Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/557

BER region where all things transitory and vain are gathered; but our hero's new constitution for France fell into the hands of the furious republicans, he was persecuted and imprisoned, and was fortunate in not meeting a worse termination of this perilous authorship. Bergasse remained in safe obscurity till the Restoration. In 1814 he published some political tracts—still speculative, but now inoffensive—and he entered into a correspondence with the emperor of Russia, which only ceased at Alexander's death. He published also some pamphlets, in which he claimed the restoration to the emigrants of the property forfeited at the Revolution. This led to an abortive prosecution. In 1830 Bergasse was named "conseiller d'etat." Bergasse is described as one of those weak and inconsiderate men who were instrumental in creating the Revolution, and who were wholly powerless to control the spirit they had evoked. He left a son, Pierre Bergasse, who, like his father, pursued the practice of the law. There is some confusion in the accounts in bibliographical books of the works of father and son, which it is not easy to disentangle.—J. A., D.  BERGE,, a German of distinguished literary attainments, born in 1649, and well known for his able translation of the Paradise Lost into German in 1682. Berge was well qualified for this undertaking by his thorough knowledge of the language of the original, having resided in London, whither he came in 1678, and enjoyed the advantage of mixing in the best literary circles. Berge's translation is a standard work in Germany.—J. F. W.  BERGEN,, a German botanist and anatomist, was born at Frankfort-on-the-Oder on 11th August, 1704, and died on 7th October, 1760. He prosecuted his classical studies at his native city, and then went to Leyden in 1727, and attended the lectures of Boerhaave, Albinus, and others. He also prosecuted his studies at the university of Strasburg. He graduated as doctor of medicine in 1730 at the university of Frankfort-on-the-Oder, and succeeded his father there as professor of botany and anatomy. In 1744 he became professor of pathology and therapeutics in the room of Goelicke. A genus of plants was called Bergena by Adanson. He published numerous anatomical and botanical works. Among them may be noticed his dissertations "On the Intercostal Nerve;" "On Cellular Tissue;" "On the Membranes of the Brain;" "On the Specific Gravity of Metals;" his "Flora of Frankfort, and Catalogue of Plants in the Botanic Garden;" "Elements of Physiology;" and "Memoirs on Aloes, Alchemilla, and Petasites."—J. H. B.  BERGEN,, born at Haarlem, that nursery of Dutch painters, in 1645. He studied under Adrian Vanderoeldt, the calm-sea painter, and excelled him in glow and variety; but his trees were lumpy, and his cattle and men were coarsely drawn, though tolerably natural. He spent a year in England, but did not attain much success, and returned to his straight canals and fat pastures. Improvident and thriftless he died poor, and was buried by subscription—a dreary end—in 1689, a year after Orange ruled in England. Bergen painted frequently on paper, perhaps owing to his poverty. His colour is so so, and his shadows are baked and black.—W. T.  BERGEN,, a German physician, a native of Dessau, died on 27th April, 1738, at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, where he was professor of botany and anatomy. He was succeeded in the chair by his son Charles August. He published medical dissertations on Conception, the Circulation of the Blood, Scrofula, Plethora, and Hæmoptysis.—J. H. B.  BERGEN,, born at Breda in 1670; died in 1699. He painted historical subjects, and was a far-off imitator of that prince of darkness—Rembrandt.—W. T.  BERGEN,, a German poet, born at Riga in 1603; died in 1661. He was of a benevolent disposition, and left a large sum of money to help poor students. Author of "Apollo acerbo dulcis," and a collection of poems.  BERGER,, a German protestant theologian, born at Gramzow in 1666; died in 1734. He published, "Von der Spötterey mit der Sünde," 1702; "Das verdeckte Evangelium;" and "Entdeckte Jugendsünden," 1704. <section end="557H" /> <section begin="557I" />BERGER,, a German theologian and philosopher, author of several treatises on the philosophy of religion, was born at Ruhland in Upper Alsatia in 1773, and died in 1803. <section end="557I" /> <section begin="557J" />BERGER,, a Danish philosopher, born in 1772; died in 1833; was professor of philosophy and astronomy at Kiel, and author of two works entitled "A Philosophical Exposition of the System of the Universe," and "A General Sketch of Science." The latter treats, 1st, on the analysis of the faculty of knowing; 2nd, on the philosophical knowledge of nature; 3rd, on anthropology and psychology; 4th, on moral philosophy. A certain amount of originality characterizes these works.—J. D. E. <section end="557J" /> <section begin="557K" />BERGER,, a musician, was born at Berlin, April 18, 1777, where he died in 1839. His father was an architect in the employ of the court, but losing his appointment, he removed to the small town of Templin, whence Berger was sent to Frankfort-on-the-Oder to pursue his studies. His progress in composition and as a pianist was considerable; and after a time he returned to Berlin and took lessons of Gürrlich. In 1801 he went to Dresden with the purpose of becoming the pupil of Naumann, but reached there only in time to witness the death of this master, his reverence for whom he testified in an elegiac cantata, which was much praised. Failing to obtain an appointment in this city, he again went to Berlin and settled himself as a teacher. In 1804 Clementi made acquaintance with Berger's talent, with which he was so pleased that he offered to take him as his pupil to Russia, a proposal that was willingly accepted. Arrived in St. Petersburg, Berger met with marked success, as he had done in his many performances under the auspices of his distinguished master upon the tour. Here he found Steibelt and John Field, whose eminent talents made the standard of pianoforte playing very high in the Russian capital. He profited greatly from the example of the English artist in his skill as an executant. The troubles of the times in 1812 made it dangerous for foreigners to remain in St. Petersburg; and it is said that Berger's life was threatened, but he escaped by a stratagem and reached Stockholm in safety. After a brief sojourn in Sweden he came to London to meet again his friend and instructor, Clementi, who published some of his music, and otherwise assisted him to an honourable position. He gained considerable esteem by the concerts he gave here, and he was held in high repute as a teacher. He returned finally to his native city at the close of 1815, where soon afterwards he became the instructor of Mendelssohn. Partial paralysis of his arm stopped his career as a player, but he was still highly respected for his admirable qualities of musicianship, proved in his excellent teaching, and still more in his meritorious productions. He published several sonatas and many smaller pieces for his instrument, as well as a book of studies; besides these, many songs for one and four voices, and some compositions for a military band. Domestic sorrows in his early years greatly embittered his life, to which it is attributed that, with remarkable talent for his art, a morbid temperament deprived him of the energy which alone could enable him to exercise this talent to advantage.—G. A. M. <section end="557K" /> <section begin="557L" />BERGER,, a German protestant theologian and Hebraist of the first half of the eighteenth century, was a native of Rosenburg. He wrote "De Montibus Sinai et Horeb," and "De cabalismo Judaico-Christiano detecto." <section end="557L" /> <section begin="557M" />BERGER,, a German lawyer and historian, born in 1683; died in 1773. He was professor of history and law at Coburg; author of "A Universal Synchronistic History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe, from the time of Charlemagne," Leipzig, 1729. <section end="557M" /> <section begin="557N" />BERGER,, a learned German, born in 1620; died at Halle in 1675. His sons, John-Henry, John-Godfrey, and John-William, were celebrated professors at Wittenburg. <section end="557N" /> <section begin="557Zcontin" />BERGERAC,, born in 1620 at the chateau de Bergerac; died in Paris in 1665. Bergerac's eccentricities were at least as remarkable as his writings. He was quarrelsome and ill-conditioned, and made the persons to whom he was indebted for almost eleemosynary support the objects of his snarling satire. He made his way to Paris, got into the army, and became a notorious duellist. In some of his frequent rencontres he received a disfiguring wound in the face, which, it would appear, became the subject of many a regimental joke, which Bergerac resented, and which led to duel after duel. The soubriquet of the "demon des braves" was given him. Bergerac was wounded at the siege of Arras, and, to his great regret, had to quit the service. He was then seized with a new and unexpected passion, and philosophy became the object of his devotion. Gassendi was then teaching at Chapelle—Moliére, Bernier, and others were among his pupils. Bergerac insisted on being admitted into his classes, and literally fought the professor into reluctant compliance. Strong determination of purpose and a <section end="557Zcontin" />