Bentley. flament without fpectacles; and he died of a young man's diforder, a pleuretic fever. He was of a large and robuft frame of body, and of ftrong features. Thefe gave a dignity, perhaps a feverity, to his afpect, which probably heightened the opinion many had conceived of the haughtinefs and roughnefs of his temper. But, in fact, he was of fo tender a difpofition, that he never read a touching story without tears. It was not, indeed, till after he had been afflicted with a flight paralytic ftroke, that this particular effect of the foftnefs of his nature was in every cafe apparent; fo that it may poffibly be imputed, in fome degree, to his diforder. It is, however, certain, that previous to that event, he was endued with great tendernefs and fenfibility. In the contest about the vifitatorial power, when he met Bishop Moore, he was fo ftruck with feeing his old friend appear in a hoftile manner against him, that he fainted away in the court.

66

When we confider the great abilities and uncommon erudition of which Dr Bentley was poffeffed, it reflects fome difgrace on our country, fays Dr Kippis, that even his literary reputation fhould be fo long treated with contempt; that he fhould be represented as a mere verbal critic, and as a pedant without genius. The unjuft light in which he was placed, was not entirely owing to the able men who oppofed him in the Boylean controverfy; it arofe, perhaps, principally from the poets engaging on the fame fide of the queftion, and making him the object of their fatire and ridicule. The flashing Bentley" of Pope will be remembered and repeated by thoufands who know nothing of the Doctor's real merit. Having mentioned this epithet, we fhall add the candid note of the poet's right reverend editor. "This great man, with all his faults, deserved to be put into better company. The following words of Cicero defcribe him not amifs: "Habuit a natura genus quoddam acuminis, quod etiam arte limaverat, quod erat in reprehendis verbis verfutum et folers; fed fæpe ftomachofum, nonnunquam frigidum, interdum etiam facetum." In the fourth book of the Dunciad, Mr Pope introduces our critic at greater length, and with ftill greater feverity. Perhaps it may be found, that the afperity of Mr Pope was not entirely owing to the combination of certain wits and poets against Dr Bentley, but to perfonal refentment. We are told that Bishop Atterbury, having Bentley and Pope both at dinner with him, infifted on knowing what opinion the Doctor entertained of the English Homer. He for fome time eluded the queftion: but at last, being urged to speak out, he said, "The verfes are good verfes, but the work is not Homer, it is Spondanus." It muft, indeed, be acknowledged, that one caufe of Dr Bentley's having enemies, was his not always bearing his faculties with fufficient meeknefs. He appears to have had a confiderable degree of literary pride, and to have spoken of himself and others with uncommon freedom. Mr Whiston informs us of the Doctor's having faid, "That when he himself fhould be dead, Waffe would be the most learned man in England." Dr Salter, who was extremely devoted to the memory of Dr Bentley, confeffed that he was remarkable for his faftus, especially towards his equals, and for fpeaking highly of himself. But at the fame time, he is defcribed by Dr Salter as having been a very amiable and pleasant man in private life, and as VOL. III. Part 1.

poffeffing much good nature, though he hath been o- Bentley, therwife reprefented. This account agrees with the moft authentic information from different quarters. It is related of Dr Bentley, that he used to pull off his hat to the younger ftudents, but would not do it to the fellows of his college. Being asked the reason for making this difference, he answered, "That the young ones might come to fomething; but for the others, they never could be good for any thing."

The Doctor's principal works, befides those already mentioned, were, 1. His animadverfions and remarks on the poet Callimachus. 2. Annotations on the two firft Comedies of Ariftophanes. 3. Emendations, &c. on the Fragment of Menander and Philemon. 4. Remarks upon Collins'sdifcourfe of Free-thinking. 5. Beautiful and correct editions of Horace, Terence, Phædrus, and Milton, with notes.

In 1721 he published Propofals for printing a new edition of the Greek Teftament, and St Hierom's Latin verfion; in which edition he intended to make no ufe of any manufcript that was not at least 1000 years old. Upon thefe proposals Dr Middleton publifhed fome remarks; and the work never made its appearance. "If Dr Middleton's attack contributed to this event (Dr Kippis obferves), he certainly did no little differvice to the cause of facred literature. The completion of Dr Bentley's noble undertaking was the principal employment of the latter part of his life. He had collected and collated all the manufcripts of Europe to which accefs could be obtained. For this purpofe, his nephew Thomas Bentley, LL. D. well known in the republic of letters, travelled through Europe at his uncle's expence. The work was of fuch magnitude, that he found it neceffary, for the first time, to pu blifh propofals for printing it by fubfcription. The whole was completed for publication; and he had received 2000 l. in part of the fubfcription, all of which he returned to the fubfcribers when he took the refo lution of not letting it appear in the world during his own life. The work is now in the poffeffion of his executor Dr Richard Bentley, one of the fenior fellows of Trinity College, and rector of Nailston near Ashby in Leicestershire; and it is hoped that at fome future period it may yet fee the light. Other valuable remains of Dr Bentley are fill in existence; fome of which are in the hands of his executor, and fome in thofe of Mr Cumberland his grandfon. The latter gentleman is poffeffed of the Doctor's claffic books, with his marginal notes. From these notes Mr Cumberland hath published an edition of Lucan; which, though not perfect throughout, is full and complete with regard to the four first books. The fame gentleman has a Homer of our great critic's, with many marginal notes and corrections, preparatory to an edi tion of it which he intended to have given. Dr Bentley's critical correfpondence with his numerous literary acquaintance, which must be very inftructive and entertaining, is not only preferved, but defigned to be laid before the public."

The Doctor's publication of Milton, it is faid, was owing to Queen Caroline. Her Majefty reprefented to him that he had printed no edition of an English claffic, and urged him to undertake Milton. His notes upon this great poet have been the worst received of any of his critical performances, The learned Bishop

Newton

Benzoin Newton fpeaks of them with confiderable feverity, intermixed, however, with fome applaufe.

Berberis.

BENZOIN, in materia medica, a concrete refinous juice, obtained from a fpecies of ftyrax. See STYRAX. BERAMS, a coarse cloth, all made with cottonthread, which comes from the Eaft Indies, and particularly from Surat.

BERAR, a province of Afia, in the dominions of the Great Mogul, near the kingdom of Bengal. It abounds in corn, rice, pulfe, and poppies, from which laft they extract opium; and fugar-canes grow almost without cultivation. The capital town is called Shapour.

BERAUM, a royal city of Bohemia, and capital of a circle of the fame name. E. Long. 14. 25. N. Lat.

5.0. 2.

BERAY, a town of Normandy in France, fituated in W. Long. 1. 20. N. Lat. 49. 6.

BERBERIS, the BARBERRY, or pipperidge bush: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the hexandria clafs of plants; the characters of which are: The calyx confifts of fix leaves; the petals are fix, with two glands at the ungues; it has no ftylus; and the berry contains two feeds.

Species. 1. The vulgaris, or common barberry, grows naturally in hedges in many parts of England, as alfo in fome parts of Scotland; but is alfo cultivated in gardens on account of its fruit, which is pickled and ufed for garnishing difhes. It rifes to the height of eight or ten feet, with many stalks, which have a white bark, yellow on the infide. The ftalks and branches are armed with fharp thorns, which commonly grow by threes; the leaves are oval, obtufe, and flightly fawed on their edges. The flowers come out from the wings of the leaves in fmall ramofe bunches, like thofe of the currant bush, and are of a yellow colour; thefe are fucceeded by oval fruit, which are at firft green, but when ripe turn to a fine red colour. The flowers appear in May, and the fruit ripens in September. There are two or three varieties of this fhrub, which by fome have been taken for diftinct fpecies; one is the barberry without ftone; another, the barberry with white fruit; and a third is called by Tournefort taller eaftern barberry, with a black sweet fruit. Of thefe Mr Miller obferves, that the firft certainly depends on the age of the plant; because the fuckers taken from those bushes commonly produce fruit with flones: the fecond, he fays, feldom bears any fruit; the leaves are of a lighter green colour, and the bark of the stalks are whiter than thofe of the common'kind: the third appears to be the fame with the common fort, excepting the colour and flavour of its fruit, which can never indicate a fpecific difference. 2. The canadenfis, is a native of that country from whence it takes its name, and was formerly much more common in British gardens than at prefent. The leaves are much broader and fhorter than thofe of the common fort, and the fruit is black when ripe. 3. The cretica, with a fingle flower in cach footstalk, is at present very rare in Britain; the plants being tender whilft young, and most of them killed by fevere froft. This never rifes more than three or four feet high in Britain; but fends out many stalks from the root, which are ftrongly armed with fpines at every joint: the leaves are produced without order, and are shaped like thofe of the narrow-leaved box

tree: the flowers come out from between the leaves, each having a flender footstalk; but they are not fucceeded by fruit in Britain.

Culture. The first fort is generally propagated by fuckers, which are fent out in great plenty from the root; but fuch plants are very apt to fend out fuckers in greater plenty than thofe that are propagated by layers; fo the latter method is preferable. The beft time for laying down the branches is in the autumn, when the leaves begin to fall: the young fhoots of the fame year are the best for this purpofe; these will be well rooted by the next autumn, when they may be taken off, and planted where they are defigned to remain. Where this plant is cultivated for its fruit, it fhould be planted fingle, not in hedges as was formerly the practice; the fuckers fhould be every autumn taken away, and the grofs fhoots pruned out: by this means the fruit will be much fairer and in greater plenty than on those that are fuffered to grow wild. The other forts may be propagated in the fame manner; only the third fhould be planted in pots, and fheltered as foon as the young fhoots are taken off, till the plants have acquired ftrength, when they may be turned out, and planted in a warm fituation.

Medicinal and other qualities. The berries, which are fo acid that birds will not feed upon them, are moderately aftringent; and have been given with fuccefs in bilious fluxes, and difeafes proceeding from heat, acrimony, and thinnefs of the juices. Among the Egyptians barberries are ufed in fluxes and in malignant fevers, for abating heat, quenching thirt, raifing the ftrength, and preventing putrefaction: the fruit is macerated for a day and a night, in about 12 times its quantity of water, with the addition of a little fennel feed, or the like, to prevent offence to the ftomach; the liquor ftrained off, and fweetened with fugar or fyrup of citrons, is given the patient liberally to drink. Profper Alpinus, from whofe treatife De Medicina Egyp torum Dr Lewis extracted this account, informs us, that he took this medicine himself with happy fuccefs, in a peftilential fever accompanied with an immoderate bilious diarrhoea. The leaves alfo are gratefully acid. The flowers are offenfive to the fmell when near, but at a diftance their odour is extremely fine. An infufion of the bark in white-wine is purgative. The roots boiled in ley dye wool yellow. In Poland they dye leather of a moft beautiful yellow with the bark of the root. The inner bark of the stems dyes linen of a fine yellow with the affistance of alum. This fhrub fhould never be permit ted to grow in corn lands; for the ears of wheat that grow near it never fill, and its influence in this respect has been known to extend across a field of 300 or 400 yards. Cows, fheep, and goats, eat it; horfes and fwine refuse.

BERBICE, a river of Terra Firma in America, which falls into the North Sea, in S. Lat. 6. 30. This is the only river in the country, and waters a great number of plantations of cotton, &c. belonging to the Dutch.

BERCARIA, BERQUERIA, or Berkeria, in middle-age writers, denotes a fheep-fold, fheep-cote, fheeppen, or other inclofure, for the fafe keeping a flock of fheep.-The word is abbreviated from berbicaria; of berbex, detorted from vervex. Hence alfo a shepherd was denominated berbicarius and berquarius.

BERCHEROIT,

Bercheroft

rianifm.

truth and reality of the body and blood of Chrift in Berenice. the eucharift. The denomination took its rife from Berengarius, archdeacon and fcholiafticus of the church of St Mary at Anjou about the year 1035, who maintained, that the bread and wine, even after confecration, do not become the true body and blood of our Lord, but only a figure and fign thereof.

Berengarianifm was ftrenuously oppofed by Lanfranc, Guitmond, Adelmannus, Albericus, &c. Divers fy. nods were held, wherein the author was condemned at Rome, Versailles, Florence, Tours, &c. He retracted, and returned again more than once; figned three feveral Catholic confeffions of faith; the firft in the second council of Rome, the fecond in the third, and the third in the fourth council of the fame city. But he ftill relapfed to his former opinion when the ftorm was over; though Mabillon maintains he foon recovered from his fourth fall, and died an orthodox Catholic in 1088.

BERCHEROIT, or BERKOITS, a weight ufed at Archangel, and in all the Ruffian dominions, to weigh Berenga fuch merchandizes as are heavy and bulky. It weighs about 164 lib. English avoirdupois weight. BERCHEM, or BERGHEM, (Nicholas), an excellent painter, was a native of Haerlem, and born in 1624. He received inftructions from several very eminent mafters; and it was no fmall addition to their fame that Berchem was their scholar. The charming pictures of cattle and figures by this admirable mafter are juftly held in the highest eftimation. He has been fingularly happy in having many of them finely engraved by John VISSCHER, an artist of the first rank. Berchem had an eafy expeditious manner of painting, and an inexpreffible variety and beauty in the choice of fites for his landscapes; executing them with a furprifing degree of neatnefs and truth. He poffeffed a clearness and ftrength of judgment, and a wonderful power and ease in expreffing his ideas; and although his fubjects were of the lower kind, yet his choice of nature was judicious, and he gave to every fubject as much of beauty and elegance as it would admit. The leafing of his trees is exquifitely and freely touched; his skies are clear; and his clouds float lightly, as if fupported by air. The distinguishing characters of the pictures of Berchem are, the breadth and juft diftribution of the lights; the grandeur of his mafles of light and fhadow; the natural eafe and fimplicity in the attitudes of his figures, expreffing their feveral characters; the juft degradation of his diftances; the brilliancy and harmony, as well as the tranfparence, of his colouring; the correctness and true perfpective of his defign; and the elegance of his compofition; and where any of thofe mats are wanting, no authority ought to be fufficient to afcribe any picture to him. He painted every part of his fubjects fo extremely well, as to render it difficult to determine in which he excelled moft; his trees, buildings, waters, rocks, hills, cattle, and figures, being all equally admirable.

BERCHETT (Peter), an eminent hiftory-painter, was born in France in 1659, and at the age of 18 was employed in the royal palaces. He came to England in 1681, to work under Rambour, a French painter of architecture; but, after ftaying a year, returned to Marli. He came again, and was fent by King William to the palace he was building at Loo, where he was employed 15 months; and then came a third time to England, where he had fufficient business. We are informed by Mr Walpole, that he then painted the ceiling of the chapel of Trinity college, Oxford, the ftaircafe at the Duke of Schomberg's in Pall-Mall, and the summer-house at Ranelagh. His drawings in the academy were much approved. Towards the clofe of his life he retired to Marybone, where he painted only fmall pieces of fabulous hiftory, and died there in January 1720.

BERDASH, in antiquity, was a name formerly ufed in England for a certain kind of neck-drefs; and hence a perfon who made or fold fuch neck-cloths was called a berdafher, from which is derived our word ha berdasher.

BERECYNTHIA, the mother of the gods, in the Pagan theology.

BERENGARIANISM, a name given by ecclefiaftical writers to the opinion of those who deny the

BERENICE, daughter of Ptolemy Auletes king of Egypt, fucceeded her father before his death. This banished prince implored the affiftance of the Romans. Pompey reftored him. Berenice, to fupport herself ou the throne, allured a prince, whofe name was Seleucus, defcended from the kings of Syria, and admitted him to her nuptial bed, and to her fceptre. She was foon weary of him, and put him to death. She next caft her eye on Archelaus, who married her, and put himfelf at the head of her troops to repulfe the Romans. He was killed in a battle. Ptolemy returned to Alexandria and put his rebellious daughter to death.

BERENICE, wife of Ptolemy Evergetes king of Egypt, cut off her hair in purfuance of a vow, and confecrated it in the temple of Venus. This depofit being afterwards loft, Connon the mathematician, in com pliment to her, declared that the queen's locks had been conveyed to heaven, and composed those seven stars near the tail of the bull, called to this day coma Bere

nices.

BERENICE, daughter of Coftobarus and of Salome fifter to Herod the Great, was married firft to Ariftobulus, fon of the fame Herod and Mariamne. He having a brother who married the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia, often upbraided Berenice that he was married below himself in wedding her. Berenice related all these difcourfes to her mother, and exafperated her fo furiously, that Salome, who had much power over Herod's mind, made him fuspect Ariftobulus, and was the principal caufe that urged this cruel father to get rid of him. She married again; and having loft her fecond husband, went to Rome, and got into the favour of Auguftus. But, above all, she infinuated herself into the good graces of Antonia, the wife of Drufus, which in the end proved of great fervice to Agrippa.

BERENICE, grand-daughter of the preceding, and daughter of Agrippa I. king of Judea, has been much talked of on account of her amours. She was betrothed to one Marcus, but he died before the marriage. Soon after, fhe married his uncle Herod, who at the defire of Agrippa, both his brother and father-in-law, was created king of Chalcis by the emperor Claudius. She loft her husband in the 8th year of the emperor Claudius; and in her widowhood, it was rumoured fhe committed inceft with her brother Agrippa. To put Z 2

a

Berg.

Berenice a ftop to this report, fhe offered herfelf in marriage to Polemon king of Cilicia, provided he would change his religion. He accepted her offers, was circumcifed, and married her. Berenice foon left him to follow her own ways, and he abandoned Judaism to return to his former religion. She was always very well with her brother Agrippa, and feconded him in the defign of preventing the defolation of the Jews. She got Titus into her fnares; but the murmurs of the Roman people hindering her from becoming his wife, there remained nothing for her but the title of miftrefs or concubine of the emperor. The French flage, in the 17th century, refounded with the amours of Titus and Berenice. BERENICE (anc. geog.), the name of feveral cities, particularly of a celebrated port-town on the Sinus Arabicus Now Suez; which fee.

BERENICE's Hair, Coma Berenices. See BERENICE. BERE-REGIS, a town in Dorfetfhire in England, in W. Long. 2. 15. N. Lat. 50. 40.

BERESOW, a devifion of the province of Tobolfk in Siberia. It is bounded on the north by the ftraits of Waigatz, on the east by a large bay of the frozen ocean which runs into the land towards the fouth, and at the 65th degree of latitude feparates into two arms; one of which is called the Obfkaia-Guba, or Oby-bay; and the other Tazowfkaia-Guba, or the bay of Tazow. The river Oby empties itself into the former, and the Taz into the latter. This diftrict was under the Ruffian dominion long before the other parts of Siberia were conquered, being reduced by the Czar Gabriel fo early as the year 1530.

BEREWICHA, or BEREWICA, in our old writers, denotes a village or hamlet belonging to fome town or manor, fituate at fome diftance therefrom.-The word frequently occurs in Doomfday-book: Ifta funt berewichæ ejufdem manerii.

BERG, a duchy of Germany, in the circle of Weftphalia. It is bounded on the north by the duchy of Cleves, on the weft by the county of Mark and the duchy of Weftphalia, on the fouth by Wefteravia, and on the eaft by the diocefe of Cologne, from which it is feparated by the Rhine. It is about 150 miles in length, and 24 in breadth. It is very fruitful along the Rhine, but mountainous and woody towards the county of Mark. It is fubject to the elector Palatine, but his right is difputed by Pruffia and Saxony. The principal town is Duffeldorp; and the principal rivers, befides the Rhine, are the Wipper, Agger, and Sieg.

BERG (St Winox), a town of the Low Countries, in the country of Flanders, fortified by Vauban, and fubject to France. It is feated on the river Colme, fix miles from Dunkirk, and 21 from Ypres. The air is often very unwhole fome, efpecially to ftrangers. It has an hofpital for foldiers, taken care of by friars called Bons Fieux, and two feminaries for young ftudents. The river Colme ferves instead of a canal to go to Hondshot, St Omer's, and Gravelines. There is likewise another canal to go to Dunkirk. The villages in its territory are very famous for butter and cheese, of which they send a great quantity to Flanders. Fort Lapin and Fort Suiffe are within a cannon's fhot of this place, and Fort St Francis is feated on the canal, near three miles from the town.. E. Long. 2. 35. N. Lat. 50. 57

BERG-ZABERN, a town of France in Alface. E. Bergamafco Long. 7. 55. N. Lat. 49. 4. Bergamot,

BERG-Gruin, in natural hiftory, the name of an earth ufed in painting, and properly called green okre, tho' not known among the colour-men under that name. It is found in many parts of Germany, Italy, and England, commonly in the neighbourhood of copper-mines, from particles of which metal it receives its colour. In many parts of Germany, they have a purer kind of this, diftinguished by no peculiar name, but feparated by art from the waters draining from the copper-mines, and differing no otherwife from this native fubftance, than as the washed okres of Oxfordshire, &c. do from thefe fent us in their natural condition. The characters by which the native kind is known from other green earths, are thefe: it is a denfe compact fubftance, confiderably heavy, and of a pale but not difagreeable green; of a rough and uneven, but not duty furface, and fomewhat unctuous to the touch. It adheres firmly to the tongue; does not break eafily between the fin gers; nor at all stains the hands. It is of a brackish difagreeable taste, and does not ferment with acids.

BERGAMASCO, a province of Italy, in the territory of Venice. It is bounded on the east by the Breffan, on the north by the Valteline, on the weft and fouth by the Milanefe. It extends about 36 leagues from north to fouth, and 30 from east to weft. It is watered by feveral rivers which render it very fertile, and particularly it produces a great number of chefnuts. It has mines of iron, and quarries of marble, and other ftones of which they make milftones. There are a great number of villages, but no city except Bergamo the capital. The people are very induftrious, and make the beft of their natural productions. They are well flocked with cattle, and make fine tapeftry. Their language is the molt corrupt of any in Italy.

BERGAMO (James Philip de), an Auguftin. monk, born at Bergamo in 1434, wrote in Latin a Chronicle from the creation of the world to the year 1503, and a Treatife of Illuftrious Women. He died in 1518.

BERGAMO, anciently Bergomum, a large and ftrong town of Italy, in the Venetian territory, and capital of the province of Bergamafco. It has a ftrong citadel, and is the fee of a bishop. Its fituation near the Alps makes the inhabitants fubject to fwellings in their throats, owing to the badness of the Alpine waters. E. Long. 9. 38. N. Lat. 45.42.

BERGAMOT, a fpecies of citron, produced at firft cafually by an Italian's grafting a citron on the ftock. of a bergamot pear-tree, whence the fruit produced by this union participated both of the citron-tree and the pear-tree. The fruit hath a fine tafte and fmell, and its effential oil is in high esteem as a perfume. The eflence of Bergamot is alfo called effentia de cedra. It is extracted from the yellow rind of the fruit by firft cutting it in fmall pieces, then immediately fqueezing the oil out of them into a glafs veffel. This liquor is an etherial oil. A water is diftilled from the peel as follows: Take the outer rind of three bergamots, a gallon of pure proof-fpirit, and four pints of pure wa ter; draw off a gallon in a balneum mariæ, then add as much of the beft white fugar as will be agreeable. Or take of the effence of bergamot three drams and a

half,