Part 43 (1/2)

AT'TICA, a country in ancient Greece, on the NE. of the Peloponnesus, within an area not larger than that of Lanarks.h.i.+re, which has nevertheless had a history of world-wide fame and importance.

ATTICISM, a pure and refined style of expression in any language, originally the purest and most refined style of the ancient literature of Greece.

ATTICUS, t.i.tUS P., a wealthy Roman and a great friend of Cicero's, devoted to study and the society of friends, took no part in politics, died of voluntary starvation rather than endure the torture of a painful and incurable disease (110-33 B.C.).

AT'TILA, or Etzel, the king of the Huns, surnamed ”the Scourge of G.o.d,” from the terror he everywhere inspired; overran the Roman Empire at the time of its decline, vanquished the emperors of both East and West, extorting heavy tribute; led his forces into Germany and Gaul, was defeated in a great battle near Chalons-sur-Marne by the combined armies of the Romans under Aetius and the Goths under Theodoric, retreated across the Alps and ravaged the N. of Italy; died of hemorrhage, it is alleged, on the day of his marriage, and was buried in a gold coffin containing immense treasures in 453, the slaves who dug the grave having, it is said, been killed, lest they should reveal the spot.

AT'TOCK (4), a town and fortress in the Punjab, on the Indus where the Kabul joins it--a river beyond which no Hindu must pa.s.s; it was built by Akbar in 1581.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the name given the first law officer and legal adviser of the Crown in England and Ireland.

ATTWOOD, GEORGE, a mathematician, invented a machine for ill.u.s.trating the law of uniformly accelerated motion, as in falling bodies (1745-1807).

ATTWOOD, THOMAS, an eminent English musician and composer, wrote a few anthems (1767-1836).

A'TYS, a beautiful Phrygian youth, beloved by Cybele, who turned him into a pine, after she had, by her apparition at his marriage to forbid the banns, driven him mad.

AUBE (255), a dep. in France, formed of Champagne and a small part of Burgundy, with Troyes for capital.

AU'BER, a popular French composer of operas, born at Caen; his operas included ”La Muette de Portici,” ”Le Domino Noir,” ”Fra Diavolo,”

&c. (1782-1871).

AU'BERT, THE ABBe, a French fabulist, born at Paris (1731-1814).

AUB'REY, JOHN, an eminent antiquary, a friend of Anthony Wood's; inherited estates in Wilts, Hereford, and Wales, all of which he lost by lawsuits and bad management; was intimate with all the literary men of the day; left a vast number of MSS.; published one work, ”Miscellanies,”

being a collection of popular superst.i.tions; preserved a good deal of the gossip of the period (1624-1697).

AUB'RIOT, a French statesman, born at Dijon, provost of Paris under Charles V.: built the famous Bastille; was imprisoned in it for heresy, but released by a mob; died at Dijon, 1382.

AUBRY DE MONTDIDIER, French knight murdered by ROBERT MACAIRE (q. v.), the sole witness of the crime and the avenger of it being his dog.

AUBUSSON, a French town on the Creuse, manufactures carpets and tapestry.