Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/736

* KAFFLESIA. 648 RAGLAN. head while the perianth is covered with im- bricated bracts, vhieh are more or less re- curved after it has opened. The vegetative part which ramifies in the tissues of the host resem- bles the mycelium of a fungus. After the flower has expanded, it diffuses a carrion-like smell, which induces flies to deposit their eggs. The largest and first discovered species, Rafflcsia Arnoldi, was discovered in 1818 in Sumatra by Dr. Arnold, and was sent to Robert Brown by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the British Gov- ernor in Sumatra, in honor of whom the genus was named. Its flower measures fully three feet in diameter, is capable of containing almost two gallons of fluid, sometimes weighs fifteen pounds, and is the largest of all known flowers. Other smaller flowered species have been found in the >Ialay Archipelago and the Philippine Islands. RAFIN, ra'faN'. Catharine Josephine. The real name of the French actress commonly called Catharine Josephine EKichesnois (q.v.). RAFINESQTJE, ra'fe-nesk', Constantine SilALTZ (1784-1842). An American botanist, of French-German descent, born at Galata ( Constan- tinople). On his first visit to the United States in 1802 he spent three years in Pennsylvania and Delaware collecting botanical specimens. After- wards he went to Sicily and was there ten years, during which time he continued to study botany and wrote several scientific works in Italian. He was shipwrecked off' the coast of Long Island in 1815, on his way to Xew York, and lost his collection of manuscripts and books. In 1818 he became professor of botany at Transylvania University. Lexington, Ky. Ultimately he set- tled in Philadelphia. Though a man of wide learning, his works are marred by his tendency to multiply species and by frequent inaccuracies. They include: Iclithi/olofiia Ohiocnsis (1820); Annals of Kentucky {%'2i) . Atlantic Journal and Friend of Knoulcdge (8 numbers, 1832-33) ; Medical Flora of the United States (1828-30); and The Complete Writinf/s of S. C. Rafinesque on Recent and Fossil Conehology (1864, edited by Binney and Tryon ) . Consult Gray. "Botanical Writings of Rafinesque" {Silliman's Journal, 1841). RAFN, rafn, Carl Christian (1795-1864). A Dai'ish critic and archieologist. He was born at Brahetrollcborg. in the island of Funen, and educated at the L'niversity of Copenhagen, of which he was appointed sub-librarian in 1821, In 1825 he founded the 'Society of Northern Antiquities,' as secretary of which he edited and published many ancient Scandinavian manu- scripts, occupying about seventy volumes. Among his numerous important works are a Danish translation of Xorse ilj-thic and Romantic Sagas (3 vols., 2d ed., 1820-30) : an edition of Ragnar Lodbrog's death-song, under the title of Kraku- mal, sen Epicedium Rnynaris Lodhroci. Regis Dnnice (1826) : a complete collection of the Norse sagas entitled Fornaldar-Sogur XordUinda (1820- 30) ; and the Fareyinga-Sagn (1823). His most widely known work was his Antiquitates Aineri- canw (1837), followed up by him and Finn Mag- nussen in their Historical Monuments of Green- land (1838-45), Another important work in which Rafn collaborated was the great collection of historical sagas representing events that took place out of Iceland, and entitled Forn manna Sogur (1828 sqq. ). He also had a great share in drawing up and editing the Icelandic manuscripts relating to the history of Russia and other East- ern countries, of which three volumes appeared at Copenhagen in 1850-55, under the title of Antiquites russes et oricntales. RAGATZ, ra'gats, or RAGAZ. A tourist resort in the Canton of Saint Gall, Switzerland, 11 miles northwest of Chur. It is attractively situated at the mouth of the Tamina Gorge above the confluence of the turbulent Tamina with the Rhine, and commands a fine view of the Rhine Valley. Its chief features are the Kursaal and gardens, the mineral springs and baths, and Bad Pfiifers (q.v.). There is a monument to Schelling in the cemetery. Ragatz attracts annually an average of 50,000 visitors. Permanent population, in 1900, 1862. RAGGED ROBIN". See Lychnis. RAGGED SCHOOLS. Schools maintained by private philanthropy in various English cities. It is not certainly known who first suggested them, but credit for a successful experiment is due to a poor shoemaker, John Pounds, of Ports- mouth, who tor twenty years prior to his death, in 1839, gathered poor children about him and taught tliem as he worked. In 1838 London had a Ragged Sunday School, which later became a free day school. The school at Field Lane was opened in 1843. The first free boarding school was started by Sheriff' Watson in Aberdeen in 1841. In 1845 Dr. Robertson opened a similar school in the Vennel, Edinburgh. In 1847 Dr. Guthrie published his well-known Plea for the Ragged Schools, which had great influence. The movement spread and in a few years ragged schools were to be found in most of the cities. The further development of the English school system, particularly trader the acts of 1870 and 1872. winch introduced compulsory school at- tendance in England and Scotland, merged many of the ragged schools into the public schools. After 1851 the ragged schools received small grants from the general funds and a capitation grant of £2 10s. was allowed by the Privy Council from 1856 to 1859. Consult Cornwa'ilis, Phi- losojihii of the Rugged Schools (London, 1851), RAGGEE (from Hind, ragi). Eleusine coro- canii. An Indian grain. See Eleusine. RAGHUVAMSA, rug'hoo-vaN'sa (Skt.. fam- ily of Raghu). The title of a celebrated Sanskrit poem by Kalidasa (q.v.). In nineteen cantos it describes the life of Rama (see Ramayana) and his forefathers and descendants. The work is one of considerable beauty, especially in its similes, and is characterized liy rapidity of movement and poetic charm. The te.xt of the Raghuvamsa has been edited repeatedly. The most important editions are those of Stenzler with a Latin trans- lation (London, 1832), by Pandit with tlie best native commentary (m the poem, that of Jlal- linatha (Bombay.' 1869-74), and also by Parab (ib,, 1893), by Jvalaprasad with an English translation (ib., 1895), and an English transla- tion l)y .Johnstone (London, 1902). RAG'LAN, Lord Fitzroy James Henry Som- erset, first Baron (1788-1855). An English field-marshal, the eighth son of the fifth Duke of Beaufort. He entered the army in 1804 and went to the Peninsula in 1808 as aide-de-camp of Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Welling- ton), whose military secretary he became three