circle of the province of Liege, in the Netherlands, containing six cantons, divided into twenty-three communes. The capital is the city of the same name, situated on the river Besbre, partly in a valley, and partly on the declivity of some hills. It is well built, and place of the most active industry in the kingdom. The chief trade is that of making fine woollen cloths, which are celebrated in every part of the continent, especially from the brilliant colours, to which the quality of the water is said greatly to contribute. There are also some chemical manufactures, producing aquafortis, vitriol, and soaps. The wealth and number of the inhabitants have rapidly increased since the peace of 1814. The population then was 9960, and in 1831 was 19,592.

Vesalius, Andreas, a celebrated physician and anatomist, was born at Brussels in the year 1514. He studied physic at Paris under Sylvius, but applied himself chiefly to anatomy, which was then very little known, dissections being esteemed unlawful and impious; and it appears from his work "De Humani Corporis Fabrica," that he perfected himself in this useful knowledge very early. About the year 1537, the republic of Venice made him professor in the university of Padua, where he taught anatomy for seven years. Charles V. called him to be his physician, as he was afterwards to Philip II., king of Spain. Vesalius was now at the height of his glory, when all of a sudden he formed the design of taking a journey to Palestine; concerning which journey we are told the following story. A young Spanish nobleman whom he had attended was supposed to be dead. Vesalius obtained leave to open him, in order to explore the true cause of his illness; but when he opened the breast, he perceived symptoms of life, and saw the heart beat. The parent, not satisfied with prosecuting him for murder, accused him of impiety to the inquisition, in hopes that tribunal would punish him with greater rigour; but the king interposing, saved him on condition of his making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was shipwrecked on his return, and thrown upon the island of Zante, where he perished on the 15th of October 1564. He was the author of several works, the principal of which is entitled "De Humani Corporis Fabrica, libri VII." Basil. 1543, fol. This first edition contains excellent wood-cuts.

Vespucci, Amerigo, was born at Florence, 9th March, 1451, of a distinguished family, and was educated by his uncle, a man of great scientific reputation, and made great proficiency, especially in astronomy and geography, and the sciences connected with navigation. He was destined by his family to commercial pursuits, which had at this time contributed so greatly to the prosperity of the republic. In 1493 he left Florence, and arrived at Seville at the time that Columbus was preparing to set out on his first voyage of discovery; the success of which awakened the emulation of Amerigo, and determined him to exchange the pursuits of commerce for the fascinating prospects of discoveries in the New World.

On the 10th of May, 1497, (according to the account of Bandini, but Spanish writers place the date two years later,) he commenced his first voyage, and left Cadiz with five vessels under the orders of D'Ojeda. He reached America after thirty-seven days' sailing, and coasted along the continent more than 400 leagues. After a voyage of thirteen... Vesta months, he returned to Spain, and anchored at Cadiz the 16th October 1498.

The year following he revisited America, and after sailing along the coast under the tropics, he returned by the island of St. Domingo, where Ojeda had some encounters with the Europeans who six years before had come to the island with Columbus. The fleet then steered northwards and discovered several islands, which Amerigo, by a poetical exaggeration, raised to the number of a thousand. In 1501 he entered the service of Emmanuel, king of Portugal, and again visited America, sailing along the coast of Brazil to Patagonia. He made a fourth voyage to America in 1503, with the view of attempting the discovery of a western passage to Malacca; in this, however, he was unsuccessful, and returned with the loss of one of his ships. About this time the vast continent discovered by Columbus began to be called America, from his Latinized name Americus; and he lived to enjoy the usurped honour for several years. His death took place in 1516, while he was in the service of Emmanuel, king of Portugal, who caused the remains of his vessels to be preserved in the cathedral of Lisbon, and heaped honours on his family. He left a journal of four of his voyages, which was printed at Paris in Latin, in 1552, and from which translations were afterwards published in the Italian and French languages.