Beatings, or Beats

pl. ( Mus.) This name, always used in this sense in the plural, expre es the pulsations, throbbings, or beatings, resulting front the joint vibration of two sounds of the same strength and nearly the same pitch; that is, of two sounds differing but little, if at all, in intensity, and which are almost, but not exactly, in unison. When two organ-pipes, or two strings sounded together, are nearly, but not exactly, of the same pitch, i. e., are not in perfect tune, they produce throbbings that may be compared to the rapid beating of the pulse; and to these, Sauveur, the discoverer of the phenomenon, applied the term battements, or B., which has since been adopted by all writers on the subject. Dr. Smith has, in his Harmonics, entered fully into the subject of B., and founded thereon his well-known system of temperament. In his ninth proposition he says, that if a consonance of two sounds be uniform without any B. or undulations, the times of the single vibrations of its sounds have a perfect ratio; but if it beats or undulates, the ratio of the vibration differs a little from a perfect ratio, more or le , according as the beats are quicker or slower." His experiment in demonstration of this is practical, easy, and satisfactory. "Change," says Dr. Smith, "the first string of a violoncello for another about as thick as the second. Then screw up the first string, and, while it approaches gradually to a unison with the second, the two sounds will be heard to beat very quick at first, then slower and slower, till at last they make a uniform consonance without any B. or undulations. At this juncture, either of the strings struck alone, by the bow or finger, will excite large and regular vibrations in the other, plainly visible; which show that the times of their single vibration are equal." For the vibrating motion of a musical string puts other strings in motion, whose tension and quantity of matter dispose their vibrations to keep time with the pulses of ai propagated from the string that is struck; a phenomenon explained by Galileo, who observes, that a heavy pendulum may be put in motion by the least breath of the mouth, provided the puffs be often repeated, and keep time exactly with the vibrations of the pendulum. "Alter the tension," continues Dr. Smith, in pursuing his experiment, "of either string a very little, and the sounds of the two will beat again. But now the motion of one string struck alone makes the other only start, exciting no regular vibrations in it; a plain proof that the vibrations of the strings are not isochronous. And while the sounds of both are drawn out with an even bow, not only an audible but a visible beating and irregularity is observable in the vibrations, though in the former case the vibrations were free and uniform. Now measure the length of either string between the nut and bridge, and when the strings are perfect unisons, mark, at a distance of one-third of that length from the nut, one string with a speck of ink. Then place the edge of the nail on the speck, or very near it, and pre the string, when, on sounding the remaining two-thirds with the other string open, a uniform consonance of fifths will be heard, the single vibrations of which have the perfect ratio of 3 to 2. But on moving the nail a little downwards or upwards, that ratio will be increased or diminished; and in both cases the imperfect fifths will beat quicker or slower, accordingly as that perfect ratio is more or le altered. The B. furnish a very accurate mode of determining the proportional frequency of vibrations, when the absolute frequency of one of them is known; or the absolute frequency of both, when their proportion is known; for the B. are usually slow enough to be reckoned, although the vibrations themselves can never be distinguished. Thus, if one sound consists of 100 vibrations in a second, and produces with another acuter sound a single beat in every second, it is obvious that the second sound must consist of 101 vibrations in a second. - In tuning unisons, as in the case of two or more Beaucoup, in Louisiana , a small bayou of Caldwell parish, flowing into Bayou Castor. Beaufet, ( bo'fet ) Same as BUFFET, q. v. Beaufin, ( biffin . ) ( Bot . ) See BIFFIN. Beau'ford, in Minnesota, a post-office of Blue Earth co. Beaufort, ( bo'fort ,) FRANÇOIS DE VENDÔME, DUKE DE. See VENDÔME. Beaufort, HENRY, Cardinal-Bishop of Winchester, B. 1370, was the son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and half-brother to Henry IV. He was made bishop in 1404, and held the office of chancellor several times. B. re- ceived the red hat of a cardinal, and was created papal legate in 1425. He acquired immense wealth, lent large sums to Henry V. and Henry VI., founded the famous Hospital of St. Cro at Winchester, and D. 1447. Beau'fort, an inland district of the W. division of the Cape Colony, S. Africa; area about 13,000 sq. m. chiefly used for pasturage. Pup . 7,826. Its capital, of the same name, is on the Gamka, 363 m. E. of Cape Town. Beau'fort, in Mi ouri , a post-village of Franklin co., about 56 m. W.S.W. of St. Louis. Beau'fort, in North Carolina , an E. county, bordering on Pamlico Sound, at the entrance to Pamlico river, which divides it. Surface, level; soil , poor and sandy. Cap. Washington. -A port of entry and cap. of Carteret co., at the entrance of Newport River, and near the sea, 168 m. E.S.E. of Raleigh, and 11 N.W. of Cape Lookout. Trade . Impor- tant in turpentine, resin, . Fort Macon defends the harbor, and a light-house has been erected on Cape Beaufort, in South Carolina , a S. district of that State, bordering on the Atlantic, and on the Savannah River, which separates it from Georgia. Area , 1,540 sq. m. It is bounded on the N.E. by the Combahee River, and in- tersected by the Coosawhatchie, Broad, and Coosaw rivers, which empty into the sea by two main channels. Soil, sandy and marshy. Surface , generally level. Prod. Rice, cotton, Indian corn, . -A delightful city and port of entry of the above district, situated on a small inlet, called Port Royal River, about 50 m. from Charleston and 16 from the sea. It po e es a good harbor, and ve els drawing 16 ft. of water can safely cro the bar. B. is the summer residence of the more aristocratic portion of S. Carolina society. -On Nov. 9, 1861, it was entered, and its arms and munitions of war seized by General Sherman, without the least resistance, there being on that day but one white man in town. Beaufort Bay, in Alaska , on the Arctic Ocean; Lat. 70° N.; Lon. 1420 W. Beaugency, a town of France, dep. Loiret, on the Loire, 16 m. S.W. of Orleans, on the railway from Paris to Tours. This is a very ancient town, and occupies a conspicuous place in the history, and civil, foreign, and religious wars of France. It fell succe ively into the hands of the Huns, Saxons, Normans, and English; but it suffered most during the religious wars of the 16th century. Manf . Cloth, wool, . Pop . 5,557. Beau harn a is, (bo- hār'nai ,) the name of a noble French family, of which the following are historical per- sonages:ー B. , ALEXANDRE, VICOMTE DE, B. at Martin i que, 1760. He served under Rochambeau in the war of American Independence. On his afterwards taking up his res i- dence in France, he was elected a deputy to the States General, where he espoused the democratic or liberal party, became president of the National A embly, and played a conspicuous part in the Revolution. B. served with distinction in the French army, but became ulti- mately a victim to the revolutionary tribunal just pre- vious to the fall of Robes pierre, in 1794. His widow, Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie, became the first wife of Napoleon L. - See JOSEPHINE, (EMPRESS.) B. , EUGÈNE DE, Viceroy of Italy, and a Prince of the French Empire, son of Alexandre de B. and Josephine; B. in Paris in 1781. After his mother's marriage to Na- pole on, he, in 1796, became aide-de-camp to the latter, and served with distinction in the campaigns of Italy and Egypt. B. was wounded at Acre, contributed to the victory of Marengo, was created Prince of the Empire in 1805, and Viceroy of Italy. In 1806, he married the Prince Amalie August a, of Bavaria; and in the same year was adopted by the Emperor as his son, and ap- pointed governor of Lombardy and Venice. He served in the campaign of 1809. defeated the Austrians at Raab, and distinguished himself at Wagram His military talents were particularly evinced in the retreat from Moscow, and in the following campaigns of 1813-14. To B. may be mainly ascribed the victory of Lützen. After the fall of Napoleon, he retired to Munich, was allowed, by the Treaty of Fontainebleau and the Con- gre of Vienna, to retain his extensive po e ions in Italy, and took his place as Duke of Leuch ten berg among the Bavarian nobles. His children subsequently ranked as members of the imperial family of Ru ia. D. Feb. 21, 1824. B. , HORTENSE EUGENIE DE. See HORTENSE, (QUEEN OF HOLLAND.) Beauharnois, (bōhar-nwaw.) in Lower Canada , a W. county, bounded on the S by New York, and on the NW by the St. Lawrence. Area , 717 sq m It is watered by the Chateau gay River, and some smaller streams. Prod. Wool, oats, and dairy produce. Pop . 14,757. -A post-village of the above co., on Lake St. Louis, 33 m. S.W. of Montreal; pop . abt. 1,423, Beau-ideal, ( bo -i- deal .) [Fr.] An imaginary stand- ard of absolute perfection, as conceived in the mind.- See IDEAL. Beau'ish, ( bõʻish ,) a. Like a beau: foppish; fine. (R.) Beaujeu, ( bozh - u (r)e',) a town of France, dep. Rhone, cap. of a can, on the Ardière, 30 m. N.N.W. of Lyons. It is the entrepôt of all the products exchanged between the Saone and Loire. Pop . 4,392. some trade in wine. Pop . 2,618.- B . is the name of 24 other small towns in France. Beaulieu, SÉBASTIEN DE PONTAULT DE, a celebrated French military engineer, and marshal of France under Louis XIV.; was the author of Views and Plans of the Battles and Sieges of Louis XIV . D. 1674. Beaulieu, JEAN PIERRE, BARON DE, an Austrian gen- eral, B. 1725. He was actively engaged as an artillery officer during the Seven Years' war, and in 1792 com- manded the Austrians against the forces whom the French republic sent into the Netherlands, and gained several victories over them. In 1796 he was commander. in-chief in Italy, and his army was routed in several conflicts with General Bonaparte, whose fame was then beginning to dawn. D. 1820. became known as a writer by his publishing, in conjunction with M. de Tocqueville, Traité du Système Pénitentiaire aux États -Unis et de son application à la France , (1832.) Among his other works may be named, Marie , ou l ' Esclavage aux États - Unis , (1835,) a work somewhat similar to "Uncle Tom's Cabin;" and L'Irlande sociale , politique , et religieuse , (1839.) D. 1866. Beau'mont, in Texas , a city, the capital of Jefferson co., on the Neches river, about 20 m. from its mouth, and 300 from Austin City. Beaumont', in Lower Canada, a village of Belle cha e co., on the St. Lawrence, 9 m. E. by N. of Quebec. Beaumont-de-Lomagne, a town of France, dep. Tarn et Garonne, cap. cant., on the Gimone, 21 m. S.W. of Montauban. Manf . Coarse cloths, hats, and leather. Рор . 5,027.- B . is the name of a vast number of other small towns in France. Beaune, ( bon ',) a town of France, dep. Côte d'Or, cap. of an arrond., 23 m. S.S.W. of Dijon. There is a magnificent hospital here, founded in 1444, and endowed by Nicholas Rollin, chancellor to Philip, Duke of Burgundy. It is a fine town, with manufactures of cloth, cutlery, leather, . The principal celebrity of B. , however, is derived from its being the centre of the trade in the wine that bears its name; that is, the best of the second growths of Burgundy. Pop . 11,790.