maladies affecting public speakers, "De morbis Concionatorum," and a professor in the university of Jena; and Johann Adolph, born in 1675, who on the death of his brother in 1709 succeeded him in his chair. The latter was the author of numerous academical dissertations on pathology and therapeutics.—F. C. W.
WEDGWOOD, Josiah, the first improver of English pottery and the creator of a new and important branch of English commerce, was born on the 12th of July, 1730, at Burslem, where his father earned a scanty living by working at the potter's wheel. The latter died when Josiah was eleven years old, and the boy at that early age was compelled to gain his bread by working as a thrower to his elder brother's wheel. At that time the manufacture of earthenware in England was in a very rudimentary condition, and British households were supplied with the commoner sort of ware from Delft in Holland, while China furnished the costly porcelain. Staffordshire produced earthenware only of the coarsest quality, which was hawked about the country by the workmen themselves, or by the common pedlars. A malignant attack of small-pox, which finally settled in his left leg and necessitated its amputation, compelled young Wedgwood to relinquish the potter's wheel. He formed a partnership with a workman as poor as himself, named Harrison, and began business at Stoke. His taste for decoration and a higher style of manufacture appears not to have suited the commercial notions of this partner nor of a succeeding one, named Whieldon, in conjunction with whom he had made and dealt in earthenware knife-handles, green pickle leaves, and fanciful articles of that kind. At length he returned to Burslem, and set up on his own account in a small thatched house, in which, by assiduous labour and close observation, animated by an ardent desire for improvement, he gradually made his way to prosperity. Among other facts, he observed that an earth containing silica which was black became white when calcined. Thereupon, mixing silica with the red powder of the potteries, he obtained a white material which, being covered with a transparent glaze, formed a beautiful earthenware that not only drove Delft ware out of the market, but which soon acquired a high reputation in various parts of the world, and constituted an important item in the annual exports of this country. A new branch of industry was planted in his native county. Thousands of hands were employed and well paid where a few years previously a comparatively small number made only a poor livelihood as potters. Increasing in business, Wedgwood established a house in London, where Mr. Bentley became his partner. Every effort was made to add elegance of design to the other merits of Wedgwood's ware. He found out the boy, John Flaxman, then helping his father to make plaster casts, in their shop in New Street, Covent Garden. "Well, my lad," said Wedgwood, "I have heard that you are a good draughtsman and clever designer. I'm a manufacturer of pots. I want you to design some models for me—nothing fantastic, but simple, tasteful, and correct in drawing. I'll pay you well. They are for pots of all kinds—tea-pots, jugs, tea-cups and saucers. Especially I want designs for a table-service. Begin with that. What you design is meant for the eyes of royalty. Think of that." The connection thus formed between the manufacturer and the artist was profitable and honourable to both. Wedgwood's single-hearted loyalty was sufficiently rewarded by the appointment of royal potter being conferred on him by Queen Charlotte. He was extremely successful in his imitations of ancient works of art—specimens from Herculaneum, lent to him by Sir W. Hamilton—the celebrated Barberini or Portland vase, lent by the duchess of Portland—and many rare samples of porcelain. He was also a zealous improver of the county he lived in, made a turnpike-road ten miles long through the Potteries, and vigorously seconded Brindley in the construction of the Trent and Mersey canal. In 1771 he built a mansion and works near Newcastle-under-Lyne, round which he formed a village for his workmen, calling it Etruria. Here he died on the 3rd of January, 1795.—(Smiles' Self-help.)—R. H.
* WEEKES, Henry, R.A., was born at Canterbury, Kent, in 1807. He was a pupil of the sculptor Behnes, and in 1823 became a student in the Royal Academy. On leaving Mr. Behnes, he was engaged as assistant by Sir Francis Chantrey. On the death of Chantrey in 1841, Mr. Weekes, as his chief assistant, was intrusted with the completion of his principal unfinished works. From that time, working on his own account, he has steadily made his way to a foremost place among living English sculptors. Mr. Weekes has executed a few imaginative works, as the bas-relief of "Jacob's Vision," 1845; "The Suppliant," 1850; "The Young Naturalist," 1857; "The Mother's Kiss," 1858; and the colossal statue of "Sardanapalus," for the Egyptian hall of the Mansion house, 1861. But Mr. Weekes is better known by his monumental statues and busts. Of the former class are Provost Goodall for Eton college; the Duke of Wellington; Sir Robert Peel; Sir T. F. Buxton; and the monument to the poet Shelley, and his wife, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, executed in 1853 for the Priory church, Christ church, Hampshire. His busts include the Queen, the earl of Shaftesbury, Dr. Buckland, Professor Sedgwick, and many other distinguished personages. Mr. Weekes was elected A.R.A. in 1851, R.A. in 1863. He is the author of a "Treatise on the Fine Arts Section of the Great Exhibition of 1851."—J. T—e.
WEENIX, Jan, was the son and pupil of Jan Baptist Weenix, and was born at Amsterdam in 1644, where he died on the 20th of September, 1719. The father was a good painter of animals, birds, landscapes, &c., but the son surpassed him, especially in the freedom of his execution and in colour. Jan's pictures of "Hunts" and "Dead Game" are highly valued. The National gallery possesses a fine example of this master, bequeathed by Lord Colborne, signed J. Weenix, f., 1708.—R. N. W.
WEIDLER, Johann Friedrich, a distinguished mathematician and astronomer, was born at Gross-Neuhausen in Thuringia, on the 23rd of April, 1691, and died at Wittemberg on the 30th of November, 1755. In 1715 he became assistant professor, and in 1721 professor of mathematics, in the university of Wittemberg. He was a member of the Academy of Sciences of Berlin, and of the Royal Society of London.—W. J. M. R..
WEIGEL, Ehrhart, a German astronomer, was born at Weida in 1625, and died on the 21st of March, 1699. He was professor of mathematics in the university of Jena, and an aulic councillor of the empire.
* WEIL, Gustav, a German orientalist, was born of Jewish parents at Saltzburg, grand duchy of Baden, 24th April, 1808. Having completed his studies at Heidelberg he proceeded to Paris (1830), and thence to Cairo, where during five years he earnestly devoted himself to the study of the Arabic, Persic, and Turkish languages, which he acquired from native teachers. On his return he became an amanuensis in the Heidelberg library, and in 1845 was appointed professor extraordinary of oriental languages. His chief works are—"Mohammed der Prophet, 1843; a "History of the Caliphs," 1846-51, 3 vols.; "Historisch-kritische Einleitung in den Koran," 1844; and a translation of the Arabian Nights, 4 vols.—K. E.
WEIR, William, journalist, was born at Edinburgh in 1802, and educated at the high school of that city. He completed his studies at the university of Göttingen, and one of the results of his visit to Germany was a translation of La Motte Fouqué's Undine, the earliest, we believe, of the several English versions of that charming story. He was called to the Scottish bar in 1826, but deafness prevented him from pursuing a forensic career. After having conducted the Edinburgh Literary Journal he became editor of the Glasgow Argus, which he conducted with great ability. Proceeding to London he took a high position as a journalist, and was long a leading contributor to the Spectator. He had been for some time on the staff of the Daily News, when in 1854 he became its editor-in-chief. He died in 1858.—F. E.
WEISHAUPT, Adam, the originator of the order of the illuminati, was born at Ingolstadt, 6th February, 1748. He was educated at the university of his native town, where in 1772 he was appointed professor extraordinary, and in 1775 obtained the chair of natural and ecclesiastical law. As this chair had before him always been held by Roman catholic clergymen, he was soon prosecuted by the clergy; so much the more so, as though he had been educated by the Jesuits, he yet became an avowed enemy of their order. He at last succumbed, and lost his place in 1785, but found a benevolent reception at Gotha, where he was nominated court councillor, and died 18th of November, 1830. Both in his lectures and works he preached enlightened cosmopolitan principles, for the diffusion of which he originated his famous order. Among his writings we note—"Apologie der Illuminaten;" "Das verbesserte System der Illuminaten;" "Pythagoras oder Betrachtungen über die geheime Welt und Regierungskunst;" and "Über Staatsausgaben."—K. E.
WEISSE, Christian Felix, a distinguished German poet and writer for the young, was born at Annaberg, 8th January, 1726. At Leipsic, where he devoted himself to classical learning, he formed an intimate friendship with Lessing, conjointly
