Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/635

* STEELE. 541 STEEN. undertakings Steele, a strong Whig, involved himself in political controversy, and was handled without mercy by Swift. He resigned his com- missionership of stamps and entered Parliament, but he was expelled (ilarcli, 1714) for seditious libel contained in The Crisis, a pamphlet in favnr of the Hanoverian succession. On the accession of George I. Steele was again elected to Parlia- ment (1715). He also secured the patent of Drury Lane Theatre (worth £1000 a year), for which he wrote his last comedy, TJic Conscious Lover (1722). Broken in health, he passed his last years at Carmarthen, in Wales, where he died September 1, 1729. He was buried there in Saint Peter's Church. As a man Steele possessed no dark vices. He was improvident, generous, and liglit-hearted. As a poet he won no place. His political pam- phlets, though of interest, are not convincing. His comedies, notwithstanding their aim to purge the stage of inimoralitj-, are still read for the wit and gayety in special scenes. As an essayist he has often been compared with Addison to his disparagement. Addison was indeed his superior in taste and humor. But Steele possessed the kindlier heart. Of his generation he stands al- most alone in the respect he everyw liere shows to women. Anent Lady Elizabeth Hastings he wrote that "to love her was a liberal education." The same sincere heart spoke out in his affection for children. Addison was a stylist. Steele com- posed off-hand with little attention to form. But he preceded Addison and thus became the father of the essay and sketch dealing with contem- porary manners, which, under the hand of Field- ing, was transformed into the novel. See Addi- son, Joseph. Consult the excellent biographies of Steele by Aitkeu (London. 1SS9) and by' Dobson ("English Worthies," ib.. 1886) ; Thackeray, English Hu- mourists (ib.. 1853) : The Spectator (ib.. 1808) ; The Tatlcr (ib., 1S09) ; and Plays ("Mermaid" series, ib., 1893), all admirably edited by Ait- ken. STEEL-ENGRAVING. See Engraving. STEELHEAD (from the color and hardness of the head), or Hardhead. The large sea-trout or salmon-trout of the Pacific Slope {Salmo Criard- neri) . It is found in coastwise streams from Santa Barbara County, Cal., northward nearly to Alaska. It reaches a length of 30 inches. See Salmon. STEEL SHAPES. Structural steel produced by a rolling mill in certain fixed shapes such as angles, I bars, tees, bulbs, etc. See illustrations of typical shapes and description of process of manufacture under Polling Mill. See also Beam. STEEL'TON. A borough in Dauphin County, Pa., 3 miles southeast of Harrisburg: on the Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia and Reading railroads (Map: Pennsylvania, E 3). It has a public library. Tt is known for its steel in- terests, the extensive works of the Pennsylvania Steel Company being here. Other establishments are shirt and hose factories, brick-yards, and a flouring mill. The government is vested in a cliief burgess, elected every three years, and a unicameral council. The water-works are owned by the municipality. Steelton was settled in 1805 and was incorporated in 1880. Population, in 1890, 9250; in 1900, 12,080. STEEL WOOL. An abrading material used as a substitute for sand, glass, or emery paper for polishing wood or metal work. It is composed of sharp-edged threads of steel, which curl up like wool or excelsior. STEELYARD. See BAtAXCE. STEEN, stun, Jan (c. 1020-79). A celebrated Dutch genre painter, foremost among the de- lineators of low life, which he illustralid with rare mastery. Born at Leydcn, lie is said to have been instructed first at Utrecht by Nicolas Knupfer (1603-00), then at The Hague by Jan van Goyen, whose daugliter he married in 1049. He lived at Haarlem from 1601 to 1669, in con- stant pecuniary difficulties, varying his pursuit of art by renting a brewery at Delft and keeping a tavern at Leyden. With regard to his artistic training it seems likely that he received im- pressions from Frans and Dirk Hals. The influ- ence of the latter is plainly traceable in Steen's early productions, notably in the "Wedding Par- t.y" (Ducal Palace. Dessau), the most character- istic specimen, but also in the humorous "Bridal Procession" (1653, Six Gallerj'. Amsterdam), in "After the Carousal" and "Revelry" (both in Am- sterdam Museum), and in "Dissolute Company" (Berlin Museum). All these transplant us to the sphere in which so many scenes depicted by Steen are enacted, the atmosphere of low taverns, where the changes on the theme "Wine. Woman, and Song" are rung in all imaginable varia- tions. Indubitably Jan Steen is the most genial among the masters of the genre in the entire Dutch school. His dated pictures belong, with a few exceptions, to the decade from 1000 to 1671, his Haarlem period, the most bril- liant of his artistic activity. Its beginning is marked by the ingenious domestic scene known as "The Menagerie" (1660. Hague Gal- lery), and in strong contrast to it "Prince's Day" (Amsterdam Museum), with numeroi^s figures. Other noteworthv examples at The Hague are: "The Painter's Family" (c.l663), "Oyster Party in Steen's Brewery," and "Doctor's Visit;" and in Amsterdam: "Eve of Saint Nicholas." a favor- ite and often repeated subject of the master, "Family Scene" (2). "The Parrot's Cage." "Cat's Dancing Lesson." "Rural Wedding," and "Love- sick." one of his most perfect works. The Brus- sels Museum contains "A Gallant Off'cr" and "The Rhetoricians;" the Louvre, "Evil Association," "Family Repast." and "A Village Festival" (1674), with many figures. Besides similar subjects in the galleries of Berlin, Munich, and Vienna, there are to be mentioned "The Fea.st of Beans" (1668, Cassel Gallery) and "The Marriage Contract" (Brunswick Museum), perhaps his most remark- able work for size, dramatic feeling, and equably carried out execution. A cabinet piece in the manner of Terborch is the "5Iusic Lesson" ( 1671 ) , in the National Gallery, London, and several fine interiors may be seen in Buckingham Palace, London, while over ninety nf his works are in private collections in England. Consult: Van Westrheene. Jan Steen. Etude sur I'nrt en UoUunde (The Hague, 1856) ; Lemcke, in Dulime, Kunst und Kiinsller, etc. (Leipzig, 1878) ; and Rosenberg, Terborch und Jan Uteen ( ib., 1S97).