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VAL from the jesuits at Modena and Reggio. A lad of remarkable intelligence, he early became dissatisfied with the prevailing Aristotelian philosophy, which he called a philosophy of words. By his tutor Biagi, a Jesuit, his attention was directed to natural and experimental science, and in its pursuit he soon became engrossed. In 1683 he removed to Bologna where he became a pupil of Malpighi, under whose direction he commenced the study of the biological sciences. Being offered by his father the choice of law and physic, he preferred the profession which offered opportunities for anatomical, physiological, and botanical pursuits. These he cultivated with such ardour that his health seriously suffered, and Malpighi was obliged to curb the exertions of his favourite pupil. Vallisneri would have graduated at Bologna, but was prevented by an edict of the duke of Modena, which permitted his subjects to graduate only at Modena or Reggio. At the latter university he took his degree in 1684, and then returned to Bologna with the intention of increasing his chemical and botanical knowledge and in order to see practice at the hospitals. After three years he left Bologna, taking leave of Malpighi, who dismissed him with the apothegm, "Systems are ideal and mutable; observation and experience are solid and unchangeable." He passed the years 1687 and 1688 at Padua, Venice, and Parma, and then settled as a physician at Reggio. Here he continued his studies: he planted a botanical garden, spent much of his leisure in making geological observations in the neighbourhood, and particularly devoted his attention to the anatomy, metamorphosis, and generation of the silk-worm and other insecta. He published his observations in two dialogues, supposed to have taken place between Pliny and Malpighi on their meeting in the other world. This work attracted considerable attention, and introduced the author to the notice of the leading naturalists of the day. Shortly after he received an invitation from the university of Padua, where in succession he filled several medical professorships, until finally, in 1711, he obtained the first chair of the theory of medicine. On first becoming a teacher of medicine in that university, he was aware that many of his views, novel and in advance of the time as they were, would be received with suspicion and distrust by his audience. He, however, with admirable tact and judgment disarmed his critics, by choosing as the subject matter of his first thesis, "that the studies of the moderns do not overturn, but confirm the medical knowledge of the ancients." Vallisneri married in 1692, and had eighteen children, four of whom only survived infancy. His only son published in 1733, as a tribute to his father's memory, a complete edition of his works. In 1728 Vallisneri received a patent of knighthood for himself, his son, and their descendants, from the duke of Modena. He refused to become physician to the papal court on the death of Lancisi, and also declined the professorship of medicine at Turin. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of London, and of several other societies and academies. He died in 1730. His works exercised a powerful influence in substituting the study of nature for that of books. The botanical genus Vallisneria was called after him by Micheli.—F. C W.  VALMIKI, the most ancient and most illustrious of all the Hindoo poets. Hindoo chronology places him in the fifteenth century before Christ. His great poem, the "Ramayana," is divided into seven books, and consists of about twenty-five thousand verses. The subject of it is the exploits of Rama (Rama being the name which Vishnu assumed during his fourth manifestation), who encountered the great and magical giant Ravanen, sovereign of Yail-Lunga (the island of Ceylon). This giant is represented with ten heads and twenty arms; but neither the wisdom nor the strength which these indicate could prevent the final extirpation of himself and his race from that island. Vishnu's image as Rama is always attended by another of the monkey Aunumar, who was of essential service to him in his heroic exploits. The "Ramayana" is universally popular among the Hindoos, and is a favourite even with the sectaries of Shivven. Its author is regarded as the father of epic poetry, and to him is also attributed the invention of the distich, styled sloka. The two last books of the "Ramayana," with a literal English translation by Carey and Marsham, were published at Serampore, in 3 vols. 4to, between the years 1806 and 1810. The entire poem has been since printed in France in 1843, before which A. Schlegel had given a considerable portion of the original text, with a translation; Bonn, 1829-38.—R. M., A.  VALMONT DE BOMARE,, a French naturalist, was born at Rouen on 17th September, 1731, and died at Paris on 24th August, 1807. He was a good classical scholar, and was especially a proficient in Greek. He devoted his attention in the first instance to law; but he afterwards deserted that for the study of natural history. At the age of nineteen he studied at Paris under Leeat, and soon showed his powers as a student of science. He was appointed to travel as a naturalist, and he visited successively the Alps, Pyrenees, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Britain, Lapland, and Iceland. He returned to Paris in 1756 with a large collection of objects of natural history, and commenced lectures on the subject, which were continued till 1788. He was very popular, and did much to excite an interest in science. He published a catalogue of a natural history cabinet; a treatise on mineralogy, his favourite pursuit; and a "Dictionnaire raisonné universel d'histoire naturelle," in 6 vols. 8vo. The last-mentioned work was translated into many of the languages of Europe.—J. H. B.  VALOIS, ), younger brother of Henry de Valois, was born at Paris on the 14th of January, 1607. History, and especially that of his own country, engrossed his attention. In 1646 he began to publish his principal work, "Gesta Francorum," being the history of France from 254 to 752. It was completed in 1658. The great learning evinced in it procured him a pension and the post of royal historiographer. He also published a treatise on ancient Gaul, and other minor works. He died at Paris on the 2nd of July, 1692.—J. J.  VALOIS,, Count de, third son of Philip the Bold, was born in 1270, and had the county of Valois assigned to him as his appanage. In 1284 he received from the pope, Martin IV., investiture of the kingdoms of Arragon and Valencia, but the boon was rather unfortunate in its results. In 1290 the count married Marguerite, daughter of Charles II. of Sicily, and on renouncing all pretensions to the kingdom of Arragon, obtained from his father-in-law, by way of compensation, the counties of Anjou and Maine. In the war which Philip the Fair of France waged with England, Valois rendered important service; but resenting the violation of a promise made to him by that monarch, he withdrew to his own estates. He married for his second wife Catherine de Courtenay, grand-daughter of Baldwin II., last emperor of Constantinople, and having passed with her into Italy, was welcomed by Boniface VIII., who recognized him as emperor of the East, and gave him some pecuniary assistance, along with the title of defender of the church. At the request of the pope he expelled the Guelfs from Florence. Having been invited by Philip the Fair to return to his own country, he rejoined the French army in Flanders, and fought with distinction at the successful battle of Mons in 1304. After the death of Philip, the count exercised supreme authority in the country over his nephew, Louis le Hutin, and preserved his influence during the succeeding reign by the concessions which he made to the nobles, and the victories which he gained over the English in Guienne. He died in 1325 with the reputation of being the greatest general of his age. It was remarked of the Count de Valois that though not a king himself, he was the son of a king, the brother of a king, the father of a king, and the uncle of three kings.—J. T.  VALOIS, ), a distinguished French scholar, was descended from an ancient family of Normandy, and born at Paris on the 10th September, 1603. He was educated first at Verdun, and subsequently at Paris. Having studied law, he practised at the bar for several years; but he afterwards abandoned the legal profession, and devoted himself exclusively to literary pursuits. His intense application weakened his eyesight, and eventually brought on total blindness. But he succeeded in acquiring a large measure of celebrity as a scholar, so much so that the French clergy applied to him for a new edition of the Greek writers on ecclesiastical history. To stimulate this undertaking they conferred upon him a pension, and he likewise received the appointment of royal historiographer. A pension accompanied the latter office also. The edition of the Greek ecclesiastical historians, with notes and Latin translations, in 3 vols. folio, appeared at Paris, 1659-73. He was author of various other works. He died on the 7th May, 1676.—J. J.  VALPY,, D.D., an eminent English schoolmaster, was born in Jersey on the 7th of December, 1754. He early showed great aptitude for learning, and after acquiring the rudiments near home, he was sent to the college of Valognes in 