Volume 4 [BOK-CAN]: Acalendar to Bugenhagen


9th Edition of Encyclopedia Britannica - free ninth edition online encyclopedia Britannica Volume 4 [BOK-CAN]: Acalendar to Bugenhagen Acalendar ACALENDAR is a method of distributing time into certain periods adapted to the purposes of civil life, as hours, days, weeks, months, years, Sc. Of all the periods marked out by the motions of the celestial bodies, the most conspicuous, and the most intimately connected with the affairs of mankind, are the solar clay, which is distinguished by the diurnal revolution of the earth and the alternatio… Agathias AGATHIAS of Myrina in iEtolia, was born under Justinian, about 536 A.D., and is believed to have died under Tiberius the Second, about 580. His character as an epigrammatist and an editor of poetry has been already considered under the head ANTHOLOGY. We are indebted to him in his historical capacity for an extremely valuable narrative of six of the most eventful years of the Greek empire, 553-558… Agricultural Products AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. - The staple crops are as follows : - Joar (Sorghum vulgare) and bajra (Holcus spicatus) are the staple food grains in the Dakhin and Ehandesh. Rice is the chief product of the Konkari. Wheat, generally grown in the northern part of the Presidency, but specially in Sindh and Gujarat, is exported to Europe in lame quantities from Karachi, and on a smaller scale from Bombay. B… Anne Bronte's ANNE BRONTE'S was a mind of weaker calibre. Boenu, Or Bornou BOENU, or BORNOU, a kingdom of Central Africa, situated to the south-west of Lake Chad, and separated from the Niger by the kingdom of Haussa. Its area is estimated at 51,250 square miles, and its population at 5,000,000. The country is for the most part a flat alluvial plain, subject in its north-eastern portions to inundation from the lake and its tributary rivers - the Shari and the Yo. The for… Boitse BOITSE, or Bois, JonN, one of the translators of the English Bible, was born in Suffolk in 1560. Bokhara, Bukhara, Or Bukttaria BOKHARA, BUKHARA, or BUKTTARIA, a country and khanate of Central Asia, in Turkistan or Independent Tartary, lying between lat. 37? and 410N., and long.62? and 69? E. Its extent has been greatly diminished during recent years both on the N. and S., - in the former direction by the conquests of Russia, and in the latter by the encroachments of Afghanistan. A considerable stretch of country, includin… Bolbec BOLBEC, a town of France, capital of a canton in the department of Lower Seine, 18 miles E.N.E. from Havre on the railway to Paris, which here passes over high embankments and a viaduct. Boleyn, Anne BOLEYN, ANNE, or, as the name is variously spelled, Bulleu, Bouleyn, Boullan, or Boulain, queen of England, and second wife of Henry YIII., was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, a distinguished politician, and Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of the earl of Surrey, afterwards duke of Norfolk. Considerable obscurity rests over the date of her birth, which has been variously stated as 1501 and 1507;… Bolingbroke, Henry St John BOLINGBROKE, HENRY ST JOHN, VISCOUNT, was born in October 1678. His father, Sir Henry St John, the descendant of an old and noble family, was a noted rake of the Restoration period, who continued to live his life of pleasure and indolence for upwards of ninety years. Of his mother little is known, save that she was a daughter of the earl of Warwick. The education of her son was entrusted to the ca… Boll BOLL a town of Asiatic Turkey, in Anatolia, situated about 85 miles N.W. of Angora, on the Philios Chili, to the south of the Boli Dagh, in 31? 40' E. long. and 40? 45' N. lat. Bollandist Eathers, The BOLLANDIST EATHERS, THE, the authors of the famous Acta Sanctontin. During the Roman Catholic revival in the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries a great number of martyrologies were published, and it occurred to a Jesuit father, Heribert Rosweyd, to collect all the various legends about the martyrs and saints of the church into one great standard martyrology, which be proposed shou… Bologna BOLOGNA, a province of northern Italy, having an area of 1385 square miles. Bologna BOLOGNA, the chief city of the above province and the see of an archbishop, is situated between the rivers Reno (Rhe.nus) and Savona, at the foot of the lower slopes of the Apennines, 399 feet above the level of the Adriatic, and 23 miles S.E. of Modena, on the main line of railway that runs across the north of Italy, in 44? 30' N. lat. and 11? 21' E. long The city is about 2 miles in length and l… Bologne, Jean BOLOGNE, JEAN (or GIOVANNI BOLOGNA, as he was styled in Italy), a celebrated sculptor, was born at Douay in 1524, and died at Florence in 1608. Bolsena BOLSENA, a town of Italy, in the province of Rome, and the district of Viterbo, 10 miles S. by E. of Orvieto. It is situated on the north shore of the lake of the same name (Lugo di Bolsena), and probably occupies the site of the Roman city of Volsinii. The principal remains are the ruins of an amphitheatre and those of a temple, which is popularly called it Tempi? di .Yorzia after the Etruscan go… Bolton, Or Bolton Le BOLTON, or BOLTON LE Moons, a municipal and parliamentary borough of England, in the county of Lancashire, 11 miles N.W. of Manchester, in 53? 35' N. lat. and 2? 37' W. long. It is divided by the Croal, a small tributary of the Jewell, iuto Great and Little Bolton, the former of which is situated on the south side of the stream. The town is on the whole well arranged and well built, and great impr… Bolzano, Bernhard BOLZANO, BERNHARD, Catholic theologian and philosopher, was born at Prague on the 5th October 1781. He distinguished himself by his proficiency in mathematics, a study for which he always retained a predilection, and in philosophy. At the age of twenty-four he took orders, and was appointed professor of the philosophy of religion at the philosophical faculty in Prague. His lectures, in which he en… Bombay BOMBAY, a Presidency and Governorship of British India, consisting partly of British districts, and partly of native states under the protection of Her Majesty's Indian Government. This territory extends from 280 32' to 13' 65' N. lat., and from 66? 43' to 76? 20' E. long.; and is bounded on the N. by Beluchistan, the Panjab, and the native states of Rajputana ; on the E. by the native state of Tu… Bonaventura BONAVENTURA. JOHN OF FIDANZA, or FIDENzA, more commonly known as St Bonaventura, was born at Bagnarea in the Papal States, in the year 1221. He was at an early age destined by his mother for the church, and is said to have received his cognomen of Bonaventura from St Francis of Assisi, who performed on him a miraculous cure. He entered the Franciscan order in his twenty-second year, and is said to… Bondu BONDU, a kingdom of Western Africa lying to the W. of Bambouk, from which it is separated by the River Faleme, between 14? and 15? N. lat., and 12? and 13? W. long. The country is an elevated plateau, with hills in the southern and central parts. These are generally unproduc Live, and covered with stunted wood ; but the lower country is fertile, and finely clothed with the baobab, the tamarind, an… Bone, Bona, Bounaii BONE, BONA, BOUNAII, BELED-EL-A'NEB (the town of jujubes), or ANNABA, a fortified town and seaport of Algeria, in the province of Constantine, 85 miles N.E. of the city of that name, on a bay of the same name at the mouth of the Seybouse, in lat. 36? 54' N. and long. 7? 47' E. The town is surrounded with a modern rampart erected outside of the old Arab wall, the compass of which was found too smal… Bone, Henry BONE, HENRY, B.A., the most eminent enamel painter of his time in Great Britain, was born at Truro in 1755. Bonfigli, Benedetto BONFIGLI, BENEDETTO, an Italian painter, whose reputation is not equal to his importance. Bongo BONGO, a people of Central Africa, who inhabit the country lying between 6? and 8' N. lat., and 27? and 29' E. long., which is watered by five important tributaries of the Bahr-el-Ghazel. The Bongo are a brachycephalous race of medium height, with a red-brown complexion and black hair. The grain most largely cultivated by them is sorghum ; but they obtain a considerable part of their food from the… Boni BONI, a kingdom or confederation in the island of Celebes, stretching along a part of the western shores of a great bay of the same name, which indents the south side of the island to the depth of nearly 180 miles. It has an area of 450 square miles at most, and its present population is estimated about 200,000. It was at one time the most powerful state of Celebes, all the other princes being reg… Boniface BONIFACE, Si, the Apostle of Germany, whose real name was Winfrid, was born at Crediton in Devonshire, in 680. He was of good family, and it was somewhat against his father's wishes that he devoted himself at an early age to the monastic life. He received his theological training in the convents of Exeter and Nutcell, and at the age of thirty became a priest. IR 715 he set out on a missionary- exp… Boniface Ix BONIFACE IX. was elected in 1390 and died in 1401. During his time the so-called Clement V. continued to hold state as pope in Avignon. BONIFACIO, a town at the southern extremity of Corsica, in the arrondissement of Sartene, near the strait to which it gives its name. It is one of the most picturesque and interesting places in the island, its white houses beine, built on the top of a white calcar… Boniface Viii BONIFACE VIII., Benedict Cajetan, a man of great ability, was elected in 1294, Celestine V. having been persuaded to resign. Bonn BONN, the chief town of a circle of Rhenish Prussia, situated on the left bank of the Rhine, about 16 miles by rail S.S.E. of Cologne. The central part is mostly composed of very narrow streets, brit the outskirts contain numerous fine buildings, and the general appearance from the river is rather attractive. There are five Roman Catholic and two Protestant churches, the most important of which is… Bonner, Or Boner BONNER, or BONER, EDMUND, an English prelate, notorious for his persecutions of the Protestants during the reign of Queen Mary, was born at Hanley in Worcestershire, about the end of the 15th century, and generally passed for the natural son of George Savage, a priest who was the natural son of Sir John Savage of Clifton in the same county. Strype in his Memorials of CV(172n2eI, however, says he w… Bonnet, Charles BONNET, CHARLES, an eminent naturalist and philosophical writer, was born at Geneva on the 13th March 1720. The Bonnets, a French family whom the religions persecution in the 16th century had driven into Switzerland, were accustomed to fill important posts in the Genevcse Government ; and young Charles Bonnet was expected to qualify himself to make use of the family influence by becoming a lawyer.… Bonneval, Claude Alexandre BONNEVAL, CLAUDE ALEXANDRE, COMTE DE, a celebrated French adventurer, known also as Achmet Pasha, was the descendant of an old family of Limousin. lie was born on the 14th July 1675 at Conssac, and at the age of thirteen joined the Royal Marine Corps. After three years he entered the Guards, whence he was transferred to the infantry regiment of Latour lie served in the Italian campaigns under Cati… Bonnivard BONNIVARD, Fit,unots DE, the " prisoner of Chillon," was born at Seyssel in 1496. Educated at Turin, he succeeded, in 1510, to the priory of St Victor, just outside the walls of Geneva, his uncle having resigned in his favour. Of ardent republican principles he espoused the cause of the Genevese against the duke of Savoy, who was seeking to assert the seignorial rights that had just been ceded to … Bonpland BONPLAND, Aryrfi, French traveller and botanist, was born at Rochelle, August 22, 1773. After serving as a surgeon in the French navy and studying ender Corvisart at Paris, he accompanied Humboldt during five years of travel in Mexico, Colombia, and the districts bordering on the Orinoco and Amazon. In these explorations Bonpland collected and classified about 6000 plants till then mostly unknown … Bonstetten, Charles Victor De BONSTETTEN, CHARLES VICTOR DE, was born at Bern in 1745, of a noble and ancient family. He received the elements of his education in his native town, and at fourteen was sent to Yverclun, and soon after to Geneva. There he imbibed many revolutionary doctrines both in religion and politics, which ill fitted him for a career as a Bernese senator of the traditional type ; and his father, alarmed at t… Book BOOK, the common name for any literary production of bulk, now applied particularly to a printed composition forming a volume. The name is also used for, the literary divisions of a work. Wachter, with some other writers, derives the word from the same root as the German biegen., to bend, as the Latin volumea conies from volvere. But the more common etymology makes the tree the parent of the book,… Bookbinding BOOKBINDING is the art of fastening together the sheets of paper composing a book, and enclosing them in cases of pasteboard covered with leather, cloth, or other materials,--the object being the preservation of the book, and its protection from injury while in use. t At the time when books were rarities, being either manuscripts produced by patient secluded labour or the productions of the printi… Book-keeping BOOK-KEEPING.--The object of book-keeping is to exhibit a distinct and correct state of one's affairs, and to enable companies, firms, and individuals in trade, or otherwise occupied, to ascertain at any time the nature and extent of their business, the amount of their profits or available income, or, as the case may be, the extent of their losses. To those engaged in trade or commercial pursuits … Boole, George BOOLE, GEORGE, one of the most original logicians and mathematicians whom England has produced, was born in Lincoln on the 2d of November 1815. His father was a tradesman of limited means, but of studious character and active mind. Being especially interested in mathematical science the father gave his son early instruction in the rudiments of the science he was so greatly to advance ; but it is r… Boomerang BOOMERANG, a missile instrument of the Australian aborigines, in the use of which they are very dexterous. Booth, Barton BOOTH, BARTON, an English tragedian, descended from an ancient family in Lancashire, was born in 1681. He was educated at Westminster school under the celebrated Dr Busby, and his success in the Latin plays, customarily performed there by the scholars, gave him an inclination for the stage. He was intended for the church ; but at seventeen years of age he ran away from school, and after some vicis… Boothia Felix BOOTHIA FELIX, a peninsula of British North America, between let. 69? and 72? N., and long. 92? and 97? W. Bopp, Francis BOPP, FRANCIS, glottologist, was born at Mainz on the Rhine, September 14, 1791. In consequence of the political troubles of that time, his parents removed to Aschaffenburg, in Bavaria, where Francis received a liberal education at the Lyceum. It was here that his attention was drawn to the languages and literature of the East by the eloquent lectures of Carl J. Windischmann, who, with Creuzer, Gi… Borax BORAX, the biboratc of sodium (Na.,13,07), a substance found in commerce under the two different forms of ordinary or prismatic borax, which contains ten equivalents of water of crystallization, and octahedral or jeweller's borax, which has only five molecules of water in its coin-position. The former, which is the variety commonly met with, occurs as a natural product in various parts of the worl… Borda, Jean Charles BORDA, JEAN CHARLES, mathematician and nautical astronomer, was born at Dax on the 4th May 1733. He studied at La Fleche, and at an early age obtained a commission in the cavalry. In 1756 he presented a valuable paper to the Academy of Sciences, who elected him a member. He was present at the battle of Hastembeck, and soon afterwards joined the naval service. He visited the Azores and the Canary I… Bordeaux BORDEAUX, one of the finest and wealthiest commercial cities of France, formerly the capital of Gnienne and Bordelais, and now the chief town of the department of Gironde. It is situated 370 miles S.E. of Paris, in 44? 50' N. lat. and 0? 25' W. long., on the left bank of the Garonne, about 60 or 70 miles from its mouth, and in the midst of an extensive plain which comprises the district of Medoc, … Borelli, Giovanni Alfonso BORELLI, GIOVANNI ALFONSO, the head of what has been called the iatro-mathematical sect, or that which, misled by the great progress which the application of mathematics had produced in the physical sciences, attempted to secure the same advantage for medicine, by subjecting to calculation the phenomena of the living economy. He was born at Naples, January 28, 1608, taught mathematics for seine ti… Borers BORERS, in Greek Mythology, was a personification of the north wind, and to be like it he was represented as rough, powerful, and accustomed to gain his ends by irresistible force. A favourite instance of this was the story of his carrying off the beautiful Oreithyia, a daughter of Erechtheus, king of Athens, when he found her gathering flowers by the banks of the Ilissus, or at the sources of the… Borga BORGA, or BoieGo, a seaport town of the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland, situated in the province of Nyland, at the entrance of the River Borga into the Gulf of Finland, about 25 miles N.W. of Helsingfors, in 60? 22' N. lat. and 25? 45' E. long. Borg Ia, Casar BORG IA, CASAR and LuCRETIA. The history of Cesar and Lucretia Borgia up to the death of their father has been related under ALEXANDER VI. (vol. i. p. 487). Alexander's sudden decease at an unfavourable conjuncture proved the ruin of Caesar, who, as he subsequently told Machiavelli, had provided for every contingency except that of his father and himself being disabled at the same time. Though suf… Borgiiese BORGIIESE, a noble Sienese family, one of whom, on being elected pope in 1605, assumed the name of Paul V., after which the family became among the most powerful of the Roman nobility by their union with the Aldobrandini. Borgo San Donnino BORGO SAN DONNINO, a walled town of Italy, in the province of Parma, and capital of a cireondario, is situated on the Stirone, a sub-tributary of the Po, about 15 miles W. of Parma on the railway to Milan. Besides its cathedral, a building of the 13th century, in the Lombard style, adorned with rude sculptures, it possesses a castle and fort, a theological seminary, a college, a music school, and … Borgu, Or Barba BORGU, or BARBA, a large district in the interior of Africa, bounded on the E. by the Niger, on the S. by Yoruba, on the W. by Dahomey, and on the N. by Gurma. It is about thirty days' journey in length and eleven in breadth. It has generally a level surface, though crossed by a considerable range of mountains. The soil is mostly fertile, and tolerably cultivated, producing in abundance corn, yams… Borissogliebsk BORISSOGLIEBSK, a town of Russia, in the government of Tamboff, 11i miles S.E. of that city, in 51? 22' N. lat. and 41? 4' E. long., on the left bank of the River `corona. Borku, Or Borgu BORKU, or BORGU, a country in the interior of Africa, situated between the 17th and 20th parallels of N. lat., and between 18' and 21? E. long., and forming part of the great Soudan region. It is bounded northwards by the Tibesti Mountains, and is in great measure occupied by lesser elevations belonging to the same system ; to the south or rather south-west lies the Bodele basin, from which it is … Borlase, William BORLASE, WILLIAM, a learned antiquary and naturalist, was born at Pendeen in Cornwall, of an ancient family, February 2, 1696. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, where he took his degree as master of arts. In 1720 he was ordained as priest ; he was instituted in 1722 to the rectory of Ludgvan, and in 1732 was presented to the vicarage of St Just, his native parish. In the parish of Ludgvan… Born BORN, IGNArms, BARON VON, an eminent mineralogist and metallurgist, was born of a noble family, at Karlsburg in Transylvania, in 1742 He was educated in a Jesuit college at Vienna, and entered that order, which, however, after sixteen months, he quitted. After studying law at Prague he travelled into Germany, Holland, and France. On his return to Prague he engaged in the study of mineralogy. Austr… Borne, Ludwig BORNE, LUDWIG, German political writer and satirist, of Jewish family, was born 18th May 1786, at Frankfurton-the-Main, where his father, Jakob Baruch, carried on the business of a banker. He studied first at Berlin, where he became acquainted with Schleiermacher and the famous Henrietta Herz, and afterwards at Halle, intending to enter the medical profession. His inclinations for pure literature … Borneo BORNEO, one of the largest islands of the world, is situated about the middle of the East Indian Archipelago, and lies immediately under the equator, between 7? N. and 4? 20' S. lat., and between 109? and 118?E. long. It forms a kind of irregular hexagon, and its area is estimated by Engelhardt at 289,000 Ehg. square miles (more than double the area of the United Kingdom). Its coast-line is much l… Bornholm BORNHOLM, an island in the Baltic, belonging to Denmark, in the " Stift " of Seeland, between 54? 59' and 55? 18' N. lat., and between 14? 42' and 15? 8' E. long. It is about 20 miles in length by 14 in breadth, with a generally mountainous surface and steep and rocky shores. Besides a good freestone, which is largely exported for building, it furnishes limestone, blue marble, coal, and clay. Oats… Borough BOROUGH. Although the idea of self-government by a town is exemplified in the colonies and municipia of Rome, and in their duuniviri, decuriones, and lesser senate, corn: posed of the curial orders, which along with the defensor clmtatis appear to have existed in vigour until the reign of Leo the Philosopher (Const., 46, 47), yet as the local power was gradually subordinated to the imperial, and a… Borough-english BOROUGH-ENGLISH, a custom prevailing in certain ancient boroughs, and in districts attached to them (where the lands are held in socage), and also in certain copyhold manors (chiefly in Surrey and Middlesex), by which in general lands descend to the youngest son, to the exclusion of all the other children, of the person dying seized and intestate. Descent to the youngest brother to the exclusion o… Borovichi BOROVICHI, a town of Russia, in the government of Novgorod, situated in 58? 23' N. lat. and 23? 54' E. long., on both banks of the River 3Ista. Borovsk BOROVSK, a town of Russia, in the government of Kaluga, 54 miles from that city on the old post road to Moscow, is situated on both banks of the Protva at the confluence of the Tikizh, in 55? 13' N. lat. and 36? 9' E. long. Borromean Islands BORROMEAN ISLANDS, a group of four small islands on the western side of Logo 'Maggiore, in Northern Italy, beautifully surrounded by lake and mountain. Naturally mere barren rocks, they were in 1671 converted by Vitaliano Borromeo into pleasure gardens of great beauty, the soil being transported from the neighbouring shores of the lake. The two most celebrated are the Isola Bella and the Lola Madr… Borromeo, Carlo BORROMEO, CARLO, saint and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, was the son of Ghiberto Borromeo, count of Arona, and of Mary of Medici, and was born at the Castle of Arona, upon the Lago Maggiore, in the Milanese, October 2, 1538. When he was about twelve years old, Julius Cesar Borromeo resigned to him an abbacy, the revenue of which he applied wholly in charity to the poor. He studied the civ… Borromini, Francesco BORROMINI, FRANCESCO, an It?alian architect, born at Bissone in 1599. Bory De Saint-vincent BORY DE SAINT-VINCENT, JEAN BAPTISTE GEORGE?MARIE, a learned and industrious French naturalist, was born at Agen in 1780. While a mere boy he displayed the scientific bent of his genius and attracted attention by two memoirs addressed to the Society of Natural History at Bordeaux. Having been sent as naturalist of Baudin's expedition to Australia in 1798, he left the vessel at the Mauritius, and s… Bosa BOSA, a city on the western coast of the island of Sardinia, in the province of Cagliari and district of Oristano, in a fine valley on the northern bank of the Terno, in 40? 16' 40" N. lat. and 8? 25' 31" E. long. Boscan, Juan BOSCAN, JUAN, a Spanish poet, celebrated as the introducer of Italian measures into Spanish literature, was born about the close of the 15th century. The exact date. is unknown, but it was probably a few years before 1500, He was of patrician birth and appears to have passed some years in military service. He died in 1510 at Perpignan, where he was residing with the duke of Alva. His poems were pu… Bosc, Louis Augustine Guillaume BOSC, LOUIS AUGUSTINE GUILLAUME, French naturalist, was born at Paris on the 29th January 1759. He was educated at the college of Dijon, and attended the lectures of Durande on botany, which inspired him with a passion for natural history. He followed up his studies at Paris, and was a constant auditor at the Jardin des Plantes. Even when closely occupied in official work, he managed to find time … Boscovich, Roger Joseph BOSCOVICH, ROGER JOSEPH, a distinguished Italian mathematician and natural philosopher, and one of the earliest of foreign savants to adopt the theory of Newton, was born at Ragusa in Dalmatia, May 18, 1711, according to the usual account, but ten years earlier according to Lalande (Eloqe, 1792). In his fifteenth year, after passing through the usual elementary studies, he entered the society of J… Bosnia BOSNIA., the most north-westerly province of Turkey in Europe, comprising Bosnia Proper, a part of Turkish-Croatia, or Craina, the district of Herzegovina, and the ancient Rascia. It extends from 42? 3)' to 45? 15' N. lat., and from 15? 40' to 21? 2' E. long ; is bounded on the N. and W. by the Austrian dominions, S. by Montenegro and Albania, and E. by Servia; and has an area of about 24,021 squa… Bosphorus BOSPHORUS (or, more correctly, BOSPORUS, from the Greek BOo-ropos, Ox-ford), originally used for a strait, was especially applied to the Bosporus Cimmerius, or Strait of Yenikale, and the Bosporus Thraeins, or Strait of Constantinople. In modern times it has almost become the exclusive designation of the latter strait, which unites the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmora and forms the boundary betwe… Bossi, Giuseppe BOSSI, GIUSEPPE, an Italian painter and writer on art, was born at the village of Busto Arsizio in the Milanese, in 1776 or 1777 He was educated at the college of Monza ; and his early fondness for drawing was fostered by the director of the college, who supplied him with prints after the works of Agostino Carracci for copies. Passing next to the academy of Brera at Milan, he there pursued his spe… Bossi, Giuseppe Carlo Aurelio BOSSI, GIUSEPPE CARLO AURELIO, BARON DE, an Italian poet and diplomatist, was born at Turin, November 15, 1758. He made his first appearance as poet at the age of eighteen by the publication of two tragedies, Rea Silvia and I Cireassi ; and four years later he took the degree of doctor of laws. In 1781, in consequence of his ode in praise of the edict of toleration promulgated by the Emperor Josep… Bossit BOSSIT, ltExi: LE, an eminent French critic, born at Paris, March 16, 1631. Bossuet, Jacques Bei BOSSUET, JACQUES BEI,ZIGNE, the celebrated orator and prelate, was born at Dijon, within a short distance of the cathedral, on the 27th September 1627. He was the fifth son of Benigne Bossuet and Madeleine Mochette. The family of which he came, though of bourgeois rank, had long taken an honourable part in the public and official life of Burgundy. He was destined from infancy for the church, and g… Boston BOSTON, a parliamentary and municipal borough and seaport town of England, in the county of Lincoln and wapentake of Skirbeck? It is situated in a rich agricultural district on the Witham, six miles from the sea, and thirty miles S.E. of Lincoln on the Great Northern Railway, in 52? 59' N. lat. and 0? 2' E. long. Boston is by some supposed to have been a Roman station in the province of Flavia Cce… Boston BOSTON, the capital of the State of Massachusetts, in Suffolk County, and the second city in commerce, wealth, banking capital, and valuation in the United States of North America. It lies at the bottom of Massachusetts Bay, and is one of many pear-shaped peninsulas formerly attached to the mainland only by narrow marshy necks, which fringed the shores of the bay. The Charles Inver, once more than… Boston, Thomas BOSTON, THOMAS, a popular and learned Scottish divine, born at Dunse, May 17, 1676. Botany Bay BOTANY BAY, an inlet on the eastern coast of Australia, to the S. of the city of Sydney, in the Cumberland district of New South Wales, in 31? S. lat. and 151? 15' E. long. In was first visited by Captain Cook in 1770, and received its name from Joseph Banks, the botanist of the expedition, on account of the variety of its flora. When, on the revolt of the New England colonies, the convict establi… Bothnia BOTHNIA, an ancient province of Sweden, which was divided into East and West by the gulf of the same name. Bothwell BOTHWELL, a village of Scotland, in Lanarkshire, situated near the River Clyde, about 81- miles S.E. of Glasgow, and a favourite resort of the inhabitants of that city. Bothwell, James Hepburn BOTHWELL, JAMES HEPBURN, EARL OF, in the peerage of Scotland, only son of Patrick, third earl of Bothwell, was born about 1526. Nothing is known of his life up to the date of his father's death, 1556, when he was served heir to his vast estates. For the next few years notices of his doings are few and obscure; he undoubtedly held posts of high dignity, such as the wardenship of the Scottish Border… Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo BOTTA, CARLO GIUSEPPE GUGLIELMO, Italian historian, was born in 1766 at San Giorgio, in Piedmont. He studied medicine at the university of Turin, and obtained his doctor's degree when about twenty years of age. Having rendered himself obnoxious to the Government during the political commotions that followed the French Revolution, he was imprisoned for nearly two years ; and on his release in 1791 … Botticelli, Sandra BOTTICELLI, SANDRA) (for ALESSANDRO), one of the most original and fascinating painters of the school of Florence. Like many Italian artists, he is called not after his father but after the master under whom he learned his first lessons in art. He was the youngest son of a citizen named Mariano Filipepi, and was born at Florence in the year 1447. It is related how as a child, though quick at whate… Bottiger, Karl August BOTTIGER, KARL AUGUST, a distinguished German archeologist, was born at Reichenbach in 1760. He was educated at the famous school of Pforta, and at the University of Leipsic. In 1784, after having passed a few years as private tutor in Dresden, he was made rector of the school at Guben, where he remained for six years. He was then transferred to a similar post at Bautzen, and in 1791, through the … Bottle BOTTLE. The first bottles were probably made of the skins of animals. In the Iliad (iii. 247) the attendants are represented as bearing wine for use in a bottle made of goat's skin, clua.cci3 iv aiyEcce. The ancient Egyptians used skins for this purpose, and from the language employed by Herodotus (ii. 121), it appears that a bottle was formed by sewing up the skin and leaving the projection of th… Bottomex BOTTOMEX, a maritime contract by which a ship (or bottom) is hypothecated in security for money borrowed for expenses incurred in the course of her voyage, under the condition that if she arrive at her destination the ship shall be liable for repayment of the loan, together with such premium thereon as may have been agreed for ; but that if the ship be lust, the lender shall have no claim against … Botzen, Bozen, Or Bolzano BOTZEN, BOZEN, or BOLZANO (the ancient Pons Drusi), a town of Austria, the capital of the circle of Brixen in Tyrol, is situated at a height of 1120 feet near the confluence of the Taller and the Eisack, 32 miles N.N.E. of Trent. The town is well built in the Italian style, and has a fine old Gothic church of the 14th and 15th centuries, a castle, several churches and convents, and a gymnasium. Si… Boufarik BOUFARIK (the " Hanging Well "), a town of Algeria, in the province of Algiers and arrondissement of Blidah, about 21 miles from the city of Algiers near the railway thence to Blidah. It is a thoroughly French town, and only dates from 1835, when General Drouet d'Erlon established an entrenched camp on what was then a mere hillock in the midst of an almost uninhabitable marsh. Shortly after Marsha… Bo Uflers BO UFLERS, Louis FBA/calm, Duo DE, commonly called the Chevalier Bouflers, a peer and marshal of France, and a general of distinguished reputation, was born January 10, 1614. Having early entered the army, he was raised in 1669 to the rank of colonel of dragoons. In the conquest of Lorraine lie served under Marshal de Crequy. In Holland he served under Turenne, frequently distinguishing himself by… Bougainville BOUGAINVILLE, Louis ANTOINE DE, the first French circumnavigator, was born at Paris in 1729. He studied law, but soon abandoned the profession, and in 1753 entered the army in the corps of musketeers. At the age of twenty-five lie published a treatise on the integral calculus, as a supplement to De l'Hopital's treatise Des infiniment petits. In 1755 he was sent to London as secretary to the French… Bough Es-du-rhone BOUGH ES-DU-RHONE, a department of France, situated along the south coast, and, as the name imports, at the month of the Rhone. It is bounded on the N. by Vaucluse, from which it is separated by the Durance; on the E. by Var, and W. by Gard ; and its area is estimated at 1963 English square miles. The western portion consists of a low and marshy plain, known as the Camargue, which is remarkable fo… Bougie, Or Bougia Ii BOUGIE, or BOUGIA II, a fortified seaport town of Algeria, in the province of Constantine and arrondissement of Setif, betweeen Cape Carbon and the Wady-Sabell. Among its more important buildings are the French church, the hospital, the barracks, the magazines, and the Abdel-Kader fort, now used as a prison. Trade is carried on in wax, grain, oranges, oil, and wine. A basin was constructed about 1… Bouguer, Pierre BOUGUER, PIERRE, an eminent French mathematician, was born in 1698. His father, one of the best hydrographers of his time, was regius professor of hydrography at Croisic in. Lower Britanny, and author of an excellent treatise on navigation. "Young Buuguer was bred to mathematics from his infancy, and at an early age was appointed to succeed his father as professor of hydrography. In 1727 he gained… Bouhours, Dominique BOUHOURS, DOMINIQUE, a French critic, was born at Paris in 1628. He entered the Society of the Jesuits at the age of sixteen, and was appointed to read lectures on literature in the college of Clermont at Paris, and on rhetoric at Tours. He afterwards became preceptor to the two sons of the duke of Longueville. The duke died in Boubours's arms ; and the "account of the pious and Christian death" o… Bouillon, Godfrey De BOUILLON, GODFREY DE, one of the foremost leaders in the first crusade, was born at Daisy-, near Gemappe in Belgium, about 1060. His father was Eustace II., count of Bouillon in the Ardennes; and through his mother Ida, daughter of Godfrey, duke of Lower Lorraine, he could claim descent from Charlemagne. In the contest between Henry IV., emperor of Germany, and Hildebrand, he espoused the imperial… Boulainvilliers, Henri De BOULAINVILLIERS, HENRI DE, Lord of St Saire, an eminent French writer, descended from a very ancient and noble family, was born at St Saire in Normandy in 1658. He received his education at the college of Juilli, where he early discovered the uncommon abilities for which he was afterwards distinguished. His historical writings are numerous and important, but deformed by an extravagant admiration o… Boulogne Sur, Tier BOULOGNE SUR, TIER, a fortified seaport of France, and the chief town of an arrondissement in Pas-de-Calais, is situated on the shore of the English Channel at the mouth of the River Liane (anciently Elna), in 50? 44' N. lat. and 1? 36' E. long., 157 miles front Paris by railway and 28 from Folkestone, Kent. It consists of two parts, the High or Old Town and the Lower or New Town. The former, sit… Boulton, Matthew BOULTON, MATTHEW, manufacturer and practical engineer, was born at Birmingham on the 14th of September 1728. He was called early into active life upon the death of his father in 1745, and soon found ample scope for the exercise of his inventive faculties in improving the manufactures of his native place. His first attempt was a new mode of inlaying steel ; and he succeeded in obtaining a considera… Bourbon BOURBON, an island off the east coast of Africa, now known as Reunion. Bourbon BOURBON. The noble family of Bourbon, from which so many European kings have sprung, took its name from the rich district in the centre of France, called the Bourbonnais, which in the 10th century wits one of the three great baronies of the kingdom. The first of the long line of Bourbons known in history was Adhomar or Aimar, who was invested with the barony towards the close of the 9th century. I… Bourbon-vendee, Or Napoleon BOURBON-VENDEE, or NAPOLEON VENPft, a town ?of France, capital of the department of La VenNe, DOW ,ealled LA ROCHE suit VON, which see. Bourchier, John BOURCHIER, JOHN, Lord Berners, born about 1474, was grandson and heir of a lord of the same name, who was descended from Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester, and had been knight of the Garter and constable of Windsor Castle. He was educated at Oxford, and was created a Knight of the Bath on the marriage of the duke of York, second son of Edward IV. He was first known by quelling an insurrectio… Bourdaloue BOURDALOUE, Louis, a celebrated preacher, and one of the greatest orators that France has ever produced, was born at Bourges, August 20, 1632. At the age of sixteen he entered the Society of Jesus, of which he was destined to become one of the greatest ornaments, and there completed his studies. His able masters, who early discerned his talents, successively confided to him the chairs of humanity,… Bourg BOURG, the chief town of the department of Ain in France, and formerly the capital of the province of Breast', is situated 27 miles N.E. of Lyons, on the banks of the lteyssouze, a tributary of the Saenne. Its streets are narrow and crooked, and the whole town is very irregularly ktiid out. Among its public buildings are a new prefecture, a taeatre, a library (with upwards of 22,000 volumes), an a… Bourgas, Burghaz BOURGAS, BURGHAZ, or lionnas, called in the Middle Ages Pyrgos, a seaport town of Turkey in the province of Rumelia, situated on a bay of the Black Sea, to which it gives its name, about 70 miles N.E. of Adrianople, in 42' 30' N. lat. and 27? 30' E. Bourgelat, Claude BOURGELAT, CLAUDE, who may be called the father of veterinary science, was born at Lyons in 1712, and died in 1799. He entered the profession of law, but abandoned it in disgust at having gained an unjust suit for a client. Embracing the military profession he served in the cavalry, and thus had ample opportunity of studying the diseases of animals. In 1772 be opened at Lyons a veterinary school, … Bourges BOURGES, a city of France, formerly the capital of the province of Berry, and now the chief town of the department of Cher, is situated about 100 miles S. of Paris, at the confluence of the Auron and Yevre, in 47? 4' 59" N. lat. and 2? 32' E. long. The sixty watch-towers by which it was formerly defended have been removed, but it is still surrounded by ramparts laid out as promenades, and its stre… Bourignon, Antoinette BOURIGNON, ANTOINETTE, a singular enthusiast of the 17th century, who excited considerable commotion by her religious doctrines, but whose name is now almost forgotten. She WBS born at Lille in the beginning of 1616 ; and her appearance as an infant was so deformed that the question of preserving her alive was seriously discussed. She manifested, while still very young, an extraordinary spirit of … Bournemouth BOURNEMOUTH, a watering-place in the south of England, situated on the Hampshire coast about five miles from Christchurch. Its sheltered situation and desirable winter climate began to attract notice about 1840 ; and now it possesses five or six hotels, several churches, a library and reading-room, assembly-rooms, baths, and the usual accompaniments of a frequented watering-place. In 1855 a sanato… Bourne, Vincent BOURNE, VINCENT, one of the most able modern writers of Latin verse, was born at Westminster towards the close of the 17th century. In 1710 he became a scholar at Westminster school, and in 1714 entered Trinity College, Cambridge. He graduated in 1717, and obtained a fellowship three years later. Of his after life exceedingly little is known. It is certain that he passed the greater portion of it … Bourrienne BOURRIENNE, Louis ANTOINE FAUVELET DE, the early friend and biographer of Napoleon, was born at Sens in 1769. His friendship with Napoleon began at the military academy of Brienne, where they were class-fellows, but they did not meet for some time after leaving school, as Bourrienne's humble birth precluded him from military service. In 1789, having embraced the career of diplomacy, he was sent as… Boursault, Edmund BOURSAULT, EDMUND, a French dramatist and satirist, was born at Muci-l'Eveque, Burgundy, in 1638. On his first arrival in Paris in 1651 his power of language was limited to Burgundian patois, but he soon gained such reputation as an author, that Louis XIV. directed him to draw up a book for the education of the Dauphin. In compliance with this order Boursaultzproduced his Veritable etude des souve… Bouterwek, Friedrich BOUTERWEK, FRIEDRICH, a German philosopher and historian of literature, was born in Lower Saxony in 1766. He was educated at Gottingen university, and seems to have contemplated joining the legal profession ; but his literary inclinations proved too powerful, and he devoted himself entirely to works of poetry and romance, He published several poems, and a romance Oral _Donemar. Towards 1790 he beg… Bowdich, Thomas Edward BOWDICH, THOMAS EDWARD, an English traveller, born at Bristol in 1790, was brought up by his father for commercial life, and in 1814 obtained an appointment on the western coast of Africa. Bowditch, Nathaniel BOWDITCH, NATHANIEL, a self-taught Amercian mathematician, born in 1773, of humble parents, at Salem in Massachusetts. He was bred to his father's business as a cooper, and afterwards apprenticed to a ship-chandler. His taste for mathematics early developed itself ; and be acquired Latin that he might study Newton's Principia. In 1795 he sailed as supercargo, in which capacity he made four long vo… Bowls BOWLS, one of the oldest and most popular of English pastimes, the origin of which can be traced back to the 12th century. William Fitzstepkens, in his Survey of London, written during the last quarter of that century, states that in the summer holidays youths took exercise amongst other pastimes in jctctu lapidum, " in throwing of stones." This might be taken as referring to throwing stones by sl… Boxwood BOXWOOD, the wood obtained from the Euphorbiaccons genus Buxus, the principal species being the well-known tree or shrub, B. sempervirens, the common box, in general use for borders of garden walks, ornamental parterres, &c. The other source of the ordinary boxwood of commerce is 13. balearica, which yields the variety known as Turkey boxwood. The common box is grown throughout Great Britain, in t… Boyce, William BOYCE, WILLIAM, an English musical composer of eminence, was born in London in 1710, and died there in 1779, As a chorister in St Paul's he received his early musical education from King and Dr Greene, and he afterwards studied the theory of music under Dr Pepusch. In 1736 he was appointed organist of St Michael's church, Cornhill, and in the same year he became composer to the chapel royal. In 17… Boydell BOYDELL, Joux, an engraver, chiefly known by his plates illustrating Shakespeare, was born at Dorrington in 1719. Boyer, Alexis BOYER, ALEXIS, a distinguished French surgeon, was unwearied perseverance, his anatomical skill, and finally dexterity and his admirable lectures on surgical subjects distrustful of innovation, and somewhat tenacious of cautious in forming his judgment on individual cases. Boyer, Jean Baptiste BOYER, JEAN BAPTISTE, an eminent French physician, born at Marseilles in 1693. He devoted a long life to the special investigation and treatment of contagious epidemics, with a courage and success which have rarely been surpassed. On the last appearance of the plague in western Europe in 1720, he was one of the physicians sent from Paris by the Government to succour the inhabitants of his native c… Boyer, Jean Pierre BOYER, JEAN PIERRE, a mulatto general, and for some time the President of Hayti, was born at Port-au-Prince in 1776. He joined the negroes in their war of indepmdence, but after the secession of Toussaint lOnverture with his party, was compelled to retire to France. He was well received by Napoleon, and obtained a commission in Leclerc's expedition. After the death of Dessalines, the king of Hayti… Boyle BOYLE, Rooms, earl of Orrery, fifth son of the Great Earl of Cork, was born in April 1621, and was made Baron oir of France and Italy. Soon after his return he married Margaret Howard, sister to the earl of Suffolk ; and passing over to Ireland with his bride he found the country in a state of rebellion, and assisted his father in opposing the insurgents. Upon the execution of the king, he retired… Boyle, Charles BOYLE, CHARLES, earl of Orrery in Ireland, and baron of Marston, in the county of Somerset, the second son of Roger second earl of Orrery, was born at Chelsea in 1676. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, and soon distinguished himself by his learning and abilities. Like the first earl of Orrery, he was an author, soldier, and states. man. lie translated Plutarch's life of Lysander, and publi… Boyle, John BOYLE, JOHN, earl of Cork and Orrery, a nobleman distinguished for his literary attainments, was the only son of the subject of last notice, and was born January 2, 1707. Boyle, Richard BOYLE, RICHARD, one of the greatest statesmen of the 17th century, generally styled the Great Earl of Cork, was the youngest son of Roger Boyle, and was born at Canterbury, October 3, 1566. He studied at Benet College, Cambridge, and afterwards became a student in the Middle Temple. Having lost his parents, and being unable to support himself in the prosecution of his studies, he became clerk to S… Boyle, Richard BOYLE, RICHARD, earl of Burlington and Cork, son of the subject of last notice, was horn in 1612. Boyne BOYNE, a river of Ireland, which rising in the Bog of Allen, near Carbery in Kildare, and flowing in a N.E. direction, passes Trim, Naval], and Drogheda, and enters the Irish Sea, about four miles below the last-mentioned town. Bozrah BOZRAH. There are, according to the more usual opinion, two places of this name mentioned in Scripture, one a city of Edom, and the other a city of Moab. About the identification of these cities there has been much discussion, some maintaining that the former occupied the site of the modern village of el-Buseirah, about 25 miles S.E. of the Dead Sea, and that the latter was the city afterward know… Bozzaris, Marcos BOZZARIS, MARCOS, a Greek patriot, was born in Suli towards the close of the 18th century. With the remnant of the Suliotes he crossed in 1803 to the Ionian islands, and in 1820, with some 800 of his countrymen, joined the sultan against Ali Pasha. They soon, however, came over to Ali's party, and fought gallantly against their old enemies the Turks. After the death of Ali the Suliotes carried on … Brabant BRABANT, an extensive district in the Netherlands, which formerly constituted a separate duchy, but is now divided between Belgium and Holland. The Belgian portion includes the provinces of Brabant and Antwerp, while the whole of the Dutch portion is still known by its ancient name. Godfrey the Bearded, count of Louvain, who lived in the beginning of the 12th century, was the first to assume the t… Brabant, South BRABANT, SOUTH, the modern Belgian province, has an area of 1262 square miles, and in 1870 the population was 879,811. Bracciolini, Francesco BRACCIOLINI, FRANCESCO, an Italian poet, born at Pistoia, of a noble family, in 1566. On his removing to Florence he was admitted into the academy there, and devoted himself to literature. At Rome he entered the service of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, with whom lie afterwards went to France. After the death of Clement VIII. he returned t;) his own country ; and when his patron Barberini was elected … Bracelet, Or Armlet BRACELET, or ARMLET, a personal ornament, made of different materials, according to the fashion of the age and the rank of the wearer. The word is the French bracelet, which M6nage derives from braceletum, a diminutive of gracile, all formed from the Latin brachium, the arm, on which it was usually worn. By the Romans it was called armilla, brachiale, occabus ; and in the Middle Ages Logic, bauga,… Brach Ylogus BRACH YLOGUS, a title applied, for the first time in the middle of the 16th century, to a work which contains a systematic exposition of the Roman law, and which some writers have assigned to the reign of the Emperor Justinian, and others have treated as an apocryphal work of the 16th century. The earliest extant edition of this work was published at Lyons in 1549, under the title of Corpus Legum … Bracton, Henry De BRACTON, HENRY DE, a learned ecclesiastic, who was chief justiciary in the reign of Henry III. He is supposed to have been born at Bretton-Clovelly in Devonshire. He studied at Oxford, where he took the degree of doctor of laws, and is believed to have delivered lectures in that university. He was appointed a justice itinerant for the counties of Nottingham and Derby in 1245, and his name appears … Bradford BRADFORD, a parliamentary and municipal borough of England, situated in the northern division of the West Riding of Yorkshire and the wapentake of Morley, on an affluent of the Aire, 31 miles S.W. of York, 9 miles W. of Leeds, and 192 miles from London by rail. The borough comprises 7220 acres, and is divided into five townships - Bradford, Afanningliam, Horton, Bowling, and Bolton. Bradford has r… Bradford, John BRADFORD, JOHN, was born at Manchester in the early part of the reign of Henry VIII. Being a good penman and accountant, he became secretary to Sir John Harrington, who was paymaster of the English forces in France. Bradford at this time was gay and thoughtless, and to support his extravagance he appropriated some of the money entrusted to him ; but being unable to bear the load of his guilt, he m… Bradley, Dr James BRADLEY, DR JAMES, one of 'the most eminent British astronomers, was born at Sherborne in Gloucestershire in March 1692. He entered Balliol College, Oxford, in 1710, and graduated as B.A. in 1714 and as M.A. in 1717. At the house of his uncle, the Rev. James Pound, himself known as an acute observer, he had found instruments and means for carrying on a regular series of astronomical observations. … Bradshaw, Henry BRADSHAW, HENRY, an English poet, born at Chester about the middle of the 15th century. Early displaying a taste for religion and literature, he was received while a boy into the Benedictine monastery of St Werberg in that city ; and he was afterwards sent to Gloucester (now Worcester) College, Oxford. After studying there for a time with the novices of his order he returned to his convent, where,… Bradshaw, John BRADSHAW, JOHN, president of the High Court of Justice which tried Charles I., appears to have been born in 1602 at Marple Hill, near Stockport in Cheshire. He was of good family, and is belieVed to have been connected with Milton, the mother of the latter having married a Bradshaw. At all events, whether connected or not, the two knew and respected each other. Milton gives a highly eulogistic acc… Bradwardin, Thomas BRADWARDIN, THOMAS, Archbishop of Canterbury, surnamed the Profound Doctor, was born at Hartfield in Sussex towards the close of the 13th century. Brady, Nicholas BRADY, NICHOLAS. Braga BRAGA, a city of Portugal, capital of a district in the province of Minho, is situated on an elevated plain near the River Cavado (Xcebis), in 41? 43' N. lat. and 8? 16' W. long. The city proper, which has extensive suburbs, is surrounded by walls and towers, and has broad and well-built streets. The cathedral, which dates from the 12th century, is an imposing structure, and contains a large numbe… Braham, John BRAHAM, JOHN, a celebrated English vocalist, was horn in London in 1771, of Jewish parentage, his family name being Abraham. He received his first lessons in singing from Leoni, a well-known Italian artist, and made Iris appearance on the stage of the Covent Garden Theatre so early as 1787, when he sang bravura airs composed for Madame Mara. On the breaking of his voice his public career was inter… Brahe, Tycho BRAHE, TYCHO, an illustrious astronomer, descended from a noble family, of Swedish origin, which had settled in Denmark, was born on the 14th December 1546, at Knudstorp, in the county of Schonen. He learned Latin at the age of seven, and studied five years under private tutors. On the death of his father his uncle sent him, in April 1559, to study philosophy and rhetoric at Copenhagen. The great … Brahmanism BRAHMANISM is a term commonly used to denote a system of religious institutions originated and elaborated by the Brahmans, the sacerdotal and, from an early period, the dominant caste of the Hindu community. In like manner, as the language of the Aryan Hindus has undergone continual processes of modification and dialectic division, so their religious belief has passed through various stages of dev… Brahma Samaj BRAHMA SAMAJ, the new theistic church in India, owes its origin to Raja Ram Mohan Rai, one of time leading men whom India has produced in later times. Ram Mohan Rai was born in the district of Bard wan in 1772. He mastered at an early age the Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian languages. Impressed with the fallacy of the religious ceremonies practised by his countrymen, he impartially investigated the … Braiimaputra BRAIIMAPUTRA, one of the largest rivers of India, with a total length of 1800 miles, rises near the lake Mansarowar in the plateau of Thibet, where it is known by the name of Sanpu, flows eastward for about 1000 miles, and skirting round the eastern passes of the Himalayas not far from the Yang-tse-kiang and the great river of Cambodia, enters the plain of British India on the north-eastern fronti… Brainerd, David BRAINERD, DAVID, one of the most zealous and successful of modern Christian missionaries, was born at Haddam, in the state of Connecticut, in 1718, and died October 9, 1747, in the house of his friend President Edwards. Braintree BRAINTREE, the Raines of Domesday Book, a market-town of Essex, eleven miles N. by E. of Chelmsford. Brake BRAKE, a town in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, on the left bank of the Weser, about half-way between Bremen and the mouth of the river. Brake BRAKE is an instrument by means of which mechanical energy may be expended in r overcoming friction, It is used for several entirely different purposes, the principal of these being (a) to limit or decrease the velocity of, or in some cases to bring completely to rest, the body or system of bodies imparting the etiet'g,y ; (b) to measure directly the amount of frictional resistance between two bod… Bramante, Or Bramante Lazzart BRAMANTE, or BRAMANTE LAZZART, one of the most celebrated architects of Italy, famous also as a painter, was born at Casteldurante, in Urbino, in July 1444. He showed a great taste for drawing, and was at an early age placed under a painter of some distinction, Fra BartoIommeo, called Fra Carnavale. But though he afterwards gained some fame as a painter, his attention was soon absorbed by the sist… Brambanan BRAMBANAN, a village in. Java, notable for extensive and remarkable ruins of Hindu character. The place lies directly south of the great volcanic cone of Mir-Api (8640 feet) in the territory of the sultan of Yugya-karta (written by the Dutch Djokjo-karta), and 10 miles east of the capital, just on the border of the other native state called Surakarta or Solo. The remains embrace six groups of temp… Brandenburg BRANDENBURG, a town of Prussia, capital of the circle century, the old church of St Katharine, erected in 1410, colossal figure 18 feet in height, hewn out of a single block and boat-building. Brandenburg BRANDENBURG, one of the largest provinces of Prussia, and the division from which that powerful monarchy originally sprung. It lies between 51? and 53? 34' N. lat. and 11? 25' and 16? 10' E. long., and is bounded on the N. by Mecklenburg and the province of Pomerania, E. by Posen and Silesia, S. by Silesia and the kingdom and province of Saxony, and W. by Anhalt and the provinces of Saxony and Han… Brande, William Thomas BRANDE, WILLIAM THOMAS, chemist, was born at London in 1788. After leaving Westminster school he spent some time on the Continent, and acquired a knowledge of French and German. On his return he began the study of medicine, and in 1806 a communication of his to the Royal Society was printed in their Transactions. In 1809 he was made a fellow of the Royal Society, and became assistant to Sir Ilumph… Brandis, Christian August BRANDIS, CHRISTIAN AUGUST, a distinguished scholar and historian of Greek philosophy, was bOrn on 13th engaged. to philosophy, particularly to Plato. In 1809 he accepted the post of private tutor in the family :of Count Adam Moltke at Niitschau, and there became acquainted with Niebuhr, whose noble character made a deep impression on him. In 1812 he graduated at the university of Copenhagen, and p… Brandt, Sebastian BRANDT, SEBASTIAN, German satirist, was born at Strasburg about 1458. Brandy BRANDY, a spirituous liquor obtained by the distillation of wine, the aroma of which is due to ether and other volatile products. It may be distilled from any wine, but red wines yield a less pure and less aromatic spirit than light coloured varieties. In the departments of Charente and Charente Inferieure a variety of grape is cultivated exclusively for the production of brandy, the yield of whic… Brantford BRANTFORD, a town of the Dominion of Canada, in the province of Ontario, capital of the county of Brant, is situated on the Grand River, about 24 miles south-west of Hamilton. Brantome, Pierre De Bourdeilles BRANTOME, PIERRE DE BOURDEILLES, SEIGNEUR DE, French historian and biographer, was born about 1540. He was the third son of the Viscount de Bourdeilles, and at an early age entered the profession of arms. He approved himself a brave soldier, and was brought into contact with most of the great leaders who were seeking fame or fortune in the wars that then distracted the Continent. Soon after the de… Brasidas BRASIDAS, one of the most famous of the Spartan leaders in the early part of the Peloponnesian War, first distinguished himself by the relief of Methone, which was besieged by the Athenians (431 me.) For this service he was publicly commended at Sparta. In 429 he was sent to assist Cnemus, and appears to have taken part in the unsuccessful attack on the Piraeus. Two years later he accompanied the … Brass BRASS, an alloy of copper and zinc, the composition of which will be discussed under the heading COPPER. In this place we have to do simply with its history, and the various applications of the alloy in the arts. Although the term brass frequently occurs in Scripture from the era of Job downwards, there is no indication that brass, as known in modern times, was in use previous to the period of the… Brasses, Monumental BRASSES, MONUMENTAL, a species of engraved sepulchral memorials which in the early part of the 13th century began to take the place of the tombs and effigies carved in stone, which formed such conspicuous features in most of the great churches. Made of hard latten or sheet brass, let into the pavement, and thus forming no obstruction in the space required for the services of the church, they speed… Brassey, Thomas BRASSEY, THOMAS, an eminent English railway contractor, a man remarkable for his character and abilities as well as for the vast extent and singular success of his undertakings, was born at Baerton, near Chester, November 7, 1805. He was the son of a landed proprietor, of ancient family, and received an ordinary commercial education at a Chester school. He began his professional career at the age … Braunsberg BRAUNSBERG, a town of Prussia, capital of a circle in the government of Konigsberg, on the Passaye, between three or four miles from its mouth in the Frische Haff. It is the scat of the Roman Catholic bishop of Ermeland, and possesses numerous Roman Catholic institutions. Of these the most important are the Lyceum Hosianum, founded in 1564 by the Cardinal Bishop Rosins, and in 1818 raised to the r… Bray BRAY, a seaport town and fashionable watering-place of Ireland, 12 miles S.S.E. of Dublin on the railway to Wexford. It is situated on both sides of the River Bray, which separates the two counties of Wicklow and Dublin, the portion in the latter county being known as Little Bray. The town is neatly built?, and has a uew parish church, a large Roman Catholic chapel, an old castle, a hospital, a co… Bray, Sir Reginald BRAY, SIR REGINALD, architect, was the second son of Sir Richard Bray, one of the privy council of Henry VI. Brazil, Island Of BRAZIL, ISLAND OF, and other imaginary islands in the Atlantic. For a long time before the discovery of America, the fancies of navigators or of cosmographers had scattered over the Atlantic a number of islands, either wholly imaginary, or so detached from the germ of truth which had suggested their existence as to represent no fact in nature. Several such islands are described in the Arabic geogr… Brazil Nuts BRAZIL NUTS are the seeds of Berthollet-id excelsa (B. nobilis of Miers), a gigantic tree belonging to the natural order Lecylltidacece, which grows in the valleys of the Amazons and generally throughout tropical America. The tree attains an average height of 130 feet, having a smooth cylindrical trunk, with a diameter of 14 feet 50 feet from the ground, and branching at a height of about 100 feet… Brazil Wood BRAZIL WOOD is one of several dye woods of commerce which come from the West Indies and South America, belonging to the genera Ccesalpinia and Peltophorum of the natural order Legnminosce. The species to which the various woods belong have not been well determined, but commercially they are distinguished as Brazil wood, Nicaragua or Peach wood, Pernambuco wood, and Lima wood, each of which has a d… Brazza BRAZZA, the ancient Brattia, an island in the Adriatic, off the coast of Dalmatia, in the circle of Spalatro, and eight miles from that city. Bread BREAD. See BAKING, vol. iii. p. 250. BREAD-FRUIT. This most important food staple of the tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean is the fruit of Artocarpus incisa (nat. ord. Artocarpacece). The tree attains a moderate height, has very large, acutely lobed, glossy leaves, the male flowers in spikes, and the female flowers in a dense head, which by consolidation of their fleshy carpels and receptacles… Breakwaters BREAKWATERS differ from piers in their not being necessarily adapted for commercial purposes. They do not, therefore, require to have roadways for the accommodation of traffic, or parapets for keeping water or spray from passing over them. Breakwaters are artificial structures consisting generally of stones or blocks of concrete, built or deposited in deep water. Their object is to tranquillize th… Brechin BRECHIN, a parliamentary burgh of Scotland in the county of Forfar, 71 miles W. of Montrose, and connected by a branch-line with the Caledonian Railway. It is situated on an abrupt declivity on the north bank of the River South Esk, here crossed by a stone bridge of very early date. The principal buildings comprise the parish church (with steeple and spire 128 feet high) - forming part of an ancie… Brecon, Or Brecknock BRECON, or BRECKNOCK, the capital of the county of the same name, a market and borough town, 145 miles N. by W. from London, picturesquely situated in a flue open valley, at the confluence of the Honddu and Tarell with the Usk, and nearly in the centre of the county. It is supposed to occupy the site of the Roman station Banninm, but it is more probable that it was partly constructed with material… Brecon-, Or Brecknockshire BRECON-, or BRECKNOCKSHIRE, an inland county in South Wales. Its greatest length from south ? to north is or 460,158 acres, and is thus the fourth largest county in Wales. It is said to have derived its name from Brychan, a Welsh prince, who flourished in the fifth century. The Old Red Sandstone is the principal geological formation in this county, and occupies the whole of the central other place… Breda BREDA, a town of Holland in the province of North Brabant, and capital of a circle, is situated in a marshy plain on the Merck, 24 miles S.W. of Bois-le-Duc, and 30 N.N.E. of Antwerp. It is strongly fortified and defended by a citadel (rebuilt by William III. of England), and the surrounding district may be laid under water when required. The town is well built, with wide and well-paved streets, i… Breda, Jan Van BREDA, JAN VAN, a Dutch painter, was the son cf Alexander Van Breda, an artist of considerable merit, and was born at Antwerp in 1683. Bredow, Gabriel Gottfried BREDOW, GABRIEL GOTTFRIED, a German historian and professor in the university of Breslau, was born at Berlin in 1773. Breeds And Breeding BREEDS AND BREEDING.1 The word breeds is usually applied to the varieties of domesticated animals only, but since the phenomena presented under cultivation by all classes of organisms are entirely similar in character, and since, moreover, much of our knowledge on the subject has been gained from botany and horticulture, we shall include, under the one terns breeds, the varieties of domestic anima… Bregentz BREGENTZ, the ancient Brigantia, capital of the circle of Vorarlberg, in Tyrol, stands on a hill at the S.E. end of the Lake of Constance. Brehon Law BREHON LAW, the law of Ireland previous to the Conquest, and of some communities of the Irish down to the 17th century (from breitheani, genitive breitheamain, a judge ; root, breith, a judgment ; compare Vergobretus, " vir-adjudicandum," Cws., De Bell. Grill., i. 16). Three volumes of these laws, comprising the code called the Senchus _11-or, alleged to have been revised by St Patrick, have been … Breislak, Scipione BREISLAK, SCIPIONE, an eminent geologist, was born at Rome in 1748. He early distinguished himself as professor of mathematical and mechanical philosophy in the college of Ragusa ; but after residing there for several years he returned to his native city, where he soon became a professor in the Collogio Nazareno, and began to form the fine mineralogical cabinet in that institution. His leisure was… Bremen BREMEN, one of the three free cities of the new German empire, is situated on the River Weser, about 50 miles from the sea and 60 S.W of Hamburg. The latitude of the observatory is 53' 4' 36" N., and the longitude 8? 48' 54" E. The city consists of three parts - the old town (Alt Stadt) and its suburban extensions ( Vorstadt) on the right bank of the river, and the new town, dating from the Thirty… Bremer, Fredrika BREMER, FREDRIKA, the most celebrated Swedish novelist, was born near Abo, in Finland, on the 17th Finland when Fredrika was three years old, and after a year's residence in Stockholm, purchased an estate at Arsta, about 20 miles from the capital. There, with occasional visits to Stockholm and to a neighbouring estate, which belonged for a time to her father, Fredrika passed her time till 1820. Th… Bremerhaven BREMERHAVEN, a seaport town belonging to the free city of Bremen, on the right bank of the Weser at the mouth of the Chest, in 53? 32' N. lat. and 8? 34' E. long. It is built on a piece of ground surrendered to Bremen in 1827 by Hanover, and increased by treaty with Prussia in 1869. The port was opened in 1830, and there are now, besides an excellent harbour, four large wet docks, five dry docks, … Brentano, Clemens BRENTANO, CLEMENS, German dramatist and novelist, was born at Frankfort-on-the-Maine in 1777. His sister Elizabeth was the well-known Bettina von Arnim, Goethe's correspondent. He studied at Jena, and afterwards resided in Heidelberg, Vienna, and Berlin, leading a somewhat restless and unsettled life. In 1818 his disgust with all mundane affairs reached such a height that be withdrew from ordinary… Brentford BRENTFORD, a town of England, in the county of Middlesex, 8 miles west of London, on a loop line of the South-Western Railway, in 51? 28' N. lat. and 0? 20' W. long. It is divided by the River Brent into two parts, known as Old and New Brentford (the former the larger of the two), and is separated from Kew by the Thames. The Grand Junction Canal joins the Brent sonic miles further up, so that the … Brescia BRESCIA, the capital of the above province, is situated between the Mella and the Garza, about 155 miles by rail from Turin, in 45? 32' N. lat. and 10? 14' E. long. It lies at the foot of a spur of the Alps, on the summit of which is a fine old castle formerly known as the Falcon of Lombardy. The town is well built, has fine arcaded streets, and compares favourably in point of cleanliness with oth… Brescia, Or Bresciano BRESCIA, or BRESCIANO, a province of Italy, in Lombardy, bounded on the N.W. by Bergamo, N.E. by Tyrol, E. by Verona, from which it is separated by the Lago di Garda, S.E. by Mantua, and S.W. by Cremona. Its area is rather more than 1643 square miles. The northern part, or about one-third, is occupied by a chain of mountains which belong to the RhEetian Alps ; the remainder forms part of the great… Breslau BRESLAU, a city of Prussia, capital of the government of Silesia, is situated mainly on the left but partly also on the right bank of the Oder, at the influx of the Ohlau, and on the railway from Berlin to Vienna, 190 miles S.E. of the former city. The latitude of the observatory is 51? 6' 56"N., and its longitude 17? 2' 18" E. The city consists of a new and an old town, and a number of extensive … Brest BREST, a strongly fortified seaport town of France, capital of an arrondissement in the department of Finistere, in 48? 22' N. lat. and 4? 32' W. long. It is situated to the north of a magnificent land-locked bay, and occupies the slopes of two hills divided by the River Penfeld, - the part of the town on the left bank being regarded as Brest proper, while the part on the right is for the recovery… Brest-litovsk BREST-LITOVSK (in Polish BRZESC, and in the chronicles BERESTIE and BERESTOFF), a town of Russia, in the government of Grodno, and 131 miles S. from the city of that name, in 52" 5' N. lat. and 23? 39' E. long., at the junction of the navigable river Mukhovetz with the Lug. It contains two or three Greek churches, a Roman Catholic church, a Jewish synagogue - which was regarded in the 16th century… Bretschneider, Karl Gottlied BRETSCHNEIDER, KARL GOTTLIED, an eminent scholar and theologian, of the more moderate school of German rationalism, was born on the 11th February 1776, at Gcrsdorf in Saxony. From his autobiography, which was found amongst his papers after his death, and was published by his son in 1851, we obtain a very complete picture, not only of the man himself, but of the times in which he lived, and of the … Breughel, Jan BREUGHEL, JAN, a Flemish painter, son of Peeter Breughel, was born at Brussels about the year 1569. Breughel, Pester BREUGHEL, PESTER, a Flemish painter, was the son of a peasant residing in the village of Breugliel near Breda. Breviari Um Alamo BREVIARI UM ALAMO A.NUM, a collection of Roman law, compiled by order of Alaric II., king of the Visigoths, with the advice of his bishops and nobles, in the twenty-second year of his reign (506 A.D.) It comprises sixteen books of the Theodosian code ; the Novells of Theodosius II., Valentinianus III., Marcianus, Majorianus, and Severus ; the Institutes of Gains ; five books of the Sententice Rece… Breviary BREVIARY (Lat. bre-viariion), the book which contains the offices for the canonical hours. The word first occurs in the 11th century, and is said to denote that the book was an abridgment of several separate ones which had previously been in use. The English equivalent for it is portuary (from the medimval Latin port?forium),partesse, or porluasse, the name probably indicating the portability of t… Brewing BREWING is the art of preparing an exhilarating or intoxicating beverage by means of a process of fermentation. In the modern acceptation of the word, brewing is the operation of preparing beer and ales from any farinaceous grain (chiefly from barley), which is first malted and ground, and its fermentable substance extracted by warm water. This infusion is evaporated by boiling, hops having been a… Brewster BREWSTER, Sin DAVID, natural philosopher, distinguished especially for his original discoveries in the science of optics and his numerous and varied contributions to scientific literature, was born on the 11th December 1781 at Jedburgh, where his father, a teacher of high reputation, was rector of the grammar school. At the early age of twelve he was sent to the University of Edinburgh, being inte… Briancon BRIANcON, a very strongly fortified town of France, the capital of an arrondissement in the department of Hautes-Alpes, situated on a hill about 4300 feet above the level of the sea, near the source of the Durance, in lat. 44' 53' N. and 6? 47' E. long. It commands the road across - Mount Genevre between France and Italy, and is well defended by its natural position; while the surrounding eminence… Briansk BRIANSK, a town of Russia, in the government of Orloff, 98 miles E.N.E. of the city of that name, in 53? 15' N. lat., and 22? 50' E. long., on both banks of the Desna, opposite the mouth of the River Snezheta. It is divided into four parts by several smaller streams. The town is mentioned in 1146, and then bore the names of Briansk and Debriansk. It afterwards formed a separate principality, which… Briareus BRIAREUS, or /EGJEoN, one of the three hundred-armed (Hekaloncheires) sons of Uranus and Gaia, - his brothers being mined Cottus and Gyges. The legends regarding them are various and somewhat contradictory. According to the most widely-spread myth, Briareus and his brothers were called by Zeus to his assistance when the Titans were making war upon Olympus. The gigantic enemies were defeated and co… Bribery BRIBERY, as a public offence, may be defined as the administration of a bribe or reward, that it may be a motive in the performance of functions for which the proper motive ought to be a conscientious sense of duty. When this is superseded by the sordid impulses created by the bribe, a person is said to be corrupted, and thus corruption is a term sometimes held equivalent to bribery. The offence -… Brick BRICK, a kind of artificial stone made of baked clay. The usual form of a brick is a parallelopipedon, about 9 inches long, 41. inehes.broad, and 3 inches thick_. The art of briekmaking dates from very early times. We read that burnt brick was used in building the tower of Babel. The walls and various other buildings of ancient Babylon were made of burnt brick ; several varieties of brick figure i… Bridaine, Jacques BRIDAINE, JACQUES, a celebrated French preacher and home-missionary, was born in 1701 at Chuslan in the department of Gard. Bridgenorth BRIDGENORTH, a parliamentary and municipal borough and market town of England, in the county of Shropshire, on both sides of the Severn, 18 miles S.E. by E. of Shrewsbury. The river, which is here crossed by a handsome stone bridge of six arches, separates the upper from the lower town. The former is built on the acclivities and summit of a rock which rises abruptly from the river to the height of… Bridgeport BRIDGEPORT, a seaport town in the county of Fairfield, Connecticut, United States, is situated on an arm of Long Island Sound, 58 miles N.E. of New York, in 41? 10' N. lat. and 73? 11' W. long. It has several iron-foundries and manufactures fire-arms, metallic cartridges, sewing-machines, carriages, harness, locks, blinds, &c. The coasting trade and the fisheries arc both extensive. The bar at the… Bridget, St BRIDGET, ST, of Sweden, was born about the year 1302. Bridget, St BRIDGET, ST, one of the patron saints of Ireland, who lived during the 6th century, was a daughter of one of the princes of Ulster, and took the monastic vow at a very early age. Bridgewater BRIDGEWATER., THE REV. FRANCIS HENRY, EIGHTH EARL OF, was born in 175S and died on the 11th February 1829. He is best known as the originator of the Bridgewater Treatises. By his will he devised the sum of ?8000, at the disposal of the president of the Royal Society, to be paid to the author or authors selected by the president to write and publish 1000 copies of a treatise " On the Power, Wisdom,… Bridgewater BRIDGEWATER, a municipal (and formerly a parliamentary) borough and seaport in Somersetshire, on the Great Western Railway, 29 miles S.S.W. of Bristol. It is pleasantly situated in a level and well-wooded country, having on the east the Mendip range and on the west the Quantock hills. The town, which is well built, lies along both sides of the River Parret, here crossed by a handsome iron bridge. … Bridge Water, Francis Egerton BRIDGE WATER, FRANCIS EGERTON, THIRD DUKE OF, who has sometimes been styled " the Father Of British Inland Navigation," was born in 1736. The navigable canal which he projected for the transport of the coal obtained on his estates, was (with the exception of the Sankey canal) the first great undertaking of the kind executed in Great i Rritain in modern times. The construction of this remarkable wo… Bridlington, Brellington, Or Burlington BRIDLINGTON, BRELLINGTON, or BURLINGTON, a market-town of England, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the North-Eastern Railway, 23 miles from Scarborough. It lies about a mile from the coast on a gentle acclivity. The streets are narrow and the houses irregularly built. A large chamber over the old priory gateway (of the time of Richard II.) is used as a town-hall. The town has also a corn excha… Bridport BRIDPORT, a parliamentary and municipal borough and market-town of England, in the county of Dorset, 18 miles by rail N.W. from Dorchester between two branches of the River Brit, from which it takes its name. The main part of the town is about a mile from the sea, with which it is connected by a single winding street, terminating in a quay surrounded by a fishing village. The principal buildings c… Briel, Brielle BRIEL, BRIELLE, or Ram, a fortified seaport town of Holland, in the province of South Holland, and capital of an arrondissement, stands on the north side of the island of Voorne, near the mouth of the Maese, 14 miles west of Rotterdam, in 51? 54' 11" N. lat. and 4? 9' 51" E: long. Brigade BRIGADE, a tactical body, composed of two or more regiments of cavalry or infantry, under the command of a general officer of the lowest grade. Briggs, Henry BRIGGS, HENRY, one of the greatest mathematicians of the 16th century, was born in 1556 at Warley Wood near Halifax, in Yorkshire. He studied at St John's College, Cambridge, graduated in 1581, and obtained a fellowship in 1588. In 1592 he was made reader of the physical lecture founded by Dr Linacre, and in 1596 first professor of geometry in Gresham House (afterwards College), London. In his lec… Brighton BRIGHTON, a parliamentary borough, and one of the most fashionable watering-places of England, is situated on the coast of Sussex between Beachy Head and Sclsea Bill, in 50? 50' N. lat. and 0? 8' W. long. By railway it is 50 miles from London and 28 from Chichester. Its sea-frontage of handsome mansions and hotels extends upwards of three miles from Keinp Town in the east to what was formerly the … Bright's Disease BRIGHT'S DISEASE, a term in medicine applied to a class of diseases of the kidneys which have as their most pronomenclature in honour of Dr Bright, must be understood as having a generic application. Two varieties of Bright's disease are described, the acute and the chronic, - the former representing the inflammatory and the latter the degenerative form of kidney disease. Acute Bright's Disease (s… Brignoles BRIGNOLES, the capital of an arrondissement in the department of Var, in ranee, is situated in a fertile and pleasant valley on the right bank of the Calami, 22 miles N.N.E. of Toulon. It is neat and well built, and has a magnificent fountain, a public library, a normal school, manufactures of silk thread and leather, and an active trade in wines, brandy, liqueurs, and excellent prunes - the last … Bril, Paul BRIL, PAUL, a Flemish painter, born at Antwerp in 1554. Brindisi BRINDISI, a fortified city and seaport of Italy, in the province of Otranto, is situated at the head of a bay of the Adriatic in 40? 39' 27" N. lat. and 17? 2S' 44" E. long. The streets are for the most part narrow and crooked, and the town in general is in a somewhat ruinous condition. Since the restoration of its maritime importance, which is mainly due to the fact that it forms the great transi… Brindley, James BRINDLEY, JAMES, a celebrated engineer, was born at Thornsett, Derbyshire, in 1716. His parents were in very humble circumstances, and he received little or no education. At the age of seventeen he was apprenticed to a millwright near Macclesfield, and while in this employment manifested remarkable mechanical talent. Soon after completing his apprenticeship he set up in business for himself as a w… Brioude BRIOUDE, a town of France, in the department of Haute Loire, capital of an arrondissement, is situated on the left bank of the Allier, 39 miles N.W. of Puy. The town is but has a fine old Gothic church (St Julien, of the 12th century, with curious mosaic ornamentation), a college, a public library, and beautiful fountains, which date from the 13th century. At Old Brioude, about three miles S.S.E.,… Brisbane BRISBANE, a town of Australia, capital of the colony of Queensland, is situated in Stanley county, on both banks of the River Brisbane, about 25 miles from ?its entrance into Moreton Bay. it consists of four parts, - North and South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, and Fortitude Valley. Among its public buildings are courts of justice, houses of parliament, a governor's residence, a literary institute, a… Brisbane, Sir BRISBANE, SIR ThomAs MAKDOUGALL, a distinguished soldier and astronomer, was born in 1773 at Brisbane in Ayrshire. He entered the army in 1789, and served in Flanders, the West Indies, and the Peninsula. In 1814 he was sent to North America ; on the return of Napoleon from Elba he was recalled, but did not arrive in time to take part at the battle of Waterloo. From 1818 to 1821 he was military com… Brisson BRISSON, MATutrum JACQUES, a French zoologist and natural philosopher, was born at Fontenay-le-Comte, 3d April 1723. He studied for the church, but did not take orders, as his inclination led him towards the study of natural science. He became assistant to the celebrated Realm-nu, and in 1756 published the first volume of his work on the animal kingdom, containing an account of' the quadrupeds and… Bristol BRISTOL, a town of the United States, the capital of a county in Rhode Island, is situated on a peninsula between Narraganset Bay and Mount Hope Bay, 16 miles S.E. of Providence by rail. Bristol BRISTOL, a seaport town in the west of England, is situated in 2? 35' 28"?G W. long., 51? 27' G"?3 N. lat., 108 miles from London by road, 118 by Great Western Railway, 12 miles N.W. of Bath, and 8 miles inland from Bristol Channel, with which the port communicates by the Avon. That river, as well as the Frame which unites with it at the quay, runs through the city and forms the topographical divi… Britannia BRITANNIA. The history of Britain begins with the invasion of Julius Caesar, 55 me. Caesar is the first Roman writer who mentions Britain ; before him we have only a few short notices in Greek writers, who appear to have known but little about the country. The earliest notice of Britain is in Herodotus (450 B.C.), who mentions the Ti Islands, only to confess his ignorance about them. By the Tin Is… Britannicus BRITANNICUS, son of the emperor Claudius, and of his third wife Messalina, was born probably 42 A.D., though th, exact date cannot be determined. He was originally called Claudius Tiberius Germanicus, and received the name Britannicus on account of the conquests made in Britain about the time of his birth. Till 48 A.D., the date of his mother's execution, he was looked upon as the heir to the impe… Brittany, Britanny, Or Britany BRITTANY, BRITANNY, or BRITANY, in French, BRETAGNE, an ancient province and duchy of France, consisting of the great north-western peninsula of the country, and corresponding very nearly to the present departments of Finistere, Cotes-du-Nord, Morbihan, Ille et Vilaine, and Lower Loire. It is popularly divided into Upper or Western, and Lower or Eastern Brittany. While it is not a mountainous coun… Britton BRITTON, the title of the earliest summary of the Nicholls, M.A. An English translation of the work law of England in the French tongue, which purports to without the Latin text had been previously published by have been written by command of King Edward I. The R. Kelham in 1762. origin and authorship of the work have been much disputed. BRITTON, JOHN, a topographical and antiquarian writer, It ha… Brixen BRIXEN, a town of Austria in Tyrol, situated in the Pusterthal at the confluence of the Eisack and Rientz, in 40? 40' N. lat. and 11? 37' E. long., 104 miles from Vienna by rail. Brixham BRIXHAM, a seaport town of England, in the county of Devon, about 200 miles from London; with a station about two miles distant on the South Devon Railway. Broach BROACH, the principal place of the district of the same name, situated on an elevated mound, supposed to be artificial, on the northern bank of the Nerbudda, about 30 miles above its mouth, in 21? 42' N. lat. and 73? 2' E. long. The river is here a noble sheet of water, two miles wide at ebb tide, but shallow for the most part even at flood-tide, though there is then a deep but intricate channel a… Broach, Or Bharucii BROACH, or BHARUCII, a district of British India under the jurisdiction of the governor of Bombay, extending from 21? 22' to 22? 11' N. lat. and from 72? 30' to 73? 10' E. long. It is bounded on the N. by the River Mai, on the E. and S. by the territory of the Gaikwar, and on the W. by the Gulf of Cambay. Consisting chiefly of the alluvial plain at the mouth of the River Nerbudda, the land is rich… Broadstairs BROADSTAIRS, a town of England, in the county of Kent, about a mile and a half to the south of the North Foreland, and three miles from Margate, on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway. Brocchi, Giovanni Battista BROCCHI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA, a celebrated Italian mineralogist and geologist, was born at Bassano, in February 1772. Ho studied at the university of Pisa, where his attention was especially turned to mineralogy and botany. In 1802 he was appointed professor of botany in the new Lyceum of Brescia ; but he more particularly devoted himself to geological researches in the numerous excursions he made i… Brockhaus, Friedrich Arnold BROCKHAUS, FRIEDRICH ARNOLD, an eminent German publisher, was born in Dortmund, on the 4th May 1772. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native place, and from 1788 to 1793 served an apprenticeship in a mercantile house at Dusseldorf. He then devoted two years at Leipsic to the study of modern languages and literature, after which he set up at Dortmund an emporium for English goods. Iu 1810 he… Brocklesby, Richard BROCKLESBY, RICHARD, a physician of considerable reputation, was born in Somersetshire, 11th August 1722. He was educated at Ballytore, in Ireland, studied medicine at Edinburgh, and finally graduated at Leyden in 1745. In 1751 he was admitted a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians at London, of which he afterwards became a fellow. In 1758 he was appointed physician to the army, in which … Broderip, William John BRODERIP, WILLIAM JOHN, a distinguished writer on natural history, was born in Bristol, probably in 1787. He was educated at the school conducted by the Rev. Samuel Seyer, and proceeded to Oriel College, Oxford, where he began the study of law. He was called to the bar in 1817, and took part for several years in editing the law reports. In 1822 he was appointed by Sir Robert Peel one of the metrop… Brodie, Sir Benjamin BRODIE, SIR BENJAMIN Comics, Bart., a distinguished physiologist and surgeon, was born in 1783 at Winterslow, county of Wilts, and died at Broome Park, 21st October 1862, in the 79th year of his age. His paternal grandfather, connected with the family of Brodie of Brodie, was born in Banffshire about the year 1710, and came as an adventurer to London, where he acquired considerable wealth as an ar… Brody BRODY, a town of Austria, in the circle of Zloczow, in Galicia, near the Russian frontier. Broglie, Achille Lronce Victor Charles BROGLIE, ACHILLE LRONCE VICTOR CHARLES, Due DE, peer of France, was born in Paris 28th November 1785, and died 25th January 1870. The family from which this eminent statesman descended was of Piedmontese origin, but it won its honour in the service of: France. The first Marshal de Broglie (1639-1727) served with distinction under Louis XIV.; his son, known as the Chevalier de Broglie (1671-1745), … Broker BROKER, a word derived variously from the French broier, to grind, and brocarder, to cavil or Niggle, and the Saxon broc, misfortune. A broker is an agent or intermediate person appointed for transacting special business on account of another, but differing somewhat from an ordinary factor in functions and responsibility. Of this class there are various descriptions, exercising employment without … Bromberg BROMBERG, a town of Prussia, capital of a government in the province of Posen, is situated 70 miles north of the city of that name on the River Brahe, which is there crossed by a fine new railway bridge. Its public buildings comprise two Roman Catholic churches, a Protestant church, and a Jewish synagogue, a gymnasium, a seminary, a workhouse and penitentiary, a hospital, and a military storehouse… Brome BROME, Rictunn, a dramatic writer in the reign of Charles T., and a contemporary of Dekker, Ford, Shirley, and others. Bromine BROMINE, one of the halogen group of non-metallic chemical elements, which comprises three other members, - chlorine, iodine, and fluorine. The whole group has many properties in common, the most marked being their behaviour towards hydrogen, uniting with it atom for atom, forming. gaseous condensible acid compounds, which are all produced by similar reactions, and which yield in combination with … Bromley BROMLEY, a market-town of England, in the county of Kent, 10 miles S.E. of London. It is situated on high ground to the north of the river Ravensbourne, and since the opening of the railway has become a favourite residence for men of business from London. It has a town-hall - built in 1864, an old market-house, a literary institution, and a college, originally founded in 1666 by Bishop Warner for … Bromsgrove BROMSGROVE, a market-town of England, in the county of Worcester, 13 miles S. by W. of Birmingham, with a station on the Birmingham and Worcester Railway, at the distance of a mile and a half. Bronchitis BRONCHITIS, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes. Well known as one of the most common diseases of the climate of Great Britain, bronchitis exists in either an acute or a chronic form. Acute bronchitis, like other inflammatory affections of the chest, generally arises as the result of exposure to cold, particularly if accompanied with damp, or of sudden change from a heated t… Bronn BRONN, the capital of the Austrian margraviate of Moravia, is situated for the most part between two hills at the confluence of the Schwarzawa and the Zwittawa, 69 miles N. of Vienna and 115 W.S.W. of Prague, with both of which it is connected by railway. Lat. 49? 11' 39" N., long. 16? 39' 35" E. On one of the hills known as the Spielberg stands the castle of the same name, which has long been use… Bronte BRONTE, a city of Sicily in the intendency of Catania. Bronte, Chatimotte BRONTE, CHATIMOTTE, modern English novelist, was born on the 21st April 1816. Her father, the Rev. Patrick Bronte, was a native of county Down, Ireland; her mother, Maria Branwell, was of Cornish family. At the date of his marriage, in 1812, Mr Bronte held the living of Hartshead in Yorkshire, and there his tw,o eldest daughters, Maria and Elizabeth, were born. In 1815 he removed to Thornton, in t… Bronze BRONZE is an alloy formed wholly or chiefly of copper and tin, in variable proportions. It has been used from a very early period. Archaeologists distinguish a bronze age in prehistoric times in Western Europe (intermediate between those of stone and iron), characterized by a general use of the alloy for cutting instruments and other objects. The " brass " of the Bible was probably of the nature o… Brooch BROOCH, or BnoAcn, (from the French broche), an awl or bodkin. A spit is sometimes called a broach, and hence the phrase "to broach a barrel." The term is now used to denote a clasp or fastener for the dress provided with a pin, having a hinge or spring at one end, and a catch and loop at the other. Brooches were universally used among the more civilized nations of antiquity. They were made of man… Brooke, Frances BROOKE, FRANCES, a clever novelist and dramatic writer, whose maiden name was Moore, was born in the earlier part of the 18th century. Brooke, Henry BROOKE, HENRY, novelist and poet, was born at Rantavan, county Cavan, in 1708. His father was rector of Killinkere; his mother was a daughter of the bishop of Elphin. At an early age he entered Dublin University, where he was noticed by Swift, who predicted great things of him. About 1724 he proceeded to London, where rie managed to gain the affection and esteem of Pope. He studied law in the Temp… Brooke, Sir James BROOKE, SIR JAMES, Rajah of Sarawak, in the island of Borneo, and Governor of Labuan, was born at Coombe Grove near Bath, April 29, 1803. It is sometimes erroneously stated that he was born in Bengal, a mistake arising from the fact that his father a member of the Civil Service of the East India Company, had long lived there. His mother was a woman of superior understanding, and to her care he owe… Brookes, Joshua BROOKES, JOSHUA, English anatomist, was born in 1761. Brooklyn BROOKLYN, a city of the United States of North America, capital of King's County, New York, is situated on the western end of Long Island, immediately opposite the city of New York, from which it is separated by the East River, an arm of the sea, about three-quarters of a mile in breadth. Lat. 40? 41' N., long. 73? 59' W. The city now includes not only Brooklyn proper, but also, by a Point to Bay… Brooks, Charles Shirley BROOKS, CHARLES SHIRLEY, an English novelist, and dramatic and miscellaneous writer, was born in 1815. himself to the study of law, he passed the usual examination for admission ; but instead of pursuing further the professional path, he turned aside and began to feelqiis way towards the broader field of literature. He wrote, sometimes alone, sometimes in conjunction with others, years engaged on … Broome, William BROOME, WILLIAM, the coadjutor of Pope in translating the Odyssey, was born at Haslington in Cheshire, in 1689. He was educated upon the foundation at Eton, and was captain of the school a whole year, without any vacancy occurring by which he might have obtained a scholarship at King's College. Being by this delay superannuated, he was sent to St John's College by the contributions of his friends,… Broseley BROSELEY, formerly BUWARDESLEY, a market-town on the Severn, in the county of Shropshire, 146 miles from London. Brosses BROSSES, CuAnLES DE, first president of the parliament of Burgundy, was born at Dijon in 1709. He studied law with a view to the magistracy, but the bent of his mind was towards literature and the sciences. He travelled through Italy in 1739 in company with his friend M. de SaintePalaye ; and on his return to France published his Lettres S212? l'Etat Actuel de la Ville Sonterraine d' Herculaneum, … Brougham, Henry BROUGHAM, HENRY, first Lord Brougham and Vaux, man of letters, man of science, advocate, orator, statesman, and Lord High Chancellorof England, was born at Edinburgh on the 19th September 1778, and died at Cannes in France on the 7th May 1868. During a great portion of a life extended to the unwonted term of ninety years, but especially in the third and fourth decades of the present century, from … Broughton BROUGHTON, Knurl, a learned scholar and divine, was born at Oldbury in Shropshire in 1549. After receiving the rudiments of his education at a provincial school, he went to Cambridge, where in clue time he was chosen a fellow of Christ's College, and took orders in the church. During his career at the university he laid the foundation of the Hebrew scholarship for which he was afterwards so distin… Broughton, John Cam Itobitodse BROUGHTON, JOHN CAM ITOBITODSE, LORD, an English statesman, was the eldest son of Sir Benjamin Hob-house, first baronet, and was born at Redlands, Bristol, June 27, 1786. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he tcok his degree of B.A. in 1808. During his residence at Cambridge he became the intimate friend of Lord Byron ; and in the summer of 1809 the two fri… Broughton, Thomas BROUGHTON, THOMAS, a learned divine, and one of the original writers in the Iliographia I3ritannica, was born at London, July 5, 1704. At an early age he was sent to Eton, where he soon distinguished himself by his acuteness and studious disposition. Being superannuated on this foundation, he removed about 1722 to the university of Cambridge ; and, for the sake of a scholarship, entered himself of… Broukeiusi Cis, Or Broekiiuizen BROUKEIUSI CIS, or BROEKIIUIZEN, JAN, a distinguished scholar, born in 1649 at Amsterdam, where his father was a clerk in the Admiralty. His father dying when he was very young, he was taken from literary pursuits, in which he had made great progress, and placed with an apothecary at Amsterdam, with whom he lived several years. Not liking this employment, he entered the army, and in 1674 was sent … Broussa, Brussa, Or Brusa BROUSSA, BRUSSA, or BRUSA, in Turkish Bursa, a city of Asiatic Turkey, in the province of Anatolia, and capital of the sanjak of Khodavendkiar, is situated in a fertile valley, at the northern foot of Mount Olympus or Keshish Dagh, 57 miles S.S.E. of Constantinople. Its streets are narrow and dark, and its houses are for the most part built of wood ; but its numerous minarets give it a magnificent… Broussais, Franvis Joseph Victor BROUSSAIS, FRANVIS JOSEPH VICTOR, a celebrated French physician, was born at St Malo in 1772. From Iris father, who was also a physician, he received his first instructions in medicine, and he studied for some years at the college of Dinars. At the age of seventeen he entered one of the newly-formed republican regiments, but ill health compelled him to withdraw after :bout two years. He resumed hi… Broussonet, Pierre Marie Auguste BROUSSONET, PIERRE MARIE AUGUSTE, a distinguished French naturalist, was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born at Montpellier in 1761. He was educated for the medical profession, and at the age of eighteen was appointed to fill a profeSsor's chair. Botany seems to have been the science to which he was at first chiefly devoted ; and he laboured with much zeal to establish the system of Linnxus in… Brown BROWN, JonN, the founder of the Brunonian theory of physic, was born in 1735 at Lintlaws or at Preston, Berwickshire. He was originally destined for the employment of a weaver, but the boy's talents attracted the attention of his schoolmaster, through whose endeavours his parents were encouraged to allow him to begin study for the church. At the age of twenty b.e came to Edinburgh and entered the … Brown BROWN, Jones, D.D., an eminent Scottish divine, son of the Rev. John Brown of Whitburn, and grandson of the Rev. John Brown of Haddington, was born at Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, on the 12th July 1784. He studied at Glasgow university, and afterwards at the divinity hall of the " Burgher " branch of the " Secession" Church at Selkirk, under the celebrated Lawson. In 1806 he was ordained minister of… Brown BROWN, .JOIN, an American abolitionist, celebrated as the originator of the Harper's Ferry insurrection, was born in Torrington, Connecticut, on the 9th May 1800. Originally intended for the church, he was compelled to give up study for this purpose on account of inflammation in the eyes. He then took up the business of a tanner, which he carried on for twenty years. Not being very successful in t… Brown BROWN, Joan, author of the Self-Interpreting Bible, VMS born at Carpow, in Perthshire, in 1722. Brown, Charles Broceden BROWN, CHARLES BROCEDEN, the first American novelist who acquired an European reputation, and the first American who made literature a profession, was berm of Quaker parents in Philadelphia, January 17, 1771. A youth of delicate constitution and retiring habits, he early devoted himself to study ; his principal amusement was the invention of ideal architectural designs, devised on the most extensi… Brown, Dr BROWN, DR Thomas, one of the most original and subtle of Scottish psychologists, was born on the 9th January 1778, at Kirkmabreek, Kirkcudbright, of which parish his father was the clergyman. In 1780 the family removed to Edinburgh, but he was not placed at any of the schools in that city. At the age of seven he was sent to London, and began his regular education at a school in Camberwell, from wh… Browne, Charles Farrar BROWNE, CHARLES FARRAR, an American humorous writer, best known under his nom de plume of Artemus Ward, was born at Waterford, Maine, in 1834. Browne, Isaac Hawkins BROWNE, ISAAC HAWKINS, an English poet, was born in 1705 at Burton-upon-Trent, of which place his father was minister. He received his grammatical instruction first at Lichfield, and then at Westminster, whence, at sixteen years of age, he was removed to Trinity College, Cambridge, of which his father had been fellow. After taking his master's degree he removed to Lincoln's Inn, where he applied c… Browner, Adrian BROWNER, ADRIAN, a Dutch painter, was born at Haarlem in 1608, of very humble parents, who bound him apprentice to the painter Frank Hals. Browne, Sir Thomas BROWNE, SIR THOMAS, a distinguished English writer, was born in London on the 19th October, 1605. He was educated at Winchester School, and afterwards at Broad-gate Hall (Pembroke College), Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in January 1626. He took the further degree of M.A. in 1629, studied medicine, and practised for some time in Oxfordshire. Between 1630 and 1633 lie left England, travelled throu… Browne, William BROWNE, WILLIAM, an English poet, descended of a good family, was born at Tavistock in Devonshire, in 1590. Having passed through the grammar school of his native place, be was sent to Exeter 'College, Oxford, and became tutor to Robert Dormer, afterwards earl of Carnarvon. After having received in 1624 the honorary degree of M.A., be was taken into the family of William, earl of Pembroke, and imp… Bro Wne, William George BRO WNE, WILLIAM GEORGE, an eminent traveller, was born at Great-Tower-Hill, London, July 25, 1768. At seventeen he was sent to Oriel College, Oxford, Having had a moderate competence- left him by his father, on leaving the university he applied himself entirely to literary pursuits. But the fame of Bruce's travels, and of the first discoveries made by the African Association, determined him to be… Browning BROWNING, ELizAnErn BARRETT, the most distinguished poet of her sex that England has produced, was born in London in the year 1809. She was the daughter of Mr Barrett, an English country gentleman. From a very early age, almost before the years of childhood had passed, she exhibited a remarkable preference for the arts, but especially that of the poetic. Previous to attaining her fifteenth year sh… Brownists BROWNISTS, a religious sect, which sprang up towards the close of the 16th century, and which received its name from the first promulgator of the doctrines, Robert Brown. Their numbers increased rapidly, and Sir Walter Raleigh, in a speech in 1592, estimated them at no less than twenty thousand. The harsh measures that were taken against them, and the disgust generally excited by the tone of their… Brown, John BROWN, JOHN., D.D., an English divine and author, was born at Rothbury, Northumberland, in November 1715. . He was the son of John Brown, a descendant of the Browns of Coalstown near Haddington, who at the time of his son's birth was curate of Rothbury. He was educated at St John's, Cambridge ; and after graduating as B.A. with great distinction, he returned to his father's house at Wigton, receiv… Brown, Robert BROWN, ROBERT, a celebrated botanist, who may be said to be the founder of the modern science of vegetable physiology, and to have placed the natural system of the classification of plants, originally introduced by Jussieu, upon that sure and ever-widening basis on which it has ever since remained. With the exception of the early years of his life his career was uneventful. His private life is lit… Brown, Robert BROWN, ROBERT, the founder of the Brownists, numerous sect of dissenters in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was born in 1550. He was the son of Anthony Brown of Tolthorp in Rutlandshire, whose father obtained, by a charter of Henry VIII., the singular privilege of wearing his cap in the king's presence. Robert was educated at Cambridge, and was afterwards a schoolmaster in Southwark. About the year … Brown, Samuel BROWN, SAMUEL, chemist, poet, and essayist, was born at Haddiugton on the 23d February 1817, and died 26th September 1856. He was the son of Dr Samuel Brown, the founder of itinerating libraries, and grandson of the author of the Self-Interpreting Bible. In 1832 he entered the university of Edinburgh, and almost from the first devoted himself with passionate enthusiasm to the study of chemistry. T… Brown, Thomas BROWN, THOMAS, of facetious memory, as Addison designates him, was the son of a farmer at Shiffnal in Shropshire, and was born in 1663. Brown, Ulysses Maximilian BROWN, ULYSSES MAXIMILIAN, a celebrated general in the imperial armies, son of Ulysses, Baron Brown and Camus, a colonel of cuirassiers, was descended of an ancient Irish family, and was born at Basel in 1705. After studying at Limerick, Rome, and Prague he entered the army, becoming in 1723 captain in the regiment of his uncle, Count George Brown, and in 1725 lieutenant-colonel. He served with gr… Brown, William Laurence BROWN, WILLIAM LAURENCE, born at Utrecht, January 7, 1755, was the son of the Rev. William Brown, minister of the English church in that city. The father, having been appointed professor of ecclesiastical history at St Andrews, returned to Scotland in 1757, and his son was in due time sent to the grammar school of that city. At the age of twelve he entered the university, and after passing through… Bruce BRUCE, MicHAEr? a minor Scottish poet, was born at Kinnesswood, Kinross-shire, 27th March 1746, and was the son of a weaver. He was early sent to school, but his attendance was often interrupted. He had frequently to herd. cattle on the hills in sununer, and this early companionship with nature greatly influenced his mind and awoke the latent poetry of his genius. Delicate from birth he grew up co… Bruce, James BRUCE, JAMES, a celebrated African traveller, was born at Kinnaird House, Stirlingshire, on the 14th December 1730. He was educated at Harrow, and at first turned his attention to the bar. After his marriage, however, he entered into business as a wine-merchant, but soon gave up any active share in the concern. His wife had died within a year of their marriage, and Bruce, after acquiring a knowled… Bruchsal BRUCHSAL, a town of the Grand Duchy of Baden, in the circle of Carlsruhe, 14 miles from the city of that name, on the Salzbach. Bruck BRUCK, the name of two towns of Austria - (1 .) BRUCK ON THE IsfuR, the chief town of a circle in the province of Steyermark, situated at the junction of the rivers 11fur and Mfirz, with a station on the railway from Vienna to Trieste, 25 miles N.W. of Gratz. Brucker, Jaws BRUCKER, JAWS, theologian, historian, philologer, and biographer, was born at Augsburg on the 22d of January 1696. His father, who was a respectable burgher, destined him for the church ; and his own inclinations according with his father's wishes, he was sent at the usual age to pursue his studies in the university of Jena. Here he took the degree of master of arts in 1718 ; and in the following … Bruges BRUGES (in Flemish Brt-u-aoE), a city of Belgium, the capital of West Flanders, is situated in the midst of a fertile plain, intersected by the canals of Ghent, Ostend, and Sluys, in 51? 12' N. lat. and 3? 13' E. long. It is, in a direct line, about 7 miles from the sea, 12 miles E. of Ostend, 24 N.W. of Ghent, and 60 miles in the same direction from Brussels. The history of Bruges dates from abou… Brun BRUN, a city in the circle of Saatz, in the Austrian kingdom of Bohemia, on the Biver Bila, It consists of an old town, surrounded with walls, and three suburbs, and contains, besides the courts and public offices of the circle, nine churches, three monasteries, a gymnasium, barracks, a military college, and an educational establishment of Piarists. Brunck BRUNCK, ilacir.ann FRANc013 PUILIPPE (1729-1803), a French scholar, was born at Strasburg, 20th December 1729. He was educated at the Jesuits' college at Paris, but having early entered the public service, he soon forgot his Latin and Greek. At the age of thirty he returned to his native town and resumed his studies, paying special attention to Greek. The nature of the office which lie held put co… Brunelleschi BRUNELLESCHI, Fildrpo, (1377-1446), one of the greatest Italian architects, the reviver in Italy of the Roman or Classic style, was born at Florence in 1377. his father, a notary, had destined him for his own profession, but observing the boy's talent for all sorts of mechanism, placed him in the guild of goldsmiths. Filippo quickly became a skilled workman, and, eagerly desirous to excel, perfect… Brunel, Sir Marc Isambard BRUNEL, SIR MARC ISAMBARD (1769-1849), was born at Haqueville, in Normandy. His family had for several centuries held a respectable station in the province, living as farmers and small landowners on the estate on which he was born, and numbering among its members Nicholas Poussin. He was educated at the seminary of St Nicaise at Rouen, with the intention of his entering holy orders ; but his predi… Brunel, Tsambard Kingdom BRUNEL, TSAMBARD KINGDOM (1806-1859), one of the most distinguished civil engineers of the age, was born at Portsmouth, April 9, 1806. He was the only son of Sir Marc Isambard Brune], from whom he inherited some rare intellectual gifts, and to when: he owed his first education. From his earliest years lie took an eager and intelligent interest in all the plans and undertakings of his father, who h… Brunet, Jacques Charles BRUNET, JACQUES CHARLES, the eminent bibliographer, was born at Paris in 1780, and died in 1867. Bruni, Leonardo BRUNI, LEONARDO (1369-1444), author of the History of Florence, was an eminent scholar of the 15th century. Bruno, Giordano BRUNO, GIORDANO, the most genial and interesting of the Italian philosophers of the Renaissance, was born at Nola about the year 1548. Little is known of the life of this knight-errant of philosophy ; the very date of his birth rests in obscurity. What we do know is attractive enough to render it matter of regret that the materials should be so scanty. In his fifteenth year he entered the order of… Bruno, St BRUNO, ST, the founder of the Carthusian order of monks, was born at Cologne about the year 1030. He was educated at Cologne, and afterwards at Rheims, where he was appointed to superintend the studies in all the chief schools of the diocese. Many of his pupils afterwards became distinguished, and in the number was Pope Urban 11 In 1084, after some disputes with Manasses, the archbishop of Rheims,… Brunswick BRUNSWICK, a town of the United States of America, in Cumberland County, Maine, 27 miles N.N.E. of Portland, on the right bank of the Androscoggin River, which, with a fall of about 50 feet in half-a-mile, supplies a large amount of water-power. Brunswick BRUNSWICK, the capital of the above duchy, is situated on the Ocker, 37 miles E.S.E. of Hanover by rail, and 52 W.N.W. of Magdeburg, in 52? 16' N. lat. and 10? 32' E. long. In spite of the numerous alterations effected during the present century, the city is still of an antiquated appearance, and is for the most part contained within the limits of its old fortifications. These, which were dismantl… Brunswick BRUNSWICK (German BRAUNSCHWEIG), a duchy and state of Northern Germany, forming part of the new German Empire, and included in the Prusso-German Zollverein. It consists of three larger and five smaller portions of territory lying mainly between 51? 38' and 52? 2S' N. lat., and between 9? 20' and 11? 30' E. long. The principal part, containing the cities of Brunswick, Wolfenblittel, and Helmstedt, … Brunton BRUNTON, MEs MARY (1778 -1818), a novelist of the early part of the 19th century, was born on the 1st November 1778, in the island of Barra, Orkney. Her father, Colonel Balfour, was a man of importance in the island, and she received a very careful and excellent education. At the age of twenty she married the Rev. Mr Brunton, minister of Bolton in Iladdingtonshire, who in 1803 received a call to a… Brushes And Brooms BRUSHES AND BROOMS are implements composed of a solid basis in which a tuft or tufts of hair or of vegetable or other fibres are secured. They are mentioned by various ancient writers, as Homer, Sophocles, and Euripides. Perhaps the earliest notice is the figurative " besom of destruction" (Isa. xiv. 23). Brushes are of two kinds, simple and compound. The former consist of but one tuft, as hair pe… Brussels BRUSSELS (French, Bruxelles ; Flemish, Brussel ; German, BrUssel), capital of Belgium and of the province of South Brabant, is situated on the small River Senne, about 50 miles from the sea, in 50' 51' N. lat., 40 22' E. long. It lies in the midst of a beautiful and fertile country, and is picturesquely built on the top and sides of a bill, which slopes down to the Senne. The general contour of th… Brutus BRUTUS, The name of a distinguished plebeian family at Rome. The first who bore it was Lucius JUNIUS BnuTus, one of the first two consuls, 509 B.C. According to the legends, his mother was the sister of Tarquinius " Superbus," the last of the Roman kings, and at his father's death, his elder brother had been put to death by the reigning family in order to get possession of his wealth. Junius, the … Bruyere, Jean De La BRUYERE, JEAN DE LA. See BA BRUYERE, BRYANT, JACOB (1715-1804), a writer on theological and mythological subjects, was born at Plymouth in 1715. His father had a place in the customs there, and was afterwards stationed in Kent, where his son was first sent to a provincial school, whence he was removed to Eton. Here he appears to have remained till 1736, the date of his election to King's College, … Bryaxis BRYAXIS, a Greek sculptor, the contemporary of Scopas and Praxiteles, with whom he took part in the sculptures of the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, about 345 B.C. Of iris other works the following are mentioned :--five colossal figures of gods at Rhodes, Bacchus (Libo. Pater) at Cnidus, a group of fEsculapius and Hygeia at Megara, Apollo in the grove of Daphne at Antioch, a statue of Pasiphab, and a… Brydges, Sir BRYDGES, SIR. SAMUEL EGERTON (1762-1837), a miscellaneous writer, was born 30th November 1762. He studied at Queen's College, Cambridge, and adopted the profession of law. In 1790 he persuaded his elder brother that their family were the heirs to the barony of Chandos, being descended from a younger branch of the Brydges who first held the title. The case was tried and lost, but Brydges never gave… Brzezany BRZEZANY, a town of Austria, in Galicia, S.E. from Lemberg? n the River Zlota-Lipa, in 49? 30' 25" N. lat. and 24? 41' 39" long. Btjsbecq, Augier Giiislen De BtJSBECQ, AUGIER GIIISLEN DE (1522-1592), a Flemish diplomatist and traveller, was born at Commines in 1522, and was educated at the universities of Louvain, Paris, Venice, Bologna, and Padua. Bubastis BUBASTIS, the great name of the Egyptian goddess Bast, supposed to hold the same plate in the Egyptian Pantheon as Artemis or Diana. The triad of Memphis consisted of three gods - Ptah or Vulcan, the Greek Hephaistos ; Bast, the wife of Ptah and mother by him of Nefer-Atum, or " the good Tum ; " and Sexet, formerly called Pasht, the sister or antithesis of Bast. This last goddess Was also called M… Buccaneers BUCCANEERS, a band of piratical adventurers of different nationalities united in their opposition to Spain, who maintained themselves chiefly in the Caribbean Seas during the 17th century. The island of St Domingo was one of several in the West Indies which had early in the 16th century been almost depopulated by the oppressive colonial policy of Spain. Along its coast there were several isolated … Buccari BUCCARI, a royal free town of the Hungarian crown, situated in the comitat of Fiume, on a small bay of the Adriatic, in 45? 18' 46" N. lat. and 14? 32' 11" E. long. Buccino BUCCINO, a town ofjtaly in the province of Principato Citeriore, and district of Campagna, situated on the River Botta, which is here crossed by an ancient Roman bridge. Bucer, Martin BUCER, MARTIN (1491-1551), originally MARTIN KI.THORN, an eminent German reformer, born at Schelest-adt, a town of Alsace, near Strasburg. At the age of fifteen ho entered the order of St Dominic, and as he was a youth of great promise he was sent to prosecute his studies at Heidelberg. There he studied the works of Erasmus and Luther, and was present at a disputation of the latter with some of th… Buchanan, George BUCHANAN, GEORGE (1506-1582), a celebrated Scottish historian and scholar, was born in February 1506. His father, a younger son of an old family, was the possessor of the farm of Moss, in the parish of Killearn, Stirling shire, but he died at an early age, leaving his widow and children in poverty. George, the third son, is said to have attended Killearn school, but not much is known of his early … Buchanan, James BUCHANAN, JAMES (1791-1368), fifteenth President of the United States, was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. His father, of the same name, was an Irishman who had eight years before emigrated from Donegal, and had become a well-to-do farmer. The son completed his education at Dickinson College, Carlisle, and took his degree in 1809. He then applied himself to the study of the law, was admitte… Bucharest, Bukhorest, Bukorest BUCHAREST, BUKHOREST, BUKOREST, or, as it is called by the inhabitants, BucunEsci (that is, according to their own etymology, City of Joy), is the capital of Roumania, the residence of the prince and the seat of a bishop. It is situated in a hollow on the Diver Dimbovitza, a tributary of the Danube, in 44? 25' 30' N. lat. and 26? 5' 24" E. long., and occupies an area of more than 20 English square… Buchez, Philippe Joseph Benjamin BUCHEZ, PHILIPPE JOSEPH BENJAMIN (1796-1865), French author and politician, was born at Matagne-la-Petite, in the department of the Ardennes. He finished his general education in Paris, and afterwards applied himself to the study of natural science and medicine. Hatred of the Government of the Restoration, and enthusiasm for democratic ideas, were at that time widely diffused among the young men o… Buch, Leopold Von BUCH, LEOPOLD VON (1774-1853), an eminent German geologist and geographer, was born at Stolpe in Pomerania, April 25,1774. In 1790 he studied at the mining school of Freiberg under the celebrated Werner, one of his fellow-students there being the illustrious Alexander Von Humboldt. At the age of twenty-three he published his Attempt at a _Mrineralogical Description of Landeck, and also au Attempt … Buchu Or Buka Leaves BUCHU or BUKA LEAVES are the produce of several shrubby plants belonging to the genus Barosma (Nat. Order, Rutacea,), natives of the Cape of Good Hope. The principal species, B. crenulate, has leaves of a smooth leathery texture, oblongo-ovate in shape, from an inch to an inch and a half in length, with serrulate or crenulate margins, on which as well as on the under side are conspicuous oil cells… Buckeburg BUCKEBURG, the capital of the principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, is situated at the foot of the Hard-berg on the River Aue, about 6 miles from Minden, on the Minden and Hanover Railway. Buckingham, County BUCKINGHAM, COUNTY or, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, or Bucxs, an inland county of England, between 51? 25' and 52? 10' N. lat., and 0? 28' and 1? 12' W. long., is bounded N. by Northamptonshire W. by Oxfordshire, S. by Berkshire, and E. by Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Middlesex. It is the thirty-third in size of the English counties, measuring 53 miles at its greatest length and 27 at its greatest breadth… Buckingham, George Villiers BUCKINGHAM, GEORGE VILLIERS, SECOND DUKE OF (1627-1688), was born at London January 30, 1627, about a year and a half before the murder of his father. He was educated at Cambridge, returned from a Continental tour on the outbreak of the civil war, and at once threw in his lot with the king. The detachment in which he held a command was defeated at Nonsuch, and he with difficulty effected an escape… Buckinghamshire, John Sheffield BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, JOHN SHEFFIELD, Dux of (1649-1721), was the son of Edmund, second earl of Mulgrave, and succeeded to that title on his father's death in 1658. At the age of seventeen he joined the fleet in the war against the Dutch, but was not in any engagement. In 1672, however, on the renewal of hostilities, he distinguished himself by his bravery, and was appointed to the command of a ship. I… Buckla BUCKLA.ND, THE VERY REV. WILLIAM (1784-1856), the eldest son of the Rev. Charles Buckland, rector of Templeton and Trusham, in the county of Devon, was born at Axminster in Devonshire, 12th March 1784. He was educated at the ancient Grammar School of Tiverton, and at Winchester, and in 1801 was elected by examination a scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. In 1805 he proceeded to the degree o… Buckwheat BUCKWHEAT, the seeds of various species of Riga. pyrum, chiefly F. esculentnm, a herbaceous plant, native of central Asia, but cultivated in Europe on account of similar in shape to beech-mast, whence their name from the German Bncltweizen, beechwheat. Buda BUDA (German, OFEN), a royal free town of the kingopposite the capital Pesth, with which it has been united since 1849 by a suspension bridge of much beauty, 1227 feet long and 39 feet wide. The nucleus of the town is the " fortress," which occupies an oblong elevation of porand Erdiidy, the residence of the governor in command, the Hungary are preserved, a picture gallery, and a library. Around t… Buddhism BUDDHISM is the name of a religion which formerly prevailed through a large part of India, and is now professed by the inhabitants of Ceylon, Siam, and Burma (the southern Buddhists), and of Nepal, Tibet, China, and japan (the northern Buddhists).' It arose out of the philosophical and ethical teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the eldest son of Sucldhodana, who was raja in Rapilavastu, and chief of… Budgell, Eustace BUDGELL, EUSTACE (1685-1736), a literary man of some eminence in his time, the son of Dr Gilbert Budgell, was born at St Thomas, near Exeter. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, from which he removed to the Inner Temple, London ; but instead of studying law, he devoted his whole attention to literature. He was befriended by Addison, who was first cousin to his mother, and who, on being appoi… Budget BUDGET (lit, a bag or small sack), the name applied to an account of the ways and means by which a minister of finance purposes to defray the expenditure of the state. In the United Kingdom the chancellor of the exchequer, usually in April, lays before the House of Commons a statement of the actual results of revenue and expenditure in the past finance year ending March 31, showing how far his est… Budieus BUDIEUS, or BunA, GUILLAUSIE (1467-1540), descended of an ancient and illustrious family, was a native of Paris. At an early age he was sent to the schools of Paris, and afterwards to the university of Orleans to study law. He passed his time, however, in idleness, and being heir to a large fortune, was left, on his return to Paris, to follow his passion for gaming and pleasure. It was only when t… Budweis BUDWEIS (in Bohemian, Ceske B.udegovice) the capital of a circle in the Austrian kingdom of Bohemia, is situated on the right bank of the Moldau, at its junction with the Maltsch, in 48? 59' N. lat. and 14? 30' F. long. It is well built and partially fortified. Chief among its public buildings are the council house - a handsome structure, and the cathedral, with a great detached tower, built in 15… Buenos Ayres BUENOS AYRES, the largest and most important province of the Argentine Republic, is bounded on the N. by the Parana, which separates it from the province of Entre Rios, and by the provinces of Santa Fe, Cordova, and San Luis; on the E. by the Atlantic ; on the S. by Patagonia ; and on the S. and W. by the country of the Indians, which extends westwards to the Andes. The area of the province is est… Buffalo BUFFALO, au American city, the capital of Erie County, in the State of New York, U.S., about 293 miles N.W. from New York, in 42? 53' N. lat. and 78? 55' W. long. It is a port at the east end of Lake Erie, at the mouth of Buffalo River, and at the head of Niagara River, which is here crossed by a line iron railroad bridge. The city runs for about five miles along the shore of the lake and Niagara … Buffalo BUFFALO, the English name of Bubalus, a genus of Ruminant Mammals, belonging to the family Bovidce, and slightly triangular, and curved in the form of a half moon, and its thick hide covered sparingly with coarse hairs, which become still more scanty in aged individuals. It is a native of India and of the islands forming the Indo-Malay Archipelago, where it now occurs in a state of domestication, … Buffier, Claude BUFFIER, CLAUDE (1661-1737), a writer on grammar and history of considerable note, but more remarkable for his researches in psychology and metaphysics, was born in Poland May 25, 1661, of French parents, who returned to their native country shortly after their son's birth, and settled at Rouen. He was educated at the Jesuits' college there, and was received into the order at the age of nineteen. … Buffon, George BUFFON, GEORGE Louis LECLERC, ComTE DE, was born on 7th September 1707, at Montbarcl, in Burgundy, and died at Paris on the 15th April 1788. His father, M. Leclerc de Butron, was councillor of the Burgundian parliament, and his mother, Anne Christine Marlin, appears to have possessed considerable natural gifts. Buffon was the eldest of five children, and does not seem to have been in any way a pre… Bugenhagen, Johann BUGENHAGEN, JOHANN (1485-1558), surnamed Pomeranus, a German Reformer, was born at Wollin, in Pomerania, on the 24th June 1485, He was educated at the university of Grcifswald, and gained high distinction as a classical scholar. In 1505 he was made rector of a school at Treptow, and was soon afterwards selected by the abbot of a neighbouring convent as one of the lecturers to the monks. In 1520 li… Volume 5 [CAN - CLE]: Additional Authorities to Chalybaus [next] [back] Volume 3 [ATH-BOI]: Aitdran to Balzac Copyright © 2013 Net Industries and its Licensors – All Rights Reserved – Terms of Use Share this page: Tweet More To Explore	Contact & About Privacy Policy