study of the common law, at Gray's-Inn. His merit at length raised him to the highest dignities in his profession, viz. of Attorney-general, and Lord High Chancellor. But being of an easy and liberal disposition, his servants took advantage of that temper, and their situation under him, by accepting presents in the line of his profession. Being abandoned by the king, he was tried by the house of lords for bribery and corruption, and by them sentenced to pay a fine of 40,000l. and to remain prisoner in the Tower during the king's pleasure. The king, however, soon after remitted the fine and imprisonment: but his misfortunes had given him a distaste for public affairs, and he afterwards mostly lived a retired life, closely pursuing his philosophical studies and amusements, in which time he composed the greatest part of his English and Latin works. Though even in the midst of his honours and employments he forgot not his philosophy, but in 1620 published his great work "NovumOrganum." After some years spent in philosophical retirement, he was suddenly seized with pains in his head and stomach as he was travelling into the country. These obliged him to stop at Highgate, at the Earl of Arundel's, where he expired on the 9th of April, in the 66th year of his age. No memorial remains of his last hours, excepting a letter addressed to the nobleman in whose house he died, in which he compares himself to Pliny, who lost his life by approaching too near Vesuvius during an eruption. He was buried at St. Albans.

To Bacon unquestionably belonged a most commanding genius, capable of inventing, methodizing, and carrying forward to considerable maturity, a general plan for the improvement of natural science, by the only sure method of experiment. With a mind prompt in invention, patient in inquiry, and subtle in discrimination, neither affecting nor idolizing antiquity, he formed, and in a great measure executed, his great plan, "The Instauration of Sciences," in six parts. Of these the first is entitled "The Advancement of Learning:" the second is the "Novum Organum," or new method of employ. ing the reasoning faculties in the pursuit of truth: the "Sylva Sylvarum,” or History of Nature, is the third part; the fourth is entitled "Scala Intellectus;” a series of steps is pointed out, by which the understanding may regularly ascend in its philosophical inquiries: the fifth part is "Anticipationes Philosophicæ," intended as philosophical hints and suggestions: the sixth part, in

which the universal principles of natural knowledge, drawn from experiments, should be exhibited in a regular and complete system, the author did not attempt to accomplish. The grand edifice, of which he laid the foundation only, he left to be finished by the united labours of philosophers of future ages. With confidence in the merit of his own works, and depending on posthumous celebrity, Bacon begins his last testament with "My name and memory I leave to foreign nations: and to mine own countrymen, after some time is passed over." Upon the superstructure that has been raised on the foundation of experimental philosophy he established will be read by distant ages Bacon, the father of experimental philosophy."

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BACON, (JOHN) in biography, a celebrated sculptor, descended from an ancient family in Somersetshire, was born in Southwark, Nov. 24, 1740, where his father, Thomas Bacon, a cloth-worker, resided. When very young, Mr. Bacon discovered a great inclination for drawing, common to children; but not being particularly encouraged in it he never made much proficiency in the art. At the age of 14 he was bound apprentice to Mr. Crispe of Bow Church Yard, where he was employed in painting on porcelain. He occasionally assisted in the manufactory of china at Lambeth, particularly in forming small ornamental pieces, which he executed with so much taste as to indicate no ordinary powers. To his honour be it mentioned, that by the encouragement he met with, he was able, principally, to support his aged parents, reduced in their circumstances, though by such an exertion he was obliged to abridge himself of the necessaries of life. At the manufactory at Lambeth he had an opportunity of observing models of different sculptors, which were sent to a pottery on the same premises to be burnt. From the sight of these he immediately conceived a strong inclination for his future profession. Having once made his choice he was unremit ting in his diligence, and it is said that his progress was as rapid as his turn was sudden and unpremeditated. During this young man's apprenticeship he formed a design · of making statues in artificial stone; and to his exertions is to be attributed the flourishing state of Coade's manufactory. In 1763, Mr. Bacon attempted to work in marble, and having never seen the operation performed he was led to invent an instrument for transferring the form of the model

to the marble, this is called "'getting out the points," which has been brought into use both in England and on the continent. The advantage of this instrument consists in its certainty and exactness, in its taking a correct measurement in every direction, in its occupying a small compass, and that it may be transferred either to the model or the marble, without a separate instrument for each. In 1768, Mr. Bacon removed to the West end of the town and attended upon the Royal Academy, where he received his first instructions, having never before seen the art of modelling or sculpture regularly performed. In the following year the gold medal for sculpture, the first ever given by the society, was voted to Mr. Bacon. He became an associate of that body in the year 1770, and from this time his reputation was firmly established, and he obtained patronage of the highest rank. It would be needless to attempt an enumeration of the various works by which he attained to the first eminence in a very difficult profession. The efforts of his genius are widely spread, and his name will long live the pride of the country which gave him birth, and from which he had never occasion to travel for the improvement of his talents, or the cultivation of a fine taste.

This distinguished artist was suddenly attacked with an inflammation in his bowels on the 4th of August, 1799, which terminated his life in little more than two days. He died August 7th, in the 59th year of his age; leaving behind him a character as great for integrity and virtue as he had obtained in his profession as a sculptor. He had been twice married, and left ten children and a widow to mourn the loss of a tender father and affectionate husband. Cecil's Memoirs of Bacon.

BACOPA, in botany, a genus of the Pentandria Monogynia class and order. Natural order Succulenta: portulaceæ Jussieu. Essential character: corolla with a short tube spreading at top; stem inserted into the tube of the corolla; stigma headed; capsule one-celled. There is but one species, viz. the B. aquatica, which is a native of Cayenne, on the borders of rivulets, flowering and bearing fruit in December. The French call it herbe-aux-brulures, on account of its efficacy in curing burns.

BACTRIS, in botany, a genus of plants of the Monoecia Hexandria class and order. Natural order of Palms. Essential character: male, calyx threeparted; corolla one-petalled, three- cleft ;

stamina six. Female, calyx one-leaved, three-toothed; corolla one-petalled, threetoothed; stigma obscurely three-cleft; drupe coriaceous. There are two species, the minor and major, natives of Carthagenia in South America.

BADGE, in naval architecture, an ornament placed on the outside of small ships, very near the stern, containing either a window or the representation of one.

BECKIA, in botany, so named in honour of Abraham Baeck, the intimate friend of Linnæus, who received this plant from him; of the Octandria Monogynia class and order. Natural order Calycanthemæ; Onagree Jussieu. Essential character: calyx funnelform, five-toothed; corolla five-petalled; capsule globular, four-celled, crowned. There is one species, viz. B. frutescens, a shrub which has the habit of southernwood, with wand-like branches, and opposite short simple twigs. It is a native of China, and called their tiongina.

BÆOBOTRYS, in botany, of the Pentandria Monogynia class and order. Essential character: corolla tubular, with a fivecleft border; calyx double; outer twoleaved; inner one-leafed, bell-shaped; berry globose, one-celled, growing to the calyx; many seeded. A single species, viz. the B. nemoralis, native of the Isle of Tanna in the South Seas.

BAGGAGE, in military affairs, denotes the clothes, tents, utensils of divers sorts, provisions, and other necessaries belonging to an army.

Before a march, the waggons with the baggage are marshalled according to the rank which the several regiments bear in the army; being sometimes ordered to follow the respective columns of the army, sometimes to follow the artillery, and sometimes to form a column by themselves. The general's baggage marches first; and each waggon has a flag, shewing the regiment to which it belongs.

BAGPIPE, a musical instrument of the wind kind, chiefly used in country places, especially in the north it consists of two principal parts; the first a leathern bag, which blows up like a foot-ball by means of a port-vent or little tube fitted to it, and stopped by a valve: the other part consists of three pipes or flutes, the first called the great pipe or drone, and the second the little one, which pass the wind out only at the bottom; the third has a reed and is played on by compressing the bag under the arm, when full, and opening or stopping the

holes, which are eight, with the fingers, The little pipe is ordinarily a foot long; that played on thirteen inches; and the portvent six.

This instrument has been so long a favourite with the natives of Scotland, that it may be considered as a national instrument. It is not known when it was introduced there, but it has been conjectured that the Danes or Norwegians carried it into the Hebrides, where it has been known from times immemorial.

BAGS, sand, in military affairs, filled with earth or sand to repair breaches, and the embrasures of batteries when damaged by the enemies fire, or by the blast of the guns; they are also used to raise a parapet in haste, or to repair one that is beaten down. They are only used when the ground is rocky and does not afford earth enough to carry on the approaches.

BAHAR, or BARRE, in commerce, weights used in several places in the East Indies.

There are two of these weights, the one the great bahar with which they weigh pepper, cloves, nutmegs, ginger, &c. and contains five hundred and fifty pounds of Portugal, or about five hundred and twentyfour pounds nine ounces avoirdupois weight. With the little bahar they weigh quicksilver, vermilion, ivory, silk, &c. It contains, about four hundred and thirtyseven pounds nine ounces avoirdupois weight.

BAIL, in law, the setting at liberty one arrested or imprisoned, upon an action, either civil or criminal, upon sureties taken for his appearance at a day and place assigned; and is either common or special.

Common bail is in actions of small prejudice, or slight proof, in which case any sureties are taken. But if the plaintiff make affidavit that the cause of action amounts to 10l. or upwards, in order to arrest the defendant, and make him put in substantial sureties for his appearance, called special bail; it is then required that the true cause of action be expressed in the body of the writ.

Special bail, are two or more persons, who, after arrest, undertake generally, or enter into bond to the sheriff in a certain sum, to insure the defendant's appearance at the return of the writ: this obligation is called bail-bond.

In criminal cases all persons, by the common law, might be bailed till they were convicted of the offence laid to their charge:

the statutes have made many exceptions to this rule when these do not intervene bail may, upon offering sufficient surety, be taken either in court or, in particular cases, by the sheriff, coroner, or other magistrate, but usually by justices of peace, in the following cases, persons of good fame charged with the suspicion of man-slaughter or other inferior homicide. Persons charged with petit larceny, or any felony not before specified. Accessaries to felony, not being of evil fame, nor under strong presumption of guilt. Bail cannot be taken upon an accusation of treason, nor murder, nor in the case of man-slaughter if the person be clearly the slayer; nor does it extend to such as being committed for felony have broken prison, nor to persons out-lawed, nor to those who have abjured the realm, nor approvers, nor persons taken in the fact of felony, nor persons charged with house-burning, nor persons taken by writ of excommunicato capiendo.

BAILE, or BALE, in the sea language. The seamen call throwing the water by hand out of the ship or boat's hold bailing. They also call those hoops that bear up the tilt of a boat its bails.

BAILLY (JEAN SYLVAIN), a celebrated French astronomer, historiographer, and politician, was born at Paris the 15th of September, 1736, and has figured as one of the greatest men of the age, being a member of several academics, and an excellent scholar and writer. He enjoyed for several years the office of keeper of the king's pictures at Paris. He published, in 1766, a volume in 4to," An Essay on the Theory of Jupiter's Satellites," preceded by a history of the astronomy of these satellites. In the "Journal Encyclopédique," for May and June 1773, he addressed a letter to M. Bernoulli, astronomer royal at Berlin, upon some discoveries relative to these satellites, which he had disputed. In 1768, he published the Eulogy of Leibnitz, which obtained the prize at the Academy of Berlin, where it was printed. In 1770, he printed at Paris, in 8vo. the Eulogies of Charles the Vth, of De la Caille, of Leibnitz, and of Corneiile. This last had the second prize at the Academy of Rouen, and that of Moliere had the same honour at the French Academy.

M. Bailly was admitted into the Academy as adjunct, the 29th of January, 1763, and as associate, the 14th of July, 1770.-In 1775 came out at Paris, in 4to, his "History of the Ancient Astronomy," in one vo.

Jume: in 1779, the "History of Modern Astronomy," in two volumes: and in 1787, the "History of the Indian and Oriental Astronomy," being the second volume of the Ancient Astronomy. Besides these, he was author of many memoirs in the several volumes of the Academy.

In the beginning of the revolution in France, in 1789, M. Bailly took an active part in that business, and was so popular and generally esteemed, that he was chosen the first president of the states general, and of the national assembly, and was afterwards for two years together the mayor of Paris; in both which offices he conducted himself with great spirit, and gave general satisfaction.

He soon afterward, however, experienced a sad reverse of fortune; being accused by the ruling party of favouring the king, he was arrested and summarily condemned, by an infamous and bloody tribunal, for incivism and wishing to overturn the republic, and died by the guillotine at Paris, on the 11th day of November, 1793, at 57 years of age. The character of this great man can only be estimated by his works. In his person he was tall; his deportment was grave and sedate, and he blended firmness with sensibility.

BAILIFF, an officer appointed for the administration of justice within a certain district, called a bailiwick. Hence the sheriff is considered a bailiff to the crown; and his court, of which he has the care, and in which he is to execute the king's writ, is called his bailiwick, so also his officers who execute writs, warrants, &c. are called bailiffs.

BAILIFFS of franchises, those appointed by every lord within his liberty to do such offices therein as the bailiff errant does at large in the county.

There are also bailiffs of forests, and bailiffs of manors, who direct husbandry, fell trees, gather rents, pay quit rents, &c.

BAILIFF, water, an officer appointed in all port-towns for the searching of ships, gathering the toll for anchorage, &c. and arresting persons for debts, &c. on the

water.

BAILIFF, however, is still applied to the chief magistrate of several corporate towns. The government of some of the king's cas tles is also committed to persons called bailiffs, as the bailiff of Dover castle.

BAILIWICK, that liberty which is exempted from the sheriff of the county, over

which liberty the lord thereof appoints his own bailiff, with the like power within his precinct as an under-sheriff exercises under the sheriff of the county: or it signifies the precinct of a bailiff, or the place within which his jurisdiction is terminated: such is the bailiff of Westminster.

BAILMENT, is the delivery of things to another, sometimes to be delivered back to the bailer, sometimes to the bailee, and sometimes to a third person: this delivery is called a bailment. The following rules are binding in the law of bailments: a baillee who derives no advantage for his undertaking is responsible only for gross negligence. A bailer who alone receives benefit from the bailment is responsible for slight neglect. When the bailment is beneficial to both parties, the bailee must be answerable for ordinary neglect. No bailee shall be charged for a loss by inevitable accident, or irresistible force, except by special agreement. Robbery by force is considered as irresistible, but a loss by private stealth is presumptive evidence of ordinary neglect.

BAINBRIDGE (JOHN), an eminent physician, astronomer, and mathematician. He was born in 1582, at Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. He studied at Cambridge, where having taken his degrees of bachelor and master of arts, he returned to Leicestershire, kept a grammar-school, and at the same time practised physic; employing his leisure hours in studying mathematics, especially astronomy, which had been his favourite science from his earliest years. By the advice of his friends, he removed to London, to better his condition, and improve himself with the conversation of learned men there; and here he was admitted a fellow of the College of Physicians. His description of the comet, which appeared in 1618, greatly raised his character, and procured him the acquaintance of Sir Henry Savile, who, in 1619, appointed him his first professor of astronomy at Oxford. On his removal to this university, he entered a master commoner of Merton College; the master and fellows of which appointed him junior reader of Linacer's lecture in 1631, and superior reader in 1635. As he resolved to publish correct editions of the ancient astronomers, agreeably to the statutes of the founder of his professorship, that he might acquaint himself with the discoveries of the Arabian astronomers, he began the study of the Arabic language when he was above 40 years of age. Before he had com