Bragi
the son of Odin and Frigga, and the god g of eloquence and poetry. He is represented as an old man with a long flowing beard, like Odin; yet with a serene and unwrinkled brow. His wife was Idunna.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Single-source entries: B (100)
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.
Braham
JOHN (bra'am), an English tenor singer, of Jewish extraction, born in London, in 1774. He appeared the greatest success on the leading stages of France, Italy, and the United States, as well as in his own country. He excelled mainly in national in songs, such as "The Bay of Biscay, O," and "The Death of Nelson, ," and con- " tinued to attract large audiences even when 80 years old. He died in 1856.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brahman
BRAHMIN, BRAMIN, or BRACHMAN, one of the Aryan conquerors of India, who discharged priestly functions, whose ascendency, however, over his fellows was intellectual and spiritual, but not yet political or supported by the caste system; also one of the four leading castes of India, the others, theoretically at least, being Kshatryas (warriors), Vaisyas (merchants), and Sudras (laborers), not reckoning outcasts beyond the pale. They are the most intellectual of all castes, having great mental subtlety. They are admirably adapted for metaphysical speculation, and for mathema- 000000 ०७०५ 00 ODDDDDD 0000000000 vast literature they have almost uniformly told monstrous myths in lieu of history. Nor do they care much for natural science.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brahman Bull
the zebu, a variety It is of the bos taurus, or common ox. distinguished by having a large, fatty hump on its its shoulders. Divine honors are paid to it in India, and it is deemed an act of piety to turn one loose in the streets, without any provision for its maintenance. It, therefore, helps itself from grocers' stalls or from gardens.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brahmana Beads
a name given in India to the corrugated seeds of elæocarpus, used by the Brahmans and others as necklaces.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brahmani
a female Brahman; the Brahman. Also written wife of a Brahminee.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brahmaputra
a large river of Asia, whose sources, not yet explored, are situated near Lake of Manasarovara, in Tibet, near those the Indus. In Tibet, where it is called the Sanpo, it flows eastward N. of the Himalayas, and, after taking a sharp bend and passing through these mountains, it emerges in the N. E. of Assam as the Dihong; is joined by the Dibong and the Lohit, when the united stream takes the name of Brahmaputra. After entering Bengal it joins the Ga Ganges at Goalanda, and farther on the Meghna, and their united waters flow into the Bay of Bengal. Its total length is, per- 1,800 miles. haps,
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brahms
JOHANNES (brämz), a German composer, born in Hamburg, May 7, 1833. In 1861 he went to Vienna, where he devoted himself_to composition. His great "German Requiem" (1868) established his reputa tion. He was the composer of many symphonies, "Rinaldo," "The Song of Destiny," songs, cantatas, etc. His un- Dances" rivaled settings of "Hungarian and his own "Liebeslieder" dances with choral accompaniment, rank with the finest compositions. He died in Vienna, April 3, 1897.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Braila
a town in Rumania, formerly a fortress, on the left bank of the Danube, which divides itself here into a number of arms, one of them forming the harbor of the town. The export of grain and the sturgeon fisheries are among the principal industries. Pop. about 61,000.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Braille
LOUIS (brī'ē), a French teacher of the blind, born in 1809. He invented the Braille alphabet. It consists of a system of points printed on cardboard by indenting the reverse side. The writing is traced with the finger. He died in 1852. See BLIND.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Braille, Louis
Louis (1806-1852), a French educator of the blind. He was blind almost from birth, but was educated at the Institute for the Blind at Paris. As a lad he developed wonderful proficiency in music. He illustrates the principle that a person deficient in one of the senses may become unusually proficient in the others. Young Louis developed remarkable delicacy of ear and touch. At twenty he was the most remarkable organist in France. He invented the system of writing with points. Braille, as his system is known, is now used almost entirely in institutions for the blind. Braille point has superseded the raised letter entirely for purposes of correspondence. The entire system is based on point pricks in paper. Forty-three letters and ten numerals are based on ten fundamental arrangements of from one to four point pricks in a square. A point prick in the upper left hand corner, and another immediately beneath in the lower left hand corner, B; four pricks, one in each corner, represent G, etc. See Blindness
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Brain Fever
a term in common use for inflammation of the lining membranes of the brain, meningitis; or of the brain itself, cerebritis. These are generally found in conjunction, seldom separate, and are termed phrenitis or encephalitis. Often associated iated (a) with tuberculosis, or scrofula; sometimes (b) with gout, rheumatism, or syphilis; in the first instance generally in the case of children and delicate young females, in the others chiefly in adult males; very frequently, also, from injury, or as a consequence of previous diseases. Brain fever is characterized by violent headache, intolerance of light, excitement, extreme sensitiveness, hyperæmia, delirium, convulsions, and coma.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Brainerd
a city of Minnesota, the county-seat of Crow Wing co. It is on the Northern Pacific and the Minnesota and International railroads, and on the Mississippi river. It is an important industrial community and has machine shops of the Northern Pacific railroad, lumber yards, cigar factories, flour mills, paper mills, etc. There is a court house, Y. M. C. A. building, a library, public park, and St. Joseph's Hospital. The city has a large export trade in lumber, grain, hay, furs, and iron. Pop. (1910) 8,526; 8,526: (1920) 9,591.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Braintree
a town in Norfolk co., Mass.; on the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad; 10 miles S. of Boston. It contains the villages of South and East Braintree; has electric street railroads to the principal nearby towns and villages, and is principally engaged in granite quarrying, and the manufacture of tacks, shoes, wool, rubher goods, and fans. John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and other members of that family were born here. Pop. (1910) 8,066; (1910) 10,580.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia