[Bloomfleld, Robert], an English poet, born in Suffolk, by trade a shoemaker; author of the "Farmer's Boy," a highly popular production, translated into French and Italian; spent his last days in ill-health struggling with poverty, which brought on dejection of mind (1766-1823).
[Blount, Charles], a deist, born in London; assailant of revealed religion; was involved in all the controversies of the time; died by his own hand (1654-1693).
[Blowpipe], a contrivance by which a current of air is driven through a flame, and the flame directed upon some fusible substance to fuse or vitrify it.
[Blücher], Prussian field-marshal, familiarly named "Marshal Forwards," born at Rostock; served first in the Swedish army, then in the Prussian; distinguished as a leader of cavalry, and met with varying fortune; at the age of 70 commanded the centre of the Allied Army in 1813; distinguished himself at Lützen and Leipzig; pursued the French across the Rhine; pressed forward to Paris at the time of Napoleon's abdication; defeated by Napoleon at Ligny, 16th June 1815; arrived on the field of Waterloo just as the French were preparing to make their last charge, and contributed to decide the fate of the day (1742-1819).
[Blue Mountains], a range of thickly wooded mountains traversing Jamaica from E. to W., from 5000 to 7000 ft. in height; also a chain of mountains in New South Wales of two parallel ranges, with a deep chasm between, and full of gloomy ravines and beetling precipices, the highest 4100 ft.
[Blue Nose], a nickname given to an inhabitant of Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.
[Bluebeard], a wealthy seigneur, the owner of a castle; marries a beautiful woman, and leaves her in charge of the keys of the apartments in his absence, with injunctions not to unlock any of the doors, an injunction which she fails to respect, and finds to her horror the remains of his former wives locked up in one of them; her disobedience is discovered, and she is to prepare for death, but is rescued, as she lies with her head on the block, by the timely arrival of her brothers, who at once despatch the husband to his merited doom.
[Blue-books], Parliamentary documents bound in blue paper, as the corresponding documents in France are in yellow; they have been published regularly since the beginning of the 18th century, those of a single session now forming a collection of some 60 folio volumes.
[Blue-coat School], a name given to Christ's Hospital, London, founded in the reign of Edward VI., from the blue coats worn by the boys.
[Blue-gown], in Scotland a beggar, a bedesman of the king, who wore a blue gown, the gift of the king, and had his license to beg.