Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/591

BER Moden, the Geographische Ephemeriden, &c. He was also the originator of the Jenaische Literatur Zeitung, of the Industrie-Comptoir (a publishing establishment at Weimar), and of the Geographische Institut.—K. E.  BERTULF, king of Mercia, came to the throne in 839, but was dethroned by the Danes in 851.  BERURIAH or PHRURIAH, a Hebrew matron, honourably mentioned in the Talmud for her learning, her sincere piety, and her gentleness of character. The resignation-with which she bore the sudden and simultaneous death of her two sons, has furnished materials for a beautiful apologue, which has found its way into several modern languages. (H. Hurwitz's Hebrew Tales. The original source is the Midrash on Proverbs xxxi. 10, where, however, her husband's name only is mentioned.) Beruriah was the daughter of Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion, who was put to death during the persecution subsequent to the revolt of Bar Cochba, in the second century; her husband was the still more renowned teacher of the law, Rabbi Meïr. The feminine gentleness of Beruiah's disposition is illustrated by the remonstrance which, according to the Talmud, she addressed to her husband when he once uttered an imprecation against some wicked persons who had sorely annoyed him. The psalmist, Beruriah reminded him, did not pray "for the destruction of the sinners (choteim), but for the end of all sins (chattaim)," Psalm civ. 35.—T. T.  BERTUSIO,, a pupil of Denis Calvart's, at Bologna, and a fellow student of Guido, Albano, and the two Caraccis. He tried to rival Guido (a dangerous model in grace and colour), but his figures, though well drawn, are dull, and his colour is weak and mealy.—W. T.  BERTUZZI,, was born at Bologna in 1669 (Charles II.), and died 1722 (George I.), he attained some excellence in portraits.—W. T.  BERULLE,, Cardinal, an illustrious French controversialist, born of an ancient family of Champagne, at the manor-house of Serilly, near Troyes, in 1575. In youth he was remarked for piety and love of study, and early gave evidence of remarkable talents in controversies with the Huguenots. He took part in the famous conference held at Fontainebleau between Cardinal du Perron and Plessis-Mornay, the pope of the Huguenots as he was called, and on that occasion, as on many similar ones subsequently, conciliated the protestants as much by his candour and courtesy, as he delighted the papists by his zeal. The reputation which he acquired in controversy enabled him to carry out, in the face of numerous obstacles, a project for the introduction into France of a body of Spanish Carmelites, by means of which he hoped to revive the declining popularity of monachism. With the same view he combated the opposition of the jesuits to the foundation of a congregation of priests of the Oratory, and with the help of a bull from Paul V., also succeeded in establishing that order in France. Urban VIII., for these services, sent him in 1627 the cardinal's hat. To sustain that dignity he accepted the revenues of two abbeys, but, in conformity with a vow which he had taken in youth, resolutely declined the rich benefices offered him by Henry IV. and Louis XIII. Among other important matters of state in which he was concerned, was that of procuring from Rome a dispensation for the marriage of Henrietta Maria with Charles I. He accompanied the princess into England, and shortly after his return, to the disgust of Richelieu, who could not forgive a statesman the reputation of a saint, was raised to the dignity of minister of state. After a short term of office, in which he was the object of Richelieu's manifold machinations, he retired into a convent. He died while celebrating mass, October 12, 1629. His works, which are chiefly controversial, were collected into two volumes, folio, in 1644.—J. S., G.  BERWICK,, sometime rector of Lexlip, Ireland, a scholar, divine, and literary celebrity, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He was the author of a Translation of Apollonius Tyaneus, and of other works of merit.—E. W.  BERWICK,, duke of, and marshal, illegitimate son of King James II. of England when duke of York, by Arabella Churchill, sister of the celebrated duke of Marlborough, born August 21, 1670. He was educated in France, and on his father's accession to the throne in 1685 he entered the imperial army, and saw a good deal of service in Hungary under the famous duke of Lorraine. He was created duke of Berwick in 1687. On the expulsion of the Stewart dynasty he accompanied his father into exile. He was present with that wrong-headed and unfortunate prince at the battle of the Boyne, and in 1690 was made commander-in-chief of the Irish army which fought for James. After the ruin of his father's cause by the decisive naval battle of La Hogue, of which he was an eye-witness, Berwick entered the service of France. He fought in Flanders under Marshal Luxemburg, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Linden in 1693, but was speedily exchanged for the duke of Ormond. In 1696 he visited England for the purpose of endeavouring to excite a general insurrection against the government, in which he failed, and was fully cognisant of Barclay's plot, which was at the same time formed against the life of William. "To such a degree had his sense of right and wrong been perverted by his zeal for the interests of his family, and by his respect for the lessons of his priests, that he did not, as he has himself ingenuously confessed, think that he lay under any obligation to dissuade the assassins from the execution of their purpose." Berwick rendered important service to his adopted country by the suppression of the religious wars in the south of France, but he is accused of great cruelty in the execution of his orders. He acquired a high reputation for courage and skill in the Spanish War of Succession, and in 1706 defeated the allied forces under General Stanhope in the decisive battle of Almanza, which established Philip V. on the throne of Spain. In recompense for his great services he was created a Spanish grandee and duke of Liria and Xerica. He subsequently held various important commands in Spain and Flanders, and was ultimately killed by a cannon ball, June 12, 1734, at the siege of Philipsburg on the Rhine. Marshal Berwick was a man of cold and ungracious manners, but he was distinguished for his courage and prudence, and was universally esteemed one of the most skilful captains of his age. The dukes of Liria in Spain, and the dukes of Fitz-James in France, are descended from him. (Memoirs of Marshal Berwick)—J. T. <section end="591H" /> <section begin="591I" />* BERWINSKI,, a Polish publisher and poet, born at Posen in Prussia in 1819. He studied philology in the universities of Breslau and Berlin. After this time Berwinski busied himself in the study of the narrations, history, and literature of Poland, and became a member of all its scientific societies. In 1840 he published at Breslau, "Powiesci Wiekkopolskie" (the History of Poland); in 1844 he published at Posen a poem, called "Ksiega Swiatta i Ztudzen" (The Book of Light and Imagination); and in 1849 he published at Posen the Polish journal, Dziennik Polski. His most celebrated work is "Studia nad literaturaz ludowaz" (The Study of the people's literature), in 2 vols. In all his writings, Berwinski exhibits a fine genius and intimate knowledge of the character and the customs of the Polish people.—S. de G. <section end="591I" /> <section begin="591J" />BERYLLUS, bishop of Bostra in Arabia in the first half of the third century. He maintained, until convinced of his error by Origen, at a council held at Bostra, that our Saviour had no existence previous to the incarnation, and that he was no more than a prophet. None of his writings are extant.—J. S., G. <section end="591J" /> <section begin="591Zcontin" />BERZELIUS or BERZEL,, an illustrious chemical philosopher, was born in 1779 at Väfersunda, near Linköping, in Sweden. He studied medicine and chemistry at Upsala. When very young he published an analysis of the waters of Medevi, and a dissertation on the influence of electric currents upon organic bodies. His first public appointment was that of junior professor of pharmacy and chemistry at Upsala. Here he introduced the method of teaching chemistry practically, whilst his predecessors had required their pupils to listen to lectures unillustrated by experiment. In 1806 he established, in conjunction with Hisinger, his well-known "Annals of Physics, Chemistry, and Mineralogy" (Afhandlinger i Fysik, Keim och Mineralogi), which have for many years afforded a most valuable repertory of the progress of physical science. In 1807 he aided in founding the Swedish Medical Society. The following year he was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Sweden. In 1815 he was made a knight of the order of Vasa, and in 1818 he became perpetual secretary to the Academy of Sciences, an office which he retained till his death. In 1821 he received the grand cross of the order of Vasa, and in 1835 he was called to the peerage with the title of baron. In the summer of 1848 he was attacked with paralysis, and in the month of August he breathed out his mighty spirit. His intellect was not in the least impaired by the approach of death, and up to the last we find him dictating his chemical ideas, and <section end="591Zcontin" />