BERGMANN, Benjamin Fürchtegott Balthasar von. Arrasch, Livonia (now Āraiši in Latvia) 17(28).11.1772 — Blussen b. Wenden (now Blusu near Cēsis, Latvia) 16(28).8.1856. German (Livonian) Priest and Traveller, a Pioneer of Lamaist Studies. Son of Gustav Bergmann (1787 von B.; 1749–1814, priest and scholar) and Beata Elisabeth Meder. Educated at Domschule…
BENTLEY, John. 1756? — Calcutta 4.3.1823 (when 67). British Mathematician and Astronomer. Spent long time in India. While severely criticizing the supposed high antiquity of Indian astronomy, he took himself the other extreme, dating e.g. Varāhamihira around 1000 A.D. His reasons were partly religious as high dates were not in…
BAYER, Theophilus (Gottlieb) Siegfried. Königsberg 5/6.1.1694 — St.Petersburg 10.2.1738. German Orientalist and Historian, from Königsberg, was elected to the Imperial Russian Academy of Sciences and moved to St.Petersburg. In Russian his name is variously spelled as Beer, Beèr, and Bajer’. Son of painter Johann Friedrich Bayer and Anna Katharina Porath,…
BALFOUR, Francis. Fife 1744? — Fernie estate, Fife 7.5.1818. British (Scottish) Physician in India. Son of Arthur B., an officer. Dr.Med. 1767 Edinburgh. From 1769 Assistant Surgeon in E.I.C.’s service in India, mainly in Calcutta, full surgeon 1777. He was a friend of Warren Hastings and soon joined the A.S.B,…
BAILLY, Jean-Sylvain. Paris 15.9.1736 — Paris 10.11.1793. French Mathematician, Astronomist and Historian of Astronomy. Son of Jacques Bailly, an artist, and Cécile Guichon. Attracted early attention with his scientific skill. From 1763 member of French Academy. Also a politician, participated in early revolution, but was then executed. In 1789-91 Mayor…
BAILEY, Benjamin. Dewsbury, Yorkshire ?.11.1791 — Sheinton, Shropshire 3.4.1871. Rev. British Missionary of Church Missionary Society and Pioneer of Malayālam Lexicography. Son of Joseph and Martha Bailey. Ordained priest 1815 in York, he married 1816 Elizabeth Ella and left for Kerala, where he founded his mission station in Kottayam. Worked…
BABINGTON, Benjamin Guy. London 5.3.1794 — London 5/8.4.1865. British Physician interested in Tamil Language and Literature. Son of a London physician, William Babington (1756–1833, of Irish origin), and Martha Elizabeth Hough. Educated at Charterhouse 1803-07. He served in the navy until 1810, got then an appointment in India and went…
ASSUMPÇAM, Manoel da (Assumpção). Évora 16?? — 17??. Portuguese Priest, Augustinian Monk, and Missionary in India, author of a Bengali grammar and dictionary, published in Lisboa in 1743. From 1725 Rector of Missão de S. Nicolau in Bhaeai, Bengal (now in Bangladesh), where he remained many years. In the library…
ARANY, János. Nagyszalonta (now Salonta in Romania) 2.3.1817 — Budapest 22.10.1882. Hungarian Poet. Son of György Arany and Sára Megyeri. After a chequered early life he was teacher at a gymnasium in Nagykőrös from 1850, from 1860 in Budapest. 1865 secretary of the Hungarian Academy, retired in 1877. Married 1840…
BOURGUIGNON D’ANVILLE, Jean-Baptiste. Paris 11.7.1697 — Paris 28.1.1782. French Cartographer, Geographer and Historian of Geography. Son of Hubert Bourguignon, a tailor, and Charlotte Vaugon. Student of abbé de Longerue. One of the Royal Geographers at the age of 22 (1719). In 1754 member of A.I.B.L., 1773 of Académie des Sciences.…