446 BEDE His sympathy with the French revolution damaging his position at Oxford, he resigned in 17S>2, utter which he published his work " On the Nature of Demonstrative Evidence, with an Explanation of certain Difficulties con- curring in the Elements of Geometry," in which he claimed, in opposition to ontological theories, that mathematical reasoning depends essentially upon experiment, and proceeds only by evidence of the senses. He anticipated new improvements in medicine from the science of galvanism, which was now arising in Italy ; and in his first medical work, embracing observa- tions on calculus, sea scurvy, consumption, ca- tarrh, and fever, and conjectures on other ob- jects of physiology and pathology, he showed his tendency to found medical science upon chemistry. The most popular of all his works, and that which best reveals his imagination and taste, as well as judgment, was his " His- tory of Isaac Jenkins," written in favor of temperance, for the benefit of the working classes, of which more than 40,000 copies were rapidly sold. He was enabled in 1798 to es- tablish a pneumatic institution at Bristol, with the assistance of his father-in-law, Richard Lovell Edgeworth, and of Thomas Wedgwood. The superintendent of this institution was Hum- phry Davy, then a young man, whose first dis- ' coveries were made here. The numerous pub- lications of Dr. Beddoes at this time had refer- ence to his favorite theory of the efficacy of the permanently elastic fluids, and of the pos- sibility of curing all diseases by breathing a medicated atmosphere. He was especially san- guine in his expectations from the brilliant dis- covery by Davy of the respirability and intoxi- cating qualities of nitrous oxide ; and he issued treatises in rapid succession till near the tune of his death. Dr. Stock published his memoirs in 1811, and Sir Humphry Davy gave him credit for talents " which would have exalted him to the pinnacle of philosophical eminence, if they had been applied with discretion." II. Thomas Lovell, an English poet, son of the preceding and nephew of Maria Edgeworth, born in Clifton, July 20, 1803, died in Basel, Jan. 26, 1849. He was brought up under the care of Mr. Davies Giddy (afterward Sir Davies Gil- bert), and educated at Pembroke college, Ox- ford. " The Bride's Tragedy " (London, 1822), though ill adapted for the stage, was highly praised, and Mr. Beddoes was regarded as a reviver of English tragedy. Discouraged by the unwillingness of managers to produce his plays, he went to Gottingen in 1824 to study medicine, and thenceforward chiefly resided in Germany and Switzerland. Two posthu- mous volumes (London, 1851) contain his tragedies "Death's Jest Book" and the "Sec- ond Brother." BEDE, or Bcda, called the Venerable Bede, a Saxon ecclesiastic, and the earliest historian of England, born probably at Monkton in Durham in 672, died at Girvy, May 26, 735. He was sent in his childhood to the monastery BEDEAU of Saint Peter at Wearmouth, and was edu- cated there under the abbots Benedict Biscop and Ceolfrid. He was made a deacon at the age of 19, and ordained a priest at 30. His learn- ing and ability were remarkable, and he ac- quired a wide reputation as a scholar and writer. William of Malmesbury even says, though the truth of the statement is doubtful, that Pope Sergius sent to Bede's superiors, begging them to request him to go to Rome to enter the immediate service of the pontiff. He did not leave his monastery, however, but spent his whole life at Wearmouth, absorbed in study and in writing. His greatest work, the "Ec- clesiastical History of the English Nation," occupied him for many years, and has re- mained the best and most trusted authority on the early period of which it treats. It was compiled from chronicles, the traditions handed down in the convents, and miscellaneous evi- dence of many kinds ; but it is remarkably free from the exaggerations and distortions which fill the books of many of the later monkish historians. Bede produced a great number of other and smaller works, principally essays and treatises on ecclesiastical matters. His literary activity was extraordinary, and his devotion to his work most enthusiastic. Even during his last illness he continued to dictate to an aman- uensis the conclusion of a translation of the Gospel of St. John (as is supposed) into Anglo- Saxon ; immediately after completing the last sentence he requested his assistant to place him on the floor of his cell, said a short prayer, and expired as the last word passed his lips. Bede's. Historic/, Ecclesiastica was first printed in Ger- many about 1475. There is a copy of this edi- tion in the British museum, and one in Paris. The history was translated from the Latin into Anglo-Saxon by King Alfred, and his version may be found in several English editions, as those of Cambridge, 1644 and 1722. An Eng- lish translation by Thomas Stapleton was pub- lished at Antwerp in 1565. The best modern edition of Bede's Latin text is that of the Eng- lish historical society (1838). A later English version is that of Dr. Giles (London, 1840), who has also published Bede's complete works, as far as extant, in 6 vols. (1843-'4) ; and a new translation appeared in 1871. BEDEiU, Marie Alphonse, a French general, born at Vertou, Aug. 10, 1804, died in Nantes, Oct. 30, 1863. He was the son of a naval officer, was educated at Saint Cyr, distinguished himself at the siege of Antwerp (1832) as aide- de-camp of Generals Ge>ard and Schramm, served in Algeria, and in 1844 became lieuten- ant general and commander of the province of Constantine. He was provisional governor of Algeria from July to October, 1847. Com- manding one of the five columns in Paris charged with the repression of the insurrection of February, 1848, he was accused by Bugeaud of having evinced too little energy, but proved that he had strictly obeyed that marshal's orders. Though appointed by the revolution-
