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Wilkie, Sir David

(Encyclopedia)Wilkie, Sir David, 1785–1841, Scottish genre painter. He studied in Edinburgh and at the Royal Academy and won early popularity with his admirable little scenes of everyday life. Anecdotal painting ...

Windermere

(Encyclopedia)Windermere wĭnˈdərmēr [key], lake, 10.5 mi (17 km) long and 1 mi (1.6 km) wide, in the Lake District, Cumbria, NW England. It is c.210 ft (60 m) deep and lies among wooded hills near Scafell and o...

Sultan Husayn

(Encyclopedia)Sultan Husayn so͝oltänˈ ho͞osānˈ [key], d. 1729, Safavid shah of Persia (1694–1722). A weak and superstitious man, Shah Sultan Husayn was surrounded by astrologers and fanatics and was able to...

Brooks, Phillips

(Encyclopedia)Brooks, Phillips, 1835–93, American Episcopal bishop, b. Boston. In 1869 he began his ministry at Trinity Church, Boston, where he became one of the most influential ministers of his time. In 1891 h...

Bridget, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Bridget, Saint, 453?–523?, Irish holy woman. She is often called St. Brigid, St. Bride, or St. Bridget of Kildare. Little is known of her, but she did found a great monastery at Kildare. She is buri...

Belli, Giuseppe Gioacchino

(Encyclopedia)Belli, Giuseppe Gioacchino jo͞ozĕpˈpā jōäk-kēˈnō bĕlˈlē [key], 1791–1863, Italian poet. Born in Rome into poverty, Belli earned his living as a government clerk. He drew from his knowled...

vestal

(Encyclopedia)vestal vĕsˈtəl [key], in Roman religion, priestess of Vesta. The vestals were first two, then four, then six in number. While still little girls, they were chosen from prominent Roman families to s...

Lingelbach, Johannes

(Encyclopedia)Lingelbach, Johannes yōhäˈnəs lĭngˈəlbäkhˌ [key], 1622–74, Dutch genre and landscape painter, b. Frankfurt am Main. He first went to Amsterdam in 1637 and settled there about 16 years later...

Abaco Islands

(Encyclopedia)Abaco Islands ăbˈəkō [key], island group, c.780 sq mi (2,020 sq km), most northerly of the Bahamas. Also known as Abaco and Cays, the Abacos include Great Abaco (the largest), Little Abaco, and th...

Licking

(Encyclopedia)Licking, river, c.320 mi (515 km) long, rising in E Ky. and flowing NW to the Ohio River opposite Cincinnati; the North and South Forks are its chief tributaries. The Licking was an important means of...