The Meta-Encyclopedia

Single-source entries: A (10)

Each of these 14 subjects appears in only one of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. None is long enough to carry a page by itself, so they are gathered here by letter. Anything that grows moves out to a page of its own.

Acolyte

in the Roman Catholic of the Church, one of the inferior orders clergy, whose office it is to attend upon subdeacons in the minthe deacons and istry of the altar, to light and hold the present candles, to bear the incense, to In the priest with wine and water, etc. the primitive Church, the acolytes were to the in holy holy orders, and ranked next subdeacons; but, at the present time, often the duties of the acolyte are very performed by laymen and chorister boys.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Aconcagua

a province of the republic of Chile, bounded N. and W. by the province of Quillota, E. by the Andes, and S. by Santiago. antiago. Area, 5,406 square miles. The mountain Aconcagua is the loftiest of the Andes, being 23,910 feet above the level of the sea. Productions are maize, wheat, beans, pumpkins, melons, and other garden produce; vineyards and orchards are plentiful, and in summer numerous flocks are pastured on the slopes of the Andes. Gold is found and copper is worked in mines. Pop. about 130,000. Chief town San Felipe. On the S. side of the mountain rises a river of the same name. Aconcagua

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Aconce (Jacques)

Curate of the diocese of Trent, who became a Calvinist in 1557, and came to England , While there he dedicated to Qucen Elizabeth his famous work, on The Stratagems of Satan. This book, however, is not, as its title might indicate, a dissertation on demonology, but a spirited attack on intolerance. " " I

Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Aconitine

or ACONITIA, a powerful vegetable alkaloid, prepared from the (aconite). root of the aconitum napellus It is one of the most virulent of poisons, but, at the same time, a very valuable medicine. An ointment containing aconi tine is often used in cases of neuralgia, acute rheumatism, and diseases of the active heart. Its narcotic action is so endanger that a fiftieth of a grain may effectual the life of an adult. The most antidote in case of poisoning is warm administered till it produ water, stimulant produces vomiting, after which remedies should be applied internally and externally.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Acorn

the well known fruit of the oak. In the early ages, acorns constituted the food of man. a principal part of (Ovid's "Metamorphosis," i, 106; Vergil's Georgics," i, 8.) At present they are " used for the feeding of pigs, etc.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Acorn Shell

the popular name for the balanus and other cirripeds, which inusually habit a tubular shell whose base is formed of calcareous laminæ. Its shell is composed of many pieces, and thus capable of enlargement to the wants of , but the inclosed animal. These curious shells are found in all seas. common, They are affixed to marine bodies, and sometimes found a foot their peduncle is long.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Acorus

a genus of plants, order orontiaceæ. The acorus calamus, or sweet is the only flag, a member of this genus, native aromatic plant of northern climates. It blossoms during the months of May and June. ACOUSTICS. See SOUND.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Acqui

a district of north Italy, province of Alessandria, on the Area, N. side of the Ligurian Apennines. 445 square miles. Productions, corn and fruit. Silk worms are reared as a branch of industry. Acqui, its capital on the Bormida, 18 Alessandria. It has miles S. S. W. of commodious sulphur baths. Pop. about 18,000.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Acrisius

Son of Abas , king of Argos, grandson of Lynceus , and great-grandson of Danaus. An oracle had declared that Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius, would give birth to a son who would kill his grandfather. For this reason he kept Danaë shut up in a subterraneous apartment, or in a brazen tower. But here she became the mother of Perseus , by Zeus ( Jupiter ), who visited her in a shower of gold. Acrisius ordered mother and child to be exposed on the sea in a chest; but the chest floated towards the island of Seriphus, where both were rescued by Dictys.

Only in 1000 Classical Characters

Acrocorinthus

a steep and lofty cone, mountain, shaped as a truncated cone, overhanging the city of Corinth, 1,885 feet in height, on which was built a citadel.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Act of God

a legal expression used to cover natural and accidental disasters beyond the control of man. Cyclones, hailstorms, strokes of lightning, and storms at sea are acts of God in a legal sense. Railroads, steamships and other carriers customarily insert a clause in their bills of lading to the effect that they shall not be held responsible for any loss or damage to goods arising from an act of God. Courts hold, however, that the loss must be due immediately to the act of God in order that a carrier may escape responsibility. If, for instance, lightning should strike a stock car and kill several fine steers, the railway company could not be held for the value of the steers; but if a stroke of lightning should set fire to a bridge, and a stock train should later break through, the company could be required to pay losses on the ground that the accident might have been prevented by human forethought and caution.

Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia

Act of Settlement

an act of the Parliament of England in 1701, vesting the hereditary right to the English throne in Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and her Protestant descendants, constituting the source of the sovereignty of the house of Hanover or Brunswick, the present ruling line. The act prohibited the king (or queen) from going to war in defense of non- non-English powers without the assent of Parliament.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Acta Sanctorum

or MARTY- RUM, the collective title given to several old writings, respecting saints and martyrs in the Greek and Roman Catholic Churches, but now applied especially to one extensive collection begun by the Jesuits in the 17th century. Commenced by the Jesuit Rosweyd, continued by J. Bolland, the work was carried on after the latter's death by a society of learned Jesuits, who were styled Bollandists until 1794. In recent times, the undertaking has been resumed, until over 60 volumes have been published.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Actaeon

A famous huntsman, the son of Aristaeus and Autonoë, the daughter of Cadmus . On one occasion he inadvertently beheld Diana and her nymphs bathing in a pool in the woods, and for this offense was changed by the goddess into a stag, and was hunted down and killed by his own hounds.

Only in 1000 Classical Characters