Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/391

 BASSANVILLE Scotland in 1562, and warmly supported the earl of Murray. His principal work on as- tronomy passed through several editions, anc was translated by Tornsesius from French into Latin (Geneva, 1599). He had scarcely any knowledge of Latin and Greek, and is sup- posed to have received literary assistance in the preparation of his various writings, one of his treatises being entitled Musica secun- dum Platonem. BASSANVILLE, Anus Lebmn de, countess, a French writer, born in 1806. She was educat- ed under the direction of Mme. Campan, and lias acquired renown by her numerous school books, novels, &c., including Aventures (Tune epingle (1845); Leg memoir es d'unejeunejitte (1849) ; De V education desfemmes (1861) ; Leg salons cTautrefois, souvenirs intimes (1861-'4); Lei ouvrieres illustres (1863) ; Let secrets d'une jeunefille (1863); and Le code du ceremonial, guide des gens du monde (1867). She founded the Journal des jeunes filles, edited the Moni- teur des dames et des demoiselles and Le Di- manche des families, and has displayed much literary industry in other directions. BASSEIN. I. The chief town of a district of the same name in the province of Pegu, British India; pop. about 3,500. It is situated on a channel formed by an oifset of the Irra- waddy, which is here called Bassein river, and further down the Negrais. The channel offers safe anchorage for the largest ships. The town was captured by the English May 19, 1852. II. A decayed town in the Poona division of the presidency of Bombay, on an island of the same name (area, 35 sq. m.), separated by a narrow channel from the mainland of North Concan, and affording a shelter for shipping, 28 m. N. of Bombay. It was once a prosperous place, with many churches and other public buildings, ruins of which form the chief attrac- tion in the now desolate city. I! ISSKMV Olivier, a French poet, born at Val-de-Vire, Normandy, died about 1418. He was a fuller, and became famous for his drink- ing songs, which were first called Vaux-de- Vire from the place of their origin, whence the French word vaudeville. Jean le Houx had them printed about 1576, and the most recent edition is by Julien Travers (Avranches, 1833). BASSES-ALPES, a S. E. department of France, formerly part of Upper Provence, bounded by Italy and the departments of Alpes-Mari- times, Var, Bouches-du- Rhdne, Vaucluse, Drome, and Hautes-Alpes ; area, 2,685 sq. m. ; pop. in 1872, 139,332. It is watered by the Durance and its tributaries. In density of population it is exceeded by all the other de- partments of France. The greater part is covered by ranges of mountains, between which are fertile valleys. Excellent pastu- rage is found upon the sides of the mountains. Plums are produced in large quantities in the vicinity of Digne, which are dried and known in commerce as prunes de Brignoles. The de- partment is divided into the arrondissements BASSOMPIERRE 371 of Digne, Sisteron, Barcelonnette, Oastellane, and Forcalquier. ^ Capital, Digne. BASSES-PYRENEES, a department of France, bounded S. by the Pyrenees and W. by the bay of Biscay; area, 2,945 sq. m. ; pop." in 1872, 476,700. It was formed from Beam, Navarre, and a part of Gascony. About half the sur- face is covered with pastures and marshes ; forests occupy one sixth; the rest is fertile. The mountains give birth to numerous tor- rents, the principal of which are the Adour, Bidouze, and Nive. The chief mineral springs are those of Eaux-Bonnes and Eaux-Chaudes. There is much industrial and commercial activ- ity, and an active trade is carried on through Bayonne. It is divided into the arrondisse- ments of Pan, Bayonne, Orthez, Oloron, and Maul6on. Capital, Pau. BASSE-TERRE. I. The chief town of the isl- and of St. Christopher in the British West In- dies, on the S. "W. coast, at the mouth of a small river; pop. about 9,000. It is well built and protected by three forts. The trade is con- siderable. A sandy beach prevents the near approach of laden vessels, and ships are loaded and unloaded from a lighter called a "Moses," which is thrown up in the lull of the surf. II. The chief town of the French island of Guadeloupe, West Indies, situated in the W. di- vision of the island and on its S.W. coast; pop. about 13,000. The former capital, Pointe-a- Pitre, destroyed by an earthquake in 1843, possessed a better harbor than Basse-Terre, which however became the principal seat of commerce, on account of its proximity to the producing portion of the island. BASSI, Laura Maria Catarina, an Italian scholar, born in Bologna, Oct. 31, 1711, died there, Feb. 20, 1778. At the age of 21 she sustained suc- cessfully in public a philosophical thesis in Latin against seven professors, and received the degree of doctor, the senate appointing her professor of philosophy. Afterward she taught for over 30 years experimental physics and languages. She was the wife of Dr. Giu- seppe Verati, and had several children. BASSOMPIERRE, Francois, baron de, a French courtier, born in Lorraine, April 12, 1579, died Oct. 12, 1646. Henry IV. appointed him mem- ber of the council and commandant of a regi- ment, and under Louis XIII. he was made marshal and envoy to Spain, Switzerland, and 3reat Britain. He took part in the siege of La Rochelle, and served against the Huguenots in )ther places. He became obnoxious to Riche- ieu, who sent him to the Bastile (1631), where le was detained 11 years till the cardinal's death. While in prison he wrote Memoires du marechal de Bassompierre depuis 1598 jusqu'd son entree a la Bastille en 1631 (Cologne, 1665). Previous to his arrest he was reported to have consigned to the flames more than 6,000 love letters. One woman, who had borne him a son, spent eight years in lawsuits to compel him to marry her ; but he was already secretly mar- ried to the princess of Conti, Louise de Lor-