Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/246

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SAINTSBURY 202 SAINT SIMON Yellow Princess," was given in 1872, and "The Silver Bell" in 1877; but neither was successful. "Samson and Dalila," a sacred drama, was produced at Weimar also in 1877, and was subsequently suc- cessfully revived at Rouen. More impor- tant operas are: "Henry VIII.," brought out in 1883 at the Grand Opera with suc- cess, not however extending to its subse- quent revivals; "Proserpina," given in 1887, but received with disapprobation; and "Ascanius," produced at the Grand Opera, March 21, 1890, and well received, though not with unmixed praise; "The Barbarians" (1901); "Andromaque" (1903) ; "'L'Ancetre" (1906). He was one of the greatest performers on the piano and organ, and had remarkable powers of improvisation. He appeared as a per- former in various countries. His repu- tation as a composer is high, though he has not attained the highest rank in op- era. He wrote several works on music. SAINTSBURY, GEORGE EDWARD BATEMAN, an English litterateur; born in Southampton, England, Oct. 23, 1845; was educated at King's College School, and Oxford. From 1868 till 1876 he filled scholastic appointments at Manchester, Guernsey, and Elgin, but soon after es- tablished himself in the literary world of London as one of the most active and in- fluential critics of his day. He was an active contributor to the greater maga- zines (of "Macmillan's" he was for some time editor) and to encyclopaedias. Among his books are a "Primer" (1880) and a "Short History" (1882) of French litera- ture; "Dryden" in "English Men of Let- ters" (1881), and "Marlborough" in "English Worthies" (1885) ; a "History of Elizabethan Literature"' (1887) ; a short history of "Manchester" (1887);

'Essays in English Literature, 1780-

1860" (1890); "Essays on French Novel- ists" (1891); "Short History of English Literature" (1898) ; "Matthew Arnold" (1899), etc. Besides these he edited Scott's "Dryden," "Specimens of French Literature, from Villon to Hugo" (1883) ; "Specimens of English Prose Style, from Malory to Macaulay" (1885) ; Corneille's "Horace," and other French classics for schools; and a translation of Scherer's "Critical Essays on English Subjects" (1891). In 1895 he became Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature at Edin- burgh University. Among his later works were "History of Criticism" (1900) ; "History of English Prosody" (1906- 1908) ; "History of English Prose Rhythm" (1912); "The English Novel" (1913), etc. SAINTS' DAYS, days set apart by traditional usage or authority of the Church for anniversary celebrations in honor of particular saints. They were first instituted in honor of martyrs. ST. SEBASTIAN, a celebrated Roman martyr; born in Narbonne about 255. Ac- cording to the anonymous "Acts" by which his history is preserved (supposed to have been written in the 4th century, and by some attributed to St. Ambrose), he was a captain in the praetorian guard under Diocletian, and used the facilities afforded by his station to propagate the Christian faith. Having refused to ab- jure his religion, he was tied to a tree, shot with arrows, and left for dead. A Christian woman found him still alive, and cared for him till he was restored; but, having ventured to appear before Diocletian to remonstrate against his cru- elty, he was beaten to death with clubs. In the 9th century his relics were dis- tributed throughout Christendom as a remedy against the plague. He died in Rome, Jan. 20, 288. ST. SERVAN, a seaport of France, department Ille-et-Vilaine, on the E. side of the estuary of the Ranee, just above St. Malo (g. v.), from which it is sepa- rated by a creek a mile wide. It has a floating dock, is much frequented as a watering-place, and carries on shipbuild- ing and its cognate branches, and has a little commerce in fruit, potatoes, barley (exports), coal, and timber (imports). Close by are the ruins of the cathedral of Aleth (6th to 12th century). Pop. about 12,000. SAINT SIMON, CLAUDE HENRI, COUNT DE, a French social philosopher, the founder of French socialism; born in Paris, France, in 1760. After completing his education he entered the army, and in 1777 was included in an expedition sent by Louis XVI. to assist the United States in her war with England. After seeing some service under Washington, and trav- eling through Mexico, he returned to France and was appointed colonel in the French army. He, however, took no in- terest in his military duties, as he in- tended to devote his life to the advance- ment of human civilization. On the breaking out of the Revolution, though he warmly sympathized with the move* ment, he took no part in the subsequent events, but retired entirely from the army, and bought a considerable _ quantity of confiscated land, with the view of estab- lishing a large scientific and industrial school; but the scheme was a failure, and St. Simon retired from it after losing a vast sum of money. From this time he devoted himself to what he termed^ a "physico-political" reformation, for which purpose he entered into the study of all the physical sciences — mathematics, as-