ACRE, ST. JEAN D'

ACRE, ST. JEAN D' (7), a strong place and seaport in Syria, at the foot of Mount Carmel, taken, at an enormous sacrifice of life, by Philip Augustus and Richard Coeur de Lion in 1191, held out against Bonaparte in 1799; its ancient name Ptolemaïs.

ACRASIA

ACRASIA, an impersonation in Spenser's "Faërie Queen," of intemperance in the guise of a beautiful sorceress.

ACOUSTICS

ACOUSTICS, the science of sound as it affects the ear, specially of the laws to be observed in the construction of halls so that people may distinctly hear in them.

ACORN-SHELLS

ACORN-SHELLS, a crustacean attached to rocks on the sea-shore, described by Huxley as "fixed by its head," and "kicking its food into its mouth with its legs."

ACONITINE

ACONITINE, a most virulent poison from aconite, and owing to thevery small quantity sufficient to cause death, is very difficult of detection when employed in taking away life.

ACONITE

ACONITE, monk's-hood, a poisonous plant of the ranunculus order with a tapering root.

ACONCAGUA (ACONCA`GUA)

ACONCA`GUA, the highest peak of the Andes, about 100 m. NE. of Valparaiso, 22,867 ft. high; recently ascended by a Swiss and a Scotchman, attendants of Fitzgerald's party.

ACOEMETÆ (ACOEMETAE)

ACOEMETÆ, an order of monks in the 5th century who by turns kept up a divine service day and night.

ACNE

ACNE, a skin disease showing hard reddish pimples; ACNE ROSACEA, a congestion of the skin of the nose and parts adjoining.

ACLINIC LINE

ACLINIC LINE, the magnetic equator, along which the needle always remains horizontal.

ACLAND, SIR HENRY

ACLAND, SIR HENRY, regius professor of medicine in Oxford, accompanied the Prince of Wales to America in 1860, the author of several works on medicine and educational subjects, one of Ruskin's old and tried friends (1815).

ACK`ERMANN, R.

ACK`ERMANN, R., an enterprising publisher of illustrated works in the Strand, a native of Saxony (1764-1834).

A`CIS

A`CIS, a Sicilian shepherd enamoured of Galatea, whom the Cyclops Polyphemus, out of jealousy, overwhelmed under a rock, from under which his blood has since flowed as a river.

A`CI-REA`LË

A`CI-REA`LË (38), a seaport town in Sicily, at the foot of Mount Etna, in NE. of Catania, with mineral waters.

ACIERAGE

ACIERAGE, coating a copper-plate with steel by voltaic electricity.

ACHROMATISM

ACHROMATISM, transmission of light, undecomposed and free from colour, by means of a combination of dissimilar lenses of crown and flint glass, or by a single glass carefully prepared.

ACHIT`OPHEL

ACHIT`OPHEL, name given by Dryden to the Earl of Shaftesbury of his time.

ACH`MET I.

ACH`MET I., sultan of Turkey from 1603 to 1617; A. II., from 1691 to 1695; A. III., from 1703 to 1730, who gave asylum to Charles XII. of Sweden after his defeat by the Czar at Pultowa.

ACHMED PASHA

ACHMED PASHA, a French adventurer, served in French army, condemned to death, fled, and served Austria; condemned to death a second time, pardoned, served under the sultan, was banished to the shores of the Black Sea (1675-1747).

ACHILLES TENDON

ACHILLES TENDON, the great tendon of the heel, where Achilles was vulnerable.