Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/540

BEN 1687, and on account of his extreme weakness, was baptized the same day. When he was six years old, his father, who held the office of deacon, and was a pious and learned man, died; and as his mother's property was shortly afterwards consumed by fire during an inroad of the French, his teacher, Spindler, took him with him to Stuttgard, where he studied languages and mathematics. Some years afterwards, he was sent by his stepfather, Glöckler, to the university of Tübingen, where he was enrolled as a student of theology. While here, he spent much of his time in reading the scriptures in the original tongues. Nor did he neglect the study of philosophy; he was familiar in particular with the writings of Spinoza, and passed through many severe conflicts before his principles acquired stability and firmness. After having discharged for some time the duties of assistant preacher at Metzingen, he was appointed in the twenty-sixth year of his age, master of a new seminary at Denkendorf, designed for the preparatory training of students of theology; and while the requisite buildings were in course of erection, he went over the greater part of Germany, visiting the different public schools and institutions, that he might become acquainted with the best modes of teaching. He continued at Denkendorf for twenty-eight years, and during that time, his labours as a teacher engaged him in the composition of various works. Besides editions of classical works and Fathers, he published a critical edition of the New Testament, grounded upon the printed editions already in use, and a considerable number of additional manuscripts; as also a work upon "Chronology," and an "Exposition of the Apocalypse," which, while it was greatly admired by multitudes, exposed him in the view of others to the charge of enthusiasm. He fixed the commencement of the millennium in the year 1836, which will hardly now be supposed entitled to such distinction. In 1741, Bengel was placed at the head of the monastery of Herbrechtingen; and as he now enjoyed more leisure than formerly, he employed himself in preparing for the press a work, of which the materials had been accumulated at Denkendorf. This was the celebrated "Gnomon Novi Testamenti;" so named because it was designed as a finger-post, to point the reader to the true sense and meaning of scripture. Few works have enjoyed a higher or more sustained reputation. It is brief, but everywhere instinct with life and power. The author tells us that, in composing it, his purpose was not to act as a dogmatist, or a polemic, or an ascetic, or an antiquarian, or a grammarian, but to make all investigations and remarks subservient to the one object of exhibiting the mind of the Spirit in the word. In 1749, Bengel, was appointed abbot of Alpirspach, and he held the office during the last three years of his life. Though never robust, yet he had for the most part enjoyed moderately good health; but after his sixty-fifth birth day, he began rapidly to decline. During his last day upon earth he observed the Lord's supper, spoke for half an hour regarding the faith of the gospel, prayed with great fervour for the church, for his country, for his wife and children, and for all his friends. In his last moments he laid his right hand upon his breast, and intimated that, living and dying, he was the Lord's; and then calmly fell asleep in Jesus, on the 2nd November, 1752, aged sixty-five years and four months—W. L.  BENGER,, authoress of "Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots," and other popular works, was the daughter of a purser in the navy. She was born at Wells in 1778, and died in 1827. Her mother, who at her husband's death was left in very straitened circumstances, gave her what education she could command, but was unable to gratify the passion for books which she early evinced, or to foster in any way her literary ambition. One of the girl's resources, in this dearth of books, was to establish herself daily before the bookseller's shop in her native town, and peruse what she could of the contents of the window. With her mother, she removed to London in 1802, and was fortunate enough to find an easy introduction into literary society. Her first publication—a poem on the "Abolition of the Slave Trade," was followed by two anonymous novels, and at intervals by her "Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots," "The Queen of Bohemia," "Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton," "John Jobin," and "Anne Boleyn."—J. S., G.  BEN-HADAD, the name of the three kings of Syria, viz— I., king of Syria, son of Eliod, lived at Damascus about the year 940 or 950. At the request of Asa, king of Judah, he came to the assistance of that monarch against Basha, king of Israel— II., king of Syria, son of the preceding, lived about the year 930. He defeated Ahab, king of Israel in many battles, and continued the war against Joram his successor.— III., king of Syria, son of Hazael, lived about the year 836. The Syrians paid divine honours both to this king and his father, because they had built a magnificent temple in Damascus.—G. M.  BENI,, born in Candia in 1552. He was a literary man of great merit, and much esteemed by the Duke Giulobaldi of Urbino, who appointed him his secretary; he held afterwards the professorship of philosophy at Perugia, from whence he was called to Rome, where he filled the chair of theology. Soon after he was offered the more lucrative professorship of belles-lettres at Padua, where he died in the year 1625.—A. C. M.  BENIGNUS,, martyred at Dijon in 179, is said to have been a disciple of Polycarp.  BENINCASA,, born in the duchy of Modena about the year 1745. The life of this nobleman was most eventful. He enjoyed for a long time the friendship and favour of the Duke of Modena, by whom he was charged with many important negotiations to Vienna. But calumniated, and deserted by his patron, he went to Venice, where he dwelt for many years, entirely devoted to literary pursuits. Well acquainted with the French language, he published a work—"Les Morlaques," which was translated into Italian by the Abbé Fortis, under the title of "Il Viaggio in Dalmazia." Having become acquainted with the Countess Rosenberg, he came with her to England, and thence he went to Paris, where he remained until the breaking out of the Revolution. He was after one of the collaborators in the Giornale Italiano, then published at Milan; and established in Dalmatia, under the auspices of Dandolo, a periodical called La Dalmata Veneta. He filled many important offices under the reign of Napoleon up to 1814, in which year he retired from public life. He is the author of a translation from the English of Cooper Wulket, entitled "Memoria Storica sulla Tragedia Italiana," and left many other works of less importance. He died in the year 1825.—A. C. M.  BENINCASA,, a native of Ravenna, who lived in the sixteenth century. Tornani considers him one of the first orators of his time. He is the author of many poetical compositions. The date of his death is not known.—A. C. M.  BENINGA,, a Dutch chronicler; died in 1562. He was the author of a "Chronicle of East Friesland up to the year 1562." <section end="540H" /> <section begin="540I" />BENINI,, an Italian physician and author, was born at Bologna in 1713, and studied at Padua. He established a printing-press in his own house, and published editions of eight ancient authors, of which he had corrected the text. His principal writings are, "La Sifilide," a translation into Italian verse of the Latin poem by Fracastor; notes on the poem by Luigi Alamanni, entitled "La Coltivazione;" and Latin notes to the edition of Celsus, published at Padua in 1750. Benini died in 1764.—W. S. D. <section end="540I" /> <section begin="540Zcontin" />BENIOWSKI,, a Hungarian traveller, born at Verbova in 1741; died 23rd May, 1786. He entered as a lieutenant in the Austrian service, and took part until 1758 in the Seven Years' war. Sometime afterwards he went to Hamburg, thence to Amsterdam, and subsequently to Plymouth. In these seaports he studied the art of navigation. He next visited Poland, and there having joined the league against Russia, he became colonel-commandant of the cavalry and quarter-master-general. In 1769 he was taken prisoner by the Russians, and condemned to be banished to Kamschatka The vessel having been overtaken by a storm on the voyage thither, would have been lost but for Beniowski, whose skill in navigation enabled him to devise means of saving it. This circumstance led to his being received with kindness by the governor, who soon after gave him his daughter in marriage. Beniowski, however, had already, in conjunction with several other exiles, formed the plan of making his escape. In this perilous attempt he was joined by his wife, although she had become aware that he had another wife still alive. In May, 1771, he found means of carrying his scheme into execution, and quitting Kamschatka with sixty-six other persons, set sail for Formosa, and afterwards proceeded towards Macao, where his wife died and many of his companions. After this sad event he went to France, where he received a commission to found a colony in Madagascar. Arriving in that island in June, 1774, he established a colony at Foulpoint; and so completely did he succeed in acquiring the <section end="540Zcontin" />