Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/519

BEL instances of his son, a young artist, he went to live in Paris; but finding that a residence in the capital did not suit him, and that he was becoming very ill, he started towards the end of 1824 on his return to Lyons. His strength, however, was too far gone to allow of his undergoing so great an exertion; he was compelled to stop at Maçon, where he died on the 20th Dec., 1824. The works of Bellay are not numerous. For a period of five years (1799-1804) he published, in conjunction with Dr. Brion, a medical journal under the title of Conservateur de la Santé, and at the end of each year from the establishment of this journal until 1813, he always prepared a "Météorologie Médicale." Bellay and Brion also published a "Tableau historique de la vaccine pratiquée à Lyon depuis le 13 germinal de l'an IX., jusqu'au 31 December, 1809," and Bellay himself translated two Italian medical works into French.—W. S. D.  BELLAY,, lord of Langey, a celebrated soldier and diplomatist, born, 1491; died, 1543. He was of an ancient and noble family, originally of Anjou. He entered at an early period of life on a military career, and soon became distinguished both by his conduct and bravery. In 1537 he was appointed by Francis I. viceroy of Piedmont, when he wrested several places from the hands of the imperialists. He had the reputation of being the first captain of his time, while he manifested equal ability as a diplomatist. He was eminently successful in detecting political intrigues and conspiracies, and discovering what was passing at foreign courts. He left memoirs and other writings.—G. M.  BELLAY,, cardinal and bishop of Paris, younger brother of Guillaume, born in 1492; died in 1560. He enjoyed the favour of Francis I., who, after raising him to the see of Bayonne, sent him as ambassador to England in 1527, and again in 1533, on the occasion of its being rumoured that Henry VIII. meditated a rupture with the court of Rome, on the question of his divorce. In 1534 he was sent to Rome to stay proceedings until Henry had been heard in his defence, and succeeded in inducing Clement VIII. to consent to a delay; but the bishop's messenger to England not having returned in the expected time, the indignant pontiff fulminated his interdict. In 1536, on the occasion of Charles V.'s invasion of Provence, Bellay was appointed lieutenant-general of Picardy and Champagne, and in this new sphere of action so earned the favour of the king, that new honours continued to be showered on him until the death of Francis. After that event he retired to Rome, where he lived in a style of great magnificence, enjoying the reputation of a skilful diplomatist, and of a munificent patron of letters. Rabelais was at one time a member of his household.—J. S., G.  BELLAY,, born at Liré, near Angers, about the year 1524. His parents died early, and his education was neglected by his elder brother, in whose guardianship, or rather custody, he was left. On his brother's death, he found himself involved in litigation with his family. His health sank, and disease chained him to his bed for several years. At this time he devoted himself to such studies as were possible for a man who seemed to be dying, and he made himself acquainted with the Greek and Latin poets, and with those of his own country; of the latter he made but small account. Guillaume de Loris and Jean de Meun are, he says, the only ones worth anything. He himself wrote some poems, which were admired, and secured him a favourable reception at court. Francis I., Henry II., and Margaret of Navarre, admired his verses, and styled him the French Ovid. Cardinal Jean du Bellay was his near relation. The cardinal, on Francis the First's death, made Rome his headquarters, and thither the poet accompanied him in the character of secretary and reader. The cardinal, who could not do without him, does not seem to have regarded him with any kindness. He listened to tales against him; his most indifferent acts were misrepresented; his poetry was interpreted into satire which he never meant; and the crowning calumny impeached his religion. This was the most cruel sting of all, and seems to have been a most unjust accusation; yet it blighted all his prospects. At last the bishop of Paris took pity on him, and gave him in 1655 a canonry in his own cathedral. His health and hopes, however, had by this time wholly failed, and he soon after died, and was buried in the church of Notre Dame. Du Bellay has claims to the gratitude of the lovers of English poetry. He was a favourite of Spenser, who has translated his "Ruins of Rome" and his "Visions," and has styled him, in the quaint language of that day,

Bellay, in his critical essays, has said so much of "vers libres," and in his practice has to such an extent sought to deliver French verse from its chains of male and female rhymes, that it is not improbable Spenser alludes to this when he says "free poesy." Among his poems is another series of sonnets, which he entitled "Olive." His "Olive" was suggested by Petrarch's Laura. The word is an anagram of "Viole," the lady whose praises he celebrates. A collection of Latin poems of his, entitled "Xenia et alia Poemata," appeared at Paris, 1569. They are said to be very inferior to his French poems.—J. A., D.  BELLAY,, bishop of Mans, elder brother of cardinal Bellay, died in 1546. He took great delight in horticultural pursuits, his garden, according to Gesner, being the most beautiful in France, Germany, or Italy. The culture of tobacco is said to have been first introduced into France by this learned prelate.  BELLE,, a Parisian painter, born in 1757, distinguished in his day, which was not a long one, for history and portrait, and still more for being inspector of the woven histories of the Gobelins. His best-known picture was founded on the story of Pericles and Anaxagoras.—W. T.  BELLE, C. Z., born at Paris, 1722; died in 1806. She was the daughter of an engraver, and studied under Lemoyne. A "Christ" by her is preserved at Dijon.—W. T.  BELLE,, a portrait painter, born at Paris 1674; died 1734. A man of some reputation in his day, but that is not our day.—W. T. <section end="519H" /> <section begin="519I" />BELLEAU,, born at Nogent-le-Rotrou in Le Perche, 1528. René de Lorraine, marquis d'Elbeuf, general of the galleys of France, confided to him the education of his son. He died in Paris, 1577. Belleau's pastoral poetry was much admired by his contemporaries. Ronsard used to call him the painter of nature; and there are a vigour and life in his verses, which look more like personal observation, than a reflection of images from books. He was one of the seven poets to whom the name of the Pleiad was given. His chief poem was one entitled "Les Amours et nouveaux eschanges des pierres precièuses." The Metamorphoses of Ovid, and the Greek poem ascribed to Orpheus, probably suggested his treatment of the loves and transformations of precious stones; and had Darwin been likely to have looked into this book, we should think it probable that it in its turn might have suggested the "Loves of the Plants." Love-adventures are told, which end in the heroes and heroines being—sometimes as reward, sometimes as punishment, and now and then as the sole means which some protecting divinity has of rescuing them from such danger as led to the transformation of Daphne into the laurel—changed to jacinths, chrysolites, or opals. The poem is fanciful, and contains some passages of great beauty. In the complimentary dialect of his own day, he was said to have built himself a tomb of precious stones. He wrote what he entitled "Sacred Eclogues," a versification of the Song of Songs. He also translated Anacreon A pleasing poem which Spenser seems to have imitated, commencing:— Avril. l'honneur des bois, et des mois," has been happily translated by Gary.—J. A., D. <section end="519I" /> <section begin="519J" />BELLÉE or BELLEUS,, an Italian physician, born at Racusa in Sicily about the middle of the sixteenth century, taught medicine for several years in the university of Padua with great success and reputation. A report of his death having been spread abroad, and coming to the ears of his wife, whom he had left behind him in Sicily, she married again without waiting for any further information. Bellée, hearing of this, took a journey into Sicily to ascertain whether his wife had really married, and died of grief on his return to Padua. He was the author of a Latin commentary on the Aphorisms of Hippocrates, published at Palermo in 1571.—W. S. D. <section end="519J" /> <section begin="519Zcontin" />BELLEFOREST, , born at Sarzan in Guienne in 1530. His father died when François was but seven years of age, but his support and education were provided for by the queen of Navarre, sister to Francis I. He was first sent to Bordeaux, and afterwards to Toulouse, where he commenced the study of the law; but being unfortunately gifted with some powers of versification, neglected any preparation for professional life, made his way to Paris, got introduced at court, and obtained the office of historiographer of France, which, however, he was <section end="519Zcontin" />