Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/395

BAL BALLENTYNE or BALLENDEN,, a distinguished Scotch poet of the reign of James V., author of a translation of "Boece's Latin History," was a native of Lothian. He studied at St. Andrews, and afterwards at Paris, where he took the degree of doctor of divinity. His name appears in the records of James' reign, as "Clerk of the Kingis Comptis," and also as court poet, in which latter character, notwithstanding a certain freedom of speech in his allusions to affairs of state, he was so acceptable to the "kingis grace," as to have frequent dealings with the royal treasurer. Besides the work above mentioned, Ballentyne published a translation of the first five books of Livy. He died at Rome in 1550. An edition of his "Boece" was published at Edinburgh in 1821.—J. S., G.  BALLERINI,, a learned Italian, brother of Pietro Ballerini, born at Verona in 1702; died in 1770. He edited the works of Cardinal Noris, and those of Gilbertus, bishop of Verona.  BALLERINI,, an Italian theologian of the first half of the eighteenth century, was professor of belles-lettres, and afterwards of theology at Verona. He published, "Metodo di S. Agostino negli studj;" "S. Leonis magni Opera;" De jure divino et naturali circa usuram Libri VI."  BALLESTEROS,, a Spanish general, born at Saragossa in 1770; died at Paris, 2nd June, 1832. He entered the army in 1788 in a regiment of volunteer infantry of Aragon, and took part in the campaign of Catalonia in 1792 and 1795. He was deprived of his military rank in 1804, on a false accusation of embezzlement, but was soon afterwards restored, and named commander of the resguardo (custom-house officers) of Oviedo, a most lucrative employment, commonly reserved for favourites. He afterwards rose to the rank of lieutenant-general, and was intrusted with the chief command of the army of Andalusia, he subsequently fell into disgrace with the government of the day, and was arrested on a charge of high treason; and although he soon regained his liberty, he was deprived of his command. After passing through a variety of fortune, he died at Paris in obscurity and neglect.—G. M.  BALLEYDIER, a French general, born at Annecy (Mont Blanc), 12th February, 1763, died about 1840. His first military appointment, which took place at the beginning of the Revolution, was to the command of the volunteers of Annecy, and in this capacity he served with great distinction under generals Kellerman and Dugommier. He afterwards joined the army of Italy, in which he was equally distinguished. Raised to the rank of colonel, he signalized himself in the campaigns of Holland and Russia; but although twice nominated general of brigade, he, with singular modesty, declined the rank.—G. M.  BALLI,, a Sicilian noble and jurisconsult. His "Canzone Siciliane" are published in the Muse Siciliane, Padua, 1647 and 1662. The date of his birth is uncertain, but he died at a great age in Padua, 1632.  BALLI,, born at Palermo in 1567. His parents wished him to follow the profession of arms, but he preferred an ecclesiastical life. He passed some time in Spain, and there took his degree of doctor in theology. He was canon in the cathedral of Bari, in the kingdom of Naples. In 1655 we find him resident at Padua, where he published several theological works which excited a good deal of controversy. "He was," says Quadrio, "a celebrated mathematician, and a good poet." He died at Padua in 1640.—J. A., D.  BALLI,, a Sicilian nobleman, born at Palermo about the middle of the sixteenth century. The name is sometimes written. He was Chevalier de St. Etienne, and a member of the Accesi of Palermo. Several of his smaller poems are contained in the publications of the Accesi. His most important work is a poem in the octave measure, entitled "Palermo Liberato, Poema Eroico."—J. A., D. <section end="395H" /> <section begin="395I" />BALLIN,, a French silversmith, born in Paris, 1615, died 1678; was patronized by Cardinal Richelieu, who intrusted him with several works; so too did Louis XIV., and well did Ballin deserve it, since his works were the best of the kind produced during the seventeenth century. In his last years he was assisted by, his nephew, who was also born in Paris, 1660, and died 1754.—R. M. <section end="395I" /> <section begin="395J" />BALLINGALL,, was born 1786, and began life as a military surgeon, and served in that capacity in the East Indies and on the continent. In 1823 he was appointed professor of military surgery in the university of Edinburgh, and was knighted in 1830. He was a member of many foreign medical societies. He died Dec. 4, 1855, having held his professorship upwards of twenty-two years.—E. W. <section end="395J" /> <section begin="395K" />* BALLOU,, a prominent American non-resistant and christian socialist, now (1857) about sixty years of age, resident in Milford, Massachusetts. Previous to 1842, he was for several years pastor of the Congregational church in Mendon, Massachusetts. In 1839 he commenced the publication of a biweekly paper, the Practical Christian, wherein he has set forth his peculiar theological, moral, and social opinions. In regard to the former, he is of the Unitarian-Restorationist school; as respects the latter, an earnest and able advocate of the antislavery movement, in unison with the American Antislavery Society, of the temperance (total abstinence) cause, and of peace on non-resistant grounds. His conviction of the necessity of a thorough regeneration of the spirit and framework of human society, on absolute christian principles, took so deep a hold of his mind, that in 1842, with a few sympathizing friends, and with very small pecuniary means, he purchased a small tract of land in the town of Milford, and established upon and within it a "Practical Christian community." He gave it the name of Hopedale. It was based strictly on non-resistant principles, refusing to seek the aid of the government or of the laws, either for personal protection or the security of any right or possession. It remains to this day, possessing the unqualified good-will of the surrounding population. The settlement now contains about forty dwelling-houses, besides printing-office, mills, and shops, and over two hundred residents.—S. M. <section end="395K" /> <section begin="395L" />BALLOU,, known as , the founder of universalism in America, was born at Richmond, New Hampshire, in 1771. His father, a Baptist clergyman, supplied him with but scanty means of education. We are told that he learned to write with a cinder on stripes of bark by the light of the fire. Having embraced the universalist doctrine, he was expelled from his father's church, and soon became an itinerant preacher. After labouring in different parts of the country, he settled as minister of the second universalist society in Boston, where he died in 1852. During his long ministry of sixty years, he was ever earnest in promulgating his peculiar tenets, and was so successful as to found a sect in his country. In his various writings he also avowed his belief in the unitarian doctrines. His nephew, Hosea Ballou, is still editor of the Universalist Quarterly Review, which the subject of our notice began under the title of the Universalist Expositor.—J. B. <section end="395L" /> <section begin="395M" />BALMER,, one of the professors of theology in the United Presbyterian Church, was born in the parish of Eckford, Roxburghshire, 22nd November, 1787. He entered the university of Edinburgh in 1802, was ordained at Berwick on Tweed 23rd March, 1814, and elected professor of theology in April, 1834. He received in 1840 the honorary degree of D.D. from the university of St. Andrews, and few titles have been better bestowed. Dr. Balmer was a man of high attainments in ethical philosophy and theology. His reading was rather select than extensive, and his memory was very retentive and ready. He did not lay claim to profound erudition or great research, but he was versant with the best writers on divinity, both at home and abroad. His mind was distinguished more by the clearness and beauty, than by the grasp and power of its conceptions. He was far above any kind of dogmatism, and his whole conduct was marked by a singular modesty and candour. While he liked to be independent in forming his opinions, he was ever careful to assign the honour due to all who had written before him. He was truly a lover of truth, and of all good men. His English style is perspicuous and classical, and the two octavo volumes published since his death are a delightful specimen of his pulpit discourses, and academical prelections. Dr. Balmer, in a word, was characterized, not by genius, but by a combination of powers which occasionally approached it. Nor can we omit to mention his quiet and gentle deportment, his retiring and scholarly habits, his exquisite taste, his scrupulous accuracy, his catholic spirit, his childlike simplicity, and his elevated piety. Dr. Balmer died after a brief illness, on July 1, 1844.—J. E. <section end="395M" /> <section begin="395Nnop" />BALMÈS,, born at Vich in Catalonia, on the 28th of August, 1810; a philosopher and a publisher. He was considered a good mathematician, and taught that science in the college of his native place, until he was exiled from Spain by the government of Espartero. He edited the newspaper, Los Pensamientos de la Nacion, which was published in Madrid. He wrote many polemical works. He died July 9, 1848.—A. C. M. <section end="395Nnop" />