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* BONITZ. 280 BONN. BONITZ, bfi-nits', Hermann (1814-88). A German classical philologist. Ho was born at Langensalza, and stiuliud at the universities of Leipzig and Berlin. In 183(i-;iS he was an in- structor in the Blochmann Institute in Dresden. Subsequently he was a professor in the University of Vienna (1840-67), and from 1807 was director of a gymnasium in Berlin, and member of the Academy of Sciences. While in Vienna he de- vised, with R.xner. a system, in force since 1854, for the reorganization of the .ustrian g^'mnasia. He was deeply versed in the ])hilosophies of botli Plato and Aristotle, and wrote seerul expository works, such as I'ebcr die Kategorien des Arts- toteles (Vienna. 18.53) ; Platonixche Studien (Vienna, 1858-0) ; and Aristotclische Studien (Vienna. 18(>2-fi7) ; and edited (Bonn, 1848-49) the Mctaphysica. See the biograpln' by Gom- perz (Berlin, 1889). BON MAKCHE, boN mar'shfi'. One of the largest department stores of Paris, noted for its low prices, and interesting on accoimt of its suc- cessful application of the princii^les of coopera- tion. The business is conducted by a board of managers selected from its employes, who re- ceive a share of the profits in addition to salary. BONN. A city in the Rhine Province, Prus- sia, and capital of the Circle of Bonn, advanta- geously situated on the left bank of the Rhine, about 15 miles southeast of Cologne. The pleas- ant villas with their gardens on the river, the fine promenades, fhe picturesque church-towers, and the graceful bridge across the Rhine (com- pleted in 1898), all combine to make Bonn an unusually attractive place. The surroundings also are pleasing and interesting. Of its churches, five Catholic and two Evangelical, the imposing Miinster is the most important, a notable ex- ample of the late Romanesque style. It is a cruciform building with two choirs, four small towers, and a great octagonal tower. The church dates from the Eleventh Century, and has re- cently been carefully restored. The interior is without special interest. The neighboring an- cient cloisters, with pillars possessing beaxitiful capitals, are worthy of notice. -Among the sec- ular buildings should lie mentioned the Rathaus, with its lofty tlight of steps, completed in 1782; the famous Beethoven House, Ahere the com- poser was born in 1770, and now containing the Beethoven Museum : and the buildings of the university for which Bonn is celebrated. The last-named buildings, originally the Electoral Palace, occupy the south side of the old towni. The central portion, with its four towers, was completed in 1723. The lecture-room and the library are adorned with busts of Niebuhr. Anidt. A. W. von S<hlegel, and many others of Bonn's celebrated professors. The aula, or hall, is embellished with interesting frescoes by Cor- nelius and his pupils. The Provincial Museum, near the modern rail- way station, is a handsome building of red sand- stone in the Italian Renaissance style. It was erected in 1889-93. It contains a large collec- tion of Roman and mediiEval stone monuments and prehistoric anticjuities. At the Academic Museum of Art there is a noble collection of casts; among the ancient (ireek works are mar- ble Hcrmii', bearing heads of Sophocles, Euripi- des, .risto])hanes, and Menander. In the I'op- pelsdorfer Schloss are the natural history col- lections of the University. The Observatory is situated near the Poppelsdorfer Alice — a beauti- ful avenue shaded with lujrscchestnuts. Bonn possesses several interesting monuments, among them the statue of Beethoven, executed by Ha- nd; a fountain column, in honor of Jlaximil- ian Frederick; and a bronze monument to Arndt, who died here in 1800. From an old bastion on the edge of the Rhine, known as the Alte Zoll, there is a beautiful view of the river. In the cemetery arc the graves of Xiebuhr, Schumaini, and Arndt. Bonn has long been a favorite resi- dence of English and other visitors. Bonn is governed by an Over-Burgomaster with three salaried assistants, and l)y thirty council- men. It has water-works, a municipal gas plant, and a volunteer fire department. The city in recent years has become very prosperous com- mercially. Besides having an active trade, it manufactures machinery, earthenware, chemicals, jute, pianos and organs. |)orcelain-wares, arti- ficial flowers, faience, cement, and many other articles. NA'essel's ])orce!ain and stoneware fac- tory employs a thousand men. It dates from 1755. The city is well provided with railway and river c(nnmunieations, and with all the mod- ern conveniences connected with manufacturing and connnerce. In the village of Beuel, on the other side of the Rhine, are several important spinning and weaving mills. Bonn is the seat of a superior mining court, of a natiral history union and agricultural union of Khenish Prus- sia, and many other educational and industrial organizations. in 1900 Bonn had 50,737 inhabitants. Well equipped with schools for elementary education, Bonn offers superior educational advantages. The university (q.v.), with its numerous labora- tories and institutes, provides all the facilities of a modern seat of higher learning. Its several charitable organizations include two orphan homes, two hospitals, and two private insane asylums. Bonn, the Bontxa or ('antra Bonnensia of the Romans, is frequently mentioned by Tacitus, and was one of the first Roman fortrcs.ses on the Rhine. Investigations show that the Castruni here «as very extensive. The town was destroyed by the Normans in the Ninth Century. Having been rel)uiU, it ac((uired some importance when, in 12ti7. the Archbishop of Cologne transferred his residence and seat of government hither. Two German kings were crowned in its Jliinster in the Fourteentii Century. Bonn suffered from its Pi'otestant tendencies, and was repeatedly besieged by the Catholics. In 1794 the French inarched into the town. They closed its uni- versity in 1797, and under their rule Bonn's population decreased. It began to revive as soon as the city was recovered by Prussia in 1814. BONN, University of. Next to Berlin, the leading Prussian university. It owes its origin to Jlaxiniilian Frederick, .rclibishop of Cologne, who established an academy herein 1777. Seven years later this was made a university by the Emperor Joseph II., which was extinguislied by the French invasion. In 1815 the King of Prussia, Frederick William 111., decided to es- tablish in the Rhine Provinces a university as an outpost of (Jerman thought and influence. After sonic contest, Bonn was chosen for the site, and in 1818 the university was formally organized.