BAH 



of Homilies," his " Apparatus Criticus Veteris Tctlamen- 

 ti," " A general Theological Rcpofitory," " Outlines of 

 an Ecckfiaftical Hiftory of the New Teftament," " Pro- 

 pofals for explaining the Do<ftrines of the Church," " A 

 Critical Examination of Michaelis's Tranflation of the 

 Bible," and " The purell Revelation of God," i.e. a 

 tranflation of the New Teftament with notes. The hete- 

 rodoxy of his opinions raifrd a violent ftorm againft him 

 at Gieflen ; but he efcaped it by a removal to the oliice of 

 direftor of the philantliropinum of Von Salis at Marlehlinz, 

 in Swifltrland, with a falary of 2000 florins. He foon 

 liowcver changed his fitnation, and in 1776 removed to 

 Durliheim, and eftablifhed a feminary ot education at Hride- 

 (heim. His philanthropinum was opened in I' 77, and for 

 fome lime it profpcred ; but he involved himfclf in debt, 

 and being under a ncceflity of removing, he determined to 

 vifit Holland and England for the purpofe of procuring pu- 

 pils in thofe countries. On his return to Hcidciheim with 

 1 ^ pupils, he was informed that he had been fufpended from 

 all his employments by a conclufum of the imperial council. 

 Bahrdt had now no ofher refource befides that of quitting 

 the empire, and feeking refuge in Pruffia. Accordingly, 

 in 1779, he reiired with his family to Halle; and had again 

 recourfe to his pen. Here he publillied extrafts from the 

 facred fcriptures, under the title of " The Bible in Minia- 

 ture," which was printed in I 780; and he delivered private 

 lectures on philoiophy, .humanity, and rlietoric ; and he alio 

 read leftures on Tacitus and Juvenal. Upon his firft arrival 

 at Halle, he acknowledges, in his life, that there weie fome 

 latent fparks of religion in his mind ; but that they were 

 foon totally extinguilhed by his intercourfe with deills. In 

 the works, therefore, which he now publilhed, he endea- 

 voured to teach the doftrine and hiftory of Chriilianity fe- 

 parate from every thing iupernatural, accommodated to rea- 

 lon, and agreeable to his own ideas of its original fimplicity. 

 But his health declining, he was under the neceffity of alter- 

 ing his mode of life, and he purchafed a vineyard with a 

 fmall farm attached to it in the neighbourhood of Halle. 

 Part of his manfion was fitted up as a tavern and coffee 

 houfe ; and in this fituation Bahrdt acquitted himfelf as a 

 landlord and a pleafant companion. But his affeftion and 

 confidence being diretlcd towards a maid fervant who ma- 

 naged his houfe, he obliged his wife, by the moft cruel 

 treatment, to leave him ; and when fhe afterwards returned to 

 him, fhe became a victim to fi:ill greater barbarities. 



Bahrdt, whilft he was in England, had been initiated in 

 mafonry ; and in the year 1781, upon the perufal of Stark's 

 book on the myftcries, he adopted the notion that Jefus 

 Chrift muft have intended, by eftablifliing a fecret focicty, 

 to prefcrve and diffufe among mankind truth almoft baniflied 

 from the world by priefts. This idea he propagated in his 

 " Accom.plifhment of the Plan and Objeft of Jefus," and 

 in the third edition of his " Tranflation of the New Tefta- 

 ment." In the year 1784 or 1 78 J, a focitty of twentv-two 

 united mafons was eftablifhed in Germany, with a view of 

 improving the arts and fciences, commerce, and above all, 

 religion, among the common people. Bahrdt became a 

 member of this fociety, and propofed that it fhould engrofs 

 the bufir.efs of book-felling, partly with a view to gain mo- 

 ney, and partly for obtaining the com.plete fovereignty of 

 tlie republic of letters in Germany. This plan, however, 

 not being approved, failed. In 1785 or 1786, he formed 

 another project, which was that of making himfelf the 

 founder of an avowed deiftical feft in Pruffia ; but it does 

 not appear tliat he ever ferioufly attempted it. In 1787, he 

 exerted himfelf witfi zeal in fupportiug the union, and af- 

 fembled the members ; but after a fecoud meeting, he re- 

 8 



BAH 



ceived notice to difcontinue thefe afTemblleS. But his own 

 activity was unintermitting, and he continued to propagate 

 his ideas by an epiltclary correfpondence during tlie whole 

 of the year 1788. He alfo publiihed feveral works calcu- 

 lated to promote his views, and relating to the uuion, inch 

 as " Obfervations on the Liberty of the Prets and its Boun- 

 daries," and " Zamoor, or the Man of tlie Moon," in which 

 he delineates frce-mafonry in Germany, as corrupted by the 

 wildeil fanaticifm and the darknels of poperv. Tiiere alfo 

 appeared about this time a comedy, called " The Editt of 

 Religion," univerfally aicribed to him, on account of which 

 he was arretted, and confined at Halle; and during his im- 

 prifon'ment, he wrote " Morality for the People," which 

 has been rcprelent d as the licit finilhed and moil valuable of 

 his works, thougli he completed it in the tourfc of three 

 weeks. Upon his trial, he was acquitted with regard to 

 the charge that related to the union, but declared guilty of 

 having written the comedy, and fentenced to two years im- 

 prilonment in the fortrefs of Magdeburg, which term was 

 mitigated by the king to half that period. During his con- 

 finement, his leifure moments were employed in writing the 

 " Hiftory of his own Life." After his releafe, he returned 

 to his vineyard, and renewed his b.nbarities towards his 

 wite, who abandoned hiiii, and left him at liberty to take 

 home his maid-fervant and her children. Here he continued 

 his former life as landlord and writer. Being attacked by a 

 difcrder in his throat, he recurred to the too liberal ufe of 

 mercury, and a fever etifuing, he expired on the 23d of 

 April 1792. His works on morality and Telis'ion, befides 

 tluife already mentioned, were very numerous. Plis latiri- 

 cal pieces, being of a temporary nature, have innk into me- 

 rited oblivion. The genius of Bahrdt was comprehenfive 

 and verfatile ; but his principles and his condutt were licen- 

 tious ; and his hiftory txliibits the perv^rfion of talents, 

 which properly employed and accompanied with integrity, 

 might have rendered him rcfpeCtable and uieful. Gen. Biog. 



BAHREIN, Bahhrein, or Bahrin, a fortified town 

 of Arabia, fituate on an iflaiid of the fame name, called 

 alfo Aval ; which fee. The name is extended to a group 

 of fmall iflands adjacent to one anotlicr, the largeft of which 

 is Bahrein. Bahrein once belonged to the Portuguefe. 

 When they were driven out of the i erfian gulf, it fell into 

 the hands of the fcheik of Laehfa ; but wiis taken from 

 him by the Perfians. The imam of Oman then made him- 

 felf matter of it ; but gave it up again to the Perfian mo- 

 narch for a lum of money. It afterwards changed its own- 

 ers ; but in 1765 it reverted into the poftefGon of the fcheik 

 of Abu Schsslihr, and he was then fole monarch of the 

 iiland. It is famous for its pearl fifliery. (See Pearl.) N. 

 lat. 26^. E. long. 49°. 



Bahrein is an appellation fometimes given to the pro- 

 vince of Laehfa ; which fee. 



BAHR el ABIAD, or the White River, a name 

 given to the real Nile, near its (irft origin ; the fources of 

 which in the African Alps of Kumri remain to be explored. 



BAHR EL AZREK, Blue River, or yiljfmlati 

 Nile, has its chief fpring in a fmall hillock, fituated in a 

 marfh, and joins the Bahr el Abiad, or true Nile, about N. 

 lat. 16'' ; the latter is tinged, the former is clear. The 

 Baiir el Azrek was miftaken for the real Nile, by the Portu- 

 guefe writers, Alvarez, Tillez, &c. probably milled by the 

 vain glory of the Abyflinians ; though it was well known 

 to the ancients as quite a diftinft river, being the Aftapus 

 flowing into the Nile from the Coloe Palus, now the lake 

 of Dembea. Mr. Bruce has adopted the fame miftake ; 

 and it is faid, that when M. d'Anville fhewed him his mif- 

 take, he refolved to expunge the ^\hite river from his map, 



though 



