Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/300

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BONA. 264 BONALD. much improved since the occupation by the French in 1S32 and beautified by means of the quays and promenades encircling it, and the numerous fountains and gardens to be found all over the city. It is surrounded by walls Hanked with square towers, and further defended by Fort Cigogne, on the top of the hill. The fortress built by Charles V. in 1535 stands on a hill over 340 feet high, and has been used as a prison since 1850 for persons sentenced to deportation from France. Among the other public buildings, the Catholic cathedral and the convent of the Sisters of Jlercy are most remarkable. Bona has good bazars, shops, markets, reading-rooms, etc.; man- ufactures of tapestry, saddlery, and native cloth- ing; and a trade in cattle, sheep, wool, hides, corn, coral, fish, olive-oil, tobacco, and wax. In the vicinity are valuable iron-mines, marble-quar- ries, and cork-woods. There is telegraphic com- munication with ilarseilles and regular steam communication with France, Algiers, and Tunis. A fine harbor of 195 acres with an inner basin of 25 acres dates from 1870. It is visited annually by nearly 3000 ships of more than a million net tonnage. Since the construction of the rail- road connecting the city with Algiers, Constan- tine. and Biskra. Bona has left Tunis behind as a port. The neighboring hills yield a fine water- supply, and the former marshy and unhealthy condition of the surrounding districts has been improved by drainage. The I'nited States is rep- resented by an agent. Population, in 1896, 34,- 498, of whom over 12,000 were Frenchmen and more than 10,000 were Italians, the rest being mostly natives. Xear Bona are remains of the once famous city Hippo Regius, the favorite resi- dence of the Xumidian kings, and the episcopal -see of Saint Augustine, who died here in 430. Hippo Regius, in early Christian times, was the central station of commerce and civilization in Xorth Africa, and was celebrated for its schools, theatre, aqueducts, palaces, and temples, after- wards changed into churches and monasteries. It was destroyed by the ilohammcdans under Caliph Othman in 640. This city was ccjnnected with its seaport, the ancient Aphrodisium (the pres- ent Bona), by a canal, of which the outline may still be seen in a morass. BONA, Giovanni (1609-74). An Italian car- dinal, author of Dc I'rincipiis Vitw Christ iunce, and .Mdiidiiclio (id cwliim. The latter was trans- lated into English (London, 1672, 6th ed., 17 12) ; and parts of his I in Compeiidii iid Deum, The Easy Hoy io God (1870). His complete works, in Latin, appeared, Antwerp, 1677, 2 vols. His work on the JIass appeared in French (Paris, 1854-55, 2 vols.). He also contributed to the Acta Sanctorum. For his biography, consult A. Ighina (Mondovi, Italy, 1874). BONACI, bo'nA-se' (Sp. bonasi, from the na- tive name). A grouper of the genus Myctcro- perca, specifically Mycteroperca hotiaci. See (Jkoiper. BONACIEUX, bA'na'sye'. The name of a de- based wretch in Les Trois Mousquetaires, by the elder Dumas (1844). BO'NA DE'A (Lat., 'the good goddess'). A m3'sterious Roman divinity, sometimes identi- fied with Fauna, Ops, or Maia. She was wor- shiped in Rome from the most ancient times, but only by women, even her name being con- cealed from men. Her sanctuary was a grotto on Mons Aveutinus, which had been consecrated to her by the virgin Claudia; her festival, how- ever (the 1st of Jlay), was not celebrated there, but in the house of the consul, inasnuich as the sacrifices were then ofl'ered up for tlie whole Roman nation. The solemnities were performed generally by aristocratic vestals. At this cele- bration no males were allowed to be present ; even portraits of men were veiled. The wine consumed was called milk, in order that its name might not be discovered, and the vessel in which it was served, mellarium. The symbol of the goddess was a serpent, indicating her healing powers, and certain herbs were sold in her tem- ple. In B.C. 02 the notorious Clodius committed the sacrilege of appearing disguised as a woman at the mj'steries of Bona Dea. BONA FIDE, fi'de (Lat. abl. of lona fides, good faith ) . Literally, 'in good faith.' It is not a technical term of English law; yet it is often used in connection with the transfer or pos- session of property. If a person takes posses- sion of another's property, honestl.v believing it to be his own, and, without notice of the other's title, adds to its value, his liability to the o ier is for the value of the property when originally taken ; but if the taking is in bad faith, he is held liable, generally, for the whole value of the improved property, without any allowance for his enhancement of it.s worth. A bona fide purchaser is one who buys property for a valuable consideration, without notice of any defect in his vendor's title and believing that the vendor has a good right to sell and convey a good title. By the civil-law rule, which prevails on the Continent of Europe and in Scotland, such a purchaser from a trader in the course of his business acquires a perfect title, though his vendor had none. According to the English conunon law, however, his title is no better than his vendor's. If the vendor had title, but one which was voidable by a third per.son for fraud (q.v. ), the bonu fide purchaser would be able to hold the property. So a bona fide purchaser of property from a trustee clothed with the legal title can hold it as against the cestui que trust (q.v.). Again, the bona fide purchaser of a negotiable instrument (q.v.) holds it free from any defect of title be- tween prior parties, and free from defenses available to prior parties among themselves. This rule had its origin in the customs of mer- chants, and received the sanction of common-law courts because it was necessary to enable ne- gotiable paper to discharge the functions of currency. BONAINI, b.*,-ni'nf, Francesco (1806-74). An Italian historian, born in Leghorn. He stud- ied in Pisa, and was appointed professor of i>ecle- siastieal law there in 1827 and professor of the history of law in 1840. In 1852 he was ap- pointed general superintendent of the State ar- chives of Tuscany. He was successful as an archivist, and was also exceedingly active as an author and editor. His* works include Storie Pisane (1844-45); the Cronaehc e storie di I'eruflia (1850-51); and the posthumous Acta Ilcriei ril. (1878). BONALD, bo'nil', Louis Gabriel Ambroise, Vicomte de (1754-1840). A French publicistand statesman, born at Mouna. in Aveyron. An ar- dent adherent of the old monarchy, lie was com-