Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 10).

Date:
1830-33
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 10). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    his arrival, the measure was laid aside, and Pt'ini became once more welcome at court, on the accession of queen Anne. In 1710, finding the air near the city to disagree with his declining health, he took a handsome seat in Buckingham- shire, at which he continued to reside (hiring the remainder of his life. In the year 1712, he had three distinct fits of the apoplectic kind. The last of these so im- paired his memory and understanding as to render him ever after unfit for public action ; but he continued to deliver, in the meeting at Reading, short, but sound and sensible expressions. In 1717, be scarcely knew bis old acquaintance, or could walk Without leading. He died in 1718. The writings of Penn (first published in two volumes folio) bespeak bis character as a Christian and a philanthropist. Of his ability as a politician and legislator, the prosperity of Pennsylvania is a lasting monument. Pennalism is the name for the torments and impositions to which the elder stu- dents in German universities used to sub- ject the younger ones, called Pennale (pen-cases), afterwards yores. This abuse was carried to a great extent ; and books written 200 years ago exhibit a real bar- barity of manners in this respect. In ](i(il and 1663, the German empire thought it necessary to enact laws against pennal- ism. It corresponds to the English yag- ging; and, though few traces of it exist at present in Germany, it is still customary, in most schools, to greet the foxes (scholars who ascend from a lower class into a higher) with a sound beating; and we find in Byron's Life, by Moore, to what an extent fagging has been carried in England. It is said that pennalism origi- nate:! in the Italian universities (Bologna, &e.), which is very probable, as the stu- dents at these universities kept together in nations, in order to protect each other, and young students went with rec- ommendations to the senior of those na- tions. But in those rude times, the weak, who wanted protection, were every where exposed to the brutal abuse of the stronger. Among mechanics, apprentices and young journeymen were subjected to similar discipline—a consequence of the rude feudalism which had penetrated every part of society. Others derive these prac- tices from the chapters of the clergy, among whom every new canon was obliged to pay a certain sum for a banquet on his entrance ; and it is a well known fact, that many of the customs, songs (de- cent and indecent), &c. of German stu- dents, originated in the chapters and monasteries. (See Feast of Fools.) Pennant, Thomas, an English natu- ralist and antiquary, born at Downing, in Flintshire, in 1720, studied at Oxford. His first production was an account of an earthquake felt in Flintshire, April 2,1750, which appeared in the Philosophical Transactions, in 1756; and, the following year, he was chosen a member of the royal society of Upsal, through the influ- ence of Linnseus. He commenced, in 1761, a body of British Zoology, which first appeared in four vols, folio, and was republished in quarto and octavo, and translated into German by C. Theoph. Murr. This work was followed by bis Indian Zoology (1769) ; Synopsis of Quadrupeds (1771) ; Genera of Birds (1773); History of Quadrupeds (1781); Arctic Zoology (1786); and Index to Button's Natural History of Birds (1787). In 1765, Mr. Pennant took a journey to the continent, when he visited Bunon, Haller, Pallas, and other eminent foreign- ers. He was admitted into the royal so- ciety in 1767; and, in 176!), he undertook a tour into Scotland, of which he publish- ed an account in 1771, and a second vol- ume appeared in 1776, relating to a sec- ond tour in the same country, and a voyage to the Hebrides. In I77H, he published a tour in Wales; to which was afterwards added, in another volume, a Journey to Snowdon. He produced, in 1782, a narrative of a Journey from Ches- ter to London; and in 1790 appeared his amusing work, An Account of London (4to.). In 1793, be professedly took leave of the public in a piece of autobiography —the Literary Life of the late Thomas Pennant; but be subsequently committed to the press a History of Whiteford and Holywell, in his native county. He died in 1798. After his death appeared Outlines of the Globe (4 vols., 4to.), forming a por- tion of a very extensive undertaking, which was never completed, and some other posthumous publications. His skill in the selection of interesting subjects for discussion, and his felicity of illustration, attracted admirers, rather than the extent of his researches, or the profundity of bis observations. Pennsylvania, one of the United States, as now limited, extends from N. lat. 39° 43' to N. lat. 42° 16', and from 74° 35' to 80° 31' W. Ion. from Greenwich. It is bounded north by New York; east by the river Delaware, which separates it from New Jersey; south-east by the state of Delaware; south by Maryland and part