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Bonnet, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Bonnet, Charles shärl bônāˈ [key], 1720–93, Swiss naturalist and philosopher. He drew attention to parthenogenesis in aphids, but his theories were highly fanciful and unscientific. His books in...

Rhône, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Rhône rōn [key], department (1990 pop. 1,516,500), E central France, in parts of Beaujolais and Lyonnais. Lyons is the capital. ...

Somme, river, France

(Encyclopedia)Somme, river, c.150 mi (240 km) long, rising near Saint-Quentin, N France, and flowing generally NW past Amiens into the English Channel; connected by canal with the Scheldt and Oise rivers. Once an o...

John V, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)John V (John the Magnanimous), 1689–1750, king of Portugal (1706–50), son and successor of Peter II. Before his accession the Methuen Treaty (1703) with England had brought Portugal into the War o...

Charles University

(Encyclopedia)Charles University, at Prague, Czech Republic; also called Univ. of Prague. The oldest and one of the most important universities of central Europe, it was founded in 1348 by Holy Roman Emperor Charle...

Lot, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Lot lôt [key], department (1990 pop. 156,100), S central France, in Quercy. Cahors is the capital. ...

Tarn, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Tarn tärn [key], department (1990 pop. 343,400), S France, in Languedoc. Albi is the capital. ...

Charente, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Charente shäräNtˈ [key], department, W France. The capital is Angoulême. The brandy disti...

Oise, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Oise wäz [key], department (1990 pop. 733,200), N France, in Picardy. Beauvais is the capital. ...

Churchill, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Churchill, Charles chûrˈchĭl [key], 1731–64, English poet and satirist. Upon his family's insistence he took religious orders in 1756, but life as a London dandy suited him more, and he resigned ...