the aquafortis, after he had etched them, and his unskilfulness in handling the graver, to harmonize and finish them, the hand of the master appears so evident, that the beauties we discover in them far overbalance the defects. *

BARON (BERNARD), an engraver of considerable fame in this country, was a native of France, and there first learned his art. He was brought into England by Dubosc, with whom he went to law respecting the plates for the story of Ulysses, engraven from the designs of Rubens in the collection of Dr. Meade. Being afterwards reconciled, Baron accompanied Dubosc to Paris in 1729, and engraved a plate from Watteau, and engaged to do another from Titian in the king's collection, for Mons. Crozat, for which he was to receive 60%. sterling. While at Paris, they both sat to Vanloo. How soon afterwards he returned to England, is not known, but he died in Panton-square, Piccadilly, Jan. 24, 1762. His manner of engraving seems to have been founded on that of Nicholas Dorigny. It is slight and coarse, without any great effect; and his drawing is frequently very defective. He executed, however, a great number of works, a few portraits, and some considerable pictures after the best masters; as the family of Cornaro, at Northumberland house; Vandyke's family of the earl of Pembroke, at Wilton; Henry VIII. giving the charter to the barber surgeons, from Holbein; the equestrian figure of Charles I. by Vandyke, at Kensington; its companion, the king, queen, and two children; and king William on horseback with emblematic figures, at Hampton-court. His last considerable work was the family of Nassau, by Vandyke. This, and his St. Cecilia from Carlo Dolce, he advertised in 1759, by subscription, at a guinea the pair.

2

BARON (BONAVENTURE.) See BARO.

BARON (HYACINTH THEODORE), ancient professor and dean of the faculty of medicine at Paris, the place of his birth, died July 29, 1758, at about the age of 72. He had a great share in the Pharmacopoeia of Paris, for 1732, 4to; and in 1739, gave an academical dissertation in Latin on chocolate, "An senibus Chocolate potus?" which has been often reprinted. His son, of the same name, was also dean of the faculty at Paris, where he died in 1787, at

1 Abrege des vies des Peintres, vol. I.-Pilkington and Strutt's Dictionaries, -Reynolds's Works, vol. III. p. 178.

* Strutt.-Lord Orford's Engravers.

the age of eighty, He was long a surgeon in the armies of Italy and Germany, and published some medical works. There was a Theodore Baron before these, probably their ancestor, who, in 1609, published a curious work entitled "De operationis meiendi triplici læsione et curatione," of which Haller gives a brief analysis.

1

BARON (MICHAEL), an eminent French player, who appears to have had his full share in the annals of biography, was the son of a merchant of Issondun, and was born at Paris in 1652. He entered first into the company of la Raisin, and some time afterwards in that of Moliere, and quitted the stage in 1696, either from dislike or from some religious scruples, with a pension of a thousand crowns granted him by the king. He took up the profession again, however, in 1720, at the age of 68; and was as much applauded, notwithstanding his advanced age, as in the early period of his life. At those lines of Cinna,

Soudain vous eussiez vu, par un effet contraire,

Leurs fronts pâlir d'horreur, et rougir de colére ;

he was seen within a minute to turn pale and red, in conformity to the verse. He was styled with one consent, the Roscius of his times. He said himself, in one of his enthusiastical fits of vanity, that once in a century we might see a Cæsar, but that two thousand years were requisite to produce a Baron. One day his coachman and his lacquey were soundly chastised by those of the marquis de Biran, with whom Baron lived on those familiar terms which young noblemen frequently allow to players." Monsieur le marquis," said he to him, "your people have ill treated mine; I must have satisfaction of you." This he repeated several times, using always the same expressions, your people and mine. M. de Biran, affronted at the parallel, replied: "My poor Baron, what wouldst thou have me say to thee? why dost thou keep any people?" He was on the point of refusing the pension bestowed on him by Louis XIV. because the order for it ran : Pay to the within-named Michael Boyrun, called Baron, &c." This actor, born with the choicest gifts of nature, had perfected them by the utmost exertions of art: a noble figure, a sonorous voice, a natural gesticulation, a sound and exquisite taste. Racine, versed as he was in the art of declamation, wanting to

Dict. Hist.-Haller Bibl. Med,

represent his Andromache to the actors, in the distribution of the parts, had reserved that of Pyrrhus for Baron. After having shewn the characters of several of the personages to the actors who were to represent it, he turned towards Baron : "As to you, sir, I have no instruction to give you; your heart will tell you more of it than any lessons of mine could explain." Baron would affirm that the force and play of declamation were such, that tender and plaintive sounds transferred on gay and even comic words, would no less produce tears. He has been seen repeatedly to make the trial of this surprising effect on the well-known sonnet,

Si le roi m'avoit donné
Paris sa grand'ville, &c.

Baron, in common with all great painters and great poets, was fully sensible that the rules of art were not invented for enslaving genius. "We are forbid by the rules," said this sublime actor, "to raise the arms above the head; but if they are lifted there by the passion, it is right: passion is a better judge of this matter than the rules.' He died at Paris, Dec. 22, 1729, aged 77. Three volumes in 12mo of theatrical pieces were printed in 1760, under the name of this comedian; but it is doubted whether they are all his. "L'Andrienne" was attributed to pere de la Rue, at the very time when it was in full representation. It was to this that Baron alluded in the advertisement he prefixed to that piece. "I have here a fair field," said he, "for complaining of the injustice that has been intended me. It has been said that I lent my name to the Andrienne. -I will again attempt to imitate Terence; and I will answer as he did to those who accused him of only lending his name to the works of others (Scipio and Lælius). He said, that they did him great honour to put him in familiarity with persons who attracted the esteem and the respect of all mankind." The other pieces that merit notice are, "L'homme à bonne fortune," "La Coquette," "L'Ecole des Peres," &c. The dramatical judgment that reigns in these pieces, may perhaps be admitted as a proof that they are by Baron. The dialogue of them is lively, and the scenes diversified, although they rarely present us with grand pictures: but the author has the talent of copying from nature certain originals, not less important in society than amusing on the stage. It is evident that he had studied the world as well as the drama. As to the versification,

if Baron was an excellent actor, he was but an indifferent poet. The abbé d'Alainval published the "Lettres sur Baron et la le Couvreur." The father of this famous actor possessed also in a superior degree the talent of decla mation. The manner of his death is remarkable. Playing the part of Don Diego in the Cid, his sword fell from his hand, as the piece requires; and kicking it from him with indignation, he unfortunately struck against the point of it, by which his little toe was pierced. This wound was at first treated as a trifle; but the gangrene that afterwards appeared requiring the amputation of his leg, he would not consent to the operation. No, no," said he; "a theatrical monarch would be hooted if he should appear with a wooden leg;" and he preferred the gentle expectation of death, which happened in 1655.1

BARON (RICHARD), a dissenting minister, but most noted for his zeal as a political writer, was born at Leeds in Yorkshire, and educated at the university of Glasgow, which he quitted in 1740, with very honourable testimonies to his learning and personal character, from the celebrated Hutchinson, and the mathematical professor Simpson. Where he passed his time after this, we know not; but in 1753, he was ordained pastor of the dissenting meeting at Pinners' hall, Broad-street, London, a congregation, if we are not mistaken, of the Baptist persuasion. What he was as a divine, is not very clear, but the whole bent of his studies was to defend and advance civil and religious liberty. This zeal led the famous Thomas Hollis, esq. to engage his assistance in editing some of the authors in the cause of freedom, whose works he wished to reprint with accuracy, and in an elegant form. Toland's Life of Milton, Milton's Iconoclastes, and afterwards an edition. of Milton's prose works, were prepared and corrected by Mr. Baron. For this task he was well qualified, being an industrious collector of books on the subject of constitu tional liberty, several of which he communicated to Mr. Hollis, with MS notes, or memorandums of his own in the blank pages, in which, we are told, he was not always in the right. Still he was indefatigable in searching for what he reckoned scarce and valuable liberty-tracts, many of which Mr. Hollis bought of him while he lived, and others he bought at the sale of his books after his death.

Dict. Hist.-Moreri.

"

Mr. Baron, we are likewise told, "only breathed, he did not live, in his own estimation, but whilst he was in someway or other lending his assistance to the glorious cause of religious and civil liberty. He wrote, he published, and republished perpetually in its defence. His character was one of the most artless and undisguised in the world. He was a man of real and great learning; of fixed and steady integrity; and a tender and sympathizing heart." Yet with such a heart, we are told, not very consistently, that had he been mindful of his domestic concerns, he might have left a competency behind for his wife and family, but his whole soul was engaged in the cause, and he neglected every other concern. For this absurd and unjust train of feeling, we are referred to the natural impetuosity of his temper, and his eccentricities, which indicated occasional derangements of mind. With many virtues, it is added, and a few faults, which must have been of a peculiar kind, since they only wanted the elevation of a higher station and a better fate to have assumed the form of virtues," Mr. Baron passed the greatest part of his life in penurious circumstances, which neither abated the generous ardour, or overcame the laudable independency of his spirit. These virtues, "with their blessed effects," were all he left behind him, for the consolation and support of a widow and three children. He died at his house at Blackheath, Feb. 22, 1768. His principal publication was a collection of what he called liberty-tracts, first published in 2 vols. 1752, under the title of "The pillars of Priestcraft and Orthodoxy shaken." In 1767, he prepared another edition, enlarged to four volumes, to be published by subscription. In his advertisement he describes himself as a man "who has been made a sacrifice to proud bigots, religious rogues, and psalm-singing hypocrites:" and flatters himself that his subscribers will enable him to express his utter contempt, and everlasting abhorrence of them all." To this meek wish, he adds an assurance that the "names of the subscribers shall not be printed." This edition appeared after his death, and was published for the benefit of his family, along with a new edition of Milton's Eikonoclastes, and his manuscript sermons and papers. 1

1 Protestant Dissenter's Magazine, vol. VI. p. 166.-Preface to the posthumous edition of the Iconoclastes.For a specimen of his abusive temper, and coarse style, see his controversy with Dr. Chandler, in the St. James's Chronicle for September, 1765.