Page:LA2-NSRW-4-0060.jpg

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.


PRUTH

1556

PSYCHOLOGY

stadt and Alsace-Lorraine; and on the west by Luxemburg, Belgium and the Netherlands. The total area is 135,134 square miles, with a population of 40,163,333; that is, nearly two thirds of the German Empire in territory with about three ffths of the population. The frontier has a circumference of 4,720 miles. About one fifth of the present area has been acquired sincu 1853, "kne largest gains being made after the victorious war of 1866. The greater part of Prussia belongs to the northern plain of Europe, while less than a third, chiefly in the southwest, can be described as hilly or mountainous. The northern plain is watered by five large rivers — the Nie-men, Vistula, Oder, Elbe and Weser — all of which rise beyond the borders of the kingdom, and also by the Pregel, Eider and Ems, which are wholly Prussian. In the west the chief river is the Rhine, which enters Prussia at Mainz (Mayence), and thence flows north through a narrow valley; it is navigable throughput its entire course in Prussia. The capital of Prussia and also of the German Empire is Berlin (population 2,070,695) The other chief towns of Prussia are Breslau (511,891), Cologne or Koln (516,167), Frankfort-on-the-Main (414,598), Hannover (302,384) and Magdeburg (279,685)

Education is compulsory between six and 14, its management and direction being under the control of the state. Prussia has ten universities, KOnigsberg, Berlin, Greifswald, Breslau, Halle, GOttingen, Minister, Bonn, Kiel and Marburg, which number 1,698 professors and 20,785 students. In addition to the libraries of the universities, there is the Royal Library at Berlin, with 800,000 volumes and 15,000 manuscripts. Among the numerous scientific and literary schools and societies are the Academy of Arts, the Roval Museum of Arts, the Academy of Sciences and others.

In 1910 the strength of the German army on a peace footing was 622,480, of whom 70,980 were cavalry and 91,241 field and foot artillery. The peace strength to-day of the Prussian army of all arms and ranks is about 475,000 men. Every able-bodied Prussian between 20 and 39 is liable to be called on to serve, clergymen of the Roman Catholic and Evangelical churches and indispensable supporters of families being exempt. For the history of Prussia, especially since her successful wars with Austria in 1866 and with France in 1870, at which date King William I became emperor, see GERMANY. The present king of Prussia, who also is German emperor, is William II, who came to the throne on June ^5, 1888. See GERMAN EMPIRE.

Pruth, ^ an affluent of the Danube, rises in Austrian Galicia on the northeastern side of the Carpathian Mountains, and

flows eastward past Kolomea and Czerno-witz. Length about 720 miles.

Pseudonym (su'do-nim (Greek pseudos, false, and onoma, name), a false or assumed name adopted by an author, which conceals his identity. In recent times young authors especially have frequently risked the publication of their first work under a pseudonym — otherwise called nom de plume or pen-name — and have kept it up afterwards, and this to such an extent that the real name of the author in some cases is almost unknown to the general public. For instance, the name of George Eliot is familiar to book-readers on both sides of the Atlantic; but few would recognize a work by Marian Evans, her maiden name. Among the famous pseudonyms of the 19th century we may mention Currer Bell, Charlotte Bronte*; Hosea Biglow, James R. Lowell: Bystander, Goldwin Smith; Boz, Charles Dickens; Pisistratus Caxton, ist Lord Lytton; Grace Greenwood, Mrs. Lip-pincott; H. H., Helen Hunt Jackson; Gail Hamilton, Mary Abigail Dodge; Marion Harland, Mrs. M. V. Terhune; Orpheus C. Ker, R. H. Newell; Owen Meredith, Earl of Lytton; Petroleum V Nasby, D. R. Locke; Ouida, Louise de la Rame'e; George Sand, Madame Dudevant; Timothy Titcomb, J. G. Holland; Mark Twain, Samuel L. Clemens; Josh Billings, Henry W. Shaw; Uncle Remus, Joel Chandler Harris; Artemus Ward, Charles F. Brown.

Psyche (si'k£). According to Grecian mythology, Psyche was the youngest daughter of a king and so lovely that she aroused the jealousy of Venus, who sent Cupid to the maiden to inspire her with love for the basest of men; but Cupid himself was so impressed with her charms that he at once loved her, and desired to make her his own. As she reciprocated his passion he visited her every night, earnestly requesting her not to inquire or seek to know who he was. But her jealous sisters, working upon her fears and her inquisitiveness as well, represented to her that she was embracing a monster in the darkness of the night. To satisfy herself she lighted a lamp while Cupii was asleep, when to her great delight she saw tLat her lover was the handsomest of gods. j.n her excitement, however, she let a drop of hot oil fall on his shoulder, when he arose, and after upbraiding her for her doubts forsook her. After wandering about for some time, she came to the palace of Venus, when she was seized by the goddess and kept as a slave. Cupid, however, still loved her, and after a time was united to her in immortal wedlock. The story is considered by all critics to be a beautiful representation of the progress of the soul through earthly passion and misfortune to eternal pe^ce and joy.

Psychology (si-kWd-jy) (Greek psychos^ soul, and logos, discourse), the science of