Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/705

BOL born at Bolswert in Friesland about 1580. In conjunction with his younger brother, Scheltius, he settled at Antwerp as printseller and engraver. He worked entirely with the graver, in the free open manner of Cornelius Bloemaert. His engravings, however, after Rubens, that raging gladiator of art, are more finished, and fuller of colour. His chief works are—seventy-seven plates of the Life of Christ; fifty of the Hermits; twenty Landscapes; some wild beast hunts; and Rubens' grand Resurrection of Lazarus, Judgment of Solomon, and Last Supper. A., born 1586, worked entirely without the point, reproducing almost the very colour and expression of Vandyck and Rubens, whether portraits, huntings, landscapes, or history. Rubens frequently retouched his proofs with chalk, so that he literally worked in harness with that robust Fleming. He also engraved the works of Seghers, Jordaens, Quelinus, Diepenbech, and Rombouts. One of his most beautiful engravings is the Crucifixion of Vandyck; in the best impressions the hand of St. John is not seen on the Virgin's shoulder. In all the pomp of satyrs drowned in flowers; of bleeding and raging lions; of torch-waving furies; of blazing armour; of fruit, strewn over golden roads, and trod under foot by triumphant Cæsars, saints, and martyrs;—wherever Rubens went followed Bolswert with his potent and enduring steel.—W. T.  BOLTIN,, a Russian historical writer, born at St. Petersburg in 1735. He entered the army, and latterly attained the grade of major-general. His first publication, a "Chorographical Description of the Waters of Sarepta," appeared in 1782, in Russ, and was followed in 1787 by his critical remarks on the French physician Leclerc's History of Russia. In this latter work, as well as in one subsequently published on the same subject, in answer to Prince Stcherbatow, to whom Leclerc had been indebted for much of his information, Boltin exhibited some of the higher qualities of a historian and a critic. Died in 1792.  BOLTON,, an English botanist, lived at the end of the eighteenth century. His works are, "Filices Britannicæ, or a History of the British Ferns," the 1st part published at Leeds in 1785, the 2nd at Huddersfield in 1790; also a "History of Fungi growing about Halifax," published in Huddersfield from 1788-1791.—J. H. B.  BOLTON,, a puritan divine, born in 1572 at Blackburn in Lancashire, educated in the free-school of that place, and at Oxford. His scholarship, particularly in Greek, was so well reputed, that he was chosen to dispute before James I. on his majesty's visit to Oxford in 1605. He was latterly rector of Broughton in Northamptonshire, where he died in 1631, leaving a fairer name for clerical virtues than could have been anticipated from the early part of his career. He wrote—"Sermons;" "A Discourse on Happiness;" and "The four last things. Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven."—J. S., G.  BOLTON or BOULTON,, an English historian and antiquarian of the reign of James I., appears to have had a place in the household of that monarch's favourite, Villiers, duke of Buckingham. He wrote a life of Henry II. for Speed's Chronicle, which, being found too favourable to Archbishop Becket, was not inserted in that work; "The Elements of Armories," 1620; a poem on the removal of the remains of Mary Queen of Scots from Peterborough to Westminster; and "Nero Cæsar, or Monarchie Depraved," 1624.—J. S., G.  BOLTRAFFIO,, a native of Milan, and a pupil of Da Vinci, under whom he became a great historical fresco painter. His best picture, an altar-piece of "Virgin and Saints," was painted in 1506.—W. T.  BOM,, born at Antwerp in 1530; he excelled in distemper landscape, and died in 1572.—W. T.  BOMBACI,, an Italian historian, born at Bologna in 1607. Author of a history of Bologna.—J. G. <section end="705H" /> <section begin="705I" />BOMARE,. See. <section end="705I" /> <section begin="705J" />BOMBASIO,, also called BOMBARIO. The dates of his birth and death have not been recorded by any of his biographers; it appears, however, from one of his letters, that he assisted at the performance of Il Pastor Fido, by Guarrini, whose intimate friend he was. He also enjoyed the friendship of Ariosto, and although he did not succeed in becoming equal in merit with the author of Orlando Furioso, yet he has been often compared with him. Two of his tragedies, "Lucrezia" and "Alidoro," have been noticed by many writers, and the second was performed at Reggio, in the presence of Queen Barbara of Austria and the duchess of Ferrara. The only work published by him is a funeral oration in Latin, which he pronounced at the death of the Duke Ottavio Farnese, and we find also some of his letters scattered through various collections. He was often employed by the Duke Farnese on many important negotiations; and the education of Odoardo, afterwards Cardinal Farnese, was intrusted to his care. His long residence in Parma led some of his biographers to consider him a native of that city, but this notion is quite erroneous, and contradicted by himself in a letter in which he calls Parma his adopted country.—A. C. M. <section end="705J" /> <section begin="705K" />BOMBELLI,, a celebrated Italian writer on algebra, of whose life almost nothing is known, except, as we are informed in the preface to his work on algebra, published 1572, that he was a native of Bologna, and was patronized by a bishop of Melfi. A notice of the history of algebra is prefixed to that work, in which the author, following older writers, attributes the invention to the Indians. It is divided into three books, the last of which is occupied with a set of problems. Bombelli had the honour of being the first to investigate satisfactorily the nature of the irreducible case in quadratic equations.—J. S., G. <section end="705K" /> <section begin="705L" />BOMBELLI,, born at Udina or Bologna, in 1635. He was a successful scholar, therefore imitator of Guercino, but born to imitate. He went to Venice, and, allured by the siren, colour, he became an admirer and copier of the compositions of Veronese and Tintoretto. Unable to settle whether to invent or to copy, or whether to confine himself to portrait or history, he eventually was allured by mammon to mere portrait painting, into which gulf for so many ducats he threw all his past study and present talent. His colour was mellow and sweet; his carnations were fresh; his likenesses good; and he gained universal applause through his ideal. He died in 1685.—W. T. <section end="705L" /> <section begin="705M" />BOMBERG,, a celebrated printer, born at Antwerp; died at Venice in 1549. He printed several Hebrew bibles, all esteemed for the beauty of their type, and purity of text. The first appeared in Venice, 1518, 4 vols. folio. He also printed the first impression of the Hebrew concordance of Isaac Nathan, 1521, folio. Bomberg brought his art to perfection, but expended enormous sums, and ruined himself.—J. G. <section end="705M" /> <section begin="705N" />BOMILCAR, a Carthagenian admiral, lived about 209. Having obtained reinforcements for Hannibal after the battle of Cannæ, he was sent with a fleet of fifty-five galleys to support the Carthagenian army, who were then defending Syracuse against the Romans; but finding them nearly cut off by the plague, he returned to Carthage. Here he succeeded in reviving the drooping spirits of his fellow-citizens, by whom he was sent back with a greatly increased force; but at sight of the Roman fleet under the command of Marcellus, he lost courage, and fled without striking a blow.—G. M. <section end="705N" /> <section begin="705O" />BOMILCAR, a Carthagenian general, lived about 310. Not satisfied with enjoying the highest dignity the republic of Carthage could bestow, he aspired to sovereign power; and, taking advantage of the public alarm occasioned by the invasion of Agathocles, he entered Carthage at the head of a thousand mercenaries about 308. After being ' proclaimed king, his hireling troops turned against him, made him prisoner, and put him to death by crucifixion.—G. M. <section end="705O" /> <section begin="705P" />BOMILCAR, a Numidian adventurer, died about 107. He was a favourite of Jugurtha, and the instrument of many of his cruelties. Having by order of Jugurtha murdered Massina, grandson of Masinissa, he fled to Africa. Here he had an interview with Metellus, who promised him impunity for his crime if he would either kill or betray Jugurtha. To this condition Bomilcar consented, but the plot having been discovered by Jugurtha, he caused Bomilcar and the greater part of his accomplices to be put to death.—G. M. <section end="705P" /> <section begin="705Q" />BOMMEL (in Latin ),, a Dutch historian, born at Guelders; died in 1542. His principal work is "Bellum Ultrajectinum inter Gueldriæ ducem Carolum et Henricum Bavarum episcopum ultrajectinum," 1542, 8vo. <section end="705Q" /> <section begin="705Zcontin" />BOMPARD,, a French physician and medical writer, formerly physician to the prison of Doullens, was born at Conflans on the 3rd August, 1782. He was the author of several works, most of them of small size, of which the most important are—"Considérations sur quelques maladies de l'Encephale," &c., published at Paris in 1827, and a second edition in 1828; and "Traité des maladies des voies digestives, et leurs annexes, suivi do tableaux de substances vénéneuses," published at Paris in 1829. Bompard also translated Garibaldi's treatise on <section end="705Zcontin" />