In the same year he received the freedom of that city, an | completely exposed him to the ill treatment of servants, honour much valued by him. After that time his imme. diate popularity began to some extent to decline before the ephemeral splendour of the composers of the day; and the great master seemed henceforth to speak more to coming generations than to his ungrateful contemporaries. When, however, on rare occasions he emerged from his solitude, the old spell of his overpowering genius proved to be unbroken. In particular, mention must be made of that memorable Academie (concert) in 1824, at which his 9th Symphony, and parts of the grand Missa Solemnis, were performed, producing a storm of applause-inaudible, alas! to the composer, who had to be turned round by one of the singers to realize, from the waving of hats and handkerchiefs, the effect of his work on the excited multitude. frequently, perhaps, excited by his own morbid suspicions and complaints. On one occasion the great master was discovered with his face bleeding from the scratches inflicted by his own valet. It was from amidst such surroundings that Beethoven ascended to the sublime elevation of such works as his Missa Solemnis or his 9th Symphony. But his deepest wounds were to be inflicted by dearer and nearer hands than those of brutal domestics. Beethoven had a nephew, rescued by him from vice and misery, and loved with a more than father's affection. His education the master watched with unceasing care. For him he hoarded with anxious parsimony the scanty earnings of his artistic labour. Unfortunately, the young man was unworthy of such love, and at last disgraced his great name by an attempt at suicide, to the deepest grief of his noble guardian and benefactor. Beethoven died on March 27, 1827, during a terrible thunderstorm. It ought to fill every Englishman's heart with pride that it was given to the London Philharmonic Society to relieve the anxieties of Beethoven's deathbed by a liberal gift, and that almost the last utterances of the dying man were words of thanks to his friends and admirers in this country. Beethoven's compositions, 138 in number, comprise all the forms of vocal and instrumental music, from the sonata to the symphony,-from the simple song to the opera and oratorio. In each of these forms he displayed the depth of his feeling, the power of his genius; in some of them he reached a greatness never approached by his predecessors or followers. His pianoforte sonatas have brought the technical resources of that instrument to a perfection previously unknown, but they at the same time embody an infinite variety and depth of emotion. His nine symphonies show. a continuous climax of development, ascending from the simpler forms of Haydn and Mozart to the colossal dimensions of the Choral Symphony, which almost seems to surpass the possibilities of artistic expansion, and the subject of which is humanity itself with its sufferings and ideals. His dramatic works-the opera Fidelio, and the overtures to Egmont and Coriolanus-display depth of inner-pathos and force of dramatic characterization. Even his smallest songs and pianoforte-pieces reflect a heart full of love, and a mind bent on thoughts of eternal things. The last-mentioned incident leads us to one of the most tragic features of Beethoven's life. By the bitter irony of fate, he who had given to thousands enjoyment and elevation of the heart by the art of sound, was himself deprived of the sense of hearing. The first traces of beginning deafness showed themselves as early as 1797, and were perceived by the master with an anxiety bordering on despair. Physicians and quacks were consulted with eagerness, but all their efforts (partly impaired, it must be confessed, by the unruly disposition of the patient) proved unable to stem the encroaching evil. The Royal Library of Berlin possesses a melancholy collection of ear-trumpets and similar instruments, partly made expressly for Beethoven to assist his weakened sense, but all to no avail. In his latter years conversation with him could be carried on by writing only, and of the charms of his own art he was wholly deprived. But here, again, the victory of mind over matter,-of genius over circumstance. - -was evinced in the most triumphant manner. It has been asserted. not without reason, that the euphonious beauty of some of Beethoven's vocal compositions has suffered through his inability to listen to them; but how grand is, on the other hand, the spectacle of an artist deprived of all intercourse with what to him in this world was dearest, and yet pouring forth the lonely aspirations of his soul in works all the more sublime as we seem to hear in them the voice of the most spirit of mankind, inaudible to the keen ears of other mortals. If in this manner the isolation of Beethoven further sublimated his efforts as an artist, it, on the other hand, poignantly intensified his sufferings as a man. His was a heart open to the impressions of friendship and love, and, in spite of occasional roughness of utterance, yearning for the responsive affection of his kind. It is deeply touching to read the following words in the master's last will, written during a severe illness in 1802 :-"Ye men," Beethoven writes, "who believe or say that I am inimical, rough, or misanthropical, how unjust are you to me in your ignorance of the secret cause of what appears to you in that light. Born with a fiery, lively temper, and susceptible to the enjoyment of society, I have been compelled early to isolate myself and lead a lonely life; whenever I tried to overcome this isolation, oh! how doubly bitter was then the sad experience of my bad hearing, which repelled me again; and yet it was impossible for me to tell people, 'Speak louder, shout, for I am deaf.'" Domestic troubles and discomforts contributed in a minor degree to darken the shadow cast over our master's life by the misfortune just alluded to. Although by no means insensible to female beauty, and indeed frequently cnraptured in his grand, chaste way, with the charms of some lady, Beethoven never married, and was, in consequence, deprived of that feeling of home and comfort which only the unceasing care of refined womanhood can bestow. His helplessness and ignorance of worldly matters Beethoven's career as a composer is generally divided into three periods of gradual progress. We subjoin a list of his most important compositions, grouped according to the principle indicated. The first period extends to the year 1800. At the beginning we see Beethoven under the influence of his great predecessors, Haydn and Mozart, but progressing in rapid strides towards independence of thought and artistic power. To this time belong Three Trios for Pianoforte and Strings, Op. 1; Sonata for Pianoforte in E flat, Op. 7; Trio for Pianoforte and Strings in B flat, Op. 11; Sonate Pathétique; First Concerto for Pianoforte and Orchestra in C, Op. 15; Adelaida (composed 1797); also the celebrated Septuor, Op. 20, and the First Symphony, Op. 21 (the last two works published in 1800). The second period, from 1800-1814, marks the climax of formal perfection. The works of this time show the highest efforts of which music. as an independent art is capable. We mention the Mass in C, Op. 86; our master's only opera, Fidelio, and his overture and incidental musio to Goethe's Egmont; the Symphonies, Nos. 2-8, amongst which those called the Pastoral, the Eroica, and those 1 This symphony was originally written in celebration of Napoleon, at that time consul of the French Republic. When Beethoven heard of his assuming the imperial title, he tore off the dedication and trampled it under foot. in C minor and A major deserve special mention; Concerto For fuller information on the great master's life and works than our limited space has permitted us to give, we refer the reader to the biographical and critical works of Schindler, Thayer, Nohl, Marx, and Nottebohm. (F. H.) BEETLE, a name commonly applied to those insects which form the crder Coleoptera ("sheathwinged "), and which are readily distinguished from all others by the nature of the two upper wings. These are formed of a hard, horny substance known as chitin; and, although useless in flight, they serve as shields for the protection of the delicate wings underneath, while in many cases their hardness protects the beetle itself from the attacks of insectivorous birds. In some instances the elytra, as those upper wings are called, are firmly soldered together, and such species are thus rendered incapable of flight. Owing to the beauty of many of the exotic species, and the ease with which they can be preserved, beetles have been collected with great diligence by entomologists, so that nearly 80,000 | species, it is estimated, have already been described. Among the members of so large a group it need hardly be said that the greatest diversity exists in form and habits. They are all, however, provided with a masticatory mouth and in such predatory species as the Tiger Beetles, the mandibles are largely developed, and often armed with acute teeth. Many of them are carnivorous, feeding on other insects, and on decaying animal matter; but the larger proportion live on the fruits, leaves, and stems of plants, in many instances doing great damage to cereal crops and forest trees. In Germany, in the year 1783, a million and a half of trees are said to have been destroyed in the Harz Forest alone by means of two small species of wood-boring beetles; and in North America at the present time the potato crop is being annually blighted by the devastations of the larvae of what is known as the Potato Beetle (Doryphora decemlineata). Beetles undergo complete metamorphosis, passing from the larva to the pupa stage, in which they sometimes remain for several years before emerging as full-formed insects; others, however, undergo all the changes from egg to beetle in a few months. Many of those insects, such as the Goliath and Hercules Beetles, attain gigantic proportions, measuring often 6 inches long, exclusive of antennæ, and 2 inches broad; and many bear on the upper surface of their bodies curious horn-like projections. Others, as the Diamond Beetle of Brazil, are adorned with the most brilliant colours, showing a beautiful metallic lustre; and the elytra of such species are now largely used by jewellers in the manufacture of personal ornaments. See COLEOPTERA and INSECTS. BEGAS, KARL, a distinguished German historical painter, was born at Heinsberg in 1794, and died in 1854. His father, a retired judge, destined him for the legal profession, but the boy's tastes pointed definitely in another direction. Even at school he was remarked for his wonderful skill in drawing and painting, and in 1810 he was permitted to visit Paris in order to perfect himself in his art. He studied for eighteen months in the atelier of Gros, and then began to work independently. In 1814 his copy of the Madonna della Sedia was bought by the king of Prussia, who was attracted by the young artist, and did much to advance him. He was engaged to paint several large Biblical pictures, and in 1825, after his return from Italy, continued to produce paintings which were placed in the churches of Berlin and Potsdam. Some of these were historical pieces. but the majority were representations of Scriptural incidents. Begas was also celebrated as a portrait painter, and supplied to the royal gallery a long series of portraits of eminent Prussian men of letters. At his death he held the post of court painter. BEGBAZAAR, or BEIBAZAAR, a town of Asiatic Turkey, in the Anatolian province of Angora, situated on the Sangarius or Sakaria, about 52 miles W. of the provincial capital. Its houses are two stories in height, and roofed with shingles. Carpet-weaving is carried on in the town, and rice, cotton, and fruits are cultivated in the neighbourhood. The pears that are sold in Constantinople as the produce of Angora are really grown by the people of Begbazaar. Numerous remains of ancient works in marble are found throughout the town. Population, 4750. BEGHARDS AND BEGUINES. The nature and history of the Beghards is one of the obscurest problems in medieval times, and nothing very certain has been ascertained. During the Middle Ages there were formed, alongside of the regular orders, companies of men and women who devoted themselves to a religious life, but did not bind themselves by strict vows. The design was to enable men and women, who did not mean to separate themselves cutirely from the world, to lead, nevertheless, what, in the Middle Ages, was esteemed the religious life. Such companies were the Tertiarii of the Dominican and Franciscan orders, and at first the Beghards and Beguines were similarly constituted. The first notices we have of them tell us that, in the end of the 12th century, in several of the towns of the Netherlands, companies of women formed themselves together, under a simple rule, for the purpose of taking care of the sick and for other charitable objects. They were generally widows and maidens of high rank, and were called Beghine, or Beguinæ, or Beguttæ. The origin of the word is very obscure. Some time later, companies of men were formed in a similar way, and under the same rule. They took no vows, and were at liberty to leave the company when they liked. The men were called Beghards. In the 14th century these Beghards seem to have attached themselves to the Franciscans, and to have been instrumental in exciting to revolt that portion of the order which rebelled against the Pope. For some period, indeed, the terms Fratricelli or Spirituales (the two names for the rebel Franciscans) are used synonymously with Beghards. It is believed that the Arabian pantheism of Averroes had became diffused among many of the mystical sects, and that societies, originally purely religious, had become partly political. We know, at all events, that, in the 14th century, the Beghards were in close alliance with the communistic and pantheistic "Brethren of the Free Spirit." Clement V. denounced them at the Council of Vienna, and launched two bulls against them; the Inquisition was ordered to suppress them; and Pope John XXII., while he protected the Beguines, persecuted the Beghards. Such Beghards as still remained were absorbed in the Tertiarii of the Franciscans in the 17th century; but small communities of Beguines Beguinages, as they are called-still exist in the Netherlands, and in their organization are somewhat similar to many Anglican sisterhoods. (Cf. Mosheim, De Beyhardis et Beguinabus, the book upon the subject, and Hahn's Geschichte der Ketzer im Mittelalter. For the exported by river in 1872 being 22,749 tons. The manufactures meaning of the word see Du Cange, Gloss.) - BEHAR, a province of British India, under the jurisdiction of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, situated between 24° and 28° N. lat., and 83° and 89° E. long. It comprises the districts of Champaran, Tirhut, Sháhábád, Sárán, Patna, Purniah, Bhagalpur, and the Santál parganás; and is bounded on the N. by the independent kingdom of Nepál; on the E. by the Rájsháhí and Bardwán divisions of Bengal proper; on the S. by the Chhotá Nágpur division; and on the W. by the North-Western Provinces. The general aspect of the country is flat, except in the district of Monghir, where detached hills occur, and in the south-east of the province, where the Rájmahal and Santál ranges abut upon the plains. Behar abounds in great rivers, such as the Ganges, with its tributaries, the Ghagra, Gandak, Kusí, Mahánandá, and Son. The Ganges enters the province near the town of Baxar, flows eastward, and passing the towns of Dinajpur, Patná, Monghir, and Colgong, leaves the province at Rajmahal. It divides the province into two almost equal portions; north of the river lie the districts of Sáran, Champaran, Tirhut, Purniah, and part of Monghir and Bhagalpur, and south of it are Sháhábád, Patna, Gayá, the Santál parganas, and the rest of Monghir and Bhagalpur. The Ganges and its northern tributaries are navigable by country boats of large burden all the year round. The Son (the most important of the southern tributaries) enters the province in the extreme south-west, and forming for a short distance its boundary in that direction, flows north, past Rhotásgarh and Arah, separating the districts of Sháhábád from those of Gaya and Patná, and joins the Ganges opposite Cháprá. It has a very wide bed, and pours down its waters with great velocity during the rains. The principal hills within the province are the Moher hill in the district of Gayá, 1620 feet; Santal parganá hills, 800 to 1600 feet, Rájmahal and Monghir hills, 1500 feet; and Rajgarh hill in Patná, 1200 feet above sea-level. Behar Province contains eight districts, with an area of 42,417 square miles, and a total population in 1872 of 19,736,101 souls, inhabiting 48,285 villages or townships, and 8,252,036 houses; persons per square mile, 465; per village, 409. The males numbered 9,797,649, or 49.6 per cent., and the females, 9,938,452, or 50.4 per cent., of the total population. Of the provincial population, 16,526,850, or 83.7 per cent., were Hindus; 2,636,053, or 134 per cent., Mahometans; 54 Buddhists; 8063 Christians; and 565,081, or 2.9 per cent., of unspecified religion, mostly aborigines. Of the male adults, 3,613,231 are returned as agriculturists, and 2,480,557 non-agriculturists. The aboriginal tribes consist of the Bhars, Cherus, Dhangars, Kanjhárs, Kharwárs, Kols, Mals, Naiyás, Nats, Pahariás, Santals, and Tharus. The census of 1872 returned 49 towns as containing upwards of 5000 inhabitants, particulars of which will be found in the accounts of the districts within which they are situated. Rice, wheat, barley, pulses, maize, and various kinds of millets, form the principal food-grains of the province. Rice is the main staple of food; but in elevated and dry localities, wheat, maize, millet, and peas are substituted. Potatoes, cabbages, &c., were introduced by Europeans, and are now largely cultivated. Many kinds of fruits and vegetables are also produced. The commercial staples consist of oil-seeds, opium, indigo, sugar, cotton, and saltpetre. Upwards of 800,000 tons of oil-seeds were exported from Behar in 1872. The principal marts for oil-seeds are Revelganj, in the Sáran district, and Roshrá in Tirhut. The cultivation of opium is a Government monopoly, and no person is allowed to grow the poppy except on account of Government. The Behar Opium Agency has its headquarters at the town of Patná. Annual engagements are entered into by the cultivators, under a system of pecuniary advances, to sow a certain quantity of land with poppy, and the whole produce in the form of opium is delivered to Government at a fixed rate. The area under poppy cultivation in the Behar Agency in 1872 amounted to 330,925 acres. The Behar indigo, generally called Tirhut indigo, yields about one-half of the total produce of that dye which is annually exported from Calcutta. In the Bhagalpur division there are 44 factories, yielding on an average about 500 tons of indigo a year. In the Patná division, indigo cultivation is almost entirely confined to the north of the Ganges, in the districts of Tirhut, Sáran, and Champaran, which in 1872 contained 104 factories, including outworks, and yielded 1958 tons of the dye. The indigo industry is almost entirely conducted by Europeans, and the total capital invested in the business in Behar is estimated at upwards of a million sterling. Large quantities of sugar are exported, but the cotton grown in the province is not sufficient for the requirements of the people, and has to be supplemented by imports of raw cotton and English piece goods. Saltpetre is largely refined in Tirhut, Sáran, and Champaran, and is exported both by rail and river to Calcutta; the quantity of less importance are tasar-silk, paper, blankets, brass utensils, fire-arms, carpets, coarse cutlery and hardware, leather, ornaments of gold and silver, &c. Of minerals-lead, silver, and copper exist in the Bhagalpur division, but the mines are not worked. One coal-mine is worked in the Santál parganás. Before the construc afforded the sole means of communication from Calcutta to the tion of railways in India, the Ganges and the Grand Trunk road North-Western Provinces. But now the railroad is the great highway which connects Upper India with Lower Bengal. The East Indian Railway runs throughout the length of the province; total length of rail, upwards of 500 miles. Besides the Grand Trunk road, the other important roads in the province are-(1), Road from Synthia Railway Station to Bhagalpur; (2), Darjiling road, from Kárágolá to Siliguri; (3), from Shahrghátí on the Grand Trunk road to Patná city, and thence to Tirhut town. There are also many local roads under the management of the district road committees. The gross revenue of the province in 1872 amounted to £1,596,952, of which £1,184,906, or 74 per cent., was from land. In 1872 the 8 districts of the province were divided into 37 executive subdivisions, and contained 52 civil judges and 80 magistrates. The total police force (regular, municipal, and village) consists of 60 28 men; cost, £210,943. In 1872 there were 215 Government and aided schools, attended by 9454 pupils, and maintained at a total cost of £17,835, of which Government contributed £10,328. These are exclusive of unaided schools. The census of 1872 returned the total number of schools, aided and unaided, in the province at 4781. Bengali is the language in the eastern part of the province; but Hindi, one of the dialects of Sanskrit, is the language of the rest. The Mahometan population use Hindustani or Urdu, a language of modern origin, formed from the fusion of Persian and Arabic with Hindi. The climate of Behar is very hot from the middle of March to the end of June, when the rains set in, which continue till the end of September. The cold season, from October to the first half of March, is the pleasantest time of the year. The total rainfall in 1872 varied from 32 to 60 inches in different localities; minimum temperature in December, 53°; maximum in May, 105°. In ancient times Behar comprised the dominions of the kings of Magadha, who at one time were the lords paramount of India, and whose court is represented as one of the most brilliant that ever existed. Alexander the Great when he invaded India intended to push his conquests to Palibothra, the capital of Magadha, whose monarch he heard could oppose him with 30,000 cavalry, 600,000 infantry, and 9000 elephants. Their highest point of grandeur was supposed to have been attained at the time of Seleucus Nicator, one of the immediate successors of Alexander, who invaded Magadha. According to the Greek historians he was victorious, but this is doubtful, as he relinquished all the Macedonian conquests to the east of the Indus, and gave his daughter in marriage to Chandra Gupta, the reigning king. At this time Magasthenes was appointed to represent him at Magadha court. The Magadha monarchs encouraged arts and learning, constructed roads, and sent their fleets across the Bay of Bengal to colonise Java, Bali, and other islands in the Indian Archipelago. The Magadha kingdom flourished from the 4th century before the Christian era to the 5th century after it. But ancient Behar is far more celebrated in another respect. Six centuries before the Christian era it was the cradle of Buddhism when that religion was in its infant state. It sent its missionaries to Ceylon, China, Thibet, and Tartary, and the religion they taught is still followed by 300 millions of people. Behar is a sacred spot in the eyes of the Chinese and other Buddhist nations. In 1202 A.D. Behar fell into the hands of the Mahometans without a struggle, and from this time it formed one of the three subahs or provinces under the rulers of Bengal. In the time of Akbar it comprised the seven sarkárs of Monghir, Champáran, Hájípur, Sáran, Tirhut, Rohtás, and Behar. It came into the possession of the East India Company with the acquisition of the Diwání in 1765, when the province was united with Bengal In 1857 two zamindárs, Umar Sinh and Kumár Sinh, rebelled against the British Government, and for some months held the ruinous fort of Rohtás against the English. BEHAR, a magisterial subdivision, and a town of Patna district. The SUBDIVISION was formed in 1846. It has an area of 792 square miles, with a total population of 570,888 souls, the average population per square mile being 721. BEHAR TOWN is situated in 25° 10' N. lat., and 85° 35' E. long. It was formerly the capital of a subah or governorship under the Mahometans, but at present it is merely a subdivisional town. Population in 1872Hindus, 31,006; Mahometans, 13,282; others, 7; total, 44,295. Municipal income, £1100; expenditure, £1120; rate of taxation, 6d. per head of population. BEHBEHAN, a town of Persia, in the province of Fars, pleasantly situated in the middle of a highly-cultivated plain, which is watered by the Rivers Zab and Jerahi. The walls are about three miles in circumference; and there is a castle called Kaláh Náranj, or Orange Castle, in the S. E. corner. The population is variously estimated at 10,000 and at 4000, the latter more probably correct, as the place has suffered from plague and oppression. PEHEM, or BEHAIM, MARTIN, a well-known navigator and cartographer, was born at Nuremberg about 1436. Having entered the service of Portugal, he was appointed, in 1484, to act as geographer in the expedition of Diego Cam to the western coast of Africa, and on his return to Lisbon received the honour of knighthood in reward for his services. He was afterwards employed by the king in various capacities, and visited the capital from time to time in connection with his engagements; but, after his marriage in 1486, his principal residence seems to have been at Fayal, in the Azores, where his father-in-law, Job Huerter, held the rank of governor of the Flemish colony. On a visit to his native city in 1492, he constructed a terrestrial globe, in which he incorporated the discoveries of Marco Polo and other recent travellers. The globe is still preserved in the family, and has frequently been reproduced by engraving. (See Doppelmayr, Hist. Nachricht v. Nürnberg. Mathem. u. Künstler, 1730; Pigafetta, Prem, voy. autour du Monde, 1802; and atlas to Vivien de Saint Martin's Hist. de la Geog., 1874.) Behem's scientific attainments have been very variously estimated,—some placing him in the very first rank among the geographers of his time, while others maintain that he hardly reached the level of the ordinary Portuguese chart-makers. Blunders of 16 degrees are found on his globe in the localization of places which he himself visited, while in the contemporaneous maps errors of more than one degree were comparatively rare. It is generally agreed that he had no share in Transatlantic discovery, and though Columbus and he were in Portugal at the same time, no connection between the two has been established. He died at Lisbon in 1506, or, according to his tombstone, 1507. See Murr, Diplomat. Gesch. des berühmten Ritters Behaim, 1778; Humboldt, Krit. Untersuchungen, 1836; Ghillany, Gesch. des Seefahrers M. Behaim, 1853; Lelewell, Geog. du moyen âge, 1857; Petermann's Mittheil., 1858; Peschel, Zeitalter der Entdeckungen, and Gesch. der Erdkunde, 1865; Breusing, Zur Gesch. der Geogr., 1869. BEHISTUN, BIHSUTUN, or BISUTUN, the ancient Baghistan (Mons Bagistanus), a precipitous mountain or rock in Persia, remarkable for the extensive inscriptions of a very early date still preserved on some parts of its escarpment. It lies 27 miles E. of Kirmanshah, in the province of Irak Ajemi. The principal inscription is cuneiform, and relates to the victories of Darius Hystaspes, who is represented in a sculptured centre-piece as receiving the homage of a number of captives, upon one of whom he has planted his foot. The labour expended on the work must have been very great. The surface of the rock has been carefully smoothed, and pieces have had every crevice or hollow filled up with lead; the accuracy and regularity of the characters is almost unexampled, and the whole of the tablets have been carefully coated with a siliceous varnish to preserve them from the weather Of the other inscriptions the first is in Greek and the second in Arabic, but neither is of any great importance. It was not till 1846 that the Darius tablets were translated by Sir Henry Raw linson, who has given a complete account of his labours in the Journ. Roy. As. Soc. The principal notice of Behistun in the Greek or Roman writers is that of Diodorus Siculus, who tells how Semiramis visited the place on her march from Babylon to Ecbatana, and caused her own image to be sculptured on the rock. He interprets the name of the mountain by Atos opos, the Hill of Jove, which is not very different from that proposed by modern scholars—“ the dwelling of the gods." (See Journ. R. Geog. Soc., 1839; Journ. Roy. As. Soc., vols. and xii.; Ker Porter's Travels; Benfey's Keilinschriften, 1847.) BEHMEN, JACOB. See BOEHME. BEHN, APHRA, an English authoress of some celebrity, was born of a good family in Canterbury in the reign of Charles I., probably in 1642. Her father, whose name was Johnson, having received the appointment of lieutenantgeneral of Surinam, proceeded to the West Indies, taking with him his whole family. Mr Johnson died on the voyage; but his family reached Surinam, and resided there for some years. Here Aphra learned the history, and acquired a personal knowledge, of the American prince Oroonoco and his beloved Imoinda, whose adventures she has related in her novel Oroonoco. On her return to London she is said to have married Mr Behn, a merchant of Dutch extraction residing in that city, of whom nothing but the name has ever been known, if anything more even existed. The wit and abilities of Mrs Behn brought her into high estimation at court, and Charles II. employed her to transact some affairs of importance abroad during the Dutch war. For this purpose she went to Antwerp, where she skilfully contrived to penetrate so far into the secrets of state as to accomplish the objects of her mission; and in the latter end of 1666, by means of the influence she had gained over one Van der Albert, she wormed out of him the design formed by De Ruyter, in conjunction with the family of the De Witts, of sailing up the Thames and burning the English ships in their harbours. This she communicated to the English court, but although the event proved her intelligence to have been well founded, it was at the time disregarded,-which circumstance, together with the disinclination shown to reward her for her services, determined her to drop all further thoughts of political affairs. She returned to England, and had a narrow escape on the voyage home, the vessel in which she sailed having foundered. From this period she appears to have supported herself by her writings. Her works are numerous, and all of them are of a lively and amatory character. Her dramas are sometimes well constructed, but they are among the worst specimens of the later Stuart literature. Of her short tales, or novelettes, the only one possessing any merit is the story of Oroonoco, which was made the basis of Southerne's most popular tragedy. Mrs Behn died on the 16th of April 1689, and was interred in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey. Her works have passed through many editions, the latest being that published by Pearson, 1872. BEHRING'S ISLAND, the most westerly of the Aleutian group in the North Pacific, in 55° 22′ N. lat., 166° E. long. It is rocky and desolate, and is only remarkable as being the place where the navigator Behring was wrecked and died in 1741. Population 2500. At BEHRING'S STRAIT, the narrow sea between the N.E. part of Asia and the N.W. part of North America, connecting the North Pacific with the Arctic Ocean. the narrowest part, East Cape in Asia approaches within about 36 miles of Cape Prince of Wales on the American shore. The former is in 66° 6' N. lat., 169° 38′ W. long.; and the latter in 65° 46′ N, lat., 168° 15′ W. long. North and south of these points the coasts on both sides rapidly diverge. They are steep and rocky, and considerably indented. The Asiatic coast, extending from Cape Serdtzy to Cape Chukotzky, a distance of about 400 miles, presents several large and commodious bays. The strait is in general from 23 to 30 fathoms in depth, and contains a few small islands known as the Diomede Islands. Haze and fogs greatly prevail, and the temperature is low. The strait derives its name from Vitus Bering or Behring, a German in the Russian service, who discovered it in the year 1728. It was subsequently explored and described with great accuracy by Captain Cook, in 1788. (See Arctic Papers for Expedition of 1875.) BEIRA, a province of Portugal, bounded on the N. by the provinces of Traz-os-Montes and Minho, E. by Spain, S. by Alemtejo and Portuguese Estremadura, and W. by the Atlantic. Area about 8586 square miles. Population in 1871, 1,294,282. It is administratively divided into the districts of Aveiro, Coimbra, Vizeu, Guarda, and Castello Branco, while it is popularly regarded as consisting of the three sections of Beira-Alta or Upper Beira, BeiraBaixa, or Lower Beira, and Beira-Mar. or Maritime Beira. Except along the coast, the surface is for the most part mountainous, the highest point, in the Serra de Estrella, being 7524 feet. Besides the Douro, which is far the largest, the Aguada, the Mondego, the Vouga, and the Zezere are the principal rivers. The soil, except in the valleys, is dry and rocky, and large stretches are covered with heath. The principal agricultural productions are maize, wheat, garden vegetables, and fruit. The olive is largely cultivated, the oil forming one of the chief articles of export; and good wine is also produced. In the flat country between Coimbra and Aveiro the marshy land is laid out in rice-fields, or in pastures for herds of cattle and horses. The rearing of sheep is not so well attended to as formerly, except in Upper Beira. In the neighbourhood of Lamego swine are reared in considerable numbers, and furnish the well-known Lisbon hams. There is comparatively little manufacturing industry in the province, with the exception of the production of woollen cloth, which occupies a large part of the population in the district of Castello Branco or Covilhao. Silver and lead ores exist in the mountains, but are neglected. Iron, coal, and marble are worked to some extent, and millstones are quarried in some places. Salt is obtained in considerable quantities from the lagunes along the coast. There is a striking difference of character between the inhabitants of the lower and more elevated regions of Beira, the former being sociable and courteous, if also indolent and lax in morals; while the latter are grave and reserved, hardy and industrious. The principal towns in the province are Coimbra, Vizeu, Aveiro, Omar, and Lamego. The heir-apparent to the throne of Portugal has the title of Prince of Beira. BEIT EL FAKIH (ie., House of the Saint), an unwalled town in Arabia, in the province of Yemen, 77 miles N.E. of Mocha, and about 17 from the coast, in 43° 23′ E. long., 13° 32′ N. lat. It is situated on a barren, sandy plain, protected against the predatory incursions of the Arabs by a castle, in which the governor resides. It was founded in the 17th century by the inhabitants of the seaboard town of Alafaka, who were led to seek a new settlement from their once famous harbour being rendered useless by coral banks; and it soon became the greatest sent of the coffee-trade in the world. The prosperity of the city was considerably diminished under the Wahabees and Mehemet Ali of Egypt, though even during his domination it is stated to have had 30,000 inhabitants. It is still engaged in the coffee-trade, and also deals in incense, gum, and pearls. Most of the common houses are mere grass-roofed huts, but here and there are ancient stene buildings. The most remarkable of these is the mosque of Akhmed-Ibn-Musa, which is older than the city itself. The principal ports at which the exports are shipped are Lohaya, about 32 miles N.W., and Hodeida, 37 miles S. Population, 8000. BEJA, a city of the province of Alemtejo, in Portugal, 36 miles S. of Evora. It is surrounded with walls, is the see of a bishop, and contains about 6600 inhabitants, who are for the most part occupied in cultivation, and especially in breeding cattle. BEJAR, a fortified town of Spain, in the province of Salamanca, situated on the River Cuerpo de Hombre, in a deep and fertile valley of the Sierra de Bejar, about 45 miles S. of the provincial capital. Its streets are narrow, but well paved, and most of the houses are old. The manufacture of cloth is carried on, and there is a considerable trade in cattle at the annual fair. There are saline springs, with a temperature of 104° to 108° F. A ducal family takes its title from the city, and has a palace within its walls. Population, 10,683. The BEKE, CHARLES TILSTONE, a distinguished English traveller, geographer, and Biblical critic, was born in London, October 10, 1800. Educated for the pursuits of commerce, he afterwards studied law for a short time at Lincoln's Inn, but finally devoted himself to the study of historical, geographical, and ethnographical subjects. first-fruits of his researches appeared in his work entitled Origines Biblica, or Researches in Primeval History, which was published in 1834. As an attempt to reconstruct the early history of the human race from geological dates, it naturally raised a storm of opposition on the part of those who felt it their duty to defend the traditional readings of the book of Genesis. For about two years (1836 to 1838) Dr Beke held the post of British Consul in Saxony. From that time till his death his attention was devoted to geographical studies, chiefly of Africa and the Nile Valley. Aided by private friends, he visited Abyssinia in connection with the political mission under Major Harris, and explored districts which up to that time had remained unknown to Europeans. The valuable results of this journey, which occupied him from 1840 to 1843, he gave to the world in 1845 in the work entitled Abyssinia, a Statement of Facts, &c. Once again, after an interval of inore than twenty years, he went to Abyssinia, for the purpose of obtaining from King Theodore the release of Mr Rassam and other British captives. In this he succeeded, but the king afterwards changed his mind and continued to detain the prisoners. In 1848 he made an unsuccessful attempt to explore the Upper Nile; his labour was repaid, however, by a large amount of information about the countries which he traversed. The ardour with which he pursued his chosen path was shown by his undertaking in his seventy-fourth year a journey to Palestine, for the purpose of determining the real position of Mount Sinai. He conceived that it was on the eastern side of the Gulf of Akabah; and his exploration convinced him that his view was right. It has not, however, commended itself to general acceptance. Dr Beke died at Bromley, in Kent, July 31, 1874. Dr Beke's writings are very numerous. Among the more impor tant, besides those already named, are-An Essay on the Nile and its Tributaries, 1847; On the Sources of the Nile, 1849; and The British Captives in Abyssinia, 1865. He contributed a large number of Memoirs and Papers to the Royal Geographical Society, the British Association, the Philological Society, the Athenæum, the Archeologia, the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, &c., &c. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and for his contributions to our knowledge of Abyssinia received its gold medal, and also that of the Geographical Society of France. For his Origines Biblica the degree of Ph.D. was conferred on him by the University of Tübingen. He was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. In 1870 he received the grant of a pension on the civil list. |