BO-TREE, a species of Ficus, sacred to the Buddhists as the tree under which Buddha sat when the light of life first dawned on him.  See BUDDHA.

BOTTA, CARLO GIUSEPPE, an Italian political historian, born in Piedmont; his most important work is his “History of Italy from 1789 to 1814”; was the author of some poems (1766-1837).

BOTTA, PAUL EMILE, Assyriologist, born at Turin, son of the preceding; when consul at Mosul, in 1843, discovered the ruins of Nineveh; made further explorations, published in the “Memoire de l’Ecriture Cuneiform Assyrienne” and “Monuments de Ninive” (1802-1870).

BOeTTGER, an alchemist who, in his experiments on porcelain, invented the celebrated Meissen porcelain (1682-1719).

BOTTICELLI, SANDRO, or ALESSANDRO, a celebrated painter of the Florentine school; began as a goldsmith’s apprentice; a pupil of Fra Lippo Lippi; the best-known examples of his art are on religious subjects, though he was no less fascinated with classical—­mythological conceptions; is distinguished for his attention to details and for delicacy, particularly in the drawing of flowers; and it is a rose on the petticoat of one of his figures, the figure of Spring, which Ruskin has reproduced on the title-page of his recent books, remarking that “no one has ever yet drawn, or is likely to draw, roses as he has done;... he understood,” he adds, “the thoughts of heathens and Christians equally, and could in a measure paint both Aphrodite and the Madonna” (1447-1515).

BOeTTIGER, KARL AUGUSTE, German archaeologist, was a voluminous writer on antiquities, especially classical (1760-1835).

BOTTOM, a weaver in the interlude in “Midsummer-Night’s Dream,” whom, with his ass’s head, Titania falls in love with under the influence of a love-potion.

BOTZARIS, one of the heroes of the war of Greek independence (1789-1823).

BOUCHARDON, a celebrated French sculptor (1698-1762).

BOUCHER, a French painter, born at Paris (1703-1770).

BOUCHER DE PERTHES, French naturalist and anthropologist, born in
Ardennes (1783-1868).

BOUCICAULT, DION, a dramatic writer, author of popular Irish pieces, as “The Colleen Bawn” and “The Shaughraun” (1822-1890).

BOUCICAUT, MARSHAL DE, one of the bravest and noblest of French soldiers, born at Tours; distinguished in several famous battles; was taken captive by the English at Agincourt; died in England (1364-1421).

BOUFFLERS, CHEVALIER DE, field-marshal of France, courtier and author (1737-1815).

BOUFFLERS, MARQUIS DE, marshal of France, distinguished for his defence of Namur (1695) and of Lille (1708), and his masterly retreat from Malplaquet (1645-1711).

BOUGAINVILLE, LOUIS ANTOINE DE, a French navigator, born in Paris; voyaged round the world, which occupied him two years and a half; his “Travels” had a remarkably stimulating effect on the imaginations of the “philosophies,” as described by him in “Un Voyage autour du Monde” (1729-1811).