Page:Imperialdictiona03eadi Brandeis Vol3a.pdf/14

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
KAI
2
KAN

KAIN, Henri Louis le, a French actor, frequently mentioned in the memoirs of the eighteenth century, born in 1728; died in 1778. In early life he was taken notice of by Voltaire, who introduced him to the stage, where he acquired popularity by playing Voltaire's characters. Voltaire, however, never saw him on the boards, having taken his departure for Prussia when young Kain was brought out. On his return, twenty-eight years later, the actor had retired from the stage both of art and life, and was about to be interred. Louis XV. acknowledged his power by shedding tears at his representations. Instead of the classic style he adopted the spasmodic, and was termed the "Convulsionaire."—P. E. D.

KALB, John, Baron de, a general in the French service, by birth a German, born in 1732 at Nuremberg; died on the 17th August, 1780. He belonged to a protestant family of Anspach, but entered the French service at an early age. In 1763 he was lieutenant-colonel, and was charged by M. de Choiseul with a political mission to North America. On his return he obtained promotion and resided near Versailles, where, when the American rebellion took place, he entered heart and hand into the cause, and with Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane, the American agents, made an arrangement to serve under the new congress. He went to America, and after various difficulties took rank as general, September, 1777. In 1780 he served under General Gates, and commanded the rear-guard of the army. At Clermont he was attacked by Lord Cornwallis, and there after extraordinary efforts he fell, covered with wounds, and died in the British camp.—P. E. D.

KALCKREUTH, Friedrich Adolf, Count von, a Prussian general, born at Sottershausen, 22nd of February, 1737; died 10th of June, 1818. He was brought up at the cadet college at Berlin, and in 1752 entered the army. In 1758 he became aid-de-camp to Prince Henry, and in 1762 his conduct in the war with Austria procured him the rank of colonel. In 1787 he made the campaign of Holland, and in 1790 obtained the rank of general. In 1793 he laid siege to Mayence, and signed the capitulation of that fortress. He did not approve of the war against the French republic, but did his duty as a faithful soldier while endeavouring to promote a better understanding between the belligerents. The accession of Napoleon, however, changed his views. He served with his corps at Jena and also at Dantzic, and in 1807 was made field-marshal, in which capacity he concluded an armistice with Berthier and a treaty of peace with Prince Talleyrand. He was afterwards governor of Berlin, and was sent to Paris to compliment Napoleon on his marriage with Maria Louisa. He had a reputation for high character and enlightened opinions.—P. E. D.

KALDI, Georg, was born in Hungary in 1572. He studied at Rome, and in 1598 became a Jesuit. He taught theology at Olmutz, and died at Presburg in 1634. In 1626 he published a Hungarian version of the Vulgate, in 1631 a volume of Hungarian sermons, and in 1629 the Gospels and Epistles in Hungarian.—B. H. C.

* KALERGIS, Demetrius, a prominent soldier-politician of modern Greece, was born about the beginning of the century, and educated at St. Petersburg and Vienna—in the latter city for the medical profession. Returning to Greece in 1821, he fought with distinction in the war of independence. Dissatisfied with its result—the establishment of a Bavarian dynasty on the throne of Greece—he participated in an insurrectionary movement against the new king, Otho, and is said to have been in consequence imprisoned. After a time he was taken into favour, and in 1843 commanded the cavalry stationed in Athens. He availed himself of this position to effect the so-called revolution of September, 1843, which wrung from King Otho the dismissal of his obnoxious ministers, and a temporary change of policy. Kalergis became governor of Athens, and adjutant of the king; but too liberal for the monarch, and too rigorous for the masses, he was displaced in 1844, and in the autumn of that year quitted Greece for western Europe. During his tour he was presented with a sword by his countrymen in England. He returned to Greece in 1848, and in 1854 became a leading member of the Mavrocordato ministry, forced on Otho by the western powers. Kalergis' post was that of war minister, and he laboured energetically to restore internal order, and, externally, concord with Turkey. In 1856, through a quarrel with the court, he resigned, and his resignation was followed by that of the Mavrocordato ministry.—F. E.

KALF, Wilhem, one of the very best of the Dutch painters of what is termed still-life, was born at Amsterdam about 1630, and studied under Hendrik Pot. His works are true and masterly in the highest degree; in painting silver and glass he was singularly excellent, and perhaps unequalled in the freedom of execution. He died in 1693.—(Immerzeel.)—R. N. W.

KALIDASA. See Calidasa.

KALKAR. See Calcar.

KALKBRENNER, Christian Friedrich, a pianist and composer for his instrument, was born at Cassel in 1784, and died at Paris in 1849. He was the son of a musician, Christian Kalkbrenner, who also inherited his profession from his father. This artist was born at Münden in Hanover in 1755; lived at Cassel from 1770, where he held a small appointment in the prince's chapel until 1788, when he went to Berlin as kapellmeister to the queen; entered the service of the prince of Prussia in 1790; went to Naples in 1796, and thence to Paris in 1799, where he died in 1806. He was a voluminous instrumental and dramatic composer. F. Kalkbrenner was his father's pupil, whose fortunes he followed until 1798, when he preceded his family in settling at Paris, and entered the conservatoire, in the classes of Louis Adam for the pianoforte, and Catel for harmony. He went to Vienna in 1803, where he met Clementi, and he greatly modified his style of playing from the example of this master. In 1806 he returned to Paris, where he was eminently successful; but he came to London in 1814, and was settled here for nine years, in great esteem as a player and teacher. In 1818 he became associated with Logier in the application of this professor's system of musical instruction, and he adopted from him the use of the chiroplast, for exercising the fingers of the pianist. On leaving England Kalkbrenner spent a year in Germany, gaining renown as a player; and he finally took up his residence in Paris in 1824. There he became the partner of Pleyel in the manufacture of pianofortes, and he established classes for the study of this instrument, in which some of the most distinguished living pianists have been trained. He made a tour in Germany in 1833, and another in Belgium in 1836, and after that he ceased to perform in public. His very numerous compositions have moderate merit as music, and little originality in the development of the instrument to which he was devoted. His "Méthode," however, is a valuable course of instruction for the pianoforte.—G. A. M.

* KALLIWODA, Johann Wenzel, a musician, was born at Prague, March 21, 1800. He entered the conservatorium of his native town in 1810, on leaving which in 1816 he was engaged as a violinist in the orchestra of the theatre. He went to Munich in 1822, where his talent was noticed by Prince Von Fürstenberg, who appointed him his kapellmeister; and in the fulfilment of this office Kalliwoda has resided ever since at Donaueschingen. He has written six symphonies, several concert pieces for the violin, and some other instrumental works, besides a large number of songs.—G. A. M.

KALM, Peter, a Swedish naturalist, born in 1715, was a pupil of Linnæus, and after travelling extensively in pursuit of his favourite studies, became professor at Abo. In 1748 he was sent to America to collect information regarding the botany of the western continent. He spent several years in traversing Canada, New York, and Pennsylvania. He died in 1779. His travels in America were published at Göttingen in 1754, and in England in 1770. He also published an "Account of the Falls of Niagara." The much admired Kalmia takes its name from this naturalist.—P. E. D.

KAMES, Henry Home, Lord. See Home.

* KANARIS, Constantine, was born at Ipsara about 1790, and was captain of a little merchant vessel when the Greek insurrection broke out. In 1822 he distinguished himself by leading the fire ships into the midst of the Turkish fleet off Chios, and he was equally successful in a similar affair off Tenedos later in the year In 1825, however, he failed in a very daring attempt on the fleet at Alexandria. He has thrice filled the office of minister of marine under King Otho.—W. J. P.

KANE, Elisha Kent, M.D., physician in the United States navy, was born at Philadelphia in 1822, and studied medicine at the university of Pennsylvania, where he took his degree in 1842. When the noble expedition was fitted out at New York for the search after Sir John Franklin, Dr. Kane, already well known as an experienced traveller, was appointed senior medical officer. Upon the return of the expedition from its