Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

28 BEDE-BEDFORD.
thus nearly all the knowledge possessed Edinburgh. In his 26th year, he took
of the early state of Christianity in his his doctor's degree, afterwards visited
country is due to B. There have been Paris, and formed an acquaintance with
several editions of the original Latin, Lavoisier. On his return, he was appointwhich is easy, although not elegant. The ed professor of chemistry at Oxford.
latest and best is that of Dr. Smith, Cam- There he published some excellent cheumbridge, 1722. There is a translation into ical treatises, and Observations on the
English by Thomas Stapylton, D. D., Ant- Calculus, Sea-Scurvy, Consumption, Cawerp, 1505, besides the Saxon version of tarrh and Fever. But, dazzled by the
Alfred. B. was also the author of many splendid promises of the French revoluother works, a catalogue of which he sub- tion, he offended some of his former adjoined to his history. Several of these mirers, and excited such a clamor against
were printed early; but the first general him by the publication of his political
collection of his works was that of Paris, opinions, that he determined to resign his
1554, 3 vols. fol. Some of his treatises professorship, and retired to the house of
have been published by Mr. Whartonl, his friend Mr. Reynolds, in Shropshire.
firom MSS. in the library at Lambeth pal- There he composed his observations onl
ace, London, 4to, 1693. While the num- the nature of' demonstrative evidence, in
her and variety of the writings of B. show which he endeavors to prove, that mathethe extent of his erudition, his probity, matical reasoning proceeds on the evimoderation and modesty insured him dence of the senses, and that geometry is
general respect; and his disinterestedness founded on experiment. He also pubis proved by the fact, that he was never lished the History of Isaac Jenkins, which
any thing but an unbeneficed priest. A was intended to impress useful moral
letter of advice, which he wrote, late in lessons on the laboring classes in an atlife, to Egbert, archbishop of York, proves, tractive manner. Above 40,000 copies of
at once, the purity of his morals, the lib- this popular work were sold in a short
erality of his sentiments, and the excel- time. After lie had married, in 1794, he
lence of his discernment; his wish being formed the plan of a pneumatic instituto curtail the number of monasteries, and tion, for curing diseases, particularly conto increase the efficacy and respectability sumption, by meacns of factitious airs or
of the secular clergy. Notwithstanding gases. He succeeded, with the assistance
the veneration with which he was regard- of the celebrated Wedgewood, in opening
ed, not a single miracle is recorded of this institution, in 1798. Hle engaged, as
him; and, as monks were the great mira- superintendent of the whole, a young man,
cle mongers, and his views of monastic Humphrey Davy, the foundation of whose
reforn such as we have mentioned, this future fame was laid here. The chief
is not surprising. The manner of the purpose of the institution, however, was
death of this virtuous ecclesiastic was never realized, and B.'s zeal gradually restriking and characteristic. He was dic- laxed, so that he relinquished it one year
tatilg a translation of the gospel of St. before his death, after having published a
John to an amanuensis. The young man number of valuable works upon the apwho wrote for him said, "There is now, plication of factitious airs. In the last
master, but one sentence wanting;" upon years of his life, he acquired the reputawhich he bade him write quickly; and, tion of the best medical writer in Great
when the scribe said, "It is now done," Britain, particularly by his Hygeia, in 3
the dying sage ejaculated, "It is now vols., a popular work, which contains
done," and a few minutes afterwards ex- passages of extraordinary eloquence.
pired, in the act of prayer, on the floor of tHis political pamphlets, from 1795-97,
his cell, in the 63d year of his age, in the are forgotten.
inonth of May, A. D. 735. BEDFORD, John, duke of; one of the
BEDDOES, Thomas; a physician and younger sons of Henry IV, king of Engauthor; born, 1760, at Shiffnal in Shrop- land; famous as a statesman and a warshire; died 1808. He was educated by rior. Shakspeare, who calls him prince
his grandfather. He made great progress John of Lancaster, introduces him, in his
at school, in classical studies, and dis- plays of Henry IV, as distinguishing himtinguished himself at Oxford by his self by his youthful courage in the battle
knowledge of ancient and modern lan- of Shrewsbury, ini 1403, and forming a
guages and literature. The great discov- kind of moral contrast to his more dissieries in physics, chemistry and physiology, pated brother, the prince of Wales. Duirresistibly attracted him. He continued ring the reign of Henry V, he participated
his studies with success in London and in the fame acquired by the conquest of