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Conscience, Hendrik

(Encyclopedia)Conscience, Hendrik hĕnˈdrĭk kôNsēäNsˈ [key], 1812–83, Flemish novelist, a founder of modern Flemish literature. His many historical novels were romantic but powerful, in the tradition of Sco...

Barker, James Nelson

(Encyclopedia)Barker, James Nelson, 1784–1858, American playwright, b. Philadelphia. In 1838, Van Buren appointed him comptroller of the Treasury, and with slight interruptions he worked in the Treasury Dept. unt...

Vanua Levu

(Encyclopedia)Vanua Levu väno͞oˈä lāˈvo͞o [key] or Sandalwood Island, volcanic island, 2,137 sq mi (5,535 sq km), S Pacific, second largest of the Fiji Islands. Nasoro Levu, or Mt. Thurston (3,139 ft/960 m),...

Biringuccio, Vannocio

(Encyclopedia)Biringuccio, Vannocio vän-nôˈchō bērēn-go͞otˈchō [key], 1480–c.1539, Italian metallurgist. He is best known for his practical manual of metallurgy, De la pirotechnia (1540, tr. 1942). As a ...

Mayerling

(Encyclopedia)Mayerling mīˈərlĭng [key], village, Lower Austria prov., E Austria, on the Schwechat River, in the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods). It is the site of the hunting lodge (now a convent) where Crown Prince...

Kiyoura, Keigo

(Encyclopedia)Kiyoura, Keigo, 1850–1942, Japanese government official and political leader. He joined the ministry of justice in 1876 and participated in the drafting of new legal codes for Japan. He held several...

Horn, Cape

(Encyclopedia)Horn, Cape, headland, 1,391 ft (424 m) high, S Chile, southernmost point of South America, in the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego. It was discovered and first rounded by Willem Schouten, the Dutch nav...

Alofi

(Encyclopedia)Alofi, village, capital of Niue, a South Pacific island nation in free association with New Zealand. Situated on Alofi Bay on Niue's W coast, it was the island's largest settlement and ...

Sebastian, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Sebastian, Saint, fl. 3d cent.?, Roman martyr. Little is known of his life. According to tradition he was an officer of the Praetorian guards much favored by Emperor Diocletian, who did not know that ...

Paulus, Friedrich

(Encyclopedia)Paulus, Friedrich frēˈdrĭkh pouˈlo͝os [key], 1890–1957, German field marshal. He commanded the army at the siege of Stalingrad and was raised to marshal's rank several hours before his surrende...

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