205 B. C. The shrine of the potent goddess Cybele received at Rome from
Pessinus, and deposited in the temple of Victory; Scipio Africanus and
Crassus Dives, consuls. This was done in pursuance of an oracle in the
sybilline books, which affirmed that if a foreign enemy invaded Italy,
they might be vanquished by introducing the goddess Cybele into the
capital.
65. LUCIUS ANNÆUS SENECA, the Roman philosopher, destroyed himself by
order of Nero. He was born in the first year of the Christian era,
received a careful education, and became a disciple of the stoic school
of philosophy. He was the tutor of Nero, who, listening to the calumnies
of his enemies, had him accused of treason and condemned. He professed a
contempt for luxuries, but was not indifferent to wealth, for he
acquired an immense estate. His _Morals_ have often been republished in
English.
276. MARCOS CLAUDIUS TACITUS, emperor of Rome, died, at Tyana upon
Saurus. He claimed descent from Tacitus the historian, was a wise,
benevolent and patriotic ruler, and had reigned but six months when he
was snatched away by assassination or some violent disease.
1204. Siege of Constantinople by the French and Venitian crusaders. In
the pillage which followed the conquest of this superb city, all the
admirable monuments of Grecian art were demolished, including a colossal
Hercules, by Lysippus. This deed by Christians is a great offset to the
wanton depredations upon works of art of which the Turks and pagans are
so often accused.
1443. HENRY CHICHELEY, archbishop of Canterbury, died. His talents
fitted him for the office; and the office enabled him to exercise his
benevolence and charity with munificence. He founded the college of All
Souls.
1520. FRANCIS ALVARES, a Portuguese priest, arrived at the court of
David, king of Abyssinia, where he remained six years, and on his return
published an account of his embassy.
1549. JOAN of Kent, an anabaptist, condemned to be burned.
1646. FRANCIS DE BASSOMPIERRE, marshal of France, died. He was one of
the most distinguished and the most amiable men of the court of Henry
IV. Incurring the displeasure or the jealousy of Cardinal Richelieu, he
was sent to the Bastile, where he remained 12 years, until the death of
the cardinal. He wrote his own memoirs and a history of his embassies,
while in prison.
1655. FRANCIS GUYET, an eminent French critic, died. He employed many
years in traveling and study, and finally settled in Paris, where he
became so much esteemed that he might have risen to the highest honors,
had he not preferred retirement.
1678. THOMAS STANLEY, a learned English writer, died, aged 34. He
published a _History of Philosophy_, containing the lives and opinions
of philosophers, of every sect, a work of great merit and popularity,
and which was translated into Latin for the use of the German literati.
1695. Votes of the assembly of New York first published.
1695. JOHN KITTLEWELL, an English divine, died. He acquired great
reputation previous to the revolution, but refusing to take the oath of
allegiance after that event, was deprived of his living, and devoted his
time to writing.
1704. JAMES BENIGNUS BOSSUET, bishop of Meaux, in France, died. He
distinguished himself as a preacher and a writer of great erudition. His
works were published in 12 vols. quarto.
1709. First number of the _Tatler_ appeared.
1734. THOMAS FAUTET DE LAGNY died at Paris. His mathematical efforts and
researches were directed more to subjects of curiosity than utility. He
carried the quadrature of the circle to 120 decimal places.
1743. GEORGE CHEYNE, a Scottish physician, died. He was studious and
abstemious in his youth, but on coming to London, cultivated the society
of free livers for the advantages of trade! till he became at length
extremely asthmatic, lethargic, listless, and corpulent, exceeding 32
stone in weight. Finding the power of medicine unavailing, he returned
to a milk and vegetable diet, and recovered his strength, activity and
cheerfulness, with the free and perfect use of his faculties; and by a
regular observance of this regimen, reached the mature age of 72. His
writings are numerous, and principally on health and longevity.
1749. British ships Namur, 74 guns, 700 men; Pembroke, 60 guns, 400 men;
Apollo, 40 guns, 300 men; and a great many merchantmen, lost on the
coast of Coromandel; 23 men only saved from the Namur.
1749. FRANCIS BELLENGER, a learned doctor of the Sarbonne, died at
Paris. He translated some of the ancient historians, and wrote
criticisms on Rollin's works, to show his ignorance of Greek.
1757. Subsidiary treaty between England and Prussia; England to pay
annually 4,000,000 crowns to Frederick II.
1765. EDWARD YOUNG, the English poet, died, aged 84. He was educated for
the church, but was unfortunately induced to abandon it for politics, in
which he was unsuccessful. His _Night Thoughts_ had their origin in a
melancholy state of mind, produced by his misfortunes.
1770. GEORGE III gave his assent to the act for repealing the duties on
glass, paper and colors, in America; but the duty was continued from a
point of honor, and as a badge of sovereignty over the colonies.
1780. The British opened their fire upon the American batteries at
Charleston, which they continued until the 20th.
1782. PIETRO METASTASIO, an Italian poet, died. He supplied the opera
for a number of years with popular operas and oratorios. He has been
styled the poet of love. In all his works he stands high; in his operas
he is unrivaled.
1782. The French fleet under count de Grasse defeated by the British
under Rodney, with the loss of 9,000 killed and wounded. A French 74 gun
ship was blown up, and one of the same rate sunk; two 74's, one 64, and
the Ville de Paris, of 110 guns, having on board the French admiral,
were taken. Thirty-six chests of money, the whole train of artillery,
battering cannon, and traveling carriages, were on board the captured
vessels--a circumstance which totally disabled the French from carrying
on offensive operations against the British possessions in the West
Indies. British loss 1,050 killed and wounded. A new system of tactics
for breaking through the line of an enemy was here made use of for the
first time. It was invented by John Clerk, of Eldin, a country
gentleman, unacquainted with navigation. His principles have since been
applied by all the English admirals, and Howe, St. Vincent, Duncan and
Nelson, owe to them their most signal victories.
1782. Action off Ceylon, between the French under Admiral Suffrein, and
the British under Hughes. British loss, 144 killed and 400 wounded.
1784. JOSEPH RAULIN, an eminent French physician, died. He was induced
by Montesquieu to remove to Paris, where he acquired great reputation,
and was employed by government to write medical works.
1788. The first power loom began to work at Philadelphia, and on the
first of November following the quantity of cloths manufactured was
3,719 yards jean, 580 corduroys, 67 federal rib, 57 beaver fustian,
3,672 plain cottons, 123 birdseye, and 2,879 linen; total 11,197,
besides the quantity then in the looms.
1800. FREDERICK CONRAD HORNEMANN, a celebrated German teacher, who had
undertaken a journey into Africa for discovery, wrote that he was on the
point of setting out with the great caravan of Bornou, since which
nothing certain has been learned of him.
1804. JOSEPH DACRE CARLYLE, an English orientalist, died. He devoted
much attention to the study of Arabic, traveled in the east, and on his
return was employed in the publication of the Bible in Arabic, when his
constitution gave way under the task imposed upon it.
1809. The French fleet in Basque roads destroyed by the British under
Admiral Cochran. The British lost but 10 killed and about 40 wounded.
The loss of the French in vessels and men was tremendous.
1810. The French captured the East India company's settlement at
Tapanooly, in Sumatra.
1814. Count D'ARTOIS, brother of Louis XVI, entered Paris; Bonaparte set
off for the island of Elba; intercourse between France and England
opened; and a grand illumination in London, on account of the
restoration of the Bourbons, and peace with France, which was continued
three days.
1814. CHARLES BURNEY, an English musical composer, died. He commenced
the study of music as an organist. At the age of 31 he undertook to
write a _General History of Music_, upon which he bestowed nearly 40
years of labor and travel. He visited all the institutions of Europe at
which he could obtain important information for his work. He furnished
the musical articles for Rees' _Encyclopedia_, and is the author of
several other valuable works.
1815. Great eruption of Tomboro, which commenced on the 5th. The
explosions resembled the firing of cannon, and were heard at Sumatra,
not nearer than 900 miles. Such were the tremendous effects of the
burning lava, the overflowing of the sea, the falling of houses, and the
violence of the whirlwind, that out of 12,000 inhabitants on this
island, only 26 survived. At Java, 300 miles distant, the air was so
full of ashes, as to produce profound darkness at mid-day; and at Bima,
40 miles distant, the roofs of many houses were crushed by the weight of
ashes falling on them.
1816. Hamilton county in northern New York erected.
1829. FELIX NEFF, a Swiss preacher, died. He undertook to improve the
education and domestic habits of the peasants of the dreary regions
called the High Alps of France. He persevered a number of years with
much success; but his unremitting labors destroyed his constitution, and
led to a premature death.
1834. N. G. DUFIEF, a French linguist, died. His mother was
distinguished for her heroism in the Vendean war; and the son was driven
to America by political disturbances, and resided at Philadelphia. He
just survived the publication of his great work, the _Pronouncing
Dictionary_.
1839. JOHN GALT, the novelist, died at Greenock, Scotland, aged 60.
Being unsuccessful in business in London, he visited the south of Europe
in 1809, and soon after commenced an active literary career, which
continued till near the close of his life.
1839. The justly celebrated Dr. Black, of Mareschall college, Aberdeen,
Dr. Keith so well known as a writer on prophecy, with the devoted
Messrs. McCheyne and Bonar of the Scottish church, sailed from Dover in
England to inquire into and devise measures for the amelioration of the
state of the Jews in Palestine. This mission proved of much benefit.
1840. FRANCIS ANTHONY, chevalier de GERSTNER, a distinguished Austrian
engineer, died at Philadelphia, aged 44. He commenced at his own risk,
the first rail road on the continent of Europe, from Budweis on the
Moldau, to Lintz on the Danube, 130 miles. He suggested to the emperor
Nicholas the project of a rail road from St. Petersburg to Moscow, a
portion of which was undertaken under his direction, and first opened in
1837, and since prosecuted by the government.
1848. New code of New York laws adopted.
1849. Signor GASPARIS, at Naples, discovered a new planet, making the
fourth added to our system in four years.
1850. ADONIRAM JUDSON, a celebrated baptist missionary died at sea.
1854. A review of 25,000 troops in Paris, before the British officers.
1854. The French squadron under Admiral Parseval-Deschenes, sailed from
Brest to join the British fleet in the Baltic.
1855. The United States gave the twelve months' notice to Denmark of
their intention to terminate the treaty of 1826, by which the payment of
sound dues was recognized.