6
had fpent many a pleafant hour.
In 1760, was celebrated at Stratford on Avon the jubilee in
honour of Shakfpeare. Mr. Bofwell, an enthufiaftic admirer of
the writinga of our immortal bard, ami ever ready to join the
feftive throng, repaired thither, and appeared at the mafque-
radc as an armed corficaii chief; a'charaflcr he was eminently
qualified to fupport. This year Mr. Bofwell was married to
Mifa
496 BOSWELU
Wifs Margaret Montgomery, a lady who,* to the advantages of
a polite education, united admirable good fenfe and a brilliant
nnderftanding. She was daugliter of David Montgomery, cfq.
related to the illuRrious family of Eglintoune, aud reprefenta-
tive of the antient peerage of Lylc. The death of this amiable
woman happened in June ijyo. Mr. Bofwell has honoured
her memory with an atleftionatc tribute. She left him two
ions and three daughters; who, to ufe Mr. Bofwell*s own
words, ** if they inherit her good qualities, will have no reafon
to complain of their lot. Do$ magna parentum virtus," In
1782 lord Auchlnleck died. In 1783 Mr. Bofwell publlfhed his
celebrated letter to the people of Scotland ; which is thus praifed
by Johnfon in a letter to the author : ** I am very much of your
opinion — your paper contains very confiderable knowledge of
hiilory and the conftitution, very properly produced and applied.'*
Mr. Bofwell communicated the pamphlet to Mr. 1 itt, who na-
turally gave it his approbation. This firft letter was followed
by a fccond, in which Mr. Bofwell difplayed his ufual energy
and political abilities. In 1785 Mr, Bofwell publifned " A jour-
nal of a tour to the Hebrides'* with Dr. Johnfon ; which met
a fucccfs fimilar to his enterrnining account of Corfica. This
year Mr, Eofwell rcftioved to London, and was foon after called
to the englifli bar. But Mr. Bofweli's profefuonal bufinefs was
interrupted by preparing his moil ctlebratcd work, •* The life
of Samuel Johnfon, LL. D." This was publillied in 1790,
and was received by the world with extraordinary avidity. It is
;i faithful hillory of Johnfon's life; and exhibits a mod intereft-
jng piflure of the charadtr of that illuftrious morajilT:, deline-
ated with a mafterly hand. The preparation of a fecond edi-
tion of tliis work was the laft literary performance of Mr. Bof-
well. Since then no particular circumftance occurred. Mr.
Bofwell (fays another of his biographers) undoubtedly poflcfied
confiderable ititelle£lual powers ; as he could never have dif-
played his collection of the witticifms of his friend in fo lively
a manner as he has done, without having a pic\urefque imagi*
pation, and a turn for poetry as well as humour. He liad a con-
, fidcrable fiiare of melancholy in his temperament; sndj though
the general tenor of his life was gay and active, he frequently
experienced an unaccountable deprefF.on of fpirits. In one of
thefe gloomy moods he wrote a feries of efTays under the title
of The hypochondriac, which appeared in a periodical* publU
cation about the year 1782, and which he had thoughts of coU
Jefting into a volume. Soon after his return from a vifit to Au-
chinleck, he v»as feizcd with a diforder which put an end to his
life, at his houfe in Portland-ftreet, on the 19th of June 1795, in
the 55th year of his age. Of his own charafter he gives the
fQilowine account ip tis journal of tlic tour to the Hebrides ;
* « I have
BOTH LAN, 497
•* I have given a flcctch of Dt. Johnfon. His readers may wiih
to know a little of his fellow-traveller. Think, then, of a gen-
tleman of antient bloody the pride of which was his predomi-
nant pafCon. He was th«j:n in his 33d year, and had been about
four years happily married : his inclination was to be a foldier ;
but his father, a rcfpeftable judge, had preffed him into the pro-
feflion of the law. He had travelled a good deal, and feen
many varieties of human life. He had thought more than any
body fuppofed, and had a pretty good ftock of general learning
and knowledge. He had all Dr. Johnfon's principles, wirh feme
degree of relaxation. He had rather too little than too much
prudence; and, his imagination being lively, he often faid
things of which the effeft was very different from the inten-
tion. He refembled fomctimes * The beft good man, with the
worft-natured mufe.' He cannot deny himfelf the varuty of
finiihing with the encomium of Dr. Johnfon, whofe friendly
partiality to the companion of this tour reprcfents him as one
•* whofe acutenefs would help my enquiry, a^d whofe gaiety of
converfation, and civility of manners, arc fufficicnt to counter-
ad the inconveniencies of travel, in countries lefs hofpitablc
than we have pafTed.*'
BOTH (John and Andrew), flemifh painters, bothdeceafed
in 1650, had RloemaSrt for their mafter. The union of thefe
two brothers was fo intimate, that they not only followed their
ftudies and travelled together, but even executed their pifturc^
in conjundion. John fcized the manner of Claude Lorrain,
cmd Andrew that of Bambochc. The former painted the land-
fcape, and the other the figures and animals ; but their workSf
though done by different hands, feemed the produ£lion of only
one. They were much eileemed, and fetched a great price.
Thefc artifts were chiefly diftinguifhed by an cafy touch, a mel-
low pencil, and a lively colouring.
BOTHLAN, was a chriftian phyfician of Bagdat, contem-
porary and antagonift of Ibn Rodhwan. They were continually
(parting at one another in their writings. Ibn Bothlan, that
he might be perfonally acquainted with his adverfary, made a
voyage into -ffigypt, A. D. 1047- He was of a good exterior,
very eloquent, and well verfed in the belles-lettres. On the
other hand Ibn Rodhwan was of a dark and ugly countenance,
on account of which he had written a book to prove that it was
not iicceflary for a phyfician to be handfome. Ibn Bothlan
ufed to call him the crocodile of the devil. Our Bagdat phy-
fician, on leaving iEgypt, went to Conftantinople, where he
lived a year. He died without Jhaving ever been married. What
Monf. d'Herbelot aflures us of his having embraced the mo-
Hallic life is not confirmed by Abou Ofaibah. Ibn Bothlan is
Author of the following works : Kenafch, or a compendium of
Vol. lU K k medicine
498 B O T T.
medicine for the ufe of the convents ; In(lru6lions how to bUf
flaves and make profit, by them ; Tables of healtli ; Of the dif-
cafes of phyficians j Introdu<Skion to the art of medicine j Da-
wat ol athebbai, the religion of phyficians \ Of the cure of a
child who had the ftone [k].
BOTT (John de), an architeft, born in France in 1670^ of
protedant parents^ quitted his country early in life, and went
into the fervice of William of Orange, afterwards king of Great
Britain. After the dc«ith of that prince, he attached himfelf tQ
the elccflor of Brandenbourg, who gave him a poft of captain of
the guards. 1 his however did not ilacken his induftry in archi-
tetSlurc. His firft edifice was the arfenal at Berlia. He after-
wards fignalized himfelf by various monuments of his art, Fre-
deric I. being dead, Bott conciliated the favour of Frederic
William, who raifcd him to the rank of major-general. The
fortifications of Wefel, of which place he was commandant,
were conftrufted under his direclion. In 172^ he went into
the fervice of the king of Poland, elc£lor of Saxony, in quality
of lieutenant general and chief of the engineers. In Drefden
are feveral edifices of his creftion, where he died in 1745, with
a great reputation for probity, intelligence, and valour.
BOTT (Thomas), an englifli clergyman of ingenuity and
learning, was defcendcd from an antient family in Staffordfliire,
and born at Derby in i6S8. His grandfather had been a major
on the parliament fide in the civil wars : his father had dimi-
niflied a confidcrablc paternal eftate by gaming ; but his mother,
bein? a notable woman, contrived to give a good education to
fix children, Thomas the youngeft acquired his grammatical
learning at Derby ; had his education among the difienters ; and
M'as appointed to preach to a prefbyterian congregation at Spald-
ing in Lincolnfhire. Not liking this mode of life, he removed
to London at the end of queen Anne's reign, with a view of
preparing himfelf for phyfic ; but changing his meafures again,
he took orders in the church of England, foon after the acceUion
of George I. ard was prefented to the reftory of Winburg in
Norfolk. About 1725 he was prefented to the benefice of Rey-
merfton ; in 17 j4, to the redtory of Spixworth 5 and, in 1747,
to the rectory of Edgefield", all in Norfolk. About 2750, his
mental powers begen to decline; and, at Chriftmas 1752, he
ceafed to appear in the pulpit. He died at Norwich* whither
he had removed in 1753 with his family, Sept. 23, 1754, leav^
ing a wife, whom he married in 1739 ; and alfo a fon, Edmund
Bott, efq. now of Chrift church in Hampftiire, who is a fellow
of the Antiquarian focicty, and who publiflied, in 1771, A col-
leflion of cafes relating to the poor laws [l]. Among
[k") Aadirions ro the Hibl. Oilenulcof [l] Mr. Botl'i publications werfv
NL lieibciui, ai the cad ol vol. ivt x. Ike peace and hJppiner»of this «orUi,
the
BOVADILLA. 499
Among other learned acquaintance of Mr. Bott was Dr.
Samuel Clarke^ of whom he relates, that he was not only of a
cheerful, but of a playful dlfpofition. Once, when Mr. Bott
called upon him, he found him fwimraing upon a table. At an-
other time, wlien feveral of them were amufing themfclves
with divertmg tricks, Dr. Clarke, looking out of the window,
and feeing a grave blockhead approaching, called out, ^^ Boys,
boys, be wife •, here comes a fool." We have heard the like of
Dr. Clarke from other quarters.
BOVADILLA or BOBADILLA (Don Francisco de),
commander of the order ofCalatrava, was in 1500 appointed
governor-general of the Indies by Ferdinand king of Spain.
That prince had occafion to repent of his choice. Bovadilla^
raifed all at once from the depth of mifery to the fummit of ho-
nour, foon forgot his former condition. Scarcely -Was he ar-
rived at St. Domingo than he treated all his people with an
odious arrogance. He fummoned don Diego Colombo, brother
to Chriftophcr, to furrender to him the citadel of St. Domingo,
of which he had the keeping. Cariftopher Colombo, on hearing
thefc tidings, ran in all hafte to the afliftance of his brother,
Bovadilla^ without any regard to his quality and his fetvices, or«
dered him to be put in irons, together with den Diego and don
Bartholomew Colombo, brothers of Chriftophcr. He fent them
to Spain with the minutes of their procefs. Ferdinand and
Ifabella, exafperated at this proceeding, iflued orders immediate-
Iv to fet thefc illuftrious prifoners at liberty. They prefcnted
tnem with a thoufand crowns, to defray their expences to Gre-
nada, where the court was then kept ; and there received
them with marks of extraordinary diftinftion. They annulled
all that had been done againft them, and promifed to recom-
penfe and avenge them. Bovadilla was recalled, and don Ni-
cholas Ovando, commander of the order of Alcantara, was
fent in his place. Bovadilla found himfelf all on a fuddeu
abandoned to his fate. However, he was treated with honour
and refpe£t till the moment of his departure, which happened
fliortly after, and proved to be the laft adt of his life. The
fleet m which he failed being fhip wrecked, he perifhed with
many others. This was in i ^02. One and twenty fliips, all
freighted with gold, went to the bottom.
the imnitfdizic dcfign of chr'.ftianity, on wich, April 30th 1730. 5. A 30!h of
Luke li. 56. a pamphlet in 8vo, 1724. January feiinon, preached at Noiwichf
a. A fecund trz6\ in defence of ihis, and printed at the requelt of the nuyor*
1730, 8vj. 3 The principal and pecu- See. 6. Remarks upon Butler's 6ch chaj^.
liar notion of a laie book, intituled, The ter of the analogy of religion, Sec coucerij-
religlon of nature delineated, confideicJ, ing neceflity, 1730. 7. Anfxver to the
atid refuted* 1725. This was againft firft volume of \Varlurtoii's divine Icgv
Woliailoii's notion of moral obligation. tk>Q of Mofet.
4. A Tidtalioto ferm;>n, preached a. Nor-
K k 4 BOU-
$06 BOUCHER.
BOUCHARDON (Edmund), a frcnch fcalptor, wis thcr
foil of a fculptor and architcS, and born at Chaumont in Baf-
(igni in 1698. He was drawn by an irrefilUbIc paffion for thcfe
two arts, but confined himfclf at length to the former. Aftcf
havin? pafi'ed fome time at Paris under the younger Couflou^
•and obtained the prize at the academy in 1722, he uas carried
to Rome at the king's expence. Upon his return from Italfy
where his talents had ^cen greatly pcrfe£led, he adorned Pari»
with his works : a Kil of them may be feen* hi a . life of him,
publifhcd m 1762, i2mo. by the count de Caylus* In 1744 he
obtained a phce in the academy ) s«nd, two years after, a
profeflbrfliip. He died in 1767, a lofs t6the arts, and much la-'
mented ; for he is defcribed as a man of a fine, exalted, difin-
terefted fpirit, and of moft amiable manners* Mufie was hi»
obie£t in the honrs of recreation^ and his tafents in this wzf
were very confidcrablc,
BOUCHER d'argis (AirtotuE GASMRD)yborn at Paris in
r7o8, was admitted advocate in 1727, and counfellor i» the fu«
preme council of Dombes in 1753. |I.e made notes on aH th«(
works of jurifprudence of which he was cditef . He piibUOiedy
I. A treatife des gains nuptfatix^ Lyons, 1738, 4to. a* Treatifc'
de ki criee des meublesy 1741, laftio. 3. Regies pour formef
«n airoeaty i753> i2mo. It was he who eompofed the articles
of jurifprttdence fo^ the Encyclopedic,, beginning m t!he thirci
volume.
BOUCHER (Frahcw), firft painter to Loms XV. He ex.^
celled in almoft every fpecres, but efpecially in the fight an<$
agreeable. His infant Jcfixs fleepingy is fineTy coloured, ami
defigncd with a moft flowing contour. The (hepherd afleep oi>
the knees of his fhepherdcfs, is a fweet Iktlc fandfcape of fingu*
lar merit. Many oif his other landfcapes are peculiarly happy.
His other moft noted pieces are paftorals for the manufa£lur£
of tapcftry> at Bcauvais ; the mufes h\ the king*s library fwith
Vanloo and Natoirc) ; the four fcafons, in the figure of infants^
for tlic ceiling of the council-room at Fontainbleau ; a hunt of
fy .;ors, ftc He was ufually called the painter of the graces^
and the Anacrcon of painting. Died in 177c.
BOUCHER (John), one of thofe preacher^ of the gofpel,
who, to their fliame, have difcraced it, by applying it to the
purpofcs of fadion> and to inflame men to war inftead of per-
fuading them to peace. He was a doftor of the Sorbonne, and
curate of St. fiennet at Paris ; and, in the time of the league^
was a moft feditious and furious agent among the rebels. 1 hei#
fifft aflembly was held in his apartment, in the college of For-
tet, in the year 15^5. It was he who, by ordering tlie slarm-.
bell to be rung in his church on the 2d of September 1587, con-
tributed more thaiV aiiy body eiCc to a commotion of the people i
the
BOUCHET. 501
the confcqucnccfi of which were fo ignominious to Henry III.
The fucccfs of tha.t day made him mote infolcnt ; and the next
he preached violently againft the perfon of the king, and againft
his counfcUors. He did more than preach, he wrote ; and pub-
lifhed among other things a difcourfe on the jvifUce of depofing
Henry m[M].
After the death of that priace he was ftill more Impudent,
^caufe he could then fcrcen hinifelf under a pretence that the
fucceffor was adually and notorioufiy an huguenot. The pre-
tence failed him, to nis great grief no doubt, when Henry IV.
profeffed himfelf a roman catholic : nevcrthcleft, that he might
hot want an objeft for his fatSltous and mutinous fpirit, he per-
fifted in his opinion ; and publiihed nine fermons to prove, that
iiie abjuratioji of the Bearnois, fo he infolently called Henry
from his being born in Bearn^ was but a feint, and that his ab-
felution was void- His fermons and Kbcls were burnt when
the Parifians fubmitted to Henry; but he continued in the
party of the leaguers, and retired into the Netherlands with the
fpanifh garrifon, which had been at ^aris during the league.
They marched out upon the 22d of March 1594- Boucher ob-
tained A canonry at Tournay, and died dean of the chapter of
that city fifty years after ; " but very much altered in his hu-
mour,*' fays Mezeray, *' being as zealous a Frenchman among
foreigners, as he had been a furious Spaniard in France [n].
This was but natural and confiftent ; for, provided there was
any thing to exercifc a reftlefs and turbulent fpirit, what Cgni-
fied it to Boucher what it was ? ** When one confidcrs," fays
Mr. Bayle, " that the Spaniards not only gave a retreat, but alfo
a canonry, to fuch a man as Boucher ; nay, and, what was doing
him the greateft honour, fuffered him to pronounce at Tournay
the funeral oration of Philip II. ; one. cannot forbear faying, that
in ithis world all things are facrificed to policy and intereft j and
that good, bad, right, wrong, juft, unjuft, &c. are nothing but
mere names, without a meaning."
BOUCHET (John), procureur of Poitiers, where he was
bom in 1476, died in 1550, is known by his annals of Aqui-
taine, Poitiers, 1644, folio, containing a great number of curi-
ous particulars, related with remarkable fimplicity. We have
fome pieces of moral poetry by him ; the mgll fmgular of them
is intituled, Le chapelct des princes, in his opufcula, 1525, 4to.
[if] Hear what th« excellent Thuanuf minabU and iliocking thin^ : for which,
(jys of this moft tnfam9us fatire ; for fuch as in hi$ accou.it, lie was juHly excluded
it was moft certainly. " A more tlagitioijs from the convnunion of the church, io he
thing than this had not appeared in all concluded he had I ike wife loll all right
that time of exorbitant licencioiffnefs. to the kingJotn, was lawfully depofed, and
There the moft impudent brawler, rabuU at laft (lain by the pid judgment and im-
impudentifTimus, had in a reproachful pun'eofCod." Viift. lib. xcv.
jnanner afperfedthc king with many abo- [n] Abreg. Chroool. adann. i<94«
Kfc3 It
502 BOUDEWINS.
It IS compofcd of five dixaines of rondcaux, with a ballad at the
end of each dixairie. The author points out the virtues that
arc the proper ornament of princes, and the defefts they ought
to avoid, rhis chaplet is dedicated to Charles de h Trimouille.
The firft nineteen verfes begin with the letters of the name of
that feigneur. Alfo, Les regnards traverfant les voies perilleu-
fes, Paris, folio, without date ; and Les triomphes dc la noble
et amourcufe dame, 1537, 8vo. In his annals of Aquitaine is
much labour and precifion ; but, in regard to ftyle, it is rather
heavy.
BOUCHIER (Thomas), archbifliopof Canterbury, died in
i486. The only thing of any confequence, in which die arch-
bilhop bore any part, was bringing the art of printing into Eng-
land, in the year 1464. 1 he archbifliop being informed that a
prcfs was fet up at Haarlem, prevailed on Henry VI. then on
the throne, to ftnd two men over, under the title of merchants,
in order to conceal their bufmefs, with a thoufand merks in
their pockets ; of which three hundred were furnifhed by the
archbifliop, that they might make themfelves mailers of this my-
ftery. As foon as they were fettled at Haarlem they cultivated
an acquaintance with one of the compofitors ; and at length,
by money and promifes, perfuaded him to carry off a fet of let-
ters, and embark with them in the night for England. When
they came to the archbifliop (judging Oxford a more convenient
place for printing than London), he fent the compofitor thither ;
and for fear he ihould flip away before he had difcovercd the
whole fccret, they fet a guard upon the prefs •, and thus the an
of printing appeared fooner at this univerfity, by the care and
contrivance of this archbifliop, than at any other place in Eu-
rope, except Mentz and Haarlem. This was an aft of public
fpiritednefs well worthy of the care of a primate of England ;
and, if he had taken ail the expencc upon himfclf, it would
have been ft ill more for his honour. But archbilhop Bouchier
was more like feme of thofe who have followed than like thofe
who had gone before him in that fee, Notwithftanding the
noblenefs of his birth (he was brother to lord Eflcx), he had a
mean and illiberal turn. But if we read of none of his virtues,
we meet with none of his vices, except this of avarice ; which,
in a great ecclefiaftic, whofe foul can never be too much inclined
to liberality, is one of the worft;.
BOUDEWINS (Michael), phyfician, born at Antwerp,
where he acquired great reputation as a praftitioner. He is the
author of a work equally ufeful to divines and phyficians. He
here very judicially treats of thofe cafes in the practice of me-
dicine, that relate to the mind and confcience. i'he title of it
^g, Vcntilabrum medico- theologicum, Antwerp, 1666, 4to.
i3oudcvviiis died at that place in 1681^
PQUFLERS
B O U F L E R 5; 503
BOUFLERS (Louis FraN5ois duc de), peer and marechal
of France, was born Jan. 10, 1644. His difpofitions for the art
of war having difplaycd themfelves at a very early period, he was
chofen in 1669 to be colonel of a regiment of dragoons. He
greatly diftinguiftied himfclf at the head of that corps, under the
marechal de Crcqui and under Turcnnc. He received a dan-
gerous wound at the battle of Voerden; and another in the
afFair of Entflieim, to the capture whereof he contributed much,
by the confeflion of Turenne. After feveral fignal exploits, he
gained immortal renown by the defence of Lille in 1708.
The fiege Lifted near four months. Bouflers faid to his ofB-
cers : *' Gentlemen, I trufl to you ; but I anfwer for myfelf,**
Prince Eugene carried on the fiege with fo much vigour that it
was obliged to fubmlt. " I am very vain," faid he to BouBers,
^ on having taken Lille ; but I had racher ft ill have the glory
of having defended ic like you.** ^Ihe king rewarded him as if
lie had gained a battle. He was createtl peer of France ; had the
honours of firft gentleman to the king, and the fun'ivance of the
government of Flanders for his cldeft Ibn. When he entered tlie
parliament for his firft reception in it, turning to a crowd of
officers who had defended Lille with him, he faid : ** It is to
you that I am indebted for all the favours that are heaped upon
me, and on you I refleft them ; 1 have nothing to glory in but
the honour of having been at the head of fo many brave men .'*
During the fiege, one of his party having proved to him that he
*couId cafily kill prince Eugene, " Your fortune is made," re-
turned Bouflers, ^^ if you can take him priibner : but you (hall
be punifhed with the utmoft feverity if you make an attempt on
his life ; and if I but fufpec^cd that you had any iuch intention^
I would have you fliut up for the reft of your life." This gc-
neroiity, which formed a part of his chara£ler, induced him to
aflc permiffion to fervc under the orders of marechal de Villars,
though he was his fenipr. At the battle of Malplaquet in r 709^
he made the retreat in fuch good order, that he left behind him
neither cannon nor prifoners. The marquis de Bouflers united
the virtues of a good citizen with the a£tivity of a general ; ferv-
ing his prince as the antient Romans ferved their republic \ ac-
counting his life for nothing when the fafety of his country was
in queftion. The king having ordered him to go and fuccour
Lille, and having left to himfelf the choice of his lieutenants ;
he fet out that inftant, without fettling his affairs, or taking
leave of his family, and chofe for his officers, a man that had
been difgraced, and a prifoncr of the baftille. His mapjnificetKe
was equal to his love for his country and his fovereign. When
J^ouis XIV. formed the camp of Compiegnc, to fcrve as a leilbn
to his grantlfon the duke of Burgundy, and as a fpedlaclc to the
court} Bouflers lived there in fuch a fplendid ilylci that the
K k 4 king
504 BaUGAINVILLE.
king faid to Livri, his maitre-d'hotel, " The duke of Burgundy
mull not keep a table 5 we cannot outdo the marechal v the duke
of Burgundy fliali dine with him when he goes to tihe camp-'*
This patriot, this general, died at Fontainblcau, Aug. 22, 17 J i,
aged 68. " In him (writes madame de Maintenon) the heart
died laft." We read in the continuation of the hiftory of Eng*.
land by Rapin Thoyras, an anecdote too honourable to the me«
mory of this great man to be pafled over here in filence. King
William having taken Namur, in 1695, made Bouflers prifoner,
in violation of the articles that had juft been agreed on. Surprifed
at fo unjuft a proceeding, the marechal, frefb from the glorious
defence he had made, demanded the reafon of this perfidious
treatment. He was anfwered that it was by way of reprifals for
the garrifon of Dixmude and of Deinfe, which the French had
detained contrary to capitulation. *^ If that be the cafe (faid
Bouflers), then my garrifon ought to be arreded, and not I."
^ Sir (he was anfwered), you are valued' at more than ten thou-
fand men."
BOUGAINVILLE (M, D. F.), a native of France, whom
impartial pofterity will dcfer>'edly rank high in the lift of cir-
cumnavigators, his merits having been almoft rqnal to thofe o£
tiie juflly celebrated captain Cook. He was killed by the mob
at Paris the loth of Augiift 1792.
BOUGAINVILLE C'John Peter DE),born at Paris Dec. i,
1722, was educated with great care. His talents thus improved
procured him celebrity at an early period, and obtained for
htm the places moft flattering to literary men at Paris. He be-^
<rame penfionary and fecretary to the royal academy of infcrip^
tions, member of the french academy, and fome other foreign
Societies, cenfor-royal, keeper of the hall of antiquities at tho
Louvre, and one of the fecretaries in ordinary to the duke of
Orleans. His extraordinary induftry impaired his health } fo
that he was old before his time. He died at the chateau de
Loches, June 22, 1 763, at the age of 47. His worthy qualities
acquired him 2ea)ous patrons and aflfe£lionate friends. In
his writings, as in his manners, all was laudable, and yet no->
thing (hewed the defirc of being praifed. With the talents that
render a man famous, he principally afpired at the honour of
being ufeful. Neverthelefs, literary ambition, which is not the;
weakeft of ambitions, found him not infenfible. Accordingly he
was deflrous of being admitted of the french academy } he made
vigorous application to Duclos, at that time fecretary j mention-
ing, among other things, that he was affli£^ed with a diforder
that was fapping his conftitution, and that confequently his
place would foon be vacant again; the fecretary, an honeft
ma.',, but of a hard and rough chara<Eler, had the cruelty to re-
ply, that it was not the bufiuefs of the french academy to zd^
minifter
BOUGEANT^ 505
ifiimftcr extreme an£):ioa. He wrote, i. A tranflatlon of the
Anti-Luccetius of the cardinal de Polignac, 2 vols. Svo, or one
vol. i2mo, preceded by a preliminary difcourfe full of good
fenfe. 2. Parallel between the eipedition of Thamas KouU
Khan io the Indies, and that of Alexander^ a work of great
learning, abounding in ideas, flights of imagination and do*
quence ; but fometimes rather bombailic.
BOUGEAfirr (Guiu«AUM£ HYAgiNTHB), bora at Qutrn*
per, Nov. ^, 1690, became jefuit in 1706, died at Paris Jan. 7,
17431 being 53 years old. After being profefTor of humanities
at Caen and at Nevers, he went to the college of Louis le grand
at Paris, which he left only during his ihort exile at la Flechc^
pccafioned by his Amufement philofophique fur le langage des
betes, rhis book^ in which he maintains chat bruted are ani<»
mated by daemons, dedicated to a lady, is written with elegance,
abounds with lively fallies of wit, and even with handfome com*
pUments. If we may give credit to a janfenift author, the jefuit
had not lefs ftudied the language of gallantry than that of the
beafts. No one was ever more thoroughly ikilled in the topo*
graphy, the manners, and the fpeech of the country of Ro*
mance, travels through which he publiihed under the name of
Fanfcredin. He was alfo well veried in thofe of fociety and
friendfhip, and his company was as much fought after for the
gaiety of his difpofition as for the lights of his underftandine^
The toils and vexations he underwent accelerated his death*
He wrote feveral works which have preferved bis memory
with reputation, i. Hiilory of the wars and negotiations that
preceded the treaty of Weilphalia, during the adminiftrationa
of Richelieu and Mazarin, 2 vols. lamo. Thk work, full of
curious fa£ts, is written with elegance and dignity. The author
had certainly talents for politics, and was endowed with dif-
cemment, penetration, and taile. 2. Hiftory of the treaty of
Weftphalia, 2 vols. 4to. or 4 vols. i2mo. 1744* Judicious re*
flexions, curious and interefting difquifitions, analyfis of cha^
rafters and the artifices of negotiators ; elegance of ilyle, puve
without affectation, and agreeable without antithefes^ have pro*
cured this book a didinguiflied rank among the bed hiftorietb
It was reprinted together with the former in 6 volumes, i2mo«
1751. 3. Expofition of the chridian doftrine, &c.; a good
book of roman catholic chridtanity, fomewhat like Nelfon's
fcafts and fads, and was tranflated into german in 1780. 4. A«
mufement philofophique fur le langage des betes^ i vpl. 1 2mo«
of which mention has been made above. It is a wild flight of
fancy, which created him a feries of troubles and uneafmefs.
The author retraCl^d his opinions in a letter to the abbe Sava-
lette. 5. CoUeftion of phyfical obfervations, extrafted from
the bed writersi 4 vols. 1 2mo. 6. Three comedies in profe :
The
5d6. bo U hours.
The female doftor, or Dlvinitjr with a diftafF; The faint un-
frocked; aind The french quakcrs. Some of the fcenes arc-
well enough feafoned; but the reader yawns over others. Jt
was partly thefe comedies that incenfed the janfenids againil
him ; and they feized the firit opportunity to wreak their ven-
geance on him for his jokes.
BOUGUER (Peter), was born atCroifie, Feb. lo, 1698.
His father was profeffbr-royal of hydrography, who cultivated
his early difpofitions for the fclences. 1 he academy of fciences
at Paris adjudged the prize in 1717 to his paper on the mafting
offliips, and admitted him of their body in 1731. He was
chofen in 1736, with Meiirs. Godin and de la Condamine, to
go to Peru tor determining the figure of the earth : this jour-
ney added new lights to the fciences^ to the arts, and to naviga-
tion. Bouguer had his (hare in the fatigues and the glory of
this entcrprife with his fellow-travellers. During three years
he worked on the Journal des S9avans. He brought out a
great number of publicationS| which are in great eftecm with
geometricians. The relation of his voyage to Peru is in the
memoirs of the academy of fciences of the year 1744. It is
written with lefs elegance than accuracy. Bouguer wrote a great
deal, but it cod him great pains : accordingly his performances
were fo dear to him, that his very exiftence fecmed to depend on
the reputation they procured him. Tliis exceifive fenfibility of
hfe felf-love brought on him a multitude of evils, under which
he fthik at the age of 6f, the 15th of Auguft 1758. This aca-
demician, having pafTed much of his life in the country, had
contrafted in folitude an inflexibility, a ferocity of charafter,
which focicty was not able to foften. The little knowledge he
had of mankind rendered him uneafy and miftruftful. He was
apt to look upon thofe who employed themfelves in the fame
purfuits with himfelf, as enemies who wanted to deprive him of
part of his fame- He intangled himfelf in difputes with M. dc
la Condamine, which embittered his days, as that ingenious aca-
demician had got the public on his fide. We have feveral works
by Bouguer. The principal are, i. LaconflruiUon du Navire,
1746, 4to. a. La figure de la tcrrc, 1749, 4to. 3. Traitc d'op-
•tique, 1760,410. 4. La manoeuvre des vaifl'eaux, 1757,410. re*
publidied fince by M. de la Caille, 1761, 8vo.
BOUHOURS (DoMiNicic) [o], a celt^brated french critic,
was born at Paris in 1628 ; and has by fome been confidercd
as a proper perfon to fucceed Malherbe, who died about that
time. He was entered into tlie fociety of jefaits at fixteen, and
appointed to read lectures upon polite literature in the college
of Clermont at Paris, where he had ftudied ; but he was fo in-
ccflantly attacked with the headach, that he could not purfue
[o] BAlUcr, ]ugcmensdeftSavan9) U)m.xi.p.,C6i. •
the
B 0 U H O U R S. |o7
Ae deftined taflc. He afterwards undertook the et!tication of
two fons of the duke of J^ongueviile, which he difchargcd with
great applaufc. The duke had fuch a regard for him, that he
would needs die in his arms ; and the " Account of the piOQS
and chriflian death" of this great perfonage was the firft work
■which Bouhours gave tlie public. He was fent to Dnokirk to
the popifli refugees from ^Kngland ; and, in the midft of his
miffionary occupations, found time to compofe and publifii
books. Among thcfc were Entretiens d'Ariftc & d'Eugene, a
-work of a critical nature, and concerning the frencii language.
His book was printed no lefs than five times at Paris, twice at
Grenoble, at Lyons, at Bruffels, at Amfterdam, at Leyden, &c.
and embroiled him with a great number of cenfors, with Menage
in particular ; who, however, lived in friendihip with out au-
thor before and after. There is a palTage in this work which
gave great offence in Germany; and that is, w^\ere he
makes it a queltion, " Whether a German could be a bel cf-
prit :'' Ihc fame of it, however, and the pha^'ure he took of
reading it, recommended Bouhours fo cffc:dually to the cele-i
brated miniftcr Colbert, that he trufted him with the edu-
cation of his fon, the marquis of Segnelai fp]. The remarks
and doubts upon the french language has been reckoned one
of the molt confiderable of our author's works ; and may be
read with great advantage by thofe who would perfed thcra-
fclves in that tongue. Ivlenage, in his Obfervations upon^tllc
frc'ich lan;;uage, has given his approbation of it in the foildWing
paflage: " The book of Doubts," fays he, " is written, with
great elegance, and contains many fine obfervations* And, as
Ariftotle has faid, that reafonable doubt is the beginning of all
real knowledge ; fo we may fay alfo, that the man who doubts
fo reafonably as the author of this book, is himfeif very capable
of deciding. For this reafon perhaps it is, that, forgetting the
title of his work, he decides oftener than at^firit he propofed.'*
Bouhours was the author of another work, which we have not
mentioned below : and that is, The art of pleating in conver-
fation, printed at Paris in 1688. M. de la Crofe, who wrote the
eleventh volume of the Bibliotheque Univerfelle, has given an
account of it, which he begins with this elogium upon the author^
" A very little Ikill," fays he, " in ftyle and manner will enable
a reader to difcover the author of this work. He will fee at
[p] He wrote afterwards feveral oth.r London in 16^, with a dedication pre-
works in french ; thechicfot which are, lixed to king James tne fecood'a queen.
I. Remaiks and doubts upon the freuch To ths above may be .id Jed, 5. Ingeni*
language. 2. Dmlogues upon (he art of ous thoughts of the aniicnts and moderns j
thinking well in works of genius. 3. 'I hi 6. Ingenious thoughts of the fathers of the
I'lit oi St. Ignatius. 4. »The life of bt. church; 7. Tranflatious of many books of
Francis Xdvier, apodk of the Indies and devotion; and at lait^ S. Of the Nc«v
Japan. This laft work was tranflaied inio 'f cllamcnt ilfdf.
tngUfh by Mr. Drydeo, ond publifbed at
once
5c8 B O U L A i.
bnct the nice, die ingenious, and delicate turn, the eleganc#
?ind politcncfs of father Bouhours. Add to this the manner of
writing in dialogue, the cuftom of quoting himfelf, the coUe£):-
ing ftrokes of wit, the little agreeable relations interfperfed, and
a certain mixture of gallantry and njorality which is altogether
peculiar to this jefuit. This work is inferior to nothing we
nave feen of father Bouhours. He treats in twenty dialogues^
with an air of gaiety, of every thing which can find a way into
Con]^erfation ; and, though he avoids being fyftematical, yet hs
gives his reader to underftand, that there is no fubjecl what-
ever, either of divinity, philofophy, law, or phyfic, &c. but may
be introduced into converfation, provided it be done with eafe^
|>olitenefs, and in a manner free from pedantry and afFef^ation."
He died at Paris, in the college of Clermont, upon the 2^th
tof May 1702 ; after a life fpent, fays Moreri, under fuch con«
ftant and violent fits of the headach, that be had but few in-
tervals of perfeft eafe.
BOUILLAUP (Ismael), was bom at Loudun the 28th of
Bept. 1605, of proteftant parents. He quitted that religion, an4
fook orders among the papifts. The belles-lettres, hiftorv, ma-
thematics, law, and divinity, alternately employed his ffudies.
He retired when in years to the abbey of St. Viftor, where h«
died Nov. 25, 1694, at four-fcore. He was in correfpondcnce
with the learned of Italy, Germany, Poland, and the Levant,
with whom he made acquaintance on his travels in different
countries. He had great merit, but it was equalled by his mo-
defty. He wrote to one df bis friends who had been lavifh of
his commendations on him : ^* There is nothing I dread fo
much as praife. If what I do is approved by worthy perfons
ikilled in the fubjeds I handle, it is enough ; and that pure an<)
fimple approbation is of more value than the moft laboured pa-
ae^rics.'' He publifhed, i« Opus novum ad arithmeticum in-
fimtorum, in 6 books, 1682, in folio. 2. Difcourfe on the re-
formation of fome religious orders, &c. 3. An edition of th^
hiftory of Ducas, in greek, with '^a latin verfion and learned
notes. Louvre, 1649, folio.
BOULAI (CjESAR Egasse du), regifter and hiftoriographer
of the univerfity of Paris, was profeflbr of rhetoric many yean
in the college of Navarre. He publiflied a treatife of rhetoric^
intituled. Speculum eloquentiae, which was valued. His The-
faurus antiquitatum romanarum came out in folio at Paris, 1650,
Several law cafes of his compoOng have been publifhcd, relating
to the differences which arofe concerning the eledlion of the
officers of the univerfity, and fuch like matters. But the work
for which he ought chiefly to be remembered is, The hiftory of
the univerfity of Paris, which he publifhed in fix volumes folio.
The firft part of it' appeared in 1665, but it feems was difap*
9 proved ;
BOULAINVILLIERS. ^o$
proved ; for ^t find a cenfure of the theological faculty zt Paris
publifhed upon it in 1667, which was anfwcTcd by du Boulai
the fame year. The impreffion of it was flopped for fome time ;
but the commiffioners appointed by the king to examine what
was already printed, and the author's defign, reported, that no-
thing could rcafonably hinder the impreffion from being conti-
nued. Du Boulai died the i6th of Oflober 1678. He wa»
born in the village of St. Ellier^ in the Loweif Mainft ; but we.
do not find in what year.
BOULAINVILLIERS (Hemrt de), lord of St.Saife, arrf^
an eminent french writer, was defcended from a very antient
and noble family^ and born at St. i9aife in 1658. HiseducatioA
was among the fathers of the oratory ^ where he difcovereA
from his infancy thofe uncommon abilities foi' which he was af-
terwards diftinguifhed [c^]. He applied himfelf principally ta
the mod ufcful of all ftudies^ the ftudy of hiftory 5 and his per-
formances in this way arc numerous and confiderable. He waa
the author of, i. A hiftory of the Arabians ; 2. Fourteefn letters
upon the antient parliaments of France 5 3. A hiftory of France
to the reign of Chatles VIII. 4. The ftate of France, with hifto-
rical memoirs concerning the antient government of that mo-
narchy to the time of Hugh Capet j " written (fays Montef*
quieu) with a fimplicity and honeft freedom. Worthy of that an-
tient nobleffe from which their author was defcended.*' He was,
fays Voltaire, the moft learned man of the kingdom hi hiftory,
and the moft capable of writing that of France, if he had not
been too fyftematical. He died at Paris in 1722, arid after hi^
death was publifhed his Life of Mohamnted, which has made
him pafs for no very firm believer^ He is fuppofed to have
meant ill to revelation in this work, which is looked upon rather
as an apology for Mohammed than a life of him ; and from this
motive he is thought to have defended that impoftor farthefy
and to have placed him in a more advantageous hght than any
hiftorical teftimonies can juftify. It is very certain, that bom
Mohammed and his religion have been (hamefully abufed and
mifreprcfented by the greater part of thofe who nave written
about them ; and it is well known, that the learned Adrianu»
Relandus, who never was fufpefled of any difaffe^iion to chri-
ftianity, wrote his book De religione Mohammedica, to vindi-
cate them from fuch injurious mifreprefentations. Why might
not the fame love of truth, and defire to render unto every man
his due, move our author to undertake the fame taflc ? It is to
be obferved, that this life of Mohammed is not entirely finiftied
by Boulainvilliers ; who, as we learn from an advertifement
prefixed to the Amftcrdam edition of 1-730, Svo, died while he
IqJ DIQ. niflori(iuc Portatif, par L*AJvocat.
wai
510 BOULANGEft.
was employing liimfelf upon the laft years of it. A fhort 2nd
general accoiiiit of it, however, was continued by another hanrf,
and makes abouc a fixth part of the whole.
Befides thofc which we have mentioned, he wrote fevcral
other works, '* in which (fays the author from whom th's fliort
account is taken) one cannot obferve, without aftoniihmcnt,
that the fame perfon, who calls into queftion the mofl: inconteft-
ablc doj^mas of religion, fliould blindly believe in the reveries
of judicial a{lrolo<;y [r^]." But he fliould have remembered,
that this was far from being a Angularity in Boulainvilliers, if it
was true, which we do not prcfume to fay ; for that the great
cardinals Richelieu and Mazarln, and a thoufand others at that
time in France, who hail not a jot more religion than they,
were yet all of tl-cmfubjecl to the fame delufion.
BOULANGER (Nicholas Anthony)^ a very fingular
Prenehman, was born at Paris in 1722, and died there in 1759*
aged only 37. During his education, he is faid to have come
out of tlic' college of Beauvais almoft as ignorant as he went in \
but, flruggling hard againft his inaptitude to ftudy, he at length
overcame it^s]. At 17 he began to apply himfelf to mathema-
lics and arcluicifture ; and, in three or four years, made fuch a
progrcfs as to be ufeful to the baron of Thiers, whom he ac-
companied to the army in quality of engineer. Afterwards he
had the fupcrvifion of the highways and bridges ; and he exe-
cuted fevcral public works in Champagne, Burgundy, and Lor-
tain. In cutting through mountains, directing and changing the
courfesof rivers, and in breaking up and turning over the (Irata
of the earth, he faw a i.mltitude of different fubftances, which
(he thought) evinceil the great antiquity of it, and a long feries of
revolutions which it mult have undergone. From the revolu-
tions in the globe, he pafled to the changes that mud have hap-
ptnefl in the nran;:crs of men, in focieties, in governments, in
religion \ and he formed many conjedures upon all thefc. To
be farther fat is (led, he wanted to know what, in the hiftory of
ages, had been faid upon theftf particulars; and, that he might
be inforjn.d from ilie fountain-head, he learned firft latin, and
then greek. Not yet coiuent, he plunged into hebrew, fyriac,
clialdilc, nnd arabic : and acquired fo immenfe an erudition,
that, if hi- hud lived, lie would Iiave been one of the moll learned
men in Europe : but death, as we have obferved, prematurely
took him off.
His works are, f. Traite du dcfpotifme oiiental, in two vois.
I2mo. 2. L'antlquirJ dcvoile, par fco ufagcs, in three vols.
i2mo. '1 his was poilhumous. 3. Another work, intituled, L^
*[k] Pia. Hiftoilque, 5.:. [ *] Dift iir£ ho.r me» cc'l. in Siippl.
chrlilianifmc
B'OULLIER. jii
chiiftianifme demafque, in 8vo, is attributed to him, but it is
not certain that he was the author of it. 4. He furni(hed to the
Encyclopedic the articles Deluge, Corvee, and Socicte. 5. A
diflertation on Eliflja and Enoch. 6. He left behind him in MS.
a dictionary, which may be regarded as a concordance in antientf
and modern languages. Boulanger is faid to have been of a
fweet, calm, and engaging temper, and that his countenance
very much refembled that of Socrates, as it appears on the an-
tique gems.
BO OLA Y (Edmund du), herald at arms to the dukes of
Lorrain, lived in tbq middle of tlie xvith century. He was a
fertile writer, but it is not known in what year he died. He
f)rod\iced, i, A morality in verfe under this title : Combat d«
a chair et de Tefprit, Paris, 1549, 8vo. 2. La genealogie dcs
dues de Lorraine (Antoine et Francois), Metz, 1547, 410.
4. Le voyage du due Antoine vers I'empereur Charles Quint,
in 1543, to treat of peace wjth Francis 1. 8vo. This lafl book
Is in verfe.
BOULLEGER (Claude Francis Felix), feigneur de Ri*.
very, was born in 1724. He praftifed fome time as an advocate
at raris", but his predominant paflion was the ftudy of th^
belles-lettres and philofophy. He could not cultivate them
long, however, for he was carried off by death at the age of 34,
in 1 758. He was of a generous foul, a fenfible heart, a cheerful
temper, and a worthy conduft : referved with thofe whom he
did but flightly know ; open and pleafant with his friends and
intimates. He hrid an agreeable figure, much politenefs*, a live-
ly and penetrating mind, a prodigious memory, and an ardent
ambition to acquire all human knowledge, as well as to occupy
the foremoft places. The chief of his writings are, i. Traite de
la caufe et des phenomcncs de TeleiStricite, en 2 parties, 8vo.
2, Recherches hiftoriques et critiques fur quelques anciens fpcc-
tac.les, et particuiicrement fur les mimes et les pantomimes,
.J2mo. 3. Fables et contes en vers fran^ois. Some of thefe
tales and fables arc of liis own invention •, and the reft are taken
from Phazdrus, Gay, and Geliert. They maybe read with plea-
fure, even after thofe of La Fontaine.
BOULLIER (David Rekauld), minifteratAmfterdara, af-
terwards at London, originally of Auvergne, born at Utrcchc
March 24, 1699, died Dec. 24, 175":), at the age of 60 ; was as
refpeclable for hii manners as his learning. Jlis princip.il
works arc, i. DilVcrtatlo dc cxidcntia Dei, 17 16. 2. Eflai phi-
lofophique fur I'iime dcs betes, 1728, i2mo, and 1737, 2 vols.
8vo. 3. Expofitioa dela doQrinc orthodoxe de la trinite, « 73=*,
.lamo. 4. Lettrcs fur lc3 vrais principcs dc la religion, 1741,
2 vols. i2mo. 5. Recherches fur les vertus dc Tcau dc Gou-
djon,
n
512 BOULTER.
dron, iranflatcd A*om biffliop Berkley, 1745, limO. 6. Sefmon^j
17481 Siro, and a great many other works.
BOULLOGNE (Lewis), a celebrated french painter, and
trofcflbr of the academy of painting, very diftinguirfied fot join-
ing in his compofitions a noble enrhunafm to a wonderful ele-*
gance. His piflurc of Auguftus (hutting the temple of Janus^
which he executed for his reception into the acuidcmy j his four
elements ; his flight into -ffigypt ) with many of his pieces at
Notredame, at the Hotel-de-ville, and at the Chartrcux, &c.
have great and diftinguifhed merit. Died at f axis in 1674. He
left behind two fons and two daughters, who were admired for
their talents in the fame art.
BOULOGNE (Bow), his eldeft fon, was borti at Paris 16C4,
had formed himfelf at Rome and in Lombardy. He had mat
!)articular talent of imitating the antient mafters, which the Ita-
ians call the art of making Pailicci. He was alfo, from his
tiniverfality in it, called the Proteus of painting. Died 1697,
aged 4;^.
BOULTER (Hcgh), t). D. born in or near London, of re-
putable and wealthy patents, was educated at Merchant taylors
fchool ) and before the revolution was thence admitted a com*
fnoner of Chrift-church in Oxford. Some time after he wa*
chofen a demy of Magdaleti college, at the fame eleftion with
Addifon and Dr. Wilcox. From the merit and learning of the
perfons defied, this was commonly called by Dr. Hough, preG-
dent of the college, the Golden Election. He afterwards became
fellow of the Came college 5 in which ftation he continued in
the univerGty till he was invited to London by fir Charlcd
Hedges, principal fecretary of ftate, in 1 700, who made him
his chaplain, and recommended him to Tenifon, atchbiibop of
Canterbury •, but his firft preferments were owing to the earl of
Sunderland, by whofe intereft and influence he was promoted to
the parfonage of St. Olave in Southwark, and the archdeaconry
of Surry. Here he continued difcharging very faithfully every
part of his paftoral office, till he was recommended to attend
George L as his chaplain, when he went to Hanover in 17 19*
He taught prince Frederic the englifh language ; and by hii
conduct he fo won the king's favour, that he promoted him to
the deanry^ of Chrifl-church, and the bifhopric of Briftol in the
fame year.
As he wasVifuing his diocefe five years afterwards, he re-
ceived a letter from the fecretriry of flate, acquainting him, that
his majefty had nominated him to the archbilhopric of Armagh^
and primacy of Ireland. This honour he would gladly have de-
clined, and defired the fecretary to ufe his good offices with his
majcdy to excufe him from accepting it. Ireland happened to
be at this juncture in a great flame, occafioned by Wo(>d*$ nxin^
out
BOULTER; ii3
tfUs projed I and the miniftry thought the bi(hop would greatly
contribute to quench it by his judgment, moderation, and ad-
drefs. The kin^ therefore laid his abfolute commands upon
him } to which he fubmitted, but with fome reluflance. As
foon as he had taken pofleflion of the primacy, he began to con-
(ider that country, in which his lot was caft tor life, as his own i
. and to promote its true intereft with the ereateft zeal and afli^
duity. He often faid, '< he would do all me good to Ireland he
could, though they did not fuffcr him to do all he would.'* The
fcarcity of filver coin in Ireland was exceffivcly great, occafioned
by reducing the value of gold coin in England, and the balance
of trade, which lay againlt them. To remedy this Inconveni-
ence, the primate fupported a fcheme at the council table, to
bring gold and filver nearer to a par in value, by lowering that of
the tormer } which was carried into execution. The populace, en-
couraged by fome dealers in exchange, who were the only lofers
by the alteration, grew clamorous, and laid the ruin of their
country at the primate*s door. But, confcious of his own inte-
grity, he defpifed the foolifh noife : experience evinced the uti-
lity of the proje£l j the people in a Ihort time recovered their
fenfes ) and he foon rofe to the greateft height of popularity.
In June 174a he made a vifit to his native country ; died in
London the September following ; and was buried in Weft-
minder abbey. His deportment was grave, his afpe£| venerable,
his temper meek and humble, and hardly to be ruffled by the
mod trying provocations. He was an undiflembled patron of
liberty, both civil and religious ; his benevolence and charity
were fuch as will be the admiration and bleflfrng of the prefent
times and of pofterity. His learning was univerfalj yet he left
no remains of it to the public except fome occaConal fermons>
and charges to his clergy. We Ihall therefore give no catalogue
of his literary, but an imperfefl one of his charitable works,
which are certainly more worthy both of honour and imita-
tion.
In 17^9 there was a great fcarcity^j the poor were reduced
to a miferable condition, and the nation was threatened with fa-
mine and pedilence. The primate didributed vad quantities of
grain through fevcral parts of the kingdom} directed all the
vagrant poor that crowded the dreets of Dublin, to be re-
ceived into the poor-houfe, and there maintained them at his
private expence, until the following harved brought relief. In
the latter end of 1740; and the beginning of 1741, Ireland was
again affli£led with a great fcarcity ; and the prelate's charity-
was again extended, though with more regularity than before.
The poor were fed in the work-houfp twice every day, accord-
ing to tickets given out by perfons entruded, the number of
irhich amoooted to 7321314: and it appeared that 2500 fouls
Voju.U* LI werjp
314 BOURDALOUEv
were fed there every morning and evening, moftly at the prU
mate's expence.
When the fchcme for opening a navigation by a canal from
Lough-Neagh to Newry was propofed in parliament in 1729,
the primate patronifed it with all his intereft \ and when the
bill was pafTedy and the work fet about, was very inftrumental
in carrying it on with effedl. One part of the defign was to
bring coals from thence to Dublin, and the coal mines were iq
the fee- lands of Armagh, which were then leafed out to a te-
nant. The primate, fearing the lefTee might be exorbitant in bi«
demands, purchafed the leafe at a great expence, in order to ac-
commodate the public. He alfo gave timoer out of bis wood«
to carry on the work ; and often advanced his own money^
without intereft, for the fame purpofe. He ^ave and fettled ai
competent ftipend on an afliftant curate at JDrogheda, a larga
and populous town in his diocefe ; where the cure was too bur«>
thenfome for one clergyman, and the revenues of the church
were not fufficient for the fupport of two. He maintained fe-
ver al fons of his poor clergy at the univerfity. He erefled and
endowed hofpitals, both at I)rogheda and Armagh, for the re*
ception of clergymen's widows ; and fettled a fund for putting
out their children apprentices. He built a ftately market -houfe
^t Armagh, at the expence of above 800I. He fubfcribed 50I.
per ann. to Dr. Stevens's hofpital in Dublin, for the maintenance
and cure of the poor ; and furnifhed one of the wards for the
reception of patients at a confiderable expence. His charities^
for augmenting fmall livings, and buying of glebes, amounted to
upwards of 30,000!. befides what he devifed by his will for the
like purpofes in England. He was the main inArument of ob-
taining a royal charter for the incorporated fociety for promot-
ing englilh proteftant fchools in Ireland, of which he was vice-
prefident and treafurer. He p^id all the fees for pafling the
charter out of his own purfe ; fubfcribed 23I. per ann. and af-
terwards paid upwards of 400]. towards the building of a work-
ing-fchool, on the lands of Santry, near Dublin. Befides this,
the fociety were often obliged to him for their neceflary fupport ;
who, to his annual and occafional benefa£lions, frequently added
that of being their conftant refource in all emergencies, by an-
fwering the draughts made on him as treafurer, when he had no
cafh of the fociety in his hands, which amounted to confiderable
fums. Thefe are a part, and only a part, of the primate's pub-
lic charities.
BOURDALOUE (Louis), juftly efteemed the beft preacher
France ever produced, was born in b'ourges, in Auguft i6a2,
and entered into the fociety of the jefuits in Nov. 1648. After
having ftudied rhetoric, philofophy, and divinity, the uncommon
talents which he difcovered for the pulpit determiaed the fociety
4
BOURDEILLES; ^15
f 0 fct him apart for that fcrvice. The high reputation he quickly
acquired, as a preacher in the country, induced his fuperiors to
fend for him to Paris in 1669. He preached during the courfe
of that year in their church of St. Louis, where he (hone with
more luftre than ever. In Advent 1670, he began to appear at
court ; where his difcourfes were liftened to with the highefl:
fatisfaflion. Upon the revocation of the edi£l of Nantz, the
king very prudently made choice of him to preach the catholic
do£irine to the new converts in Languedoc. The latter part
of his life he confecrated to the fervice of the hofpitals, the
poor and the prifoners ; and, by his pathetic difcourfes and en-
gaging manner, procured for them very bountiful alms- He died
in Mav 1704. A corre£l edition of his fermons was publifhed
at Pans 1707, by father Bretonneau.
BOURDEILLES (Peter de), better known by the name of
Brantomb, of which he was abbot, added to that title thofe of
lord and baron of Richemont, chevalier, gentleman of the
chamber to the kings Charles IX. and Henry 111. and chamber-
lain to the duke of Alen9on. He had the defign of being created
a knight of Maltha in a voyage he made to that ifle during the
time of the fiege in 1565. He returned to France, where he
was fed with vain exped^ations *, but he received no other for-
tune (as he tells us himfelf ) than of being welcomed by the
kings his mafters, great lords, princes, fovereigns, queens, prin-
ceflcs, &c. He died July 5, 1614, at the age of 87, His me-
moirs were printed in ten volumes, lamo, viz. four of the
french commanders; two of foreign commanders; two of women
of gallantry ; one of illuftrious ladies ; and qne of duels. The
laft edition is that of the Hague, 1741, 15 vols. lamo. on ac-
count of the fupplement, which makes five. Thefe memoirs
are abfolutely neceffary to all thofe who would know the private
hiftory of Charles IX. of Henry III. and of Henry IV. Here
the man is more reprefented than the prince. The pleafure of
feeing thefe kings in their peculiarities and off the ftage, added
to the fimpdicity of Brantome's ftylc, renders the reading of his
memoirs extremely agreeable [t]. But fome of his anecdotes
feem
[t] Brantftme (fays M. Anqutril) is In the actions pretended to bt IndiStrtntf
the hands of every body. All the world which were thought to be negledted and
pretends to have read him ; but he ought loft, and which neverthelefs mark the
particularly to be put into the hands of charade r, would render them more cir«
princes* that they may learn how irapof- cumfpe£l.-*-ln reading Brantdme a pro-
fible It is for them to hide thAnfclves ; blem forces itfeU on the mind, which it is
that they have an impoitance in the eyes di6ficult to folve. It is very common to
of their courtiers, which draws attention to fee that author joining together the moft
alj their actions ; and that, fooner or later, difcordant ideas in regard to morals. Somc-
the moft fecret of them are revealed to times he will reprefcnt a woman as ad-
pofterity. The reHe£tions that would ec- di£tcd to the moft infamous retinemeats
cur, on feeing that Brant6me has got to- of libertinifm, and then will conclude by
gether all the little tranfa<ftiun«, all the faying that Ihc wa& prudent and a good
idle words chat have efcaped ibem^ all chriflian. So likewife of a 4>rielt, of«
L 1 % monk
^ilS BOURDELOT.
feem thrown out at random. Such is that which he relates of
Charles V. ^* I have heard fay (fays he) that if he had poffeffcd
as much ftrength of body as vigour of mind, he would have
gone to Rome with a powerful army to make himfelf be defied
pope. What a ftrange man ! and how ambitious he muft have
Deen I (continues he) Accordingly God did not permit it. Un-
able therefore to become pope, he made himfelf a monk." This
defign attributed to Charles V. by Brantome, is not to be
found in any hiftorian, even in thofe who have fpoken the
mod freely of tliat prince. Indeed he has been charged with
afpiring at univerfal empire ; but we fee no where any trace of
his pontifical ambition. Were we to examine feveral other
fafis related by Brantome, and repeated a hundred times after
him, we (houla find that moft of them have ng better foundation
than this.
BOURDEILLES(Claude de), grand-nephew of the former,
comte de Montrefs^, attached to Gallon of Orleans, both while
he was in favour, and when he had loft it, was feveral times
deprived of his liberty for ferving that prince. , Difgufted with
the tumult and the artifices of the court, he took up the refolu*
tion of enjoying the fweets of privacy. He died at Paris in
1663. He left memoirs, known under the name of Montrefor,
2 vols, lamo, which are curious, as containing many particulars
of the hillory of his time. Montrefor makes no fcruple of
relating the projects he formed againft the life of cardinal Ri«
chelieu.
BOURDELOT (John), a learned frcnch critic, who has
diftinguiflied himfelf in the republic of letters, by writing notes
upon Lucian, Pctronius, and Heliodorus. He lived at me end
of the xvith) and in the beginning of the xviith century ; was
of a good family of Sens, and educated with care. He applied
himfelf to the ftudy of the belles lettres and of the learned Ian-
monk or iny other ecclefiailic, be will hit ^itinsi> and for frequently pttttin^
relate anecdotes more than wanton ; and modeft j to the blufli. W€ perceive in
will tell u& very gravely at the ead, that Brantdme the charadler of thofe youn^
t|iis man lived regularly according to hii men* who, making a part of the court by
ftation. Almoft all his memoirs are full their birth, pafs their lives in it without
of (imitar contradidlioni in a fort of epi- pretenfions and without defiret. They
gram. On which I have this queftion to amufe the mfel vet with every thing : if aa
propofe : Was Brantdme a libertine ; who» m&iati has a ridiculous (tde, they feise it;
In order to fport more fecurely with rcli- if it hat not, they give it one. Brantom«
gion and morals, afFeds in the expreflion only (kims along the furface of a fubje^k 3
A refped to which the very matter of the he knows nothing of diving into an a&on*
recital gives the lie } or. Was he one of tnd unfolding the motives that gave it
thofe petibnt who generally go under the birtha He gives a good piAure of what he
B of amiaVle fops ; who, without prin- hasfeen, relates in fimple terms what ho
ciples as without defign, confound virtue hu heard; but it is nodiing uncommon t»
and vice, making no real difference he- fee him quit his nuin objcd, return to it»
tween one cbaraAer and another ? What* quit it agaioy and conclude by thinking 00
ever judgment we may form of him, vre more of it. With all this irregularity h»
muft always blame him for omitting ta pleafci, becaufc he vuiit9.
ohftfyc « pr^er revereott for deconmi ia
guages^
BOURDON. 517
i;uages^ and Baillet tells us, that he pafled for a great con-
noiffeur in the oriental tongues, and in the knowledge of ma-
nufcripts. Thefe purfuits did not hinder him from being con-
fummate in the law. He exercifed the office of advocate to the
parliament of Paris in 1627, when Mary of Medicis, hearing of
his uncommon meri{» made him mafter of the requefts« He
died fuddenly at Paris in 1638. His notes and emendations
upon Lucian were publifhed at Paris, with that author, in folio^
161 5; Heliodorus, with his notes, in 1619, 8vo. ; and his
notes on Petronius, were printed with that author at Amfter-
idam in 1663 [u], lamo.. Fabricius calls his notes on Luciaa
ihort and learned, and fpeaks of Bourdelot as then a young man^
fldhuc juvenis [x ] .
There was alfo abbe Bourdelot, his rider's fon, who change4
liis name from Peter Michon to oblige his uncle \ and whom he
took under his protedtion, and educated as his own fon. He
was a very celebrated pliyfician at Paris, who gained great re*
putation by a treatife upon the viper, and feveral other works.
\it died there Feb. 9, 1685, aged 76,
BOURDON (Sebastian), an emii^ent french painter, bom
^t Montpelier in 1610, had a genius fo impetuous, that it
would Qot allow him to refled^ fufficienlly, nor ftudy the eflenr
^als of his art fo much as was necefTary to perfect him in it^
He was feven years in Rome, but obliged to leave it before he
kad finiihed his ftudies, on account of a quarrel. However^
he acquired fo much reputation by his works, both in landfcape
jand hiftory, that, upon his return to France, he had the ho-
nour of being the firft who was n^ade reflor of the royal aca-
demy of painting and fculpture at Paris. The fine arts being
interrupted by the civil wars in France, he travelled to Sweden,
where he ftaid two years. He was very well eftecmed, an4
pobly prefented, by that great patronefs of arts and fciences,
Chriftina, whofe portrait he painted. He fucceedcd better in his
landfcapes, than in his hiftory-painting. His pieces are feldom
finiihed ; and thofe that are fo are not always the fineft. He
once laid a wager with a friend, that he painted twelve heads
after the life, and as big as the life, in one day. He won it ;
and thefe heads are faid to be not the wot ft things he ever did.
He drew a vaft number of piftures. His molt conGderable
pieces are, ** The gallery of M. de Bretonvilliers," in the ifle
of Notre-Dame \ and ** The feven works of mercy,'* which he
etched by himfelf. But the mod efteemed of all his perform-
ances is, " The martyrdom of St. Peter," drawn for the church
of Notre-Dame : it is kept as one of the choiceft rariHes of that
(pathedral. Bourdon was a calvinift} much valued and refpecledj
[u1 Bibl. Craee. vol. iii. taries on TuTenal* A treatife on the cty.
X J Befidet thefe, he wrote, at Moicri mology of french wordt, aad many oUmc
lelli us, an Univerfal Hiftory, Conuncn* works, which were mirerpubliihed.
li 1 3 however^
5i8 BOURGET.
however, in a popifti country, as his life and manners were
good. He died in 1662, aged 46.
BOURGELAT (Claude), of the academv of Berlin, di-
reftor and infpeftor general of the veterinary fchools^ commif*
fary-general of the haras, died Jan. 3, 1779, in an advanced
age ; rendered real fervice to his country by procuring the efta-
biifhment of veterinary fchools, and by directing them both by
himfelf and by his writings. Of theffc are, 1. Lc nouveau New-
caftle, or a trcatife on horfemanihip, 1 747, a. Elemens d'Hip-
piatrique, ou, nouyeaux princjpes fur la connoiflance de che-
vaux, 1750, 3 vols. 8vo. 3. Matierc medicale raifonnee, 1771^
8vo. In this work he inferts nothing but what may be of ufe
to the veterinary fchools.
BOURGET (DoM John), was born at the village of Beau-
mains near Falaife, in the diocefe of Seez, in 1724 [t J. He
was educated at the grammar-fchool at Caen, whence he was
removed to that univerfity, and purfued his ftudies with gtcat
diligence and fuccefs till 1745, when he became a benediaine
monk of the abbey of St* Martin de Secz, then en regUy that is,
under the diredbion of a conventual abbot. Some time after
this, Dom. Bourget was appointed prior clauftral of the faid
abbey^ and continued fix years in that ofTice, when he was no-
minated prior of Tiron en Perche : whence being tranflated to
the abbey of St. Stephen at Caen, in the capacity of fub-prior,
he managed the temporalities of that religious houfe during
two years, as he did their fpiritualities for one year longer ;
after which, according to the cuftom of the houfe, he refigned
his office. His fuperiors, fenfible of his merit and learning, re-
moved him thence to the abbey of Bee, where he refided till
1764. He was ele£led an honorary member of the fociety of
antiquaries of London, Jan. 10, 1765^ in which year he re-
turned to the abbey of St. Stephen at Caen, where he conti-
nued to the time of his death. Thefe honourable offices, to
which he was promoted on account of his great abilities, enabled
him not only to purfue his favourite iludy of the hiftory and an-
tiquities of feme of the principal bencdi6line abbies in Nor-
mandy, but likewife gave him accefs to all their charters, deeds,
regifter-books, &c. &c. Thcfe he examined with great care,
and left beliind him in MS. large and accurate accounts of the
abbies of St. Peter de Jumieges, St. Stephen, and the Holy
Trinity at Caen (founded by William the Conqueror and his
2 uecn Matilda), and a very particular hiftory of the abbey of
»ec. Thcfe were all written in french. The Hiftory of the
royal abbey of Bee (which he prefented to Dr. Ducarel m 1 764)
is only ao abftrafi: of his larger work. This ancient abbey,
[v] Kfcftdin by Dr. Dacarcl, prefixed to the Hiftory of tke abbey of Bee.
« . (which
BOURIGNON. 519
(which hath produced feveral archbifliops of Canterbury and
other illuftrious prelates of this kingdom) is frequently men-
tioned by our old hiftorians. The death of our worthy bcne-
di£tine (which happened on new-year's day 1776) was occa-
fioned by his unfortunate negle£): of a hurt he got in his leg by
falling down two or three fteps in going from the hall to the
cloiRcr of the abbey of St. Stephen at Caen^ being deceived by the
ambiguous feeble light of a glimmering and dying lamp that was
placed in that paifage. He lived univerfally edeemed, and died
finccrcly regretted by all thofe who were acquainted with him ;
and was buried in the church of the faid abbey, Jan. 3, 1776.
BOURGUET (Louis), bom at Nimes in 1678, got himfclf
a name for his proficiency in natural hiftory. The revocation
of the edii\ of Nantes forced his family to go and feek an
afylum in Switzerland. Zurich is indebted to them for its ma*
nufadures of (lockings, muflins, and feveral filk ftufFs. Young
Bourguet went through a courfe of ftudy there ; he married at
Berne, and fettled at Neufchatel, where he became profeflbr of
philofophy and mathematics. He died Dec. 31, 1742, at the
age of 64, after publifliing, i. A letter on the formation of
falts and cryftals ; Amilerdam, 1729, i2mo. 2. La bibliotheque
italique, 16 vols. 8vo. This journal, begun at Geneva in 1728,
found a welcome reception among the learned, as a folid and
ufeful book deferving to be continued : rather more pains (hould
have been bellowed on the ftyle.
BOURIGNON (Antoinette), a famous enthufiaftic female,
was bom Jan* 13, 1616, at Lifle in Flanders [z]. She came
into the world fo very deformed, that a confutation was helci
in the family fome days about ilifiing her as a monftrous birth.
But if (he funk almo(t beneiith humanity in her exterior, her
interior feems to have been raifed as much above it. For, at
four years of age, (lie not only took notice that the people of
Lifle did not live up to the principles of chriftianity which they
profefTed, but was difturbed at it fo much, as to defire a re«
moval into fome more chriftian country. Her progrefs was
fuitable to this beginning. Her parents lived a little unhappily
together, Mr. Bourignon ufing his fpoufe with too much fe-
verity, efpecially in his palTion : upon which occafions, Antoi-*
nette endeavoured to foften him by her infant embraces, which
had fome little eflFefl. ; but the mother's unhappinefs gave the
daughter an utter averfion to matrimony. This falling upon a
temper ftrongly tin£lured with enthufiafm, (he grew a perfe£b
devotee to virginity, and became fo immaculately chafte, that^
if her own word may be taken, (he never had, in all her life,
not cvea by temptation or furprifc, the leaft thought unwortliy
[zj Bayle's Dift. art. Bourignoi.
1.1 4 «f
520 ^ BOURIGNON.
of the purity of the virgin ftate : nay, (he poffelTed the gift of
chaftity in fo abundant a manner^ that it overflowed upon thofe
that were with her ; her prefence and her converfation Oied an
ardour of continence, which created an infenfibillty to the plea*
fures of luft[A]. She fejt a peculiar reliOi in thus growing
free from fenfe, and in that (late of exaltation foon began tp
fancy hcrfelf united to her Creator.
Her father, however, had no notion of thefe abftra£lions^
he confidered her as a mere woman, and, having found an
agreeable match, promifed her in marriage to a frenchman,
£after-day, 1636, was fixed for the nuptials j but, to avoid the
execution, the young lady flpd, under the difguife of a hermit,
but was (topped at Blacon, a village of Hainau^) on fufpicion
of her fex. It ws^s an officer of horfe quartered in the village
whp fei^ed her 5 he Had, obferved Tomething extraordinary 11;
l^er, and mentioning her to the archbifhop of Cambray, that
prelate came to examine her, and fent her home. But being
ptefled again with propofals of matrimony, ihe ran away once
xnore; and, going to the archbifhop, obtained^his licence to
fet up a fmalT fociety in the country, with fome other maiden^
of her tafte ]^d tem^bf.- That licence however was foon re-
traced, ancC Antoinette obliged to withdraw into the country
of Liege ^ 4rfience4he returned to Lifle, and paffed many year^
tl^ere priv>tely in devotion and great fimplicity. When her patri-
mdnial eftate fell to her, (lie refolved at firfl to renounce it |
but, changing her mind, Ihe took pofleflion of it[B]} and a^
ihe was fatisned with a few conveniences, (lie lived at little
expence: and beftowing po charities, her fortime incrcafed
apace.
This being obferved by one Johp de Saulieu, the fon of a
peafant, he refolved to make his court to her \ and, getting
admittance under the oharafter of a prophet, infinuated him-
felf into the lady's favour by devout afts and difcourfes of the
xnoft refined fpirituality. At length he declared his paQion,
modeftly enough at firfl, and was eafily checked ; but findingj
her intraflable, he grew rougher at laft, and fo infolent as to
[a] This has been ca11«4 a penetrative [a] For thi» aiTumptton (he gave ihrc^
virginity ; thus the virgin Mary is faid to resuons : fir^^t that it might not come into
have a penetrative virginity * which made the hands of thofe who had no right to
thofe that beheld her, notwithftanding her it; fecondly* of thofe who would have
beauty, to hare no fentiments ^ut foch as madoan ill ufe of it ; thirdly> God fhewcd
were confident with chaftity. Pierre Gar- her that (he (hould have O€ca(ion for it t^
nefelt'a Elucidationes facrse, &c. apud his glory. And as to charity, (he fays,
Thomafium in fchediafmate hiftorioo» the deferring poor are not to be met with
p. 645. It is true, madam Bourrgnon had in this world. Vie ezteriture de M. de
no beauty to weaken the force of her pe- Bourignon. Her patrimony mufthave beea
netrative virginity ; but then it; is equally Something ctniiderable, fince (he fpeaks o£
true, that this faculty in her had oot ^* fcyejal o\aii fcrvanc? in her hou^.
wa^i iti prQj|er«ffe^«
threaten
BOURIGNON, 52r
ifvreatefi to murder her if fhe would not comply. Upon this
(he had recourfc to the provoft, who fcnt two men to euard
her houfe ; and in revenge Saulieu gave out, that fhe had pro*
mifed him marriage, and even bedded with him. But, in con^
cluGon, they were reconciled*, he retrafted his Banders, and
jiddrcflfed himfelf to 3 young devotee at Ghent, whom he fgund
more tradable [c]. HQwcvcr| this did not free her from oth^f
amorous vexations*
The parfon's nephew of St. Andrew's parifli near Lifle fell
in love with her ^ and as her houfe flood in the neighbourhood,
he frequently environed it, in order to force an entrance. Our
feclufe threatened to quit her poft, if (he was not delivered
from this troubfaCome fuitor. The uncle drove him from his
houfe: upon which he grew ^efperate, and.fometimes difcharged
^ mufquet through the. nun's chamber, >giving out that ihe was
Jiis efpoufed wife. This made a noife in the city 5 the devotees
iwere offended, and threatened to affront Bourignon, if they
met her in the ftreets. At length (he was relieved by thq
preachers, who ^ubliflicd from their pulpits, that the report ojf
fhe marriage was a:fcandalous falfehood. ^i '
Some time after\(^ards (he quitted herJ^Qufe, iiiJB^jpMt herfelf
as governefs at the head of an hofpital, where (he locked her^
felt up in the cloifter in 1658, having takeh^the order and
habit of St. Auftin. But here again, by 's^ery fnigtikr fatCi,
(he fell into freih trouble. Her hofpital was found lo be in-
fe£led with forcery fo much, that even all the little girls in it
had an engagement with the devil. This g^ve room to fufpe£t
^he governeis ^ who was accordingly taken up by the magiftrates
pf Lifle, and examined : but nothing could be proved ^gainf^
her. However, to avoid further profecutions, fhe retired to
Ghent in 1662 : where fhe no fooner was, than God, it feemi,
revealed great fecrets to her.
However, it is certain, that about this time fhe acquired a
friend at Amfterdam, who proved always faithful to her as long
as he lived, and left her a good eflate at' his death : his name was
De Lort : he was one of the fathers of the oratory, and their
fuperior at Mechlin, and was dircflor alfo of an hofpital for poor
children. This profelyte was her firft fpiritual birth, and is faid
to have given her the fame kind of bodily pangs and throes as a
natural labour, which was the cafe alfo with her other fpiritual
phildren; and ihc perceived more or lefs of thefe pains, ac«
[c] Madam Bourigqon herfelf tells ui» tiJl after a great many entreaties and fnb^
that Sauliey, feeing he could not obtain miffions from the girl ; and then he mado
her in marriage* either by love or by her an honcil woman, a little before (be
Ibrce, accofted one of her devotees, #ho was brought t^bed. Vie cxterieure d^ M*
was alfo a mirror of perfedion* and got 4^ Bourignoa, p. 19^
|)Cf with child ; b{it woifld n9t marry her,
cording
511 BOURIGNON.
cording as the truths which (he had declared operated more' of
Jefs ftrongly on their minds [d]. Whence another of her dif-
ciples, a certain archdeacon, talking with De Lort before their
mother on the good and new refolution which they had taken,
the latter obferved, that her pains were much greater for him
than for the former: the archdeacon, looking upon De Lort, who
was fat and corpulent, whereas he was a little man himfelf^
faid, fmiling, " It is no wonder that our mother has had a hardtf r
labour for you than for me, (ince you are a great, huge child,
"whereas I am but a little one 5" which difcompofed the gravity
of all the faces prefent : fo that we fee our Antoinette's difciplei
were not always lofty, but fometimes defcended from the lub-
Hmity of their devotion to the innocent raillery of people of the
world.
Our prophetcfs ftaid longer than fiie intended at Amfterdam,
where flie publiihed her book of " The light of the world,'* and
I fome others j a'hd finding All forts crowd to vifit her, (he en-
tertained hopes of feeing her doftrine generally embraced ; but
in that flie was fadly deceived* For, notwithftanding her con-
verfations with God were, as it it faid, frequent there, fo that
flie underftood a great number of things by revelation, yet fhc
j compofed more books there than ftie had followers- The truth
- is, her vifions and revelations too plainly betrayed the vifionary
I *nd enthufiaftic temper of her mind.
j We (hall give one inftance as ^ fample of the reft : In one of
I her ecftacies, (he faw Adam in the fame form under which he
appeared before his fall, and the manner how he himfelf alone
was capable of procreating other men, (ince he poffcScd in him*
fclf the principles of both fexes. .Nay, (he* pretended it was
told her that he had carried this Angular procreative faculty fo
far, as to produce the human nature of Jefus Chrift. The
fir(l man, fays (he, whom Adam brought forth without any
concurrent affiftance in his glorified ftate, was chofen by God
to be the throne of the divinity ; the organ and inftrument by
which God would communicate himfelf externally to men. This
is Chrift the fir ft born united to human nature, both God and
man. Befides thefe, and fuch like extravagances, (he had other
forbidding qualities : her temper was morofe and peevi(h ; in
which however (he was not unlike other devotees : but, con-
trary to the generality of fuch perfous, (he was extremely ava-
[d] This conceit was taken up by her and (he being with child, cried, travailln|p
from St. John's vifion of the woman men- in birth, and pained to be delivered."
tioncd in the Apocalypfe, chap xii. v. i, Vic coniinuee, p. 1^5. It might havp
2. " And there appe4red a great wonder been grounded as well upon St. Paul's ad-
rn hearcnt a woman clothed with the drcfs to ihc Galatian convertSt cbap. ir.
fun, and the moon under her feet, and v. 19. rtAvtecy n$ mitXit i^lw I " My
upoB her head a crowA of twclrc Ami milccbildrcn,ofwhomI travail in birth."
riciout
BOURIGNON. 52J
Tidous and greedy of amafling riches. This quality rendered
her utterly uncharitable as to the branch of almfgivingi and to
implacably unforgiving to fuch poor peafants as had robbed her
of any trifle, tliat Qie would have them profecuted with the ut-
moft rigour.
Her (lay at Amftcrdam was chiefly owing to the happinefs
Ihe had in her dear De Lort : that profelyte had advanced al-
moft all his eftaic to fome relations, in order to drain the iliand
of Noordftrandt in Holftein, by which means he had acquired
fome part of the ifland, together with the tithes and govern-
ment of the whole. He fold an ednte to madame Bourignon^
who prepared to retire thither in 1668 ; but flie rejc6led the
propofal of Labadie and his difciples to fettle themfelvcs there
with her [e J. It feems they had offered De Lort a large fum of
money to purchafe the whole ifland, and thereby obtained hi$
confent to their fettlement in it: this was cutting the grafs under
her feet, an injury which (he took efleclual care to prevent.
Accordingly De Lort dying on the 12th of November 1669,
made her his heir [f] : which inheritance however brought her
into new troubles. A thoufand iaw-fuits were raifed to hinder
her from enjoying it : nor were her doftrine and religious prin-
ciples fpared on the occafion. However, (he left nolland ia
167 1, to go into Noorftrandt. •**
But flopping in her way at feveral places of Holdein, where (he
difmiiTed fome difciples (who followed her, (he found, for the fake
of the loaves), (he plied her pen, which, like the tongues of fome
females, ran like a torrent ; fo that (he found it convenient to pro-
vide herfelf with a prcfs, where (lie printed her books in french,
dutch, and german. Among others (lie anfwercd all her adver-
faries, in a piece intituled, The tetlimony of truth, wherein (he
handled the ecclefiaftics in a fevere manner. This, as Mr. Baylc
obferves, was not the way to be at peace, but (he wanted the fird
fundamental of all religion both natural and revealed; (he wanted
humility. Two lutherau minlftcrs raifed the alarm againft her
by fome books, wherein they declared, that people had been
[e] See his ai
f] This fina
>r the pcif«rcut<
I article. bilhop, who treated him as a heretic, and at
natic deligned Noordftrandt a man who'covctedtbe goods of thiswo.ld^
for tiie peif^cutcd fainrs of God; and to the detrime.a of'^rhU'e whom he had
taking the janfollh to be fuch, he drew deceived} by rolling them lands in Noord-
them from all parts into the ifle. He had ftrand : as a man given to drinking; fuC-
fold them i part, giving up all the reft, pelted of haVii.j; loll both faith ana charityj
with his rights ^nd pretenfions to the ora' and who had even fuffered himfelf to be
; Cory of Mechlin, under certain conditions, fcdjccd by a woman of LiHe, wttli whom
which not being obferved, he recovered his he lived, to the great fcandai of every one.
eftate, but not without great law-lutts; He continued fix months in prifon, and
whereby he was imptiloned at Amfterdam, came out ouly by accident; he wciu into
in March 1669, at the fuit of the famous his Own iliand, and died of poifou, in
janfenift Mr. St. Amour. Before he went 1669, as above. Vie continuce de M. de
*10 priiboi ht wtt fereitly ceoiured by a Bourignoii; p. 230, 23 it
beheaded
5*4 BOURIGNON.
beheaded and burnt for opinions more fupportablc tlian bcrs.
The labbadifts aho wrote again ft her, and her prefs was prohi-
bited. In this diftrefs (he retired to Henft)erg in 1673, in order
to get out of the ftorm ; but (he was difcovered; and treated Co
ill by the people under the character of a forcerefs, that ihc was
very happy in getting fecretly away. They perfccuted her from
city to city j flie was at length forced to abandon Holftetn, and
went to Hamburgh in 1676, as a place of more fecurity ; but
kcr arrival had no fooner taken air, than tliey endeavoured to
Teize her. She lay hid for fome days, and then went to Ocft'p
frife, where (he got protcftion from the baron of Latzbourg,
iud was made governefs of an hofpitaU
It is obfervable, that all other paflions have their holidays,
but avarice never fuffers its votaries to reft. When our devotee
ticcepted the care of this charity, Ihe declared that ihe confente4
to contribute her induftry both to the building and to the diftri«r
bution of the goods, and the infpe£tion of the poor, but without
engaging any part of her eftate ; for which fhc alleged two rea^
ions, one, that her goods had already been dedicated to God
for the ufe of thofe who Cncerely fought to become true
ehriftians ; the other, that men and all human things are very
inconftanC. This was an admirable reafon never to part witb
«ny thing, and refer all donations to her laft will and teflament.
|n that fpirit, when (he had diftributed among thefe poor People
certain revenues of the place annexed to tlus hofpital by the
founder, being afked if flie would not contribute fometliing of
her own, (he returned an anfwer in writing, that becaufe thefe
poor lived like beafts, who had no fouls to fave, (he had rather
throw her goods, which were confecrated to God, into the fea^
than leave the leaft mite there. It was on this account that (he
found perfecutors in Oeftfrife, notwithftanding the baron de
Latzbourg's protedlion j fo that (he took her way to Holland in
1680, but died at Franeker, in the province of Frife, on the
30th of Oftober the fame year.
We have already mentioned the crookednefs of her outward
form, which probably was the reafon why (he would never
fu£Fer her pifture to be taken : however, her conftitution wa$
ib tough, that, in fpite of all the fatigues and troubles of her
life, (hefeemed to be but forty years of age, when (he was above
fixty : and, though (he was almoft continually wearing her eye-
fight, both by reading and writing, yet (he never made ufe of
fpe£tacles. She was lucky enough to have the three moft re-
markable periods of her life, as ner birth, her arriving to the
jank of an author, and her death, chara^erifed by comets } a
circumftance greatly favourable to a prophet and a teacher of a
|jew religion. The main principles of hers were pretty near
the funewith thofe of the quietifts, exclttding al| external divine'
worflupj
l^OURIGNON*. 525
%ror(hip, and requiring a ccflation of reafon, fenfc, and under-
Handing, that God might fpread his divine light over them, o»
caufe it to revive in them } without which the deity ig not fuf«
ficiently known«
But oefides thefe principles in common with the brachmans^
and other enthuftafts, (he held fome lingular notions, one oH
which we have already mentioned concerning Adam and Chrift ;.
and we (hall here mention another, which may be well enough,
called the counterpart of the former, as it contains her opinion,
of antichrift, whom (he held to be a devil incarnate, maintaining-
that it was poflible for men to be born by the operation of the-
devil : not that the arch-fiend could do it alone without the co-
operation of man ; but having power over unchafte perfons,^
when they abufe the principle of fertility, which the (x:ripture
calls fpilling the feed on the ground, the devil tranfports it by^
his diabolical interpofition into his witches, where he produces,
wicked men entirely devoted to him, who are the true antichrifts,,
and the devil will incarnate himfelf for that purpofe. Agreeably.
to which, confidering the double reign of antichrift, fenfual and-
fpiritual^ (he taught that, in the (irfi fcnfe, it would be the vi-
Cble reign of a devil incarnate. This opinion, however, was^
perhaps borrowed by our prophetefs, notwithftanding (he diC-
claimed all other teachers, and pretended to receive every thing
immediately from God alone. It favours much of the doftrinc
of incubus fplri^s, that a dxmon can make a virgin with child
in her Deep, vi^ithout prejudice to her virginity, and that fomc
perfons of extraordinary merit have been produced from human
feed after this manner [c].
She had more difciples in Scotland than in any other country
perhaps of the world. Not only laymen, but fome of their ec-
clefiaftics embraced bourignonifna : and one of Antoinette's prin-
cipal books was publifhed, intituled, The light of the world, in
englifli, in 1696 ; to which the tranflator added a long preface
to prove that this maid ought at lead to pafs for an extraordi-
nary prophetefs. Mr. Charles Lefley, in the preface to the
fecond edition of his Snake in the grafs, obferved the errors of
this feft ; and they were refuted at larg^ by Dr. Cockburn, in
a piece intituled, Bourignonifm dete&ed, againft Meffieurg
Poirtt [h J, De Lort, and the englifli tranflator of die Lux Mundi,
who endeavoured to (hew that (he was infpired, and had received
a commiffion from God to reform chriftianity. This was an^
fwered by the bourignonifts in an apology for their leader ;
So] This folly is expofed with good wit the life and doflrine of madame Dourig.
humour by the count de Gabalisy m non, which is printed in the NouveUe
hit fourth difcourfe on the fecret fciences, de la Republique des lettres, for Apii^
f . t4o, edit Paris, 1670. 1^85, vt, 9^ and May i6S^, art. 8.
£h2 ThM auth«K( wrote Ai| a«^u.n| of
who
5«6 BOURSAULT^
I
V9ho hat a remnant ftill left in fomc parts of North-BritaitiJ
There is an extraft of her works in the Leipfic z€ts for May
1687, and January i688.
BOURNE (Vincent) [i], M. A. an amiable writer, whofc
clallical talle was only equalled by the goodnefs of his heart,
"was formerly fellow of Trinity college, Cambridge, and uflier
of Weftminfter fchool. From confcientious motives, he was
induced to refufe a very valuable ecclefiaftical preferment offered
him in the mod liberal manner by a noble duke. His only
publication was a volume of Poems, in i2mo. ; reprinted, with
improvements, in 4to, 1772.
BOURSAULT (Edmund), was born in 1638, at Mufli-
Teveque in Burgundy. He was not brought up at fchool, and
never learnt latin. He could only fpeak the rude provincial
dialed^ of his country, when he came to Paris in 165 1. But
by the perufal of good books, with his happy native difpofitions,
he was foon able to converfe and to write elegantly in french.
Having .cQmpofed, by order of Louis XIV. a book of no great
merit, intituled, Of the proper ftudy of fovereigns, 1671, lamo.
the king was fo well pleafed with it, that he would have ap-
pointed him fub-preceptor to Monfeigneur, if Bourfault had
been mafter of the latin language. The duchefs of Angouleme>
widow of a natural fon of Charles IX. having taken him to be
her fecretary, he was engaged to turn every week the gazette
into rhyme, which got him a penfion of 2000 livres. Louis
XIV. and his court were much entertained with him; but,
having employed his fatire againft the francifcans and the ca-
puchins, he was (ilenced. The queen's confefibr, a fpanifh
cordelier, caufed both the gazette and the penfion to be fup-
prefled \ and would have had him clapped up in the baftile^
had it not been for the intercft exerted in his behalf by his pa-
trons. He Ihortly after obtained a new licence, and publifhed
his gazette under the title of the Merry Mufe ; but it was
again fuppreffed- He afterwards got into favour once more>
and was made receiver of the excifc at Montlu^on, where he
died of a violent colic, aged 63, Sept. 5, 1701. He wrote fe-
deral theatrical pieces, and other works. The chief of them
are, ^fop in the city, and ^fop at court ; which have remained
to the ftage, and are ftill ^Gted with applaufe. Thefe two
pieces and the following are an agreeable fatire on the ridiculous
manners of the feveral ages and conditions of life. He runs
from gaiety to gravity, from drollery to morality, without any
abrupt and difgufting tranfition. His verfe in general is har-
monious. His ftyle is fometimes negligent, but eaiy and ana-
logous to the fubje£b. 2. The Mercure galant, or. La comedie
£1] Anecdotes of Bowyer, by Nichols, p. 441.
fans
BOURSIER. s^f
ffios titre, in ^ich he ingeniouQy ridicules the rage for getting
a place in the Mercure-galant. 3. La fatyre des iatyres> in one
a£i:. A fally of wit that Defpreaux had let fly at Bourfault, to
avenge Moliere, with whom he had had a diiFerence, gave occa«
(ion to this piece, which Boileau had intereft enough to prevent
being played. The fatirift being fome years afterwards at
the baths of Bourbon, Bourfault, at chat time receiver of the
excife at Montlu9on, repaired thither on purpofe to offer him
his purfe and his fervices. At this a£t of generoGty Boileaa
was much affe^led ; and they immediately engaged in a mutual
friendfhip. Bourfault was nighly deferving 0? this intimacy
by the gentlenefe of his manners, and the cheerfulnefs of his
difpofition. He behaved with lefs tolerance towards his other
cenfors ; and was able fometimes to chaftife them. A cabal
having prevented the fuccefs of the firft reprefentations of ^fop ia
the city, the author added to it a fable of the dog and the ox, and
wittily applied the moral of it to the pit ; which fo effe£lually
filenced the cabal, that the piece had a run of forty^three nights
without interruption. Thomas Corneille had a fincere regard
for Bourfault, whom he ufed to call his fon, and abfolutely in«
fifled on his applying to be admitted a member of the academy.
Bourfault deCred to be excufed on account of his ignorance,
adding with his ufual Cmplicity, *' What would the academy
do with an ignorant and illiterate (ignare & non lettre) member,
who knows neither latin nor greek?" " We are not talking
(returned Corneille) of a greek or latin academy, but of a
french academy ; and who underftands french better than you ?'*
There are likewife by him, i. Some romances. The marquis dc
Chavigny, The prince deConde; which are written with fpirit:
Artemifia and Polyanthus ; and. We ihould only believe what
we fee. 2. A coUefkion of letters on fubje£ls of refpeft, obli*
gation and gallantry \ known under the name of Lettres a Babet;
ftili read by fome people in the country, but defpifed by all
men of tafte. 3. Lettres nouvelles, with fables, tales, epi*
grams, remarks, bon-mots, &c. 3 vols. lamo. feveral times
reprinted, though moftly written in a loofe and inelegant (lyle.
A mifcellany, which appeared llriking when it firft came out i
but is much lefs at prefent, as the tales and bon-mots which
Bourfault has colle£ted, or put into verfe, are found in every
corner. His fables have neither the fimplicity of thofe of La *
Fontaine, nor the elegant prccifion of Phaedrus. There is an
edition of the Theatre dc Bourfault, in 3 vols. i2mo. 1746.
BOURSIER (Lawrence Francis), dodor of the Sorbonne,
was born at Ecoven in the diocefe of Paris, in 1679, and died
at Paris in 17491 at the age of 70. He publifhed, i. L'adiion
dc Dieu fur les creatures i Paris, 2 vols. 4to. or 6 vols. i2mo.
This trcatifc, in which he endeavours to eftablifli phyfical pro-
mocig
52»
BOWERS
motion by argument, was attacked by Malebfan^e : the anddf
feems to have been a profound metaphyfician. 2. A memoif
prefented to Peter the Great by the dofltors of Sorbonne fot'
che re-union of the greek and latin chiirches. When the tzat*
appeared in the Sorbonne, Bourfier addrcfied him on the fub*
J'tGt of this memoir. The monarch immediately anfweted, thaf
le was but a foldier. Bourfier replied, that ne was a hero i
and that, as a prince, he was a protcftor of religion.—" This re-
union is not fo eafy a matter (faid the t2ar) ; there arc thretf
points that divide us : the pope, the procefTion of the holy
{rhoft " As he had forgot the third point, which is the un-
eavened bread and the cup, Bourfier recalled it to his mind«
*• As for that article, returned the emperor, we (hall have no
difficulty in coming to an agreement.** At the end of the con-
verfation, the ruffian fovereign aflced for a memorandum of it :
it was given him ; but nothing more was ever heard of it. J*
An enormous quantity of publications on fubjeds of ecclefiaftical
controverfy. He fhould not be confounded with Philip Bour-
fier, deacon of Paris, where he was bom in 1693, and died in
1768, aged 77. He was the firft author, in 1727, of the Nou-
velles eoclefiaftiques ; in which work he had feveral coadjutors^
as Meflrs. d'Etemare, de Fernanville, Berger, dc Rullye, dc
Troya, Fontaine. But he alone compofed the greateft part of
the difcourfes that annually precede this periodical work.
BOWER (ARCHrBALD), was a native of Scotland, bom on
the 17th of January 1686 [k] at or near Dundee [l], of an an-
cient family, by his own account, which had been for feveral hun-
dred years poffefled of an eftate in the county of Angus in Scot-
land [m]. In September 1702, at the age of fixtecn, he was fent
to the Scots college of Douay, where nc ftudied until the year
1706, to the end of his firft year of philofophy [n]. From thence
he was removed to Rome, and on the 9th day of December
1706, was admitted into the order of Jefus [0]. After a novi-
ciate of two years, he went, in the year 1712, to Fano, where he
taught humanities during the fpace of two years. He then re-
moved to Fermo, and refided there three years, until the year
17 1 7, when he was recalled to Rome to ftudy divinity in the
Tomsm college. There he remained until the year 1 721, when he
was fent to the college of Arezzo, where he ftaid until the year
[k] Complete and Final Dete£lion of own account, was admitted hito tfie orders
Archibald Bower, p. 155. in November 1705, Anfwer to Six letter*
[l] Six Letters from Archibald Bower from Archibald Bower^ &c. p. 65 ; but chit-
to father Sheldon, p. 83. is evidently not true, being contradiAed
[m] Mr. Bower's anfwer to Bower and not only by the teftimony of a gentleman
Tillemont compared, p. 14. who remembered his leaving Douay, buC
[n] Complete and Final Dctedtiooj Stc, by the regifter of the college from whence
p. 109. the above date is utradtcd.
[o] Ibid. p. i55« Mr. Bower, by hb
17231
BOWER. 549
1723 fp], reader of philofophy, and confultof to the reflor of
the college. He then was fent to Florence, where he remained
but a fliort time, being in the fame year removed to Macerata, at
which place he continued until the year 1726 [c^^. Between the
two latter periods it feems probable that he made his laft vows,
his own account fixing that event in the month of March
1722 [r], at Florence t though, as he certainly was that year at
Arez2o, it is itioft likely to have been a year later.
Having thus been confirmed in the ordgr of Jefus, and ar-
rived at the age of almoft forty years, it was reafonable to fup-
pofc that Mr. Bower would nave pafled through life with no
other changes than fuch as are ufual with perfons of the fame
order ; but this uniformity of life was not deftined to be his lot.
To whatever caufe it is to be afcribed — whether, according to his
own account, to his difguft at the enormities committed by the
inquifition [s], in which he performed the office of counfel-
lor [t] •, or, as his enemies affert| to his indulgence of the amo-
rous paffion9, particularly with a nun to whom he was ghodly
father [u]; certain it is, that in the year 1726 he was removed
from Macerata to Perugia, and from thence made his efcape
into England, where he arrived at the latter end of June or July,
after various adventures, which it now becomes our duty to
communicate to the reader, and which we fhall do in his own
words ) premifine,*however, that the truth of the narrative had
been impeached m feveral very material circumftances. Having
4)etermined to put into execution his defign of quitting the in-
, quifition and bidding for ever adieu to Italy, he proceeds [xj,
" To execute that defign with fome fafety, I propofed to beg
leave of the inquifitor to yifit the Virgin of Loretto, but thir-
teen miles diftant, and to pafs a week there ; but in the mean
time to make the beft of my way to the country of the Grifons,
the neareft country to Macerata, out of the reach of the inquifi-
tion. Having therefore, after many conflicts with myfelf, afleed
leave to vifit the neighbouring fanftuary, and obtained it, I fet
out on horfeback the very next morning, leaving, as I propofed
to keep the horfe, his full value with the owner. I took the
road to Loretto, bur turned out of it at a fmall diftance from
Recanati, after a mo ft violent druggie with myfelf, the attempt
[p] Thcfc dates are taken from the [s] Bower's Anfwer to a Scurriloot-
ctrrads of the college books. Mr. Bower's* Pamphlet, p. 4.
own account (Anfwer to Six Letters, &c. [t] This, however, has been denied.
p. 7i.) differs in fome refpcfts ; panicu- See Complete and Final Dcicdlion. p. 58.
larly, he fays, that he was no longer than [u] Six Letters from Archibald Bower^
fix months at Arezzo* having been fent p. 85.
there to fupply the place of thi deccafcd [x ( Bower's Anfwer to a Scurriloui
profeilor of philofophy. Pamphlet, p. 19. Another account had
[^] Complete and FInA DctcAion> been publiilied in 17^0 by Mr. Barroa,
p. !<;<;. and a third is printed at the end of
[r1 Full Confutation I p. ^4, Bower and Tillemont Compared p ^9.
Vol- II. Mm appearing
530 BOWER.
appearing to mc, at that jundure, quite defperate and imprac-
t'tcable ; and the dreadful doom referved for me, fhould I mif-
carry, prefenting itfelf to my mind in the ftrongeft light. But
the refie£^ion that I had it m my power to avoid being taken
alive, and a perfuafion that a man in my fituation might law-
fully avoid it, when every other means failed him, at the expence
of his life, revived my daggered refolution ; and all my fears
ceafmg at once, I (leered my courfe, leaving Loretto behind me,
to Calvi in the dukedom of Urbino, and from thence through
the Romagna into the Bolonefe, keeping the by-roads, and at
a good diilance from the cities of Fano, Fifaro, Rimini, Forli,
Faenza, and Imola, through which the high road paflcd. Thus
I advanced very flowly, travelling, generally fpeaking, in very
bad roads, and often in places where there was no road at all,
to avoid not only the cities and towns, but even the villages.
In the mean time I feldom had any other fupport than fomc
coarfe provifions, and a very fmall quantity even of them, that
the poor ihepherds, the countrymen or wood-cleavers, I met in
thofe unfrequented by-places, could fpare me. My horfe fared
not much better than myfelf ; but in choofing my fleeping«place
I confulted his convenience as much as mv own ; paiBng the
night where I found moft (belter for myfclr, and moft grafs for
him. In Italy there are very few folitary farm-houfes or cot-
tages, the country people there all living together in villages ;
and I thought it far fafer to lie where I could be any way wel-
tered, than to venture into any of them. 'I bus I fpent feventeeiv
days before I got out of the Ecclefiaftical State; and I very nar-
rowly efcaped being taken or murdered on the very borders of *
that (late. It happened thus :
" I had pa(red two whole days without any kind of fubfiftence
whatever, meeting nobody in the by-roads that would fupply
me with any, and fearing to come near any houfe, as I was
not far from the borders of the dominions of the pope— I thought
I (hould be able to hold out till I got into the Modenefe, where I
believed I (hould be in lefs danger than while I remained in the,
papal dominions ; but finding myfelf about noon of the third
day extremely weak, and ready to faint, I came into the high
road that leads from Bolcgna tO Florence, at a few miles diftance
from the former city, and alighted at a pofl-houfc that ilood
quite by itfelf. Having a(ked the woman of the hoUfc whether
(he had any vi£luals ready, and being told that (he had, I went
10 open the door of the only rDom in the houfe (that being a
place where gentlemen only (lop to change horfes), and faw, to
niy great furprlfe, a placard pafied on it>«with f. moll minute de-
fer! ption of my whole perfon, and the promife of a.reward of
800 crowns, about 50' 1. cngli(h money, 'for delivering mc up
alive to the inqui(ition, being a fugitive from tlie holy tribunal,
and
ftOWFR. Sit
ftnd of 600 crowns for my head. By the fame placard all per-
fons were forbidden, on pain of the greater excommunication^
to receive, harbour, or entertain me, to conceal or to fcreen
me, or to be any way aiding and afliiling to me in making my
cfcape. This greatly alarmed me, as the reader may well
imagine i but t was ftill more affirighted when entering the room
I faw two fellows drinking there, who, fixing their eyes upon me
as foon as I came, continued looking at me very iledfafUy. t
ftrove, by wiping my face, by blowing my nofe, by look'ing out
at the window, to prevent their having a full view of me. But
one of them faying, ^ The gentleman feems afraid to be feen,'
I put up my handkerchief, and turning to the fellow, faid boldly,
^ What do you mean, you rafcal ? Look at me *, I am not afraid
to be feen. He faid nothing, but looking again ftedfaf^ly at
me, and nodding his head, went out, and his companion imme-
diately followed him. I watched them, and feeing them with
two or three more in clofe conference, and, no doubt, confult-
ing whether they (hould apprehend me or not, I walked that
moment into the ftable, mounted my horfe unobferved by them,
and, while they were deliberating in an orchard behind the houfe^
rode off full fpeed, and in a few hours got into the Modenefe,
where I refrefhed both with food and with reft, as I was there in
no immediate danger, my horfe and myfelf. I was indeed fur-
prifed to find that thofe fellows did not purfue me, nor can I
any other way account for it but by fuppofing, what is not im-
probable, that as they were ftrangers as well as myfelf, and had
all the appearance of banditti or ruffians flying out of the do--
minions of the pope, the woman of the houfe did not care to
truft them with her horfes. From the Modenefe I continued
my journey more leifurely through the Parmefan, the Milanefe,
and part of the Venetian territory, to Chiavenna, fubjefl, with
its diftrid, to the Grifons, who abhor the very name of the in-
quifition, and arc ever ready to receive and protedl all who, fly-
ing from it, take refuge, as many Italians do, in their dominions.
However, as I propofed getting as foon as I could to the city
of Bern, the metropolis of that great proteftant canton, and was
informed that my heft way was through the cantons of Urj and
Underwald, and part of the canton of Lucern, all three popifh
cantons, I carefully concealed who I was, and from whence I
came. For though no inquifition prevails among the Swifs, yet
the pope's nuncio, who refides at Lucern, might nave perfuaded
the magiftrates of thofe popifli cantons to ftop me as an apoftate
and deicrtcr from the order.
" Having refted a few days at Chiavenna, I refumed my
journey quite refreflied, continuing it through the country of
the Grifons, and the two fmall cantons of Ury and Underwald
to the canton of Lucern. Thcrr I mifled my way, as I was
M m a quite
Sji BOWER.
qiiitc unacquainted with the country, and difcorering a city at
a diftance, was advancing to* it, but very flowly, as I knew not
where I was ; when a countryman whom I met informed me
that the cicy before me was Lucern. Upon that intelKgcncc I
turned out of the road as foon as the countryman was out of
fight \ and that night I pafied with a good-natured (hepherd in
his cottage, who fupplied me with fliecp's milk, and my horfc
with plenty of grafs. 1 fat out very early next morning, making
the beft of my way weftward, as I knew that Bern lay weft of
Lucern. But after a few miles the country proved very moun-
tainous \ and having travelled the whole day over mountains, I
was overtaken amongfl: them by night. As I was looking out
for a place where I might (helter myfelf during the night againft
the fnow and rain, for it both fnowcd and rained^ I perceived
a light at a diftance ; and, making towards it, got into a kind of
footpath, but fo narrow and rugged that I was obliged to lead
my horfe and feel my way with one foot, having no light to di-
reft me, before 1 durft move the other. Thus with much dif-
ficulty I reached the place where the light was j a poor little
cottage, and, knocking at the door, was afked by a man within
who I was, and what I wanted. 1 anfwered that I was a ftranger,
and had !olt my way. * Loft your way !' replied the man ; * there
is no way here to lofe.' 1 then alked him in what canton I was ;
and upon his anfwering that I was in the canton of Bern, * I
thank God/ 1 cried out, tranfported with joy, * that I am.' The
good man anfwered, * And fo do I.* I then told him who I was,
and that I was going to Bern, but had quite loft myfelf by keep-
ing out of all the high roads to avoid falling into the hands of
thofe who fought my deftruflion. He thereupon opened the
door, received and entertained me with all tlie hofpitality his
poverty would admit of, regaled me with four-krout and fomc
new-laid eggs, the only provifions he bad, and clean ftraw with
a kind of rug for my bed, he having no other for bimfelf and
his wife. The good woman expreflcd as much fatisfaAion and
good-nature in her countenance as her hufband, and faid many
kind things in the fwifs language, which her hufband interpreted
for me in the italian ; for that language he well underftoo<l, and
fpoke fo as to be undcrftood, having learnt it as he told me in
his youth while fervant in a public-houfc on the borders of
Italy, where both languages ;ire fpoken. I never paflcd a more
comfortable night ; and no fooncr did I begin to ftir in the
morning, than the good, man and his wife came both to know
how I rafted, and wifhing they had been able to accommodate
me better, obliged me to hrcakfaft on two ^ggs, which provi- .
dcnce, they faid, had fupplied them with for that purpofe. I
then took leave of the wife, who with her eyes lifted up ro -
heaven fcemed moft Cncerely to wifh me a good journey. As
for
BOWER. 533
for the hufbaody he would by all means attend me to the high-
road leading to Bern ; which road he faid was but two miles
diftant from chat place. But he inPifted on mj firft going back
with him to fee the way I had come the night before, the only
way, he faid, I could have poffibly come from the neighbouring
canton of Lucern. I faw it, and (huddered at the danger I had
efcaped ; for I found that I had walked and led my horfe a good
way along a very narrow path on the brink of a dreadful precipice*
The man made fo many pious and pertinent remarks on the oc-
caGon, as both charmed and furprifed me. I no lefs admired
his difintereftednefs than his piety: for, upon our parting, after
he had attended me till I was out of all danger of lofi ng my
way, I could by no means prevail upon him to accept of any
reward for his trouble. He had the fatisfa£lion, he faid, of
having relieved mc in the greateft diftrefs ; which was in itfelf a
fuiHcient reward, and he cared for no other.
*^ 1 reached Bern that night, and propofed (laying fome time
there ; but being informed by the principal minifter of the place,
to whom I difcovered myfelr, that boats went frequently dow;n
the Rhine at that time of the year with goods and pafTengers
from Bafil to Holland j and, advifed by him to avail myfelf of
that opportunity, I fet put accordingly the next day, and croffing
the popi(h canton of Soleurre in the night, but very carefully
avoiding the town of that name, I got early the next morning
to Bafil. There I met with a mod friendly reception from dhc
of the minifters of the place, having been warmly recommended
to him by a letter 1 brought with me from his brother at Bern*
As a boat was to fail in two days, he entertained m&very ele-
gantly during that time at his houfe ; and I embarked t)ie third
day, leaving my horfe to my hod in return for his kindnefs.
" The company in the boat confided of a few traders, of a
great many vagabonds the very refufo of the neighbouring na-
tions, and fome criminals flying from judice. But I was not
long with them ; for the boat driking againd a rock not far
from Strad>urg, I refolved not to wait till it was refitted (as it
was not my dcfign to go to Holland), but to purfue my journey
partly in the common diligence or dage-coach, and partly on
pod-norfes, through France into Flanders.
" And here I mud inform the reader, that though the cruel*
ties of the inquifition had iufpired me with great horror at their
being encouraged under the name of religion, and I had there-
upon begun to entertain many doubts concerning other do£lrines
that I had till that time implicitly fwallowed, as mod italian
catholics do, without examination ; nevcrthelefs, as I had not
thoroughly examined them, nor had an opportunity of examin-
ing them, being employed in dudies of a quite different nature,
I was not yet determined to quit citlicr that church or the order.
M m 3 Having
534
BOWER.
Having therefore got fafc into French Flanders, I there repaired
to the college of me fcotch jefuits at Douay j and difcovering
myfelf to the re£lor, I acquainted him witn the caufe of my
fudden departure from Italy, and begged him to give immediate
notice of my arrival, as well as the motives of my flight, to Mi-
chael Aneclo Tamburini, general of the order, and my very par-i
ticular friend. My repairing thus to a college of jefuits, and
{mtting myfelf in their power, is a plain proof, as may be ob-
crved here-by the way, that it was not becaufe I was guilty of
any crime, or to avoid the puniihment due to any crime, that I
had fled from Italy : for had that been the cafe, no man can
think that inftead of repairing to Holland or England, as I might
have cafily done, and bid the whole order defiance, I wbuld have
thus delivered myfelf up to them, and put it in their power to
infli£l on mc what puniftiment focver they pleafed.
" The reftor wrote as I had defired him to the general ; and
the general, taking no notice of my flight in his anfwer (for he
could not difapprove it, and did not think it fafe to approve it),
ordered me to continue where I was till further orders. I ar-
rived at Douay early in May, and continued there till the latter
end of June or the oeeinning of July, when the reftor received
a fecond letter from the general, acquainting him, that he had
been commanded by the congregation of the Inquifition to order
me, wherever I was, back to Italy ; to promife me in their name
full pardon and forgivenefs, if I obeyed ; but if I did not obey,
to treat me as an apoftate. He added, that the fame order had
been tranfmitted foon after my flight to the nuncios at the dif-
fcrent.rOman catholic courts ; and he therefore advifed me to
confult my- own fafety without farther delay.
** It is to be obfcrved here, that it is deemed apoftaey in a
perfon of any religious order to quit his habit, and withdraw,
without the knowledge tof his fuperiors, from the college, con-
vent or monaftcry, in which they have placed him j and that all
bilhops are not only im powered, but bound to apprehend fuch
an apoftate within the limits of their refpeAive jurifdi£lions,
and deliver him up to his fuperiors to be puniflicd by them. A^
1 had quitted the habit, and withdrawn from the college of Ma-
cerata, without leave from my fuperiors who had placed me
there, I fhoiild have been treated as an apoftate, had 1 been dif-
Coyered in my flight in a roman catholic country, even where
no inquifition prevailed. But my returning voluntarily, and rc-
fuming the habit, cleared me from the guilt of apoftaey at the
general's tribunal, nay, and at that of the inquifition itfelf. How-
ever, the congregation of the inquifition had it ftiU in their power
to oblige the general to recal me to Italy, and to tr^at me as an
apoftate if I did not obey ; difobcdience to an exprefs command
of a lawful fuperior being deemed apoftaey, and punUhed as fuch
with
BOWER. 535
with clofc confinement, and with bread and Water for food till
the order is complied with. That order the general received ;
but his friendfhip for me, of which he had given me fome re-
markable inftances, and his being fully convinced of my inno-
cence, the inquifitor himfelf having nothing to lay to my charge
but my flight, prompted him to warn me of the danger that
threatened me. Indeed I thought myfelf quite fafe in the do-
minions of France ; and Qiould accordingly have lived there un-
molefted by the inquifition^ what crime loever I had been guilty
of cognizable by that tribunal alone ; but as I had belonged to
it, and was cofliequently privy to their hellifli proceedings, they
were apprehenfive I fliould difcover them to the world ; and
it was to prevent me from ever difcovering them, that they
obliged the general to order me back to Italy, and promife me,
in their name, a free pardon if I complied, but to confine me
for life if I did not complv with the order.
** Upon the receipt of the general's kind letter, the reftor
was of opinion, that I fhould repair by all means, and without
lofs of time, to England, not only as the fafeft afylum I could
fly to in my prefent fituatlon, but as a place where I (hould foon
recover my native language, and be ufefully employed, as foon
as I recovered it, either there or in Scotland. 1 readily clofed
with the reftor's opinion, being very uneafy in my mind, as my
old doubts in point of religion daily gained ground, and new
ones arofe upon my reading, which was my only employment,
the books of controverfy I found in the library of the college.
The place being thus agreed on, and it being at the fame time
fettled between the tc&ot and me that I (hould fet out the very
next morning, I folemnly promifed, at his requeft and defire, to
take no notice, after my arrival in England, of his having been
any ways privy to my flight, or of the general's letter to him.
This promife I have faithfully and honourably obferved ; and I
ihould have thought myfelf guilty of the blacked ingratitude if
I had not obferved it, being fenfiole that, had it been known at
Rome that either the reftor or general had been acceflary to
my flight, the inquifition would have refented it fevcrely on
both. For though a jefuit in France or in Germany is out of
the reuch of the inquifition, the general is not ; and the high
tribunal net only have it in their power to punifh the general
himfelf, who refides conflantly at Rome, but may oblige him to
inflict what punifhment they pleafe on any of the order obnoxi-
ous to them.
" The reftor went that very night out of town ; and in his ab-
fence, but not without his privity, 1 took one of the horfes of
the college early next morning, as if I were going for change of
air, being fomewhat indifpofed, to pafs a few days at Liflc. But
fleering a different courfcj I reached Aixc chat nighty and Calais
M m 4 the
536 BOWER.
the next day. I was there in no danger of being ftopped and
feized at the profecution of the inquifition, a tribunal no lefs
abhorred in France than in England. But being informed by
the general, that the nuncios at the different courts had been
ordered y foon after my flight, to caufe me to be apprehended in
the roman catholic countries through which I might pafs, as an
apoftate or defcrter from the order, I was under no fmall appre-
henfion of being difcovered and apprehended as fuch even at
Calais.^ No fooner, therefore, did I alight at the inn, than I
went down to the quay \ and there, as I was very little ac-
quainted with the fea, and thought the paffage mnch fliorter than
it is, I endeavoured tb engage fome fifliermen to carry me that
very night in one of their fmall veflels over to England. ITii^
alarmed the guards of the harbour ; and I (hould certainly have
been apprehended, as guilty or fufpefted of fome great crime^
flying from jufticc, had not lord Baltimore, whom I had the
good luck to meet at the inn, informed of my danger, and
pitying my condition> attended me that moment with all his
company to the port, and conveyed me immediately on board
his yacht. There I lay that night, leaving every thing I had
but the clothes on my back in the inn j and the next d^y his
lordftiip fet me'afhore at Dover, from whence I came in the
common ft age to London [y]."
This is the narrative which, after thirty years, Mr. Bower
gave the public as a genuine account. Whether owing to the
inaccuracy of thofe who had formerly heard it, to the variations
to whigh a tale frequently repeated is always liable, or to the
negle£l of veracity in the writer, it certaitily diflered from ac-
counts which had been orally given by him too much not to
furniih fonie fufpicions of the author. On his arrival in England
it appears to have been his firil: obje£t to procure an introdudlion
to fome perfons of refpeftability in the country deftined for his
future refidence. He nad heard of Dr. Afpinwall foon after his
arrival ; and that divine having formerly belonged to the order
of jefuits, he w^it^d on him, and was kindly received. By
this gentleman he was introduced to Dr. Clark *, and to them
both he opened, as he faySj his mind, without difgi^fe, refpeil-^
ing his doubts relative to his faith. After feveral conferences
with thcfe gentlemen, and fome with Berkeley, the biihop of
Cloyne f z], then dean of Londonderry, added to his own reading
and reafoning, he obtained, as he fays, the fulleft convidlion
that many of the favourite doftrines of Rome were not onlj
evidently repugnant to fcripture and reafon, but wicked, blaf-
phemous, and utterly inconfiftent with the attributes of the fu*
[y] Bower's Anfwtr to a Scurrilous [«] Ibid. p. 31.
pamphlet, p. 30.
preme
BOWER. 537
premc and infinite being. li^Aerefore \i4thdrew htmfelf from
th* communion of the chunJPRrithout further delay, took leave
of the provincial, quitted the order, and broke oflFall conne£lion
with thofe of the communion. This happened in the month of
November 1726.
He did not, however, become immediately a member of any
other church. " I declined,' fays he, " conforming to any par-
ticular church; but, fufpefling all alike, after I had been fo long
and fo grofsly impofed upon, I formed a iyftem of religion to
myfelf, and continued a proteRant for the ipace, I think, of fix
years, but a proteftant of no particular denomination. At laft I
conformed to the church of England, as free in her fervice as any
reformed church from the idolatrous pra£lices and fuperftitions
of popery, and lefs inclined than many others to fanaticifm and
cnthufiafm [a]."
By Dr. Afpinwall's means he was introduced to all that gen-
tleman's friends and acquaintance ; and among others to Dr.
Goodman (phyfician to king George the firft), who procured
him to be recommended to lord Aylmer, who wanted a perfon
to affift him in reading the clafTics. With this nobleman he con-
tinued feveral years on terms of the greateft intimacy \ and was
by him made known to all his lordfliip's coune£lions, and parti-
cularly to the family of lord Lyttelton, who afterwards became
his warm, (leady, and to the laft, when deferted by almoit every
other perfon, his unalterable friend.
During the time he lived with lord Aylmer, he undertook, for
'Mr. Prevoft, a bookfeller, the Hiftoria Literaria,a monthly pub-
lication in the nature of a review, the firft number of which was
publifhed in the year 1730. He wrote the preface to that work,
and feveral of the articles, in italian ; not being, as he aflerts,
yet fulBciently acquainted with the englifh to write in that lan-
guage [b]. In the mean time he clofcly applied to the ftudy of
the engliffi tongue, and after fix months began to think that hi
had no further occafion for a tranflator, and he employed him no
more.
While he was yet engaged in writing the Hiftoria Literariy,
the proprietors of the Uniyerfal Hiftory would have engaged
him in that undertaking. But though fome advantageous offers
were made him, he declined them, until the Hiftoria Literaria
was relinquifhed in 1734. In the next year he agreed with the
proprietors of the Univerfal Hiftory, and was employed by them
to 1744, being the fpace of nine years [c].
While
[:l
Bower's Anfwer, tec. p. 3 a. Little Chclfe*.
The preface was tranfl.tced by Mr. [cj The part which he wrote of this
Lock "nan, uud the reft by Mr. Barkleyt work was the roman hiftory ;• in ihe exe-
w ho ke^t afttrw4fdt a bearding-fdiooi aC culioD of whick be n charged by his fellow*
labourer,
53* BOWER.
While he was engaged in %a^mycr{zl Htftory, he under*
took, at the requeft of Mr. ChaflRi, of Apley Cattle in Shrop-
ihire, the education of young Mr. Thompfon, Ion of Mr. Thomp-
fon of Cooley in Berkfliire : but the bad ftate of his health at
that time did not allow him to continue more than a twelve-
month in that family •, and upon his recovery, lord Aylmer en-
gaged him to educate two of his children, one of whom after-
wards became a captain in colonel Lee's regiment, and the other
a prebendary of Brittol [d].
By the emoluments arifing from his tuition and his writings,
it appears that in the year 1740 he had faved the fum of i looL
in the Old South Sea annuities, with which he had refolved to
purchafe a life-annuity. In the difpofition of this money he was
engaged in a negotiation for the loan of it, which afterwards
proved fatal to his chara£ler. We (hall again have recourfe to
Mr. Bower's own account. Having determined to purchafe this
annuity, he proceeds in this manner : ** This refolution I im-
parted to feveral of my protettant friends ; and, among the reft,
to Gr Thomas Moftyn's lawyer, and to fir Thomas himfelf, of-
fering at the fame time the above-mentioned fum to him, as
he well remembers, and is ready to atteft. But neither fir Tho-
mas, nor any of my other protettant friends, carine to burthen
their eftatcs with a life-rent, I left my money in the funds till
Auguft 1741, when being informed that an a£k of parliament
had pafTed for rebuilding a church in the city of London, St. Bo-
tolph's Aldgate [e], upon life-annuities, at feven per cent. I went
upon that information into the city, with a defign to difpofe of
labourer, George Ffalmanaaxar, with the done, in both refpedi, the very referfe of
occafioD of fome material parts of the work, what he ought to have done." Pfalouiaaa-
md particular!/ of the byzantine hiftor/f far'i Life, p. 708.
heing curtailed. ** The truth is," fays that [oj Bower's AnTwer to a fcurriloiis
author> *< that the author of the roman pamphlet, p. 40.
hiftory having u-ire* drawn it to above three [b] In thii circumftance, however, he
times the length it was to have been, there was miftaken. His Anfwer fays 1 ** I caa
was an abfolutc neceffity of curtailing that now take upon me to aflure the publtct that
of the conlUntinopolitao emperors, 10 pre- Mr. Bower's journey into the city to lend
vent the work fwelling into an enormous his money at St. Botolph's, his comingtoo
bulk ; and he himfelf hath abridged it in late and finding the fubfcription clofed, and
fuch a manner as hath quite marred it, (ince his accidental meeting with Mr. Hill at
the reader will find moil reigns contained Will's cofiee-houfe, as related in his De-
in as many (hort paragraphs as they would fence, are fidions of the inventive imagi'-
have required (heets ; which is fo much nation of a man who appears to be capable
the greater lofs to the public, inafmuch as of faying any thiog« where he thinks he
the roman hiftory being fo well known, (hall not be traced.'* Full confutation of
and written by fo many hands, was the fit« Mr. Bower, p. 6S. — In reply to which Mr.
teft to have been epitomized ; whereas the Bower fays, * It might be St. Catherine's
bysantine, though equally curious and in- Coleman, Fenchurch-ftreet, or any other;
ftru'^ive, \% fo little known, that it ought that the point of importance was, that he
to have been written in a more copious meant to fubfcribe to a church, though hit
manner, efp^cially as it abounds with the memory at fuch a di/lance of time might
xnoil interefting incidents to the church as miftake the particular one." Mr. Bower's
well as the ftate : fo that the author hath Reply tt> the full coQlutation> p. 31.
my
BOWER. 539
my money that way. That this was my intention, Mr. Norris,
cUleft fon to the late fir John Norris, witli whom I advifed about
it at the time, ftill remembers, and is ready if required to de-
clare. But I came too late, and found the fubfcription was
clofed. This difappointment I mentioned to Mr. Hill, whom i
accidentally met in Will's coffee-houfc, near the Royal Ex-
change •, and upon his ofFerine me the fame intereft that was
given by the truftees of the above-mentioned church, the bar-
gain was concluded in a few meetings, and the fum of i loo K
transferred, Auguft 2 1, 1741, not to Mr.Shirburn, as is faid in the
letter from Flanders, p. 64, but to Mr. Wright, Mr. Hill's tfanker,
as appears from the booksof theOId South Sea annuities. Mr.Hill
was'a jefuit, but tranfa>5led money matters as an attorney, and
was in that way a very noted man, bore the chara£ler of a fair
dealer, and dealt very largely in affairs of that nature with pro-
teftants as well as vvith papiils. It was with him I immediately
dealt ; as is manifeft from the orders on his banker or cafhier^
Mr. Wright, in p 72 of the libel, which were all figned by him,
and by nobody elfe ; and he paid me fo punflually, that fome
time after I added 250 1. to the fum already in his hands, and
received for the whole 94 1. los. a year. I afterwards refolved
to marry \ and it was chiefly upon that confideration, though
not upon that alone, 1 applied to Mr. Hill to know upon what
terms he would return me the capital. The terms he propofed
were as eafy as I could expe£l : for he agreed at once to repaj
it, only deducing what 1 had received over and above the com-
mon intereft of tour per cent, during the time it had been iti
his hands; and he did fo accordingly, as fpon as he conveniently
could. Thus did this money tranfaftlon begin with Mr. Hill,
was carried on by Mr. Hill, and with Mr. Hill did it end."
The account of this t ran faction given by his opponents is ma-
terially diiFerent. By them it is aflerted, that after a time he
wiflied to return into the arms of the church he had renounced,
and therefore, in order to recommend himfclf to his fuperiors,
he had recourfe to a method which he thought would efFe£lually
prove his fmcerity towards them. He propofed to father Shir-
burn, then provincial in England, to give up to him, as repre-
fentative of the fociety, the money he then pofleflcd, on con-
dition of being paid for it, during his life, an annuity at the rate
of fcven per cent. This oiFer was accepted ; and on the aiil of
Auguft i74iyhe paid to father Shirburn 1 1 00 1. ; and on tho
27th of February 1741-2, he paid to the fame perfon 150 1.
more upon the fame conditions. Nor did his confidence reft
here ; for, on the 6th of Auguft 1743, he added another 100 1.
to the above fums, now augmented to 1350I. when the feveral
annuities were reduced into one^ amounting to 94 1. los. for
whick
540 BOWER.
"which a bond ^as oiven [f]. This negotiation hid the wiflicd
cffcQ. ; and our author was rc-admitted in a formal manner into
the order of Jefus, at London, about the end of the year 1744 or
becinning of the year 1 745 [g].
It fccms difficult to affign a fufScient reafon why, after having
'been re-admittcd to the order, he (hould again grow diflatisfied
with his fitiiation -, though fome qonje&ures have been oflFered
to account for it £h]. Certain it is, however, he once more de-
termined to break with the jefuits, and obtain his money again.
To accomplifh this point, he engaged in the correfpondence
which afterwards was fo much canvafled. It anfwered, howevery
his purpofe; and he received his money back from the borrowers
on the 20th of June 1747. *
The fuccefs [ij of the Univerfal Hiftory in its firft edition,
encouraged the proprietors to venture on a fecond ; and they
had recourfe, unluckily for themfelves [kJ and the credit of the
work, to the aid of Mr. Bower, to revife and corredi it. For this
fervice he received the fum of 300 L though it is aflerted he did
very little to the work ; and that even upon collating the two
editions, fo far as Mr. Sale wrote, where he profeffed to have
done much, it appeared he had not made a fingte alteration, only
fubilituted in a few places the hebrew chronology in the room
of the famaritan [lJ.
Being thus difcngaged from his literary employment, though
he had not then received back his money from the jefuits, he
on the 25th of March 1747, put forth the propofals [m] for his
hiftory of the popes; a work which, he fays, he undertook fome
years fmce at Rome, and then brought it down to the pontificate
of Viclor, that is, to the clofe of the fecond century. In the
execution of this work at that period he profefles to have re-
ceived the firft unfavourable fentiments of the pope's fupremacy.
On the 13th May 1748, he prefentcd to the king the firft vo-
lume J and on the death of Mr. Say, keeper of queen Caroline'^
f r] Six leltcrii from A. Bower, p. 64. as he acc6rding1y did, to their no fmall mor-
[ cj Ibid, p^ 74. . tification, as veil as hurt (o themfelves and
{ hJ Ibid, p' 34. to the work. I might add, that as he wA
[i] Bower's Anfwer to a fcurrilous and owned h tmfelf quite unacquainted witli
pamphlet, p- 40. the eaftern languages, he was the moft uo-
[kJ *- With refped^to the management qualified for feveral parts that fell to his lot
of ihe partners about this i'ccond edition, of any; and if care had not been taken,
tljcy were guilty of two fatal errors : the would have committed fuch miftakes in
fi ft In committing fo great a ihare of the the very fpelling of the proper names, as
work, as well as the reviCl of the whole, would quite have dlfcreditcd it." Pfalma-
toa man who they had all reafon to believe naieir's Life, p. 319. See alfo p. 32 ~.
aimed chiefly at gain and difpatch; and to f l] Fullc^>nfutation, p- 51.
agtee with him by the lump, as they did, [mJ Sec a copy of them at the end of
1* hich would only prove a temptation to his AilHidvir, p 40,
him to hurry it on as fall a& he could ; and
library
BOWER. 541
library (10th of September), one of his friends (Mr. Lyttelton,
afterwards lord Lytielton) appUed to Mr. Pelham for that
place for him, and obtained it[Nj. The nejct year, 1749,
on the 4th of Augud, he married a nleoe of bifhop Nichoi-
fon, and daughter of a clergyman of the church of England, a
younger fon of a gentleman's family in Weftmoreland, who had
a fortune of 4000 1. fterling, and then had a child by a former
hufband ; which child he afterwards depofed on oath was no
way iiijured by his marriage [o]. He had been engaged in a
treaty of marriage, which did not take effeft, in the year 1745 [pj*
In the year 175 1, the fecond volume of the Hiftory of the popes
made its appearance [qJ.
In the fame year, 1751, Mr. Bower publiftied by way of fup-
plement to his fecond^olume, feventeen (heets, which were de-
livered to his fubfcribers gratis ; and about the latter end of 1753
he produced a third volume, which brought down his hiftory to
the death of pope Stephen, in 757,
His conftant friend Mr* Lyttelton, at this time become a ba-
ronet, in April 1754 appointed him clerk of the buck warrants,
inftead of Henry Read, efq. who held that place under the earl
of Lincoln. This office was probably of no great emolument.
His appointment to it, however, ferves to flicw the credit he was
in with his patron [rJ.
It was in this year the firft ferious attack was made upon him
on account of his Hiftory of the popes, in a pamphlet printed at
Douay, intituled. Remarks on the two firft volumes of the late
Lfves of the popes. In letters from a gentleman to a friend in
the country, 8va; and written, as Mr. Bower afferted, by a popifti
prieft, Butler, one of the raoft aftivc and dangerous cmiflaries of
Rome in this kingdom [s].
His correfpondence with the jefuits af laft came to light; and
falling into the hands of a perfon who poirefled both the fagacity
to difcover, and the induftry to purfue and drag to public no-
tice the pra£lices of our hiftorian, the warfare began in the year
1756, and ended in the tctal dilgrace of Mr. Bower. After a
careful perufal of the controvcrfy, a lift of which is here added
in a note, we are compelled to believe that our author (who,
fliocking as it may be to obferve, made an affidavit, denying the
authenticity of letters we think fully proved) was clearly con-
victed of the material charges alleged againft him. He repelled
the attack, however, made on him with great fpirit; and conti-,
[n] Second part of Bower*s Aofwer, [n] Se£ alfo in lord Lyttelton 'sWorki*
p. 11. vol. iii. p-3<3t> two letters to Mr. Bo\vec
[o] Mr. Bower's Affidavit, p. 3?. ' dcfcrlbing'a journey into Wales,
(pj AnCwer to a fcurnloui pamphlet^ [s] Aafwer to a fcuirllous pamphle^
f :9- P- 43-
.to Six letters from Arch. Bower, p. 9*
t pued
54*
6 O WE R.
nued to aflcft his innocence, and to charge his enemies with foul
pra£lices, long after his Hiilory of the popes» as well as his own
veracity, had fallen into contempt. We find, in the courfe of
this controverCy, he ran fome hazard of being brought on the
ftage by Mr. Garrick, on account of the manner in which he
mentioned that incomparable a£lor and his lady in one of his
works [t].
From this period his wliole time feems to have been fpent in
inefFe£lual attacks upon his enemies, and equilly vain efforts to
recover the /reputation pf himfelf and his Hiltory of the popes i
which points he purfued with great fpirit, confidering the age to
which he had then attained. Before the controverfy had ended
he publiflied his fourth volume ; and in 1757 an abridgment of
the firft four volumes of his work was publilhed in irench at
Amflerdam. In 1761 he feems to have aflfiiled the author of
Authentic memoirs concerning the portuguefe inquifition, in a
feries of letters to a friend, 8vo } and about the fame time pro-
duced the fifth volume of his Hiftory of the popes. To this
volume he annexed a fummary view of the controverfy between
himfelf and the papifls, in 180 pages j a performance which,
from the virulence of his abufe, was more calculated to imprefs
[tJ This was in hU Summarf view of
^e ooDtroverfy between the papifts and the
author, 4to, p. 1 68 ; ^htrein, after taking
notice of an obfervauon of his antagonift,
that he had not ventured of late t6 vifit the
gentleman and lady mentionrd in one of
the pamphlets publiOied againft him, he re*
jpliest *' Now. that foreigners, and they who
five at a diibince from London, may not
think that 1 dare not (hew my face at the
houfe of any rca/ gentleman or real lady
where 1 was once honoured tvith admit-
tance, I beg leave to inform them who the
gentleman and lady are. The gentleman,
then, is Mr. Garrick» an a^r who now
•£ts upon the ftage. The lady is his wife»
Mrs. Garrick, alias Violecii, ^ho within
thefe few years danced upon the ftage. To
tSothemjuftice, they are both cninent in
their way. The gentleman, though no
Rofcius, is as well known and admired for
his a^ng as the lady for her dancing ; and
the lady was as well knwn and admired
for her dancini; as the gentleman it for his
a^ing ; and they are in that fenfe far nO'
4iVr," — "This contemptuous nolicc,** as
Mr. Davies obfervcs, *' ahrmed the fpirits
and fired the refentment of oar m.\r.a!;cr;
he determined to make an cxajople p( the
impoftor, and to bring his charader upon
the ftage. But as lord I.yttelton had ho-
Bourcd him with bis fhenJOiip, and his
lordihip had, notwithflandmg all that
had been faid and written againft Bower,
continued to countenance and proted him»
he thought it an adlof decency to acquaint
his lordihip with his intention. Mr. Gar*
rick read his own letter to me, as wc«l %»
bis lordfliip'sanfwcr. The firft contained
complaints of Bower's, ill behaviour to Mr«
Gamck ; his refolution to write a farce,
with a (bort outline of it, in which Bower
was to be introduced on the ftage as a mock
convert, and to be ftiewn in a variety of at-
titudes, in which the profligacy of hiii cha-
ra<^er was to be cxpofcd However, he fub-
roiticd the matter to his lordOiip, and de-
clared, that he (hould not proceed a ftep in
his intended refentment without his per-
mitTion. The anfwer, I remember per-
fetf^ly well, was comprifed in very conde*
fcendinf and polite terms : but, at the fame
time, he declined the countenancing an at-
tempt which would be attended, perhapsy
witli fomC little uneaiinefs to himielf. He
expreftrd himfelf in the moft obliging and.
friendly tcims to Mr. Garrick; and. as far
as I can recoiled), recommended the fup-
preflfing his intended ch.«ftifement of. Bow.
er." Life of Garrick, vol. i. p. 272. Mr,
Davies adds, that •* Mr. Garrick, in co«-
fequence of lord Lyttehon's letter, gave up
all further thoughts of introducing Bosi^
to the public."
th«
BOWER.
543
the reader with the conviaion of his guilt, than to afford any fa-
tisfaf^ion of his innocence.
Whetherthrough theneglcft of the work by the public, orhis age,
declining abilities, or to whatever other caufe it is to be afcribed,
the remainder of his hiftory did not make its appearance until
juft before the author's death, when the fixth and feventh vo-
lumes were publiflied together, and thefe in fo hafty and flo-
venly a manner, that the whole period from 1600 to 1758 was
comprehended in twenty-fix pages.— He died on the 2d Sep-
tcmber 1766, at the age of 80 years. By his will, made on the ift
of AUguft 1749, which does not contain, as might be expefted,
any declaration of his religious principles [u], he bequeathed all
his property to his wife, who, fome time after his death, attefted
his havinir died in the proteftant faith [x] [yJ.
■* BOWLE
[o ] Thii it the more remarkable, as it
was Yery much the prad^ice of the times,
and as from the peculiarity of Mr. Bowser's
fituation it fecms to have been particularly
incumbent on him, on that folemn occa-
6on, to have given the world that fatif*
fadion. In his Anfirer to Bower and TiU
]emont compared, p. 3, he fays he was
married aoth Auguft 1749. From the date
of his will it appears he was married earlier
than Auguft.
[x] This we remember to have feen.
If we can truft to our memory, in the Lon-
don Chronicle. •
[y] The following is a lift of the pieces
publimed in confequence of the Hiftory of
the popes : i. A dialogue between Archi-
bald and Timothy ; or, fome obfervations
upon the dedication and preface to the Hif-
tory of the popes, &c. Svo. 1 748. %, A
faithful account of Mr. A. B— r's mo-
tives for leaving his office of iiecretary, ^c
8vo. 1 7 so* 3' Remarks on the two firft
volumes of the late Lives of the popes. In
kiten from a gentleman to a friend in the
country. Douay, 8vo. 1754- 4- Six letters
from A d B— r to father Sheldon,
provincial of the jefuiu in England, llluf-
trated with fcveral remarkable faAs, tend-
ing to afcertain the authenticity of the faid
kttcrs, and the true chara^er of the writer.
8vo. 1756. . f. Mr. Archibald Bower's
affidavit in anfwcr to the falfc accufaiions
brought againft him by the papifti, &c. 8vo.
17^6. 6. Bower vindicated from the falfe
infinuations and accufations of the papifts.
Wiih a ftiort account of his charadUr, ire.
By a country neighbour. 8vo. 1756. 7. Mr.
Bower's anfwer to a fcurrilous pamphlet
intituled Six letters, ftc Part I. 8vo. 1757.
8. Bower and Tillemont compared; or,
the &tft volume of the pretended original
and proteftant Hiftory of the popes (hewn
to be chiefly a tranflation from a popifli
one, &c. 8vo. 1757. 9. Mr. Bower's an-
fwer to a new charge brought againft hin\
in a libel intituled Bower and Tillemont
compared. 8vo. 1757. 10. The fecond
part of Mr. Bower's anfwer to a fcurrilous
pamphlet, Sec, 8vo. 1757. 11. A full con-
futation of all the fa£ts advanced in Mr.
Bower's three defences, &c. 8vo. 17^7.
12. Mr. Bower's reply to a fcurrilous libel,
intituled A full confutation, Sec, 8vo.i757-
r 3 . A complete and final detection of Arch*
Bower, Sec. 8vo, 1758. 14. One very re-
markable h&. more lelating to the condufl
of the jefuits, Sec, By Mr. Bower. 8vo.
1758. 15. Some very remarkable fa£tt
lately difcovered, relating to the condudfc
of the jefuits with regard to Mr. Bower»
which will greatly contribute to unravel the
myftery of that affair, Sec. By the rev.
JohnCorpe> rcftorof Way ford, Somerfet.
Bvo. 1758. 16. Bower dcte£ted as an hif-
torian, orhis many effcntialomiffiops, and
mote eifential perverlionsof fadts in favour
of popery demoaftrated, by comparing the
three volumes of his Hil^ory with the firft
volume of the frcnch Hiftory of the popes
now tranflating. By the rev. Temple Henry
Croker.Svo.i7s8. 17- Mr. A— d's mo-
tives for renouncing the popiih and re-em-
bracing the proteftant religion, in which he
was educated, with feveral frefti inftancet
of the unchrKtian principles of the papifti
in general, and the jefuits in particular.
8vo. 175!^. 18. A letter to Mr. A i
concerning his motives for renouncing the
popifh and re-embracing the proteftant re«
ligion. 8vo. 1 7 58. 19. Summary view
of the controverfy between the papit^i and
the author. 4to. 1761. 20. A brief re-
futation of die principal charges brought
againil
544 B O W Y E R.
BOWLE (John), reftor of Idminfton near Salifljury,- Wa«
born the 26th Odober 1725, and was dcfcended from Dr. John
^ Bowie bifhop of Rocheftcr in the laft century, was of Oriel col-
lege Oxen, where he too!; the degree of M. A. the 6th July
1750. He had the honour to be one of the firft deteftors of
Lauder's forgeries, and according to Dr. Douglas's account had
the jufteft claim to be confidered as the original deteftor of that
ungenerous critic. He was the author of a Letter to Dr. Percy,
and editor of Don Quixote in fpanilh ; and of Marfton's Satires
and fome old poetry in englifli. He died 0£t. 26, 1788, having
that day completed his 63d year.
BOWYER (William) [zJ, a very learned englifli printer,
was born in White Friars, London, Dec. 17, 1699. His father
was a printer of eminence ; and his maternal grandfather Icabod
Dawks, was employed in printing the polyglott bible by Walton,
from 1652 to 1657. ^^ ^"^^^ placed for grammatical education
under Mr. Ambrofc Bonwicke, who was elefted mafter of Mer-
chant Taylors fchool in 1 686, but had been turned out, in 1691,
for refuCng to take the oaths of allegiance. June 17 16, he was
admitted of St. John's college, Cambridge ; where he continued
till June J 7!i2. H^xt he formed an intimacy with Mr. Markland
and Mr. Clarke of Chichefter, and maintained a correfpondence
with them as long as he lived. Soon after leaving college, he
entered into the printing bufinefs with his father ; and one of
the firfl: books which came out under his correftion, was the edi-
tion of Selden's works by Wilkins, in 3 vols, folio. This, was
begun in 1722, and finifhed in 1726 ; and his great attention to
it appeared in his drawing up an epitome of the piece De Sy-
nedriis, as he read the proof-flieets. In 1727, the learned wotld
were indebted to him for an admirable fketch of William Bax-
ter's glofTary of the roman antiquities. The (ketch was called
A view of a book intituled Reliquise Baxterianse, in a letter to a
frietid : and it recommended him highly to Dr. William Wotton
and the antiquaries. This, and the littlepiecejuft mentioned,
with many other fugitive trails, have been publiflied in a volume
of his Milcellaneous tracts, 1784, 4to.
Oftobcr 1728, he married; but loft his wife in 1731 : he had
two fons by her, one of whom died an infant, the other furvived
him. In I7>9, through the friendfliip of the fpeaker Onflow,
he was appointed printer of the votes of tlie houfe of commons }
an ofEce which he held, through three fucceflive Fpeakers, for
nearly fifty years. In 1736, he was admitted into the fociety of
figainft Mr. Bower by hisenemieS) extra£l- letters to father Sheldon proved to be for«
'ed from tht Summary view. '410. 21. The geries by the teftimony of a profefled je*
reverend dete^or ; or, the difguifed jcfuit futt. 4to.
detedlcd, or proved nut of his own mouth a [s] Anecdotei, by Kicbolt,
li«r and a flaodcrer* 411X %z. The fevea ^
antiquaries ^
B O W Y E R. 545
.ahti4uariC8; wWc meetings he regularly attended, and to^hich
he was a great benefaQor in the doubJc capacity of a printer and
a member: in the lattef, by communicating to them matters of
titllity and ctiriofity. It is not within our plan to mention all
the little publications of our learned printet, and ftill Icfs the
prefaces, note^i and other additibns, which he ihadc to the fork's
of others : they who art further curious abdut hiin may have
recourfe to the Biogra|>hia Britannida,' or to his life as publiAied
by Mr. Nichols. We (hall notice, however, the mod ftriking
particulars of him, both as an author and as a printer. In 1742,
he printed the additional book of Pope's Dunciad; and received,
on this oecafion, teftimonies of regard both from the poet and
bis con^mentator Warburton. He had a long appiareht friehd-
(hip with the latter i but this, like many othet l6ng friendfhips,
cndcil at .length with jealous! ftirmifed, fpletietic bickering^,
and with that cold efttem,' which pcdple, who ^re grown mutu-
ally difagrecable, content themfelvfes wifli txpreffing towardi
each other.
In 1750 he publiihed Kufter^s tr^tife Dc vero ufu verboruiifi
tnediofum, with a prefatory diflertation and notes; a new^ditioii
of which, with additions, appeared in 1773, *^"^o* ^^ *75'»
Monteiquieu's Reflections bh the rife and fall of the roman em-
pire, tridi a long preface atid not^s ; a new edition of which ap-
peared in 1759. Likewife, in i 75 1 , the firft trairflation of Roufi
feau's paradoxical oration upon the inequality of tnankind, which
gained the prize at the academy of Dijon, and which firft an-
nounced that wild and fingular genius to the public. In 1761
he was appointed printer to the royal fotifcty. in 1763, came
out what may be called his capital work : Novum Teftamentimii
Grxcum, ad fidem gfaecorum folum Codicum MS. nunc primumi
iinpreflum, adftipulante Joanhe Jricobo Wetftefiio, jtixta fec-»
tiones Jo. Alberti Bengelii diviilim, et nova interpfretatione
fsepius iliuftratum. Acceflere in altero volumine emendationes
conjedurales virorum dodorurfi uiidecimque colledae, 2 vol.
lamo. This fold with.greiit rapidity^ whieh fome imputed to
the notes being in engliSi. Ttey have been deemed^ however, s
tcry valuable addition to the new Teftament ; and were repub-
liflied in a feparate volume Svo.in 1 772 ; . and we can with pica-
fure add, thait a new and corteft edition of this Ztceii l^eftament,
with the Conje£ture^ (confiderably improved n^om the margin
of Mr. Markland*s Teftament, arid by new communications
from bifliop Barrington, profeflbr Michaelis, Mr. Stephen Wef-
fon. Dr. Goflet, and other literati)^ has been publifhed by Mr.
Nichols, in 1782 and 1783, under the infpefliori of the learned
Dr. Owein, whofe own notes form no inconfiderable part of the
publication.
In 1 j66 he engaged in a partnerfhip with Mr. Nichols, who
VOL.U. Nn • had
546
B O W Y E R.
had been trained by him to the profeifion, and had aftfted him
many years in the management of bufmefs. This enabled Mr.
Bowyerj who was growing an invalid, to withdraw in fome de-
gree from too clofe an application ; and did alfo no inconfider-
able fervice to the public, by bringing forward a perfon, who,
from his zeal for the caufe of letters, and his abilities to pro-
mote it, is juftly deemed a very fit fucceflbr to his learned friend
and partner. In 1 766 he wrote a latin preface to Joannis Har«
dttini, Jefuitae, ad cenfuram fcriptoirum veterum prolegomena;
in which he gives an account of that work, and of the manner
in which it has been preferved. The remarks of Mr. dc Miffj,
a very learned and accurate man, were publifhed about the fame
time, in a latin letter, addrefled to Mr Bowyer. In 1767 he was
appointed to print the journals of the houfe of lords, and the
rolls of parliament. In 1771 he loft a fecend wife, aged 70,
whom he had married in J 747. In 1774 was publiflicd, the
Origin of Printing. In two effays. i. The fubftance of Dr. Mid-
dleton's difTertation on the origin of printing in England. 2. M<ser-
man's account of the art at Haerlem, and its progrefs to Mentz,
with occaGonal remarks, and an appendix. The originalldea of
this ufeful work was Bowyer's ; but it was completed hy Mr.
Nichols. In 1777, he clo(ed his literary career with a new edi-
tion of Bentle/s difTertation on the epiftles of Phalaris>8vo. with
additional notes and remarks of others.
He died, Nov. 18, 1777, after having been afiU£led, the laft
'ten years of his life, with the palfy and the (lone. He certainlj
ftood unriv^^lled, for more than half a century, as a learned
printer, of which his own publications are an inconteftahle
proof; and to his literary and profefGonal abilities he added an
excellent moral charader. He was a man of the ftri&eft probity^
and alfo of the greated liberality ; particularly in relieving the
oeceflitous, and aflifting every fpecies of diftrefs. Many minute
|)articulars of him, that da not come within our plan, may be
feen in the Anecdotes of his life. Some extra£ls from his Will,
however, (hall be annexed, as an indifpen&ble tribute to his
jfiemory [a}.
BOYD
[a] After a liberal proriiion for hit ion. Brewer, and to his fiftcf, fifty ^cmads cacfa^
aiBon^other legacies ave thefc : ** I like- 1 give and bequeath to mj relation Mr.
wife give to my foa all my plate ; except Thomas Linley aud his wiie oae thouTand
the fmall diver cup which was given to poimda four per cent, coafolidated aonid-
my father fafter his lofs by fire) by Mrs. ties, to be transferred to them^ or to the
JtmcSf and which I give to the Company furvivor o# them ; and which I hope they
of Sutioners in London, hoping they wDl will take care to fettle, at their deaths*
preferve it as a memorial. Having com- for the benefit of their ion and daughter,
roitted my body to the earth, I would teC I give to the two fons and one datighter of
tify my duty and gratitude to my few re^ the late reverend Mr. Maurice of Gothen-
latioin and numerous benefadors after my burgh in Sweden, who married the onlyi
father's lofs by Hre. I givo and bequeath daughterof Mr. RichardWilliamfop, book*
4a my coofia Scott lately of Yfe&tniafttr, fellor (in return for her £ithex's friendihip
to
B 0 Y 13.
il47
feof D (Robert, M. A.), was bbni at Trochrigj in the ftirc
bf Rciifrew, 1573, where his family had for fomc centuries pof-
fefled
kx> mint), one thoufand poundi four per
eent. confolidatcd annuities, to be divid*
cd equally Iwtweea them. Amoog my f«-
ther's numerous benefa£lors9 there is not,
^at I can hear of, one alive : to feTcral
efthem I made an acknowledgement. But
one refpe^abie body > I am ttill indebted
|o, the uniterfity of ^kmbridge ; to whom
}. give, or rather reftore, the fum of fifty
pounds, in return for the donation of forty
pounds made to nly father mt the motion
of the learned and pious mailer of faint
John's college, dodor Robert Jenkin : to
a nephew of his I have already given an*
other fifty pounds, as appiiars by hit re-
ceipt of tlie thirty-firft of May, one thou-
tand feven hundred add feventy. 'the be-
ne fadions which my father received from
Oiford I caii only repay with gratitude ;
as he received them, not from the uni-
Verfity as a body, but fit>m particular
members. I give thirty pounds to the dean
ttnd chapter of Canterbury^ in gratitude for
the kindnefs of the «vorihy do^or Stan-
hope (fometime dean of Canterbury) to my
lather; the remembrance of which amongtl
the proprietors of his works I have long
out*lived, as I have experienced 1)y not
being employed to print them : The like
I might fay of the works of Mr. Nelfon,
another refpedlable friend and patron of
my father's, and of many others. I give
to doAor William lieber^ien my little ca.
biiiet of coins, wiih Hickcs's Thefnurus,
Triftan, and the odd volume, Spanhcim's
Numtfmata, H.irduiii's Opera Seledb, in
folio, Numml Populofum et Uibium, in
qu;.rto, and any oiher of my books he
choofe^ to accept : To the reverend do^r
Henry 0 vcn, fuch of my hebrew books,
and crli»c;if books on the New Teftauient,
aS he*|)'eafc» mtake : To Richard Gough,
efquri^, in like manner, my books on to-
prsruphical fuSjctfls : To Mr. John Vi-
cJ >!<. all books that relate to Cicero, Livy,
arul the roman hirtory, pirtitularly the
** Ccnor iphu" of Noris and Pighius, my
j^r.mwnv' and dictionaries, with Swift's
ar.d P-^rc':^ •• nr'^ts : To my fon, whatever
bo,.ks . n >t deurihed a^ove) he thinks pro-
pei lo t;i :c.— Ati i ro^x 1 hope I may be
all.:^vr•l ' > \cv- K-)uf->h.it for the benefit
c\ pTi.ti.-T. T^rl. end, I civi* to the
ri'ili:<r avaI keeper. «^«- wrd-ns -nd com-
n'-'-iiify '■! {li- ins'^f-vvv an of i i^anoncr
of the c IV" ot I r>v..!oi\, UiZA I Il;m of ir)>r'.ey
■>.'•. " ■'.' rurvlvi f tvv:' ''..>:r.»Tivi v^n- ds th:cc
t.'. '\'Ktd IJ.it. k annai'i'i's, uron
rr .:
-• ;
.iu" uivldciios and yearly pro-
N
duce thereof, to be divided for ever e(|[ual«
ly amodgft th^^e printers, compoiitors or
prefimen, to be eleded from time to time
by the mafter, wardens, and afiiftants, of
the faid cortipany, and who at the time of
fuch eledion ihall be fixty-three years oM
or npwards, for their refpeftive liv^t, io
be paid half-yearly i hoping that fuch as
Iball be mdft deferving will be preferred.
And whereas I have herein before g:ven
to my foQ the fum of three thoufand pounds
four per cent, confolidated annuities, in
cafe he marries with the confent of my
executon : Now, I do hereby give and be-
?[ueath the dividends and intereft of that
um, till fuch marriage take place, to the
faid company of fiationers, to be divided
equally between fii other printers j com-
(lofitors or preffmen, as aforcfaiJ, in man-
ner aS aforefaid { and, if my f^id fon ihall
die unmarried, or rharried without fUch
tonfent as aforefaid, then I give and be-
queath the faid capital fum of three thou-
fand pounds to the fjid company of Sta-
tioners, the dividends and yearly produce
thereof to be divided for ever equally
amongfi fix other fuch old printers, com-
pofiiurs or prefi*men, for. their refpe^ive
livtsj to be qualified, chofen, and piid
in manner as aforefaid. It has long
been to me matter of concern^ that fuch
numbers are put apprentices as compofi-
tors without any fhare of fchool^ learning,
who ought to have the grcateft : In hopci
of remedying this, 1 give and bequeath (o
the faid company of ftatiooers fuch a fum
of money as will purchafe one thoufand
pounds three per cent, reduced bank an*
fluities, for the ufe of one journeymaft
com poll tor, fuch as (hail hereafter be de-
foTJbcd; with this fpecial trutt, that the
mafter, wardens and a(!iftants, ftiall pay
the dividends and produce thereof half-
yearly to fuch oompofitor : The faid maf-
ter, wardens, and alHOapts of the fiid
company, (hall nominate for this plirpofe
a oompofitor who is a man of gootf^ Ufe
aAd converlation, who (hall ufually fre-
quent fonae place of public worftiip every
Sunday unlefs prevented by ficknefs, and
(hall not have worked on a newfoaper ov
magazine for fo6r years at leaft beibra
fuch nomination, nor (hall ever afterwards
whilft he holds this annuity, which may
be for life, if he continues a joutneyman :
flc fhall be able to read and conftrue latin,
nr^i at lc<ft to read ?reck fluently with ac*
cc.'its : of which he (hall bring a teltimo^
Til A ftoir. Uie fedtor of St. Martin's Lud<*
n z gate
548 BO Y D.
fcflcd a landed eftate of confiderable valutf. He recrfvcd his eda-
. cation in the univerfity, of Samur in France, where he made
great proficiency in learning, and became one of the paftors in
a protcftant congregation. The fame of his literary merits at-
tra£ied the notice of king James L \tho fent for him, and ap^
pointed him principal of the univcTfity, with a view of reconciling
the young clergy to the epifcopal form of church government.
But Boyd was ilrongly attached to the puritans, fo tliat he foon
left the place of principali and accepted of the pariih of Trochrig»
of which he was patron. He was much efteemed among the
prefbyterians for the faithful difcharge of his duty f and his
commentary on the epillle to the Ephefians, written in elegant
latin, (hews him to have been well acquainted with the whole
body of divinity. He died at Trochrig 1629, aged 56.
BOYD (Mark Alexander [b]), an ingenious and accom-
pliflied Scotchman, was defceiulcd from an antient family of
that name, and born in Galloway 1 562. His uncle, an archbiffaop
of Glafgow, had tlie care of his education, and put him under
two grammarians at Glafgow; but, being of an high and in-
tractable fpirit, he quarrelled and fought with his matters, burnt
his books in a palfion, and fwore that he renounced laarning for
ever. He went, a youth, to court, in hopes of pufhing an in-
tereft there ; but, not fuccceding, his friends perfuaded him to
travel abroad ; and, by way of abating the fervor and impe-
tuofity of his fpirit, to engage in the wars of the United Pro-
vinces. He himfelf, however, preferred thofe of France ; and
went to Paris, with a fmall ftock of money, which he quickly
loft by gaming. This, event Icems to have brought him to re-
flexion -, and he now determined to apply himfelf to literature.
What he propofed to excel in, was the knowledge of the law ;
for which reafon he attended the leftures of Cujacius, the prin-
cipal civilian of the age. He recommended himfelf greatly to
Cujacius, by adopting that civilian's tafte in latin poetry; and to
this circumftance was owing his application to latin poetry,
which he afterwards cultivated with fo much fuccefs. After
gate for the time being : I coutd wi(h that (hall exadly anfwer the above defcriptioot
he ihall have been brought up piouHy and and it may at Come times happen that
virtuoully, if it be pofTiblc, at Merchant fuch a one cannot be found ; I would have
Taylors, or Tome other pu!)!ic fcliod, from the dividends in the mean time applied to
feven years of age till he 1; full feventccn, fuch perfon a< the mafter, wardens* and
and then t« fcrve feven yeir^ faithfully as aHifVant?, (hjll think approaches oearcft to
a compofirtor, and work fcven ytars more what I have defLribc-l. And whereas the
as a journeyman, as I would cot have above truth will occafion fome trouble : I
this annuity beftowed on any one under give to th^ faid company, in cafe they
thirty-c:»c yraM 'of ag^ : If after he is t^i^k prnpT to accept the trufts, two
chofcn ht fliould behave ill, l-i him be hundred and fifl7 pounds." It is almoft
fi^imed out, and another le chofcz; in his fupeifluous lo add, that the trud was ac*
il-ad. And whereas it nny he many years cepted, and is properly executed,
Hrfore ^ Loaipwiitor may be fojr.d that f bJ Biog. Brit. ?.d rdit.
many
B O Y E R. 549
many adventares abroad, he returned to Scotland, where hi foon
died of a flow fever, 1601, in his 39th year.
He left fome MSS behind him, whicn have not been printed.
His Epiftolx Heroidum, and his Hymni, were infbrted in the
Delicise Poetarum Scotorum, printed at Amfterdam^ in 2 toIs.
iamo. in 1637 ^ and a great charader has been given of them,
by feveral authors [c3* An ingenious biographer aflerts, that
Boyd is not mentioned by any englifh writer [i>]\ but he is
miftaken : bifhop Tanner nas made a (hort article of him, and
informs us^ that, beiides epiftles and hymns, he publifhod two
books of J^igrams. Boyd iiifcribed his Epiftolse to James VI. o£
Scotland, or James I. of England, whom he reprefents as fuperior
to Pallas in wijdom, and Mars in arms.
BOYER (Abel), a well-known gloflbgrapher and hiftorio-
grapher, was born at Caftres in France in 1664. Upon the re*
vocation of the edi£t of Nantz, he. went to Geneva, and from
thence to Franeker, where he finifhed his ftudies. Afterwards
he came over to England, where he fpent his whole life, and
died at Chelfea in November 1729. The work he is chiefly
known by, is a very excellent french and engliih, and englifH
and french di&ionary ; drawn up originally for the ufe of the
duke of Gloucefter. It was firfl: printed at London 1699, 4to ;
and the fourth, that is, the laft edition of it in England, for it
was printed alio abroad^ is that of 1752. He wrote alfo a french
grammar in englifli[E]; which ftill retains its rank in our
fchools ; for it is remarkable, that he attained the knowledge of
the englifh language to as much perfeAion, as if it had been the
languajje of his native country. As an hiltoriographer, he was
the author of The political ilate of Great Britain, and 1 he hif-
tory of king William and queen Mary. But in this ^hara£ter he
is not (o refpe£iable as in the former.
BOYER (Claude), of the french academy, was born at Alby
in 1618. He came young to Paris, where he cultivated his ta-
lent for eloquence. But, having preached with l'!iiall fuccefs,
he quitted the pulpit for the ftage. He had been declaiming
;igainft the theatre, and now devoted himfelf to it for life, always
fatisfied with himfelf, bijt (eldom with the public. Born with an
imagination which fubmitted to no rcdraint, he made choice of
fubjedls ilrangely complicated, and equivocal heroes who had
no chara£ter whatever. Aiming always at the fublime, where
the fimplicity of nature was required, he fell into a drain of
bombad, unintelligible perhaps to himfelf. He is the author of
two-and-twenty dramatical pieces, full of fudian, and condutted
without any knowledge of the drama. His Judith had a tran-
ce] DifTertat. Academ. de Poetit. [£] A a5th edition was publifhed is
[tjj Granger's Biogr. Hittof England, 17S4.
V. i. p. a^i6, 2d edit.
N n 3 fient
I5«J B O y E R.
fkiit Aiceeff . The epigram it produced frpm Racine is generally
known. ** Jc pleure, h61as ! pour ce pauvre Holopheme, fi me*
chamment mis k nu)rt par Judith.*' This piece, applauded dur»
ing a whole Lent, was hifled ofF the (Use in the Eafter hoKdaysl
Cnampmeile, afking the reafon of the ncUenefs pf the pit, was
anfwered, that the hifTers had been at Verfailles atlhe fermons
df the abbe Boiieau. Boyer, at length diflieartened by this con-
ftant run of ilUfuccefs, brought out his tragedy of Agamemnoii
*nder a borrowed name. Racine, his gtand tormentor, ap-
plauded the piece. Boyer could not refram from crying out in
she pit. '* It is however Boyer's, in fpite of Monf. de Racine.*'
This tranfport cod him dear : his tragedy was hiifed at the next
performance. He died at Paris, July 22, 1698, aged 80.
BOYER (John Baptist Nicholas), chevalier of the order
of St. Michael, and phyfician in ordinary to the french king, was
born Aug. 5, 1693, at Marfeilles. The plague, which committed
fuch havoc in that city in 172Q, gave him an opportunity of dif«
playing his zeal and his talents, befides procuring him a penGon
on the royal treai\iry. He feveral times afterwards left Paris, to
go to Spain, to Germany, and into various provinces of France,'
to employ his ability in the treatment of contagious or defperacoi
difeafes ; in which he was furprifingly fuccelsful. He gave a
new edition of the Codex medicamentarius, feu Pharmacopeei^
parinenfis, 4to. a very ufeful and well digefte^ work. He dic^
at Parisi April, 2, 1768, at the age of 75.
INDEX.
I 551 3
INDEX
TP THE
SECOND VOLUME.
Fase
Page
-nAART, Peter
J3 Babakoufchi
1
Baguri
H
ib.
Baha
ib.
Babington, Gervafe
ib.
BahaU
ib.
Bacai
2
Bahar
ib.
Bacalani
ib.
Bahier^ John
H
jl^alary Sanns^
ib.
Baier, Jean Jacques
ib.
^accali
ib.
Baif, Lazarus
ib;
Baccio, Andreas
ib.
Bailies^ William
ib.
Bachelier, Nicholas
ib.
Baillet, Adrian
ib.
Bachini, Bemardine
s
Pailli, Roche 1^
a7
Bachylides
ib.
Baillie, Robert
ib.
Bacici, John Baptift
ib.
BaiUou, William
29
Backer, James
4
Bainbridge, John
30
Bacon, Robert
ib.
Baius, Michael
31
n^^^^
ib.
Baker, Sir Richard
33
Sir Nichols
7
David
ib.
0
i-
ib.
tician
34
»5
*
■ ' Sir Nathanael
ib.
rian
ib.
Phannel
i6
Heniy
29
Bacoue, I^eo
ib.
Backhuifen, Ludolph
43
Bacquerre, Benedict
ib.
Balamio, Ferdin^d
ib.
Badakfchi
ib.
Balathi
ib.
Badafch
ib.
Balbi, John
ib.
Badcock, Samu«i
ib..
Balboa, Vafco Nugncs de
44
Bafkarkah
22
Baibuena Bernard de
ib.
Bagford, John
ib.
Balde, James
ib.
Bagizadeh
ib.
Baldinucd, Philip
Baldock, Ralph de
4j
Baglivi, George
ib.
ib.
B^^ioli, Julius Csefar
ai
Baldus, Bernard
4^
Bagihaw, William
23
— — — dcUbaldis
ib.
N
"4
Bale,
ss^
INDEX.
Bale, John
Balcchou, Nicholas
JWe^IVter
Baley, Walter
Balguy, John
Bali Miuli Ea}i
Balkini
Ball, John
Ballandcn, Sir John
Ballard, George
Ballerini, Peter and Jerom
B-lLxferd
Ballin, Claude
Balfamon, Theodore
Balthafar, Chriftopher
Balthazarini .
Baltus, John Francis
Baluze, Stephen
Balzac, John Lewis Guez de
Bamboche
Banchi, Seraphim
Banck, Lawrence
Bancroft, Richard
Bandarra, Gonzales «
Bandello, Matthew
Bandinclli, Baccio
Banduri, Anfelm
Banier, Anthony
Jpanifter, John
•: Richard
Banks, Sir John
■ John
— — — John
Baptiil, John
Baptiftin, John Baptiil Struck
Baranzano, Redemptus
Baratier, John Philip
Barba, Alvarez Alonzp
Barbadillo
Barbara, Daniel
Barbaras, Hcrmolaus
Barbazan, Stephen
Barbeau, ^ohn Lewis
Barbcrini, Francis
Barbeu, James
Barbeyrac, John
Barbier, John
Mary Anne
B:^rbour, John
Pigc
47
lb,
ib.
ib.
as
ib.
ib.
H
fb.
lb.
ib.
ib.
60
61
ib.
64
ib.
jb.
^5
ib.
66
67
68
ib.
ib.
\b.
I*
lb.
Barbud
Barcali
Barclay, Alexander
William
John
Robert
Bard*
Bardefanes
Bardhadi
Bardin, Peter
Baretti, Jofeph
Barezi
Bargrave, Ifaaq
Baridah
Barini
Barkham, John
Barki
Barlxus, Gafpardut
— i— Lambert
Barland, Adrian
Barlowe, Thomas .
— r William
Barnard, Theodore
■' ■» John
■ Sir John
Bapes, Juliana '
-. Robert
' Joihua
Barnevejdt, John d*01dcn
Baro, Peter
Baroche, Frederic
Baron, Bonaventure
— — - Michael
Hyacinth
Baronrus, Caefar
Barral, Peter
Barrelier, James
Barrere, Peter
Barrington, John Shut^
Barros, John
Barrow, Ifaac
Barry, Spranger
Barfuma
Bartas, Guillaume de Sallufle
du
Barth, John
Barthclemi, Nicholas
Barlhius, Cafpar
Bartholin, Cal'par .
1
lb.
7«
80
83
ib.
lb.
ib.
ib.
lb.
93
ib.
ib:
ib.
tb.
ib.
lb.
97
ib.
100
ib;
101
ib.
102
iPJ
104
ib.
106
ib.
107
108
ib.
ib.
Ill
III
"5
119
119
120
122
ib.
ib.
Bar-
J N D E X.
$SS
SarthoUn, Thomat 1 25
Bartlet, John 124
Bartoli^ Daniel ib.
Bartolocci, Julius 125
Sarton, Elizabeth ib.
BzTvnck, John 127
Peter 128
Barzerini ib.
Bas ib.
Bafil, St. 229
Bafilides 130
Bafingfloke^ John ib,
Bafire^ John 13 1
Balkerville^ John ib.
Sir Simon 133
Bafnage^ James 234
Henry 235
BaiSin, James du Pont ib.
Baffandyne, Thomas 236
Bafiantin, James ibi
Baflet, Peter ' 25B
Baffith al Khaiath ib.
Bafibmpierre, Frafi9oi3 ib.
Baila^ George X39
Bafbud, Thomas 240
Bafton, Robert ib.
Ballwick, John tb.
Bate, John 242
-^— George 242
— Julius ib.
Batecumbe, William 243
Bateman, William 244
Bates, William ib.
Bathalmiufi 245
Bathurll, Ralph ib.
■ Allen 146
Baton!, Pompeo 247
Battaglini, Mark 157
Battely, John 2*58
Batteux, Charles ib.
Battle, William 259
^aub 261
Baudelot, Charles Caefar ib.
Baudier, Michael 262
Baudius, Dominib ^ ib.
Baudot, Nicholas 263
Baudouin, Bcncdifl 264
Bauhinus, John ib.
-'— Gafpar 265
Bauldri, Paul
Baulot, James
Baume, James Francis
Baur, John William
Baufch
BaufHri
Bautru
Baxter, Richard
William
. ■ ■ Andrew
Bayard
Bayer, Theophilus Sigifred
Bayle, Peter
Bayly, Lewis
—*-=— Thomas
Baynes, John
Bazzaz
B6,£ruillaume le
Beacon, Thomas
Beale, Mary
Beard, John
Beaiton, David
■ - James
Beau, John Lewis le
•— Charles Ic
Beaucaire, Francis
Beauchamps, Pierre Fran9ois
Godard de
Beauchateau, Frangpis Mat-
thieu Chatelet de
Beaver, John
Beau£ls, Ouillaume
Beaufort, Margaret
Beaulieu, Sebaftian Pontault de ib
John Baptift AUais de ib.
Beaumelle Lawxsnce Angliviel
165
ih.
166
ib.
lb.
ib.
ib.
17s
ib.
»74
181
ib.
183
184
ib.
ib.
ib.
185
186
ib«
ib.
292
i9S
ib.
ib.
294
ib.
dela
Beaumont, Sir John
Francis
Joieph
Hardouin
Beaune, Florimont de
Beaurain, Jean de
Beaufobre, Ifaac de
Lewis dp
Beauvais, Guillaume
Beauvilliers, Fran9ois de
Bebcle, Henry
Becan, Martin
^95
197
ib.
198
299
lb.
ib.
20O
ib.
ib.
ib.
202
ib.
Becca«
554
INDEX,
Beccaddli» Lewis
Beccariy Auguftine
Bcccaruy Joon Baptift
— James Bsrtliolomar
Bccher, John Joachim
Becker, Daniel
Bccket, Thomas
Secktngham» Chaifes
Beckmgton, Thomas
Becqucty Antoioe
Beaafh^Culi
Beaoz, Chmde de
Beda, Noei
BedaorBede
BcdtE, Willtam
Bcdenc, Henry
Bcdford>HnkiaIi
»■■■'■■ Thomas
BedEoe, William
Bedreddia
Beger, Lawrence
Beeooy Michael
BwmDy Martin
Behoy Aphra
Beidhavi
Behhar
Befc^Darid
BeLker, Balthafar
Bdy Jean Jacques
Bdcamp, John Van
Belchicr, John
Belidor, Bernard Foreft de
Belingy Richard
BeKost Mathias
Bcll> Beaiipr6
BellaiyWmiamda
BeDarminy Robert
Bellay, Jean dn
■ Martin du
■ Joachim do
Belle, Etiennede la
* ' Alexis Simon
l^Uean, Remi
Belleforety Francis de
BeUegaide, Jean Baptift Mor-
van de
BeDenden, William
Bellcnger, Francis
BeUety Charles
Page Pac€
20Z BeBin, Gentil - 24s
aoa John ib.
ib. — — Nicholas ibw
ib. Bellini, Lawrence 3>.
904 Bellocq, Peter 245
205 Belloi, Peter ib.
ib. ■ Peter Lawrence Buy-
aio rette du ib.
lb. BeHoriy John Peter 34.5
ib, Bebn, Peter ib.
3>. Beloty John 246
ib* Bclfunce, M. de ib.
211 Bemboy Peter 249
ib. Benavidio 25 X
214 Benbow, John u>.
218 ■- John 2<3
ib. Bendlowes, Edward ib.
Xig Benedetto 255
220 Benedidy St, ft.
ib. ^ Abbot 256
ib. Benedidus, Alexander , iL
221 Benefield, Sebaftiaa ib.
ib* Benezet, Anthony 257
ib. Beni, Paul 258
224 Benjamin of Tudela ib.
ib- Benivieniy Jerome 2^9
ib* Bennet, Henry, ft.
325 Dr. Thomas 262
227 — — Chriftophcr 265
ib. Robert ib.
ft. Benoit, Elie 266
229 Benfcrade, Ifaac dc ib.
ib. Benfon, George 26S
230 Bentham, Edward 270
231 ^ ^^ James 274
ajj Bentivoglioy Guy 277
234 Bentley, Richard 278
236 Thomas 282
237 BenyoHki ft.
ft. Beofoco, Angelo
238 Berauldy Nicholas
ib. Bercagarius, Jacobus 299
239 Berenger ibl
ib. Berenicius 3CX)
Beretin, Peter ib.
240 Bergamo, James Phftp de 301
> ib. Bergham, Van ib.
241 Bergier, Nicholas ib.
241 Berigardy Claude ib.
Bering,
IJ? D E X.
55$
^jcnn^, Vitus
JBcrkeley, Dr. George
George
Berkenhouty Dr. John
Berkley, Sir WiU^m
Bemardy St«
» — Edward
■ James
■ ■■ — Catharine
■ ■ of Thoringia
*—-..— of Bruffeh
■ Peter Jofeph
— — Francis
— ■ Riohard
f ■ John
Bemardine, St*
Bemazzano
Bemia, Francis
Bemier, Francis
■ Johii
Bernini, John Lawrence
Bernoulli, James
■ John
Bcroaldus, Philip
: Phaip
Bercjuin, Lewis de
Bemman, WOliam
berruyer, Jofeph Ifi^c
Berry, Sir John
Berfmann, George
Bertaud, John
Bertheau, Charles
Berthet, John
Berthier, Guillattme Fr^n^s
Berti, John Lawrence
Bertier, Jofeph Stephen
Bcrtin, Nicholas
Bertius, Peter
Bertram, Corqelius Bonaren-
tare
Bertrand, John Baptift
BeruUe, Peter
Befler, Ba^
Befly, John
Befplas, Jofeph
Beffarion
Bcffet, Henry
Betham, Edward
fietterton, Thomas
7
507
309
311
-ib.
3"
3«5
3>7
ib.
lb.
319
ib.
ib.
Ib.
3>o
ib.
'S.
ib.
3*4
3*5
ib.
ib.
3>9
»P.
ib.
T
ib.
333
ib.
ib.
334
ib.
ib.
335
ib.
336
ik
Beveridge, William '
Beverland, Hadrian
Beverwick, John dc
Beuf, John le
Beza, Theodore
Bezout, Stephen
Bianchi, Peter
Bianchini, Francis
Bibiena, Ferdinand Galli
Bibliander, Theodore
Biddle, John
Bidloo, Godfrey
Bielfield, James Frederic Ba-
^ ron de
Bemouilli, Daniel
Bifield, Nicholas
Bignc, Gace de la
■ 9 ' Marguerin de la
Bignicourt, Simon de
Bignon, Jerome
Bilfinger, George Bernard
Billaut, Adam
Billi, Jacques de
— Jacques de
Bilfon, Thomas
Bingham, Jofeph
—Jofeph
ng^ Hugh
Binnins,
Bioernftahl
Bion (fee Mofchus)
Bion
Biondi, Francis
Birch, Thomas
Bird, William^
Birkenhead, Sir John
Biflet, Charles
Bito,
Bizot, Peter
Blackboum, William
Blackball, Of&pring
Blacklock, Thomas
Blapkmore, Sir Richard
Blackftone, Sir William
Blackwall, Anthony
Blackwell, Thomas
■■ Alexander ^
Blackwood, Adam
Bladen, Martin
Blaeuy William
P4ge
34^
343
344
'S.
ib^
3«
lb.
ib.
353
ib.
'^
557
'S
366
ib.
ib.
ib.
367
ib.
369
37^
371
ib.
376
380
38*
385
386
387
j88
ib.
Bla.
55*
INDEX.
Blsgniye, Johit 388
J Jofeph 590
Blair, John ib.
— James ib.
«— John 391
Bldcc, Robf It 393
^ John Bnutiey 400
"BktnCf Thomas le 40 1
^ John Bernard le ib.
BBDchardfJaiiica 4^^^
Bbnchet, Thomas ib.
r ^ Abbe ib.
Blaod^ Eltaabeth 403
PFcedL, Peter Vaji 404
Bktericy John Fhiltp Rpncde
la lb.
Bkcmart 405
Blondel, David ib.
m ' Fraacii 406
n John Frandt 407
filoodet ib.
Blondtis, Flarius ib.
Bbod, Thomas ib.
Blonnty Thomas 408
1 Sir Henry 409
> Sir Thomas Pope 4x0
^ Charles ' ib.
"Blow, Dr. John 4 1 2
Bhtteatiy Dom Raphael ib.
Bobarty Jacob ib.
Boccace, John ib.
Boccalini, Trajan 414
Boccamaz7.a, Angelus ib^
Bocooni, Sylvio ib.
Bocharty Samuel 415
£ochiu»» John 416
Bocqiiilloty Lazarus Andrew 4 1 7
Bodin» John ib.
Bodley, Sir Thomas 418
P<rdcr, John Henry 422
Bcehmen, Jacob ib.
Boerhaave, Herman 425
Boethie, Eticnnc de la 430
Boethius, Flavins An Jems
MaaHus Torquatus Sc-
verinus ib.
. Hc6lor 43 £
BofFrand, Germain 432
Bobadiu ib.
Boileau, Giles
■ — James
John James
- • Nichdas
Boindin, Nicholas
Bois, Jean du
Gerard da
— - Phillip du
Boifmorandy Chiron de
Boifrobertf Francis k Meicl
de
BoifTardy John James
Boiiliy Louis de
Boivin, Francois de
r— John
Bokhart
Boleyn, Anne
Bolfecy Jerome
Bolfwerd, Scheldt
Bolton, Robert
— -; Edmund
— '• Robert
Bomberg, Daniel
iK
ib.
ib.
436
437
*&
ib.
Bon, Francois Xavier
Bona, John
Bonanni, PhiUp
Bonarelli» Gui Ubaldo
Bonaventuce, John Fidauza
-^— . — of Padua
Bond, John
Bonet, Theophilos
Bonfadius, James
Bonfinius, Anthony
Bonfrerius, James
Bongars, Jasncs
Bonifacio, Balthazar
Bonjour, Guillaume
Bonnefons, John
Bonner, Edmund
Bonneval, Claudius Alexan-
der de
Bonufus
Bontekoe, Cornelius
Bontcms, Madame
Bontius, Gerard
Bonwicke, Ambrofe
Boodt, Anfelm von
Booker, John
Booth, Barton
439
ib.
440
44*
ib.
ib.
443
445
446
447
449
450
ib.
ib.
ib.
45X
lb.
ib.
ih.
463
464
ib.
ib.
465
ib.
ib.
ib.
Booth,
INDEX.
-557
Booth, Henry
■ ■• ■ George ,
fiorbonius, Nicholas
Borde, Andrew
Bordenave, ToulTaint
Bordes, Charles
Bordeu, Theophilus de
Bordone, Paris
Bore, Catherine von
Borel, Peter
Borelli, John Alphonfo
Borgaruttus, Prolpcr
Borghini, Vincent
Borgia, Csefar
Borlace, Edmund
Borlafe, William
Borri, Jofeph Francis
Borrichius
Borromeo, Charles
■ Frederic
Borromini, Francis
Bos, Johti Baptid du
— Lambert
Bofc, Peter du
Bofcan, John
Bofchaerts, Thos. Willebos
Bofcovich, Jofeph Roger
Bofio, James
-~ — Anthony
BoiTe, Abraham
BofTu, Renele
Bofiuet, James
Bofton, Thomas
BofweU, James
Both, John and Andrew
Bothlan
Bott, John de
Thomas
Bovadilla, Francifco de
Bouchardon, Edmund
Boucher, Antoine Gafpard
'- ■ ■■ — Francis
Page
469
470
47'
ib.
lb.
473
474
lb.
lb.
476
lb.
477
479
480
481
484
48s
487
Ib.
ib.
ib.
488
ib.
ib.
489
ib.
490
ib.
ib.
49'
493
ib.
497
lb.
498
ib.
499
500
ib.
ib.
Boucher, John 500
Bouchet, John 501
Bouchier, Thomas 50s
Bowdewins, Michael ih.
Bouflers, Louis Francis 50J
Bougainville, M. D. F. 504
■■ — John Peter de ibu
Bougeant, Guillaume Hya-
cinthe 50^
Bouguer, Peter 500
Bouhours, Dominick ib.
Bouillaud, Ifmael 50S
Boulai, Caefar EgafTe de ib.
BoulainviUiers, Henry de 509
Boulanger, N. Anthony 5 10
Boulay, Edmund du 511
BouUeger, Claude Francis Fe*
lix ib.
BouUier, David Renauld ib.
Boullogne, Louis 5 1 %
■ Bon ib.
Boulter, Hugh ibu
Bourdeilles, reter de 514
Claude de 516
Bourdelot, John ib.
Bourdon Sebaftiaa 5 1 7
Bourgelat, Claude ib.
Bonrguet, Louis ib.
Bourdaloue, Louis 51
Bour^et, Dom John if
Bourignon, Antoinette . 5 19
Bourne, Vincent 520
Bourfault, Edmund ib.
Bouriier, Lawrence Francis 527
Bower, Archibald 528
Bowie, John 544
Bowyer, William ibu
Boyd, Robert 547
■ ■ ■ Mark Alexander 548
Boyer, Abel 549
■ Claude ib«
*»■ ■ - John Baptift Nicholas 550
END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
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