Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/164

AMP German physician, professor at Salzburg, and author of a number of medical treatises, chiefly veterinary; died in 1832.  AMPE´LIUS, the author of a small book first brought to light by Salmasius in 1638, called "Liber Memorialis." It is not known who or what Ampelius was, nor is the period at which he lived agreed on.  AMPÈRE,, an eminent mathematician and physicist, and the founder of the science of electro-dynamics, was the son of a merchant of Lyons, in which city he was born on the 20th of January, 1775. From a very early age he evinced a strong disposition towards the study of science in general, and especially mathematics, which he pursued with extraordinary perseverance, aided only by the liberality of his father in providing him with books and instruments, at the village of Polémieux-lez-Mont-Dor, where his parents resided after having retired from business. By the judicial murder of the elder Ampère under the Reign of Terror, his son was overwhelmed with grief, so as to be for a year incapable of study. The recovery of the young Ampère from this condition was marked by an increased interest in natural history, literature, and poetry, without any diminution of his zeal for the study of the exact sciences. A few years afterwards, Ampère formed an ardent attachment to Mademoiselle Julie Carron. He was married to that lady on the 2nd of August, 1799. For about two years after his marriage, he taught mathematics at Lyons. In 1801 he found it necessary to separate himself for a time from his wife and infant son, in order to discharge the duties of professor of physics and chemistry at the Central School of Bourg. In 1802 he published his essay on the "Mathematical Theory of Games of Chance," in which the dangers of gambling, even on fair terms, were reduced to strict mathematical demonstration: a work remarkable, not only for the mathematical skill evinced by it, but for its beneficial moral effect, as serving to overthrow those fallacies by which men possessing a superficial knowledge of the theory of chances are led to ruin. This work having been laid before the Institute by Delambre, established the reputation of Ampère, who was soon afterwards enabled to rejoin his wife and child, by being appointed professor of mathematics at the Lyceum of Lyons. This event was followed, after a brief interval, by the death of Madame Ampère.

In 1805, Ampère obtained, by the recommendation of Delambre, the office of assistant-professor of mathematical analysis at the Polytechnic School, from which, in 1808, he was promoted to that of inspector-general of the university, and in 1809 to that of professor of analysis, securing the order of the Legion of Honour. In 1814 he was elected a member of the Institute. In 1820, Ampère acquired his chief title to scientific honour, by discovering the laws of the mutual attraction and repulsion of electric currents, and constructing, on the basis of those laws, the theory of a new branch of physical science, to which he gave the name of Electro-Dynamics. The investigation of this theory is contained in the sixth volume of the "Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences." During the closing years of his life, Ampère, having turned his attention to philosophy, composed a remarkable work on the classification of the sciences. In 1836, during one of his journeys of inspection, he was attacked by his last illness, of which he died at Marseilles on the 10th of June.

In disposition, Ampère was kind and simple-hearted, and much given to mental abstraction. Besides the more remarkable works which have already been mentioned, Ampère was the author of a number of scientific treatises and papers, of which the titles alone would fill more than a page of this volume. They have reference, amongst other subjects, to the "Geometry of Curves," "The Differential Calculus," "Abstract Mechanics," "The Wave Theory of Light," "The Atomic Theory of Chemistry," and "The Nervous System of Articulated Animals." In Abstract Mechanics, it is worthy of note that Ampère was the first who clearly distinguished between "Cinematics," or the science of motion considered in itself, and "Dynamics," or the science of the relations between motion and force. An account of his life and works may be found in his éloge, by Francis Arago.—W. J. M. R.  AMPÈRE,, a French writer, son of the preceding, was born at Lyons in 1800. His studies were prosecuted at Paris, in philosophy, under the brilliant Cousin, for whose lectures he exhibited an enthusiasm which strongly marked the force of his bent towards a literary career. He was appointed in 1830 to a professorship of belles-lettres at Marseilles, and in 1833 succeeded Andrieux in the college of France. He published several dissertations on French and foreign literature, and some volumes of travels. He died 27th March, 1864.—J. S., G.  AMPHIA´RAUS, a Greek soothsayer, son of Oïcles, married Eriphyla, sister of Adrastes, king of Argos. He predicted a fatal issue to the expedition which that monarch undertook against Thebes, and fled from court to avoid being forced to take part in it. His wife, however, treacherously disclosed his retreat, and Amphiaraus set out on a journey which numerous presentiments told him would be his last. It proved so. He was killed by a fall from a precipice on his way home.—J. S., G.  AMPHI´CRATES, an Athenian orator of the second century ., was banished to Seleucia on the Tigris, the inhabitants of which were so charmed with his eloquence that they besought him to remain with them; but he was as ambitious as eloquent, and transferred himself to the court of Cleopatra, daughter of Mithridates, where, having failed to secure the favour and authority which he sought, he starved himself to death.—J. S., G.  AMPHICRATES, a Greek historian, quoted by Diogenes Laertius. He wrote "Concerning Celebrated Men."  AMPHIC´TYON, son of Deucalion and Pyrrha, absurdly supposed to have been the founder of the council of the Amphictyons, displaced his father-in-law about the year 1497 ., and reigned over Attica ten years. <section end="164H" /> <section begin="164I" />AMPHILO´CHIUS, bishop of Iconium, was a native of Cappadocia, a lawyer by profession, and friend of St. Basil. On Basil's elevation to the metropolitan church of Cæsarea, Amphilochius avoided his company, fearing he should be persuaded to take orders. It happened, however, on his passing through Iconium, which had just lost its bishop, that the clergy and people unanimously elected Amphilochius. Regarding this as the call of God, he obeyed, and ruled that church till his death, . 395. He was a resolute maintainer of the catholic faith against the Arians and Macedonians, and was present at the second œcumenical council at Constantinople,. 381. The Greek and Roman churches commemorate St. Amphilochius, Nov. 23d.—J. B., O. <section end="164I" /> <section begin="164J" />AMPHION, a Greek brass-caster, pupil of Ptoliseus, of the school of Critias. He belongs to the Phidian period, having worked between the 82d and the 87th Olympiad. <section end="164J" /> <section begin="164K" />AMPHIS, an Athenian comic poet, lived about 320. <section end="164K" /> <section begin="164L" />AMPHISTRATOS, a Greek sculptor of the school of Praxiteles; lived about 320. <section end="164L" /> <section begin="164M" />AMPIUS,, a Roman general of consular rank, lived about the year 70. He was a relation of Vitellius, and in the war between that general and Vespasian, unexpectedly took part with the latter, retaining his command of the army in Pannonia. His relationship to the former, however, caused him to be suspected of treachery by his troops, who demanded that he should be put to death. He was obliged to save himself by flight.—J. S., G. <section end="164M" /> <section begin="164N" />AMPZING or AMPZINGIUS,, a Dutch physician, studied theology, and was ordained pastor at Haarlem, but afterwards devoted himself to medicine, and became professor at Rostock. Died in 1642. <section end="164N" /> <section begin="164O" />AMPZING,, a Dutch poet, son of the preceding, flourished in the first half of the 17th century. He was for some time pastor at Haarlem, of which city he has left a curious account in Alexandrine verse. He left also some works on theology. <section end="164O" /> <section begin="164P" />AMR-IBN-ABDELRAHMAN, surnamed, was a Moorish physician and geometer of the eleventh century. A native of Cordova, he gained his scientific knowledge during a residence in Mesopotamia; and on his return to Spain acquired considerable reputation by his skill in surgical operations. <section end="164P" /> <section begin="164Q" />AMR-IBN-OTHMAN, surnamed, or Odour-of-apples, from his being extremely fond of that fruit, was a learned Persian, who, coming to Bagdad in the reign of Haroun-al-Raschid, distinguished himself so much by his knowledge of Arabic, that his work on Arabic grammar, called "Sibawayah" from its author, or by way of eminence "The Book," became the standard authority on the subject. The Bibliothèque Impériale of Paris possesses a copy of it, extracts from which are given by Silvestre de Sacy in his "Anthologie Grammaticale Arabe," Paris, 1829. Sibawayah died about. 810.—A. M. <section end="164Q" /> <section begin="164Zcontin" />AMRU,, surnamed, on account of his projecting eyes,, a Moslem geographer, naturalist, and theologian, was born at Bassora about. 781-2. He is author of a work on zoology, called "Kitábu-l-haywàn," analysed by Von <section end="164Zcontin" />