Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/331

AVI AVILA,, a Spanish writer on medicine, physician to Charles V., lived about the year 1540. He published two treatises, one in Spanish and another in Latin—"De Morbo Gallico."  AVILA, a Spanish historian and diplomatist, was ambassador to the courts of popes Paul IV. and Pius IV., and afterwards followed Charles V. into Germany. He commanded the cavalry at the siege of Metz, and published after his return to Spain an account of Charles' wars in Germany in the years 1546 and 1547.  AVILER,, a French architect of the seventeenth century. His early career was marked with strange adventures. Whilst travelling by sea from France to Rome, where he intended to perfect his studies, he fell into the hands of Barbaresque pirates, who disposed of him to the bey of Tunis. This bey, however, having discovered the talents of his slave, employed him in the construction of a mosque, in the carrying out of which he so entirely succeeded in pleasing his master, that this latter restored him to liberty. Once more free, Aviler turned his steps towards Rome, where for some time he remained, completing his studies. On his return to France he executed several important works for various towns of Languedoc. He also wrote some essays on architecture, which greatly increased his fame. He died at Montpellier in 1700.—R. M.  AVISON,, a celebrated composer and writer on music, born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1710. When a young man, he visited Italy for the purpose of study, and after his return to England, became a pupil of Geminiani. In 1735 he was appointed organist to the church of St. Nicholas in his native town. The work by which Avison is best known is his "Essay on Musical Expression," published in 1752. It contains some judicious reflections on music, but the division of the modern authors into classes is rather fanciful than just. Throughout the whole of this work we find the highest encomiums on Marcello and Geminiani; and on the latter, frequently to the prejudice of Handel. In the ensuing year it was answered anonymously by Dr. William Hayes, the professor of music in the university of Oxford, in a pamphlet entitled "Remarks on Mr. Avison's Essay on Musical Expression." The author of this brochure points out many errors against the established rules of composition in the works of Avison; and infers from thence, that his skill in the science was not very profound. He then proceeds to examine the book itself, and to say the truth, he has seldom failed to establish his point, and prove his adversary in the wrong. Before the conclusion of the same year, Avison re-published his Essay, with a reply to these Remarks, in which he was assisted by the learned Dr. Jortin.

Of Avison's own compositions, there are extant five collections of "Concertos for a full band" (one of which contains the original of "Sound the Loud Timbrel"); some Quartettes and Trios, and two sets of "Sonatas for the Harpsichord and two Violins." His music is light and elegant, but it wants originality, a necessary consequence of his attachment to the style of Geminiani, which in few particulars only, he was able to imitate. Avison died in 1770.—(Hawkins; Brand's Newcastle.)—E. F. R.  AVITUS,, an emperor of the West. He was descended from a Gaulish family of Auvergne, and acquired the favour of Constantius, the colleague of Honorius, and of Theodoric, king of the Visigoths. He sensed with distinction under Aetius, became prefect of Gaul, and concluded a favourable treaty with the Goths. He afterwards retired into private life until the invasion of Attila, when he induced the Goths to join the Romans against the common enemy. He was proclaimed emperor in 455, took for his colleague Marcianus, and died the year following.—J. W. S.  AVITUS, ., a bishop of Vienne, who was born in the fifth century, and died in 525. His claim to modern notice is an unfinished poem, which bears a striking resemblance to the "Paradise Lost" of Milton.  AVOGADRO, one of the most ancient families in Lombardy. It received the name Avogadro (advocate), because one of its members was charged with the advocacy of church affairs.  AVOGADRO,, an Italian poet, who lived in the house of Cosmo de Medicis. His poem on the magnificence of his protector, has been printed in Lami's Deliciæ eruditorum. <section end="331H" /> <section begin="331I" />AVOGADRO,, an Italian poet, born at Milan, about the end of the fifteenth century. Another of the same name assisted his father Matteo in a Lexicon Ciceronianum. <section end="331I" /> <section begin="331J" />AVOGADRO,, Count of Cassanova, born at Vercelli, 1731; a writer on agriculture. By new plans of cultivation introduced on his estates, he realized a fortune. He wrote several books on his favourite subject. <section end="331J" /> <section begin="331K" />AVOGADRO,, an Italian poetess, whose lyrics won the applause of Tasso. She died in 1568. <section end="331K" /> <section begin="331L" />AVOGADRO,, a gentleman of Brescia with the rank of Count. He was distinguished by his having headed the conspiracy to drive the French from Brescia in the war of the league of Cambray. He fell in an attack on the town in 1512. <section end="331L" /> <section begin="331M" />AVOGADRO,, a lexicographer, who flourished in the fifteenth century. A Latin dictionary of his went through eight editions from 1488 to 1507. <section end="331M" /> <section begin="331N" />AVOGADRO,, an Italian historical painter, flourishing in Brescia at the beginning of the eighteenth century. He was a pupil of Ghiti, and studied at Bologna. He was particularly noted for his skill in foreshortening, and the cleverness of his composition and general effect.—R. M. <section end="331N" /> <section begin="331O" />AVOGADRO,, an Italian litterateur, lived about 1490, and wrote memoirs of the illustrious men of his country. <section end="331O" /> <section begin="331P" />AVOGADRO,, a Sicilian theologian, born at Palermo, 1702. He was a Dominican, and taught theology at Girgenti. He wrote "De Sanctitate Librorum qui in Ecclesia Catholica Consecrantur." <section end="331P" /> <section begin="331Q" />AVOLO,, an Italian philosopher of the sixteenth century, and the author of a work entitled "De Causis Sympathiæ et Antipathiæ." <section end="331Q" /> <section begin="331R" />AVONT,, a Flemish landscape and figure painter, flourished about 1619 at Antwerp. He often executed figures in the pictures of other artists. These figures are particularly well drawn, and his style, generally, is full of care and feeling. He was also noted as a very good engraver. <section end="331R" /> <section begin="331S" />AVRANCHES,, a court poet in the service of Henry III. He was a Frenchman, as his name indicates, and probably wrote in French. He affords the first instance of an officer in the English court afterwards denominated poet-laureate. His pay was six shillings per day (equivalent to seven and sixpence of the present currency) as the "king's versifier," Avranches, or "Master Henry," as he is termed, must have been a man of note, and, consequently, had his enemies. In one of his poems he had reflected on the boorish manners of the denizens of Cornwall. The insult was taken up by one Michael Blancpaine, i.e., Whitebread or Whitbread, a Cornish man, with great spirit. It is amusing to witness the atrabilous rancour of the literary character manifesting itself in these far-off ages. Michael, in a Latin poem, recited before the abbot of Westminster and other high ecclesiastical dignitaries, tells Master Henry how he had once termed him the arch poet, but that henceforth he will only call him a poet; nay—and he waxes wroth as he approaches his climax,—he shall be dubbed a petty poetaster! Entries of payments to Avranches occur in Madox's "History of the Exchequer," under the years 1249-1251.—(Walton's Hist. of Eng. Poet.; Auston's Lives of the Poets-Laureate.)—E. F. R. <section end="331S" /> <section begin="331T" />AVRIGNY,, a French poet, born at Martinique, 1760; died, 17th September, 1823. He made an early promise in having secured the only favourable notice of the Academy for his prize poem on the prayer of Patroclus to Achilles. Having married the famous singer, Renault, of the "Opéra Comique," he wrote for the theatre with various success—his clever little piece, "La Lettre," becoming an established favourite. But D'Avrigny's most successful effort was his prose "Tableau Historique des Commencements et des Progrès de la Puissance Britannique dans les Indes," one of the best fragments of history in our time. He was dramatic censor under the Empire and the Restoration.—A. L. <section end="331T" /> <section begin="331U" />AVRIGNY, ', a French historian, born at Caen, 1675; died at Alençon, 1719. Though little known, his works have placed him among the best historians of the time of Louis XIV: "Mémoires pour Servir à l'Histoire Universelle de l'Europe depuis, 1600 à 1716;" and "Mémoires Chronologiques et Dogmatiques pour Servir a l'Histoire Ecclesiastique depuis, 1600 à 1716."—A. L. <section end="331U" /> <section begin="331V" />AVRIL,, baron, a French general, who served under Hoche, Massena, and Brune. During the Hundred Days he refused to act, and was deprived of his honours, which were restored by Louis XVIII. <section end="331V" /> <section begin="331Zcontin" />AVRIL,, the name of two French engravers, father and son. The former died in 1832, with the renown of <section end="331Zcontin" />