Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/401

 AMARAPURA AMATI 377 branchy, 3 feet high; leaves yellow, red, and green; flowers green, lateral. A. hypochon- driacus (prince's feather), with erect flower spikes and purplish foliage, is a native of Virginia. These hardy species can be sown in the open border, while the less hardy require a gentle hot-bed, whence they may be potted off singly, in rich soil, and well watered. The above-named species blossom from June to October. Many of the spe- cies, having mucilaginous leaves, are used as pot herbs, with lemon juice. A. viridis is emollient, good for cataplasms. The seeds of A. frumentacem and anardhana are eaten in India. A. oltusifolius is diuretic. Some others are variously employed in South America. AJIARAPURA, or Immerapnra, a city of the Burman empire, 6 m. N". E. of Ava, near the left bank of the Irrawaddy. It was founded in 1783, and made the capital of the country, but in 1819 the seat of government was trans- ferred again to Ava. In March, 1810, the whole city, then containing over 170,000 in- habitants, was burned to the ground. In 1827 the population was not over 30,000. Many of the public buildings present a magnificent spec- tacle, having their roofs richly gilt within and without. One of its temples, a vast edifice adorned with sculptures, contains a colossal bronze statue of Gautama. A whole street was formerly occupied by goldsmiths. Dr. Adolf Bastian, who visited Amarapura in 1861-'2, describes it as entirely decayed, only a suburb inhabited by Chinese exhibiting any activity. A9IASIA, Amasioli, or Amasiyah, a city of Asia Mi- nor, in the pashalic of Sivas, on the Yeshil-Irmak, 50 m. S. S. W. of Samsun on the Black sea ; pop. about 25,000. It is situated in a deep val- ley enclosed by precipitous rocks, upon one of which, on the left bank of the river, are the re- mains of an ancient acropolis and two Hellenic towers. Four bridges, one probably of Roman construction, cross the river within the limits of the city. The houses are of stone, but mean and small ; the bazaars are poor ; and the prin- cipal buildings are in ruins. There is an active trade in raw silks, wine, madder, grain, and cotton. The early history of the town is un- known. It was the metropolis of Pontus under the Roman domination of Asia Minor. Strabo the geographer was born here, and gives a minute description of the place. The tombs of the kings, of which he speaks, are still to be seen, scooped out of the face of the rock upon which the citadel stands. A9IASIS, or Amosis (Eg. Ahames or Ahmes, the new moon, or engendered by the moon), the name of two Egyptian kings. I. The first Pha- raoh of the 18th dynasty. He reigned from 1525 to 1499 B. 0. He led the insurrection against the Hyksos in Lower Egypt, besieged and captured their great stronghold, Avaris, pursued them into Canaan, captured there a number of towns, and thus began that series of Egyptian wars in western Asia, in which his successors carried their arms even beyond the Euphrates. II. The last ruler but one of the 26th dynasty, reigned from 509 to 526 B. C. He erected monuments in various parts of Egypt, and particularly adorned Sai's. He was a good sovereign, and is mentioned especially by Herodotus as having had friendly inter- course with Solon, and with the celebrated Poly- crates of Samos. He encouraged Greeks to settle in Egypt, and maintained good relations with Cyrene and other Hellenic states. Under his son Psammenitus, who reigned only six months, Egypt was conquered by Cambyses. AMATI, a family of Cremona, celebrated for the perfection attained by many of its members in the construction of violins and instruments of that class. I. Andrea, born in Cremona between 1500 and 1520, died about 1577. He is said to have served an appren- ticeship as a violin maker at Brescia, and he established a shop of his own at Cremona while still a young man. The instruments used in the chamber concerts of his time, such for instance as the lutes, theorbos, guitars, and mandolins, were all soft-toned, and sweetness rather than power of tone was sought in their construction. Following this taste, his violins are remarkable for their exquisite softness of tone and the beauty of their workmanship. They are of small and medium patterns, the arch elevated ; the wood of the bottom runs with the grain, the sounding-boards are mod- erately thick, and the varnish is of a clear brown. Very few of his instruments now ex- ist. Charles IX. possessed a collection of 24 violins, viols, and basses made to his order by Andrea Amati. They were very elaborately or- namented, having the arms of France and vari- ous other devices painted in colors on the back. II. Nicolo, a younger brother of the preceding, known for the excellence of his violoncellos. He is believed to have outlived Andrea, though the exact dates of his birth and death are un- certain. III. Antonio, son of Andrea, born at Cremona about 1550, died in 1635. He was his father's pupil, and succeeded him in business. For a time he was associated with his brother Geronimo, and the instruments bearing their joint names are much esteemed. Antonio adopted the models of his father, but made a much greater number of small than of large in- struments. His violins produce delicate, sweet, and pure tones, but they have little power. The first and second strings are the best, the third a little dull, and the fourth slightly dry in tone. His violins are all of exquisite finish ; the arch is high in the centre, and the fir of which the sounding-boards are made is of a fine and delicate grain. IV. Geronimo (date of birth and death unknown), youngest son of Andrea, was a pupil of his father. His violins were generally of a larger pattern than those of his father and brother, and inferior to them. No violins bearing his mark subsequent to 1638 are known to exist. V. Nieolo, son of Geroni- mo, born Sept. 3, 1596, died Aug. 12, 1684. He was the most celebrated of the family, and