nd criticism, in which he became expert. For many years he
led a wandering life, supporting himself chiefly by his writings. At length
he arrived in London, where he remained for a considerable time. He
obtained an appointment as secretary to the Royal Academy of Painting, and
became acquainted with Johnson, Garrick and others of that society. He was
a frequent visitor at the Thrales'; and his name occurs repeatedly in
Boswell's _Life_. In 1769 he was tried for murder, having had the
misfortune to inflict a mortal wound with his fruit knife on a man who had
assaulted him on the street. Johnson among others gave evidence in his
favour at the trial, which resulted in Baretti's acquittal. He died in May
1789. His first work of any importance was the _Italian Library_ (London,
1757), a useful catalogue of the lives and works of many Italian authors.
The _Lettere famigliari_, giving an account of his travels through Spain,
Portugal and France during the years 1761-1765, were well received, and
when afterwards published in English (4 vols., 1770), were highly commended
by Johnson. While in Italy on his travels Baretti set on foot a journal of
literary criticism, to which he gave the title of _Frusta letteraria_, the
literary scourge. It was published under considerable difficulties and was
soon discontinued. The criticisms on contemporary writers were sometimes
just, but are frequently disfigured by undue vehemence and coarseness.
Among his other numerous works may be mentioned a useful _Dictionary and
Grammar of the Italian Language_, and a dissertation on Shakespeare and
Voltaire. His collected works were published at Milan in 1838.

BARFLEUR, a small seaport of north-western France, overlooking the Bay of
the Seine, in the department of Manche, 22 1/2 m. N.N.E. of Valognes by
rail. Pop. (1906) 1069. In the middle ages Barfleur was one of the chief
ports of embarkation for England. In 1120 the "White Ship," carrying Prince
William, only son of Henry I., went down outside the harbour. About 2 m. to
the north is Cape Barfleur, with a lighthouse 233 ft. high.

BARFURUSH, a town of Persia, in the province of Mazandaran in 36deg 32' N.,
and 52deg 42' E., and on the left bank of the river Bawul [Babul], which is
here crossed by a bridge of eight arches, about 15 m. distant from the
southern shore of the Caspian Sea, where the small town of Meshed i Sar
serves as a port. It is the commercial capital of Mazandaran, and 26 m.
distant