Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/641

Rh pletcd in 1874 an extensive system of water-works, by which a large supply is brought from the Nahr-el-Kelb (the Dog River or Lycus), a distance of 9 miles ; the aqueduct is taken at one place through a tunnel 1040 yards long, and the water is brought to two reservoirs at the entrance of the town, each of a capacity of 110,000 cubic feet; public fountains, barracks, and mosques are supplied free of charge. The population is of a various character, comprising Druses, Maronites, Greeks, Turks, Arabs, and other races or nationalities. It was greatly increased about I860 by an immigration of Christian natives who had fled from persecution in Mount Lebanon, Hasbeya, and Damascus. Estimated at only 15, 000 in 1838, the number of inhabitants had risen in 1871 to 70,000.

1em  BEZA,, or more correctly, was born at Vezelai in Burgundy on the 24th July 1519. His family was of good descent, and his parents were noted for their piety and generosity. While an infant lie was adopted by his uncle, Nicholas de Beza, a counsellor of the parliament of Paris, who took his nephew to live with him, and superintended his education with the greatest care. At the age of ten he was put under the tuition of Melchior Wolmar, a German, who resided at Orleans. Beza studied under him for seven years at Orleans and at Bourges, and from him. received the impulse which guided his after life. Wolmar, who was an excellent scholar, belonged to the Reformed Church, and his pupil not only learned from, him the principles of the Reformed faith, but acquired the habit of diligent and critical study of Scripture. After the return of Wolmar to Germany in 1535, Beza with great reluctance departed for Orleans in order to begin the study of law. His tasks lay altogether in the direction of classics and poetry, and to this period of his life must be referred the composition of many of the licentious poems, the publication of which cost him so much regret, and has brought upon him such calumny. After four years he obtained the degree of licentiate in law, and leaving Orleans, took up his abode in Paris. He was young, ardent, and poetical, of high rank, surrounded with friends, and amply supplied with funds, for, though he was not in orders, he enjoyed the proceeds of two benefices. It was small wonder that under these circumstances he should have yielded to the temptations of Paris, and have eagerly seized the pleasures that presented themselves. But the extent of his dissipation has been enormously exaggerated; more particularly has his connection with the woman whom he afterwards married been the occasion of calumny and mis representation. A severe illness at last recalled to his mind the teachings of his old master Wolmar, and brought clearly before him the contrast his conduct presented to them. Immediately on his recoverv, in October 1548, he retired to Geneva, publicly fulfilled his promise to marry the woman with whom he had formerly lived, and joined the Reformed Church. In the following year he was made professor of Greek at the academy of Lausanne, where he remained for ten years, communicating frequently with Calvin at Geneva. During this time he completed Clement Marot s French translation of the Psalms, and began the extended labours on the New Testament, which resulted in his famous translation and commentary. His venera tion for Calvin, already great, was strengthened by closer intercourse ; he vigorously defended the execution of Servetus j and in 1558 he gladly removed to Geneva. He was appointed professor of Greek in the academy, and assisted Calvin in his theological lectures. Soon by his vigorous teaching, his numerous writings, and his success in foreign embassies, he came to be looked upon as the most prominent man in the church of Geneva next to Calvin; and after the death of the latter in 1564, he was nominated his successor as teacher of theology, and gene rally recognized as the leader of the Calvinist party. His enormous activity enabled him not only to manage the internal affairs of the church, and to carry on the important negotiations with France and other powers, but also to compose several theological works of considerable value. Old age did not rob him of his energy; for in 1597 lie was able to give a satirical refutation of the story spread about by the Roman Catholics that he had apostatized on his death-bed. He resigned all his official functions in 1600, and died on the 13th October 1605, at the advanced age of 86.

1em  {{ti|1em|{{larger|BÉZIERS}}, a city of France, in the department of Hérault, the capital of an arrondissement of the same name. It is beautifully situated on a hill, on the left bank of the River Orbe, where it is joined by the Languedoc canal, 38 miles S.W. of ilontpellier. It is surrounded by old walls flanked with towers, round which is a promenade planted with trees, and has a fine old Gothic cathedral, Saint Nazaire, dating from the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries, several churches, an old episcopal palace, now used for the Government offices, a communal college, an agricultural society, a theatre, and a public library. It manu factures silk stockings, starch, gloves, brandy, confectioner} 7 , paper, leather, and glass, and has a considerable trade. Be"ziers is of great antiquity, and has the remains of an amphi theatre, a causeway across the marsh of Cap-estang, and other Roman works. The Romans established a colony there, and it was the headquarters of the seventh legion, under the title of Bcelerra Septimanorum. The present name occurs in the form Besara as early as Festus Avienus (5th or 6th century). The town was completely destroyed in 1209 by the forces of Simon de Montfort in the crusade against the Albigenses, on which occasion 60,000 persons were massacred. The walls of the town were rebuilt in 1289 ; but it again suffered severely in the civil and reli gious wars of the 16th century, and all its fortifications were destroyed in 1632. Population in 1872, 30,067.}}  BÉZIQUE, a game at cards (probably from Sp. lesico, little kiss, in allusion to the meeting of the queen and knave, an important feature in the game). There is a group of card games which possess many features in com mon. The oldest of these is manage, then follow brus- quembille, I komme dc brou, briscan or brisque, and cinq-cents. 