Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/163

AMO science. In 1775, with the help of Padre Soave, he began the publication of a work entitled "Nuova Scelta d'Opusculi Interessanti Sulle Scienze et Sulle Arti," which extended to twenty-seven volumes, the last of which was published in 1788. His translation of Winckelmann's "History of the Arts of Design among the Ancients" appeared in 1799, and in 1784 his "Life of Leonardo da Vinci," two works which brought him into national repute as a writer on art. As a naturalist, his celebrity rests principally on his "Viaggio da Milano ai tre Laghi," published in 1794. Died in 1816.—J. S., G.  AMORETTI,, an Italian authoress, born at Oneglia in 1756, received from the university of Pavia the degree of doctor of laws in her 21st year. Died 1787.  AMOREUX,, a physician and naturalist, was born at Beaucaire about the middle of the 18th century. He settled at Montpellier, and took charge of the library of the Faculty of Medicine. He compiled numerous works on medicine, natural history, botany, and agriculture. Among these are treatises "On the Olive Tree;" "On Quick Hedges;" "On the Golden Apples of the Hesperides;" "On the Origin of the Cashew;" "On Sacred Plants;" "On the Vegetation of Montpellier;" "On the Poisonous Insects of France;" "On the Medicine of the Arabs." He died at Montpellier in 1824.—J. H. B.  AMOROS,, a Spanish colonel, born in 1769, recommended himself by his military services to various important posts under Charles IV. and Joseph Bonaparte; and during his subsequent exile in France was the first to introduce gymnastics into the military schools of that country. Died at Paris in 1843.  AMOROSI,, a painter of Ascoli, pupil of G. Ghezzi. He distinguished himself in the humorous style, called Bæmboccate. Died in 1740.  AMORT,, a German theologian, born at Bibermühl near Tœlz, in Upper Bavaria, in 1692, was ordained priest in 1717 at Pollingen, where he afterwards taught theology and canon law. The earliest of his very numerous works were dedicated to Cardinal Cercari, with whom he made a journey to Rome in 1734. Some years later, he became dean of the church of Pollingen, and in 1759 was elected a member of the academy of sciences of Munich. Died in 1775.—J. S., G.  AMORY,, an English humorist, born about the year 1691, was a son of Councillor Amory, secretary for confiscated estates in Ireland during the reign of William III. He published in 1755 a curious work, entitled "Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain, interspersed with Literary Reflections, and Accounts of Antiquities and Curious Things, in several Letters;" and some years later, "The Life of John Buncle, Esq., containing various Observations and Reflections made in several parts of the World, and many extraordinary Relations." Died in 1788.—J. S., G.  AMORY,, D.D., an English Presbyterian minister, was born at Taunton, in July, 1701. He received the elements of his education chiefly under the tuition of a Mr. Chadwick, who is said to have been an eminent scholar. Having resolved to devote himself to the Christian ministry, he, in 1717, entered the Dissenting Theological Academy at Taunton, over which the Rev. Henry Grove, who was his uncle, and the Rev. Stephen James, then presided. There he remained between four and five years; after which he went to London, where he prosecuted his studies in natural science under Mr. Eames, the friend and occasional assistant of Newton. His proficiency as a student was such, that in 1725 he was chosen to succeed Mr. James as colleague with his uncle in the academy, where he lectured in the classics and philosophy. He at the same time began to preach, and after serving a while as colleague with a Mr. Batson at Taunton, he seceded with a portion of the congregation, who had built a new place of worship, and became their sole pastor. In 1738 he succeeded, on the death of his uncle, to the principal chair in the academy, and this post he retained till 1759, when he removed to London to assist Dr. Chandler as pastor of the congregation in the Old Jewry. He officiated also as afternoon preacher at Newington Green, as the associate of Dr. R. Price, and was appointed one of the lecturers at Salter's Hall. Dr. Chandler died in 1766, when Dr. Amory succeeded to the pastoral charge, which he retained t ill his death in 1774. He was a man of amiable temper, of respectable abilities, and considerable learning, in acknowledgment of which he received, in 1758, the degree of D.D. from the university of Edinburgh. But his published sermons are excessively tame and cold, and one can easily believe that his "popularity" was not great. (See Biographia Britannica, Art. "Amory.") In his theological views he strongly inclined to Arianism, and both as a tutor and a preacher he contributed his share to the defection from evangelical sentiments which, in the course of the last century, withdrew so many of the English presbyterians from the faith of their forefathers. Dr. Amory's published writings consist of a volume of "Miscellaneous Sermons," 8vo., second edition, 1756; "Twenty-two Sermons, mostly on the Divine Goodness," 8vo., 1766; several single sermons and brief memoirs; and a "Dialogue on Devotion, after the manner of Xenophon, to which is prefixed Conversation of Socrates on the Being and Providence of God, translated from the Greek," 8vo., 1733 and 1746.—W. L. A. <section end="163H" /> <section begin="163I" />AMOS, one of the twelve minor prophets, was contemporary with Isaiah and Hosea during the earlier part of their career. The place of his birth is uncertain, though the opening statement of his work, that he was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, and the subsequent declaration which he makes, when driven from Bethel on account of his predictions, that before being c alled to the prophetical office he had been a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit, seem to point to Tekoa as the place of his origin. At the time when Amos exercised the prophetical function, the kingdom of Israel, to which his commission mainly had respect, had recovered from the calamities brought upon it by Hazael, and was enjoying a large amount of prosperity. With returning prosperity, however, impiety, oppression, and licentiousness had anew deluged the country, and the sword of judgment was again to be drawn for the chastisement of the infatuated people. It is this approaching disaster which Amos is commissioned to declare. His view, however, is not confined to the kingdom of Israel. Denunciations of wrath are uttered against all the surrounding kingdoms and states, and also against Judah, in reference to each of which the remarkable expression "for three transgressions and for four" is employed; and at last Israel is brought upon the prophetic stage, and the main severity of judgment is described as destined for her. The approaching storm was to be a tornado of extensive circumference, but its centre was to pass over Samaria. A succession of terrible threatenings is directed against the ten tribes for their stubbornness, for their idolatry, for their impiety, for their voluptuousness, for their oppression, for their knavery. Yet the book closes with a remarkable prediction of the restoration of the people, when the fallen tabernacle of David should be raised up, and the waste cities be rebuilt and inhabited. The style of Amos partakes nothing of the rusticity of his occupation. It is at once elevated and polished. His images are most frequently borrowed from rural scenes, and present many striking pictures.—W. L. <section end="163I" /> <section begin="163J" />AMOS,, a Scotch writer on agriculture, who died in 1824. He wrote the following works: "The Theory and Practice of Drill Husbandry," 1794; "Minutes of Agriculture and Planting," 1804; "Essays on Agricultural Machines," 1810. <section end="163J" /> <section begin="163K" />AMOUR,, a French theologian, conspicuous in the history of the thirteenth century on account of the important part he had to play as chief of the Ecole du Parvis de Notre Dame de Paris, was born at Saint-Amour, in Franche-Compté. He was canon of Beauvais, and afterwards professor of philosophy at the university just mentioned. His popularity latterly advanced him to be rector and syndic. The circumstances of the university over which he presided, however, rather than his personal character, gave rise to the celebrity which attaches to his name. In the year 1229, in consequence of a quarrel with the authorities of Paris on the subject of some street brawls, in which several students of the university had been murdered, the masters abandoned their chairs and retired from the city. The Dominicans thereupon laid claim to one of the vacant chairs of theology, and this having been granted them by the authorities, they were bold enough, on the return of the masters in 1233, to demand a second chair, which was also granted; under protest, however, of the latter, who appealed to the see of Rome against the intrusion of the regulars. Innocent IV. and Alexander IV. vainly interposed their authority in the dispute, and it was only terminated in the reign of Clement IV., who revoked the ban issued by his predecessors against Guillaume, but, like them, allowed the Dominicans to retain their chairs. Guillaume died at Paris in 1272. A complete edition of his works was published in 1632.—J. S., G. <section end="163K" /> <section begin="163Zcontin" />AMPACH AUF GRÜNEFELDEN,, a <section end="163Zcontin" />