confirmed, to the effect that Protestant Episcopal clergyman should at least once a year preach a sermon on cruelty and mercy to animals. One of the outgrowths of his work is the ambulance corps for removing disabled animals from the street, and a derrick to rescue them from excavations into which they may fall. He is also the originator of an ingenious invention, which substitutes artificial for live pigeons as marks for the sportsman's gun. Mr. Bergh receives no salary, but gives his time and energies freely to the work. At the beginning of this reform, no state or territory of the United States contained any statute relating to the protection of animals from cruelty. At present (1886) thirty-nine states of the Union have adopted substantially the original laws procured by him from the legislature of New York; to which may be added Brazil and the Argentine Republic. The society is now in the twenty-first year of its existence, is out of debt and self-sustaining. By reason of its fidelity, discretion, and humanity, it is everywhere recognized as a power in the land for good. In 1874 he rescued a little girl from inhuman treatment, and this led to the founding of a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Mr. Bergh has written several plays, one of which was acted in Philadelphia. He has also published a volume of tales and sketches entitled “The Streets of New York”; a drama entitled “Love's Alternative”; “The Portentous Telegram”; “The Ocean Paragon,” and “Married Off,” a poem (London, 1859).
BERGIN, Darby, Canadian physician, b. in
Toronto, 7 Sept., 1830. He was graduated in medicine at McGill college in 1847. He entered the volunteer military service as captain of a company raised by him during the "Trent" difficulty in 1861 ; became a major in 1866, and promoted in 1869 to be lieutenant-colonel of the 59th Stormount and Glengarry battalion. He was appointed surgeon-general of the Dominion troops during the Riel rebellion of 1885. He entered parliament as a conservative in 1872, and was returned for the same constituency (Cornwall) in 1878. In 1881 he was elected president of the medical council of Ontario, and in 1885 president of the college of physicians and surgeons of Ontario.
BERGMANN, Carl, musician, b. in Ebersbach,
Saxony, in 1821; d. in New York, 10 Aug., 1876.
The rebellion of 1848 obliged him to flee his
native land, and he came to New York. In 1850-'2
he was the conductor of the Germania society.
He organized and conducted the great German
music festival, held in the Winter Garden theatre,
in 1855, and in 1856 introduced German opera at
Niblo's garden. He afterward became the
conductor of German and Italian opera in New York,
and was for a time the leader of the Arion (singing)
society. Prof. Bergmann excelled as a player
of the violoncello and the piano, and composed
orchestral pieces. He was conductor of the concerts
of the philharmonic society in New York for
several years preceding his death.
BERGOSA Y JORDAN, Antonio (ber-go -sa),
Spanish prelate, b. in Jaca, Spain, late in the 18th
century. He was reporting counsellor to the supreme inquisition, inquisitor of the court of New
Spain, bishop of Oaxaca, and then archbishop of
Guatemala and Mexico. During the invasion of
Spain by the French and the captivity of King
Ferdinand VII. in 1808, Archbishop Bergosa was
for some time also governor ad interim of the territories that were under his religious jurisdiction.
BERING, Vitus, navigator, b. in Horsens, Denmark, in 1680: d. on Behring island, 8 Dec, 1741. He entered the Russian navy in 1704, was made a
captain by Peter the Great, and distinguished himself in the war with Sweden. He commanded an
expedition to the northern seas in 1725, and in
1728 Peter the Great, who was anxious to find out
whether the continents of Asia and America were
connected, sent him on an expedition for that purpose. The exploration was continued for several
years, and Bering discovered the strait that bears
his name. On 4 June, 1741, he set sail again with
two vessels, and discovered a part of the North
American coast, supposed to be New Norfolk. Although Bering never knew that he had seen America, his discoveries were the foundation of Russia's
claim to the northwestern part of the continent.
On this last expedition Bering sailed as far north
as lat. 69°; but stormy weather and sickness among
his crew compelled him to return, and he was
wrecked on the desolate island that is now known
by his name. Bering also founded the settlement
of Petropaulovski in Kamtchatka. See "Nouvelles decouvertes faites des Russes entre l'Asie et l'Amerique " (Paris, 1781).
BERISTAIN, Joaquin (ber-is-tine'), Mexican
musician, called the Mexican Bellini, b. in the city of Mexico, 20 Aug., 1817; d. there in October, 1839. He left several beautiful compositions, especially an overture called "La Primavera" and a mass, which are still played. His melodies are delicate and full of pathos. "Versos de Orquesta en octavo tono obligados a piston " is the name given by Beristain to another of his sacred pieces.
BERISTAIN, Mariano (bay-ris-tine'), Mexican
bibliographer, b. in Puebla. 23 March, 1756 ; d. in
the city of Mexico, 23 March, 1817. He studied in
his native city, went to Spain to finish his education, and was graduated there in theology. Charles III. appointed him professor of theology in the
university of Valladolid, and afterward Beristain
went to Mexico to fill several high offices in the
cathedral and in the archbishopric, which he
twice governed ad interim. He was strongly opposed to the Mexican revolution. He left a work entitled "Biblioteca Hispano-Americana septentrional," a collection of biographical and bibliographical articles, the first book of the kind published in Mexico or Central America.
BERKELEY, George, British clergyman, b. in
Kilcrin, near Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland, 12
March, 1684; d. in Oxford, England, 14 Jan., 1753.
He was educated at Trinity college, Dublin, and
in 1707 became a fellow in that institution and a
clergyman of the established church. He made
two prolonged tours on the continent, and in 1724
became dean of Derry. The dean issued in 1725
"a proposal for the better supplying of churches in our foreign plantations, and for converting the savage Americans to Christianity, by a college to
be erected in the Summer islands, otherwise called the isles of Bermudas." The concluding sentence of the proposal is this: "A benefaction of this kind seems to enlarge the very being of a man, extending it to distant places and future times; inasmuch as unseen countries and after-ages may feel the effects of his bounty, while he himself reaps the reward in the blessed society of all those who, having turned many to righteousness, shine as the stars for ever and ever." The project inspired the well-known verses, "On the
Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in America"—four lines of which are familiar to all who know the history of education in the new world:
"Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The first four acts already past,
A fifth shall close the drama with the day;
Time's noblest offspring is the last."
