Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/673

BLU BLUM,, a German actor, composer, and dramatic writer, was born at Berlin about 1786, and died 2d July, 1844. Many of his operas—"Claudine von Villabella," "Rosenhütchen," &c., and comedies, "Ich bleibe ledig;" "Der Ball zu Ellerbrunn;" "Schwärmerei nach der Mode;" "Bär und Bassa," &c.—still enjoy a great popularity.—K. E.  BLUM,, a German political character, was born of poor parents at Cologne, November 10, 1807. He was originally bred a beltmaker, but by his energetic zeal and assiduity supplied the want of a regular education, became clerk in a manufactory of lanterns at Cologne, and in 1831 was appointed secretary and cashier to the Leipzig theatre. Here he entered upon a literary career. Together with Herlosssohn and Marggraff he published the "Theaterlexicon," 1839-47, 7 vols., and with Steger, a political almanac "Vorwärts," 1843-47, 5 vols., &c. He was one of the originators of the Schillerverein, 1840, of the Literaten-Verein, and the German Catholic Community, at Leipzig, 1845. During the bloody scenes which took place at Leipzig in August, 1845, he stood at the head of the people, and by his energy and eloquence prevented an outbreak. Some years after he resigned his situation and started a publishing business. When the revolution of 1848 broke out, Blum at once became, as it were, the centre of all the revolutionary feelings and movements in Saxony. He was elected a member of the Frankfort National Assembly, where he distinguished himself as one of the leaders of the left or democratic side. In order to rouse the people and quicken the flagging revolution, he hastened to Vienna in October, 1848, and himself took arms against the besieging army. After the surrender of the city, he was arrested by the troops at his hotel, sentenced to death by a court-martial, and shot in the Brigittenau on the 9th November. The whole democratic party was roused and dismayed by this arbitrary proceeding, as, according to a law given a few weeks before, no member of the national assembly was to be prosecuted without the concurrence of the central government. Funeral ceremonies in his honour were solemnized in almost every town, and a fund was collected for the support of his family.—K. E.  BLUMAUER,, a German poet, was born at Steier in Austria, December 21, 1755. In 1772 he became a member of the Society of Jesus, and after its dissolution was appointed censor at Vienna, where he died, 16th March, 1798. His poems are humorous and satirical, but often licentious and indecent: his chief production is his travesty of the Æneis, Vienna, 1784, 3 vols., in which he applies his lash to his own church and even to the Society of Jesus itself. His complete works were repeatedly published; the last time at Stuttgart, 1840.—K. E.  BLUMBERG,, a German Lutheran divine, born at Ophausen in 1664, was present at the siege of Mentz as almoner of a regiment, and afterwards filled in succession several village cures in Saxony. He left "Fundamenta linguæ Copticæ," 1716, and some other philological works.  BLUME,, an eminent Dutch botanist. He has illustrated the flora of the island of Java. His "Flora Javæ" is a standard work of reference. He is also the author of "Rumphia," a work containing descriptions and drawings of Indian plants; and of dissertations on tropical plants.—J. H. B.  BLUMENBACH,, a celebrated German physiologist and naturalist, was born at Gotha on the 11th of May, 1752. He early exhibited a taste for the study of anatomy; and an anecdote is related of him, that, at the age of ten years, having seen a human skeleton, he was seized with a strong desire to make one himself, and stole nightly to a cemetery in the neighbourhood for the purpose of obtaining the requisite materials. The collection thus made he concealed in his bedroom, but it was at last discovered by a domestic, who was terrified at the sacrilegious tendencies of the child. On its coming to the knowledge of his mother, she provided a proper place for the collection, and, small as it was, it became the nucleus of the museum that has made the name of Blumenbach famous all over the world. He received his early education in the gymnasium at Gotha, and at the age of seventeen he commenced his studies at the university of Jena. Here he formed a friendship with the celebrated anatomist. Sömmering. From Jena he went to Göttingen, where he passed three years in study; and in 1775 took his degree of doctor of medicine, having adopted for the subject of his thesis the Varieties of the Human Race. This thesis, much extended, has often been reprinted, and translated into many languages, and contains the germs of his labours on the subject of Ethnology. In 1776 Blumenbach was appointed curator of the museum of natural history at Göttingen. In 1778 he was appointed to the chair of physiology and anatomy in the university. As a teacher on this subject he became celebrated throughout Europe, and at an early age attracted students around him from a distance. One of his earliest and most distinguished pupils was Alexander von Humboldt. He was amongst the first to recognize the necessity of studying zoology in connection with comparative anatomy; hence the popularity of his lectures, and the influence he exerted upon the study of organization in Europe. Blumenbach left Göttingen only during the intervals between his lectures, for the purpose of visiting the museums of Europe, and obtaining specimens for his own collection, which, at his death, was in many respects unique. He published several important works on anatomy and physiology. In 1781 he published a work on embryology, and was the first after Harvey who treated this subject in a scientific manner. In 1786 his work entitled "The History and Description of the Bones of the Human Body" appeared. In the same year he also published, in Latin, an introduction to medical literature. In 1787 he produced his "Institutiones Physiologicæ." This work was written in Latin, and was one of the first attempts at giving an account of the functions of the human body, independent of minute anatomical descriptions. It soon became the text-book in all places where physiology was taught, and was quickly translated into most of the languages of Europe. An English translation of this work was published by Dr. Elliottson. The later editions are entitled "Human Physiology, with which is incorporated much of the Elementary Parts of the Institutiones Physiologicæ of J. F. Blumenbach." In 1805 Blumenbach published "A Manual of Comparative Anatomy." Two translations of this work appeared in English, besides others in the French, Dutch, and other European languages. The first English translation was made by Mr. Lawrence, the celebrated surgeon, in 1809, and the second by Mr. Coulson in 1827. Like his physiology, this work led the way to more detailed treatises, which have since taken its place as a text-book in our medical schools. During the whole of his life, Blumenbach never lost sight of the subject of the anatomical structure of the varieties of men. He was the first to point out the necessity of studying the structure of every part of the skull, in order to obtain anything like distinguishing characters between the varieties of mankind. In prosecuting this subject, he collected a large number of skulls belonging to the various races of men. In 1791 he commenced the publication of a work in parts, devoted to the description and illustration of this collection of skulls. It was entitled "Decas Collectiones suæ Craniorum diversarum Gentium Illustrata." This work extended to several volumes, and was finished in 1808. From 1780 to 1794 he edited a medical periodical, entitled Medicinische Bibliothek which contains many of his own contributions to science. Thus, in 1783, he visited Switzerland, and made notes on the medical topography of the districts through which he passed, and which were afterwards published in this periodical. He contributed also a large number of papers to other journals. In 1812 he was made secretary to the Royal Society of Sciences at Göttingen. In 1816 he was appointed physician to the king of Great Britain and Hanover, and in 1821, was made a knight-commander of the Guelphic order. In 1831 he was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences in Paris. A public celebration of the jubilee of his graduation took place in Göttingen in 1825, and a second of his professorship in the following year. At his death on the 22d of January, 1840, his collections were disposed of to various purchasers, the university of Göttingen having purchased the greater part.—E. L.  BLUMENHAGEN,, a prolific German novelist, was born at Hanover in 1781, and died in 1839. His collected writings were published at Stuttgart, 1836-40, in 25 vols., and 1843-44, in 16 vols.—K. E.  BLUMRŒDER,, a German miscellaneous writer, was born at Gehren in the principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, 1776. He studied theology, but in 1798 entered the army, and served against Napoleon, after which he was appointed governor of the heir-apparent of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.—K. E. <section end="673H" /> <section begin="673Inop" />BLUNT,, an American geographer, author of "The American Pilot; a Description of the Eastern coasts of North America, from the river St. Lawrence to the Mississippi; followed by a notice of the Gulf stream." <section end="673Inop" />