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 506 BASSE HASTING facture, formerly the staple of the town, is now supplanted by that of cotton. Excellent build- ing stone, slate, and flags abound in the neigh- borhood, and there are several coal mines. HASSE. I. Frledrich Christian August, a Ger- man historian, born at Rehfeld, near Herzberg, Jan. 4, 1773, died in Leipsic, Feb. 6, 1848. He was a professor at the military academy of Dresden and at the university of Leipsic, and edited the Leipziger Zeitung from 1830 till his death. He succeeded Friedrich Arnold Brock- haus in 1823 as editor of the Neue Folge des Conversations- Lexikon, editing also the 6th and 7th editions of that cyclopaedia. Besides many other works, he published Cfeschichte der Lom- bardei (4 vols., Dresden, 1826-'8). II. Fried- rieh Rudolf, son of the preceding, born in Dres- den, June 29, 1808, died in Bonn, Oct. 14, 1862. He studied theology in Berlin, became professor in 1836 at Greifswald, and in 1842 at Bonn, where he was made consistorial councillor in 1853. His principal works are Anselm von Canterbury (2 vols., Leipsic, 1843-'52), and the posthumous Geschichte des alten Bundes (1863) and Kirchengeschichte (3 vols., 1864). III. Karl Ewald, a German physiologist, brother of the preceding, born in Dresden, June 23, 1810. He graduated at Leipsic, and has been profes- sor there and at Gottingen. His Anatomische Beschreibung der Krankheiten der Circula- tions- und Respirationsorgane (Leipsic, 1841) has been translated into English and Dutch, and his Krankheiten des Nervenapparats (Er- langen, 1855) constitutes vol. iv. of Virchow's Handbuch der Pathologic und Therapie. BASSE, Johann Adolf (called in Italy II Sas- sone, the Saxon), a German composer, born at Bergedorf, near Hamburg, March 25, 1699, died in Venice, Dec. 23, 1783. He was a pupil of Porpora and Scarlatti. His opera Sesostrate, produced at Naples in 1726, established his repu- tation; and after giving several other works to the Italian stage, the success of which was insured by the cooperation of his wife, the cele- brated singer Faustina, he accepted the office of chapelmaster and composer to the elector of Saxony. In 1733 he was invited to London to compete with Handel, and brought out his Ar- taserse, in which Farinelli made his debut be- fore an English audience. Although the opera was performed 40 nights, Hasse, disgusted with the virulence of the musical cabals, left London, and about 1740 established himself in Dresden. Upon the bombardment of that city in 1760 he lost all his musical manuscripts. He then went to Vienna, and the last years of his life were spent in Venice. Dr. Burney considered Hasse the most learned, natural, and elegant composer of his age. His works, including all the libretti of Metastasio, were so numerous that it is said he often failed to recognize his own music. HASSELQCIST, Fredrik, a Swedish naturalist, born atTornvalla, East Gothland, Jan. 14, 1722, died in Smyrna, Feb. 9, 1752. He studied under Linnaeus at the university of Upsal. Having obtained a royal stipend to travel and study abroad, he proceeded in 1749 to the East, although warned by Linnaeus that his constitu. tion was too feeble. After visiting parts of Asia Minor, Egypt, and Palestine, he died on his way home. Linnaeus in 1757 published the results of his pupil's investigations in a work entitled Iter Palcestinum, of which an English transla- tion was published in 1766 (8vo, London). HASSELT, a town of Belgium, capital of the province of Limburg, on the Demer, 42 m. E. N. E. of Brussels, and 20 m. W. N. W. of Maestricht, with which it is connected by rail- way ; pop. in 1866, 10,448. It is fortified and well built. The chief manufactures are tobacco, madder, soap, oil, linen, and leather. HASTING, or Hastings, a Scandinavian viking, or sea rover, born about 812, some say in Scan- dinavia, others in Normandy, others at Tran- quilla (modern Trancost) on the Seine. He at- tached himself to a band of Northmen who had established themselves on the island of Biese, over whom he soon gained the chief command on sea and land. His first achievement was the devastation of the banks of the Loire as far as Tours (about 845). He next undertook an expedition against Spain ; but meeting a re- pulse at Corunna, he retraced his course to- ward France, sacked Bordeaux, and carried fire and sword as far as Toulouse and Tarbes. The people of the latter city celebrate to this day the anniversary of a victory gained by their forefathers over Hasting on May 21. Refit- ting at the mouth of the Adour, he sailed again for the coast of the peninsula, took Lisbon, pil- laged the city for 13 days, burned Seville, and marched upon Cordova, but was arrested by the allied forces of the Moors and Christians. Returning with reinforcements, he destroyed the great mosque of Algeciras and compelled Alfonso the Great, king of Leon, to seek ref- uge at Oviedo. Majorca, Minorca, and Pro- vence, in their turn, became also the scenes of Hasting's incursions. He next made a de- scent upon Tuscany, and planned a voyage to Rome. Steering along the coast into the bay now known as the gulf of Spezia, he descried a city (Luna, now Luni). -Not doubting that he was approaching Rome, he disembarked his troops, and sent ambassadors to say to the em- peror, as he supposed, that, fresh from the con- quest of France, he desired only to obtain sup- plies and means to refit his fleet. For himself, weary of a roving life, he sought to lay down his command and thenceforth to repose in the bosom of the church. The count of Luna and the bishop came out to meet him, and admin- istered baptism, but declined to admit him or any of his followers within the city walls. Hasting then feigned death ; and a vast fune- ral train, passing into the city, deposited the bier before the cathedral altar. The chief then sprang up and struck the bishop to the earth ; and the mourners, throwing off their long robes, cut their way back to the city gates, and let in their comrades. The city was won, but Hasting soon learned to his surprise that he