Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/637

 WEBBE

673-

WEBER

became a canon of Westminster in 1851, was named a domestic prelate to Pius IX in 1869, and was con- secrated bishop, as auxiliary to Archbishop Manning, in 1872. In 186S he went to Rome as representative theologian of the English bishops in the deliberations preparatory to the Vatican Council. He published, under the name Amyclanus, "An Enquiry into the Nature and Results of Electricity and JNIagnetism " (1876).

The Tablet (1895); Edmundian. no. 6; Ward, Hist, of St. Ed- mund's College (London, 1S93); Idem, W. G. Ward and the Cath. Raival (London. 1893); Idem, Life of Card. Wiseman (London, 1897) ; Snead-Cox, Li/eofCard. Vaughan (London, 1910).

J. L. Whitfield.

Webbe, Samuel, English composer, b. in England in 1742; d. in London, 29 May, 1816. He studied under Barbaudt. In 1766 he was given a prize medal by the Catch Club for his "O that I had wings", and ih all he obtained twenty-seven medals for as many canons, catches, and glees, including "Discord, dire sister", "Glory be to the Father", "Swiftly from the mountain's brow", and "To thee all angels". Other glees like "When winds breathe soft", "Thy voice, O Harmony", and "Would you know my Ceha's charms" are even better known. In 1776 he suc- ceeded George Paxton as organist of the chapel of the Sardinian embassy, a position which he held until 1795: he was also organist of the Portuguese chapel. His "Collection of Motetts" (1792) and "A Collec- tion of Masses for Small Choirs" were extensively u.sed in Catholic churches throughout Great Britain from 1795 to the middle of the last century. If not of a very high order, they are at least devotional, and some are stiU sung. He also published nine books of glees, between the years 1764 and 1798, and some songs. His glees are his best claim on posteritv.

BcTLEH, //i.s(. Mem. of Eng. Cath. (London, 1819); "Grove, Diet, of Music and Mu.'iicians (London, 1910), s. v.; Ward, Davm of the Catholic Revival in England (London, 1909).

W. H. Grattan-Flood. Weber, Beda, Benedictine professor, author, and member of the National German Parhament, b. at Licnz in the Tyrol, 26 October, 1798; d. at Frankfort- on-the-Main, 28 February, 1858. His father wished him to learn a trade as well as the ordinary work of a peasant, and thus Weber became a shoemaker. He was very talented, and completed the high-school course at Bozen in four years, and studied philosophy at Inn.sbruck during two years. He then entered the Benedictine Abbey of Maricnberg in Obervintschgau, changing his Christian name, Johann Chrysanth, to Beda. In the autumn of 1821 he began to study theology at the University of Innsbruck, and on the abolition of the theological faculty there, he con- tinued his course at Brixen. He was ordained in 1824, and went for a short time to the episcopal seminary at Trent to prepare himself for pastoral work; in 1825 he returned to his monasterj'. After a short time spent in the pastorate he began to teach at the high- school at Meran, where he remained for twenty years. He received calls to professorships from the Univer- sity of Innsbruck, from the Benedictine lyceum at Augsburg, and from the Crown-Prince of Hohen- zolIem-.Sigmaringon, but remained at Meran until he was called away by the political events of 1848. He was elected deputy to the national Parliament held at Frankfort. His parliamentarj' labours attracted at- tention. When the town priest of Frankfort died, Weber succeeded him. His activity and great zeal in the cure of souls was recognized by his bishop, who made him canon of Limburg, episcopal commissary, spiritual councillor, and member of the diocesan court at Frankfort and of the school commission, as well as inspector of the cathedral school. His labours proved too great for his frail constitution and he was soon carried off by apoplexy. \\'ebcr's memory has been perpetuated by a fresco in the imperial cathedral, the restoration of which he began.

His chief works are: several poems for a poetical an- nual, the " Alpenblumen ", a translation of St. Chrys- ostom's "On the Priesthood" (1833); studies upon Oswald treatise of Wolkenstcin, which led to the dis- covery of a valuable MS. containing "Titurel" and the "Nibelungenlied", "Das Land Tirol" (1837-8); "Meran und seine Umgebung" (1845); "Die Stadt Bozen und ihre Umgebung" (1849); "Das Tal Passeier und seine Bewohner " (1S51), containing an account of Andreas Hofer and the events of 1809; "Erbhuldi- gung in Tirol" (1838); "Tirol und die Reformation in historischen Bildern und Fragmenten" (1841); "Lie- derausTirol" (1842), aselectionof his poems; "Bluten heiliger Liebe und Andacht. Aus den Schriften der Giovanna Maria vom Kreuze"; "Giovanna della Croce und ihre Zcit"; "Die Gedichte Oswalds von Wolkenstein" (1847); "Oswald von Wolkenstein und Friedrich mit der leeren Tasche" (1850); and "Vor- marzliche Lieder aus Tirol" (1850). Weber was an excellent preacher, and published "Predigten ans Tiroler Volk", the proceeds of which he gave to charity. He founded a weekly paper, "Das Frank- furter katholische Kirchenblatt" (18.53), which two years later became the Sunday supplement of a large Catholic paper, the "Deutschland". He i-ssued a selection of his contributions to this paper under the title of, "Cartons aus dem deutschen Kirchenleben" (18,58); five years earlier he had collected his contri- butions to the "Aug.sburger Postzeitung" and to the "Historisch-politische Blatter" in book form under the title, "Charakterbildcr".

His autobiography appeared in the Deutschland in 1858; see also Wackernell, Beda Weber 1798-1868 und die tirolische Literatur. 1800-1846 (1908); ScHElD in Hist, polit. Blatter, CXXXII. 2. N. SCHBID.

Weber, Friedrich Wilhelm, physician, member of the Pru.ssian House of Deputies, and poet, b. at Alliausen, near Driburg, in Westphalia, 25 December, 1813; d. at Nieheim, 5 April, 1894. His father was forester for the Count of Asseburg. Weber first attended the village school, then when thirteen years old he went to the gymnasium at Paderborn, and afterwards studied medicine at the University of Greifswald. His talent for poetry had been evidenced at the gymnasium; at the university, as his biographer says, "his ballads grew hke wild flowers after a spring shower". After spending two years at Greifswald he went to Breslau, where he became acquainted with Gustav Freitag. By the end of a year, however, he returned to Greifswald, where he obtained adoctorate; thence he went to Berhn, where he pa.ssed the state medical examination with great honour. After a brief journey for recreation to southern Germany he settled as a physician at Driburg, where he spent twenty-six years. His practice as a doctor did not keep him from wTiting poetry. In 1887 he settled permanently at Nieheim. The numerous honours bestowed upon Weber show how beloved and dis- tinguished he had become. In 1863 he was made "Sanitatsrat" (honorary title given to a distinguished doctor) in recognition of his distinguished medical services; he was made an honorary doctor of philos- ophy by the academy at Munich, and when he cele- brated his semi-centennial as a physician he received the Order of the Red Eagle, fourth class, while three years before his death he received the further honour of the title of "Geheimen Sanitatsrat". Weber's popularity increased still more after he was elected a member of the Prussi:m IIou.se of Deputies. He rem;iined a member of the Centre P.arty until 1893, when he declined a re-election on account of his health. Because of his wide knowledge and fine char- acter he was greatly admired in political life, and gained many friends not merely among the members of his own party, but also .among his political oppo- nents. His political activity h.ad also nuich influ- ence on his poetry without, however, spoiUng it.