BULL, Ole Bornemann, Norwegian vio linist: b. Bergen, 5 Feb. 1810; d. near there, 17 Aug. 1880. He went to Cassel in 1829, where for a short time he studied under Spohr, re turning later to Bergen. He went to Paris in 1831, where at first he met with little suc cess, being robbed of his few belongings, in cluding his violin. His attempt at suicde at this time secured him a patroness, Mme. Ville minot, who provided him with a Guarneri in strument. He secured great triumphs both throughout Europe and in America by his remarkable playing, which won for him a dis tinct and unique position in the musical world as a virtuoso of extraordinary talent and a master of the violin. He overcame serious dis couragements in preparing for his career, throughout which public interest and admira tion were no less awakened by his manliness and grace of bearing than by his skill as a musician. At his debut (Paris 1833) he was honored by the presence of Paganini, and that master was witness to the young aspirant's triumph. Bull afterward studied and turned to good account the method of Paginini. In busi
ness life he met with various successes and reverses. He lost all his money in a scheme to found a colony of his countrymen in Penn sylvania, and had to take to his violin to repair his broken fortunes. He afterward married in this country, settled at Cambridge, Mass., and retained a summer residence in Norway. He built a national theatre in Bergen and soon became involved in quarrels with the authori ties. Consult (Ole Bull: A Memoir' by Sara C. Bull (Boston 1883), and the Norwegian biography by O. Vik (Bergen 1890).
BULL (Lat. bulb, a knob, boss), a seal, usually of leid, appended to state documents to prove their authenticity. Such seals were used by the Roman Emperors, and by various monarchs during the Middle Ages. They finally went out of use in the northern countries but were retained in southern Europe where wax seals did not keep well. In form, the bull resembled a coin, being round with an inscrip tion on each face. The best known seal of this type is the papal bull (q.v.). • .