to Munich, he in 1845 modelled a group of Achilles and Coronis.

Widnmann found in King Ludwig a liberal patron. He received several commissions for busts for the Rumershalle, and monumental statues for public places. Among the latter the best known are those in bronze of the composer Orlando di Lasso in the Odeon Platz, and Rauch in the Glyptothek. The most celebrated of his recent imaginative works is the spirited colossal marble group of "A Hunter defending his family from a Panther." On the death of Schwanthaler in 1818, Widnmann succeeded him as professor of sculpture in the Munich academy.—J. T—e. WIEBEKING, Karl Friedrich von, a German engineer, was born at Wollin in 1762, and died at Munich on the 29th of May, 1842. At an early age he showed such skill in surveying, that he was intrusted successively with surveys of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, of Pomerania, and of various other German territories. In 1788 he was appointed engineer of the grand duchy of Berg. About 1792 he began the preparation of his work entitled "Wasserbaukunst," a treatise on hydraulic architecture of the highest authority. It was published in five volumes, from 1798 to 1805. The appearance of this book so much extended his reputation as to obtain for him from the Austrian government, in 1802, the appointment of inspector of harbours. In 1805 he accepted from the government of Bavaria the post of chief engineer of roads and canals, from which he retired with a pension in 1818. In 1808 he published a treatise on roadmaking (Strassbaukunde), and in 1821-26 a treatise on civil architecture (Bürgerliche Baukunst). These books, as well as his hydraulic architecture, evince scientific and practical skill of a very high order, and are full of most valuable information. The most celebrated and original of his engineering works are his numerous timber bridges over large rivers, supported by arched ribs of from one hundred to two hundred feet span and upwards. His latest writing was a book on ancient and mediæval architecture. He was a member of various learned societies, and a knight of several orders.— His son, * Karl von Wiebeking, is one of the most eminent engineers of the present time.—W. J. M. R. WIEDEN or WEDA, Hermann, Archbishop-elector of Cologne, was a member of the family of the counts of Wieden, and was born about 1470. He was chosen archbishop of Cologne in 1515, and took possession of the electorate in 1518. In 1520 he crowned the Emperor Charles V. at Cologne, and in 1531 Ferdinand I., king of the Romans. In 1536 he convoked a council at Cologne to decide on church rites, the duties of ecclesiastics, &c. At first the archbishop had been strongly opposed to the proceedings of Luther and his followers, and both in Cologne and in his diocese of Paderborn he had sought to prevent the spread of the new doctrines. But he had long been convinced of the need of a reformation in discipline, and he seems to have grown dissatisfied with the received doctrines of the church. At any rate, accepting the edict issued by Charles V. at Ratisbon as a call to reformation, he in 1542 invited Bucer, and in the following year Melancthon, to draw up articles of faith with a view to their introduction into his diocese. His clergy remonstrated, and, that being ineffectual, appealed to Rome. Wieden, not appearing to the citation, was declared convicted of heresy, and the pope issued a bull, April, 1546, depriving him of his ecclesiastical dignity, pronouncing him excommunicate, and directing his subjects to transfer their allegiance to his coadjutor, Adolph. For some months the sentence was without effect. Wieden's subjects were deeply attached to him; and the estates assembled at Cologne refused to obey the papal bull, and prepared to resist its enforcement. But when the emperor made preparations to enforce submission, the aged archbishop, "unwilling to expose his subjects to the miseries of war on his own account," formally resigned his offices, January 25, 1547. He retired to his native place, and there died, August 13, 1552, remaining to the last faithful to the opinions he had embraced. The progress of the reformed doctrines within the diocese was, however, effectually arrested by his successor, Adolph.—J. T—e. WIELAND, Christoph Martin, an eminent German poet, was born 5th September, 1733, at the village of Oberholzheim, near Biberach, which at that time was a free city of the empire, and now forms part of the kingdom of Wurtemberg. By his father, a clergyman, who soon after his birth was translated to Biberach, he received a careful education, and gave early promise of future distinction. Already at the age of twelve he composed German and Latin verse. When fourteen he was sent to the celebrated school of Klosterbergen, near Magdeburg. On his return to Biberach he fell in love with an accomplished cousin, Sophie von Guttermann, afterwards known as Madame von Laroche, under whose inspiring influence he composed a didactic poem on the "Nature of Things, or the most perfect world" (printed in the supplements to his works). He now was entered of the university of Tübingen in order to study the law, but he devoted almost all his time to classical learning and polite literature. Some manuscript poems which he had sent to Bodmer, then in the height of his literary fame, procured him an invitation from that poet, which he joyfully accepted. He passed some happy years at Zurich as Bodmer's guest, and afterwards in the capacity of domestic tutor to some patrician families. During this time he wrote, at the instance of his patron, an epic poem, "Der geprüfte Abraham," which was followed by the first five cantos of another epic, "Cyrus," and by "Araspes and Panthea," founded on the well-known episode of the Cyropædeia. He even attempted dramatic poetry in his tragedy of "Lady Jane Grey;" and, attracted by the poetry of the Elizabethan era, set about a translation of Shakspeare's plays, in prose, which, notwithstanding its faults, certainly has the merit of having first introduced the immortal bard to the German public, and on this account earned the praise of no less a critic than Lessing. The genius of Wieland, the essence of which became more and more perceptible in a Protean versatility and a graceful irony, after the manner of Horace, had indeed no affinity whatever to that of Shakspeare. In 1760 Wieland returned to Biberach, where he obtained the office of kanzleidirector, and at the same time enjoyed the intercourse both with Count Stadion, who had retired to his chateau of Warthausen, near Biberach, and of M. and Mme. von Laroche, who attended the count. Here he acquired those French forms of high life, and that cultivated French materialism which were then in vogue among the upper classes of Germany as well as of France, and which he blended with the most graceful Greek epicurism; not, however, in his life, which at all times was blameless, but in a long series of poems, half didactic, half erotic, among which his "Musarion"—this true philosophy of the graces—takes the highest rank. In 1769 Wieland was called to a chair in the university of Erfurt; but he made a still greater step in advance when, in 1772, he was chosen by the Duchess Amalia of Saxe-Weimar governor of her two sons, Karl August (afterwards duke) and Prince Constantine. He how came into the closest connection with the most eminent men of the nation, who a few years after took up their residence at Weimar, and who were all more or less influenced by his writings. He originated the celebrated Deutsche Museum, a monthly magazine which, during a long number of years, he conducted with unceasing energy. He continued in unabated vigour and fruitfulness till his death. He wrote "Oberon," a romantic epic poem, which for ever will keep his memory green; "Alceste," a lyrical drama; "Aristipp;" "Peregrinus Proteus;" "The History of the Abderites," &c. He also enriched the German literature with elegant translations of the Epistles and Satires of Horace, of the Dialogues of Lucian, and of the Letters of Cicero. Wieland died 20th January, 1813, and is buried at the estate of Osmannstädt, near Weimar, of which he had for some time been the owner. A statue has been erected to him at Weimar.—K. E. * WIERTZ, Antoine-Joseph, a celebrated Belgian painter, was born at Dinant, 22nd February, 1806. He studied under M. Van Brée in the Antwerp academy, where in 1832 he won the grand prize of Rome by a painting of Scipio. At Rome he painted a Patroclus and one or two other pictures on a large scale, and was in 1837 elected a member of the Academy of St. Luke. Returning to Brussels, he set to work upon several historical and religious compositions of colossal proportions, maintaining himself during their progress by painting smaller genre pictures and portraits. M. Wiertz, like our Haydon, was an enthusiast for "high art" and grandeur of scale, and employed his pen as well as pencil in supporting his own opinions and demolishing those of his opponents. Further to propagate his views, he opened a large atelier for the free instruction of young painters. He was, however, more fortunate than Haydon, inasmuch as he secured the sympathy of government, who built him a public atelier; and in 1840 he received the cross of the order of Leopold. M. Wiertz has painted many immense pictures, and many of more moderate dimensions. Among them are—in the church of the Augustines one fifty feet high, representing the struggle between the principles of good and evil; a huge allegory