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BAB one of the most unscrupulous agents of the "Comite de Salut Public," but escaped with a few months' imprisonment. He was executed in 1796 for having taken part in an attack on the camp of Grenelle.—J. S., G.  BABIÉ DE BERCENAY,, a voluminous French litterateur, born at Lavaur (Tarn) in 1761; died about the year 1830. Of his numerous works, the most important are:—"L'education Militaire Nationale," 1789, dedicated to Lafayette; "Memoires sur les Consulats," 1798; "Vie de Marie Antoinette d'Autriche," 1802.  BABIN,, a French theologian, born at Angers in 1651; died in 1734. He was grand-vicar and deacon of theology in his native town, and wrote the first eighteen volumes of the "Conferences du diocese d'Angers."  * BABINET,, an eminent French physicist of our own time, member of the Academy of Sciences. It were not easy to enumerate the obligations of physical science to M. Babinet's fertile genius. His original labours mainly illustrate the department of physical optics, and those natural and chiefly atmospherical phenomena connected with that very interesting subject. He has written and experimented on the curious appearances of coloured rings; on the theory of the colours of double surfaces somewhat apart; on the phenomena of depolarization; on dichroism; on vibrations of the polarized rays; on polarimeters; on the polarization of the atmosphere and the neutral points; on the theory of the rainbow; on crowns, anthelia, &c., &c. We owe him also many admirable analyses of original memoirs, such as those of Jamin, and of Fizeau and Foucault. But the production by which he is most widely known, is probably the four volumes of that interesting and exceedingly perspicuous, "Etudes et Lectures sur les Sciences d'observation et leurs applications pratiques." These essays were, for the most part, contributed at first to the "Revue des deux mondes." They include discourses on almost every physical speculation or practical invention attracting the attention of the day. We have essays on the electric telegraph, on the great comet, on the stereoscope, on table-turning, on special points in meteorology, on the general progress of meteorology, on the diamond, on the plurality of worlds, &c., &c. The information conveyed by these nonchalant essays is very great, and no style can surpass Babinet's in clearness. They ought to be translated into our tongue. The wide circulation they must obtain, ought to attract for them the notice of some enterprising publisher. We expect yet much more from M. Babinet.—J. P. N.  BABINGTON,, an English gentleman, distinguished by his attachment to the cause of the unfortunate Mary, queen of Scotland, died 20th September, 1586. He was a wealthily landed proprietor in Derbyshire, and a zealous Roman catholic. Having, in conjunction with a number of other gentlemen, and an obscure fanatic of the name of Savage, entered into a conspiracy for the liberation of Mary, and the assassination of Queen Elizabeth, he was arrested and brought to trial, along with fourteen of his accomplices. Babington was found guilty, condemned, and put to death.—G. M.  BABINGTON,, an English botanist, resident at St. John's college, Cambridge, has devoted his attention in a special manner to British botany. He has published a manual of British botany, containing the flowering plants and ferns, arranged according to the natural system: "Flora Bathoniensis, or a catalogue of the plants indigenous to the vicinity of Bath;" "Primitiæ Floræ Sarnicæ, or an outline of the flora of the Channel Islands;" besides numerous monographs in the Transactions of the Linnæan Society of London, and the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. He is an M.A. of Cambridge, an F.R.S., and a member of the Archæological Society.—J. H. B.  BABINGTON,, Bishop, was born of a good Notinghamshire family about 1551. He became fellow of Trinity college, Cambridge, and enjoyed considerable reputation as a university preacher. Henry Herbert, earl of Pembroke, made him his chaplain, and afterwards, in 1591, procured for him the bishopric of Llandaff. This see, in consequence of the land having been alienated by Bishop Kitchen, Babington used to call the see of "Affe." In 1594, Queen Elizabeth promoted him to Exeter, and, in 1597, to Worcester, which bishopric he held till his death in 1610. He was much respected by his contemporaries as a prelate and preacher, and his character may be summed up in the following verses placed under his picture in the beginning of his works, which consist of Notes on the Pentateuch, and an exposition of the Creed, Commandments, and Lord's Prayer:—

 BABINGTON,, an English mathematician of the first half of the seventeenth century, author of a treatise on "Fireworks," published at London in 1635. A treatise on geometry is appended to the work.—J. S., G. <section end="346H" /> <section begin="346I" />BABINGTON,, M.D., an eminent chemist and mineralogist, was born at Portglenone, a village in the county of Antrim in Ireland, June, 1756. He received the rudiments of his education in the town of Londonderry, where he was subsequently bound to an apothecary. Having completed the term of his apprenticeship, he left Ireland and proceeded to London, and obtained employment in Guy's hospital under Mr. Frank, then surgeon to that institution. Leaving Guy's hospital for a short period, he went to Haslar's hospital, and afterwards to Winchester, but eventually returned to Guy's hospital, to which he was elected apothecary. Here he displayed his ability, especially in the branch of chemistry, and was associated with Dr. Saunders, then the lecturer in chemistry to that institution. Mineralogy next engaged his attention; and the fine collection of mineralogical specimens belonging to the earl of Bute being for sale, Babington purchased them. In 1797 Babington took out his degree of doctor of medicine, on which occasion he resigned his situation in Guy's hospital, and commenced to practise as a physician. He was, ere long, again connected with the scene of his former labours, being elected physician to Guy's hospital, and a fellow of the Medical Society. He may be said to have been one of the founders of the Geological Society of London, of which he was elected vice-president in 1810, and president in 1822. Dr. Babington was also mainly instrumental in establishing the Hunterian Society, to the Transactions of which he contributed several valuable papers; and he was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society, and also of the College of Physicians. In 1833 Dr. Babington presided at the Centenary Festival in honour of Dr. Priestley, upon the 26th of March, being then in his 77th year. Here he caught cold, which ultimately resulted in influenza, then prevalent, and he died on the 29th of May following. Dr. Babington was deservedly esteemed for his scientific and professional acquirements. He formed the connecting link between the departed and living philosophers of the 18th and 19th centuries: for, from Priestly down to Wollaston and Davy, he was the personal friend, associate, and collaborateur of the most distinguished men of England. Besides papers in the Transactions of several societies, Dr. Babington published "A Systematic Arrangement of Minerals, Founded on their Chemical, Physical, and External Characters;" a "New System of Mineralogy;" and "A Course of Chemical Lectures."—J. F. W. <section end="346I" /> <section begin="346J" />BABO,, a German dramatic writer, was born at Ehrenbreitstein, 14th January, 1756, and died at Munich, 5th February, 1822. He was for about forty years intendant of the Munich theatre, which, under his management, rose to a high degree of eminence. He will be longest remembered by his chivalric drama, "Otto von Wittelsbach" (1782), the best imitation of Goethe's Goetz von Berlichingen, that has ever appeared, and which is still frequently represented at the inferior German theatres. His dramatic works were published at Berlin, 1793 and 1804.—K. E. <section end="346J" /> <section begin="346K" />BABO, L.,, an agricultural writer, president of the agricultural society of Heidelberg, was born at Manheim in 1790. He first studied jurisprudence, and subsequently devoted his attention to agriculture. He has published works on the culture of the vine, on the husbandly of meadows, and on agriculture in general.—J. H. B. <section end="346K" /> <section begin="346L" />BABON,, of Ratisbon, died in 1030. He had thirty-two sons and eight daughters, who were all portioned by the Emperor Henry II. Many of the noble houses of Germany trace their descent from the family of Babon. <section end="346L" /> <section begin="346Mnop" />BABOU,, Baron de Sagonne, lord of Bourdaisière, died 11th October, 1569. About 1529 he held the post of grand-master of the artillery, and was afterwards governor and bailiff of Gien. He commanded the artillery at the battle of St. Denis, 10th November, 1567, and served at the battle of Jarnac, 13th March, 1569. In the month of May following he was raised to the dignity of counsellor of state.—G. M. <section end="346Mnop" />