Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 01.djvu/304

AKENSIDE. year. In Peregrine. Pickle, Smollett satirically sketched the character of Akenside under that of the pedant who undertakes to give an enter- tainment after the manner of the ancients. Akenside, who practiced blank verse and the Spenserian stanza, was one of the pioneers among the romantic poets. He became dissatis- fied with his juvenile production, and at his deatli had written a portion of a new poem on the same subject. Both poems were published in the complete edition of his works in 1772. For his biography consult: Bucke (London, 18.32), and Dyce (London, 1800); also Beers, English Romanticism in the Eighteenth Cen- tury (Xcw York, 1899).

AKERBLAD, a'ker-blad, Johann David (170U-1819). A Swedish Orientalist and learned epigraphist. He was secretary of the Swedish embassy to Constantinoijle, whence he went to Jerusalem and the Troad in 1792-97. Later he was charge- d'affaires at Paris, Ijut spent his last years in Rome. He puldished Juscriptionis PhuenicicF Oxoniensis Intcrprelulio (1802) and Lettre sitr Vinscription egi/ptienne de Rosette (1802)..

AKERMAN. See.

AKERS, a'kerz, Benjamin (Paul) (1825-01). An American sculptor. He was born in West- brook. Me., .July 10, 182,5, and died at Pliiladel- phia, ilay 21, 1801. While in his father's saw- mill he made toys, and turned his original de- signs into ornamental woodwork. He tried to be a printer, then essayed to paint, but on viewing a plaster east he decided for sculpture, and placed himself under the instruction of Carew of Boston. In 1852 he went to Florence, where he passed a year in study. In 1854 he visited Rome. While in that city he executed his "Una and the Lion," "Girl Pressing Grapes," "Isaiah," and otlier works. He remained in Europe until, in 1800, failing health drove him home for a last vain endeavor to recover his strengtii. Haw- thorne referred to his "Milton" and " The Dead Pearl-Diver" in The Marble Faun : and it is said that the character of Kenyon in that book is drawn from the personality of the young sculp- tor. Akers also produced many portrait busts or medallions of distinguislied Americans, among tliem Longfellow, Edward Everett, and Sam Houston. He had, moreover, ability as an art writer, but only a few of his essays have been published.

A'KERSHEM, Miss Sopiironia. A character in Dickens's Our Mutual Friend. She becomes the wife of Albert Lammle (q.v.).

AKHALTSIKH, a'Kal-tslK'. The chief town of a district in the government of Tiflis, Russian Armenia, about 95 miles west of Tiflis. and 1450 miles by rail southeast of Moscow, on the banks of the Poskhov-Tchai, an affluent of the Kur (Map: Russia, F 0). It is situated in a valley of the Keldir Mountains, 3370 feet above the sea level. By the river running through it, tlie town is divided into the old town and citadel, on the left bank, and the new town on the right. The town is not surrounded by walls, for the citadel is considered sufficient protection, it being very strong and built on an almost inaccessible rock. The climate is salubrious, although the winters are very severe and the summers exceedingly hot. The surrounding scenery presents a view of wild, rugged beauty, enhanced by the numerous gar- dens encircling the town. The mosque of Sultan Ahmed, built on the model of St. Sophia in Con- stantinople, has a library attached to it which was accounted one of the most valuable in the East; but the Russians carried off a great part of its most valuable treasures to St. Petersburg. Some manufactures, especially of the smaller arms and weapons, are carried on in the town, and it maintains an active trade with various places on the Black Sea. Some 10 miles to the northwest of the town are the well-known Abas- Tumansk mineral springs. Deposits of lignite are also found in the neighborhood. Akhaltsikh was anciently called Keldir or Chaldir. Once a considerable mart for trading in Christian slaves, it has since its occupation by Russia become a Christian town, SO per cent, of its population being .rmenians and 10 per cent. Jews. It is the seat of an archbislKipric of the Greek church. In 1828, when the Russians took possession of it, it had a population of 50,000, but it has been decreasing ever since, so that at the time of the taking of the last census, in 1897, there were only 15,300 inliabitants.

AKHISSAR, iik'his-sar' ( anciently Lat. Thya- tira, Gk. OvaTeipn, Tliyatciru). A town in the Turkish vilayet of Smyrna, Asiatic Turkey, situ- ated 52 miles northeast of Smyrna, on somewhat elevated ground in the valley of the Hyllus (Jlap: Turkey in Asia, B 3). The streets are paved with carved stone, and other relics of an- tiquity abound, but there are no ruins of ancient buildings. Cotton goods are exported. The town is situated on the ]Monissa-Soma Railway. Popu- lation estimated at 0000 to 8000.

AKHMIM, aiv-mOm', or EKHMIM, cK-mOm'. A city of some 10,000 inhabitants, on the right bank of the Nile, in LTpper Egj-pt (Map: Egj^it, EG). It occupies the site of the ancient Chemrais or Panopolis, the seat of worship of the harvest god Min. an ithyphallic deity whom the Greeks identified with Pan. In Cliristian times the city became an important religious centre, and many converts congregated in the vicinit}'. Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, whose heresy was condemned by the Council of Ephesus, 431, died in banishment at Panopolis.

AKHTYRKA, aK-tlr'ka. A town of Euro- pean Russia, in the government of Kharkov, 72 miles northwest of Kharkov and 520 miles south of Moscow (Map: Russia, D 4). It is situated on a small river of the same name, an affluent of the Dnieper, in a rather low valley, and until very recently was unprotected from anniial in- undation. Even at present the surrounding country is often submerged, so that at times, es- pecially in the spring, connuunicatinn with tlie town becomes very difficult. It is a thriving little town, nevertheless, doing a lively trade with the great pilgrim crowds attracted there by the fa- mous Akhtyr image of the Holy Virgin, and by the Trinity cloister, situated on the outskirts of the town. Some manufacturing is carried on in textiles, boots and shoes, and a great annual fair is held. A considerable commerce is also carried on in gi-ain and cattle. The town was founded bv the Poles in 1041 and acquired by the Rus- sians in 1647. Pop.. 1897, 23.400.

AKHUND OF SWAT, a-K(5ond', swat, The (?-1878). A Mohanuucdan saint, who exercised great influence and had almost imquestioned authority over .Mohanunodans all over Central Asia. His residence in the mountainous