BOSCOVICH, ROGER JOSEPH, a celebrated mathematician and astronomer, b. at Ragusa, 18th May, 1711. He entered at an early age into the order of the Jesuits, and spent his life in scientific pursuits and important public labors. Before the completion of his course of studies in Rome, he was appointed teacher of mathematics and philoso phy in the Co&glum Romanum there. The pope gave him a commission to measure a degree of the meridian in the states of the Church. which he accomplished in the years 1750-53. In 1764, he was appointed to a professorship in Pavia, but after some time retired from this office. He was subsequently appointed professor of astronomy and optics in the palatine schools at Milan, and superintended the erection of the observatory in the Brera college, upon which he spent money of his own. After the dissolution of his order, he went to Paris, in 17.74, and received a pension from the king. B. after wards went to Bassano, to superintend an edition of his works, on the completion of which he returned to Milan, but fell into a depression of spirits, which at last grew into complete insanity, and he died 12th Feb., 1787. His works include dissertations on a great variety of important questions in mathematical and physical science, and were pub lished collectively under the title Opera Artinentia ad Opticam et ilstronomiam (5 vols., Bassano, 1785). His name is connected with a theory of physics, first published in his Philosophise Naturalts Theoria, Redarta ad Unlearn LegernVirium in Katura (Vienna, 1758). He was also a poet, and his Latin poem De Solis ac Luna Defectilms (Lond. 1764), has been much admired.
BOSIO,FnAtic. Jos., Baron, an eminent sculptor, was b. 1769, at Monaco, in Sardinia; studied at Paris; and when only 19, returned to Italy, where he executed a multitude of commissions even at that early age. His reputation was greatly increased by the figures which, nt the request of Napoleon, he executed for the column in the Place Vendome. Louis XV1II. and Charles X. also patronized B., the former appointing him royal sculptor, the latter elevating him to the rank of baron. Be also enjoyed several profes sional honors, being director of the academy of fine arts in Paris, and member of the Berlin academy- of arts. He d. July 29, '45. B.'s principal works are—the " Hercules" in the garden of the Tuileries; the incomparably beautiful "Hyacinth "in the Luxembourg; the "Nymph Sahnacis," a figure displaying wonderful grace and purity of outline; an allegorical figure of France, 7 ft. high, surrounded by the muse of history and a group of genii; the statue in memory of the Due d'Enghien; the equestrian statue in the Place des Victories, and the monument of count Demidov, 30 ft. high, composed of 6 figures, with bass.reliefs, etc. Besides these, B. executed a great multitude of busts of aistin guished persons, such as the emperor Napoleon, the empress, queen Hortensia, the king and queen of Westphalia, Louis XVIII., Charles X., etc. B.'s works are all marked by grace of form, harmony of design, and elegance of finish. His style generally reminds one of Canova.