Born, Ignaz Edler von Pseudonym Johannes Physiophilus#
b. Alba Iulia, Rumania (then Karlsburg), Dec. 26, 1742, d. Vienna, July 24, 1791, mineralogist and palaeontologist, from 1776 curator of the Imperial Mineralogical Collections; left the Jesuit Order and became the Master of a Masonic Lodge called "Zur wahren Eintracht", editor of the "Journal fuer Freymaurer"; Mozart probably modelled the role of Sarastro in "The Magic Flute" on B.; members of B.´s circle included J. B. Alxinger, A. Blumauer, G. von Leon, J. Pezzl, J. F. von Ratschky and J. Richter.
Literature#
H. Reinalter (ed.), Die Aufklaerung in Oe. I. B. und seine Zeit, 1991.