Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/143

ALCOTT and practical subjects occupied his later years. His chief works are "Orphic Sayings," contributed to the "Dial" (1840); "Tablets" (1868); "Concord Days" (1872); "Table-Talk" (1877); "Sonnets and Canzonets" (1882); "Ralph Waldo Emerson, His Character and Genius" (1882); "New Connecticut" (1886). He died in Boston, March 4, 1888.

ALCOTT, LOUISA MAY, an American author, daughter of the preceding, born in Germantown, Pa., Nov. 29, 1832; wrote at an early age, "Little Women" (1868), "Little Men" (1871), "Old-Fashioned Girl," "Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag," "Rose in Bloom," and many others of like character and popularity. She died in Boston, Mass., March 6, 1888.

ALCUIN (alk´win), an English ecclesiastic, born at York in 735. He was a pupil of Bede and of Egbert, whose librarian he became, and who appointed him director of the school of York. His reputation reached Charlemagne, who called him to France in 782 to aid in his designs for education in the empire. Charlemagne became himself a pupil of Alcuin. Alcuin's teaching was in the seven liberal arts of that time, which include music and astronomy; and to these were added Biblical exegesis. Under his influence schools were established at Lyons, Orleans, and Tours. He was so much trusted as to be made a member of the Council of Frankfort (794). where Felix, Bishop of Urgel, was condemned for heresy. Charlemagne loaded Alcuin with riches, and allowed him to have more than 1,000 slaves. He made with his own hand a copy of the Scripture, which he presented to Charlemagne, and which became of great assistance to later editors. His importance lies not so much in his erudition as in the fact that he transplanted the wisdom of antiquity into the kingdom of Charlemagne, and thus into the greater part of Europe. Till his death here in 804, he still corresponded constantly with Charlemagne. His works comprise poems, works on grammar, rhetoric, and dialectics, theological and ethical treatises, lives of several saints, and over 200 letters.

ALCYONIUM, in zoölogy, a genus of polyps; the typical one of the family alcyonidæ. The alcyonium digitatum is found attached to stones, mussel shells, as "dead men's fingers," "dead men's toes," and "cow's paps." These names are applied to the alcyonium from its resemblance to finger-shaped masses, each of which masses consists of a colony of several hundred polyps united to form a composite organism. They are found attached to stones, mussel shells, and other objects. The alcyonium carneum abounds on the shores of America N. of the latitude of Cape Cod.

ALDEHYDES, in chemistry, compounds formed by the oxidation of alcohols, and are reconverted into alcohols by the action of nascent hydrogen; by further oxidation they are converted into acids. They differ from alcohols in having two atoms less of hydrogen, which are removed from the carbon atom containing the radical HO´ (hydroxyl) connected to it in the alcohol; thus the aldehyde monatomic radical is (O=C—H)´. Many aldehydes of monatomic alcohols have been prepared by oxidation of the alcohols, or by distilling a mixture of the potassium salt of the corresponding acid with potassium formate, which yields potassium carbonate and the aldehyde. Aldehydes form crystalline compounds with acid sulphites; they also unite with aniline. Ketones are aldehydes in which the atom of hydrogen united to the radical (CO)´ is replaced by a hydrocarbon radical.

ALDEN, HENRY MILLS, an American editor and prose writer, born at Mount Tabor, Vt., Nov. 11, 1836. He was graduated at Williams College and Andover Theological Seminary; settled in New York in 1861, became managing editor of "Harper's Weekly" in 1864, and editor of "Harper's Monthly Magazine" in 1868. He published "The Ancient Lady of Sorrow," a poem (1872); "God in His World" (1890); and "A Study of Death" (1895). He died in 1919.

ALDEN, JOHN, a magistrate of the Plymouth colony, born in 1599. His name is familiarized by the poem of Longfellow, "The Courtship of Miles Standish." He was originally a cooper of Southampton, was employed in making repairs on the ship "Mayflower," and came over in her with the Pilgrim Fathers. He was for over 50 years a colonial magistrate. He died in 1687.

ALDEN, WILLIAM LIVINGSTON, an American humorous writer and journalist, born at Williamstown, Mass., Oct. 9, 1837. He introduced the sport of canoeing into the United States. He was for a time United States Consul-General at Rome. Among his principal writings are "Domestic Explosives" (1877); "Shooting Stars" (1878); "Moral Pirates" (1880); "The Comic Liar" (1882); "A New Robinson Cru-