(Encyclopedia) MacNeil, Hermon Atkins, 1866–1947, American sculptor, b. Chelsea, Mass., studied in Paris and in Rome. His first work of importance was for the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago,…
(Encyclopedia) Ramanujan, SrinivasaRamanujan, Srinivasashrēˌnĭväˈsə rämäˈn&oobreve;jən [key], 1889–1920, Indian mathematician. He was a self-taught genius in pure mathematics who made original…
(Encyclopedia) recoilless rifle, light artillery piece, without recoil, usually operated by two men. An American invention, it was used as an infantry weapon for attacking fortifications such as…
(Encyclopedia) SemeleSemelesĕmˈĭlē [key], in Greek mythology, mother of Dionysus, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. Zeus, who loved her, appeared to her as a man. Semele asked him to come to her in…
(Encyclopedia) Vian, BorisVian, Borisbôrēsˈ vyäN [key], 1920–59, French novelist. He patterned his literary style on that of terse American crime fiction. His best-known work is J'irai cracher sur…
(Encyclopedia) Crothers, RachelCrothers, Rachelkrŭᵺˈərz [key], 1878–1958, American playwright and director, b. Bloomington, Ill., grad. Illinois State Normal Univ., 1892. Her plays, many of which…
(Encyclopedia) Gobineau, Joseph Arthur, comte deGobineau, Joseph Arthur, comte dezhôzĕfˈ ärtürˈ kôNt də gōbēnōˈ [key], 1816–82, French diplomat and man of letters. The chief early French proponent of…
(Encyclopedia) Davis, Andrew Jackson, 1826–1910, American spiritualist, b. Blooming Grove, N.Y. He became a professional clairvoyant, known as the “Poughkeepsie Seer,” after being mesmerized in 1843…
(Encyclopedia) ErichthoniusErichthoniusĕrĕkthōˈnēəs [key], in Greek mythology, son of Hephaestus and Athena, half man and half serpent. After his birth Athena concealed him in a chest that she gave…
(Encyclopedia) Evans, Maurice, 1901–89, Welsh-American actor. Evans came into prominence in 1928 and in 1934 was a leading man with the Old Vic. He first appeared on Broadway in 1936 in Romeo and…
