received his early training at the College of Soreze, Tarn, which was
managed by the Oratorians. After that he pursued his medical studies
at Paris, residing in the Latin quarter. When twenty-two he lost his
father, who left him a large fortune; and he deserted a young girl by
whom he had had a son, in order to give himself over to the most
foolish dissipations. This young girl, who was thoroughly well meant
and devoted to him, died two years after the desertion despite the
most tender care of her now contrite lover. Later Benassis sought
marriage with another young girl belonging to a Jansenist family. At
first the affair was settled, but he was thrown over when the secret
of his past life, hitherto concealed, was made known. He then devoted
his whole life to his son, but the child died in his youth. After
wavering between suicide and the monastery of Grande-Chartreuse,
Doctor Benassis stopped by chance in the poor village of l'Isere, five
leagues from Grenoble. He remained there until he had transformed the
squalid settlement, inhabited by good-for-nothing Cretins, into the
chief place of the Canton, bustling and prosperous. Benassis died in
1829, mayor of the town. All the populace mourned the benefactor and
man of genius. [The Country Doctor.]

BENEDETTO, an Italian living at Rome in the first third of the
nineteenth century. A tolerable musician, and a police spy, "on the
side." Ugly, small and a drunkard, he was nevertheless the lucky
husband of Luigia, whose marvelous beauty was his continual boast.
After an evening spent by him over the wine-cups, his wife in loathing
lighted a brasier of charcoal, after carefully closing all the exits
of the bedchamber. The neighbors rushing in succeeded in saving her
alone; Benedetto was dead. [The Member for Arcis.]

BERENICE, chambermaid and cousin of Coralie the actress of the