101 



ALDAY, JOHN. 



ALDROVANDUS, ULYSSES. 



102 



The latest life of Alcuin is by F. Lorenz, Halle, 1829, which was trans- 

 lated into English by Jane Mary Slee, London, 1837, 8vo. A particular 

 account of Alcuiu's works is given in the ' Biographical Dictionary of 

 the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge,' from which passages 

 of this article have been taken. 



ALDAY, JOHN. We know nothing of this writer except as the 

 translator of a French work that was highly popular in the middle of 

 the 16th century 'Theatrum Mundi; the Theatre or Rule of the 

 World, wherein may be seene the running Race and Course of every 

 Man's Life, as touching Miserie and Felicitie, &c., written in the French 

 and Latin Tongues by Peter Boaistuau,' &c. There were three editions 

 of tliis translation, the last and the most correct of which appeared at 

 London in 1581. Boaistuau' s work contains many passages of quaint 

 satire upon the manners of his age, which Alday has translated with con- 

 siderable spirit. (See extracts in Dibdin's edition of More's ' Utopia.') 

 There are also in Boaistuau's work several pieces in verse, which are 

 also translated by Alday with some elegance. (See Ritson's ' Biblio- 

 graphia Poetica,' also 'Bibliographical Memoranda,' Bristol, 1816.) 

 Dr. Dibdin is of opinion that there are resemblances between particular 

 passages in Burton's 'Anatomy of Melancholy' and Alday's translation 

 of Boaistuau ; and he gives a page or two in support of this opinion, 

 referring generally to Burton's ' Love Melancholy,' which occupies more 

 than two hundred pages of that remarkable work. Burton, the most 

 voracious of readers, was no doubt familiar with Alday's book. But 

 such supposed general resemblances are often more fanciful than real. 

 (Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful 

 K'Mti. ''/'..) 



ALDEGRE'VER, HEINRICH, a celebrated German painter and 

 engraver of the 16th century, was born at Soest in Westphalia in 

 1502. He became the pupil of Albert Dvirer, being attracted to Nurn- 

 berg by the great fame of that artist ; and he imitated his style so 

 closely that he acquired the name of Albert, or Albrecht, of West- 

 phalia a circums f ance which has misled some writers to call him 

 Albert Aldegrever. There can be no doubt of his name having been 

 Hemrich, or Henry, as it is so engraved in two different portraits both 

 executed by himself. As a painter, Aldegrever executed little; he 

 was chiefly occupied in engraving his own designs. His plates are 

 generally small, and are executed in a very minute and laboured 

 manner, whence he is reckoned among the so-called little masters, of 

 whom he is one of the most distinguished. His prints are very nume- 

 rous, exceeding three hundred, and they bear dates between 1522 and 

 1562, which is supposed to have been the year of his death ; it is how- 

 ever a mere conjecture. His designs are conspicuous for the sharp and 

 angular lines of the gothic stylo ; but though hard and wiry, many of 

 his figures display good anatomical drawing. His subjects are sacred 

 and .profane. Thirteen plates of the Labours of Hercules are among 

 his very best works : they are very scarce. A print of the Count 

 D'Archainbaml, just before his death, killing his son lest he should 

 leave the paths of virtue for those of vice, is also a remarkably good 

 plate. Among the portraits engraved by Aldegrever are those of 

 Luther, dated 1540 ; Melancthou ; John of Leyden, king of the Ana- 

 baptists ; and the fanatic Bernard Knippcrdolling. He engraved also 

 many designs for silversmiths and for booksellers. 



His paintings are in the same style of design as his engravings, but 

 they impress, still more than his prints, with the feeling of the pains 

 they cost him : his colouring is very high. In the gallery at Berlin 

 there is a small picture of the Last Judgment by him ; in the gallery 

 of Munich there is an excellent portrait of a man with a red beard ; 

 there are a few of hu works at Schlcissheim, at Vienna, and at 

 Nurnberg, and at Soest, in some churches. 



In a print of Titus Manlius ordering the execution of his son, 

 Aldegrever has introduced au instrument very similar to the guillotine 

 used by the terrorists of the French revolution : it is dated 1533. 



(Heineken, Dictionnaire da Artules dont nous avons des JEitampei ; 

 Bartech, Peintre-Gravcur.) 



ALDI'NI, GIOVANNI, nephew of Galvaui, the discoverer of gal- 

 vanism, and brother of the Count Antonio Aldini, a distinguished 

 Italian statesman, was born at Bologna on the 10th of April, 1762. 

 From his earliest years he showed a predilection for the study of 

 natural philosophy. In 179S ho was appointed to succeed Canterzani, 

 who had been his own instructor in physics, in the university of 

 Bologna, He was one of the earliest and most active members of the 

 National Institute of Italy, to the foundation of which he contributed ; 

 and in 1807 he was made a knight of the Iron Crown, and a member 

 of the Council of State at Milan. Though thus in favour with Napo- 

 leon's government, ho preserved, like his brother, his credit with the 

 Austrians ; and continued in the enjoyment of their patronage aud 

 protection till his death on the 17th of January, 1834. He left his 

 philosophical instruments and a large sum in money to found a public 

 institution in Bologna for the instruction of artisans in physics and 

 chemistry. 



The most conspicuous merit of Aldini was his activity in endea- 

 vouring to render public such discoveries either of himself or others 

 as he conceived likely to be of public use. He was well acquainted 

 with the modern languages, fond of travelling, and indefatigable in 

 conveying scientific intelligence from one cud of Europe to the other. 

 The three principal objects which engaged his attention at different 

 periods were the medical uses of galvanism, the discovery of his 



illustrious uncle ; the utility of gas, particularly hi the illumination of 

 lighthouses ; and the advantages of a fire-proof dress for persons 

 engaged in extinguishing conflagrations. Several of his treatises were 

 published in English, and were derived from observations and experi- 

 ments made in England. 



ALDRICH, HENRY, eminent as a scholar, a divine, and a musician, 

 the son of a gentleman of the same name in Westminster, was born 

 there in 1647, and educated in the collegiate school of that city under 

 Dr. Busby. He was admitted a student of Christ Church, Oxford, in 

 1662, and having been elected on the foundation, took his master of 

 arts degree in 1669. He soon afterwards took holy orders, and obtained 

 the living of Wem in Shropshire ; but he continued to reside in his 

 college, of which he became one of the most eminent tutors and dis- 

 tinguished ornaments. On the 15th of February, 1681, he was installed 

 a canon of Christ Church, and in the following May took the degrees 

 of bachelor and doctor in divinity. During the reign of James II. ho 

 was a consistent and able champion of Protestantism, both by preaching 

 and writing ; and when, on the accession of King William, Massey, 

 the Roman Catholic dean of Christ Church, fled his country, Dr. Aldrich 

 was appointed his successor, and was installed on June 17, 16S9. For 

 the remainder of his life he continued to discharge the duties of his 

 station in the university with dignity, urbanity, and assiduity ; he was 

 zealous to improve and adorn his college, to increase its usefulness, to 

 extend its resources, and to perpetuate its reputation. In 1702 he 

 was chosen prolocutor of the convocation, and closed his laborious 

 and exemplary career at Christ Church on the 14th of December, 

 1710. 



Himself a sound and accomplished scholar, he endeavoured by 

 every means in his power to foster the lova of classical learning among 

 the students of his college, and presented them annually with an 

 edition of some Greek classic which he printed for this special purpose. 

 He also published a system of logic for their use, and at his death 

 bequeathed to his college his valuable classical library. Dr. Aldrich 

 was a proficient in more than one of the arts : three sides of what is 

 called Peckwater Quadrangle, in Christ Church College, and the 

 church and campanile of All Saints in the High-street, Oxford, were 

 designed by him; and he is also said to have furnished the plan, or 

 at least to have had a share in the design, of the chapel of Trinity 

 College, Oxford. 



Dr. Aldrich, among other sciences, cultivated music with ardour 

 and success. As dean of a college and a cathedral he regarded it as a 

 duty, as it undoubtedly was in his case a pleasure, to advance the 

 study and progress of church music. His choir was well appointed, 

 and every vicar, clerical as well as lay, gave his daily and efficient aid 

 in it. He contributed also largely to its stock of sacred music ; and 

 some of his services and anthems, being preserved in the collections 

 of Boyce and Arnold, are known and sung in every cathedral in the 

 kingdom. His musical taste was founded on the best and purest 

 models of church writing those especially which Palestrina aud 

 Carissimi have bequeathed to the world ; and, in addition to his own 

 compositions, he adapted words from the English version of the 

 Scriptures to many movements from their masses and motets, a task 

 which he executed with consummate skill. Of these it is to be 

 regretted that a few only are in print or in use. Nor did Dr. Aldrich 

 disdain to employ his musical talents in the production of festive and 

 social harmony. Catch singing was much in fashion in his time ; and 

 the well-known catch, ' Hark, the bonny Christ Church Bells,' is his 

 production. 



(Abridged from the Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the 

 Diffusion of Uieful Knowledge.) 



ALDROVANDUS, ULYSSES (Aldrovandi), a great naturalist, was 

 born of a noble family at Bologna, on the llth of September, 1522. 

 He lost his father at the age of six years, and his mother placed him 

 out as page in the family of a bishop. He occupied this situation 

 only a short time, and when twelve years old was placed with a 

 merchant at Bresse. He was however soon tired of a mercantile life ; 

 and during his early years applied himself first to legal and subse- 

 quently to medical studies. He travelled much; and especially made 

 botanical collections. In 1553 he graduated in medicine, and in 1560 

 he was appointed lecturer on natural history in the chair that had 

 been occupied by Luca Ghino. In 1568 he succeeded in inducing the 

 senate of Bologna to establish a botanic garden. 



Whilst Aldrovandus was thus publicly engaged, in private he was 

 pursuing natural history with an ardour that has been seldom 

 equalled, perhaps never surpassed. The great object of his life was 

 to obtain a knowledge of the external world, and to this object ha 

 devoted his time, his talents, and his fortune. He travelled much 

 himself in search of objects of natural history, and employed others 

 to collect for him. In this way he formed an extensive museum, 

 which to this day remains at Bologna, a monument to his industry 

 and perseverance. His dried plants alone occupied sixty large volumes. 

 He spared no expense in obtaining the first artists of the day to make 

 original drawings in natural history. Christopher Coriolanus and 

 his nephew of Numberg were employed as his engravers. By these 

 means he was prepared for the gigantic task of becoming the histo- 

 rian and illustrator of all external nature. The first work that he 

 published, in 1599, on natural history, was devoted to birds. His 

 next work was on insects, in 1603. A third work came out in 1606, 



