PREFACE ΤΟ THE FIRST EDITION. THERE is, perhaps, no department of literature so generally interesting, or so frequently referred to, as Biography. The lives of those who have figured prominently in the world, either in the domain of thought or of action, possess an ever-fresh attraction for their fellows; and the demand for knowledge concerning the sayings and doings of the great and gifted, has employed many pens, and called into existence a special department of literary labour. Biographical dictionaries there are in plenty; but, though many of these works are characterized by high excellence, most of them are too elaborate, and therefore too expensive, to be within the reach of the great bulk of buyers; while the few that are professedly designed for the million are so full of old stock names of no real significance, and are often such mere dry records of dates, as to be utterly uninteresting, and even repulsive. The aim of the compilers of the following work has been to avoid those faults, and while giving accurate records of facts, to make this volume not merely useful as a work of reference, but interesting and instructive for ordinary perusal. In carrying out this idea, the following distinctive objects have been kept in view, and, it is hoped, successfully accomplished :— 1. By careful selection, by refraining from commentary and aiticism, and excluding names of no positive value, space has been so economized as to admit of giving such life-like touches of character and conduct as would enable the reader to form some conception as to "what manner of man" the subject of the particular notice really was. Of course this idea could only be partially carried out in the limits to which the work was confined; but it is believed that to some extent, at least, an improvement in this respect has been here achieved, as compared with other works of a similar character. 2. The pronunciation of the names given will, it is hoped, be useful to those who, unacquainted with foreign languages, may yet be anxious to pronounce correctly the names of persons of whom they may have occasion to speak. That absolute accuracy in all cases has been attained, it would perhaps be too much to expect; as near an approximation as possible has been given; and any defects in this respect will be most readily pardoned by those who are best acquainted with the difficulty of representing uttered sounds by any mere combination of letters. 3. Persons bearing the same name have been arranged chronologically, so that sons follow sires, and a natural and connected sequence of events often depending upon each other has been preserved-a result which, while keeping up an almost unbroken narrative, serves to show at a glance those instances in which one generation has sustained, or even extended, the fame and reputation won by the preceding. 4. By deviating from the usual rule, in such works as the present, of including only those whose career has been closed by death, so far as to embrace persons who have already made their name and position, and in whose lives and characters no very marked events or changes are likely to occur, the work is made to subserve the purpose of a record of the lives of persons of eminence both of past and present times. NOTE TO THE NEW EDITION. As indicated on the Title-page, the Volume has been Revised and Corrected. Also a considerable number of Modern Biogra phies have been added. The Portraits did not appear in the first edition. M THE DICTIONARY OF BIOGRAPHY. Aa A Aarsens wearing the helmet than the cowl. He was constantly at war with William Count of Holland, Where a is used in the explanatory pronun-nately, though the churchman in the end was each being prisoner to the other almest altercation, it is sounded as a in bar, car, tar; where worsted. D. 1212, at Deventer, after ruling è is used, it is sounded as a in can, fan, tan; Utrecht for 14 years. where ai is used, it is sounded as a in fate, hate, AARON, air-on, signifying mountrin of late; where aur is used, it is sounded as a in fall,trength, or a teacher, the brother of Moses, tl wall; and a final has an obscure sound, between the a in bar and the a in fan.] and first high priest of the Isradites. D. on Mount Hor, in the 123rd year of his age, A.M. 2553, B.C, 1451. AARON, a priest and physician who flourished A. Gerard van der, a-a. This individual, at Alexandria in the 7th century. He wrote a and his two sons, Philip and Adolphus, have variety of works, among others a description of aired honourable historical notice in the an-measles and small-pox, then new diseases in of the United Provinces, from the strenuous eurs they made to resist Philip II. of Spain in his endeavours to tyrannize over their country, as well as from the distinguished part they took in its liberation, 1571. AA, Charles Henry van der, a native of Zwolle, and an active Lutheran minister, greatly instrumental in establishing the Academy of Sciences, and the Society for the Study of Economics, at Haerlem. B. 1718; D. 1795. AA, Peter van der, an eminent lawyer, who, in 1574, became president of the Council of Luxembourg. B. at Louvain. AA, Peter van der, a bookseller of Leyden, and an extensive compiler and publisher of travels and voyages. D. 1730.-This person issued an illustrative atlas, which was entitled "Galerie du Monde," and which extended to sixty-six vols. AAGARD, Christian, a-gard, a Danish professor of poetry at Sora, and a poet himself. B. 1396; D. 1664. AAGARD, Nicholas, brother of the above, and also a professor at Sora, and a writer on philosophical subjects. B. 1612; D. 1657. AALI PASHA, Mehemet Emin, an eminent Turkish statesman, ambassador to England, 1941-4, and representative of the Porte at the Conferences of Vienna (1855), and Paris (1856). He was appointed grand vizier for the fifth time, April 11, 1867. B. at Constantinople, 1815. AALST, Everard, a Dutch artist, distinguished | for the accuracy with which he painted armour and fruit pieces. B. at Delft, 1602; D. 1658. AALST, William, nephew of the above, and reckoned superior to him as an artist. B. 1620; D. 1679. AARE, Dirk van der, aar, bishop of Utrecht, who, although a priest, was much better fitted for Egypt, and, as he supposed, originating there. AARON, St., a British Martyr, who suffered in the persecution of the Christians by Diocletian, A.D. 303. He was canonized 1000 years later.-There is another St. Aaron, who founded the first Monastery in Bretaigne, and flourished in the 6th century. AARON, Isaac, a Greek, and attached to the emperor Manuel Corinnas as interpret.r. He was charged with wilful misinterpretation, and deprived both of his office and his sight, but sub. sequently reinstated in office, when he revenged himself cruelly upon his enemies. He ultimately died of torture, which the emperor Isaac Angelus ordered to be inflicted upon him, in 1293. AARON, a Spanish Jew of Barcelona, who lived in the 13th century, and wrote "Precepts on Moses," published at Venice in 1523. AARON, Pictro, canon of Rimini, and a volaminous writer on music. He flourished at Florence in the 16th century. AARON BEN ASSER, a Jew of the 5th century, to whom is attributed the invention of the Hebrew points and accents. AARON HACHARON, a Nicomedian Jew, B. 1316, and author of "The Garden of Eden," a work explanatory of Jewish customs and doe trines. AARON SCHASCON, a Jewish rabbi, and author of the "Law of Truth," printed in 1631, at Venice. AARON, Ben Chaim, a rabbi of Pez, and reckoned the most learned of the Jews of Africa, whose commentaries are still held in high esteem by his people. D. about 1610. AARON, or HAROUN. (See HAROUN AL RASCHID.) AARSENS, or AERSENS, Peter, aar-sens, a cele B brated Dutch artist. He painted a fine altar-years, when he died, and with him his dynasty. picce, representing the crucifixion, at Antwerp, He bore the character of being a wise, prudent, which was destroyed in an insurrection in 1566. and just ruler, as well as that of a poct of B. at Amsterdam, 1519; D. 1585.-Aarsens left superior ability. D. 1075, A.D. three sons, also celebrated painters. AARSSEN, Cornelius van, a Brabant statesman, but not distinguished either for ability or integrity. ABAFFI, ab-affe, Michael, ruler of Transylvania in the 17th century,was in the disagreeable dilemma of having two masters, Turkey and Austria, to both of whom he had to pay tribute. AARSSEN, Franz van, son of the above, and He leant most to the Turks, however, and in 1681 Lord of Someldyck and Spyck, one of the great-made war upon Austria, as well as supported est negotiators of the United Netherland Pro- the Hungarians against her. He abdicated in vinces. In 1610 he was deputed one of the three 1690 in favour of his son, Abafli II., but the ambassadors extraordinary to England, to settle Austrians conquered him; and incorporated the marriage between the Princess Mary and Transylvania with the Austrian empire. D. 1713. Prince William, the Stadtholder's son. ABAKA KHAN, a-ba-ka' kan, eighth emperor the Hague, 1572; D. 1641.-Some other persons of the Moguls of the race of Zingis. He defeated of this name appear in the history of Holland, the king of Bokhara and the Egyptians, who one of whom was governor of Surinam, and was had invaded his dominions. D. 1252. murdered by his soldiers in 1688; another wrote an account of his travels in Spain. B. at AARTGENS, aart'-jens, a Dutch artist who gained some fame, but died poor in consequence of his dissipated habits. B. 1:93; D. 1561. AARTSEN, aart-sen, an artist of Holland, born at Amsterdam, who was eminent for his power of depicting vulgar subjects, and for the minute finish of his pictures. B. 1507; D. 1575. ABA, or ALBON, a'-ba, king of Hungary, who involved his country in perpetual wars, and cruelly oppressed his subjects. He was put to death in 1011. ABACCO, Antonio, ab-ak-ko, an architect and engraver, and pupil of San Gallo. He published engravings of the antiquities of Rome, and of plans from St. Peter's in that city, after designs by San Gallo. Flourished about 1558. ABACO, a-ba-ko'. There were two individuals of this name, who lived in the eighteenth century, and who were celebrated, both as composers of music and players on the violin and violon cello. ABAD I., a'-bad, who, at first governor of Seville, afterwards declared himself independent, and erected his states into a monarchy, 1015. Ile was about to add Cordova to his kingdom, when stayed by death in 1011. ABAD II., son of the above, but superior to him in reputation, aimed at the subjugation of the whole of Southern Spain, of which he succeeded to the sovereignty of a considerable portion; but his indolence and love of pleasure frustrated his ambitious designs. He had at one time 800 females in his harem; and this, and building many palaces and but few mosques, greatly scandalized the faithful Moslem. He was a poet and man of letters. B. 1002; D. 1069, of grief for the loss of a favourite daughter. ABAD III., who succeeded his father Abad II., was subject to singularly diversified fortunes. At the very beginning of his reign, he lost his principal cities, Seville and Cordova, from which blow, however, he recovered. He then made an alliance with Alfonso VI. of Leon, but found the Christian king a dangerous ally, and invited into Spain, Yussef-Ben-Taxtyn,greatestofthedynasty of the Almoravides, who, however, proved even worse than Alfonso; for after defeating the latter on the plains of Zalaca, he compelled Abad to the humiliation of being his tributary. The latter made an attempt to shake off his dependence, but was defeated, expelled from his dominions, and sent a prisoner to Africa, where he suffered great hardships from poverty and neglect. Nevertheless, he bore his privations with resignation and fortitude for above five ABAMOUTI, a-ba-moo'-te, a Neapolitan, B. 1763. Was a liberal in politics, and a member of the executive when Ferdinand IV. left Naples in 1806. He retired from office on the restoration of the monarchy. ABANO, Piedro di, a-ba-no, a learned Italian, who first studied at Padua, and afterwards at Paris. He travelled in England and Scotland, whence he was recalled to take the professorship of medicine at Padua on its becoming vacant. He was not only an astronomer, but an astrologist, and had some pretensions to magic. In 1315, for the second time, he was brought before the Inquisition, on account of his doctrines, but died before the inquiry was completed. B. at Abano, 1250; D. 1316. ABANTIDAS, al'-an-ti-das, made himself mas. ter of Sicyon, after he had murdered Clinias, the father of Aratus. He was himself assassinated soon after, 267 B.C. ABARCA, Maria de, ab'-ar-ka, a Spanish lady who, in the middle of the 17th century, distin guished herself by the excellence of the portraits she painted. She was contemporary with Velasquez and Rubens, who held her in much esteem. The date of her death is not known. ABARCA, Don Jouquin, a Spanish ecclesiastic, bishop of Leon, who supported Don Carlos in his attempt to gain the Spanish crown, 1831-9, and became one of the chiefs of his party. He was banished from Spain in 1839, and died near Turin in 1811. B. 1750. ABARIS, ab-u-ris, the Hyperborean, a personage of antiquity, of whose learning and accomplishments several writers speak highly, but from what country he came is an undecided question. Some say he was of Scythia, and others of the western islands of Scotland. The Greeks say that he rode through the air on a sacred arrow, which he gave to Pythagoras, in return for the instructions he received from that philosopher. ABARUS, a-bair-us, an Arabian prince, who perfidiously deserted Crassus in his expedition against Parthia. ABASCAL, José Fernando, a-bas'-kal, a Spanish General who was long engaged in the service of his country, in the West Indies and in South America. He was governor of Peru from 1804 to 1816, and preserved that fine province to the mother country when her other possessions in America threw off their dependence. He was unable, however, ultimately to withstand the tide of rebellion, and was recalled by Ferdinand VII. B. 1743; D. 1821. ABATE, Andrea, a-bat, a famous painter of fruit and still life. B. at Naples; D. 1732. |