Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/537

BEN some of the jesuit missionaries, but disallowed by the holy see. In 1751 he suppressed the patriarchate of Aquileia, which had long been the cause of dissension between Venice and Austria, and created in its stead the archbishoprics of Udine and Goritz. As a temporal sovereign he laboured strenuously and successfully to keep peace with foreign powers, to improve the condition of the Roman states, and to adorn and beautify the capital. With the exception of one occasion during the Austrian succession war, when in 1742 a part of his dominions was in turns occupied by the contending armies of Spain and Austria, he was in no way engaged in any of the wars which desolated Europe during his pontificate. In fact the haute politique of Europe was so completely changed, now that three of the great powers—England, Prussia, and Russia—were non-catholic, that the political power of the holy see was about this time reduced to a minimum. But in measures of internal improvement he was unceasingly occupied. At his accession the debt amounted to many millions of scudi; but by retrenching the expenditure of his household, by reducing the number of his troops, and cutting down their extravagant pay, by abolishing pensions, &c., he soon placed the Roman finances on a new and sound footing. He founded four academies at Rome for the education of ecclesiastics. He established a congregation of five cardinals to examine into the life and habits of all bishops designate within his dominions. But it was in the adornment of Rome that he laboured with the most brilliant success. He secured and strengthened the cupola of St. Peter's, erected one wing of the great hospital of St. Spirito, completed the fountain of Trevi, restored and enlarged many churches, established a gallery of antiquities on the Campidoglio, and, finally, dug out and deposited in a safe place the celebrated horary obelisk which once stood in the Campus Martius, and has since been re-erected by Pius VI. in 1792. The private character of this pope was most estimable and pleasing. His joviality and affability were unfailing, and some of the bons mots, prompted by his ready Bolognese wit, are still remembered by the Romans. His writings, besides those already mentioned, consist of a "Treatise on Heroic Virtue," a "Treatise on the Mass," a "Bullarium," or collection of the briefs and bulls issued by himself, a "Martyrology," and some minor works. He died, after enduring great suffering, in which his cheerfulness and serenity never deserted him, in May, 1758, in the eighty-third year of his age.—T. A.  BENEDICT or BENOIT, a musician of the former half of the sixteenth century, appears from the name by which he is called, to have been a native of Appenzell, in Switzerland. He was a pupil of Josquin de Prez, and wrote music to a Latin monody on his famous master, which was printed at Antwerp in 1545, together with another setting of the same words by his fellow scholar, Nicholas Gombert; Burney reprints this piece, for four voices, of Benedict, which is in the Phrygian mode, and a remarkable specimen, for its age, of pure counterpoint. Some compositions of this writer are in Salbinger's Concentus, 1545, and in Ecclesiasticorum Cantionum—G. A. M.  * BENEDICT, or, a musician, was born at Stuttgart, November 27, 1805, in which city his father was partner in a banking-house. His first musical instructor was Louis Abeille, a pianist and composer. He began his public career at a concert of his own in 1819, when his pianoforte playing was much applauded. He was sent to Weimar to continue his studies under Hummel, from whose care he was removed in 1820 to that of C. M. von Weber in Dresden. He accompanied this master to Berlin, where he made the acquaintance of Mendelssohn, the prodigious boy, who was already giving proofs of the wonderful talent which was soon to raise him to a comparison with the greatest masters of the art. He proceeded with Weber to Vienna, and was, by his recommendation, there engaged as accompanyist of the rehearsals, and musical director at the Kärntnerthor theatre in 1824. He proceeded from thence to Naples, where he filled the same capacity at the San Carlo. Here, in 1827, at the Fondo, he produced his Opera Buffa, "Giacinta ed Ernesto." He now made the tour of Italy, and visited Paris as a pianist, returning to Naples to produce an opera seria at the San Carlo—"l Portoghesi a Goa." He came to London, invited by Malibran and De Beriot, and appeared at the concerts of the latter in 1835. Again, returning to Naples, he produced there a third opera, "Un Anno ed un Giorno," in 1836. The same year he came back to London, which has since then been his permanent residence. He was conductor of the Italian opera given by Mr. Mitchell at the Lyceum, in the winters of 1837 and 1838. In 1838 his first English opera, "The Gipsy's Warning," was brought out at Drury Lane, several pieces in which have over-lived its first success—which was only limited by the demerit of the drama—and still retain their popularity. Six years later, he produced "The Brides of Venice" at the same theatre; where, also, his last dramatic work, "The Crusaders," was performed in 1846. These three works have been translated into German, and produced with success in his native country. M. Benedict conducted the operas given with Adelaide Kemble, at Covent Garden, in 1842 and 1843. He was in 1845 appointed conductor of the Norwich musical festival, which office he has held at each succeeding celebration. He also was engaged to conduct part of the performances at the opening of the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in 1849, where he produced a Festival Overture. In 1850 he accompanied Mademoiselle Lind to America, and conducted her concerts there till he left her in 1852. He conducted the concerts of the Harmonic Union for the first two years from their commencement in 1853, at which he distinguished himself by the pains he bestowed on the new compositions confided to his care. A consequence of the dissolution of this society, if not its decided offspring, is the Vocal Association, whose extensive numbers, practising under his careful direction, have made admirable progress in choral singing. M. Benedict has a large practice as a pianoforte teacher, he is frequently before the public as a concert-conductor, and his own annual concert is one of the most fashionable resorts of the London season. Besides the operas that have been named, he has one unproduced, "The Minnesinger," of which some portions have been performed at concerts; he has written music for a German version of the Tempest, and Entr' Actes for Macbeth; he has composed much for the pianoforte, both in the classical form and in the lightest style; he has been very successful with many pieces for unaccompanied voices, and has produced a multitude of detached songs.—G. A. M.  BENEDICTIS,, surnamed , an Italian theologian and canonist of the first half of the fifteenth century. He published "Volumen conclusionum regularium et communium opinionum, et de permutatione beneficiorum."  BENEDICTIS,, an Italian jesuit, born at Ostium in 1620; died in 1706. His principal work is entitled "Philosophia Peripatetica," &c., 1687-92.—J. S., G.  BENEDICTIS,, a native of Umbria, who was a Minorite friar, and author of some sacred poetry. The fine hymn, "Stabat Mater," is generally attributed to him.—J. F. W.  BENEDICTUS,, deacon of Mentz, who, between the years 840 and 847, compiled, at the instance of Otgar, archbishop of Mentz, a collection of capitularies in three books. It was afterwards added to the four books of Ansegisus, and published along with them by Baluze as Capitularia Regum Francorum; Paris, 1677. Some other works are also attributed to Benedictus, but this is the only one of which he is certainly the author.—J. B.  * BENEDIX,, a German comic dramatist and miscellaneous writer of great popularity, was born at Leipzig in 1811. Having completed his education at Grimma and in his native town, he became a comedian, and afterwards manager of several German theatres. Besides his collected dramatic works (6 vols.), he has published "Deutsche Volkssagen," a popular history of the Freiheitskriege; "Bilder aus dem Schauspickler leben," &c. He lives at Cologne.—K. E. <section end="537H" /> <section begin="537I" />BENEFIALI,, born at Rome in 1684; died in 1764. He painted a saloon of the Palazzo Spada, and at the academy of St. Luke there is a "Christ at the Well" by him. He was knighted by the pope. (The popes knighted more painters than our English monarchs have.)—W. T. <section end="537I" /> <section begin="537Zcontin" />BENEFIELD,, an eminent divine of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was born August 12, 1559, at Prestbury in Gloucestershire. When seventeen years old, he was admitted a scholar of Corpus Christi college, Oxford, and afterwards became a fellow. Entering into holy orders, he distinguished himself as a preacher. In 1608 he took the degree of doctor in divinity, and five years after, was chosen Margaret professor. He filled the chair with great reputation. He had been presented several years before to the rectory of Moysey Hampton, near Fairford, in Gloucestershire, and after holding the professorship fourteen years, he retired to that benefice, an <section end="537Zcontin" />