BERNSTEIN, Georg Heinrich. Cospeda near Jena 12.1.1787 — Lauban, Silesia (now Lubań, Poland) 5.4.1860. German Oriental (mainly Syriac) Scholar, but also interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Breslau. School and from 1806 studies, theology and Semitic languages, in Jena, from 1811 PD there. From 1812 ao. Professor at Berlin, from 1820…
BERNOULLI, Johann. Basel 4.11.1744 — Berlin-Köpenick 13.7.1807. Swiss Scientist interested in India. Born in the family of famous mathematicians, himself a noted astronomer and called Johann III as the third scholar of this name in the family (his father was Johann II, mother Susanna König). Studies of law at Basel…
GIUSEPPE MARIA DA GARGNANO (Iosephus Maria a Gargnano; lay Bernardino Bernini). Gargnano near Brescia (then Venetian Republic) 2.9.1709 (hardly 1711) — Bettia in Bihar Terai 15.1.1761. Count. Italian Missionary in Tibet. Son of Count Giuseppe De Bernini and Giovanna De’ Bettoni, partly grew up in Vienna. Joined the Capuchin order…
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 B. (1787 von B.; 1749–1814, priest and scholar) and Beata Meder. Educated at Domschule and…
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 in E.I.C.’s service in India, mainly in Calcutta, a friend of Warren Hastings and soon joined the A.S.B, where he was very active. Became famous…
BAILLY, Jean-Sylvain. Paris 15.9.1736 — Paris 10.11.1793. French Mathematician, Astronomist and Historian of Astronomy. Son of Jacques B., an artist. 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 of Paris. Explained…
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 B. Ordained 1815 in York, he married 1816 Elizabeth Ella and left for Kerala, where he founded his mission station in Kottayam. Worked also as…
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 B. (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 there…