RAMBLA-RAMBOUILLET.

that of the epic poetry of Homer. Whereas the RAMBOUILLET, CATHERINE, MARQUISE DE, character of the Mahabharata is cyclopædical, its one of the most accomplished and illustrious women main subject-matter overgrown by episodes of the of the 17th c., was born at Rome, of Italian parents, most diversified nature, its diction differing in in 1588, and received a refined education under the merit, both from a poetical and grammatical point superintendence of her mother, the Marchese o of view, according to the ages that worked at its Pisani. At the age of 12, she was betrothed to a completion—the R. has but one object in view, the French nobleman, Charles d'Angennes, son of the history of Rama. Its episodes are rare, and Marquis de Rambouillet, who succeeded to the restricted to the early portion of the work, and its family estates and title on the death of his father poetical diction betrays throughout the same finish in 1611. When the youthful marquise first appeared and the same poetical genius. Nor can there be in the assemblies at the Louvre, she was shocked by any reasonable doubt as to the relative ages of the gross corruption of morals and manners that both poems, provided that we look upon the prevailed among the mob of courtiers, and almost Mahá1hârata in the form in which it is preserved, immediately conceived the idea of forming a select as a whole. Whether we apply as a test the aspect circle for herself, which should meet at her own house of the religious life, or the geographical and other-the famous Hôtel de Rambouillet. Madame de knowledge displayed in the one and the other R. was admirably fitted for presiding at the reunions work, the R. appears as the older of the two. Since which have made her name famous in the literary it is the chief source whence our information of history of France. Handsome and gracious, but free the Rama incarnation of Vishn'u is derived, its from coquetry and all personal pretensions, her affacontents may be gathered from that portion of the bility, generosity, and steadfast attachment to her article VISHNU which relates to Ramachandra. friends, made her an object almost of worship to those The R. contains (professedly) 24,000 epic verses, or who enjoyed her society. The writers of that epoch Slokis, in seven books, or Kân'd'as, called the Bala-, are unanimous in the expression of their homage. Ayodhya-, Aran'ya-, Kishkindhâ-, Sundara-, Yuddha- The characteristic feature of the Rambouillet circle (or Lanka-), and Uttara-Kân'd'a. The text which was the intercourse, on terms of equality, of the has come down to us exhibits, in different sets of aristocracy of rank and the aristocracy of genius. manuscripts, such considerable discrepancies, that it There, for the first time, do we meet with a generous becomes necessary to speak of two recensions in and adequate recognition of the dignity of letters. which it now exists. This remarkable fact was first For fifty years the sulons of the marquise were made known by A. W. von Schlegel, who, in Europe, hospitably open to the wits, critics, scholars, and was the first who attempted a critical edition of this poets of Paris, beginning with Malherbe and Racan, poem; it is now fully corroborated by a comparison followed by that distinguished circle of beaux that may be made between the printed editions of esprits who contributed so much to the formation of both texts. The one is more concise in its diction, the French language and taste-Costar, Sarrazin, and has less tendency than the other to that kind of Conrart, Patru, Balzac, Segrais, Godeau, Voiture, descriptive enlargement of facts and sentiments and Corneille; and closing with the generation who which characterises the later poetry of India; it filled up the interregnum from Corneille to Molière, often also exhibits grammatical forms and peculiari- Scarron, Saint-Evremond, Benserade, the Duc ties of an archaic stamp, where the other studiously de Larochefoucauld, &c. Many of the literary avoids that which must have appeared to its editors débuts of celebrated geniuses were made at the in the light of a grammatical difficulty. In short, Hôtel de Rambouillet. Here Corneille read his there can be little doubt that the former is the first piece, Mélite, and Armand du Plessis, afterolder and more genuine, and the latter the more wards Cardinal Richelieu, sustained a Thèse recent, and, in some respect, more spurious text. A d'Amour, and Boileau preached one of his earliest complete edition of the older text, with two com- sermons. But the Hôtel was almost as much mentaries, was published at Madras in 1856 (in the renowned for the brilliant and accomplished women Telugu characters, vol. i.-iii.); another edition of who frequented it, as for its crowd of professional the same text, with a short commentary, appeared littérateurs. The names of Mademoiselle de at Calcutta in two vols. (1860), and a more careful Scudéry, of Mademoiselle Coligny-afterwards and elegant one at Bombay (1861). Of the later Comtesse de la Suze-and of the Marquise de edition, Signor Gaspare Gorresio has edited the first Sablé, who inspired the Maximes of Larochefou six books (vol. i.-v., Paris, 1843-1850) without a cauld, are among the most distinguished of their commentary, but with an Italian, somewhat free, time and country; but above them all, as conspitranslation in poetical prose (vol. vi.-x., Paris, 1847 cuous by her splendid beauty as by her faultless -1858). Former attempts at an edition and trans- grace of manner, the centre and idol of both sexes, lation of the R. remained unfortunately incomplete. shone the sister of the great Condé, and the heroine The earliest was that made by William Carey and of the Fronde-the Duchesse de Longueville. The Joshua Marshman, who edited the first two books, combined influence of so many different sorts of and added to the text a prose translation in English esprit exercised a profound and lasting influence and explanatary notes (vol. i.—iii., Serampore, 1806 on the literature and society of the 17th c., and is -1810; and vol. i, containing the first book, Dun- considered-rightly, as we think-to have developed stable, 1808). Another edition, of an eclectic nature, quite a new art that of lively, polished converis that by A. W. von Schlegel; it contains the first sation, in which France has ever since taken the two books of the text, and an excellent Latin trans-lead, and has thus placed itself socially in the front lation of the first book and twenty chapters of the of European civilisation. It has been customary to second (vol. i, parts 1 and 2, and vol. ii. part 1, say that the Précieuses Ridicules of Molière was Bonn, 1846). Various episodes from the R., it may aimed at the foibles of the Rambouillet coterie. But also be added, have at various times occupied this notion has been shewn to be entirely groundsundry editors and translators. less. The Précieuses Ridicules was actually first performed at the Hôtel, and Molière, in the preface to his Femmes Savantes, protests against the supposition that he meant to reflect on a circle which he affirmed had every claim to respect. It appears from investigation, that grotesque imitations of the manners and style of the Hôtel had, in the course

RAMBLA, a small town of Spain, in the modern province of Cordova, and 23 miles south of the city of that name, stands on a hill in a district which produces abundantly grain, wine, and oil. Some manufactures of coarse pottery, especially of porous water-coolers, are carried on. Pop. 6500.

RAMEAU-RAMILLIES.

Other

of years, become prevalent both in Paris and the are the principal princes and monarchs of this provinces, and that it was these, and not their name, found on the monuments of Egypt. 1. A charming prototype, which were exposed to the prince or king represented with the royal families satire of Molière. Madame de R. died at Paris, of the 18th dynasty in a sepulchre at Thebes2nd December, 1665.-See Röderer's Mémoire pour 2. R. L., chief of the 19th dynasty, who reigned servir & Histoire de la Société polie en France but a short time, and whose name is found on the pendant le dix-septième Siècle; and Victor Cousin's monuments of Thebes and the Way Halfa-3. Jeunesse de Mde. de Longueville, Mde. de Sablé, &c. R. II., or Great, who mounted the throne at a RAMEAU, JEAN PHILIPPE, an eminent French and other confederate nations of Central Asia, very early age, conquered the Khita or Hittites, musician, born at Dijon, in 1683, and son of the in his 7th year, and concluded an extraditionary organist of the Sainte Chapelle there. He shewed a genius for music almost from infancy, and with treaty with the Khita in his 21st year. the view of devoting himself to it as a profession, sway, and his empire extended far south in nations, European and African, fell under his set out for Italy at the age of 18, but proceeded no Nubia, the ancient Ethiopia, which he governed further than Milan. After travelling through by viceroys. He erected fortresses and temples in France, and acquiring a considerable reputation as foreign lands, and embellished all Egypt with his a performer on the organ, he was appointed organist editices. He had two wives, twenty-three sons, and of the cathedral of Clermont, in Auvergne, and wrote while there his Traité de l'Harmonie, a work Biban-El-Melook. He is the supposed Sesostris, seven daughters, and was finally buried in the of some note in musical literature, which was published in Paris in 1722. Removing to Paris, he 4. R. III., chief of the 20th dynasty, the Rhampsi according to most authors. He reigned 68 years— became organist of Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie, nitus of Herodotus, called Meriamoun, or beloved of and published various other treatises connected with Ammon, who defeated the Philistines, the Mashuash, the theory of music. In 1733, at the mature age of and the Libyans, carrying on important wars from 50, he produced his first opera, Hippolyte et Aricie, the 5th to the 12th year of his reign; he also the drama of which was written by the Abbé made conquests in the 16th, and seems to have Pellegrin. It created a great sensation, and R. was reigned 55 more years. He founded the magnificent forthwith elevated to the position of a rival to Lulli pile of edifices of Medinat Habu, embellished as an opera composer, musicians being divided in Luxor, Gurnah, and other parts of Egypt. Some their partisanship of the two artists. R.'s best attribute to him the exploits of the R. of the Greek opera was Castor et Pollux, produced at the and Roman writers-5. R. IV. reigned a short time, Académie Royale de Musique, in 1737; it contains and performed no distinguished actions.-6. R. V., one chorus which has hardly been surpassed in the of whom inscriptions are found at Silsilis.-7. R. whole range of theatrical music. Between 1733 VI, whose tomb at the Biban-El-Meluk contains and 1760, he composed 21 operas and ballets, as some astronomical records from which the date of well as numerous harpsichord pieces. His works his reign has been calculated at 1240 B. C.-8—12 on harmony acquired for him a deservedly high R. VII, VIII, IX., X., and XL, undistinguished reputation as a musical theorist; he has been called monarchs.-13. R. XII., who reigned above 33 years, the Newton of musical science. Louis XV. created in whose reign the statue of the god Chons was for him the office of Cabinet Composer, granted him sent from Egypt to the land of the Bakhten, to cure letters of nobility, and named him a Chevalier de a princess of the royal family of that court, with which R. had contracted an alliance.-14. R. XIIL, an unimportant monarch.

St Michel R. died in 1764.

RAMESSES, RAMESES, or RAMSES, the name of several Egyptian monarchs, some of whom were known to the Greek and Roman writers and the chronologists; the name signities born of the sun or the nascent sun.' The R. family is supposed to have been of Theban origin, and to have been descended from one of the later queens of the 18th dynasty. The exploits of R. are confounded by the Greek and Roman authors with those of Sesostris (see SESOSTRIS), and mingled in the legend of Armais, the Danaus of the Greeks. R. is said to have had a great army and navy, and at the head of a force of 700,000 men, to have conquered Ethiopia, Libya, Persia, and other eastern nations. Before leaving his kingdom for these distant expeditions, he is said to have appointed his brother Armais or Danaus regent of the kingdom, charging him neither to assume the diadem, nor interfere with the royal harem. R. then proceeded to conquer Cyprus, Phoenicia, the Assyrians and Medes, Armais contravened his orders; and R., informed of this by the high priest, suddenly returned to Pelusium, and resumed the kingdom, expelling his brother, who, fleeing with his daughters, the Danaids, to Argos, established himselt in Greece, According to the Roman authors, however, Troy was taken in the reign of Rameses. The walls of the temples of Thebes were said to be covered with inscriptions and scenes recording his conquests and the tributes rendered to him, and these were interpreted to Germanicus by the priests on his visit to Egypt. Such is the account given of a monarch called R. by the classical authors. The following

RAMESES is also the name of one of the fortresses or treasure-cities built by the Hebrews during their residence in Egypt. The name of this fortress, all important for the date of the Exodus-placed 1491 B. C. by the old chronologers, and 1314 B. c. by Lepsius-is found in the papyri of the British Museum in documents of the age of Meneptah, while R. III is represented at Medinat Habu in one of his campaigns marching out of the Magdol of Rameses. The situation of Rameses has mach puzzled geographers and commentators, and it has been supposed to be Abaris, Baal-Zephon, Heroonpolis, Pelusium, and Abu-Kescheh. Notwithstanding the opposition to dating Fort Rameses in the period of the 19th dynasty, it is now generally admitted to have been constructed at that prod In fact, no fort was ever named by the appeilation of a prince, it being the prerogative of the monarch to have the fortresses named after him. Nor is it possible to suppose the name Rameses chan_ed for another older name in the Mosaic writing, without impugning the text; and the evident solution of the difficulty is, that the Exodus of the Hebrews took place under a king Rameses, at whatever chronological period his reign may have happened Exodus, i. 11; Lepsius, Einleit, 336, and fod; Chabas, Mélanges, 24 series, p. 108; Brugsch, Histoire d'Eupte, p. 126; Champollion-Figeac, L'Egypte, p. 322.

RAMILLIES, an inconsiderable village of Brabaut, Belgium, 13 miles north of Namur, and 29 miles south-east of Brussels, is memorable as the

RAMMELSBERG RAMPART.

|

RAMPHASTIDE-RAMSAY.

Jonson. He also added to his business a circulating library, the first established in Scotland. From 1718, when he opened shop as a bookseller, down to 1755, when he retired to a villa of his own erection, R.'s career, worldly and literary, was eminently prosperous. He was careful and indus trious, determined, he said, to shew the world that poortith, or poverty, was not the poet's lot;' and though he was always courting patronage, he never selected a fool for his patron, nor did his pride and vanity as a poet ever withdraw him from business. The following are his principal works: Tartana, or the Plaid, 1721; a collected edition of his Porma published by subscription in 1721, by which it is said the poet realised 400 guineas; Fables and Tales, 1722; Fair Assembly, 1723; Health, a Porm 1724; The Tea-table Miscellany, a collection of the most choice songs, Scottish and English, 1724, to which a second volume was published in 1725, a third in 1727, and a fourth in 1740; The Evergreen, being a collection of Scots Poems wrote by the Ingenious before 1600,' published in 1724; The Gentle Shepherd, a Pastoral Comedy, 1725, to which songs were added in 1728; a second collection of Poems published by subscription, 1728; Thirty Falles, 1730. Of most of these publications, numerous editions were called for, no less than nine of the Tea-table Miscellany being issued in nine years. One brief cloud ove reast the poet's successful career. He entered into a speculation for the encouragement of the drama, and built a theatre in Edinburgh, which was almost immediately shut up by the magistrates, in virtue of the act passed in 1737 prohibiting all dramatic exhibitions without special licence. This affair was a serious loss to the poet, and subjected him to the annoyance of attacks from poetasters and merose religionists, such as A Looking-glass for Allan Ramsay, The Dying Words of Allan Ramsay,' The Flight of Religious Piety from Scotland upon the account of Ramsay's Lewd Books and the hellbred Playhouse Comedians,' &c. Allin bore all with Horatian philosophy and indifference; but he addressed a poetical epistle to his friend, Duncan Forbes of Culloden, then Lord Advocate, claiming compensation for his losses, or, at least, that he might be edged into some canny post. This request does not seem to have been complied with, bat Allan had amassed a decent competency. The last two or three years of his life were spent in cheerful retirement in the quaint but picturesque base be had built on the north side of the Castle H and there he died on the 7th of January 175 He had the gratification of seeing his only surviving son, ALLAN RAMSAY (born in 1713, del in 174. fast rising into distinction as a portrait-painter, and esteemed by the most eminent inen of his day as an accomplished scholar and gentleman Tus soed Allan Ramsay had been carefully educated by his father, and sent to Rome to study art On his return, being introduced to the Prince of Wales afterwards George III, he rapidly rose to fav ar and in 1767 was appointed princ.pa. paster to the

RAMSAY, ALLAN, an eminent Scottish poet, was born in the parish of Crawford, Lanarkshire, October 15, 166 His father was manager of Lord Hopetoun's Les at Leadhills, and his mother, Alice Bower, was the dau hter of a Derbyshire miner. To this maternal descent, we may perhaps trace Ailan's peculiar frankness and gaiety of temperament. In his 15th year (by which time he had lost both of his parents), he was put apprentice to a wigmaker in Edinburgh. He had received the ordinary education of a parish school, and could read Horace, as he says, 'faintly in the original.' Up to his 3th year, he continued to follow the occupation of a wigmaker; and by this time, he had become known as a poet, having issued several short humorous pieces, printed as broadsides, and sold for a penny each. He had also written (1716-king. 1715, two additional cants to the old Scots poem of Christ's Kirk on the Green, attributed to James L. These two cantos gave such genuine pictures of ruste life, and presented such tel.citous scenes of broad humour, that it was obvious their author was destined to become the restorer of Scottish poetry. Patronised by the highest and worthiest of the land, R. now abandoned wigmaking, and commenced business as a bookseller. His shop was opposite Naddry's Wynd,' and he placed a sign of Mercury over his dor. Subsequently, as his success increased, he removed to the Luckenbooths, and deposing Mercury, set up heads of Drummond and Ben

The Gentle Shepherd of R. is his greatest work, and, indeed, is esteemed as the best past ral in any language. Its characters are realities at shy Corydons or Phyllises, maundering over cranks of sleeping to the murmur of bees It sta faithful transcripts of actual life and feath as the poet had witnessed in syth on the banks of the Clyde and Glerg nar. The poetry, too, abounds in graphic expressa and tou as d homely nature and arch humar, tht to are irresistible, while the plot is sky ostre ted and brings out rustic character, custaneen stitions. Some of R.'s tales and falues are

RAMSDEN-RAMUS.

but coarse. His songs also are occasionally defective east-south-east of London by railway. Anciently, it in respect of simplicity and delicacy, though he has was a small fishing-village; but it began to increase made some exquisite additions to our lyrical poetry. in importance about the beginning of the 18th c., In his Jacobite allegory, The Vision, he rises into when a number of its inhabitants opened up a the higher region of inspiration, apparently imitating, successful trade with 'Russia and the east country.' and certainly rivalling Dunbar. As an editor, he The recently-built portion of the town consists of has been censured for tampering with the works of well-arranged streets, crescents, and terraces; and the old bards, retouching, adding, or retrenching at the older part is situated in a natural depression his pleasure. But he also rescued many choice or cutting in the chalk-coast, opening out toward productions of the elder muse from neglect, and the sea, and called in this district a 'gate' or awakened in Scotland a taste for its native litera-stair.' R., as a watering-place, is slightly more ture. A complete edition of his poems with a bio- aristocratic than Margate (q. v.); and during the graphy was published by George Chalmers (2 vols., season, which lasts from the middle of summer 1800). The latest edition-very correct-appeared to the end of autumn, the charges are very high. at New York in 1854. At the height of the season, the population of the town is increased to 22,854. The climate is much more bracing than that of the southern coast, and exercises a salutary influence in cases of scorbutic disorder. The harbour of R.-40 acres in extent, and enclosed on the east by a splendid pier 3000 feet in length, and on the west by another pier 1500 feet long-serves as a harbour of refuge for the Downs. About 14 miles west of R. is Osengall Hill, on which a number of Saxon and several Roman graves have been recently discovered, and a large number of most interesting relics, as spearand amber beads, &c., found. (See Wright's Wander heads, coins, ornaments in silver, &c., armour, glass ings of an Antiquary.) Ship-building and ropemaking are here carried on, and coal is imported. In 1863, 501 vessels, of 40,933 tons, entered and cleared the port. Pop. 11,865.

RAMSDEN, JESSE, a celebrated instrumentmaker, was born at Salterhebble, near Halifax, Yorkshire, in 1735. He received a good education, and, after being engaged as a cloth-worker, and become (1762) a working engraver and divider in London, and having married Dollond's (q. v.) daughter, received, as her dowry, a share in his father-in-law's patent for achromatic telescopes. The sextants of his time were very imperfect, being untrustworthy within 5 of a degree, and R. succeeded in reducing the possible error to within 30". His skill thus shewn, and the cheapness of his instruments (twothirds of the price charged by other makers), soon created such a demand as tasked his utmost energy to meet. To increase the amount and improve the quality of the work done by his men, he introduced the principle of the division of labour, besides inventing a dividing-machine, which could graduate instruments much more rapidly and accurately than could be done by hand. For this invention, he received from the Board of Longitude a premium of £615. He constructed the theodolite used by General Roy (q. v.), and also telescopes for the observatories of Blenheim, Mannheim, Dublin, Paris, and Gotha, and mural quadrants for those of Padua and Vilna, the accuracy of all of which was a matter of admiration and delight among astronomers. He was one of those who strongly recommended the introduction of the mural circle in place of the Quadrant (q. v.), and he constructed two of the former instruments for the observatories of Palermo and Dublin. The minor scientific instruments invented or improved by him are also numerous. He died at Brighton, 5th November 1800, leaving a moderate fortune, a large portion of which was, in accordance with the terms of his will, divided among his workmen. R. was a member of the Royal Society, a Fellow of the Imperial Academy of St Petersburg, and the possessor of a Copley medal (the gift of the Royal Society).

RAMSEY, a town in the Isle of Man, lying 16 miles north of Douglas, and which, from the beauty of its situation and the salubrity of its climate, is rapidly becoming a favourite resort of tourists and pleasure seekers. It stands on the margin of a spacious bay, and has a background of lofty and well-wooded hills. The anchorage in the bay is good, and the waters abound in mackerel, herrings, salmon, and other fish. An extensive ship-building yard has recently been opened here, which gives occupation to about 300 men. A steam-packet plies between Liverpool and R. three times a week in the summer, and once a week in winter, and between Whitehaven and R. twice a week in summer and once a week in winter. Pop. (1861)

2839.

RA'MSGATE (Rium's Gate; Rium is the British name of Thanet), a seaport, market-town, and favourite watering-place in the county of Kent, in the south-east of the Isle of Thanet, 97 miles

RAMSHORNS, in Fortification, are semicircular works of low profile in the ditch, which they sweep, being themselves commanded by the main works. They were invented by M. Belidor, a great French engineer, and when used, take the place of Tenailles (q. v.).

RA'MSKIN, a species of cake, which consists of grated cheese of some dry kind, such as Parmesan or the white hard English varieties, incorporated with dough as prepared for fine puff-pastry; then rolled out, and cut into shapes, glazed with white of egg, and baked for a quarter of an hour. It is usually eaten hot. This dish is said to have been invented at Croxteth Hall, the seat of Lord Sefton, whence it is sometimes called 'Sefton fancy,'

RAM-TIL (Guizotia oleifera), a plant of the natural order Composite, suborder Corymbiferæ, a native of the East Indies and Abyssinia, much esteemed for the bland oil which is obtained from the seeds, and which is employed for the same purposes as olive oil. The R. is extensively culti vated in India, chiefly in Mysore, and to some extent also in Abyssinia.

RAMUS (Latinised form of La Ramée), PIERRE, an illustrious French humanist,' was the son of a poor labourer, and was born at the village of Cuth, in Vermandois, in 1515. His thirst for knowledge was so great, that twice before he had reached his 12th year, he travelled on foot to Paris, with the hope of getting into some school there, but the misery of want twice drove the brave boy home again. In his 12th year, however, he got a situa tion as servant to a rich scholar at the College de Navarre; and by devoting the day to his master, obtained the night for study, and made rapid progress. The method of teaching philosophy then prevalent dissatisfied him, and he was gradually led to place a higher value on reason' than on autho rity,' contrary to the mental habit of his time. His contempt, indeed, for authority' blinded him (as is often the case with a young reformer) to what truth authority' might contain, and when taking his degree of M.A., in his 21st year, he maintained