Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/873

BUS titles; "A History of Music, compiled from Burney and Hawkins," but continuing their account down to the date of its publication; "Concert Room Anecdotes," and many articles in the Monthly Magazine and the Monthly Review. He was also the author of one of the real rejected addresses for the opening of Drury Lane theatre, after the fire of 1810; and thinking injustice was done to his poem by the preference of Byron's, he made his son climb upon the stage from the pit, to recite it, but the audience would not hear more than the first couplet.—G. A. M.  BUSCHETTO, an architect of the eleventh century, whose one work, the cathedral of Pisa, has rendered his name immortal. That magnificent structure was commenced in 1063.  BÜSCHING,, a prolific German writer, was born at Stadthagen, September 27, 1724, and died at Berlin, May 22, 1793. He ultimately became ecclesiastical councillor and head master of the Graue Kloster at Berlin. His "Erdbeschreibung," Hamburg, was the first geographical work in Germany that could lay claim to scientific value and completeness, and Büsching may well be ranked among the founders of modern geography. Among his works, his "Magazin für Historie und Geographie," and his "Beiträge zur Lebensgeschichte merkwürdiger Personen," deserve to be noticed.—His son,, born 1783; died 1829. He published an astonishing number of valuable works relating to the history and antiquities of Germany.—K. E.  BUSEL,, astronomer, was born at Dantzig in 1804. His family, from being in affluent circumstances, were reduced to poverty by the bombardment of that city by the French in 1813. In 1831 he became assistant to Bessel at Eichendorff, and his labours in that capacity are known to all readers of the "Königsberg Observations," and the "Astronomische Nachrichten." In 1833 Busel undertook the reduction of Bradley's Observations with the zenith sector, and the results were published in 1838. In 1849 he was appointed to succeed Bessel in the directorship of the observatory of Königsberg. He died in 1855.—E. W.  * BUSH,, an American theologian, was born at Norwich, Vermont, in 1796, graduated at Dartmouth college, and studied for the ministry at Princeton. In 1824 he went as a missionary to the west, and became pastor of a presbyterian church at Indianopolis. In 1829 he returned, and two years afterwards was appointed professor of Hebrew and oriental literature in the university of the city of New York. His career as an author began with the publication of a "Life of Mohammed" in Harper's Family Library in 1832. A "Treatise on the Millennium" appeared the same year, and this was followed by a volume of "Scripture Illustrations," compiled from the works of oriental tourists, archæologists, and commentators. He has also published a Hebrew grammar, and a series of notes on the books of the Old Testament, now extending to seven volumes, which have been very popular, and have had a wide circulation. Of late years the writings of Dr. Bush have been devoted to an exposition and defence of the doctrines of Emanuel Swedenborg, to which he has become a decided and zealous convert.—F. B.  BUSH,, first bishop of Bristol, was raised to that see in 1542 by Henry VIII., to whom had been reported "his great knowledge in divinity and physic." Died in 1558.  BUSHE,, the Right Hon., born in 1767; died in 1843. He was the eldest son of the Rev. Thomas Bushe, who, at the time of his son's birth, resided at Kilmurry in the county of Kilkenny. In 1782 he entered Trinity college, Dublin, was distinguished for classical scholarship, and exhibited great talents for public speaking, in a society founded by the students. Grattan, in reference to his early speeches in the Historical Society—such was the title of the society—says—"He spoke with the lips of an angel." Bushe was called to the Irish bar. His success is said not to have been rapid, and his biographers speak of his having found it difficult to maintain his proper position in society, from inadequacy of pecuniary means. On coming of age he paid or secured the payment of some heavy debts of his father. He married early; and the struggle for support is said to have been a difficult one. The Irish parliament may be described as almost in the agonies of dissolution when Bushe, a barrister of some five or six years' standing, became a member. He does not appear to have spoken often, but his speeches are among the best we have of that assembly. In 1805 he was appointed solicitor-general, with Plunket as attorney; during the administration of "the talents" both retained their places. At the breaking up of that ministry Plunket retired, and Bushe, Saurin being now attorney-general, retained his place as solicitor, till in 1822 he became chief-justice of the king's bench. To law students, we know no books of the same value as the series of reports of judgments of the court of king's bench in Ireland, during the period in which Bushe presided. Our recollection of many of Bushe's charges satisfies us that good service would be done to the country by collecting them for publication. Of Bushe's speeches, while he yet practised at the bar, or acted for the crown as solicitor-general, several are also reported. The case of the King against O'Grady, as reported by Baron Greene, it is impossible to read without great admiration of the powers displayed in its conduct at each side by the master minds of the Irish bar. Equal to the highest of them—though Plunket was one—or, if inferior to any, inferior to Burton alone, whose argument appears to be unsurpassed by anything we have in legal literature, was Bushe on this great occasion. Injustice is done to Bushe by thinking of him as a mere lawyer. It is probable, that eminent as was his success, he regretted the necessity for the professional exertions which made him eminent. In retiring from the bench—which he did "while his eyes were not yet dim, nor his natural vigour abated," though at the age of seventy-four or seventy-five—he probably contemplated passing a long sabbath of comparative rest; and had plans of living as a country gentleman, as a neighbour and friend, on his paternal estate of Kilmurry. The friends of Bushe began to feel some alarm for his health from some excitement connected with the circumstances of his retirement from the bench, and from their perceiving an increasing failure of memory. He and they were spared any lengthened suffering. A surgical operation for a slight local affection was followed by erysipelas. He died 10th July, 1843. He is interred at Harold's Cross, near Dublin. In the reprint of Mr. Curran's Sketches of the Irish Bar is an appendix, which gives an account of some interesting conversations with Bushe in 1826, during a visit to Kilmurry; which conversations, and Dr. Wills' narrative, in his Lives of Illustrious Irishmen, give the best picture of Bushe in domestic life.—J. A., D.  BUSSY D'ANTOINE,, a profligate favourite of the duc d'Anjou, brother of Henry III. of France, who lived about the middle of the sixteenth century. He was as notorious for his crimes as he was celebrated for his courage. He was assassinated in 1579. "The whole province," says De Thou, "was delighted at his death."—J. T. <section end="873H" /> <section begin="873I" />BUSSY-RABUTIN,, comte de, born in 1618; died in 1693. Early introduced into military life, he was at eighteen a colonel. He had the character of being a brave officer; but in some idle fit of high spirits, he gave offence to his superior officers, and had to quit the army. He found his way to the court, there wrote epigrams offensive to the king or the royal mistress, and had to retire. His "Histoire Amoureuse des Gaules" is often reprinted, and is more amusing than if it were altogether true.—J. A., D. <section end="873I" /> <section begin="873J" />BUTE,, third earl of, was born in 1713, and died on 19th March, 1792. He studied at Eton. He entered upon public life about 1737, when he was elected one of the representative peers of Scotland. Subsequently he was made a knight of the thistle, and one of the lords of the bedchamber to the prince of Wales. He had charge in part of the education of George III., and on his accession in 1760, Lord Bute was sworn a member of the privy council, and made groom of the stole. In 1761 he became one of the secretaries of state, and in 1762 he was made knight of the garter. Lord Bute occupied for some time a very important place in the government, and was very unpopular. His want of popularity and support led him to resign office in 1763. He was fond of science, and devoted himself to botany. He printed at his own expense an illustrated work of British plants in nine volumes quarto. Only twelve copies were printed, and the expense is stated to have been £10,000. He was a patron of science as well as of literature and art.—J. H. B. <section end="873J" /> <section begin="873Zcontin" />BUTTNER,, an eminent philologist, was born at Wolfenbüttel in 1716. He travelled much, and in every country that he visited, he acquired, not only its general language, but the most minute peculiarities of its provincial dialects. His library and museum were extensive and valuable, though formed from the savings of his slender income; contenting himself, during the greater part of his life, with a single meal a <section end="873Zcontin" />