Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/469

BEA in 1827 in 2 vols. 8vo. Dr. Beattie is also the author of several poems of considerable merit. "John Huss" was published in 1829; "The Heliotrope, or Pilgrim in Pursuit of Health," in 1833; and a second edition, greatly enlarged, appeared some years later. The "Heliotrope" is a descriptive poem of a very pleasing kind, and is written with much elegance of taste and fancy. It was followed by "Polynesia," an affecting little poem on the labours of the missionaries in the South Seas. The subject is treated with remarkable simplicity and poetical fervour. The versification is melodious, the images are chaste and highly appropriate, and the purest taste in sentiment and diction prevails throughout. A large number of fugitive pieces from Dr. Beattie's pen, displaying fine feeling and elegant taste, are scattered throughout the Annuals and other periodicals. His most important work is his deeply interesting "Biography of Thomas Campbell," in 3 vols. 8vo. It is impossible to speak in too high terms of the affectionate care with which Dr. Beattie, with a friendship as disinterested and delicate as it is rare, ministered to the welfare of the poet; with counsel, aid, and untiring hospitality, he watched over his last years, when afflictions of various kinds were heavily pressing upon him, soothed his death-bed, and protected his memory. It was owing to Dr. Beattie's singlehanded exertions that the statue of Campbell was ultimately placed in Westminster abbey. Dr. Beattie commenced practice in London in 1830; he has now retired with a moderate independence from the active exercise of his profession. His unwearied kindness to the poor and unfortunate who have seen better days, entitles him to a high place among that class of men who may be regarded as having "a special mission given them to spend their time, and to be spent, in alleviating human sufferings," and who

It was Dr. Beattie's melancholy duty to attend the bards, both of "Memory" and of "Hope," in their last moments. A popular American author justly terms him "the intellectual Good Samaritan of London—Campbell's friend, and the physician to Lady Blessington and Rogers, and all the literary host who need a doctor and a counsellor in one—loved much for his medical wisdom, and more for his zealous friendship and hospitality." "The blessings of them that were ready to perish have come upon him, and he has caused the widow's heart to sing for joy."—J. T.  BEATTY,, M.D., F.R.S., physician to his majesty's fleet and Greenwich hospital, 1806-40. He was officially present during the last moments of Lord Nelson, of which he published his "Authentic Narrative" in 1808. He was knighted in 1831; died in London, March 25, 1842.—T. F.  BEAUBRUN,, a French portrait painter, was born at Amboise, 1603, and died at Paris, 1677. His brother Charles, also a perpetuator of men's vanities, was born at Amboise, 1605, and died in 1692.  BEAUCHAMP,, historian, born at Menaco, 1767, quitted his native state to come to Paris, having suffered imprisonment for refusing to serve against republican France. Appointed to a post in the committee of public safety, he nevertheless took part against Robespierre. Upon the establishment of the directory, he obtained a situation in the police, and was charged with the surveillance of the press. It was while in this position that he conceived the intention of writing a history of La Vendée. After several years' devotion to his work, he published it in 1806. It produced on the public mind the effect of a stirring romance, but when Fouché came to the direction of the police administration, he dismissed the author from his employment, for what he called breach of confidence in dealing with secret papers. The third edition was seized at the publication, and at a later period, in 1809, the author was arrested, and exiled to Rheims; nor was he allowed to return to the capital till 1811, and upon a written engagement to publish nothing more on contemporaneous politics. On the fruits of a small pension he contrived to live, and produce various biographical histories. He is supposed to be the real author of the "Memoires of Fouché." He died 1st June, 1832, leaving a large number of works, chiefly historical.—J. F. C.  BEAUCHAMP,, son of Richard de Beauchamp, was born at Hanley castle in Worcestershire, March 22, 1424, and married at a very early age. Cicely, daughter of Richard Nevill, earl of Salisbury, with whom he had a splendid dowry. Henry VI. heaped upon him all the honours that a monarch could bestow on a favourite, giving him even the title of king of the Isle of Wight, and placing with his own hands the crown on the young duke's head. This was the last title that he received, for he died at Hanley, where he had been born, June 11, 1445, and was buried at Tewkesbury, in the abbey which owed so much to his mother's liberality. He left one daughter, Anne, who died when only six years of age, and his sumptuous wealth and titles passed to Anne, his sister, who was married to Richard Nevill, earl of Salisbury, a union of two great houses, from which sprang Warwick, the king-maker.—T. J.  BEAUCHAMP,, born in 1320, baron of Kidderminster, in the reign of Richard II., and the first baron created by letters patent in this country. Having received the highest honours from his royal master, he was destined to suffer the worst extremities during the reverses that befell Richard. He was removed from his office of treasurer of the king's household, sent prisoner to Dover castle, and lastly executed for high treason on Tower hill, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.—T. J.  BEAUCHAMP or BEAUCHAMPS,, a French astronomer, member of the Institute, and one of the savants who accompanied Napoleon into Egypt, was born at Vesoul in 1752, and died at Nice in 1801. In his fifteenth year he entered the order of the Bernardines; and in 1774, after distinguishing himself among the pupils of Lalande the astronomer, set out for Babylon, where his uncle, Mirodout, exercised the functions of bishop. Setting out in 1781, he visited Aleppo, and Bagdad in the following year; was at Bassora in 1784, and in Persia in 1786, everywhere intent on promoting the interests of science. The Journal des Savants of the years 1782-4-5-7-8 and 1790 contains many contributions from his pen, on astronomical, geographical, and antiquarian subjects. At the commencement of the Revolution he returned to France; in 1795 was appointed to a consulship in Arabia; and in 1798 invited to Egypt by Napoleon. His labours in that country are recorded in the Memoires de l'institut du Caire. In 1799 he was sent by Napoleon to Constantinople; and having fallen into the hands of the English, who delivered him over to the sultan as a spy, he narrowly escaped death. A long imprisonment injured his health, and he died shortly after his release, in 1801.—J. S., G.  BEAUCHAMP,, earl of Warwick, was one of the most opulent and considerable nobles of the fifteenth century. He was born January 28, 1381, at Salwarpe, Worcestershire. He did good service to the crown during the rebellion of Glendower, and behaved so bravely at the battle of Shrewsbury against the Percies, that he was soon made a knight of the garter. Having vowed a pilgrimage to the holy sepulchre, he visited the principal courts of Europe in going and returning, and exhibited his prowess in arms at several tournaments. He came safe home to England, was constituted high steward at the coronation of Henry V. (1413), and negotiated soon after a marriage between his master and Catharine, the king of France's daughter. He was an active partisan against the Lollards. In 1415 he was declared captain of Calais, a post in those days of high honour and trust. He attended Henry V. in his French wars, and at his death, was appointed tutor to his son, Henry VI. On the death of the duke of Bedford, he was selected to take the arduous office of regent in France for the king. He held that post for the last four years of his life, and died in possession of it at the castle of Rohan, April 30, 1439. His remains lie interred in the collegiate church at Warwick, under a stately "tombe in a full feire vaulte of stone, set in the bare rocke," as is recorded in the inscription. A brief notice cannot do justice to the splendid and adventurous career of this great man.—T. J. <section end="469H" /> <section begin="469I" />BEAUCHAMPS,, a French historian of the 17th century; author of a "History of the Merovingian Kings." <section end="469I" /> <section begin="469J" />BEAUCHATEAU, , an extraordinary instance of precocity, born at Paris in 1645; died towards the end of the century. He wrote poetry at the age of eight. He was honoured by the conversation of the queen, mother of Louis XIV., of Cardinal Mazarin, the Chancellor Séguier, and other distinguished personages. He also visited England, and was presented to Cromwell. It is said that he afterwards visited Persia, and there we lose sight of him.—J. G. <section end="469J" /> <section begin="469K" />BEAUCLAIR, P___ L___, a litterateur, born in the Isle of France in 1735; died in 1804. Author of a "History of Peter III. of Russia," a work containing many singular anecdotes, and some biographical tracts. <section end="469K" /> <section begin="469Lnop" />BEAUDIN,, (neè Bourges), a portrait and genre painter of Marseilles. <section end="469Lnop" />