Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 02.djvu/573

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CHTJSAN 499 CICERO CHUSAN, the principal of the group of islands known as the Chusan Archi- pelago; lies off the coast of China, about 40 miles N. E. of Ningpo. It has an area of over 230 square miles, and a population of about 250,000; and al- though mountainous in the center, it is generally fertile, and everywhere care- fully cultivated. Ting-hai, the capital, a walled town about 3 miles in circum- ference, is, from its position on the route between Canton and Peking close to the great ports of Shanghai and Ningpo, a place of both strategic and commercial importance, and its land-locked harbor is a busy shipping center. There are few manufactures, but its carved work and silver wares are in repute, and cordage, matting, and fans are exported. It was taken by the British in 1840, and held till 1841, the close of the war; and in 1860 it was again occupied by an Eng- lish force. Pop. 30,000 to 40,000. The most remarkable of the surrounding group is the sacred island of Pu-tu, a mile E. of Chusan, covered with Bud- dhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries, and inhabited by upward of 1,000 monks. The chief monastery is one of the rich- est in China. GIBBER, COLLEY, an English dram- atist; born in London, Nov. 6, 1671; he was one of the most successful stagers of plays in the history of the theater. His dramatic works — p articularly "Love's Last Shift," a farce; "Love Makes a Man"; "She Would and She Would Not," and "The Careless Hus- band," comedies — are masterpieces of construction, although their literary qualities are not up to the high level one might expect. He portrayed the fop, however, with an infinite felicity; and not a few of his scenes are unexampled as specimens of effective action unmarred by meaningless detail. He died in Lon- don, Dec. 12, 1757. CIBITU, a southern island of the Philippine group, 14 miles long and 2 miles wide. It is flat, with a conical mountain in the center, 500 feet high. It is surrounded by coral reefs, with no anchorage to speak of. It was sold by Spain (with Cagayan) to the United States in 1900, upon payment of $100,- 000, having been inadvertently excluded from the terms of the treaty of peace. CICELY (sis'e-li), a popular name ap- plied to several umbelliferous plants. Sweet Cicely, or sweet Chervil, is myr- rh is odordta, a plant common in Great Britain and in other parts of Europe. It was formerly used in medicine, and in some parts of Europe is used as an in- gredient in soups. Sweet Cicely is found in North American woods from Canada to Virginia. CICERO, a city of Illinois, in Cook CO. It is a suburb of Chicago. Pop. (1910) 14,557; (1920) 44,995. CICERO, MARCUS TULLIUS, the greatest Roman orator; born in Arpinum 106 B. c. His family was of equestrian rank and his father, though living in re- tirement, was a friend of some of the chief public men. He received the best education available, studied philosophy and law, became familiar with Greek literature, and acquired some military knowledge from serving a campaign in the Marsic war. At the age of 25 he came forward as a pleader, and having CICERO undertaken the defense of Sextus Roscius, who was accused of parricide, procured his acquittal. He visited Greece 79 B. c, conversed with the philosophers of all the schools, and profited by the instruction of the masters of oratory. Here he formed that close friendship with Atticus of which his letters furnish such interest- ing evidence. He also made a tour in Asia Minor and remained some time at Rhodes, where he visited the most dis-