Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/884

BERGERAC lowed in 1G61 by Tlistoirc comii/iie des ctats et des empires du Soleil. These books were sug- gested indirectly by Lucian, Dante, and Ariosto, but immediately by the English Godwin's Man in the Moon (1038), and Wilkins's Discovery of a Neir ^Yorld, i.e. the moon (1G38). Thus Ber- gerac was one of the first in France to show the influence of English fiction. His stories furnished suggestions to Fontanelle, Voltaire, Restif de la Bretonne, Edgar .llan Poe, and Jules Verne, pos- sibly, also, to Swift; but the only editions known have evidently passed through "a bungling cen- sorship, probably that of the Inquisition, for Ber- gerae was a free-thinker, ho had dared to write "Reason alone is my queen," even in the day of Bossuet. What is left is verbally orthodox, but mockingly ironical. Even so, the books reveal a ruind of great originality and power. Both Comic Histories involve much of the science of the day, much superstition ironically introduced, a keen satire on the Inquisition in Galileo's case, a defense of Copernicus, many fine descriptive passages, and some startling forebodings of mod- ern discoveries (like the phonograph), of a uni- versal language (Volapuk), and of the Wag- nerian tone-drama. Through all runs a gasconad- ing liumor. His own large nose is justified by the moon-children, who tell him that it is the infallible sign of "a witty, courteous, affable, generous, open-minded man." Such little per- sonal touches and a rare power of relating the impossible with logically' and mathematically consistent detail give an air of probability to his most whimsical fancies. They are planless, and as works of literary art their" place is low; but Bergerac was the first to use the novel to teach natural science, and so was a forerunner of the encyelopacdists of the next century, just as in the drama he had been first to break definitely with the unities in tragedy, which were not to be wholly done away till 1S30, and his Pedant is almost the first French comedy of character in prose. The Comic History of the States and Empires of the Moon and of the Sun is re- printed with a scholarly introduction by Paul Laeroix (Bibliophile Jacob, 18.58). There are two English contemporary translations and a modern partial one. called" forth by the popular- ity of Rostand's (q.v. ) drama, Cyrano de Ber- gerac. See the Life and Study, by Brun (1893). Bibliographical details and an appreciative criti- cal essay are in Korting's Geschichte des fran- ziisischen Romans im XVII. Jahrhundert, II. 169-205 (Leipzig, 1885-8").

BERGERAC, Cybatjo de. A tragedy by Ed- mond Kostand, in five acts, based on the life of Cyrano de Bergerac and the stories concerning him. The title-role was first played in Paris, by Coquelin, at the Porte Saint-Martin Theatre, on December 28, 1897, and in New York, by Mansfield, on October 3, 1898. See Rostand. "

BERGERAT, barzh'ra', Emile (1845—). A French author. He was born in Paris, and was educated by the Jesuits and at the Lycee Charlemagne. He first devoted himself to paint- ing and afterwards to journalism. He became widely known through his liiofjraphies contem- poraines (1875), his biography of Thcophile Gautier (1884), and above all by his admirable feuilletons in Figaro, to which journal, under the pseudonym of 'Caliban,' he regularly con- tributed caricature sketches. These feuilletons have been collected under the following titles: lie et aventures du Sieur Caliban (1886); Le In-rc de Caliban (1887) ; Fiyarismes de Caliban (1888) ; Le rire de Caliban (1890) ; Les soirees de Calibangreve (1892). He also published a number of pamphlets, novels, and dramas, the dramatic poem Enguerrande (1885), and the admirable humorous poems entitled La lyre eomif/ue (1889), the latter being descriptive of the life of Paris.

BERGH, berg, Henkt (1820-88). An Ameri- can humanitarian. He was born in New York, and educated at Columbia University. He was secretary of legation at Saint Petersburg and vice-consul, 1S62-U4, but resigned, owing to the severity of the climate. In 1805 he became inter- ested in the treatment of domestic animals, and in the face of much opposition and ridicule suc- ceeded, in 1866, in getting an incorporation of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The work of the societv, coverin"" all cases of cruelty to all sorts of animals, com" mended itself to the better class of the people, and its growth, aided by numerous gifts, was rapid and substantial. In 1886 the laws which Bcrgh had proc'ured for the State of New York had been adopted by thirty-nine States of the Union, also in Canada, Brazil, and the Argentine Republic. Bergh was also the founder of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chil- dren, which is now established in nearly everv State and Territory of the Union. He wrote several plays, among them Love's Alternative a drama, also The Streets of yew York, a volume of tales and sketches.

BERGH, JoHAN Edvard (1828-80). A Swed- ish landscape painter. He studied at the acad- emy of his native city, Stockholm, where he received the first prize in 1853. Afterwards he pursued his studies with Gude at Diisseldorf, and with Calame at Geneva. After a tour through Italy (1850-57) he became member of, and in 1861 professor in, the Stockholm Academy. He may be said to have founded a new school of landscape painting in Sweden — a school char- acterized by accuracy of drawing, faithful in- terpretation of nature, and a marked spirit of nationalism, manifested both in choice of subjects and method of treatment. Among the most popu- lar paintings of Bergh are the following : "Wood Interior" (Stockholm Museum) ; "Beech-Wood" (Sothenburg) ; "View of Stockholm" (owned bv King Edward VII.) ; "View in Daleearlia" (Amsterdam).

BERGH, Laueent Philippe Chabu:s van DE. (1805-87). A Dutch historian. He was born at Diisseldorf, and studied at Utrecht. He was archivist of the Government of The Hague from 1805 to 1887. His numerous and valuable publications include the following: Verslag der historischen nasporingim op gezag van het qou- vernement in ISSS in Frankrijk gedaan (18-iO) ; Gedenkstukken tot opheldering der nederlandsche gesehiedenis, opgezameld nit de arehieven te Rijssel en op gezag von het gouvcrnement uit- gegeven (1824-47) ; Register van hollandsehe en zeeua-sehe oorkonden (1861) ; Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland (1868).

BERGH, PiETER TiiEODOE Helvetiits van den (17!t.")-ls73). A Dutch poet. He was born at Zwolle, and lived successively in Paris, Brussels, and Vienna. Afterwards he "became blind and re-