celebrated disciple Soto "deserve," says Sir James Macintosh, "to be had in everlasting remembrance for the part which they took on behalf of the natives of America and of Africa, against the rapacity and cruelty of the Spaniards. Victoria pronounced war against the Americans, for their vices or for their paganism, to be unjust. Soto was the authority chiefly consulted by Charles V. on occasion of the conference held before him at Valladolid in 1542 between Sepulveda, an advocate of the Spanish colonists, and Las Casas, the champion of the unhappy Americans, of which the result was a very imperfect edict of reformation in 1543."—(Progress of Ethical Philosophy, sec. iii.) It is curious to remember that these noble men, and the Romish clergy generally, who were so entirely right in their opinions respecting the rights of savages—declaring as they did that there can be no difference between christians and pagans, for that the law of nations is equal to all nations—were yet so utterly wrong in their judgment as to the treatment of heretics at home.—R. M., A.
VIDA, Marco Girolamo, Latin poet and bishop of Alba, born in Cremona probably about 1485; died in Alba, 27th of September, 1566. As an ecclesiastic his reputation stands high for zeal, pastoral care, and christian patriotism, not, it may be, always free from asperity. As a writer he is much esteemed for elegance and lucidity, though his profound deference for Virgil probably exercised an influence not altogether beneficial on his productions, injuring their originality whilst insuring their classic correctness. Amongst his works are—"Christiados libri sex," a poem on the life of our Lord, more than once translated into English, commenced under the patronage of Leo X., completed and published under the auspices of Clement VII., and with which portions of the Paradise Lost seem to show that Milton was conversant; "Scacchiæ ludus," treating of the game of chess; "Poeticorum libri tres," on the poetic art; "Bombycum libri duo," on the cultivation of silk worms; "Dialogi de Reipublicæ Dignitate," purporting to record discourses held by himself with sundry cardinals and learned men when, as bishop of Alba, he attended the council of Trent.—C. G. R.
VIDOCQ, Francis Jules, the celebrated chief of the Parisian detective brigade, was the son of a baker, and was born at Arras in 1775. He was employed in his father's business before he was thirteen; but having been repeatedly detected in pilfering his goods and money, which he spent with some congenial companions, he was sent to the house of correction. On his release he robbed his father's till of £80, which he divided with an accomplice, and fled, intending to sail for the United States; but at Ostend he was robbed by a sharper of all his ill-gotten gains, and compelled from destitution to hire himself to an itinerant showman. He then transferred his services successively to the master of a puppet show, and to a peregrinating quack doctor; but tiring of the hardships of this vagrant life, which lasted two years, he returned home, and through the intercession of a kind priest was forgiven by his father. He could not settle, however, to regular work, and having enlisted in the regiment of Bourbon, fought in several battles in Flanders, and was made a corporal. He subsequently served with distinction in the 11th chasseurs and in the 14th regiment; but he repeatedly deserted, and on one occasion fled to the Austrians. In 1793 he was thrown into prison, and narrowly escaped from the revolutionary tribunal through the influence of the daughter of the notorious Joseph Lebon, whom he married. They separated almost immediately, and Vidocq went to Brussels, where he became a professed gambler. He removed to Paris in 1796 at the age of twenty-one, lost all his money among the loose company he frequented, once more enlisted, got into new scrapes, suffered three imprisonments, but made his escape each time; then was confined for eight months in the prison of Douai, where he was mixed up in a case of forgery, for which he was condemned to eight years' penal servitude in the galleys. He made his escape from Brest at the end of six years, became an usher to a school under a feigned name, was recaptured and sent to Toulon, once more made his escape, and joined a band of freebooters in the north. They dismissed him on detecting the convict's brand on his shoulder, and he in revenge gave information to a magistrate, which led to their apprehension (1804). This was the turning point of his career. Having in vain attempted to support himself in Paris by honest industry, his efforts being constantly frustrated by his former associates and other thieves, he offered his services in 1809 to the commissioner of the secret police. Amidst difficulties almost insuperable he succeeded in obtaining employment, and in gaining the confidence of his employers, to whom he rendered most important services by his remarkable intelligence, bodily strength, courage, and activity. He was made chief of the famous detective brigade established in 1812, and in a single year effected seven hundred and seventy-two arrests of brigands and thieves, some of them of a most extraordinary character. The obloquy which he incurred, however, was so great, that the government superseded him in 1825. He subsequently tried a paper manufactory, and established an office of information on behalf of trade and commerce. He published his autobiography in 4 vols. in 1829, and republished it in 1844. He ultimately settled in Belgium, and died there in 1850.—J. T.
VIEIRA, the name of several Portuguese painters, of whom two have attained repute:—Francisco Vieira de Mattos, called Lusitano, was born at Lisbon in 1699, and was taken to Rome by the Marquis d'Abrantes, Portuguese ambassador to Pope Clement VII. At Rome Vieira studied under Trevisani. He was enrolled in the guild of St. Luke at Lisbon in 1719, and in 1733 was appointed painter to the king. He was decorated with the order of St. Jago in 1744; published a work, entitled "Pintor insigne e leal Amante," in 1780; and died in 1783. In his youth he had eloped with and privately married a young lady against the wish of her family; the family took her from Vieira and placed her in a convent, but he rescued her after some years' captivity: she died in 1775. Several of Vieira's best works were destroyed at the earthquake of Lisbon, but some fine altarpieces are still preserved. He was likewise an architect.—Francisco Vieira, called Portuense from his birthplace, Porto or Oporto, painted landscapes as well as figure pieces. He was born about 1765, and also studied at Rome. Having acquired some distinction as a historical painter, he was made director of the Academy of Oporto; and in 1802 was appointed principal painter to the king. He, however, soon afterwards fell into ill health, and died at Madeira in 1805. His widow was married to an English officer, and died in 1817. There is an altarpiece by Vieira in the chapel of the Portuguese legation in London.—R. N. W.
VIEN, Joseph Marie, was born at Montpelier in 1716, and there learned the first rudiments of art in a pottery or majolica factory; he then became the pupil of a painter of the name of Giral, and acquired some skill as a portrait painter. Vien went to Paris in 1740, and entered the Academy, where, under Natoíre, in 1743 he gained the "grand Prix de Rome." He arrived at Rome at the end of 1744, and remained in Italy five years. Having acquired a better taste in Italy than the prevailing fashion at home in his time, Vien at first met with opposition and disappointment; but he was elected an associate of the Academy in 1751, and member in 1754. He became eventually very popular in Paris, especially with the younger artists, and established a very thriving school. In 1775 he succeeded Natoíre as director of the French Academy at Rome, an office he held for six years. In 1789 he was appointed principal painter to the king, Louis XVI., and he had already been created chevalier of the order of St. Michel; but at the breaking out of the Revolution he lost everything but his courage—appointments, apartments in the Louvre, and pensions. The first Napoleon, however, restored him to his honours; he made Vien a member of the senate in 1799, afterwards a count of the empire, and a commander of the legion of honour. Vien died at Paris, March 27, 1809. He painted in many styles, and has the merit of restoring a proper study of the antique, and of improving the taste of his time. Among his many able scholars, Vincent and David have made European reputations.—R. N. W.
VIENNE, John de, Admiral of France, and one of the most distinguished warriors of his age, sprang from an old and illustrious family of Burgundy, and was born in the early part of the fourteenth century. At a very early age he entered on a military career, and soon became distinguished for his courage and skill in the wars with England. He was nominated governor of Calais, and after the disastrous battle of Cressy he defended that important town with singular courage and constancy during its memorable siege of nearly twelve months by Edward III. He served with great distinction in the long and bloody wars which Charles V. carried on against the English, and was rewarded with the government of Honfleur in 1370. He was subsequently appointed lieutenant of the king in Lower Normandy, and admiral of France on the resignation of Viscount de Narbonne. In 1377 the admiral took charge of several expeditions against England, in one of which a descent was made on
