Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

412 results found

Oldfield, Anne

(Encyclopedia)Oldfield, Anne, 1683–1730, English actress. The successor of Mrs. Bracegirdle, she first won acclaim in 1704 for her brilliant portrayal of Lady Modish in Colley Cibber's Careless Husband. She had a...

Bracegirdle, Anne

(Encyclopedia)Bracegirdle, Anne, 1663?–1748, English actress. A pupil of Betterton, she was the delight of Colley Cibber and the favorite of Congreve, achieving her greatest successes as the heroines of Congreve'...

Home of Polwarth, Sir Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Home of Polwarth, Sir Patrick, or Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth both: hyo͞om, pōlˈwərth [key], 1641–1724, Scottish statesman. Devoted to Presbyterianism, he opposed the policies of the duke of La...

Napier, Sir William Francis Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Napier, Sir William Francis Patrick nāˈpēr, nəpērˈ [key], 1785–1860, British general and historian; brother of Sir Charles James Napier. He served in the Peninsular War and wrote a famous and ...

Keegan, Sir John Desmond Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Keegan, Sir John Desmond Patrick, 1934–2012, British military historian, b. London. The foremost British military historian of his era, he attended Oxford and after graduation went to the United Sta...

Sarsfield, Patrick, earl of Lucan

(Encyclopedia)Sarsfield, Patrick, earl of Lucan särsˈfēld, lo͞oˈkən [key], d. 1693, Irish Jacobite general. A firm supporter of James II, he went with him into exile. He commanded James's forces in Ireland an...

Thrale, Hester Lynch

(Encyclopedia)Thrale, Hester Lynch, later Mrs. Piozzi pēŏzˈē, pēôtˈtsē [key], 1741–1821, Englishwoman, noted for her intimate friendship with Samuel Johnson. Daughter of John Salusbury, she married (1763)...

Institute for Advanced Study

(Encyclopedia)Institute for Advanced Study, at Princeton, N.J.; chartered 1930, opened 1933. It differs from a university in that it offers no curriculum or examinations, and confers no degrees. Founded with a gift...

Elliott, Charles Loring

(Encyclopedia)Elliott, Charles Loring, 1812–68, American painter, b. Scipio, Cayuga co., N.Y.; pupil of John Trumbull and John Quidor. His portraits number over 700. His principal works include the portraits of M...

Healy, George Peter Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Healy, George Peter Alexander, 1813–94, American painter, b. Boston. He began painting portraits at the age of 18 and, disregarding background, concentrated on producing a good likeness. Examples of...