translated the poetical works of Alexander Puschkin, 3 vols., and has just now begun the publication of a comprehensive work on Shakspeare's contemporaries and their works.—K. E.
BODENSTEIN, Adam von, a German physician and alchemist of the sixteenth century, was born in 1528. He was a zealous disciple of Paracelsus, whose alchemical works he translated into Latin, and whose theories he developed with great ardour at Basle, where he was professor of medicine. After living an intemperate and vagabond life, he died of the plague at Basle in 1577, notwithstanding his employment of the preservative recommended by Paracelsus. His attention was strongly directed to the discovery of the philosopher's stone, in behalf of which he addressed an epistle to the celebrated bankers, Fugger of Augsburg. His writings were collected and published at Basle in 1581, in one folio volume.—W. S. D.
BODEKKER, John Francis, a portrait painter, born at Cleves in 1660. He was the son of a musician, and studied under John de Baan. He received great encouragement at Bois le Duc, Breda, Amsterdam, and the Hague, and died in 1727.
BODEL, John, a troubadour, a native of Artois, lived in the latter half of the thirteenth century. He took part in the first crusade of St. Louis, and in 1269 was about to accompany this king on his second expedition, when he was attacked by leprosy, and took a most affecting farewell of his fellow-countrymen. He composed a dramatic piece on the life of St. Nicolas, bishop of Wyse. This piece is one of the oldest specimens of the language in which it is written; unfortunately the most obscure and barbarous of the romance dialects.—J. G.
BODEWYNS, Nicolas, and BOUT, Francis, friends who worked together. The latter was born at Brussels in 1660, and died in 1700. Bodewyns painted landscapes, and Bout figures. Bout sometimes painted alone—winter pieces and sea-shores, with statues, and fish-markets, and weddings, the figures small and neat. The Beaumont friend of this Dutch Fletcher took to himself the Flemish manor-houses, to which Bout added fetes and feastings. Bout sometimes etched in a light pleasant manner. Their colouring is generally agreeable, and their touch light and neat, the figures handled with some of the freedom of Velvet Brenghel. Sometimes they are slight, careless, and hasty. The smallest are the most valuable; the deer and cattle are well drawn and disposed.—W. T.
BODIN, Jean, born at Angers, 1530; died at Laon, 1596. He was educated at Toulouse, where he first thought of establishing himself as a teacher of jurisprudence. He then went to Paris intending to practise at the bar, but did not succeed in obtaining business. He published in 1555 a translation of Oppian into Latin verse, with a commentary, in which he was said to have made more use of Turnebus' notes than he ought. In 1576 he published in French the "Republique," the work by which he is most favourably known. It is a book of considerable value. Montesquieu is said to have been indebted to it and to Bodin's work "On the Study of History," for some of his speculations with respect to the effect of climate on political institutions. The book, though calculated to deter the indolent modern reader, every now and then reappears, and seems to have some influence on students. At the close of the last century, Condorcet and Peysonel published an interesting account of it. In our own days it has been referred to with praise by Dugald Stewart, and been carefully analysed by Hallam and Lerminier. The author, a man of great and sound, if not very various learning, is in his work much more than a compiler of authorities; hp thinks out his subject thoroughly, and does not, like Grotius and his followers, seem oppressed by the rusty armour in which the literary warriors of that day were clad. Lerminier's analysis gives probably the best modern account of the book, as he gives large extracts, in all of which there is great generosity of sentiment and justness of thinking. The passages in which he reprobates slavery, would seem to be cast in the mould of the thinkers of our own day. The relation of subjects to their sovereign is also examined in a spirit the most remote possible from faction,—in the spirit of one who feels what freedom essentially is, and who has but little sympathy with those of whom Milton speaks—
" License they mean when they cry liberty,
For who love that must first be wise and good."
Bodin is described by M. Baudrillart as borrowing from Aristotle without confessing his obligation. This accusation is made too broadly. The works of Aristotle were known so familiarly in Bodin's day, as to preclude the necessity of formal reference, and Bodin's theory of government differs essentially from Aristotle's. Bodin's "Methodus ad facilem Historiarum Cognitionem" was an earlier work; it does not enjoy the same reputation as his "Republique," but it is not without its value, and is one of the books which D'Aguesseau advised his son to study. The "Republique" was followed by a law book, "Juris Universi Distributio," and, within a year or two, by his "Demonomanie des Sorciers," a book more suited to the popular feeling, and in which Bodin advocated the burning of witches and wizards with such zeal as to make us feel surprised at his general orthodoxy being a matter on which grave doubts were entertained. Perhaps, however, his mention in this book of having been attended from the 37th year of his age by a familiar spirit may account for the suspicion. The friendly demon touched his right ear whenever he was about doing anything which conscience did not approve, and made himself felt on the left ear when Bodin meditated anything good. Passages from Job and Isaiah and from the Psalms, are quoted by him to prove that spirits indicate their presence not alone by vocal utterance, but by their touching, and at times pulling men by the ear. The gift, however, of an attendant spirit making himself thus palpable, is one very unusual, and was vouchsafed to Bodin only after long periods past in prayer and meditation, and in the constant study of the bible, with the earnest desire of discovering which of the many religions of mankind was the true one. He was able to distinguish dreams in which his attendant spirit communicated to him the commands or the warnings of heaven, from the mere fumes of ordinary sleep, by the fact, that awaked, as he believed, by his angel at about three o'clock in the morning, he used to lie awake, chanting the psalms, most of which he had by heart. When after this he slept, he felt that his dreams were from heaven.
Bodin was conseiller to the duc d'Alençon, and from him had some valuable appointments. He past into the service of Henry III. of France, but royal favour is capricious, and we find Bodin again with the duke on more than one visit to England, when some matrimonial speculations of his or Elizabeth's brought that prince in the character of what would seem a favoured suitor to the court of the mature virgin queen. Bodin visited Cambridge, and found that his book, "De Republica," had been translated into Latin by some Englishman, and that it was referred to in their lectures by some tutors at Cambridge. This led him, on his return to France, to translate it into Latin, the form in which it is most pleasant to consult it. We have read the book, and think it merits all the praise bestowed on it. The book is altered and enlarged in the Latin translation. A chapter or two of the original is omitted in the translation, and there are some important additions, particularly in the fifth book, on the varieties of government as adapted to different nations. In the fourth book is a curious chapter, in which he enters into astrological inquiries with the view of ascertaining whether the fate of kingdoms can be foreseen, by examining the horoscope under which their capital cities were built. Of Bodin's works, one, which remained in manuscript till 1841, "Heptaplomeres, sive Colloquium de abditis rerum sublimium arcanis," was extensively circulated in manuscript. Grotius obtained a copy for the purpose of answering it; the reputation of its being an infidel tract suggesting the fitness of its being placed in his hands. It is a dialogue between believers of different creeds, each vindicating his own, and a sceptic, who resists all. The sceptic represents pure theism. Bodin was sent from his department deputy from the tiers état to the parliament of Blois. He was what would be called in the language of modern politics a liberal. He resisted some objects of the crown, and was in consequence deprived of a lucrative office which he held during the royal pleasure. He died of the plague at Laon in 1596, directing in his will that he should be buried in the church of the Carmelites. Bodin lived at a period when we are to regard little the accounts which learned men give of each other's religion. In spite of his zeal against witches and all familiar spirits except his own, Bodin, in his greater works, preaches toleration to prince and people; and it would seem that he required the indulgence which he was disposed to give. He is said by Mercier to have been a Carmelite in his boyhood, by De Thou to have been for a while a Calvinist, and a correspondent of Scaliger enters into serious details with the object of proving him a Jew. He died in poverty, leaving a daughter who became insane, and who is mentioned as having lived to a great age.—J. A., D.
