Beauty and the Beast
an old fairy tale told in various forms and in many languages. The story is that of a beautiful young girl, who, to save the life of her unfortunate father, becomes the guest of a frightful monster. The Beast, however, proves both kind and intelligent. In spite of his ugliness, Beauty learns to love him. He is then able to resume his true form, which is that of a handsome young prince. The story has many English version, Miss Thackeray's being the most worthy of mention. A counterpart to the tale is thought to exist in the old Greek legend of Eros and Psyche. See Psyche 2026 Editor's Note: 'Beauty and the Beast' became one of the most beloved fairy tales in the world, endlessly retold — Jean Cocteau's dreamlike 1946 film, and above all Disney's 1991 animated version, the first animated film ever nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, later remade in live action. Its theme of love seeing past appearances keeps it, in the song's words, 'a tale as old as time.' (Ed: BR 2026-06-18)
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Beauvais
(ancient Bellovacum), a town of France, capital of the department of Oise, at the confluence of the Avelon with the Thérain, 43 miles N. of Paris. It has some fine edifices, the choir of the uncompleted cathedral being one of the finest specimens of Gothic architecture in France. In 1472 Beauvais resisted an army of 80,000 Burgundians under Charles the Bold. There are numerous manufacturing facturing establishments, notably woolens and tapestries. Pop. about 20,000.
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Beaux
CECILIA, an American artist, born in Philadelphia. She studied art in Philadelphia and in Paris. She was four times awarded the Mary Smith Prize at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, received also the Dodge prize of the National Academy of Design and many other medals from foreign and American art societies. She was a frequent exhibitor at important exhibitions in the United States and abroad. She was a member of the National Academy of Design. She was especially notable for her painting of portraits.
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Beaver Cloth
a heavy, smooth-finished woolen fabric of double weave used for men's overcoats and women's cloaks. The wefts on the face are finer than those on the back. After leaving the loom the cloth is fulled, then napped and closely sheared. This gives a smooth surface. The back is usually finished with a nap. The best grade of beaver cloth is one of the most expensive of textile fabrics. It is made of high grade wool, and is woven and finished with utmost care. The cheapest grades are made with cotton warp and shoddy weft, but are finished so skillfully that they fairly imitate a high grade fabric. See Double Cloth
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Beaver Dam
a dam built by a beaver across a stream likely to run off in summer. It is generally formed of drift wood, green willows, birch, poplars, and similar materials.
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Beaver Dam
a city in Wisconsin, in Dodge co. It is on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, and the Chicago railroads. It is the and Northwestern center of an extensive agricultural region and has excellent water power. Its industries include flour and woolen mills, the manufacture of machinery, stoves, etc. There are parks, a library, a hospital, an opera house, and Wayland Academy. Pop. (1910) 6,758; (1920) 7,992.
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Beaver Falls
a borough in Beaver co., Pa., on the Beaver river, near its junction with the Ohio, and on the Pennsylvania and New York Central railroads, 7 miles N. of Beaver, the countyseat. It has natural gas; good water power for manufacturing; produces steel, iron, wire, glass ware, pottery, is the seat of Geneva shovels, etc. It College (Reformed Presbyterian). Pop. (1910) 12,191; (1920) 12,802.
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Bebel
FERDINAND AUGUST (bā'bel), a German Socialist, born in Cologne in 1840. In his youth he was an apprentice, and, while learning and practicing the turner's trade, he acquired a practical knowledge of the difficulties and disabilities of the workingmen. He settled in Leipsic in 1860, joined various labor organizations, and became one of the editors of the "Volksstaat" and of the "Vorwärts." Membership in the North German Reichstag was followed by his election to the German Reichstag, of which he was a member from 1871 to 1881, and which he entered again in 1883. He was the leader of his party in the Reichstag, even though, rep- Marxian princiresenting as he did the ples, he was bitterly opposed by certain factions. He wrote "Our Aims" (1874); "The German Peasant War" (1876); "The Life and Theories of Charles Fourier" (1888); "Women in Socialism, the Christian Point of View in the Woman Question" (1893); "My Life" (1910- 1912). He died August 14, 1913.
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Bec
a famous Norman abbey. The name is derived from a beck or rivulet by which a pious knight fixed his hermit-age. His fame for piety attracted followers until a religious community was formed according to the Rules of St. Benedict. Lanfranc, a Lombard scholar of noble ancestry, became a lay brother. Under his influence the monastery acquired a reputation for learning. Anselm came to study and remained to become abbot. Under these men, both of whom became archbishops of Canterbury, Bec, says Green in his History of the English People, became for a time the most famous school in Christendom. The school of Bec flourished during the eleventh century. Bec is now a mere ruin. See Anselm
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Beck
JAMES MONTGOMERY, an American lawyer and publicist, born in Philadelphia in 1861. He graduated from Moravian College in 1880. In 1884 he was admitted to the bar. From 1896 to 1900 he was United States attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and from 1900 to 1903 was assistant attorney-general of the United States. At the outbreak of the World War he took a strong stand against Germany and wrote much and delivered many addresses to show Germany's responsibility. He delivered many orations on notable occasions on various subjects. He wrote "The Evidence in the Case" (1914); "War and Humanity" (1916).
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Becker
GEORGE FERDINAND, an American geologist, born in New York, Jan. 5, 1847; graduated at Harvard University in 1868; was Instructor of Mining and Metallurgy in the University of California in 1875-1879; attached to the United States Geological Survey since 1879, and Special Agent of the 10th Census, 1879-1883. He was appointed a special agent to examine into the mineral resources of the Philippine Islands in 1898 and was later placed in charge of the chemical and physical research division, United States Geological Survey. He was also geophysicist of the Carnegie Institution and a member of several scientific associations. His publications include "Geology of the Comstock Lode," "Geology of the Quicksilver Deposits of the Pacific Slope," "Age of Earth," etc.
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