secure for his writings a more en- during fame. His sympathies, in depicting men and manners in his own country, are on the right side, and several of his novels were writ- ten to promote some popular re- form. See pp. 72, 89, 304. DIAMOND (di'a-mond or di'mond). DIAPA'SON, in music the octave or interval which includes all the tones.
DIET, an assembly of rulers and del- egates.
DISCERN (diz-zern'). DISMAY' (diz- or dis-). DISPATCH or DESPATCH. DISSOLVE (diz-zolv'). DOLOROUS (dol'or-us). DONNELLY, IGNATIUS, member of Congress (1864) from Minnesota. He has been Lieut.-Governor of the State, and is still quite a young
DRAMA (drāma, drăma, or drama). DRY'AD, a wood-nymph in ancient mythology. By the oak-crowned sisters and their chaste-eyed queen (p. 310), Collins means the Dryads
and Diana. DRYDEN, JOHN, a celebrated poet, was born in Northamptonshire, England, 1631, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. At first a partisan of Cromwell, he subsequently became a strenuous royalist. His veerings in religion, politics, criticism, and taste, throughout his life, exhibit a mind under the dominion of mere im- pulse. Having to rely on literature for a support, he wrote poems and plays. The latter are foul and exe- crable productions, disgraceful to the author and to the corrupt social state which the restoration of mon- archy, in the person of Charles II., introduced. One of the best of Dryden's minor pieces is his "Alexander's Feast," an ode in honor of St. Cecilia's Day, from which see an extract p. 68. DUDEVANT, MADAME AMANTINE, better known by her assumed name of George Sand, was born in Indre, France, in 1804. Left an orphan at an early age, she was educated
by her grandmother, a believer in the doctrines of Rousseau. Married at the age of seventeen to a country gentleman of the name of Dude- vant, a separation was effected in 1831, her husband being allowed to retain her fortune. She removed to Paris, and began to write novels, from the sale of which she derived a liberal income. For a time she adopted the male attire, and by her independent eccentricities acquired great notoriety. The talent dis- played in her writings is incon- testable. In an autobiographical sketch she says: "My religion has never changed fundamentally; that eternal doctrine of believers, the good God, the immortal soul, the hopes of another life, - all this has
remained, unshaken by scrutiny, by discussion, and even by intervals of despairing doubt." See an ex- tract from her novel of " Consuelo," p. 173.
DYNASTY (din'- or di'-). ECONOMICAL (ek- or e-). EITHER (e- or i'-; the former mode is preferred by Walker, Worcester, Smart, Cooley).
ELD, old times; old age. ENGINE (en'jIn). ENGINERY (en'jin-ry). EPAMINON'DAS, a Theban general,
illustrious for his talents and vir- tues, fell in the moment of victory at the battle of Man-ti-ne'a, B. C. 363.
ERE (pronounced air), before. E'SILL, supposed to be Shakespeare's mode of spelling Yesel, one of the branches of the Rhine nearest Den- mark.
ELYSIAN (e-lizh'e-an or e-lizh'yan). EMMETT, ROBERT, the son of a physi- cian at Cork, Ireland, was educated for the law. Being implicated in the Irish rebellion in 1803, he was executed. See his speech p. 219. His brother, Thomas Addis Em- mett, fled to the United States, and died in New York, 1827. EPAULET (ep'aw-let). ERASMUS, DESIDERIUS, one of the most eminent scholars and theolo-
gians of his age; was born at Rotterdam, Holland, 1467; died
EQUALED or EQUALLED. ERRING (ĕr'ring or err'ing), EU'CLID, a celebrated mathematician of Alexandria, who flourished 300
B. C. He immortalized his name | EYRY (e'ry or a'ry). by his books on geometry. EU-REKA (Greek, I have found it). EUROPEAN (Yoo-ro-pe'an). EVERETT, EDWARD, one of the most accomplished of American orators, was born in Dorchester, Massachu- setts, 1794. He entered Harvard College at the age of thirteen, and graduated with distinguished credit in 1811. Having studied for the ministry, he was chosen, at the ear- ly age of nineteen, to succeed the eloquent Buckminster at Brattle Street Church, Boston. In 1815, he was elected Greek professor at Har- vard College. He now visited Eu- rope, and made the acquaintance of Scott, Byron, Campbell, Jeffrey, and other distinguished persons. In 1824 he was elected to Congress. He was subsequently Governor of Massa- chusetts for four years. In 1841 he was appointed minister to England, and resided in London about five years. In 1846 he was elected Pres- ident of Harvard College, but re- signed the post in 1849. On the decease of Daniel Webster, he was appointed Secretary of State of the United States, and in 1853 succeed- ed John Davis as national Senator, but soon resigned his seat, and re- tired from official life. Since that period he has been devoted to ob- jects of public benevolence, and has given his best energies to the ad- vancement of great national inter- ests. On the breaking out of the Confederate rebellion (1861), he ar- rayed himself unhesitatingly on the side of the government, and did good service by his speeches and writings. Mr. Everett was one of the foremost statesmen of his day. Bringing a generous culture as a scholar into political discussion, he stamped his public addresses with a value which will not perish with the agitations of the hour. His style is elegant, glowing, and unarti- ficial; his sentiments are noble and liberal; his patriotism is lofty and sincere; his republicanism hearty and consistent. His works will long be regarded as an honor to Ameri- can literature.
FABER, FRED. WM., formerly a clergy-
man of the Church of England, but afterward a Catholic priest. He is the author of several volumes of poems, one of Catholic hymns, and a number of theological works, pub- lished between 1840 and 1850, all showing high ability and thorough culture. See p. 486. FABRICIUS, CAIUS, a Roman general, twice consul. He was a pattern of virtue in his integrity and contempt of riches. He died 250 B. C. FAIRY (fareʼry).
FALCONER (faw'kn-ur). FAUN, in ancient mythology a wood- land deity.
FAWKES, GUY (ghi), a native of York, England, who was engaged in 1605 in a plot for blowing up the House of Lords with gunpowder. He was executed with seven others, Janu- ary, 1606.
FED'ER-AL (from the Latin fœdus, a compact), relating to a league or compact.
EXAGGERATE (egz-aj'er-ate). EX'E-UNT (Latin, they go out). EXHORT (egz-hort'). EXQUISITE (eks'kwi-zit).
EXTRAORDINARY (eks-tror'di-na-ry).
FICHTE (fik'tā), JOHANN G., a cele- brated German philosopher and metaphysician, was born in 1762, in Upper Lusatia; died 1814. He led a pure, heroic life; and, in his theoretic philosophy, amid much that is erroneous, there is much that is noble and good. See p.
FILICAJA, VINCENZO DE, an eminent Italian poet, was born at Florence, 1642; died 1707. See p. 422. FINE'LESS, endless, boundless. FELL, a skin or hide. FLAMBEAU (flam'bo). FOREHEAD (fōr'ed or for❜hed). FORUM (fore'um or fo'rum). FORWARD (for'ward). FRANCHISE (fran'chiz). FRONTIER (front’eer). FULFILL (W.) or FULFIL. FULLNESS (W.) or FULNESS. GAL-I-LE'O, GALILEI, a distinguished astronomer, was born at Pisa, in Italy, 1564. While a child he was very skillful in constructing toys and pieces of machinery. At the age of twenty-four he was a mathe- matical professor. Having declared his conviction of the Copernican system of the universe, he was charged with heresy, and compelled to recant his notions, but he stamp- ed his foot and muttered, "Yet it moves!" He died 1642.
GALLIARD (gal'yard), a brisk, gay man; also, a dance. GARRULOUS (găr'roo-lus). GASCA, PEDRO DE, born in Castile, Spain, 1497, was sent to Peru, 1545, and died in Valladolid, 1567. See p. 163.
GENIUS (jene'yus or jeꞌni-us). GIBBON, EDWARD, the historian of the decline and fall of the Roman empire, was born in Surrey, Eng- land, in 1737, and died in London, 1794. His style is somewhat ornate, and his diction gives evidence of a partiality for the French language. His history is hostile to Christianity, but his objections have been well answered by Rev. Dr. Milman in his edition of Gibbon's great work. GILES (pronounced jilez). GLORY (glore'ry).
GOETHE (gher'ta), JOHANN WOLF- GANG VON, was born at Frankfort- on-the-Main, in Germany, 1749; died at Weimar, 1832. His is one of the most celebrated names in European literature. As poet, nov- elist, philosopher, he was alike emi- nent. See p. 210.
GOLDSMITH, OLIVER, the son of an Irish curate, was born 1728, died 1774. He was the friend of Dr. Johnson, and his life has been writ- ten by Washington Irving. As a poet, dramatist, and novelist, he ex- hibited noble talents and gained a great reputation. Gentle, generous, and good-hearted, he was at the same time irresolute, vain, and im- provident.
GONE (gon or gawn). GRACCHI (grak'ki). Two brothers, frequently mentioned in the history of ancient Rome. Sprung from the aristocracy, they yet nobly devoted themselves to the rescue of popular liberty. Tiberius Sempronius Grac- chus, the elder brother, was slain B. C. 133. Caius Sempronius Grac- chus, nine years younger than Ti- berius, perished B. C. 121, at the age of thirty-three.
GRATTAN, HENRY, an Irish statesman and orator, was born in Dublin, 1750. His fiery eloquence, guided by good taste and strong judgment, gave him a commanding influence. He died 1820. See Madden's account of his oratory, p. 277; extracts from speeches, pp. 56, 70, 144, 310. GRAY, THOMAS, the son of a scrivener, was born in London, 1716. To the
love of a good mother he was in- debted for a superior education. His life was spent chiefly at the univer- sity of Cambridge, amid his favorite studies. Here, like a monk in his cell, he read and wrote untiringly. He was a man of ardent affections, of sincere piety, and practical benev- olence. Of his scanty poems the 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard is the most famous. Corrected and re-corrected line by line, it yet shows no sign of elaboration; its melancholy grace is the perfection of art. There are writers with whom a slovenly style stands for nature, and rude unpruned stanzas for the fairest growths of poetry. Gray was not of these. His classi- cally formed taste was too pure and too fastidious to be content with any but carefully polished verses. His chief prose writings are letters, written in a clear, picturesque style. He died of gout, 1771. See Elegy, p. 189.
GRIFFIN, GERALD, a novelist and poet, was born in Limerick, Ireland, 1803. Emigrating to London, he became a reporter for the press, and subsequently an author. He wrote "The Collegians," a novel, several poems, and a tragedy, founded on a Grecian story. All these works display remarkable powers. 1838 he joined the Christian Broth- erhood (Catholic), but in 1840 died of fever. See p. 156. GROVELING or GROVELLING. GUARDIAN (gard'i-an). GUIDE (ghide). GUIZE (ghize).
GUIZOT (gwe-zo), F. P. G., a French statesman and writer, was born at Nismes, 1787, of a Protestant family. He is the author of a "History of the English Revolution," Shake- speare and his Times," a brief me- moir of Washington, "Moral Medi- tations and Studies," &c. He was a member of the cabinet of king Louis Phillipe, after whose fall he retired from public life. See p. 100. GUTTURAL (gut'ur-al), formed in the throat.
HA'BE-AS CORPUS (Latin, have the body), a writ to a jailer to produce his prisoner in court, or for removing a person from one court to another. See p. 260. HASTINGS, WARREN, was born in England, in 1783. In 1774 he was
appointed governor-general of Ben- gal. For his conduct in office his impeachment was moved by Burke, April 4th, 1786. The trial began in 1788, and did not terminate till 1795. He was acquitted, and died 1818. See extract from Burke's speech, p. 65.
HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL, an Ameri- can writer of rare and peculiar genius, was born in Salem, Massa- chusetts, about the year 1807, and graduated at Bowdoin College, in 1825. A man of sensitive nature and secluded habits, one of his first productions was a tale, entitled "The Gentle Boy," which was pub- lished anonymously. His reputa- tion gradually widened, until, in 1850, his "Scarlet Letter" placed him among the foremost of the im- aginative writers of his day. This work was followed by "The House of Seven Gables," "The Blithedale Romance," "The Marble Faun," "Our Old Home,' and several minor productions, all marked by singular beauty and felicity of style, and by a vigor and originality of invention, which distinguished him signally among contemporary authors. He died in Plymouth, N. H., May 19, 1864. See p. 315. HEARTH (härth).
HEATHER (heth'er or heth'er). HEAVEN (hev'vn).
HE'BE, in Grecian mythology, was the goddess of youth, whose office it was to hand round the nectar at the banquets of the gods.
HECUBA, the wife of Priam, king of Troy. On the capture of Troy she was carried away as a slave by the Greeks.
which took place in Dublin, 1835. Her death-bed was an affecting scene of Christian fortitude, resignation, and hope. Mrs. Hemans will be best known by her smaller poems, some of which are remarkable for lyrical spirit and beauty. Had she not been compelled by circumstan- ces to write hastily, and for pay, she would probably have done things far more worthy of her undoubted genius, and left unwritten much that will not add to her fame. See pp. 218, 565, 297, 319. HENCHMAN, a page, a servant. HENRY, PATRICK, an American orator
and statesman, was born in Virginia, in 1736. His early life was spent in poverty, and his means of education were limited. He was one of the delegates to the first general Con- gress of the Colonies, and distin- guished himself in that body by his boldness and eloquence. He died
1799. His life was written by Wm. Wirt. See pp. 401, 460. HERBAGE (herb'- or erb'-). HERO (here'ro or he'ro). HESSIAN, relating to Hesse in Ger- many.
HOLMES, OLIVER WENDELL, an emi- nent American poet and humorist, was born in Cambridge, Mass., 1809, and graduated at Harvard College, 1829. Some of his earliest produc- tions were published in "The Col- legian," edited by John O. Sargent and others. Choosing medicine as a profession, he visited Europe; re- turned and distinguished himself as a lecturer to medical students. But circumstances gradually drew him back to the exercise of those talents with which he was peculiarly en- dowed; and medicine finally had to give way to literature. When the Atlantic Monthly" was started in 1855, Holmes became a leading contributor, and his writings did much to give position and circula- tion to the Magazine. Here his "Autocrat of the Breakfast Table," and his novel of "Elsie Venner" first appeared. As a poet, Holmes is distinguished by his cleanly cut, sculpturesque style, never vague or hazy, by the subtle grace and felicity of his diction, and by the appropri- ateness and beauty of his poetical imagery. As a humorist, he stands first among American writers. He
is a ready and accomplished speak- er, and his thorough scientific cul- ture gives added strength to his liter- ary accomplishments. See pp. 32, 215, 417.
HOMER, the great poet of antiquity, born about B. C. 1044. He appears to have been an Asiatic Greek. He wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. See an extract from the former, p. 286. HOOD, THOMAS, the son of a book- seller in London, was born there in 1798. He learned the art of engrav- ing; but in 1821, having already contributed fugitive papers to peri- odicals, he became sub-editor of the London Magazine, and for the rest of his life was an author by profes- sion. His career was that of an honorable, kindly, industrious man, who was never able to raise himself above the necessity of toiling for a livelihood; and who, long suffering under ill health, continued bravely, even on his death-bed, his efforts to provide for his wife and children. His wild and vigorous "Song of the Shirt" was written shortly be- fore his death, which took place in 1845. As a punster, Hood was in- imitable. He could twist language into every comical shape of pun and quibble; but wit was not his best quality: he possessed sterling be- nevolence and genial philanthropy, and could move the best feelings of our nature by genuine tender- ness and compassion. See pp. 53,
HOSTLER (hos'lur or os'ler). HOUSEWIFE (huz' wif or hous'wife). HOVEL (hov'el, · not huvvl). HOWE, SIR WM., commanded the British forces at the battle of Bun- ker Hill, but the next spring was compelled by Washington to evacu- ate Boston. In 1776 he gained the battle of Long Island, and occupied New York. He died 1814. HULKS, old or dismasted ships, used as prisons.
HULL, ISAAC, a commodore in the American navy; commanded the frigate Constitution in her encounter with the Guerrière. Died 1843. HUMBLE (hum'bl or um'bl). HUMOR (hu'mur or yoo'mur). HUNDRED (hun'dred).
HUNT, ROBERT, a self-made man of science, was born at Devonport, England, in 1807. His best known
works are "Researches on Light," "The Poetry of Science," ""Eleinen- tary Physics." See p. 283. HURRAH (hoor-räh').
HY'DRA, the fabulous many-headed monster, slain by Her'cu-les. HYMENEAL (hi-men-e'al). IAGO (e-ah'go).
I'AMB or I-AM'BIC, a poetical foot; in Latin, a long and short syllable; in English, an unaccented and an ac- cented.
IDEA (i-de'a,—not i-dee). IMAGERY (im-aje-ry or im'a-jĕr-y). IM'PROVISE (-vize). IND (Ind), a contraction of India. INDIAN (ind'yan or in'de-an). INGRATE (in grate or in-grāte'). INFANTILE (in'fant-il). INHERENT (in-here'ent). INQUIRY (in-quire'ry). INSATIATE (in-sa'sh'āte). IRVING, WASHINGTON, was born in the city of New York, April 3, 1783. His father was a native of Scotland, his mother an English woman. Irv- ing began his literary efforts by con- tributing to a newspaper, edited by his brother. He visited Europe in 1804; returned home, and after coquetting with the law, became a partner in a mercantile house. Mis- fortunes ensuing, while on a second visit to Europe, he took up literature as a profession. In 1819 appeared "The Sketch Book," which at once gave him a reputation that enabled. him to command high prices from publishers. "Bracebridge Hall,"
Tales of a Traveller," "The Life of Columbus," and other works of a sterling character succeeded, the sale of which continues large. In 1842 he was appointed minister to Spain. Returning to his native country in 1847, he settled at his beautiful little place on the Hudson, and devoted himself to the life which Thackeray has so genially described (p. 351). His last literary production was his admirable "Life of Washington." The style of Irv- ing is pure, luminous, and graceful; correct without effort, at once ele-
gant and easy. While in England he enjoyed the greatest considera- tion and popularity. Oxford con- ferred on him a doctorate and a public dinner; and George the Fourth's fifty-guinea gold medal, for eminence in historical com- position, was awarded him. He
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