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Lawrence, Sir Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Lawrence, Sir Thomas, 1769–1830, English portrait painter, b. Bristol. He began to draw when very young and developed extraordinary talents as a draftsman; though he studied briefly at the Royal Aca...

deists

(Encyclopedia)deists dēˈĭsts [key], term commonly applied to those thinkers in the 17th and 18th cent. who held that the course of nature sufficiently demonstrates the existence of God. For them formal religion ...

Charles, Jacques Alexandre César

(Encyclopedia)Charles, Jacques Alexandre César zhäk älĕksäNˈdrə sāzärˈ shärl [key], 1746–1823, French physicist. He confirmed Benjamin Franklin's electrical experiments, became interested in aeronautic...

Derby, Edward Henry Stanley, 15th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Derby, Edward Henry Stanley, 15th earl of därˈbē [key], 1826–93, British politician, son of the 14th earl. Although more liberal than his father, he held several positions in the latter's adminis...

MacLeod, Sir George

(Encyclopedia)MacLeod, Sir George məkloudˈ [key], 1895–1991, Scottish clergyman. He was educated at Oxford and, after serving in World War I, was ordained a Church of Scotland minister in 1924. Disaffected with...

Wrangell Island

(Encyclopedia)Wrangell Island răngˈgəl [key], 30 mi (48 km) long and 5 to 14 mi (8.1–22.5 km) wide, off SE Alaska in the Alexander Archipelago, south of the mouth of the Stikine River. It was occupied in 1834 ...

Albany Congress

(Encyclopedia)Albany Congress, 1754, meeting at Albany, N.Y., of commissioners representing seven British colonies in North America to treat with the Iroquois, chiefly because war with France impended. A treaty was...

Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st marquess of

(Encyclopedia)Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st marquess of hāˈstĭngz [key], 1754–1826, British soldier and administrator. He fought with distinction against the colonists in the American Revolution. Crea...

Drury Lane

(Encyclopedia)Drury Lane, street and district of London, at first a place of fine residences, among which was that of the Drury family. It was the site of the original Drury Lane Theatre, which was built by Thomas ...

Evans, Lewis

(Encyclopedia)Evans, Lewis, c.1700–1756, colonial surveyor and geographer, b. Wales. Evans carried out several assignments for Benjamin Franklin. His travels and studies of the colonies nearest him bore fruit in ...