Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/549

 BENJAMIN BENNET 529 in 1816. He entered Yale college in 1825, but 5 eft without graduating. In 1831 he went to New Orleans, studied law, supporting himself by teaching, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and rose rapidly to a high position in the pro- fession, lie also became prominent as a poli- tician, attaching himself to the whig party. In 1852 he was chosen to the senate of the United States, where he soon allied himself with the democratic party, in consequence of the action of the two parties on the slavery question. In 1859 he was reflected to the senate, his col- league being John Slidell. On Dec. 81, 1860, in a speech in the senate, he avowed his ad- hesion to the southern cause; and on Feb. 4 he withdrew from the senate, and was at once appointed attorney general in the provisional government of the southern confederacy. In August he was appointed acting secretary of war, but resigned in February, 1862, on ac- count of having been censured by a congres- sional committee. He however stood high in the confidence of Jefferson Davis, and was ap- pointed secretary of state, which position he held until the downfall of the confederacy. He then took up his residence in London, where he entered successfully into the practice of the legal profession, and in 1866 published "A Trea- tise on the Law of Sale of Personal Property." BENJAMIN, Park, an American poet and journalist, born in Demerara, British Guiana, Aug. 14, 1809, died in New York, Sept. 12, 1864. His father was of Welsh descent, but was born in Connecticut, whence he removed to Demerara and carried on business there. Park was sent at an early age to his father's home in New England for medical advice and to be educated. He studied two years at Har- vard college, graduated at Trinity college, Hartford, in 1829, began to practise law in Boston in 1832, and was one of the original editors of the "New England Magazine." In 1837 he removed to New York, edited in con- nection with 0. F. Hoffman the " American Monthly Magazine," and subsequently was as- sociated with Horace Greeley in editing the " New Yorker." He was soon after employed in connection with Epes Sargent and Rufus W. Griswold as editor of the " New World," a weekly literary journal. In 1844 he withdrew from this publication, and during the rest of his life resided in New York, devoted to literary pursuits. He contributed both in prose and verse to various periodicals, and delivered lectures and read poems in public. Mr. Benjamin was in person a man of full chest and powerful arms, but, either in consequence of an illness in childhood or from birth, was completely lame below the hips. No collected edition of his writings has been published. BENJAMIN OF TUDELA, a Jewish rabbi, noted in history as the first western traveller who penetrated into the remoter regions of the East, born at Tndela in Navarre, died about 1173. He made a journey from Saragossa by way of Italy, Greece, Palestine, and Persia, to the confines of China, and returned home by way of Egypt and Sicily. Many of his descrip- tions of places seem however to have been derived from other sources than personal travel and observation. The specific object of his journey was to acquaint himself with the state of his brethren in the East. His "Itinerary," though marred by many errors of fact, and be- traying in general a lack of critical inquiry, contains a great deal of valuable information. It was first written in Hebrew, but has been published also in Latin, French, Dutch, Ger- man, and English. The first Hebrew edition was published in 1543, at Constantinople ; the best is that of Asher (2 vols., London, 1841), embracing an English translation and extensive critical notes. BEN LOMOND, a mountain of Scotland, in the N. W. of Stirlingshire, on the E. side of Loch Lomond. It forms the S. extremity of the Grampians or central Scottish highlands, rises to a height of 3,192 ft., and is covered with vegetation to the summit. On the N. side it terminates by an abrupt precipice 2,000 ft. high, while the S. E. side is a gentle declivity. The view from the summit is unsurpassed. BENNET, Henry, earl of Arlington, an Eng- glish statesman, born at Arlington, in Middle- sex, in 1618, died July 28, 1685. Devoting himself to the cause of Charles I., he was ap- pointed under-secretary of state, fought in several battles, and was wounded at Andover. After the battle of Worcester he retired to Spain. Upon the restoration he returned to England, and was rewarded for his services by being appointed keeper of the privy seal, and shortly afterward secretary of state. In 1664 he was created Baron Arlington, and in 1672 earl of Arlington. He was one of the pleni- potentiaries sent to Utrecht to negotiate a peace between Austria and France. This mis- sion not being successful, an endeavor was made by his colleagues to cast the odium of the failure upon Arlington ; he, however, de- fended himself before the house of commons, and was acquitted. The war with Holland, which is said to have been caused by the machinations of the " cabal " of which he was a member, lost to Arlington the favor of the king and people; but he received the office of chamberlain. In 1679 he became a mem- ber of the council, and retained his office of chamberlain on the accession of James II. BENNET, Thomas, an Anglican theologian and controversialist, born in Salisbury, May 7, 1673, died Oct. 9, 1728. He was exten- sively acquainted with the Greek, Latin, and oriental literatures, and composed verses in He- brew. In 1700 he became rector of St. James's, Colchester, which position he held till 1714, when he received the degree of D. D., and re- moved to London, where he was presented to the vicarage of St. Giles's, Cripplegate. Be- sides his works in confutation of popery, schism, Quakerism, and the principles of the nonjurors, he wrote tracts on baptism, litur-