The Meta-Encyclopedia

Single-source entries: B (89)

Each of these 13 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.

Borromeo

CARLO, COUNT, a celebrated Roman Catholic saint and cardinal, born at Arona, on Lago Maggiore, in 1538. In 1560 he was successively appointed by his uncle, Pius IV., apostolical prothonotary, refenda refendary, cardinal, and Archbishop of Milan. The reopening and the results of the Council of Trent, so advantageous to the papal authority, were chiefly effected by the great influence of Borromeo, which was felt during the whole sitting of the council. He improved the discipline of the clergy, founded schools, libraries, hospitals, and was indefatigable in doing good. He died in Milan, in 1584. Immediately after his death miracles were said to be wrought at his tomb, and his canonization took place in 1610. His nephew, COUNT FEDERIGO BORROMEO, also cardinal and Archbishop of Milan, equally distinguished for the sanctity of his life and the benevolence of his character, was born at Milan in 1564, and died in 1631. founder of the He is celebrated as the Ambrosian Library.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Borrow

GEORGE, an English philologist, born in East Dereham, Norfolk, February, 1803. His linguistic talents are shown in "Targum; or, Metrical Translations from Thirty Languages" (St. Petersburg, 1835), and "Romano Lavo-Lil, or Word Book of the Romany" (1874). The other chief of his works are "The Zincali, or Gypsies of Spain" (London, 1841); "The Bible in Spain" (1843); "Lavengro" (1851); "The Romany Rye," its sequel (1857); "Wild Wales" (1862); and "Dictionary of the Gypsy Language' (1874). He died in Oulton, Suffolk, July 30, 1881.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Bors, Bohors or Boort

One of King Arthur's knights. He was associated with Sir Galahad and Lancelot in their search for the Holy Grail. He is the hero of many magical adventures, one of which we relate. During the quest for the Holy Grail, a damsel offers him her love, which he refuses; and she, with twelve other damsels, thereupon threatens to throw herself from a tower. Bors, though of a kindly disposition, thinks they had better lose their souls than his. They fall from the tower, Bors crosses himself, and the whole vanishes, being a deceit of the devil. After the quest is ended Bors comes to Camelot; he relates his adventures, which it is said were written down and kept in the Abbey of Salisbury.

Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Borsippa

a very ancient city of the ruins Birs Nimrud.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Bort

A collective name for diamonds of inferior quality, especially such as have a radiating crystalization, so that they will not take a polish. These are crushed to form diamond powder, or diamond dust, which is used for cutting and polishing diamonds and other precious stones; also the steel work of watches, and other instruments of precision.

Only in American Watchmaker and Jeweler

Bosch Bok

the bush buck, a name given to several South African species of antelope.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Bosch Vark

the bush hog or bush pig of South Africa (choiropotamus africanus), one of the swine family, about 5 feet long, and with very large and strong tusks. The Kaffirs esteem its flesh as a luxury, and its tusks as personal ornaments.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Boscobel

a locality in Shropshire, England, remarkable historically as the hiding place of Charles II. for some days after the battle of Worcester, Sept. 3, 1651. At one time he was compelled to conceal himself among the branches of an oak in Boscobel Wood. The royal oak, which now stands at Boscobel, is said to have grown from an acorn of this very tree.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Bosher

KATE LANGLEY, an American novelist; born in Norfolk, Va., in 1865. She wrote in a humorous vein and with an appeal to wholesome sentiment that has won great popularity for her work. Her publications include "Mary Cary" (1910); "Miss Gibbie Gault" (1911); "The Man in Lonely Land" (1912); and "The House of Happiness" (1913).

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Boshes

That part of a cupola immediately above the tuyeres. In large cupolas and blast-furnaces this part is gradually contracted from the widest part to the hearth, and the bricks used for this purpose are distinguished as bosh-bricks. See CUPOLA; WATER-BOSHES.

Only in The Encyclopedia of Founding

Bosna-Serai

or SARAJEVO, the capital of the province of Bosnia, on the Migliazza, 570 miles W. N. W. of Constantinople. It contains a palace, built by Mohammed II., to which the city owes its name. It was formerly surrounded with walls, but its only defense now is a citadel, built on a rocky height at a short distance E. from the town. Bosna-Serai is the chief mart in the province, the center of the commercial relations between Turkey, Dalmatia, Croatia, and south Germany, and has, in consequence, considerable trade, with various manua factures. Pop. about 52,000.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Bosporus

bos'po-rus, the strait that joins the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmora. It forms part of the boundary between Asia and Europe. The name is Greek for ox-ford. It is about eighteen miles long and 3,000 feet wide. A surface current flows outward from the Black Sea; an under current flows inward toward the Black Sea. The shores are high and picturesque. This is the strait that Darius crossed on a bridge of boats in his expedition against the Scythians. By treaty at the close of the Crimean War, it was agreed by the European powers that no battleships should be permitted to pass through the Bosporus without the consent of Turkey. This measure was taken to prevent the Russians from gaining access to the Mediterranean. The shores of the Bosporus are defended by a series of Turkish forts. The Bosporus abounds in fish. Its waters have been fished for thousands of years with nets and lines, but the fish seem as numerous as ever. Following the center of the channel, the water is from 148 to 388 feet deep. About once a century the surface is frozen over. See Hellespont ; Constantinople ; Golden Fleece

Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia

Boss

LEWIS, an American astronomer, born in Providence, R. I., Oct. 26, 1846; was graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1870; astronomer of the Northern Boundary Survey for the determination of the line between the W. part of the United States and British America: and, since the completion of that work, Director of the Dudley Observatory, Albany, N. Y. He was chief of the United States party sent to Chile in 1882 to observe the transit of Venus; was elected a member of the National Academy of Science, in 1889, and an honorary foreign associate of the Royal Astronomical Society, in 1890. He is best known for his work upon star declinations. After 1909 he edited the "Astronomical Journal." In 1911 he received the Lalandi prize from the French Academy of Science. Among his important works are: "Catalogue of 8,241 Stars"; "Positions and Motions of 627 Standard Stars" (1910); "Catalogue of 1,059 Standard Stars" (1911).

an elevated or thickened portion, usually around an aperture, or a swage or stump used in shaping sheet metal. Gothic architecture it is the protuberance in a vaulted ceiling formed by the junction of the ends of several ribs, and ; usually serving to bind them together elaborately carved and ornamented.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia