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Waugh, Evelyn Arthur St. John

(Encyclopedia)Waugh, Evelyn Arthur St. John ēvˈlĭn, sĭnˈjən wô [key], 1903–66, English writer, considered the greatest satirist of his generation. Educated at Oxford, he was briefly an art student and a te...

Arthurian legend

(Encyclopedia)Arthurian legend, the mass of legend, popular in medieval lore, concerning King Arthur of Britain and his knights. Although there are innumerable variations of the Arthurian legend, the basic story...

Forester, C. S.

(Encyclopedia)Forester, C. S. (Cecil Scott Forester), 1899–1966, British novelist, b. Cairo, Egypt, educated in England. A prolific and popular author, C. S. Forester is best known for his novels of the royal nav...

Beit, Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Beit, Alfred bīt [key], 1853–1906, South African financier, b. Hamburg. He went to South Africa in 1875, grew rich from the development of diamond mines, and was a colleague and lieutenant of Cecil...

Beerbohm, Sir Max

(Encyclopedia)Beerbohm, Sir Max bērˈbōm [key], 1872–1956, English essayist, caricaturist, and parodist. He contributed to the famous Yellow Book while still an undergraduate at Oxford. In 1898 he succeeded G. ...

Connaught, Arthur William Patrick Albert, duke of

(Encyclopedia)Connaught, Arthur William Patrick Albert, duke of kŏnˈôt [key], 1850–1942, English prince; son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, brother of Edward VII. Trained for a military career, he served...

Googe, Barnabe

(Encyclopedia)Googe, Barnabe go͝oj, go͞oj [key], 1540–94, English poet and translator. In 1574 he was sent to Ireland as the representative of Sir William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth I's secretary of state. From 158...

Simpson Desert

(Encyclopedia)Simpson Desert, c.50,000 sq mi (130,000 sq km), barren region of central Australia, predominantly in the southeastern portion of the Northern Territory, extending S into Queensland and E into South Au...

Excalibur

(Encyclopedia)Excalibur ĕkskălˈĭbər [key], in Arthurian legend, sword given to King Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. At Arthur's death Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur into the lake; a hand rose from the water, cau...

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