Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/273

 SPERANSKI Alexandrine line, and the diction was purpose- ly studded with forms and phrases which had become antiquated. Yet Spenser is scarcely surpassed as a master of musical language. The leading story is an allegory, founded on the traditional history of Prince Arthur, who was taken as the ideal of a noble person. Glo- riana, the queen of Faerie, who gave name to the poem, is an emblem of virtuous renown. All the personages are symbolical and all the incidents significant of moral truths. The sub- ject of each book is a moral attribute, as holi- ness, temperance, chastity, friendship, justice, and courtesy, personified by a knight errant, with all human passions. The last great poem of chivalry, it was received with enthusiasm in the adventurous age of Elizabeth. The first canto is much the finest ; the allegory in it is so skilfully disguised that it may be dis- regarded ; and it fully exhibits the freshness and power of his genius. An edition of his ioems by G. S. Hillard, with a critical intro- .uctlon, was published in Boston in 1839 (5 vols.). They also form five volumes (1855) in the Boston collection of " British Poets." A variorum edition was published by the Rev. Henry John Todd (8 vols. 8vo, London, 1805). An edition, with glossary, notes, and life, by J. P. Collier (5 vols. 8vo, London, 1862), is probably the most accurate and complete. SPERANSKI, Mikhail, a Russian statesman, born in the government of Vladimir, Jan. 1, 1772, died in St. Petersburg, Feb. 23, 1839. In 1797 he was appointed professor of math- ematics at St. Petersburg, in 1801 secretary to the council of the empire, in 1802 was charged with the organization of the ministry of the interior, and in 1808 became assistant minis- ter of justice. He improved the finances, re- modelled the method of taxation, increased the educational funds, introduced a new pe- nal code, and reorganized the commission for codifying the laws. In March, 1812, he was forced to resign, and was banished to Nizhni- Novgorod ; but in 1816 he was restored to favor, and in 1817 appointed governor of Pen- za, and in 1819 of Siberia. On the accession of Nicholas in 1825, he was appointed presi- dent of the chancery, and resumed the work of codifying the laws. He published all the laws and edicts from 1694 in 45 vols. 4to, and an abridgment in 15 vols. 8vo. SPERMACETI (Gr. aTrepfia, sperm, and tajrog, a whale), a solid crystalline fat, extracted from the oily fluids found in a triangular cavity by the right side of the nose and in the upper part of the head of the sperm whale or blunt- headed cachelot, and also in smaller quanti- ties in some other species of the cetacea. The liquid contents boiled out from the head of the sperm whale of ordinary size sometimes amount to more than 12 large barrels full. When cold they concrete into a spongy mass, from which the larger portion of the oil drains away, leaving the crude spermaceti. This fil- tration is made more effective by compression SPEZIA 261 in bags in a hydraulic press ; and the subse- quent purification is effected by melting the residue in water and skimming off the impu- rities, and remelting in a weak potash lye, which removes nearly all traces of the oil. The spermaceti is then melted alone by steam heat, and ladled into pans, where it cools in white, semi-transparent, lamellar cakes. The last traces of oil may be removed by boiling once or more with alcohol, which dissolves the spermaceti, but when cold holds only the oil. Pure spermaceti, called cetine, has a foliaceous texture and a delicate whiteness. It is semi- transparent, friable, unctuous to the touch, and resembles white wax in lustre and hard- ness. It is without taste and of hardly any odor ; of specific gravity '940 ; melts at 120 ; dissolves readily in hot ether, and in the fatty and volatile oils, separating on cooling. At high temperatures it sublimes without decom- position if protected from the air. By the ad- dition of a few drops of alcohol or of almond oil it may be powdered. Its ready inflamma- bility in connection with its fusibility renders it well adapted for candles, which is the chief use made of it. (See CANDLE.) It has been employed in medicine, combined with sirup or mucilage, to protect the throat in coughs and colds; and triturated with sugar candy with the addition of milk, it forms a simple nutritive mixture. In pharmacy its use is of greater importance as an ingredient in oint- ments and cerates. It is not readily saponi- fied, and in this change it differs from the other fats in not yielding glycerine, but an- other base instead, termed ethal, a white, solid substance, fusible at 118, and possessing the properties of a true alcohol. It is also called cetylic or ethalic alcohol, and is represented by the formula Ci6H S4 O. The acid, into which also the spermaceti is resolved, is known as the cetylic, ethalic, or palmitic acid, and is represented by the formula dsHsaOs. SPERMOPHILE. See PRAIRIE SQUIEREL. SPERM WHALE. See WHALE. SPEISIPPCS, a Greek philosopher, born in Athens about 380 B. C., died in 339. He was a nephew of Plato, and at his death succeeded him as president of the academy, over which he presided eight years (347-339). He fol- lowed partially the philosophic system of his master, but diverged from it in the promi- nence he gave to empiricism. He adopted Plato's threefold division of philosophy into dialectics, ethics, and physics. SPEYER, or Speyr. See SPIRE. SPEZIA, La, a town of N. Italy, in the prov- ince and 50 m. S. E. of the city of Genoa ; pop. in 1872, 24,123. It is at the N. W. extremity of the gulf of Spezia (anc. Forties Lunce), which is one of the largest and finest harbors in the world, surrounded by lofty mountains and con- taining within itself many minor ports. Spezia contains the principal naval arsenal of Italy, and is an important station for foreign squad- rons. The arrivals and departures of steamers