Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

308

BUCHAREST-BUCHARIA.

moval of the British ambassador from Constantinople. Upon this, the Porte proke off the negotiations, and in April, 1809, the war was renewed. The Russians advanced to Bulgaria, and, after two bloody campaigns, remained masters of the Danube. The Porte now offered terms of peace. A congress was opened at B. in Dec., 1811. Napoleon soon after turned his arms against Russia, and concluded an alliance with Austria, March 14, 1812, by which both powers guarantied the integrity of the Porte. He also did all in his power to induce the Porte to continue the war. But the interposition of Great Britain and Sweden, as well as the concessions of Russia, and the distrust of the Porte towards Napoleon, brought to a conclusion the peace of B., which was signed, on the part of the Russians, by Andri Italinski, Sabanejeff, and Jos. Fonton, May 28. The Porte gave up to Russia all Bessarabia and a third of Moldavia, with the fortresses of Choczim, Bender, Ismail and Kilia, so that the Pruth, as far as to its confluence with the Danube, became the boundary between the two powers, and from thence the left bank of the Danube as far as Kilia, and even to its entrance into the Black sea. The Russians gave back the remainder of their conquests. In Asia, the boundaries were established as before the war. The Porte granted the Servians, who had fought for their independence as allies of the Russians, a full amnesty, with the right of administering their internal affairs themselves, and of raising, in the way which they should judge best, the small tax which the Porte imposed upon them. The Servians, however, would not accept these conditions, and continued the contest, but were soon overpowered by the Turks.

BUCHARIA, GREAT; a country of Central Asia, lying between the parallels of 35° and 44° N. lat., and from 60° to 72° E. lon. It comprehends the three provinces of Bucharia Proper, Samarcand and Balkh, corresponding to the country of the nomade Scythians, Sogdiana and Bactriana of ancient geography. It forms the south-eastern part of Tartary, and, being occupied chiefly by the Usbeck Tartars (q. v.), is sometimes called Usbeckistan. The original inhabitants, or Taujiks, a Persian colony, are handsomer than the Tartars, and still speak the Persian language. They live in cities, and carry on a trade with Russia, China, Hindostan and Persia. There are also many Jews in the country. The rivers are the

Gihon or Oxus, the Sir, or Jaxartes, and the Sogd. The Bucharians or Taujiks lead a frugal life, their food consisting chiefly of rice, wheat, millet, and, above all, fruits, such as melons, grapes and apples: they are fond of horse-flesh, but it is expensive, and beef is more used. Tea and wine, the former flavored with anise, are their principal drink: they intoxicate themselves with opium, and their bread is not fermented. Besides these articles, which, except tea, are produced in the country, the principal vegetable productions are the Judas tree, the rhubarb, assafoetida, &c. B. is supposed to be the native country of the camel, and a large, shaggy variety, called luk, has the peculiarity of blowing a large bladder from its mouth when it utters a cry. Other varieties of the camel, and dromedaries, fine horses, and asses, of various sorts, abound. Sheep and cows are scarce. Several rare birds are found here, particularly the tetrao paradoxus. This bird resembles the partridge of the desert, except in the structure of its feet, which consist of one large toe, placed between two diminutive ones, resting on a hard sole, and enabling it to run with great speed over the dry, gritty sand. The province of Balkh, which is described by geographers as forming a part of B., lies on the south of the Oxus, and belongs, at present, to the Afghans. The two provinces on the north of that river form the Transoxana, famous in Arabian and Tartar history, under the Arabian name Maweralnahr (beyond the river), where Timur received the homage of so many conquered princes. His descendants were driven out by the Tartars in the 15th century. The government, as in other Mohammedan states, is despotic. The population, extent and revenue of the state have not been ascertained. (Eversmann's Reise nach Buchara, Berlin, 1823; Elphinstone's Caubul; Meyendorf's Journal (in French), Paris, 1826.) Bucharia, or Bochara, a large and populous city, has often disputed with Samarcand the title of capital. Its population has been stated at from 100,000 to 200,000. The streets are so narrow, that a loaded camel fills the space from side to side. The houses are low, and built of mud and brick. The number of mosques is said to be 360, and that of medreses, or schools, 285. It has always been distinguished for the study of theology and Mohammedan law. B. is the commercial emporium of Central Asia for the Hindoos, Afghans, Persians, Russians, Chinese and Arabians. The trade is carried on by caravans, and there are

BUCHARIA-BUCKINGHAM.

10 large caravansaries in the city. The caravans bring Russian and English manufactures from the Russian towns, and return silk, wool, Cashmere shawls, indigo, &c. About 500 camels bring silk and woollen cloths, shawls, &c. from Meschid and Herat, and Russian manufactures are carried back in return. China ware and tea from Cashgar, and shawls, calicoes, muslins, from Caubul and Cashmere, are the other principal articles of import.-A description of the city is contained in the work of Meyendorf, above referred to, who was attached to the Russian mission to B. in 1820.

Bucharia, Little, as it is improperly called, lies east of Great B., stretching from 73° to 100° E. lon., and from 38° to 44° N. lat. It is very imperfectly known, but appears to be bounded on the north and east by the Calmuck country, on the south by Thibet, and on the west is separated from Great Bucharia by the Beloor mountains. It is a very elevated country, forming a portion of the great central plateau of Asia, which constitutes a sixth part of the old continent, yet shrouds from the curious philosopher its mineral, animal and vegetable productions. The climate is very rigorous, owing to the great elevation of the country. It was overrun, in 1683, by the Calmucks, who were subdued by the Chinese in 1759. Little is known of the origin and manners of the native inhabitants, who still form the principal part of the population. The divisions into provinces are very differently stated by different authors. Cashgar, with a town of the same name, Yarkand, also with a town of the same name, which, by some, is thought to be the capital of Little B., if, indeed, Yarkand is not merely another name for Cashgar, and the other provinces, are little known. Both sexes wear long drawers, and a garment reaching to the calf, bound round the waist by a girdle. The women dye their nails with henna. The houses are chiefly of stone, and furnished with articles of Chinese manufacture. Tea is the general beverage, taken, in the manner of Central Asia, with milk, butter and salt.

BUCHER, Anthony von, a well known and much esteemed Catholic writer against the Jesuits, born in Múnich, Jan. 8, 1746, was educated in the Latin schools of the Jesuits, studied at Ingoldstadt, and was consecrated priest in 1768. In his different offices as a public teacher, he has done a great deal to instruct and enlighten his country. His contributions to the history of the Jesuits in Bavaria (Beiträge

309

zur Geschichte der Jesuiten in Baiern) are of great historical value. His works were published in 6 vols., Münich, 1819 et seq.

BUCHHOLZ, Paul Ferdinand Frederic; born, Feb. 5, 1768, at Altruppin (Old Ruppin). At the age of 32, he resigned the office of teacher at Brandenburg, and went to Berlin, where, for 21 years, he has been an author. He is best known to foreign countries as the publisher of the New Monthly Journal for Germany. In many of his writings, he tries to prove the existence of a law of gravitation in the moral as well as the natural world.

BUCK; the male of the fallow deer, also of rabbits and other animals. (See Deer, Rabbit, &c.)

BUCKEBURG. (See Lippe.)

BUCKETS, in water-wheels, are a series of cavities into which the water is delivered, on the circumference of the wheel to be set in motion. By the revolution of the wheel, the buckets will be alternately erected so as to receive water, and inverted so as to discharge it; the loaded side will descend, and present the empty buckets in succession to the current, and thus keep up a constant revolution of the wheel.

The

BUCKINCK, Arnold, the first artist who engraved geographical maps on copper. He brought this art to a high degree of perfection. Schweynheym, who had learnt the secret of printing from the inventors, Faustus and Schoeffer, wished to publish an edition of Ptolemy. Wood cuts were too imperfect for the maps contained in the expensive manuscripts of it. Sweynheym determined to engrave them on copper, and, for that purpose, associated himself with B. former died during the progress of the work. B. completed it. The first edition of Ptolemy with maps (for the edition of 1468 is certainly dated wrong) at length appeared in folio, at Rome, 1478, and concluded as follows: Claudii Ptolemæi Alexandrini philosophi geographiam, Arnoldus Buckinck e Germania Romæ tabulis aneis in picturis formatam impressit sempiterno ingenii artificiique monumento, &c. These charts are also added to some Roman editions of Ptolemy published afterwards.

BUCKINGHAM, George Villiers, duke of; the unworthy favorite of James I and Charles I of England; born, 1592, at Brookesby, in Leicestershire, of a family which came thither, from Normandy, in the time of William the Conqueror. In his youth, he showed little taste or little

[blocks in formation]

aptitude for literature. Nature had lavishly bestowed upon him beauty, ease and grace. By means of these qualities, he so effectually won the affections of James I, that, in less than two years, he was made a knight, a gentleman of the bedchamber, baron, viscount, marquis of B., lord high-admiral, lord warden of the cinque ports, &c., and, at last, dispenser of all the honors, offices, favors and revenues of the three kingdoms, according to the dictates of his ambition, his cupidity and his caprice. The nation was indignant at seeing merit undervalued, the people trampled upon, the nobility humbled, the crown impoverished and degraded, to elevate and enrich a weak and insolent favorite. To complete the cataTo complete the catalogue of his misdeeds, B. became a traitor in 1623, the eighth year of his favor. He desired to remove the earl of Bristol, an able and virtuous minister, from office. Bristol was then negotiating the marriage of a Spanish princess with the prince of Wales, afterwards Charles I. The design of B. was, not only to reconcile to himself the prince, against whom he had dared to lift his hand in a fit of passion, but also to make him dependent upon himself, that he might secure the continuance of his power, in case of the death of James. He therefore inspired young Charles with the romantic idea of going to Madrid himself, and removing all the difficulties of negotiation by his presence. The king's consent to this measure was gained in an hour of weakness, and, though he was long angry, on this account, with B., he soon after made him a duke. The event was what James had anticipated. While the young prince delighted the royal family and the whole nation by the gentleness and modesty of his manners, B., who accompanied him, offended them by his arrogance and licentiousness. He attained his purpose: the negotiation, which was far advanced by means of Bristol, was broken off; and, that no one else might afterwards complete it with success, he indulged himself in the grossest insults against the Spanish ministry, speedily left the kingdom with the prince, deceived James by false reports, and instigated the parliament to declare, that, instead of forming a connexion with Spain, it was necessary to make war against it, which was accordingly done by James. The house of commons peremptorily refused the requisite supplies, although they had consented to the war. B. connected himself with the Puritan party, and formed the project of

abolishing the episcopal dignity, selling the possessions of the church, and continuing the war with the money raised in this way. Thus the policy, the feelings and conscience of James were betrayed by his favorite, and in the midst of these disorders he died. He had succeeded, indeed, in concluding a treaty for the marriage of his son with Henrietta of France; but had the grief of seeing an English army, which was intended to recover the hereditary dominions of his son-in-law, the unhappy elector palatine Frederic V, ruined by the mismanagement of B., while a union with Spain might have effected a peaceful restoration of the territories. After the death of James, B. continued to be the arbitrary minister of Charles I; but the time had now come for the fulfilment of the prophecy of his former king. After having been declared the savior of the prince and the nation, in the house of commons of the last parliament, B. was declared, by the new one, a seducer of the king, a traitor to the liberty of his country, and a public enemy. This took place during a war which required, more than ever, the fullest harmony with the house of commons. Hence the dissolution of two parliaments, the imprisonment of the members who had been most distinguished for their zeal, illegal taxes and forced loans, instead of supplies granted by parliament, the arbitrary imprisonment of those who refused to pay them; in short, every thing that could conspire to bring a virtuous king to the most fearful end. But B., who had learned, by his disgraceful attempt on Cadiz, that he was unequal to a war against Spain, did not hesitate to engage in a war against France. He had gone to Paris to solemnize, in the name of the king, his marriage with the daughter of Henry IV. Here he dared to raise his eyes to the queen of France. As this princess dismissed him with indulgence rather than indignation, he desired to return to the French court as English ambassador. His rashness, however, did not remain unobserved; and Louis XIII wrote to him to forbid his cherishing the thought of this journey. In order to avenge himself for this prohibition, B. engaged with the Protestants of Rochelle in a war against France. This enterprise, and the assault of the island Rhé (1627), was more disgracefully conducted than the attempt on Cadiz. B., at the same time minister, admiral and general, seemed to make it his object to dishonor himself in all three capacities. After having

BUCKINGHAM-BUCKLER.

excited the people of Rochelle to a sedition, only to deliver them to the vengeance of Richelieu, and after having sacrificed a third of the British army, he returned to England, despised and execrated as much by his fellow-citizens as by his enemies. Pecuniary necessity compelled him to call a new parliament. B. opened it with the declaration, that the king might have done without it, and that, if money was refused, his majesty would find other means to supply his wants. Thus he scattered the seeds of discord between the king and people. In the course of the debates, he was obliged to hear himself called the author of the public distress, while the king's heart was acknowledged to be the sanctuary of all the virtues. Without knowing when to yield and when to resist, he contended most violently against the famous petition of rights; but he suddenly ceased his resistance, when he heard that an impeachment was preparing against him in the house of commons. The complaints against him, however, continued; but the house of commons contented itself, instead of a solemn impeachment, with a petition, that the king would remove him from his person and his council, as the author of the public calamities. The only reply of the monarch was a sudden dissolution of the parliament. Charles resolved to attempt anew the relief of the Protestants of Rochelle. Count Denbigh was appointed to command the expedition, but soon after returned without accomplishing any thing, after having disgraced the banner of England by his inefficiency. The king now ordered B. to put himself at the head of a new armament, which was fitted out with incredible despatch. The duke was obliged to submit to the command, and was on the point of embarking at Portsmouth, when, in Aug., 1628, surrounded by courtiers, guards and soldiers, he fell under the dagger of Felton, a subaltern officer. Thus died a man, whose name suggests the idea of the most unlimited power; who had braved the denunciations of the two houses of parliament, the hatred of Richelieu and Olivarez, and even the displeasure of the two kings in whose names he ruled. At the moment of his death, he had regained the favor of his master by the activity of his zeal, and, confiding in the immense resources with which he was surrounded, was looking forward to victory.

BUCKINGHAM, George Villiers, duke of, son of the preceding, was born at Walfingford-house, in Westminster, Jan. 30,

311

1627. After studying at Trinity college, Cambridge, he travelled abroad, and, on his return home, after the commencement of the civil war, he was presented to the king at Oxford. He served in the royal army, under prince Rupert and lord Gerard. His estate was seized by the parliament; but, having obtained the restoration of it, he travelled, with his brother, into France and Italy. In 1648, he returned to England, and was with Charles II in Scotland, and at the battle of Worcester. He followed that prince abroad, and served, as a volunteer, in the French army in Flanders. He afterwards returned to England, and, in 1657, married the daughter of lord Fairfax, by which means he repaired the ruin of his fortune in the royal cause. He, however, preserved the favor of Charles II, and, at the restoration, was made master of the horse. He also became one of the king's confidential ministers, who were designated by the appellation of the cabal. His political conduct was, like his general behavior, characterized by unprincipled levity and imprudence. In 1666, he engaged in a conspiracy to effect a change of the government; notwithstanding which, he recovered the favor of king Charles, which he repeatedly abused. The profligacy of his private life was notorious. He seduced the countess of Shrewsbury, and killed her husband in a duel; and he was more than suspected of having been the instigator of the infamous colonel Blood to his brutal outrage against the duke of Ormond, whom he attempted, with the assistance of other ruffians, to carry to Tyburn, and hang on the common gallows. In 1676, he was, together with the earls of Shaftesbury and Salisbury, and lord Wharton, committed to the Tower for a contempt, by order of the house of lords; but, on petitioning the king, they were released. After plotting against the government with the Dissenters, and making himself the object of contempt to all parties, he died, neglected and unregretted, at Kirkby Moorside, in Yorkshire, April 16, 1688. Pope (Moral Essays, epistle 3d) has strikingly described his death. His abilities were far superior to those of his father; and, among his literary compositions, the comedy of the Rehearsal may be mentioned as a work which displays no common powers, and which greatly contributed to the correction of the public taste, which had been corrupted by Dryden, and other dramatists of the age.

BUCKLER. (See Shield.)

312

BUCKLER-BUCKMINSTER.

BÜCKLER, John, under the name of institution, and to the excellence of the Schinderhannes, was the leader of a band oration which he delivered on the literary of robbers, on the banks of the Rhine, character of different nations. After leavtowards the end of the last century. ing college, he devoted himself for more Born of indigent parents, he entered into than four years to theology and general the service of an executioner. He stole literature. In Oct., 1804, at Boston, he some skins from his master, and eloped, preached for the first time, and, in the folbut was apprehended, and condemned to lowing year, accepted an invitation from be scourged. This punishment, publicly a religious society in that place, to become inflicted on him, as he himself said, de- their minister. The fatigue and agitation termined the character of his future life. which he suffered at his ordination threw Without knowing what to undertake at him into a severe illness of two months this juncture, he wandered about stealing duration. On his recovery, he devoted sheep. He was a second time brought himself ardently to his clerical duties, but to justice, escaped, and connected him- his zeal aggravated a predisposition to self, at Fink, with Rothbart, the leader of epilepsy, which had been felt some years a band of robbers. Being seized again, before. The increase of this dreadful he again escaped, and returned to his old disorder rendered a voyage to Europe acquaintance. He was apprehended once expedient. He embarked for England more, and escaped anew. He now re- in 1806, remained for some months in solved upon highway robbery, and collect- that country, went through Holland to ed a large band, which soon struck terror Switzerland, and thence proceeded to into all the surrounding country. He Paris, where he passed nearly half a year. was not entirely destitute of good quali- After revisiting England, he returned to his ties. He often assisted the poor, and native land, not, indeed, cured of his malrelieved the distresses of those who were ady, but generally more vigorous in conseverely treated by his band. Political stitution, and enriched with a large addicommotions drove him to the right bank tional store of knowledge. No American of the Rhine, where he married one Ju- of his age had made a more favorable liet Blasius. A song which he composed impression abroad. His parishioners welon her was played at all the fairs and comed him back with enthusiasm, and religious festivals throughout the adjacent he requited their esteem by an admirable country. About this time, his followers discharge of all his duties. His sermons began to rob houses; and carried on their placed him in the first rank of popular lawless trade so publicly, that the Jews, preachers. He also contributed valuable who were most annoyed by them, sent and beautiful papers to the periodical to treat with B. At length Schinderhan- publications of the day, besides preparnes was taken prisoner, and brought to ing a number of occasional addresses of Frankfort. He confessed immediately distinguished merit. In 1808, he superhis true name, and a great part of his intended an American edition of Griescrimes. He was then given up, with his bach's Greek Testament, and wrote much comrades, to the tribunal at Mentz. Here in vindication and praise of this author's he confessed many facts, thinking, that, as erudition, fidelity and accuracy. In 1810, he had never committed murder, he would he digested a plan of publishing all the not be condemned to death. After his best modern versions of the prophetical condemnation, he still continued to hope books of the Old Testament; but the for pardon, and, till the last moment of whole design failed for want of public his life, showed the greatest presence of patronage. In 1811, he was appointed mind. He was guillotined Nov. 21, 1803. the first lecturer on Biblical criticism at BUCKMINSTER, Joseph Stevens, cele- the university of Cambridge, on the founbrated as a pulpit orator and man of dation established by Samuel Dexter. letters, was born at Portsmouth, New While he was laboriously preparing for Hampshire, May 26, 1784. His father the execution of this office, a violent fit was eminent among the clergy of that of epilepsy at once destroyed his noble state, and he himself manifested, in his and affluent intellect, and gave a shock boyhood, such talents and dispositions as to his frame, which he survived only a gave assurance of his success in the same few days. He died June 9, 1812, at the career. In 1797, he entered Harvard completion of his 28th year.-Mr. Buckcollege, Cambridge. In the year 1800, minster possessed a fine face, an easy and he received the honors of the university winning address, a cheerful temper, and with the distinction due to his uncom- the power of gaining a multitude of friends mon proficiency in the studies of the and admirers. In 1814, his sermons were

« ForrigeFortsett »