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natural law

(Encyclopedia)natural law, theory that some laws are basic and fundamental to human nature and are discoverable by human reason without reference to specific legislative enactments or judicial decisions. Natural la...

Selden, John

(Encyclopedia)Selden, John, 1584–1654, English jurist and scholar. He studied at Oxford, was called to the bar in 1612, and was elected to Parliament in 1623. He had already assisted in preparing the protestation...

Simons, Walter

(Encyclopedia)Simons, Walter välˈtər zēˈmôns [key], 1861–1937, German jurist and statesman. He served (1919) as commissioner general to the German delegation at Versailles, but resigned in opposition to the...

Saint Peter Port

(Encyclopedia)Saint Peter Port, town (1991 pop. 16,100), capital of Guernsey, Channel Islands. Its shallow harbor is protected by piers; vegetables, fruits, and flowers are exported. Hauteville House, the residence...

Sandys, George

(Encyclopedia)Sandys, George, 1578–1644, English poet and traveler, b. Yorkshire, son of Archbishop Edwin Sandys. He was educated at Oxford and in 1610 began an extended tour of Europe and the Middle East, which ...

Laura

(Encyclopedia)Laura, subject of the love poems of Petrarch. She is thought to be Laura de Noves (1308?–1348), wife of Hugo de Sade, but this has not been proved. ...

Ponchielli, Amilcare

(Encyclopedia)Ponchielli, Amilcare ämēlkäˈrā pōngkyĕlˈlē [key], 1834–86, Italian composer of several very successful operas. Only La Gioconda (1876), with libretto by Boito after Hugo's Angelo, is still ...

Bonnat, Léon Joseph Florentin

(Encyclopedia)Bonnat, Léon Joseph Florentin lāôNˈ zhôzĕfˈ flôräNtăNˈ bônäˈ [key], 1833–c.1922, French portrait and historical painter. He is best known for his portraits of famous men, including Thi...

Mörike, Eduard

(Encyclopedia)Mörike, Eduard āˈdo͞oärt möˈrĭkə [key], 1804–75, German writer and clergyman, a leader of the Swabian school. Over 50 of his rich and varied lyrics, among them “Schlafendes Jesuskind” [...

Alves, Antônio de Castro

(Encyclopedia)Alves, Antônio de Castro əntôˈnyo͝o dĭ käsˈtro͝o älˈvəs [key], 1847–71, Brazilian poet. A disciple of Victor Hugo, he came to fame with Espumas flutuantes [tossing spume] (1871). Despite...