inquisitor-general in the Netherlands. He died in 1589, and left the reputation of. great learning, pure morals, and a rare modesty. His Augustinian views, which were called then Baianism, descended to the Jansenists (as the precursor of whom he is to be regarded), and, in their hands, received an interpretation formidable to Jesuitism and to the papal power. His doctrine of pure, undivided love to God has been adopted by the Quietists. His writings, mostly polemical, were published by Gabriel Gerberon, at Cologne, 1696, quarto.

BAJAZET I, Turkish emperor, in 1389, succeeded his father, Amurath, who fell in the battle of Cassova against the Servians. He caused his elder brother, Jacob, his rival for the throne, to be strangled—an act of barbarity, which, since his time, has become a custom at the Turkish court. He made great and rapid conquests. Hence his name, Ilderim, the Lightning. In three years, he conquered Bulgaria, part of Servia, Macedonia, Thessaly, and subjected the states of Asia Minor. He besieged even Constantinople for ten years, and hoped to starve it into a surrender. In order to save the city, king Sigismond of Hungary (afterwards emperor of Germany) assembled a great army (including a number of French troops and 2,000 noblemen, under the command of the duke of Nivey), and attacked the city of Nicopolis, in Bulgaria, situated near the Danube. But B. met them, and obtained a decisive victory over the allied Hungarians, Poles and French, 28th Sept., 1395. Sigismond escaped, by a hasty flight, in disguise. The French, by whose imprudent impetuosity the battle was lost, were most of them taken prisoners, and executed by the order of B. He would probably have now overturned the whole Greek empire, if Timur (see Tamerlane) had not attacked Natolia, in 1400. B. marched to meet him, and suffered a total defeat near Ancyra, in Galatia, June 16, 1402. He himself fell into the power of the conqueror, who treated him with generosity. The story of his being carried about in a cage by Timur is without historical proof. B. died, in 1403, in Timur's camp, in Caramania. His successor was Soliman I.Bajazet II succeeded his father, Mahomet II, sultan of the Turks, in 1481. He increased the Turkish empire by conquests on the north-west and in the east, took Lepanto, Modon and Durazzo, in a war against the Venetians, and ravaged the coasts of the Christian states on the Mediterranean, to 45

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revenge the expulsion of the Moors from Spain. At home, he had to contend against his rebellious son Selim, to whom, at last, he resigned the empire. He died in 1512, on his way to the place which he had chosen for his retirement. It has been supposed that he was put to death by the order of his son. He was a man of uncommon talents, and did much for the improvement of his empire, and the promotion of the sciences.

BAKHUYSEN. (See Backhuysen.)

BAKKER, Peter Huysinga, a Dutch poet, born in 1715, died in 1801, was a member of the academy of sciences at Leyden. His poem on the inundation of 1740 is much esteemed. All his works make three volumes, of which one volume contains satires and contemptuous songs against the Britons. He was a friend and relation of the Dutch historian Wagenaer, of whose life he published some notices. He translated Hight's Latin poem on Spring into Dutch.

BALALAIKA; a musical instrument, of very ancient Sclavonian origin, common among the Russians, Tartars, and, according to Niebuhr, also frequent in Egypt and Arabia. It is of the guitar kind, but has only two strings.

BALANCE OF POWER. (See Power.)

BALANCE OF TRADE, a subject formerly so much discussed, is now rarely mentioned. The notion was once entertained, that the prosperity of a country depended on exporting merchandise exceeding the value of the imports, and receiving the balance in the precious metals. If a nation has no mines, it can obtain the precious metals only by importation. So far, therefore, there is some ground for the notion. But, in speculating on this subject, men fell into two errors-1, in supposing that any direct legislative interference was necessary, in respect to the precious metals; 2, in computing the balance of trade; for, if we compare the value of exports with that of imports received in exchange, the more profitable the trade is, the more the balance is against us; that is, the more will the value of imports, including the precious metals, exceed that of exports, if we estimate the value in our own markets; and there must be an excess equal to freight and charges, or it is a losing trade to those concerned. But any country may, in fact, have a balance of trade against it, provided it gets credit abroad; and that balance, consisting of the debts of individuals, may be embarrassing to the national industry as much as a private debt may be to a

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debtor, who has either made a bad bargain, or has to struggle to obtain the means of making payment. This subject of the balance of trade was not understood in the U. States until 1824, when the tariff of that date was under dis

cussion.

BALANCING; among seamen, the contracting a sail into a narrower compass, in a storm, by folding up a part of it at one corner, by which it is distinguished from reefing. Balancing is peculiar to few sails.

BALBEC, OF BAALBEC; the ancient Heliopolis (city of the sun), in Colosyria, in the pachalic of Acre, in Syria, in a fertile valley at the foot of Antilibanus, 40 miles from Damascus; lon. 36° 11′ E.; lat. 34 1' N.; a small, meanly-built town, surrounded by ruinous walls, containing about 5,000 inhabitants, among whom there are some Christians and Jews. The city is under the government of an aga, who assumes the title of emir. Here are the finest ruins in the East, of which a society of English travellers, who visited B. in the middle of the 18th century, have given the most complete description. As early as the time of Augustus, Heliopolis had a Roman garrison. Whether the magnificent temple of the sun, a great part of which is still uninjured, and which is one of the most splendid remains of antiquity, was built by the emperor Antoninus Pius, or by Septimius Severus, upon whose medals it appears to have been first represented, is uncertain. Of 54 lofty columns, there are but 6 standing: their shafts are 54 feet high, and nearly 22 in circumference; and the whole height, including the pedestal and capital, is 72 feet. Excellent marble statues of Jupiter, Diana and Leda, and bass-reliefs and busts of Roman emperors and empresses, are yet to be seen. The size of the stones, with which the walls of the temple are constructed, is astonishing. No mechanical expedients now known would be able to place them in their present position. Under the emperor Constantine, this temple was neglected, and was changed into a Christian church. Thus it remained until after the irruption of the Arabians, when it fell to decay. The great palace, which Antoninus Pius is also said to have built, and several other temples, are of distinguished beauty. Obeidah, a general of the caliph Omar, captured the city, after a vigorous defence. In 1401, it was taken by Tamerlane. An earthquake almost entirely destroyed it in 1759.

BALBOA, Vasco Nuñez de; born about 1475; one of the Spanish adventurers who pu ued the path which Columbus had pointed out, and sought to make their fortunes in America. The Spanish court granted them full permission to make discoveries, without giving them sufficient support. B., after having dissipated his fortune in Spain, went to America, arrived at the isthmus of Darien, and soon became the leader of a small troop of Spaniards. He succeeded in founding a colony in these regions, either winning the inhabitants by kindness, or subjecting them by force. A dispute having taken place between two of his companions, on the division of a quantity of gold, an Indian, who perceived the eagerness of the Spaniards for it, offered to show them a country where this metal was used for the meanest vessels. He led them to the coast of the Pacific ocean, where the way to Peru was open before them. B., however, ventured not to attack Peru with his troop of 150 men. He was satisfied with getting information, and with taking possession, in the name of the king of Spain, of the great ocean, the boundless plain of which was spread out before him. After four months, he returned to Darien, loaded with gold and pearls. Here he found a new governor, Pedrarias, whom he was commanded to obey by an order of Ferdinand. Though surprised at this ingratitude, he complied, and, in the following year, was appointed viceroy of the South sea. Pedrarias was apparently reconciled to him, but, soon after, under pretext of neglect of duty, ordered him to be tried and condemned to death. B. was beheaded in 1517, at the age of 42 years. Pizarro, who afterwards completed the discovery of Peru, had served under him.

BALCAN. (See Balkan.)

BALDE, Jacob, born at Ensisheim, in Alsace, in 1603, died, in 1668, at Neuburg, on the Danube. He was a Jesuit, a preacher at the court of the elector of Bavaria, and one of the most distinguished Latin poets among the moderns. He witnessed the melancholy scenes of the 30 years' war with a wounded heart. He relieved such as were expelled from their homes, and, at the same time, endeavored to awaken a better spirit among the Germans, and to excite them to valor, virtue and unanimity. An extensive and profound knowledge of the world, with a truly philosophical dignity of mind, are every where displayed in his poems. He will be admired in Germany in all

ages. Augustus William Schlegel says of him, "A deep, strong feeling, often combined with an ardent enthusiasm; an imagination from which strong and wonderful images spring forth in boundless profusion; an inventive fancy, always striking out original comparisons, in surprising forms; a penetrating judgment, which, when not blinded by partiality or early prejudices, catches the human character with a quick and piercing glance; great moral energy and independence; a bold security of genius, always choosing its own path, and not fearing even the most untrodden;--all these qualities are so strongly displayed in the works of Balde, that we are constrained to declare him an uncommon and richly-gifted poet."-His poems in the German language are insignificant. A collection of his poetical writings, consisting of lyric, elegiac, didactic, satirical and other poems, appeared, in 1660, at Cologne, in 4 vols., 12mo.; and at Munich, in 1729, 8 vols.; a selection by I. C. Orell, Zurich, 1805, second edition, 1818.

BALDWIN III, king of Jerusalem, from 1143 to 1162; a model of that chivalry which grew up in the period of the crusades, from the sentiments of honor, justice, devotion and love. The crusaders had established counts of Tripoli and Edessa, and princes of Antioch. The feudal dominions of the Christians extended as far as Tarsus and Cilicia; but the vassals of B. were always in rebellion against him, or engaged in conflicts with each other. Against them and the new hosts of crusaders, against the knights of St. Mary, the Templars and the Hospitallers, the Saracen heroes, Saladin, Noureddin, Zenghi and Seifeddin, fought with equal fanaticism and equal dissensions among themselves, but with better fortune. In the army of B. were sometimes seen Saracens, valiantly fighting under the banner of the cross. His unhappy reign was the last struggle to establish the Christian chivalry, the tournaments and the knightly orders in the East. With it fell the feudal constitution in that quarter, both civil and ecclesiastical. B. died not long before the total ruin of his kingdom; and when his great adversary, Noureddin, was advised to attack the dominions of the deceased during his funeral, he answered, "Let us respect their affliction; it is just; for they have lost a king such as is rarely to be found." BALE, BASIL, or BASLE. (See Basle.) BALE, COUNCIL OF. (See Basle, Council of.)

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BALEARES; the name of the two islands in the Mediterranean, situated near the coast of Valencia, in Spain, Majorca (in Spanish, Mallorca) and Minorca (q. v.), which, together with the Pithyusian islands, Ivica and Formentera, formed the Spanish kingdom of Majorca, containing 1758 square miles, and 275,000 inhabitants. The Grecian name B. was given them because the inhabitants were famous for their skill in slinging. The Balearic slingers distinguished themselves in the army of Hannibal. In later times, the Romans took possession of both the islands; afterwards, the Vandals, under Genseric, and, in the 8th century, the Moors, from whom they were taken by James I, king of Arragon, 1220-1234. They then constituted a kingdom, which, in 1375, was united to Spain. The English conquered Minorca in 1708, lost it again in 1782, and relinquished it to Spain by the treaty of 1783.-Under the Romans, the B. belonged to the conventus juridicus in Carthagine nova.

BALEN, Hendrick van, and Jacob van; father and son; historical painters; the former born in 1560, the latter in 1611, both at Antwerp. The former died in 1632. Pictures by each are still extant, and considered valuable.

BALES, Peter, famous for his skill in penmanship, lived in the 16th century. Holingshed, in his chronicle, mentions the wonderful skill of B. in what may be termed micrography; and Evelyn more particularly states, that he wrote the Lord's prayer, creed, decalogue, two short Latin prayers, his own name, motto, day of the month, year of our Lord and of the reign of queen Elizabeth, to whom he presented it at Hampton court, all within the circle of a silver penny, enchased in a ring and border of gold, and covered with a crystal, so accurately done as to be plainly legible, to the great admiration of her majesty, the whole privy-council, and several ambassadors then at court. He was very dexterous in imitating the hand-writing of others, on which account he was employed by sir Francis Walsingham, the queen's secretary of state; but, by involving himself in the conspiracy of the earl of Essex, he suffered imprisonment. He died about 1610. From a book which he published in 1590, entitled the "Writing Schoolmaster, in three Parts; the first teaching Swift Writing, the second True Writing, the third Fair Writing," it appears that he was acquainted with stenography. His talents were celebrated

filled with air, and consequently similar to our foot-ball; the second, a leathern ball, which was thrown on the earth, and after which many ran at once; the third, a small ball, similar to our shuttlecock, which three persons, placed in a triangle, struck towards each other; the fourth was thickly stuffed with feathers, and used particularly in the country. In a Roman villa, a sphæristerium (a place appropriated for playing ball) was always to be found. In the middle ages, there were houses appropriated to ball-playing. In these, certain persons were employed to pick up the balls of the players, who, in France, were called nanquets, and, in later times, marqueurs. In Italy, there are still public places, where people play with large balls, which they strike with a kind of wooden cylinder, fastened round their wrists, to an immense height. The spectators often pay for admission to the spectacle, and, in some cities, the players form a company. From what we have seen in different countries, we think the national German ball-play the most interesting, and the one which affords the best exercise.

BALLAD; a short epic song, (from the Italian ballata, an old kind of song), of an entirely lyric nature. Ballata is derived from ballare, to dance, probably from the German wallen (pronounced vallen), which signifies a waving motion. Though the name is Italian, the species of poetry which we now understand under the word ballad, belonging to England and the other northern nations of Europe, is of Teutonic origin, at least Percy and Bouterweck agree in this, and Frederic Schlegel, in his History of Ancient and Modern Literature (Vienna, 1815), seems to be of the same opinion. The word ballata passed from the Italians to the Provençales, from whom the Normans took it, and carried it to England, where it was applied to short songs, particularly to the most popular ones, which were short tales in verse, describing the deeds of heroes, the adventures of lovers, &c. If we wish to trace the English and Scottish ballad to its origin, we must have recourse to those songs which existed among the inhabitants of the island before the Norman conquest, and were of a kind common to all the Teutonic nations. It is related of king Alfred, that he sung in the camp of the Danes. All the Scandinavian nations delighted in songs celebrating the deeds of heroes, or describing the passions and adventures of lovers; and the three great divisions or cycles of the Teu

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tonic poetry of the middle ages, the stories of the Nibelungen, those of Charlemagne (particularly such as relate to his war against the Arabians and the battle of Roncesvalles), and the tales of king Arthur's round table,-consist of what, at a later period, were called ballads. The true home of the English ballad is the northern part of England (the North Country) and the southern part of Scotland, where the influence of the Normans was less than in the south of England. Those Normans who settled in these parts despised the native poetry, which they did not understand; and thus it was left entirely to the people, and retained, for that reason, its simple and popular character, even after it grew into esteem among the descendants of the Norman conquerors. The feudal wars of the Norman knights, and their highly chivalric spirit, which flourished in England as long, and in as much purity, as in the southern countries of Europe, afforded new subjects to the ballad, and contributed to modify its character. The minstrels were accustomed to sing the deeds of their ancestors, with all the additions which a lively imagination dictated. They soon commemorated, in the same way, the achievements of their contemporaries, and now the ballad, properly so called, originated. The former bards became minstrels, who, in connexion with the jongleurs, or jougleurs (resembling the modern jugglers, who have derived their name from them), waited upon the barons, like the French menetriers, devoting themselves to their amusement, and receiving, in return, pecuniary rewards and hospitable entertainment. (Minstrel and menetrier are both derived from the Latin ministerialis.) As the popular poetry of the first centuries after the Norman conquest did not acquire a literary reputa tion, and probably was never committed to writing, it is not to be wondered at, that the oldest poems of a mixed Norman and Anglo-Saxon character, which are preserved in MSS., are either imitations of French poetry, or religious songs, such as were found among other nations of Europe in the middle ages. A little poem on spring is almost the only one of genuine Saxon origin, which has, as yet, been printed from MS. Warton has published it in the additions and emendations which belong to vol. 1 of his History of English Poetry. It begins, Sumer is cumen, The earliest of the English ballads which have been preserved cannot be considered antecedent to the 14th century; and we