ecclesiastical benefice at Salamanca. In 1612, he was called to Madrid, and appointed historiographer to the king. He died in 1658, aged upwards of eighty years. He published in Spanish The History of the Antiquities of Salamanca," "The Theatre of the Churches of the Indies," &c. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-E.

AVILER, AUGUSTIN-CHARLES D', eminent French architect, was born at Paris in 1653, and from his early youth addicted himself to the study of architecture Being sent by the royal academy at the age of twenty, to pursue his studies at Rome, along with Antony Desgodets, they had the misfortune of being taken by an Algerine corsair, and carried into slavery. In this situation, however, he did not conceal his talents, but made a design for a grand mosque at Tunis. He was liberated after a captivity of sixteen months, and pursued his course to Rome, where he studied with inde fatigable ardour for five years. On his return, he was placed under Mansart, first architect to the king, and had a great share in the conduct of all public works. He employed his leisure in composing a "Course of Architecture," the basis of which was the work of Vignola; but he so much enlarged that writer's plan, as to render it a complete treatise of the art. It is much esteemed for its method, and particularly for the definitions of architectural terms which have been adopted into the best French dictionaries. The first edition was in 1691, 2 vols. 4to. Several successive editions of this work have been published at Paris with additions. D'Aviler had before published a translation of Scamozzi's architectural works. Not choosing to continue in a subaltern station, he accepted an invitation from the city of Montpellier to superintend the construction of a grand triumphal arch to the honour of Louis XIV. He completed the work to universal satisfaction, and was afterwards appointed architect to the province of Languedoc, and employed in a great number of buildings in the principal towns there. Among the rest, he built the archiepiscopal palace at Toulouse. He married and settled at Montpellier, where he died in 1700. Moreri.-A.

AVIRON, JAMES LE BATHELIER, a French lawyer, advocate to the judicial court of Evreux, was celebrated in the sixteenth century for his knowledge of jurisprudence. A reform having been made by Henry III. king of France in the provincial laws of Normandy, Aviron wrote commentaries upon these laws, which were much admired. Groulard, the pre

sident of the parliament of Normandy, having obtained the manuscript after the death of Aviron, published the work without the name of the author: being upbraided with the design of appropriating to himself the credit of the work, he said, "The work is so excellent, that no one will doubt whether Aviron or Groulard was the author." Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist. -E.

AVITUS, MARCUS MECILIUS, emperor of the west, was a native of Auvergne, and descended from an illustrious family. By his virtues and talents he rose in the reign of Valentinian to the prætorian præfecture of Gaul; and after retiring from the troubles of the time to his estate, he was persuaded to undertake an embassy to Theodoric king of the Visigoths, in order to prevail on him to join the Romans against Attila; and his eloquence proved effectual. Maximus, the next emperor, elevated him to the chief command of the forces in Gaul. He was on a visit to Theodoric II. at Toulouse, in order to form an alliance between him and the Romans, when advice came of the death of Maximus. By the counsel of Theodoric, who promised to support him, Avi tus assumed the purple from the representatives of Gaul in 455, and his election was confirmed by the other provincials, though reluctantly acquiesced in by the senate of Rome and the Italians. He was recognised by Marcian, emperor of the east; and proceeding to Rome, fixed his residence there. But his qualities, though respectable in peaceful and retired life, were not suited to a throne. He sunk into luxurious indolence, and even indulged in pleasures unbecoming his age, so that the Romans regarded him with contempt and hatred. Meantime, count Ricimer, a distinguished barbarian commander, who had successfully repelled the Vandals, returned to Rome with the title of the deliverer of Italy. It was his pleasure that Avitus should reign no longer; with which, after a short struggle, the emperor was obliged to comply, having worn the purple only fourteen months. Ricimer meant no personal injury to him, and permitted him to be ordained bishop of Placentia; but the senate insisted upon his death. He fled towards the Alps, meaning to secure himself in the sanctuary of St. Julian at Brioude, in Auvergne; but he died on the road, as appears, of disease. His remains were interred in St. Julian's church. He left one only daughter, married to the historian and poet, Sidonius Apollinaris, who has celebrated his father-in-law in a splendid panegyric now exUnivers. Hist. Gibbon.-A.

tant.

AVITUS, SEXTUS ALCIMUS ECDICIUS, a Christian divine, bishop of Vienne, in Dauphiné, brother of Apollinaris bishop of Valencia, and nephew to the emperor Avitus, flourished at the beginning of the sixth century. He was advanced, in the year 490, to the see of Vienne, which his father Isychius had occupied. He had a friendship with Clovis, the first Christian king of France, and contributed to his conversion. This prelate was a zealous opponent of the Arians. He brought over Gondebaud, king of the Burgundians, from this sect to the catholic faith, and obliged him publicly to profess his conversion, when he endeavoured to conceal it from his subjects. He precided in the council of Epaon in 517, and in that of Lyons in 523, in which year he died. Avitus wrote letters, sermons, and poems. The letters are eighty-seven in number, and contain many curious particulars respecting the disputes of the times. The only homily of this bishop which remains, is on the Rogation-days, instituted in commemoration of the deliverance of Vienne from an earthquake and fire by the prayers of St. Mamertus. The poems are on the Mosaic history, and in praise of virginity. Neither the prose nor the verse of Avitus is entitled to much praise: his style is harsh, obscure, and intricate. His works were published by Sirmond, in Svo. with notes in 1643, and afterwards in the second volume of the works of Sirmond, published in five volumes folio at Paris in 1696. Luc d'Acheri has published, in the fifth volume of his Spicilegium, the conference which Avitus had with the Arian bishops in the presence of Gondebaud. The poems of Avitus have been printed separately at Francfort in 1507, at Paris in 1509, and at Lyons in 1536: they are also published with those of Marcus Victor. Isidore de Vir. Illust. c. 13. Dupin. Cave, Hist. Lit. vol. ii. p. 463. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.- E.

AULUS GELLIUS, called also by some writers Agellius, a learned Roman grammatian and critic, flourished at Rome his native city, in the second century, under the emperors Adrian and Antoninus Pius, and died at the beginning of the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. [Much more pains has been bestowed upon the name of this writer, than the question deserves. The critical reader may consult Lambecii Critica Lucubrationes: Falster de Vit. et Reb. Aul. Gell: Barthii Adversaria lib. xxxv. c. 7; Lips. lib. vi. Quæst. Epist. c. 8. and the critical and elaborate preface to Beloe's translation of Noctes Atticæ.] He studied grammar under Sulpicius Apollinaris, and

rhetoric under Titus Castritius and Antonius Julianus. In his youth, he visited Athens, and enjoyed the society of many learned men, particularly Calvisius Taurus, Peregrinus Proteus, and Herodes Atticus. To gratify a laudable curiosity, and to collect literary and philosophical information, he travelled through a great part of Greece. On his return to Rome he devoted himself to the study and practice of the law, and was appointed a judge. He was conversant with the ancient writers on the Roman law, and ranked among his friends many respectable lawyers of his own time. The frequent citations which are made from his work by writers on Roman law render it probable, that he possessed a considerable share of professional reputation.

The Noctes Attica" of Aulus Gellius may be justly allowed a respectable place among the treasures of antiquity. The author, as he himself informs us in his preface, gave the name of "Attic Nights" to his work, from the circumstance that a great part of it was written while he resided in Athens, and furnished an amusing occupation for many long winter evenings. His object was, to provide his children as well as himself with that kind of entertainment, with which they might properly relax and indulge themselves, in the intervals of more important business. From the manner in which the collection was made, its contents are necessarily miscellaneous, and of unequal value. "Whatever book," says he, "came into my hand, whether it was Greek or Latin, or whatever I heard, that was either worthy of being recorded, or agreeable to my fancy, I wrote down without distinction and without order." These minutes become the basis of this work, in which the author takes up his collections in the same accidental arrangement in which they were made, and comments upon them. The work consists of a vast variety of critical observations upon authors, of historical and biographical anecdotes, with reflections; of brief discussions on various topics, grammatical, antiquarian, moral, philosophical, physical, &c. among which, if many things be trivial, or uninteresting, there are also much amusing information, and many ingenious ob servations: it is particularly valuable, as a large collection of fragments of ancient authors, not elsewhere to be found. Whatever place critics may agree to assign to Aulus Gellius among Roman authors with respect to Latinity, he will not be denied the praise of diligent research, and extensive crudition. This work was first edited, in folio, at Rome in 1469, by Swein

heim and Panartz, and notes on this author were published the same year at Rome by the learned John Andreas, bishop of Aleria. The second edition was published in 1472 by Jenson at Venice; several other editions appeared in the fifteenth century. Among the editions of the sixteenth century are those of Aldus, in 8vo. at Venice in 1515; at Paris with the notes of Badius Ascensius, in folio, 1519, 1524, and 1536; at Basil, in 8vo. with the notes of Mosellanus, in 1526; and, at Paris, with the valuable critical researches of Henry Stephens, in 8vo. 1585. Later editions, worthy of notice, are, in 8vo. in usum Delphini, 1681, in 18mo. by the Elzevirs, at Amsterdam, 1651; cum Notis Variorum, at Leyden, 1660; by Gronovius, in 4to. 1706; and, at Leipsic, in two volumes 8vo. by Conradus, in 1762. A very elegant translation of this amusing, but in many parts obscure and difficult author, with useful notes, was given in English, in three volumes 8vo. by Mr. Beloe, in 1795. Preface to Beloe's Translation. Fabricii Bib. Lat. lib. iii. c. 1.-E.

AUMONT, JOHN D', count of Chateauroux, &c. was one of the most distinguished captains in his time. When young, he served under the marshal Brissac in Italy. He was wounded and made prisoner at St. Quintin in 1557; but being exchanged, he was present at many considerable actions in the following years, where he signalised his valour. Henry III. made him a marshal of France in 1579. He gave this prince the bold and generous advice of causing the duke of Guise to be publicly executed, rather than assassinated; but it was not a measure for such a court to adopt. At the accession of Henry IV. d'Aumont engaged with zeal in his party, and was appointed by him to the government of Champagne. He served the king very essentially at the battle of Ivry, and elsewhere, and particularly against the duke of Nemours. The government of Britany was afterwards conferred upon him, and he made himself master of several places in that province; but when besieging the castle of Comper, near Rennes, he received a musquet shot in his arm which caused his death in 1595, aged seventy-three. His character was that of a rough blunt soldier, more brave than politic, but a good subject and citizen, an honest and able man.

His grandson, Antony d'Aumont, was likewise a military man of some distinction, and commanded the right wing at the battle of Rhetel in 1650, for his services in which he was created a marshal of France. He was after

wards raised to the rank of duke and peer, and died in 1669, aged sixty-eight. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-A.

AUNGERVILE, RICHARD, or Richard of Bury, an English divine, bishop of Durham, was born at St. Edmund's Bury, in Suffolk, in the year 1281, (Pref. to his Philobiblos.) He studied at Oxford, and became a Benedictine monk at Durham. He was appointed tutor to prince Edward, afterwards Edward III. by whom, on his accession to the throne, he was loaded with honours and emoluments. In 1333, he was consecrated bishop of Durham: the next year he was appointed high chancellor, and in 1336 treasurer of England.

Aungervile was a learned man, a great patron of learning, and a passionate admirer of books. He was acquainted with the most eminent men of his age, both at home and abroad. He corresponded with Petrarch; and some of his letters to that celebrated poet remain in a volume of his "Epistles." He was the author of a singular performance, entitled "Philobiblos." It was finished at Auckland, when he was sixty-three years of age, in 1345, and was printed at Spires in 4to. in 1483; at Paris, in 1500; at Oxford in 1599, and at Leipsic in 1674, at the end of "Philologicarum Epistolarum Centuria Una." It is a declamation in praise of books, with advice concerning keeping and using them. Aungervile is said to have possessed more books, than all the bishops of England together. Besides numerous libraries, his common apartments were filled with books. He employed collectors of books abroad, and kept writers, illuminators, and binders in his palaces. He apologises in his Philobiblos, for admitting poets into his collection: "We have not neglected," says he, "the fables of the poets." He thought the laity unworthy of any commerce with books. He regrets the total ignorance of the Greek language, but adds, that he has provided for the students of his libraries both Greek and Hebrew grammars. He founded a noble library at Oxford for the use of the students, and appointed five keepers, to whom he granted yearly salaries. Before the art of printing was invented, such a collector of books was entitled to peculiar gratitude, as eminently a public benefactor. Aungervile did not content himself with the credit of possessing many books: he was a diligent student; and it was his custom to have some author read to him at meals, and afterwards to converse upon the subject. This worthy prelate died at Durham in 1345. Godwin de Præsul. Bale de

Script. Pits de Illustr. Ang. Script. Wood, Hist. Univ. Oxon. Biog. Britan. Warton's Hist. of Poetry. Præl. Diss. 2.-E.

AUNOY, (MARY-CATHERINE JUMELLE DE BERNEVILLE, Countess of), a distinguished writer of fiction and romance, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, was niece of the celebrated madame Desloges, and wife of the count d'Annoy. She wrote, with a fluency of style and facility of invention, several works which have been well received by readers for amusement alone. Her" Contes des Fées" [Fairy Tales], and "Aventures d'Hippolyte Comte de Duglas" [Adventures of Hippolytus Earl Douglas], are still read with pleasure. Some of her other pieces, which unite history with fable, as "Historical Memoirs of the most remarkable Events in Europe from 1672 to 1679;"" Memoirs of the Court of Spain;" "History of John of Bourbon, Prince de Carency," are of less value, as tending to mislead by that mixture of true and false, the taste for which has done so much mischief to French literature. All her works are replenished with gallantry. The countes d'Aunoy died in 1705. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist. -A.

AURELIAN. This Roman emperor was among the number of those who were indebted for their clevation to personal merit alone. He was the son of a peasant in the territory of Sirmium in Illyricum, who occupied a small farm, part of the estate of Aurelius, a rich senator. The active and robust youth soon showed a decided inclination for a military life, and entered as a common soldier in the imperial troops. He rose through all the stages of advancement to which signal valour and discipline could entitle him; for such was his adventurous spirit, that the soldiers distinguished him from another officer of the same name by the appellation of " Aurelian Sword-in-hand;" and so great was his force in arms, that he is said on one day to have killed forty-eight Sarmatians, and afterwards to have made up the number 950. The emperor Valerian conferred on him the important charge of inspector and reformer of the Roman camps, and created him consul; and at his recommendation, Ulpius Crinitus, a descendant of the same family with Trajan, adopted him, gave him his daughter in marriage, and raised him to opulence from the honourable poverty in which he had hitherto continued. He is not mentioned in the inglorious reign of Gallienus; but in that of Claudius II. he was brought forwards again, and greatly assisted him in the defeat of Aureolus.

In the Gothic war he held the chief command of the cavalry; and when that excellent emperor lay on his death-bed, he recommended Aurelian as the fittest person in the empire to be his successor. The legions of Illyricum readily complied with this recommendation, and raised Aurelian to the purple in the year 270. In the mean time, however, Quintilius, the brother of Claudius, who commanded a body of troops at Aquileia, had unadvisedly assumed that dignity to himself; but hearing of the stronger claims of his rival, he closed a reign of seventeen days by opening his veins.

After a short visit to Rome, in order to cause himself to be recognised by the senate, Aurelian returned to Pannonia, where the Goths were menacing a new irruption. They had crossed the Danube, when the emperor met them at the head of his forces, and a combat ensued, which was only terminated by night. The success in the field was dubious; and both parties were glad to conclude the long war between the two nations by a lasting peace. The Goths engaged to furnish the Roman armies with a body of auxiliaries, and gave hostages for their quiet retreat. Aurelian withdrew the Roman troops from Dacia, and tacitly relinquished that province to the possession of the Goths and Vandals. He made a hasty return to Italy, in order to repel an incursion of the Allemanni and other German tribes. These barbarians were already retreating with their spoil, when the emperor followed them to the Danube, and overtaking a part of them, reduced them to sue for peace, which he would not grant without unconditional submission. From the confused account left us of these transactions, it is difficult to discover how it happened that a renewed incursion of the Germans should be so successful as to give them entrance into the northern part of Italy; where a battle fought near Placentia proved so fatal to the Romans, that the instant destruction of the empire was apprehended. All was alarm at Rome, and every practice of superstition was resorted to in order to divert the anger of the gods. The Germans pushed on to Fano near the river Metaurus, where Asdrubal five centuries before had lost his army and life. The place again proved fortunate to Rome, and the emperor defeated the invaders with great slaughter, and afterwards nearly exterminated the survivors in another battle near Pavia.

Having finally delivered Italy from the barbarians, Aurelian returned to Rome, where he put to death several senators suspected of being engaged in conspiracies against him. He also

greatly enlarged the circuit of the capital, and provided for its security by a new inclosure of walls, which bore his name, though the work was not finished till the reign of the succeeding emperor, Probus.

Upon authorities preferred by Mr. Gibbon to the more general account, it was about this time that Aurelian marched into Gaul to put an end to the usurpation of Tetricus, who had succeeded several other governors and generals raised to the purple by the troops in the Gallic provinces Tetricus himself, tired of his precarious sway, which he could not safely abdicate, had invited the emperor to come to his deliverance; and he posted his army in such a manner, that it was attacked with great advantage by Aurelian, and almost entirely cut in pieces, near Chalons in Champagne. Tetricus surrendered himself to the victor; who soon reduced the whole of Gaul to its allegiance.

In 272 Aurelian engaged in the expedition which has most distinguished his reign, that against Zenobia queen of Palmyra. This celebrated woman had added to the dominions of her late husband Odenathus, who ruled from the Euphrates to Bithynia, the kingdom of Egypt; and she reigned over many rich and populous territories under the title of Queen of the East. She frequently showed her three sons to the troops arrayed in the imperial purple, and manifested a design of founding a monarchy independent of the Roman empire. A general of Gallienus who had been sent against her was obliged to return with loss and disand Claudius, employed in the Gothic war, had left her unmolested. Aurelian, bowAurelian, how ever, resolved to assert the majesty and restore the integrity of the empire; and marching with his legions into the East, by the way of Illyricum and Thrace, he was admitted without opposition into Ancyra and Tyana, where the lenity with which he treated the inhabitants, and the strict discipline observed by his troops, promoted his success in Syria. Zenobia attempted to check his progress as he advanced to Antioch; and a battle was fought near that metropolis, which ended to the advantage of Aurelian. Another combat near Emesa proved decisive of the war. Zenobia after this second Zenobia after this second defeat shut herself up in Palmyra, and for some time resisted with firmness the arms of the emperor who invested the city. At length, attempting to fly into Persia, she was taken by the light troops which pursued her, and brought captive to the emperor. She diverted his anger from herself upon the counsellors who had advised her resistance; and the execution of the

celebrated Longinus, among others, has stained the memory of the victor. Aurelian, however, treated with clemency the city of Palmyra, which surrendered at discretion. Meantime Egypt had been reduced to the obedience of Rome by the arms of Probus; and Aurelian was enabled to take the road for Europe, leaving all the dominions of Zenobia re-united to the empire. He had already passed the Bosphorus with his army, when he was suddenly recalled by the news of the revolt of the Palmyrenians, who had massacred the Roman garrison, and proclaimed a new emperor. Aurelian returned with a speed which prevented all measures of defence on their part, and took a most severe vengeance on the unfortunate Palmyra, which for three days was delivered to the unbridled rage and rapine of the soldiers. this dreadful execution, he spared the poor remnant of the inhabitants, and took pains to re establish in all its splendour the magnificent temple of the sun, to the worship of which luminary he was superstitiously addicted. Hence the indefatigable emperor took his course for Egypt, where Firmus, an ally of Zenobia, had taken possession of Alexandria, and assumed the purple. Aurelian without difficulty extinguished this rebellion, and destroyed its author. After this final success in the east, he again proceeded westward; and, (if the usurpation of Tetricus had been already suppressed) he arrived at Rome, leaving the empire in a state of universal tranquillity.

His triumph was one of the most splendid and memorable spectacles which Roman victory had afforded. had afforded. A long train of rich spoils, curious animals, gladiators, embassadors from the remotest parts of the earth, and captive nations, was closed by the deposed sovereigns, Tetricus and Zenobia, who, according to the haughty and unfeeling custom of Rome, were exhibited to the public gaze, to contrast, by the humiliation of their greatness, the glory and exaltation of the victor. Tetricus, with his son, appeared in the habit of Gallic kings; but the appearance of the former, who was a Roman senator, in the train of captives, threw a gloom over the senatorian spectators. Zenobia, confined in fetters of gold, and almost sinking under the weight of jewels, was a more grateful sight to Roman pride. After the emperor had thus employed his competitors in decorating his triumph, he displayed his clemency in the manner in which he treated them. Zenobia was presented with a villa at Tibur, where she passed her days with honour as a Roman maTetricus and his son were restored to

tron.