Charles IX

in 1604. Sig mar in gen (zig'mä-ring-en). The capital of the province of Hohenzollern, Pru ia, situated on the Danube in lat. 48° 5′ N., long. 9o 13′ E. It was the capital of the former principality of Sigma Sihon. A name sometimes given to the Sir-Daria. Sihun (se-hön'). A river in Asiatic Turkey which flows into the Mediterranean 28 miles southwest of Adana: the ancient Sarus. Sikes (sīks), Bill. A hard unfeeling thief in Dickens's Oliver Twist," the murderer of Nancy, and the persecutor of Oliver whom Nancy tries to befriend. Sikhim, or Sikkim (sik'im). A native state in northern India. Capital, Tumlung. It is bounded by Tibet on the north, Bhutan on the east, British India on the south, and Nepal on the west, and is comprised within the Himalaya region. The inhabitants are Lepchas or Rong. It is governed by a raja, subsidized by the Brit ish. It became a British protectorate in 1889-90. Area, estimated, 2,600 square miles. Population (1891), 30,458. Sikhs (sēks). [From Hind. Sikh , lit. a 'disciple': a distinctive name of the disciples of Nanak Shah, who founded the sect.] The members of a politico-religious community in India, founded near Lahore about 1500 as a sect based on the principles of monotheism and human brotherhood. Under their hereditary theocratic chiefs the Sikhs were organized into a political and military force, collectively called Khalsa, the portion' (of God), while every member received the surname of Singh (in Sanskrit sinh a , 'lion'). This military organization was especially due to Govind Singh. Social inequality was abolished. Of the Hindu usages only the respect paid to cows was retained. Every one was an unbeliever who had not been admitted to the Khalsa by having five of the in itiated drink with him the sherbet of the Pahlul. A Sikh was forbidden to return the salutation of a Hindu, and was bound to kill a Mu ulman on meeting him. The holy war was his vocation. The Sikh soldier prayed to his sword. Govind Singh struggled with the Moguls 30 years, and then accepted a command in the imperial army. Ho fell by an Afghan a a in in 1708, appointing no succes, sor and declaring the Granth (see Adi - Granth ) to be the future guru. After him an ascetic named Banda was the chief of the Khalsa. Under him the Sikhs were almost annihilated by the armies of Far rukh shir. Banda himself was captured, compelled for a week to witne the torture of 740 companions (of whom no one winced) and the death of his own son, and then tortured to death with red-hot pincers, while he praised God for choosing him to be the instrument of his vengeance. After Banda's death in 1716, the Akalis, 'the faithful of the Eternal, became the guardians of the sanctuary at Amritsar, where the AdiGranth was kept. The Gurmata, 'council of the guru,' held supreme authority. The political history of the Sikhs Sea. Canton and Hong-Kong are in its delta. Sikino (sē kē-nō or sē-kēnō). An island of the Cyclades, Greece, 19 miles south of Paros: the ancient Sicinos (Gr. Σίκινος ). Length, 9 miles. Sikkim. See Sikhim . Sil (sel). A river in northwestern Spain which joins the Minho 9 miles northeast of Orense. Length, about 125 miles. Sila (sē'lä), or Monte Nero (mon'te na'rō). An extensive wooded region in the A pennines of Calabria, southern Italy, situated east of Cosenza. It rises to the height of 6,200 feet. Length, about 37 miles. Silarus (sil'a-rus). The ancient name of the river Sele in southern Italy. Near it, in 71 B. C., Spartacus was defeated and slain by the Ro- mans under Cra us. Schlesien , a name of Slavic origin, earlier Sleen- zane , Zlesane , Pol. Zlesaki .] A large region of central Europe, mainly in the upper basin of the Oder, northeast of the Sudetic Mountains. Its early inhabitants were Slavs. The po e ion of it was dis- puted between Poland and Bohemia. It became Polish in the 10th century; was separated from Poland in 1163; was divided into various duchies ruled by branches of the Polish dynasty of Piast; gradually became largely Ger- manized; and was incorporated with Bohemia in 1355. With Bohemia it pa ed to the house of Hapsburg. It suffered in the Hu ite, Thirty Years', Silesian, and Napo. leonic wars. It was conquered by Frederick the Great 1741-42, and the larger part of it was ceded by Austria to Silesia, or Austrian Silesia. A crownland and titular duchy belonging to the Cisleithan division of Austria-Hungary. Chief town, Troppau. It is bounded by Pru ian Silesia on the north, Galicia on the east, Hungary and Moravia on the south, and mainly by Moravia on the west. The surface is largely mountainous, being traversed by branches of the Sudetic and Car path i an mountains. Silesia has min- eral wealth in coal, iron, etc., and flourishing manufac- tures. It sends 12 members to the Reichsrat. The in- habitants are Germans, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, and Mo- ravians. The crownland comprises the part of ancient Silesia not conquered by Pru ia. It was united to Mo- ravia until 1849. Area, 1,987 square miles. Population (1890), 605,649. editor of the "American Journal of Science" in 1838, and a ociate proprietor in 1846. His scientific articles in. clude about 100 titles, published 1841-74. In 1869 he was made one of the State chemists of Connecticut. He pub lished "First Principles of Chemistry" (1847), "Principles of Physics, etc." (1859), and "American Contributions to Chemistry." He edited, with C. G. Good rich, "The World of Science, Art, and Industry" (1853), and "Progre of Science and Mechanism" (1854), which recorded the chief results of the World's Fair (New York, 1853). Silliman, Mount. A peak of the Sierra Ne- vada, in the northern part of Tulare County, California. Silly Billy (sil'i bil'i). A nickname of Wil- liam IV., king of Great Britain. Siloam (si-lō'am), or Siloah (si-lō'ä). [Heb. Shiloach , sending.] A pool at the southeast end of Jerusalem (Neh. iii. 15, "by the king's garden"), fed by the waters of a spring of the Gihon (the modern Virgin's Fount), which were conducted to it through a tunnel. It consisted of several artificial channels and basins which supplied Jeru. salem with water. The pool of Siloam which is still in existence formerly had an outlet in the southeast called the "lower pond," and is now called Birket - el - Hambra ('red. pond'). Another part of the former water-reservoir is now occupied by gardens. The Virgin's Fount is intermittent. In 1880 the oldest Hebrew inscription known was dis- covered in the rocky aqueduct. It gives the length of the province of Pru ia. Capital, Breslau. It is bounded by Brandenburg on the northwest, Posen and Rus- sian Poland on the northeast, Austrian Silesia, Moravia, and Bohemia on the south, and Bohemia, Saxony, and Pru ian Saxony on the west. It comprises most of the ancient duchy of Silesia, Glatz, part of Upper Lusatia, etc. The surface is mountainous and hilly in the southwest and south, and level generally in the north and northeast. It is traversed by the Oder. Pru ian Silesia is noted for its mineral wealth, especially for coal, iron, and zinc, and is one of the chief manufacturing provinces of the kingdom. Among its leading industries are metal-working and man- contains three government districts: Liegnitz, Breslau, ufactures of machinery, linen, cotton, woolen, etc. It and Oppeln. The majority of the inhabitants are Germans, but there are many Poles and some Czechs, Moravians, and Wends. Area, 15,557 square miles. Population (1890), 4,224,458. Silesian (si-lē'shian) Poetical Schools. In German literature, two groups of minor poets in the 17th century-one composed of followers of Opitz, the other of followers of Hofmann von Hofmannswaldau. Silesian Wars. Three wars waged by Freder- ick the Great of Pru ia against Austria for the po e ion of Silesia. In the first war (1740-42) Pru ia was allied with Saxony, Bavaria, and France, and Austria with Great Britain. Frederick invaded Silesia in 1740, and the Pru ians were victorious at Mollwitz in 1741, and at Chotusitz in 1742. By the peace of Breslau (June, 1742) the greater part of Silesia was ceded to Prus- sia. In the war of 1744-45 Austria was aided by Saxony. Frederick invaded Bohemia and took Prague, but had to fall back into Saxony in 1744. Pru ian victories were won at Hohenfriedberg, Sorr, and Ke elsdorf in 1745. The pos- se ion of Silesia by Pru ia was confirmed by the peace of Dresden, Dec. 25, 1745. The third of the Silesian wars is the Seven Years' War (which see). Silesius, Angelus. See Angelus Silesius . Silistria (si-lis'tri-ä). A town in Bulgaria, sit- uated on the Danube in lat. 44° 7' N., long. 27° 16' E.: the ancient Duros torus or Duros to rum. Silistria and its vicinity have been the field of many mil i. It was attacked by the Ru ians in 1773; taken by them in 1810; besieged by them in 1828; besieged and taken in 1829; unsucce fully besieged in 1854; and occupied by them in 1878. The fortifications were razed in 1878. Popula. tion (1887), 11,414. son's comedy "The Magnet ick Lady." Sill (sil), Edward Rowland. Born at Windsor, Conn., 1841: died at Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 27, 1887. An American poet. He graduated at Yale in 1861, and was profe or of the English language and literature in the University of California 1874-82. Among his works are "The Venus of Milo, etc." (1883), and "Poems” (1887). Sillery (sēl-rē'). A village in the department of Marne, France, on the Vesle 6 miles south- east of Rheims: celebrated for its champagne. Silliman (sil'i-man), Benjamin. Born at North Str at ford (Trumbull), Conn., Aug. 8, 1779: died at New Haven, Conn., Nov. 24, 1864. A noted American chemist, geologist, and physicist. emeritus in 1853. He founded the "American Journal of Science" in 1818, and was long its editor. He published "Elements of Chemistry" (2 vols. 1830), "Travels in Eng. land, etc." (1810). "Narrative of a Visit to Europe" (1853), etc.; and edited Henry's "Chemistry" (1808-14) and Bake- well's "Introduction to Geology" (1829-). Silliman, Benjamin. Born at New Haven, Conn., n., Dec. 4, 1816: died there, June 14, 1885. An American chemist, son of Benjamin Silli- man. He graduated at Yale in 1837; became profe or in the scientific school (afterward the Sheffield Scientific School) in 1846; was profe or at Louisville 1849-54; and was again profe or at Yale 1854-85. He became a ociate ished supplement, 2 vols. 1867-70). It is the most com- plete bibliography of Portuguese (including Brazilian) literature, containing 19,328 titles, with biographical noter on the authors. Silva Alvarenga. See Alvarenga . Silva Marc i an a. See Abnoba . Silvan a (sil-vänä), or Silvan a das Wald- mädchen. An opera by Weber, produced at Frankfort in 1810. Silvan us, or Sylvan us (sil-vā'nus). In Italian mythology, a god, protector of woods, fields, herds, etc. Silver-Fork School. In English fiction, a nick- name given to a group of novelists (Theodore Hook, Mrs. Trollope, Lady Ble ing ton, etc.) who laid great stre on matters of etiquette. Silver Grays. The bolting Whigs, led by Fran- cis Granger, who left the New York conven- tion of 1848: so called from the fact that several of them were gray-haired men. Silver (silver) Mountain. A peak of the Sierra Nevada in Alpine County, California. Silves (sēl'ves). A town in the province of Al- garve, southern Portugal, 112 miles south-south- east of Lisbon. The cathedral is a fine Romanesque building with some Pointed arches and windows, and Silves other later features. The castle is of Moorish foundation, with a fine cistern and six main towers: in front of the walls there are detached towers: communicating with the fortre by stone bridges, as is the great tower of Bellver, near Palma. The city walls are Moorish, well preserved, and picturesque. Several of the gates are noteworthy: one, of great size, has three large arches opening on diverging streets. Population (1878), 6,913. Silvester, or Sylvester (sil-ves'ter), I. [L., ' of the woods, F. Silvestre , Pg. Sylvestre, G. Silvester.] Bishop of Rome 314-335. Little is known concerning his pontificate. The story which connects his name with the baptism of Const an tine the Great is pure fiction (see Donation of Const an tine ). Silvester II., originally Gerbert. Died May 12, 1003. Роре 999-1003. He was a native of A quit an i a, tian name of Gerbert, first as an educator and afterward and before his acce ion became famous under as archbishop succe ively of Rheims and Ravenna. Silvester III. Pope or antipope 1044. He was elevated on the expulsion from Rome of Boniface IX. in 1044, but was in turn expelled some months later. He was deprived of his priesthood by the Council of Sestri in 1046, and was confined in a monastery. Silvestre, or Sylvestre (sil-västr'), Israel. Born at Nancy, 1621: died in 1691. An eminent French engraver. The Silvestres were a large family of painters and engravers of which Israel was the most important member. He formed his style on Delle Bella and Callot. He was discovered by Louis XIV., for whom he engraved his plates of the royal monuments and festivals. He was a member of the Academy, and visited Italy twice. His plates number more than 1,000. - Silvestre de Sacy. See Sacy . Silvia, or Sylvia (sil'vi-ä). 1. In Shakspere's "Two Gentlemen of Verona," the daughter of the Duke of Milan, loved by Valentine: "the auburn-haired Silvia, rash and reckle ."-2. The principal female character in Farquhar's comedy "The Recruiting Officer." She is the daughter of Ballance, and in love with Captain Plume. She disguises herself as a rakish soldier and serves in his company, and is one of the most sparkling and witty characters of comedy. This was a favorite character with the actre es of the 18th century. 3. The forsaken mistre of Vain love in Congreve's "Old Bachelor." Silvius (sil'vi-us). A shepherd in Shakspere's "As you Like it." Silvretta (sil-vret'tä), or Selvretta (sel-vret'tä). A group of the Rhætian Alps, situated in the eastern part of the canton of Grisons, Switzerland, north of the Inn, and on the borders of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, about 25-30 miles east of Coire. Highest summit, Piz Linard (11,207 feet). Simabara (sē-mä-bä'rä), Gulf of. An arm of the Pacific Ocean, on the western coast of the island of Kiusiu, Japan.