Baldwin, James Mark, American philosopher, born in Columbia, 12th Jan., 1861. He was educated at Princeton College, Leipzig and Berlin Universities; was instructor of German and French at Princeton College, 1885-7; professor of philosophy in Lake Forest University, 1887-9; professor of psychology at Princeton University, 1893-1903. From 1903-9 he was professor of philosophy and psychology at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Professor Baldwin is best known by his experimental psychology and his theories of genetic logic. He distinguishes between genetic logic, as theory of thought, and genetic philosophy, as theory of reality. Genetic sciences, according to Baldwin, are psychology, sociology, ethics, &c., and his point of view he terms 'Æsthonomical Idealism'. Among his numerous works are: Handbook of Psychology (2 vols., 1891-2); Mental Development in the Child and the Race (3rd edition, 1906); Social and Ethical Interpretations in Mental Development (1904); Thought and Things, or Genetic Logic (1906-8). He also edited the Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology (1901-9) and The Psychological Review (1894-1909).
Bâle (bäl). See Basel.
Bale, John, an English ecclesiastic, born in Suffolk in 1495, died in 1563. Although educated a Roman Catholic, he became a Protestant, and the intolerance of the Catholic party drove him to the Netherlands. On the accession of Edward VI he returned to England, was presented to the living of Bishop's Stoke, Southampton, and soon after nominated Bishop of Ossory, in Ireland. Here, on his preaching the reformed religion, the popular fury against him reached such a pitch that in one tumult five of his domestics were murdered in his presence. On the accession of Mary he lay some time concealed in Dublin, and after many hardships found refuge in Switzerland. At her death he was appointed by Elizabeth a prebend of Canterbury, where he died. His fame as an author rests upon his Scriptorum Illustrium Majoris
Britanniæ Catalogus, or An Account of the Lives of Eminent Writers of Britain, commencing with Japhet the son of Noah, and ending with the year 1557. It is compiled from various writers, chiefly from the antiquary Leland. He was also the author of nineteen miracle plays, printed in 1558. One of his plays, Kynge Johan, is a link between the old morality plays and the historical drama.
Balear´ic Crane (Balearĭca pavonīna), a handsome species of crested crane inhabiting North-West Africa.
Balear´ic Islands, an archipelago of four large and eleven small islands, south-east of Spain, including Majorca, Minorca, Iviza, and Formentera. The popular derivation of the ancient name Baleares (Gr. ballein, to throw) has reference to the repute of the inhabitants for their skill in slinging, in which they distinguished themselves both in the army of Hannibal and under the Romans, by whom the islands were annexed in 123 B.C. After being taken by the Vandals, under Genseric, and in the eighth century by the Moors, they were taken by James I, King of Aragon, 1220-34, and constituted a kingdom, which in 1343 was united to Spain. The islands now form a Spanish province, with an area of 1935 sq. miles, and 330,167 inhabitants. See separate articles.
Baleen´. See Whale-bone.
Bale-fire, any great fire kindled in the open air, especially the fire of a funeral pile, or a beacon-fire.
Balen (bä´len), Hendrik van, painter, born at Antwerp 1560, died 1632. His works, chiefly classical, religious, and allegorical—some of them executed in partnership with Breughel—are to be found in most of the European galleries. He was the first master of Van Dyck and Snyders. Three of his sons also followed the art.
Balfe (balf), Michael William, composer, was born in Dublin, 15th May, 1808. In his seventh year he performed in public on the violin, and at sixteen took the part of the Wicked Huntsman in Der Freischütz at Drury Lane. In 1825 he went to Italy, wrote the music for a ballet, La Pérouse, for the Scala at Milan, and in the following year sang at the Théâtre-Italien, Paris, with moderate success. He returned to Italy, and at Palermo was given his first opera, I Rivali (1829). For five years he continued singing and composing operas for the Italian stage. In 1835 he came to England, and composed a number of operas, amongst others The Bohemian Girl (1843), The Rose of Castile (1857), Satanella (1858), and The Talisman (first performed in 1874). He died 20th Oct., 1870. His operas are melodious, and many of the airs are excellent.