Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/219

ARB brother of the preceding, bishop of Alexandria in Piedmont, and author of sermons and funeral orations, was born at Lucca in 1685, and died at Alexandria in 1743.  ARBORIUS,, maternal grandfather of the poet Ausonius. Having lost his ample property in his native district Augustodunum (now Autun), in consequence of the civil wars, he settled, in 264, near the spot where Bayonne was afterwards built. Here he again attained opulence, and lived to the age of ninety, generally esteemed and beloved for his virtues, as well as admired for his pre-eminence in mathematics and astronomy.—E. M.  ARBORIUS,, a learned and eloquent lawyer and professor of jurisprudence and rhetoric, son of the preceding, was born about 270, near Bayonne. About 331 Constantine the Great invited him to Constantinople, to instruct one of that emperor's sons in eloquence. Arborius, like his father, was a distinguished mathematician and astronomer. He died at Constantinople in 335.—E. M.  ARBRISSEL or ARBRISSELLES, ', founder of the order of Fontevrault, was born at Arbrissel, a village in the diocese of Rennes, 1047. Repairing to Paris in 1074 to study theology, he subsequently took orders, and in 1085 became vicar-general to the bishop of Rennes. In this position he evinced indefatigable ardour in promoting church discipline, and in combating clerical abuses of every kind. His zeal as a reformer procured him numerous enemies, and, on the death of the bishop, he removed to Angers, where he began to give lectures in theology. Soon afterwards he resolved to live as a hermit in the forest of Craon. His austerity and eloquence speedily attracted crowds of followers, and, in a few years, the forests of Brittany and Normandy contained thousands of his devoted disciples. The first monastic establishment he founded was in the forest of Angers, on ground bestowed on him by the lord of Craon. He was appointed its prior in 1096 at the council of Tours, where he preached before Pope Urban II., who, struck with his eloquence and zeal, conferred on him the rank of papal preacher. Quitting his retirement near Angers, he began to travel barefooted through towns and villages, preaching repentance. He soon formed a numerous body of ardent missionaries, whose preaching had immense success among all classes of the community. Numerous monasteries were founded, the principal of which was that of Fontevrault, near Poitiers. The extravagant austerities of Robert d'Arbrissel gave occasion to various attacks on him, which formed the subject of keen controversies among the theologians of his age. He died at Orsan, a monastery of his order, at the age of seventy, in 1117.—E. M.  ARBUCKLE,, a Scottish poet of considerable genius, author of "Snuff," and other poems, mostly humorous and satirical, flourished about the beginning of the 18th century.  ARBUTHNOT,, one of the earliest Scottish printers. In 1597 he printed and published the first Scottish Bible, and in 1582, Buchanan's "Rerum Scoticarum Historia."  ARBUTHNOT,, a celebrated Scottish lawyer, divine, and poet, and an ardent adherent of the Reformation, was born in Kincardineshire in 1538. His principal works are: "History of Scotland;" "Orationes de origine et dignitate juris;" "The Praises of Women;" "The Miseries of a Poor Scholar." Died in 1583.  ARBUTHNOT,, an eminent physician, and one of the distinguished writers who adorned what has been called the Augustan age of English literature. He was born at Arbuthnot, in Kincardineshire. The precise year of his birth is not known, but is believed to have been 1675. He was son of a clergyman of the episcopal church of Scotland, and was educated at the university of Aberdeen, where he took the degree of M.D. Young Arbuthnot sought his fortunes in London, where he at first supported himself by teaching mathematics. His first publication, in 1692, was a translation, with very considerable additions, of Huygens' "Treatise on the Laws of Chance," a method of calculating the chances in games of hazard. In 1697 he published an "Examination of Dr. Woodward's Account of the Deluge," and within a year or two, "An Essay on the Usefulness of Mathematical Learning." He also published a tract, in which he brought forward the regular proportion of male and female births as a proof of providential design. These tracts brought their author into immediate notice, and aided him in obtaining practice as a physician. In 1704 he was elected fellow of the Royal Society, and in the year following was appointed physician extraordinary to Queen Anne, by her especial command. Prince George had been taken suddenly ill, and through some accidental circumstance was attended by Arbuthnot, who was ever after employed as his physician. This led to court honours and rewards. In 1709 he became physician in ordinary to the queen, and in the same year was elected fellow of the College of Physicians. His acquaintance with Swift, which afterwards ripened into the truest friendship, commenced in or about the year 1701, and arose very much from the habits of life of the period. The persons who made any claims to literature, passed half their days and nights in the clubs. At one of these clubs Arbuthnot met Swift,—the "mad parson," as he was at first designated,—and their first acquaintance arose from a practical joke. Some years, however, seem to have passed without their having again met, as, in the journal to Stella, Swift speaks of him as a stranger. In the year 1705, Arbuthnot published "Tables of the Grecian, Roman, and Jewish Measures, Weights, and Coins," a book translated into German in 1756, and still referred to occasionally. In the year 1706, while the act of union between the kingdoms was in debate before the parliament of Scotland, Arbuthnot published a tract of very considerable power, under the name of "A Sermon Preached at the Market Cross of Edinburgh on the Subject of the Union." In the year 1708, Swift came to London on some commission from the clergy of Ireland. The immediate object of his journey was soon successfully accomplished, but he was found too useful to the ministry to be allowed to return. He remained, assisting Oxford and Bolingbroke by every weapon which a literary man could wield. Among the most effective of a hundred satires issued by him and his associates, was that known by the title of "Law is a Bottomless Pit, or the History of John Bull." This was, for a while, attributed to Swift; but in his journal to Stella, it is mentioned as Arbuthnot's; and Spence tells us that Pope spoke of it, saying Arbuthnot was the sole author. The effect was at the time prodigious, and even yet, when the colours have faded with time, cannot be read without amusement. The movements of nations and of armies are described under the familiar metaphors of a suit at law, conducted with all the dishonest chicanery of an attorney who has no other object than to prolong litigation. It is usually published with Swift's works, with which are also published several other of Arbuthnot's political squibs. Among them, the "St. Albans Ghost," in which Sarah, duchess of Marlborough, is held up to ridicule. Whiston and Garth are abused in this pamphlet, which almost fixes it as Arbuthnot's. Burnett—but he was quite as likely to be attacked by Swift—figures as Dry-bones.

The dissensions between Oxford and Bolingbroke were in vain sought to be appeased by Arbuthnot and Swift. Bolingbroke's successful intrigues broke up the ministry. Then came the queen's death, which was attended with loss of place and power to Arbuthnot, who for a while regarded it as not improbable that he might be allowed to remain as physician to the new sovereign. The hope does not appear to have been a very reasonable one, considering all the circumstances of the case, and particularly the extent to which he might, however unjustly, be regarded as a party to the objects of those who meditated bringing in the Pretender on the queen's death. He was not unlikely to have been a Jacobite, and was certain of being called so. Arbuthnot, since his appointment, had chiefly resided in the palace at St. James's; he now moved to a small house in Dover Street, "where," as he says in a letter to Pope, "he would be glad to see Dr. Parnell, Mr. Pope, and his old friends, to whom he can still afford a half-pint of claret. As our friendship," he adds, "was not begun upon the relation of a courtier, so I hope it will not end with it." He now went on a visit to Paris, where, however, he did not long remain, for we have him, in November, 1714, writing to Swift from London, in his own peculiar vein of humour, mentioning a consolation which the dean had, and which no layman could share with him, or deprive him of:—"I cannot but think there is one thing in your circumstances that must make any man happy, which is a liberty to preach, . . . for my part, I never imagine any man can be uneasy that has his opportunity of venting himself to a whole congregation once a week." The Scriblerus Club, as it was called, had been formed by Pope, Gay, Parnell, Swift, and Arbuthnot, in the year 1713 or 1714—Harley, Atterbury, and Congreve were members. With which of them the plan originated is not known—most probably, we think, <section end="219Zcontin" />