Each of these 9 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.
(See Babylonia .) Earth laid upon a Corpse: It is related in Pennant's Tour that it was the custom in the Highlands of Scotland to lay on the breast of the deceased a wooden platter containing a little earth and a little salt-the former to symbolize the corruptibility of the body, the latter the incorruptibility of the soul.
Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism
a city of Texas, the county-seat of Maverick co. It is on the Southern Pacific and the Mexican Interthe Rio national railroads, and on Grande river. It is the center of an important coal mining, agricultural, and stock-raising region, has an extensive trade in cattle, hides, and wool, is a port of entry, and has a large international trade. It has a handsome Federal building. Pop. (1910) 3,536; (1920) 5,765.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
an English soldier; born in 1591. When 11 years old he was restored by James I. to the rank and titles held by his father, the 2d earl, and became a companion of the young Prince of Wales, and when 15 years of age was married to Frances Howard, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk, from whom he was divorced in 1613. He served in the army of the elector palatine in Holland 1620-1623, was vice-admiral of an unexpedition against Casuccessful naval diz in 1625, and was lieutenant-general of an army sent by King Charles against the Scotch Covenanters in 1639. Espousing the cause of the Parliament against the king, he was appointed to the command of the parliamentary army at the beginning of the civil war, was victorious over Charles at Edgehill in 1642, captured Reading in 1643, and relieved Gloucester, but lost the greater part of his army in 1644. He urged the impeachment of Cromwell before the House of Lords in 1645, and had to resign his commission. An annuity of £10,000 was settled on him for life. He died in 1646.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
MRS. ALICE MORSE, an American writer; born in Worcester, Mass., April 27, 1853. She has written extensively upon the manners and customs of the colonial period in New England and New York. Among her numerous works are: "Curious Punishments of Bygone Days," "Customs and Fashions in Old New England," "Colonial Dames and Goodwives," "Colonial Days in Old New York," "Sun Dials and Roses of Yesterday" (1902); "Two Centuries of Costume in America" (1903). She died in 1911.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
an institution for higher education, founded under the auspices of the Orthodox Friends at Richmond, Ind., in 1859. The college is coeducational. There were in 1919 400 students and 25 instructors. President, D. M. Edwards.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
JUBAL ANDERSON, an American military officer; born in Franklin co., Va., Nov. 3, 1816; graduated at West Point, and served in the Florida and Mexican wars. During most of the years 1838-1861, however, he practiced law in his native State. On the outbreak of the Civil War he entered the Confederate service as a colonel, and commanded a brigade at Bull Run, and a division at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. In 1864, after some successes, he was defeated by Sheridan in several battles; and, Custer having also routed him at Waynesboro in March, 1865, he was relieved of his command a few days later. He subsequently returned to the practice of law. In 1867 he published "A Memoir of the Last Year of the War for Independence in the Confederate States." He died March 2, 1894.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
an ornament suspended by a ring or hook passing through the lobe of the ear. In all historical times, earrings have been made of gold or silver adorned with precious stones. The earring is believed to be of oriental origin. Certainly its use was known among the most ancient nations. Originally it was, no doubt, worn as a charm to frighten away evil spirits. Among the oriental races earrings were in general use for both sexes. Among the Hebrews, the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans, however, they were worn only by women. Among Europeans the wearing of earrings is now confined largely to the two extremes of society,-the bejeweled rich and the peasantry. One who has observed steerage passengers coming ashore at New York is struck by the large number of men, particularly Italians, who wear earrings.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
a name given to peculiar underground dwellings found in northern Scotland and in Ireland. They are thought to have been the dwellings of the Picts. They are constructed, usually, of loose stone walls built upward and brought together until the top could be covered with large slabs. They were then covered with mounds of earth. As many as forty or fifty of these strange dwellings are found in a single group or village. The simplest dwellings, from four to ten feet in width, perhaps sixty feet in length, and deep enough to permit standing upright, have but one room; others, more pretentious, have a number of chambers. Naturally enough, they were constructed in dry ground. They were entered by a small hole in the top. Stone handmills, ashes, bones, deer's horns, round plates of stone and slate, earthenware cups, bronze swords, and gold rings have been found in these underground houses. It is thought that they may have served rather as places of concealment in time of danger than as regular dwellings. In some cases these underground villages are found beneath tilled land, where the plow has been passing above them for centuries.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
The solid matters of the earth, including rocks, etc., are composed principally of combustible elements, as aluminum, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and carbon, in combination with oxygen. The fact of the rarity of these metals in a free state is due to their extreme combustibility. The earths proper do not change vegetable colors; in acids they are soluble, and may be subsequently precipitated from their solutions by potash, soda, or ammonia. The alkaline earths, as barytes, strontia, lime, etc., are soluble in water, and have the property of neutralizing the strongest acids, and changing vegetable colors in general. The mineral elements composing the chief mass of soils are derived from the breaking-up of the various rocks by the action of heat, frost, air, and moisture, According to the composition of the rocks so will the soil be that is derived from them: clayey when from argillaceous rocks, calcerous from lime, and sandy from siliceous rocks, besides which must be included organic substances, a portion of liberated alkalies and alkaline earths, etc. See ALKALI.
Only in The Encyclopedia of Founding