182 BABEUF BABISM embraced among its members Akbar and Au- rungzebe. He was succeeded by Humayun, the oldest of his three sons. BABECF, or Babcenf, Francois Noel, a French revolutionist, born in St. Quentin in 1764, ex- ecuted at Vend6me, May 27, 1797. He began life as a surveyor's assistant. In his youth he was arrested on account of his subversive theories, and was also imprisoned on a charge of forgery, of which he was acquitted. He professed the fullest sympathy with the revo- lution in 1792, obtained several public offices, and in 1794 established, under the name of Cains Gracchus Babeuf, a journal called Le tribun du peuple, urging the most extreme socialistic action. His followers were called Babouvistes. In March, 1796, he organized a conspiracy for the overthrow of the authori- ties and the constitution, and for carrying his theories into practice by an equal distribution of property. Being betrayed in May, Babeuf and his principal adherents were arrested, and were tried at Vend6me in the follow- ing year. Babeuf and Darth6 were sentenced to death, and attempted to commit suicide, but were still alive when carried to the scaf- fold. Of their accomplices 56 were acquit- ted, and 7 transported, including Buonarotti, who afterward published Conspiration pour Vegalite dite de Babeuf, with an account of the trial (2 vols., Brussels, 1828). Among Ba- beuf s works are: Cadastre perpetuel (Paris, 1789), and Du systeme de depopulation, ou la vie et let crimes de Carrier (1794). Ed. Fleury refuted his theories in Babeuf et le socialisme en 1796 (Paris, 1851). BABINET, Jacques, a French physicist, born at Lusignan, March 5, 1794, died in October, 1872. He was educated at the polytechnic school, taught mathematics, physics, and meteorology, and became a member of the academy and an astronomer in the bureau of longitudes at the Paris observatory. His scientific lectures, cele- brated for their attractive style, were familiarly known in Paris as the causeries du pere Babi- net. He wrote in the annals of the academy and other periodicals on meteorological and mineralogical optics, terrestrial magnetism, the theory of heat, and the measure of chemical forces, and made important improvements in pneumatic machines, in hygrometers, atmome- ters, goniometers, afld in geographical maps (cartes homalograpkiques) ; but his unfortunate predictions in regard to the failure of the At- lantic cable and to various meteorological phe- nomena have been much ridiculed. Among his works is Etudes et lectures sur les sciences d 'observation et sur leurs applications pra- tiques (6 vols., Paris, 1855-'67). BABISGTON, Anthony, an English conspirator, born at Dethick house, Derbyshire, about 1566, executed in London, Sept. 30, 1586. He be- longed to the Roman Catholic branch of an ancient and opulent family, and when hardly 20 years of age became the leader of a band of young Catholics who were fired with enthu- siasm for their faith and for the rescue of Mary Stuart, then a prisoner near the Babington estates. Betrayed by one of their companions, Babington and his 13 accomplices were arrest- ed and executed. On the day before his exe- cution he wrote to Elizabeth, whose murder was a part of the plot, confessing his guilt and imploring pardon. The execution of Mary was hastened by her correspondence with Babington. BABIJVGTON, William, an English physician, born at Portglenone, in the N. of Ireland, in June, 1756, died in Lo'ndon, May 29, 1833. He was early connected with Guy's hospital as an apothecary and lecturer on chemistry, and after 1797 became physician in that institution, and had an extensive medical practice in Lon- don. He laid the foundation of the geological society, and became its vice president and afterward president, making liberal donations to the museum and library. Having purchased the earl of Bute's fine mineralogical collec- tion, he published " A Systematic Arrange- ment of Minerals" (London, 1795), and "A New System of Mineralogy" (1799). Among his other works was a " Syllabus of the Course of Chemical Lectures" (1802). His son-in- law, Richard Bright, M. D., published "Me- moirs of the Life and Writings of William Babington, M. D." BABISM, the doctrines of a Mohammedan sect which originated in Persia about 1843. Its founder appears to have been Mirza Ali Mohammed, a native of Shiraz, who, after mak- ing a pilgrimage to Mecca, undertook to form a new religion from a mixture of Mohamme- dan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsee elements. He took the name of Bab-ed-Din, " the gate of the faith," which he afterward abandoned, calling himself the "Point," or creator of the truth, claiming to be not merely a prophet, but a personal manifestation of the Divinity, while the title of Bab was conferred upon one of his followers. He sent out missionaries in various directions, the most celebrated of whom was a young woman, known in the sect as Gurret-ul- Ayn, or "Consolation of the Eyes." She was the daughter of Hadji Mullah, a distinguished jurist, and is said to have been remarkable for her personal beauty and intelligence. She set the example of appearing in public unveiled, and after preaching against polygamy and other Mohammedan practices, she finally left her hus- band and family, rfnd devoted herself to the propagation of the new religion. Her purity of character was never questioned by either party. The adherents of the Bab soon became numerous. The late shah did not molest them, but on the accession of Nasir-ed-Din in 1848, apprehending a persecution, they took up arms, announcing the advent of the Bab as universal sovereign. Two large armies sent against them were routed, but the insurrection was at last crushed, and the Bab, who had held aloof from the revolt, was arrested. After 18 months' imprisonment he was put to death with one
