the head of foreign affairs. During the seven years war (1755-62) he preserved a system of strict neutrality, which proved eminently serviceable to the commerce and internal prosperity of Denmark. In 1761, when the emperor of Russia, Peter III. threatened Denmark with war, and marched his troops towards Holstein, Bernstorf exerted the utmost vigour in contriving means for the defence of the country, and the sudden death of Peter having averted this storm, he employed his skill in bringing about an alliance between the courts of Copenhagen and St. Petersburgh. In 1767 he succeeded in concluding a provisional treaty, by which the dukedom of Holstein, which Paul, the grand duke of Russia, inherited by the death of Peter III. was exchanged for Oldenburgh, which belonged to the king of Denmark. This finally took place in 1773, and procured an important addition to the Danish territories. Soon after Bernstorf put a stop to the long contest that had been maintained respecting the house of Holstein having a right of sovereignty over Hamburgh, and that city was declared independent on condition of not claiming repayment of the money the city had advanced to the king of Denmark and the dukes of Holstein. These measures contributed highly to the reputation of count Bernstorf as a politician, but perhaps he derived as much credit from his conduct in other respects. He had acquired a large estate in the neighbourhood of Copenhagen, the peasants on which, as was the case in Denmark at that time, were slaves, and transferred like other property. Bernstorf, however, not only gave them their liberty, but granted them long leases, and encouraged them to cultivate the land, and feel that they had an interest in it. His tenants, soon sensible of the humanity and wisdom of his conduct, agreed to express their gratitude by erecting an obelisk in honour of him on the side of the great road leading to Copenhagen. Bernstorf was likewise a liberal patron of manufactures, commerce, and the fine arts. It was he who induced Frederick V. to give a pension for life to the poet Klopstock. On the death of that monarch, Bernstorf was continued in the ministry for the first years of the new reign, until 1770, when Struenzee being placed at the head of the council, Bernstorf was allowed to resign with a pension. He then retired to Hamburgh, but after the catastrophe of Struenzee, he was recalled, and was about to set out for Copenhagen when he died of an apo

plexy, Feb. 19, 1772. The political measures of this statesman belong to history, but his private character has been the theme of universal applause. Learned, social, affable, generous, and high spirited, he preserved the affections of all who knew him, and throughout his whole administration had the singular good fortune to enjoy at the same time courtly favour and popular esteem. His nephew, count Andrew Peter Bernstorf, who was born in 1735, and eventually succeeded him as foreign minister for Denmark, displayed equal zeal and knowledge in promoting the true interests of his country, which yet repeats his name with fervour and enthusiasm. It was particularly his object to preserve the neutrality of Denmark, after the French revolution had provoked a combination of most of the powers of Europe; and as long as neutral rights were at all respected, he succeeded in this wise measure. His state papers on the "principles of the court of Denmark concerning neutrality," in 1780, and his "Declaration to the courts of Vienna and Berlin," in 1792, were much admired. In private life he followed the steps of his uncle, by a liberal patronage of arts, commerce, and manufactures, and like him was as popular in the country as in the court. He died Jan. 21, 1797.1

BEROALD, or BEROALDE (MATTHEW), was born at St. Denis near Paris, and was educated at the college of the cardinal Lemoine, where he made great proficiency in the learned languages, and became an able theologian, mathematician, philosopher, and historian. In 1550 he was at Agen as preceptor to Hector Fregosa, afterwards bishop of that city, and here he was converted to the Protestant religion along with Scaliger and other learned men. When he arrived at Paris in 1558, he was chosen preceptor to Theodore Agrippa d'Aubigné : but the persecution arising, he was arrested at Constance and condemned to be burnt, a fate from which he was preserved by the kindness of an officer who favoured his escape. He then went to Orleans, Rochelle, and Sancerre, and distinguished himself by his courage during the siege of this latter place by the marshal de Lachatre. In 1574 we find him at Geneva, officiating as minister and professor of philosophy. His death is supposed to have taken place in 1576. He wrote a curious book entitled "Chronicon, sacræ Scripturæ auctoritate

constitutum," Geneva, 1575, fol. In this he maintains that all chronological authorities must be sought in the holy scriptures. Vossius and Scaliger speak highly of his talents. Draudius, in his "Bibliotheca Classica," mentions another work in which he was concerned, "G. Mercatoris et Matthei Beroaldi chronologia, ab initio mundi ex eclip'sis et observationibus astronomicis demonstrata," Basil, 1577, Cologne, 1568, fol. We have some doubts whether this is not the same as the work mentioned above. 1

BEROALDE DE VERVILLE (FRANCIS), son to the preceding, was born at Paris, April 28, 1558, and educated in the principles of the reformed religion, but after his father's death, returned to those of the church of Rome, and became an ecclesiastic, having in 1593 obtained a canonry of St. Gatien of Tours. From his youth he applied with enthusiasm to scientific pursuits, and was scarcely twenty years old when he published in Latin and French, Besson's "Theatre of mathematical and mechanical instruments," with explanations. At that time, if he may be credited, he had made many discoveries in mathematics, was an expert watchmaker and goldsmith, and his knowledge of the classics would have recommended him to the place of tutor to the son of a person of rank: but he was extremely vain, and perpetually flattering himself that he possessed invaluable secrets, and had discovered the philosopher's stone, perpetual motion, and the quadrature of the circle. His works certainly show that he had accumulated a considerable stock of various knowledge, but he was very deficient in judgment. His style is diffuse, and so perplexed even in his poems, that his works have had but few readers, and are in request only by the collectors of curiosities. The greater part of these were collected and published under the title of "Apprehensions spirituelles," Paris, 1583, 12mo: among them is a poem in imitation of sir Thomas More's Utopia. His translation of Columna's Hypnerotomachia is only that of John Martin altered and disfigured. Niceron has given a list of his other works (vol. XXXIV.) among which are, 1. "Histoire veritable, ou Le Voyage des Princes fortunés," Paris, 1610, 8vo. 2. "Le Cabinet de Minerve, &c."Rouen, 1601, 12mo. 3. "Moyen de parvenir," printed under the title of "Salmigondis," and that of "Coup-cu de la Melancholie," a

1 Gen. Dict.-Biog. Univ.-Moreri.

collection of licentious tales, in much request with a certain description of collectors. Beroalde's death is conjectured to have happened in 16121

BEROALDO (PHILIP), the elder, one of the most eminent scholars of the fifteenth century, descended from an ancient and noble family of Bologna, was born there, Dec. 7, 1453. Having lost his father in his infancy, he was brought up by his mother with the greatest care, able masters being provided for his education, whose pains he rewarded by an uncommon proficiency, aided by an astonishing memory. Besides the lessons which they gave him, he studied so hard by himself, that at the age of eighteen, he fell into a very dangerous disorder, from which he recovered with much difficulty. When it was discovered that he could learn nothing more from his tutors, it was thought that the best way to increase his knowledge was to employ him in teaching others. When only nineteen, therefore, he opened a school first at Bologna, and afterwards at Parma and Milan. After continuing this for some time, the high reputation of the university of Paris made him very anxious to visit that city, which accordingly he accomplished, and gave public lectures for some months to a very large auditory, some say, of six hundred scholars. Every thing in science then was done by lecturing, and Beroaldo, no doubt gratified by the applause he had met with, would have remained longer at Paris had he not been recalled to his own country, his return to which created a sort of public rejoicing. His first honour was to be ap pointed professor of belles-lettres in the university of Bologna, which he retained all his life, and although he would have been content with this, as the summit of his literary ambition, yet this promotion was followed by civic honours. In 1189 he was named one of the ancients of Bologna, and some years after made one of a deputation from the city, with Galeas Bentivoglio, to pope Alexander VI. He was also for several years, secretary of the republic.

Amidst so much study and so many employments, Beroaldo had his relaxations, which do not add so much to his reputation. He was fond of the pleasures of the table, and passionately addicted to play, to which he sacrificed all he was worth. He was an ardent votary of the fair sex; and thought no pains nor expence too great for accomplish1 Gen. Dict.-Biog. Univ.-Moreri.

ing his wishes. He dreaded wedlock, both on his own account and that of his mother, whom he always tenderly loved. But at length he found a lady to his mind, and all those different passions that had agitated the youth of Beroaldo were appeased the moment he was married. The mild and engaging manners of his bride inspired him with prudence and economy. Beroaldo was from that time quite another man. Regular, gentle, polite, beneficent, envious of no one, doing no one wrong, and speaking no evil, giving merit its due, unambitious of honours, and content with humbly accepting such as were offered him. He had scarcely an enemy, except George Merula, whose jealousy was roused by Beroaldo's admiration of Politian, whom himself once admired, and afterwards took every opportunity to traduce as a scholar. Beroaldo's weak state of health brought on premature old age, and he died of a fever, which was considered as too slight for advice, July 7,1505. His funeral was uncommonly pompous; the body, robed in silk and crowned with laurel, was followed by all persons of literary or civic distinction at Bologna.

Beroaldo's chief merit was his publication of good editions of the ancient Roman authors, with learned commentaries. His own style, however, some critics think, is affected, and more like that of his favourite Apuleius than that of Cicero, and his judgment is rather inferior to his learning. Among his publications we may enumerate, (referring to Niceron, vol. XXV. for the whole), 1. "Caii Plinii historia naturalis," Parma, 1476, Trevisa, 1479, and Paris, 1516, all in fol. He was not more than nineteen when he wrote the notes to this edition of Pliny, whom he afterwards took up and meant to have given more ample illustrations, but the copy on which he had written his notes being stolen at Bologna, he expressed at his dying hour his regret for the loss. 2. "Annotationes in commentarios Servii Virgilianos," Bologna, 1482, 4to. 3. "Propertii opera cum commentariis," Bologna, 1487, Venice, 1493, Paris, 1604, all in fol. 4. "Annotationes in varios authores antiquos," Bologna, 1488, Venice, 1489, Brescia, 1496, fol. 5. "Orationes," Paris, 1490, Lyons, 1490 and 1492, Bologna, 1491, &c. 6. A second collection, entitled "Orationes, prefationes, prælectiones, &c." Paris, 1505, 1507 (or 1508), 1509, 1515, 4to. There are in this collection some small pieces of other authors, but near thirty by Beroaldo, both in prose and verse. Besides