Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Condillac, Étienne Bonnot de

(Encyclopedia)Condillac, Étienne Bonnot de ātyĕnˈ bônōˈ də kôNdēyäkˈ [key], 1715–80, French philosopher who developed the theory of sensationalism (i.e., that all knowledge comes from the senses and t...

Crabbe, George

(Encyclopedia)Crabbe, George, 1754–1832, English poet, b. Aldeburgh, Suffolk. After practicing medicine for a short time, he went to London in 1780, hoping to earn money by his writing. He was befriended by Edmun...

Churchill, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Churchill, Charles chûrˈchĭl [key], 1731–64, English poet and satirist. Upon his family's insistence he took religious orders in 1756, but life as a London dandy suited him more, and he resigned ...

Enghien, Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon-Condé, duc d'

(Encyclopedia)Enghien, Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon-Condé, duc d' lwē äNtwänˈ äNrēˈ də bo͝orbôNˈ-kôNdāˈ dük däNgyăNˈ [key], 1772–1804, French émigré; son of Louis Henri Joseph de Condé (se...

Scrope, Richard Le

(Encyclopedia)Scrope, Richard Le lə skro͞op [key], 1350?–1405, English archbishop. He probably studied law at both Oxford and Cambridge. Having taken priest's orders in 1377, he rose steadily in church rank. In...

Porter, Fitz-John

(Encyclopedia)Porter, Fitz-John, 1822–1901, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Portsmouth, N.H.; nephew of David Porter. He saw service in the Mexican War and was an instructor at West Point (1849–55)....

Silverius, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Silverius, Saint sĭlvērˈēəs [key], d. 537, pope (536–37), an Italian; successor of St. Agapetus I. The son of Pope Hormisdas, who had been married before taking orders, St. Silverius was electe...

Skeat, Walter William

(Encyclopedia)Skeat, Walter William, 1835–1912, English scholar and philologist. Skeat took holy orders in 1860, but illness cut short his church career. At Cambridge he served as a lecturer in mathematics (1864�...

natural law

(Encyclopedia)natural law, theory that some laws are basic and fundamental to human nature and are discoverable by human reason without reference to specific legislative enactments or judicial decisions. Natural la...

louse

(Encyclopedia)louse, common name for members of either of two distinct orders of wingless, parasitic, disease-carrying insects. Lice of both groups are small and flattened with short legs adapted for clinging to th...