Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/486

 472 NOBLES NODDY 1853. While an apprentice to an engraver he became acquainted with the writings of Swe- denborg, and in 1810 was one of the found- ers of the London society for printing and publishing them. For 28 years he edited the "Intellectual Repository" while he pursued his profession of engraver. In 1820 he was or- dained a minister of the New Jerusalem church, and in 1824 delivered a course of lectures, pub- lished under the title of " Plenary Inspiration of the Scriptures" (1828), and subsequently another course of lectures, published as " An Appeal in behalf of the Doctrines of the New Church " (2d ed., 1 838). He also published two other volumes of lectures and sermons, and translated Swedenborg's " Heaven and Hell." NOBLES, a S. W. county of Minnesota, bor- dering on Iowa, and drained by the head waters of Des Moines, Rock, and Little Sioux rivers ; area, 720 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 117. The sur- face is rolling and the soil fertile. NOBUNAGA, a Japanese warrior and legis- lator, often mentioned in the letters of the Jesuit fathers from Japan, born in 1533, died in 1582. His family name was Ota. He was the lineal descendant of the premier Kiyomori (11 17- '81), the head of the Taira clan. No- bunaga's father at his death left him large land- ed possessions in central Japan. In that pe- riod of civil war his ability and vigor quickly gave him preeminence over all other leaders. He first fought on the side of the shogun (of the Ashikaga family), but about 1573 turned his arms against him, captured and deposed him, and thus brought to an end the third line of hereditary military usurpers who had seized the mikado'e prerogative and authority. He then governed Japan in the name of the mikado, holding the high office of naidaijin. During his lifetime the Portuguese missionaries first entered Japan. Nobunaga, being the fierce enemy of the Buddhist priesthood, encouraged the Jesuits in every possible manner, using them as a counterpoise to the native bonzes, though in his heart he hated both. The Jesuits and native biographers extol his justice and his ability as a statesman and general; but his memory is execrated by the bonzes and Buddhist people. Japanese Buddhism had in his time reached its culmination of power, and the great sects were immensely wealthy, frequently turning the scale of victory by their influence among the people, and the armies they kept in their pay. To destroy their pow- er, and to root up an ever threatening element of disorder and danger, Nobunaga in 1571 at- tacked the fortified monastery of Hiyeizan, near Kioto, burning the temples, numbering several hundreds, and slaying all the bonzes, with their retainers, concubines, and children by the thousand. For these acts he was laud- ed by the Portuguese missionaries. He also laid siege to the fortified monastery of Ozaka, which he would have stormed and burned had not the besieged surrendered. Japanese Buddh- ism has never recovered from this persecu- tion. A Japanese embassy visited Philip II. and Pope Gregory XIII. during Nobunaga's lifetime. The statement of the Jesuit fathers that he made an image of himself, and caused the people to worship it, is a mistake. In 1582, in the fulness of his power and fame, one of his captains attacked the temple of Honnoji, his residence; and Nobunaga, being wounded, set it on fire, and died by his own hand. He was succeeded by Hideyoshi. (See JAPAN, vol. ix., p. 542.) NODAWAY, a N. W. county of Missouri, bound^ ed N. by Iowa and W. by the Nodaway river, and drained by the Little Platte and the One Hundred and Two river ; area, 710 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 14,751, of whom 87 were colored. It is intersected by the Kansas City, St. Joseph, and Council Bluffs railroad. The chief pro- ductions in 1870 were 46, 824 bushels of wheat, 1,276,460 of Indian corn, 122,491 of oats, 66,- 061 of potatoes, 34,972 Ibs. of wool, 203,347 of butter, 15,335 of honey, 22,190 gallons of sor- ghum molasses, and 18,189 tons of hay. There were 6,715 horses, 1,070 mules and asses, 5,964 milch cows, 10,364 other cattle, 15,661 sheep, and 36,434 swine; 11 manufactories of sad- dlery and harness, 3 of tin, copper, and sheet- iron ware, 3 of brick and stone, and 11 saw mills. Capital, Maryville. NODDY, the common name of the birds of the tern family included in the genus anous (Leach). The bill is longer than the head, strong, with the culm en curved gradually to the acute tip, and a distinct angle to the lower mandible; wings long and pointed, the first quill the longest; tail long and graduated; tarsi rather short and slender ; toes long and united by a full web ; hind toe long and slen- der ; claws curved and sharp. The only spe- cies on our coast is the A. stolidus (Leach), 16 Noddy (Anous stolidus). in. long, with an extent of wings of 32 in., the bill If, and the weight 4f oz. ; the front of the head is grayish white, with a black spot over and before the eyes ; the rest of the plu- mage sooty brown, except the primaries and tail, which are brownish black ; the bill is black, the iris brown, and the legs and feet dull brownish red. They are found in the gulf of Mexico, and are esteemed as food. They are excellent swimmers and rapid fliers.