264 are tasks of great responsibility

(See MACHINERY above.) born in 1813, and educated at Leipzig ana Dresden. From 1834 he fulfilled musical engagements at Magdeburg, Riga, and Kflnigsberg; and in 1839-41 he went to Paris and London, and wrote his operas, “Rienzi" and “The Flying Dutchman.'' Their succe got him the conductorship of the Royal Opera at Dresden in 1843; but having joined the insurrection in 1848 he left Germany until 1864. His 44 Tannhiiuser ” appeared in 1845. and 44 Lohengrin" in 1850. At Baireuth in 1876 nis famous tetr5ogy 44 Der Ring des Nibelungcn *' was first performed. It consists of 44 Das Kheingold," 44 Die Walkiire," “Siegfried," and “GOtterdammerung." “Parsifal" was his last work. He died in 1883. He wrote a book on his musical views, called “ Oper und Drama." 1809, when Napoleon inflicted a very severe defeat on the Austrians within sight of the towers of Vienna. forger, and poisoner, was bom in 1794, and left an orphan at a very early age. He got a commi ion in the Guards, and began to write miscellaneous articles for the 44 London Magazine " and other periodicals of the day. He married on,£200 a year, and, being unable to live on that amount, he first committed a forgery in 1824, and then commenced his poisoning experiments, aided by his wife. His favourite poison was strychnine, and his victims included his uncle, his mother-in-law, his sister-in-law, etc., the latter’s life having been insured for £18,000. He was transported for the forgery to T asmania, where he died in 1852. He was the original of 4 Varney ’ in Lord Lytton’s 44 Lucretia." in 1756, and died in 1801. He took Anglican Orders as a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, but resigned them because he had become a Unitarian. He was a bitter controversialist. His correspondence with Mr. Fox was published in 1813. astrous failures in modern warfare. It was planned in 1807, when Britain, Pru ia, Ru ia, and Austria were all in arms against France; but it was not carried out till Napoleon had overwhelmed Pru ia, reduced Ru ia tQ neutrality, excellent—to and was crushing Austria. The idea was sail up the Scheldt and surprise Antwerp, which was at the time the chief naval station and arsenal of the French. Its fortifications were greatly in need of repair, and the garrison had been reduced to about 2000 invalids ana coastguards. The commander of the expedition, however, though a brother month—in of Pitt’s, was a consummate fool, and Castlerengh—at wasted a spite of precise orders from Lord Flushing. In the meantime 30,000 men under Bemadotte had been collected for the defence of Antwerp and to attack it under such circumstances would have; been simply gro waste of human lives. Consequently, Lord Chas am retired, leaving a garrison died—most of 15,000 men on Walcheren Island, where 7000 of them from malaria—and 3500 were permanently disabled. Peter Waldo, a citizen of Lyons. About 1170 he collected followers (by preaching), who were often confounded with the Albigenses, and shared their fate. Their chief stronghold was, and still is, in the Cottian Alps, where, since 1848, they have enjoyed the same religious rights as the Romanists. Waldo s design was to reform the clergy and preach to everyone in his native tongue but his followers gradually separated themselves altogether; from the Romish Church. The spiritual teachers of the Waldenscs now come from the academies of Calvin is tic Churches. born in 1840. In 1858 he became a student at the Royal Academy, and began designing for wood engravers and from i860 to 1864 he supplied the 44 Corn hill; Magazine" with illustrations. His best oil pictures are “The Bathers ” and “By the Plough,’’ and his first was 44 The Lost Path.” He reproduced Walker, Rev. George, who took part in the Walker, William, the filibuster, was bom in 1824, eventually became President of Nicaragua, and his government was recognized by the United States, though his aim was to extend the slave area southward. In i860 he was tried by court-martial, and shot at Trujillo.