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Britton, John

(Encyclopedia)Britton, John, 1771–1857, English antiquary and topographer. The long list of his writings includes biographies, critical works on art and literature, and the descriptions of landscapes and building...

Arrowsmith, Aaron

(Encyclopedia)Arrowsmith, Aaron, 1750–1823, English cartographer and geographer. He founded the map-making and publishing business carried on by his sons and by his nephew John Arrowsmith, 1790–1873. John Arrow...

Wallace, Sir William

(Encyclopedia)Wallace, Sir William, 1272?–1305, Scottish soldier and national hero. The first historical record of Wallace's activities concerns the burning of Lanark by Wallace and 30 men in May, 1297, and the s...

Sartain, John

(Encyclopedia)Sartain, John särtānˈ [key], 1808–97, American engraver, b. London. Shortly after his arrival in the United States in 1830, he received important commissions for prints after paintings by leading...

Tull, Jethro

(Encyclopedia)Tull, Jethro, 1674–1741, English agriculturist and inventor. He studied methods of agriculture in England, France, and Italy and influenced British agriculture through his writings, which include Th...

Owen, John

(Encyclopedia)Owen, John, 1616–83, English Puritan divine and theologian. In the civil war Owen supported the parliamentary cause. Oliver Cromwell took him as chaplain to Ireland and Scotland and had him appointe...

Williams College

(Encyclopedia)Williams College, at Williamstown, Mass.; coeducational; chartered 1785, opened as a free school 1791, became a college 1793, named for Ephraim Williams. The Williams campus, noted for its fine old bu...

Stephen, Sir James Fitzjames

(Encyclopedia)Stephen, Sir James Fitzjames, 1829–94, English jurist and journalist; brother of Sir Leslie Stephen. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge and was admitted to the bar in 1854. After 1855 he wrote ma...

riddle

(Encyclopedia)riddle, puzzling question, specifically one that consists of a fanciful description or definition of something to be guessed. A famous riddle was asked by the Sphinx: “What goes on four legs in the ...

Bowra, C. M.

(Encyclopedia)Bowra, C. M. (Sir Cecil Maurice Bowra) bouˈrə [key], 1898–1971, English classical scholar, b. China. Associated with the Univ. of Oxford throughout his adult life, he was warden of Wadham College ...