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BÄCHTOLD, heK't.Mt, Jakob (1848-97). A German literary historian, born at Schleitheim. He studied at Heidelberg, Munich, Tübingen, Paris, and London, and in 1872 was an instructor in the gymnasium at Solotburn. In 1888 he became professor of the history of German literature at Zürich. His principal work is Geschichte der deutschen Litteratur in der Schweiz (1888-92), and his other important publications include Deutsche Handschriften aus dem Britischen Museum (1873) and Gottfried Kellers Leben (1894-97). He also published a critical edition of Goethe's Götz von Berlichinqen (1882 and 1888); Iphigenia (1883 and 1887); Dichtung und Wahrheit (1890-91). He was associate editor, with Vetter, of the Bibliothek älterer Schriftwerke der deutschen Schweiz. After his death Vetter published Kleine Schriften von Jakob Bächtold (1889).

BACHUONE, ba-chwo'n4, Arnoldo. See Villanovanus, Arnoldus.

BACIL'LUS. See Bacteria; Cholera; Colon-Bacillus; and Tuberculosis.

BACIOCCHI, ba-cho'ke, Marie Anne Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820). The eldest sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. When Corsica was occu- pied by the English, she, with her family, emi- grated to Marseilles, where she married Captain Baciocchi, later created Prince of Lucca and Piombino. The elevation of Napoleon raised her also to rank and power; and in 1806 the prin- cipality of Massa and Carrara was intrusted to her administration, which was, on the whole, a beneficial one for the people. In 1809, she was made Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Here the ar- bitrary measures of her brother, which she had to carry out, and her own self-will and harshness, rendered her unpopular, and when the Allies entered Tuscany in 1814, she was forced to leave Florence.

BACK, Sir George (1796-1878). A famous English Arctic explorer. He was born at Stock- port, England, in 1796. In 1819 and 1825 he accompanied Franklin in his expeditions to the north coast of America. He volunteered to the Government to go in search of Captain Ross, who was supposed to have been lost in his attempt to discover the Northwest Passage; and on the 28th of June, 1833, he started from Norway House, a station of the Hudson Bay Company. After pass- ing a terrible winter with his companions at Slave Lake, he discovered, in 1834. Artillery Lake, and the Great Fish River, or Back's River, which he followed to the Frozen Ocean. Being hindered by the ice from proceeding along the coast as far as Cape Turn-again, he returned by the river; but although he had received news of the return of Captain Ross, he continued his explorations in the Northern Sea, and did not return to England until 1835. when he was raised to the rank of post-captain for his services. In 1836 and 1837, he further explored the Arctic shores — the Geographical Society, in the latter year, bestowing its gold medal upon him. Two years afterwards he was knighted. He attained flag rank in 1857, and that of admiral in 1867. He was an able artist and descriptive writer, and wrote and illustrated, Narrative of the Arctic Land Expedition to the Mouth of the Great Fish River (1833-35), and Perils and Escapes of H.M.S. Terror (1836-37).

BACK BAY. A former widening of the Charles River, now filled in, and forming the most exclusive residential district of Boston. In it many of the finest streets, churches, and public buildings of the city are situated.

BACK'BITE, Sir Benjamin. A character in Sheridan's School for Scandal. He is an emasculated creature, with a vinegary tongue, deeply versed in all manner of evil-speaking, lying, and slandering. Crabtree, his uncle, Mrs. Candour, and himself are the leading members of the 'school.' He affects to be a poet and wit.

BACKER, b-ik'er, Jakob (1609-51). A Dutch painter. He was born at Haerlingen, and was a pupil of Lambert Jakobsz at Leewarden, and afterwards of Rembrandt at Amsterdam. He was noted for his portraits and historical pieces, and for the facility and quickness with which he worked. His nephew, Adrian Backer, of Amsterdam (1636-86), was also a successful historical and portrait painter.

BACK'GAM'MON. One of the most ancient and widespread dice games, of which three schools survive — the Russian, Turkish, and English. It is sometimes called, 'tric-trac,' though this is properly a distinct variety of the game, and in England was formerly known as 'the tables.' The word 'backgammon' has been ascribed to the Welsh tongue, in which it is said to signify 'little battle.' Strutt ascribes the term to the Saxon 'bac' and 'game,' — that is, back-game, — so denominated because the performance consists in the two players bringing their men back from their antagonist's table into their own: or because the pieces are sometimes taken up and obliged to go back — that is, reënter at the table they came from.

BACKGAMMON BOARD.

The backgammon board consists of two parts or tables, known as the inner or home table and the outer table. Each table possesses 12 points, 6 at each end. The game is played by two persons, each of whom has 15 'men.' In beginning the game, the 'men' are placed on certain points on the tables, directly opposite each other. The game is played with 2 dice, which are common to both players; but each player uses his own dice-box. The throws are alter-