Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/575

BER F. A. Wolf. He then became teacher at, and afterwards headmaster of, the Werdersche gymnasium at Berlin, where he formed a friendship with L. Tieck, with whom he wrote the "Bambozziaden," 1797-1800, a celebrated series of comic tales and dramatic scenes. Bernhardi was married to Tieck's sister, whom, however, he afterwards divorced. Besides a number of reviews and essays written for the Deutsche Monatsschrift, he published some learned works—"Sprachlehre;" and "Anfangsgründe der Sprachwissenschaft." He died 2d June, 1820.—K. E.  BERNHARDI,, a German botanist and medical man, was born at Erfurt on 7th September, 1774, and died about the year 1840. He was a professor in the university of Erfurt, and published several medical and botanical works; among others, a "Systematic Catalogue of Plants;" "A Botanical Introduction and Manual;" "Treatises on Lichens and Ferns;" "Observations on Structural Botany;" besides numerous articles in foreign journals.—J. H. B.  * BERNHARDI,, was born at Ottrau in the electorate of Hassia, 5th October, 1799. After having studied theology and philology at Marburg, he accompanied some young noblemen to the university of Louvain. Here he took his degree as Ph. Dr. and M.A., and became librarian to the university. In 1829 he was appointed keeper of the library at Kassel, where his manly character, and liberal political opinions, gained him so much popularity that he was chosen mayor, and in 1848 a member of the Frankfort national assembly, in which he joined the constitutional party under H. von Gagern. He wrote—"De excidio regni Judaici," Louvain, 1824; "K. Schomburg's Nachlass und Briefwechsel mit biographischen Andeutungen;" "Sprachkarte von Deutschland," Kassel, 1844, &c., and edited a weekly periodical entitled Der Kirchenfreund, Kassel, 1845-46.—K. E.  * BERNHARDY,, a distinguished German philologist, born at Landsberg in the Neumark, 20th March, 1800; completed his education at the university of Berlin, where, as soon as 1825, he was appointed professor-extraordinary. Since 1829 he holds the chair of classical philology at Halle. His principal works are—"Eratosthenica;" "Suidas;" "Wissenschaftliche Syntax der Griechischen Sprache;" "Grundriss der Griechischen Literatur;" "Grundriss der Römischen Literatur;" and "Grundlinien zur Encyclopædie der Philologie," &c.—K. E.  BERNHOLD,, a German theologian, linguist, and poet, born at Burg-Sulanch in 1687, was professor of theology at Altdorf He was profoundly skilled in the Greek language, and wrote unexceptionable Latin verse. Died 1796.  BERNHOLD,, a German dramatic writer, born at Pfedelbach, 1721; died 1755. His principal works are—"Sophonisba," translated from English into German verse, Altdorf, 1750, 4to.; and "Irene," a tragedy on Joan of Arc.  BERNIER, Adhelm, a French historian, born at Senlis, died within the last few years. Among his works may be mentioned—"Etudes sur l'economie politique," Paris, 1834, 8vo.; "Monuments inédits de l'histoire de France," Paris, 1834, 8vo.  BERNIER,, a celebrated French physician and traveller, a native of Angers, distinguished himself under Louis XIV. in the latter part of the seventeenth century. At that brilliant period, his merits as a philosopher and traveller would of themselves have sufficed to give him distinction, but his good qualities were still further heightened by a handsome person and a graceful wit. Of this celebrity, a certain portion has survived him. His travels furnish descriptions of countries that no European had, perhaps, ever visited before him, and throw great light upon the revolutions of India at the period of Aurungzebe, for which reason they may still be studied with profit. His acquaintance was sought by the most illustrious and distinguished personages of his time. He assisted Boileau in the composition of that Arrêt Burlesque, which prevented the grave president, De Lamoignon, from causing the parliament of Paris to issue a serious decree against the philosophy of Descartes, which, if published, would have been laughed at by everybody. The date of Bernier's birth is not known. He studied medicine, and obtained his doctor's degree at Montpellier before the year 1654, when, impelled by his taste for travelling, he went to Syria, and afterwards to Egypt. After residing for more than a year in Cairo, where he was attacked by the plague, he embarked at Suez for India, in which country he remained for twelve years, during eight of which he was physician to the emperor, Aurungzebe. The emir Danichmend, the favourite of Aurungzebe, who was a patron of science and letters, took Bernier with him to Cashmir. On his return to France, Bernier published his travels and philosophical works, of which the principal are—"Histoire de la dernière révolution des ètats du Grand Mogol," published at Paris in 2 vols., in 1670; and followed in 1671 by "Suite des memoires du Sieur Bernier sur l'empire du Grand Mogol," also in 2 vols.; an "Abrégé de la philosophie de Gassendi," published at Lyons in 8 vols., in 1678, and augmented in 1684 by "Doutes de M. Bernier sur quelquesuns des principaux chapitres de son abrégé de la philosophie de Gassendi," 7 vols.; the appearance of which furnished Boileau with the subject for an epigram. The subject of Bernier's principal writings caused the wits of Paris to give him the nickname of the Mogul. He died at Paris in 1688.—W. S. D. <section end="575H" /> <section begin="575I" />BERNIERES-LOUVIGNY,, a French theologian, born at Caen in 1602; died in 1659. He belonged to the order of St. Francis, and enjoyed a great reputation for piety. His works are—"L'Interieur Chretien," 1659, and "Les Œuvres spirituelles de M. de Bernieres de Louvigny, par sa sœur Jourdaine de Bernieres."—J. S., G. <section end="575I" /> <section begin="575J" />BERNET,, archbishop of Aix, of Aries, and Embrun, created a cardinal by Gregory XVI. in 1846, was born at Saint Flour in 1770. He was ordained secretly at Paris in 1795 by a nonjuring bishop, became vicar of a parish of Orleans in 1802, and, after the Restoration, of the parish of Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1827 he was consecrated bishop of Rochelle, and in 1835 archbishop of Aix. Died in 1846.—J. S., G. <section end="575J" /> <section begin="575Zcontin" />BERNINI,, called the Chevalier Bernini in France, and in Italy the modern Michel Angelo, was the son of a Tuscan sculptor who removed to Naples. He was born in 1598, and died in 1680, after acquiring great but evanescent fame as a painter, architect, and sculptor. Bernini was a phenomenon, who carved a marble group when he was only eight years old; it proved his best work, "Apollo and Daphne." His father, nursing him as a marvel, brought him to Rome to study the old masters; there he astonished the pope by his rapidity of design, and expressed his hope to A. Caracci of some day adding to the splendour of St. Peter's. His earliest works were busts of the pope and cardinals, a St. Laurence, a group of Æneas and Anchises, and a David, with a sling (David is biting his under lip). Paul V., Gregory XVI., but still more. Urban VIII. (Barberini), were his patrons. He was created knight, received a pension of 300 crowns per month, designed the confessional of St. Peter, and the fountain Barcaccia. Floating on the full tide of court patronage, he designed the Barberini palace, the campanile of St. Peter's (afterwards taken down as unsafe), the tomb of Urban VIII., and that of the Countess Matilda. Our Charles I., hearing of his fame, sent him three portraits of himself by Vandyke, by which to execute a bust. With a singular foreboding of the fate of Charles, Bernini made a likeness that so pleased Charles that he sent him a diamond ring, worth 6000 crowns, from his own hand. Cardinal Mazarin now in vain offered him 12,000 crowns a-year to come to France, his enemies having unseated Bernini in the favour of Innocent X. He was, however, soon restored, and executed for the pontiff the fountain in the Piazza Navona, the Monte Citorio palace also, and the group of St. Theresa and the angel for the church of St. Mary. For Alexander VII. he designed the circular colonnade for St. Peter's, and the great pulpit, supported by the four doctors of the church—a clumsy business. His contemporaneous works were the Odeschalchi palace, and the rotunda of St. Riccio. Unable to resist the importunities of Colbert, who was then restoring the Louvre for Louis XIV., Bernini, in 1665, set out with six pupils and retinue for France, where he was feted and feasted like a monarch, though, after all, his designs for the colonnade were superseded by those of Perrault. He, however, executed a bust of Louis XIV.; praised him for sitting quiet while he did it; set a fashion of wearing the hair; obtained presents and a pension, and trooped back mortified to Rome, a medal being struck in his honour, and all his expenses being paid. He also executed a colossal equestrian statue of the king for Versailles. At Rome he was welcomed with fresh dignities. For Clement IX. he embellished the bridge of St. Angelo; and before his death, old as he now was, designed the tomb of Alexander VII., and a bas-relief of our Saviour for Christina of Sweden. The restoration of the old palace of the Chancery fretted him to death in the eighty-second year of his age. He was interred with pomp in <section end="575Zcontin" />