Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Tucker, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Tucker, Abraham, 1705–74, English philosopher, b. London. He studied law at Merton College, Oxford, and later devoted himself to independent study. He advanced the ethical view that each man seeks h...

Randolph, Thomas, English poet and dramatist

(Encyclopedia)Randolph, Thomas, 1605–35, English poet and dramatist. After graduating from Cambridge in 1632, he went to London where he became a disciple of Ben Jonson. His best-known poems are “A Gratulatory ...

Pynson, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Pynson, Richard pĭnˈsən [key], d. 1530, English printer, b. Normandy. He moved to England c.1482 and in 1491 or 1492 began printing books pertaining to law in London. He became king's printer (to H...

Boyce, William

(Encyclopedia)Boyce, William, c.1710–1779, English composer. After studying in London, he became a composer (1736) and later an organist (1758) of the Chapel Royal and Master of the King's Music in 1755. Although...

Sokolova, Lydia

(Encyclopedia)Sokolova, Lydia sōkəlōˈvə [key], 1896–1974, English ballerina, b. Wanstead, as Hilda Munnings. Trained at Stedman's Academy in London, Sokolova joined the Diaghilev Ballets Russes in 1913 and b...

Tabard Inn

(Encyclopedia)Tabard Inn tăbˈərd [key], in Southwark borough, Greater London, England. The inn, demolished in the 19th cent., was mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Prologue of the Canterbury Tales as the star...

telepathy

(Encyclopedia)telepathy, supposed communication between two persons without recourse to the senses. The word was formulated in 1882 by Frederic William Henry Myers, English poet, essayist, and a leading founder of ...

Boldini, Giovanni

(Encyclopedia)Boldini, Giovanni jōvänˈnē bōldēˈnē [key], 1842–1931, Italian portrait painter. Having worked in Florence and London, he reached his peak of creativity and success in Paris, painting romanti...

Abbate, Niccolò dell'

(Encyclopedia)Abbate or Abati, Niccolò dell' nēk-kōlōˈ dĕl-läbbäˈtā, –bäˈtē [key], 1512?–1571, Italian mannerist painter. From c.1552 he assisted Primaticcio in the decorations at Fontainebleau. He...

Ledyard

(Encyclopedia)Ledyard lĕdˈyərd [key], town (1990 pop. 14,913), New London co., SE Conn., on the Thames River; settled c.1653, inc. 1836. It is a farm center. The site of Fort Decatur is marked there. A gambling ...

Browse by Subject