The Nuttall Encyclopaedia Part 75

BLACK SEA, or EUXINE, an inland sea, lying between Europe and Asia, twice the size of Britain, being 700 m. in greatest length and 400 m. in greatest breadth; communicates in the N. with the Sea of Azov, and in the SW., through the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmora, and the Dardanelles, with the Mediterranean. It washes the sh.o.r.es of Turkey, Rumelia, Bulgaria, Russia, and Asia Minor; receives the waters of the Danube, Dneister, Bug, and Don, from Europe, and the Kizil-Irmak and Sakaria from Asia--three times as much as is received by the Mediterranean. It has but one island, Ada.s.si, off the mouths of the Danube; no reefs or shoals; hence in summer navigation is very safe. In winter it is hara.s.sed by severe storms. Among the chief ports are Odessa, Kherson, Batoum, Trebizond, and Sinope; the first two are ice-bound in January and February. For three centuries the Turks excluded all other nations from its waters; but the Russians (1774), Austrians (1784), French and English (1802) secured trading rights. Russia and Turkey keep fleets in it, but other wars.h.i.+ps are excluded. Its waters are fresher than those of the ocean, and it has no noticeable tides.

BLACK WATCH, two Highland regiments, the 42nd and 73rd, so called from the dark colour of the tartan; raised originally for the preservation of the peace in the Highlands.

BLACKBURN (120), a manufacturing town in Lancas.h.i.+re, 21 m. NW. of Manchester, a centre of the cotton industry, and the greatest in the world; is the birthplace of Hargreaves, the inventor of the spinning-jenny.

BLACKHEATH, a common 7 m. SE. of London, once a favourite haunt of highwaymen, now a place of holiday resort for Londoners; for long provided the only golfing-course in England.

BLACKIE, JOHN STUART, a man of versatile gifts and warm human sympathies, born in Glasgow; bred to the bar, but devoted to literary pursuits; studied German; executed a metrical translation of Goethe's "Faust," Part I.; filled the chair of Humanity in Aberdeen, and afterwards that of Greek in Edinburgh; was a zealous educational reformer; took an active interest in everything affecting the welfare and honour of Scotland; founded a Celtic Chair in Edinburgh University; spoke much and wrote much in his day on manifold subjects; aeschylus, and Homer's "Iliad" in verse; among his works, which are numerous, "Self-Culture" is the most likely to survive him longest (1809-1895).

BLACKLOCK, THOMAS, a clergyman, born in Annan, blind from early infancy; after occupying a charge for two years, set up as a teacher in Edinburgh; was influential in inducing Burns to abandon his intention to emigrate, and may be credited, therefore, with saving for his country and humanity at large one of the most gifted of his country's sons (1721-1791).

BLACKMORE, RICHARD DODDRIDGE, novelist, born in Berks; bred to the bar; has written several novels, the best known "Lorna Doone," which, though coldly received at first, became highly popular; he is p.r.o.nounced unrivalled in his day as a writer of rustic comedy; _b_. 1825.

BLACKMORE, SIR RICHARD, physician, born in Wilts; the most voluminous of poetasters, published four long worthless poems, besides essays and psalms, &c., and made himself the b.u.t.t of all the wits of the period; _d_. 1729.

BLACKPOOL (23), a watering-place on the coast of Lancas.h.i.+re, 18 m.

NW. of Preston, sometimes called the "Brighton of the North."

BLACKSTONE, SIR WILLIAM, an eminent jurist and judge, born in London, the son of a silk-mercer; was fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, and in 1746 called to the bar; became first Vinerian professor of Law at Oxford; had Jeremy Bentham for one of his pupils; author of the well-known "Commentaries on the Laws of England," an authority on the subject and a work that has appeared in many editions (1723-1780).

BLACKWELL, ALEXANDER, adventurer, born in Aberdeen; studied medicine; took to printing; thrown into prison for debt; was supported by his wife; on his release went to Sweden, was patronised by the king; convicted of conspiracy, and beheaded in 1747.

BLACKWELL, ELIZABETH, a lady doctor, born in Bristol, and the first to hold a medical diploma in the United States; graduated in 1849; was admitted into the Maternity Hospital in Paris, and to St. Bartholomew's in London, and has since distinguished herself as a social reformer; _b_.

1821.

BLACKWOOD, SIR HENRY, British admiral, much trusted by Nelson; distinguished at Aboukir Bay and Trafalgar; was present at Nelson's death; held subsequently high naval positions (1770-1832).

BLACKWOOD, WILLIAM, born in Edinburgh, originator of _Blackwood's Magazine_; originally a bookseller; started _Maga_, as it was called, in 1817, his princ.i.p.al literary advisers being Professor Wilson and Lockhart; conducted it as editor till his death (1776-1834). JOHN, his third son, his successor, no less distinguished in the cause of literature (1818-1879).

BLAEU, WILLEM JANZSOON, Dutch cartographer, born at Alkmaar; his terrestrial and celestial globes have been admired for their excellence and accuracy (1571-1638). His son JAN edited a valuable atlas called "Atlas Major," in 11 volumes; _d_. 1673.

BLAINVILLE, HENRI MARIE, a French naturalist; devoted himself to medicine; became a.s.sistant to Cuvier; succeeded him as professor of Comparative Anatomy; wrote largely on natural science, and particularly on subjects connected with his appointment as a professor (1777-1850).

BLAIR, HUGH, clergyman, born in Edinburgh; held in succession several charges in Scotland, and became professor of Rhetoric in Edinburgh University; author of "Lectures on Rhetoric" and "Sermons,"

which latter are of the nature of moral essays rather than sermons, were much esteemed at one time for their polished style, and procured him a pension of 200 from the king; he was a man of great critical ac.u.men, and the celebrated Schleiermacher did not think it beneath him to translate some of them into German (1718-1800).

BLAIR, ROBERT, author of "The Grave," a thoughtful and cultured man, born in Edinburgh; minister of Athelstaneford, where he was succeeded by Home, the author of "Douglas." His poem has the merit of having been ill.u.s.trated by William Blake (1699-1743).

BLAKE, ROBERT, the great English admiral and "Sea King," born at Bridgewater; successful as a soldier under the Commonwealth, before he tried seamans.h.i.+p; took first to sea in pursuit of Prince Rupert and the royalist fleet, which he destroyed; beat the Dutch under Van Tromp de Ruyter and De Witt; sailed under the great guns of Tunis into the harbour, where he fired a fleet of Turkish pirates; and finally, his greatest feat, annihilated a Spanish fleet in Santa Cruz Bay under the shadow of the Peak of Teneriffe, "one of the fiercest actions ever fought on land or water" (1598-1657).

BLAKE, WILLIAM, poet, painter, and engraver, born in London, where, with rare intervals, he spent his life a mystic from his very boyhood; apprenticed to an engraver, whom he a.s.sisted with his drawings; started on original lines of his own as ill.u.s.trator of books and a painter; devoted his leisure to poetry; wrote "Songs of Innocence," "Marriage of Heaven and h.e.l.l," "Gates of Paradise," and "Songs of Experience"; was an intensely religious man of deep spiritual insight, most vivid feeling and imagination; ill.u.s.trated Young's "Night Thoughts," Blair's "Grave," and the "Book of Job." He was a man of stainless character but eccentric habits, and had for wife an angel, Catherine Boucher (1757-1828).

BLANC, CHARLES, a French art critic, brother of Louis Blanc (1813-1882).

BLANC, JEAN JOSEPH LOUIS, a French Socialist, born at Madrid; started as a journalist, founded the _Revue du Progres_, and published separately in 1840 "Organisation of Labour," which had already appeared in the _Revue_, a work which gained the favour of the working-cla.s.ses; was member of the Provisional Government of 1848, and eventually of the National a.s.sembly; threatened with impeachment, fled to England; returned to France on the fall of the Empire, and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1871; wrote an "elaborate and well-written" "History of the French Revolution"; died at Cannes (1811-1882).

BLANC, MONT, the highest mountain in Europe, 15,780 ft., almost entirely within France; sends numerous glaciers down its slopes, the Mer de Glace the chief.

BLANCHARD, FRANcOIS, a celebrated French aeronaut, inventor of the parachute; he fell from his balloon and was killed at the Hague (1738-1809).

BLANCHARD, LAMAN, a prolific periodical and play writer, born at Yarmouth; a man of a singularly buoyant spirit, crushed by calamities; died by suicide (1803-1845).

BLANCHE OF CASTILE, wife of Louis VIII. of France and mother of St.

Louis; regent of France during the minority of her son and during his absence in crusade; governed with great discretion and firmness; died of grief over the long absence of her son and his rumoured intention to stay in the Holy Land (1186-1252).

BLANCHET, THE ABBe, French litterateur; author of "Apologues and Tales," much esteemed (1707-1784).

BLANDRATA, GIORGIO, Piedmontese physician, who for his religious opinions was compelled to take refuge, first in Poland, then in Transylvania, where he sowed the seeds of Unitarianism (1515-1590).

BLANQUI, ADOLPHE, a celebrated French publicist and economist, born at Nice; a disciple of J. B. Say, and a free-trader; his princ.i.p.al work, "History of Political Economy in Europe" (1798-1854).

BLANQUI, LOUIS AUGUSTE, a brother of the preceding, a French republican of extreme views and violent procedure; would appear to have posed as a martyr; spent nearly half his life in prison (1805-1881).

BLARNEY-STONE, a stone in Castle Blarney, Cork, of difficult access, which is said to endow whoso kisses it with a fair-spoken tongue, hence the application of the word.

BLASIUS, ST., bishop of Sebaste, in Armenia; the patron of wool-combers; suffered martyrdom in 316.