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Craig, John

(Encyclopedia)Craig, John, 1512?–1600, Scottish minister of the Reformation. He joined the Dominican order, but through reading the Institutes of Calvin, he adopted Protestantism. Imprisoned at Rome for heresy, h...

Claudian

(Encyclopedia)Claudian (Claudius Claudianus) klôdˈēən [key], c.370–c.404, last notable Latin classic poet. Probably born in Alexandria, he flourished at court under Arcadius and Honorius. Besides panegyrics, ...

Hanotaux, Gabriel

(Encyclopedia)Hanotaux, Gabriel gäbrēĕlˈ änôtōˈ [key], 1853–1944, French historian and statesman. Twice minister of foreign affairs (1894–95, 1895–98), he greatly furthered the Franco-Russian rapproch...

Glaisher, James

(Encyclopedia)Glaisher, James glāˈshər [key], 1809–1903, English meteorologist and balloonist, b. London. He served as superintendent of the department of meteorology and magnetism at Greenwich Observatory fro...

Mather, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Mather, Richard, 1596–1669, British Puritan clergyman in North America, b. Lancashire, England. He studied at Oxford, began preaching, and was ordained in 1620. His Puritan beliefs led him into diff...

Lind, Jenny

(Encyclopedia)Lind, Jenny, 1820–87, Swedish soprano. She made her debut in 1838 as Agathe in Weber's Der Freischütz. She studied in Paris and sang in Germany, England, and Sweden. In 1849 she abandoned opera for...

Robin Hood

(Encyclopedia)Robin Hood, legendary hero of 12th-century England who robbed the rich to help the poor. Chivalrous, manly, fair, and always ready for a joke, Robin Hood reflected many of the ideals of the English ye...

agnosticism

(Encyclopedia)agnosticism ăgnŏsˈtĭsĭzəm [key], form of skepticism that holds that the existence of God cannot be logically proved or disproved. Among prominent agnostics have been Auguste Comte, Herbert Spenc...

Constitution, ship

(Encyclopedia)Constitution, U.S. 44-gun frigate, nicknamed Old Ironsides. It is perhaps the most famous vessel in the history of the U.S. navy. Authorized by Congress in 1794, the ship was launched in 1797 and was ...

Mann, Horace

(Encyclopedia)Mann, Horace măn [key], 1796–1859, American educator, b. Franklin, Mass. He received a sparse preliminary schooling, but succeeded in entering Brown in the sophomore class and graduated with honors...