the bedchamber to George III., George IV., and William IV. He was one of the Canada commissioners, and after having been employed on a diplomatic mission to Northern Italy, he undertook in 1816 an embassy to China, in order to place our commercial relations with that country upon a better footing. Lord Amherst sailed from England in February, 1816, in H.M.S. Alceste, commanded by Captain Murray Maxwell, and landed at Ta-ku, at the mouth of the Pei-ho, on the 12th of August. An attempt was made by the Chinese to enforce the practice of the kotau, that is, striking the head on the ground as a sign of homage, before a yellow screen, as the preliminary to a repetition of the same ceremony before the emperor. This was refused by Lord Amherst, upon the advice of Sir George Staunton, who had been present on a similar occasion with Lord Macartney in 1793, when the same thing was proposed and refused. Lord Amherst and his suite arrived at Pekin on the 28th of August, at dead of night; and though it was pretended that preparations had been made for their reception, the gates were closed against them, and it was dawn of day before they entered the city, which they left the same afternoon, without having accomplished the object of this expensive expedition. Upon hearing of the failure of the English mission, the governor of Canton issued a proclamation, declaring that the ambassador would not be allowed to embark in the river, but must, after traversing the country, find his way as best he could to the ships, which were to remain at anchor among the Ladrone Islands, almost in the open sea. By the firmness, however, of Captain Maxwell, the embassy entered the river, and were in the end very civilly treated by the Chinese. He reached England in October, 1817, after an absence of twenty months. On his return. Lord Amherst was wrecked on the island of Pulo Leat, from which he proceeded in a boat to Batavia. He also visited the Emperor Napoleon at St. Helena. Lord Amherst was subsequently appointed governor-general of India, and raised to the rank of an earl in 1826, in consequence of his services there. The last thirty years of his life were spent in retirement. He died March 13, 1857, at Knowle Park, Kent, the ancient seat of the Dorset family, the heiress of which was his second wife.—J. S.
AMHURST, Nicholas, a poet and politician, was born at Harden, in Kent, in 1706, and having been educated at Merchant Tailors' School, entered St. John's college, Oxford, whence he was expelled in consequence of having given offence by a pamphlet entitled "Protestant Popery." He revenged himself on the university, however, in his two anonymous satires, "Oculus Britanniæ" and "Terræ Filius;" the latter of which is replete with malignity and exaggeration. After quitting Oxford, he settled in London, and became the associate of Pulteney and Bolingbroke in conducting the "Craftsman," in opposition to Walpole's administration. He was the author of a variety of works, including some poems and satirical pieces; but when, in 1742, his party came into power, although he had served them with the utmost zeal, he found himself neglected, and died in the same year in great distress, aggravated in no small degree by the ingratitude he experienced from those to whose service he had dedicated his life and abilities.—F.
AMICI, Giovanni Battista, an Italian physician, was born at Modena in 1784, studied mathematics at Bologna, and in early life displayed wonderful powers in the construction of optical instruments. He was appointed to the chair of mathematics in the Lyceum of Panaro, the principal school of the duchy of Modena. He made important discoveries in the construction of mirrors for telescopes, and also constructed microscopes which have long been celebrated. He occupied for some time the situation of general inspector of education in the duchy of Modena; and on the death of Pons, was appointed by the grand-duke of Tuscany director of the observatory of Florence. Amici published numerous memoirs in the transactions of academies and in scientific journals, and wrote upon the circulation of sap in plants, on infusoria, on chara, on oscillatoria, and on the fecundation of plants. He died on the 23rd of April, 1863. His son, Vincent Amici, is professor of mathematics at Pisa.—J. H. B.
AMICI, Tommaso, an Italian sculptor of the 15th century, was associated with J. Mabila di Maso in 1495, in constructing the altar of San Niccolò, in the cathedral of Cremona.
AMICO, Antonino, historiographer to Philip IV. of Spain, and author of several historical works. Died 1641.
AMICO, Bartolomeo, an Italian jesuit, born in 1562, who was professor and prefect of studies in the university of Naples. His chief work was an elaborate commentary on the philosophy of Aristotle. Died 1649.
AMICO, Bernardino, prior of the Franciscans of Jerusalem in 1596. After an absence of several years he returned to Italy, and published a description of the sacred edifices of the holy city, with engravings, which he dedicated to Philip III. of Spain.
AMICO, Faustino, an Italian poet of great promise, was born at Bassano in 1524; died 1558.
AMICO, Francesco, an Italian jesuit, born at Cosenza in 1578, who, after having been professor of theology at Aquila, Naples, and at Gratz, in Styria, became prefect of studies at Vienna. Died 1651.
AMICO, Lorenzo, a Franciscan monk, born at Milazzo in 1633, who, after being for some years teacher of theology and philosophy to his own order, was appointed vicar-general in the province of Palo.
AMICO, Stefano, a monk of Monte-Cassino, born at Palermo, author of a volume of Latin poems entitled "Sacra Lyra." Died in 1662.
AMICO, Vito Maria, was born in 1693, at Catania. Having entered the Benedictine monastery of S. Nicola delle Arene, he ultimately became professor of history in the university of his native town. In 1751 he obtained from King Charles the office of historiographer of Sicily. He was the author of a variety of works relating to the history and antiquities of his native country. He died in 1762.—F.
AMICUS, Bonaventure d', a Capuchin monk of Amiens, who distinguished himself somewhat as a painter about the close of the sixteenth century.
AMICUS, Diomedes, a learned physician of Placentia, flourished at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.
AMIDANO, Pomponio, an Italian painter of the sixteenth century. He was a native of Parma, and a very skilful imitator of his master, Parmigiano.
AMIGONI or AMICONI, Jacopo, a historical and portrait painter, a native of Venice, who chiefly sought to imitate the Flemish masters. He travelled and worked in Belgium, Germany, England, and Spain, in which last country he became court painter; more famed for brilliancy of colour than for design. Born 1675; died 1752.—R. M.
AMILCAR. See Hamilcar.
AMIOT, a French jesuit missionary to China, born at Toulon in 1718. He arrived at Macao in 1750, and at Pekin in 1751, where he lived till his death in 1794. He possessed a very considerable knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences, a talent for music, a retentive memory, and indefatigable activity and perseverance. By diligent study he made himself familiar with the Chinese and Tartar languages, and was thus able to obtain very correct ideas respecting the history, philosophy, and arts of ancient and modern China. His opinions on these topics have been embodied chiefly in the "Memoires concernant l'histoire, les sciences, et les arts des Chinois," 15 vols. 4to, Paris, 1776-91. His principal works are:—1. "Eloge de la ville de Moukden," a translation of a poem by the emperor of China, in praise of the city and country of Moukden, the fatherland of the Tartar race, which was published in 8vo. in 1770, by de Guignes. It contains a great number of historical and geographical notes, by Père Amiot. 2. "Art Militaire des Chinois," a translation of the first three of the six books on military art, in which military students must undergo an examination. It may be found in the seventh volume of the "Memoires," and in the eighth volume there is a supplement with figures. 3. "Lettre sur les caractères Chinois" to the Royal Society of London, printed in the first volume of the "Memoires." 4. "De la musique des Chinois," in the sixth volume of the "Memoires." 5. "Vie de Confucius;" the most correct account of this celebrated philosopher. 6. "Dictionnaire Tartar-Mantchou Français," 3 vols. 4to, Paris, 1789. Amiot wrote also a small grammar of the Mantchou language, which is preserved in the thirteenth volume of the "Memoires." He is said to have translated "Fontaine's Fables" into Mantchou.—J. S.
AMIOT. See Amyot.
AMIRDOVALT, an Armenian physician, a native of Amasia, lived during the latter half of the fifteenth century. He wrote a medical work bearing the title, "Ankidatz Anbed," ("Useless for the Ignorant.")
AMLAVE. See Anlaf.
