Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/482

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
LEFT
418
RIGHT

SICKLES 418 SIDGWICK man sway. From this time Sicily became the prey of Spain, France, and Austria, till the crown was united to that of Na- ples under the title of the Two Sicilies in 1734. When the French overran Italy under Bonaparte, the King of Naples, being driven from his throne, took shelter in this, the insular portion of his domin- ions, where he reigned in peace, under British protection, till the final peace of 1815 placed him once more in his conti- nental chair of Naples. The revolution in Italy begun by Garibaldi in 1860 soon spread to Sicily, and on the landing of that patriot the whole island rose in arms, and the royal troops were beaten in every engagement. Sicily in a few months was free, and when Naples acknowledged Vic- tor Emmanuel as its sovereign, under the style of King of Italy, the Sicilian crown was laid with rejoicings at the feet of that sovereign. See Italy. SICKLES, DANIEL EDGAR, an American military officer; born in New York City, Oct. 20, 1825. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1844; was elected to the State Legislature in 1847; became city attorney of New York, and was elected State Senator in 1855. In 1856 the Democratic party of New York elected him to Congress, where he re- mained till 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil War he organized the "Excelsior Brigade" of New York volunteers, and was commissioned one of its colonels. He was conspicuous for bravery and heroic endurance in the Peninsular campaign; was in the battles near Richmond, Va., in 1862, commanding a brigade; and led a division at the battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, the same year. He was in command of a corps at Chancellorsville, May 2 and 3, 1863, where he was severely wounded. For brilliant achievements at Fredericks- burg he was promoted major-general of volunteers. He commanded the 3d Army Corps at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, and in this engagement lost a leg. He was as- signed to the command of the 2d Military District, which included North and South Carolina, in April, 1867. In consequence of having supported the policy of Con- gress instead of that of President John- son, he was removed, Aug. 26, 1867; and in 1869 was retired from the army. He was minister to Spain in 1869-1873, when he resigned, returned to New York City, and subsequently held several important civil posts, among them that of president of the Civil Service Commission. He was also a Democratic member of Congress in 1893-1897. He was made a Commander, Medal of Honor Legion, 1902. He died in 1914. SICYON, a once celebrated city and small state of Greece, situated a few miles S. of Corinth, in the Morea. It was a chief seat of painting and statuary (tra- dition asserting that the former was in- vented there), it having given its name to a school of painting which included among its disciples Pamphilos and Apelles, both natives of Sicyon. It was also the native city of Aratus, the noted general of the Achaean League. There exists at the pres- ent day a few remains of the ancient city, as well as of the more modern buildings erected by the Roman conquerors of Greece, near which stands a small modern village named Vasiliko. SIDDONS, SARAH, an English ac- tress; born in Brecon, South Wales, July 5, 1755. She commenced her theatrical career when quite a child, and in her 19th year was married to William Siddons, an actor in her father's (Roger Kemble) company. In 1774 she met with the first recognition of her great powers as an ac- tress at Cheltenham in consequence of her representation of Belvidera in "Venice Preserved." Her success at Cheltenham procured for her an engagement at Drury Lane, but her first appearance there was a comparative failure, and in 1777 she again went on circuit in the provinces. Her second appearance at Drury Lane took place Oct. 10, 1782, in the character of Isabella in the "Fatal Marriage." Her success was complete, and she was uni- versally acknowledged to be the first trag- ic actress of the English stage. For 30 years she continued to astonish and en- chant the lovers of the drama, and having acquired an ample fortune she took her leave of the stage in 1812. Her greatest characters were Queen Catharine in "Henry VIII." and Lady Macbeth. She died in London, June 8, 1831. SIDDONS, MRS. SCOTT, an English actress; born in India in 1844; the great- granddaughter of Sarah Siddons; was educated in Germany. As Lady Macbeth she made her first professional appear- ance in England, at Nottingham. She ap- peared in the United States first as a dramatic reader in New York City, and she made her debut as a dramatic star at the Boston Museum about 1868. She died in Paris, Nov. 9, 1896. SIDGWICK, HENRY, an English philosopher; born in Skipton, Yorkshire, May 31, 1838. He was Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge, and has done much for the promotion of higher educa- tion of women, having assisted in the foundation of Newnham College. His valuable works include: "The Methods of Ethics" (1874) ; "The Principles of Polit- ical Economy" (1883), one of the most important works on the subject; "History of Ethics" (1886) ; "Elements of Politics"