langue et de la Ulteraturc francaise (Paris, 1890-98) ; and especially Stapfer, Itabelais. sa personne, son ginic, son ocuvre (ib., 1889) ; Geb- hart, Rabekiis^ la renaissance et la rcfonnc (ib., 189.5) ; llculhtiT([,Rabelais cliirurgirn (ib., 1885) ; id., Itabclais, ses voyages m Unlle, son ejcil a Metx (ib.,,1891) ; and in English, Walter Besant, Rabelais (London, 1879) ; id.. Readings in Rabe- lais (ib., 1881). RABENER, r;l'I)f-ner, Gottlieb Wilhelm (1714-71). A German satirist. He was born at Waehau, near Leipzig, -went to school in Meissen with Gellert and Giirtner, and after finishing his studies in Leipzig, in 1741 entered the employ of the tax collector. He wrote for the popular peri- odicals of the day, and of these espe- cially for the Bremer Beitriige and Schwabe's Belli stiginigrn. These papers are mildly satiric, marked by clearness, purity, and force, yet marred somewliat by the frequent use of "direct irony,' as Goethe said. They were published at Leipzig (1751-55); with his Salirisehe Brief e. his per- sonal correspondence, and a biogra])hy. they were edited by Weisse (1777) ; other editions followed down to" 1840. RABENHORST, ra'ben-horst, Ludwig ( 1806- 81). A German botanist, who contributed great- ly to the systematic study of cryptogamous plants. He was born at Treuenbrietzen, Branden- burg, and after studying at Berlin bought a phar- macy at Luclvau. where he lived and worlved for ten years (1830-40). Then, to devote himself en- tirely to botany, he removed to Dresden, and af- terwards to Meissen. Eabenliorst wrote: Deutschlands Kryptogamenflora (1844-5:!); Kryptogamenflora poji Sachsen, dcr Oberlansitz, Thiiringen und yordhohmen (18G3-70); Flora Europwa Algarum Aqitw Diilcis et Submarinw (1864-68); and Mycologia Europa-a (with Gon- nermann, 1869-82), as well as some works on general botany. He founded in 1852 the journal Hediiigia. BABIEB, ra'bya', Elie (1846—). A French philosoplier and educator, born in Bergerac, and educated there, and in Paris at the Lycee Louis le Grand and at the Ecole Xormale Superieure. He taught philosopliy in lyeees at Montauban and Tours and in Paris, and then became inspec- tor of secondary schools, a post in which he took a prominent part in educational reforms. He edited Descartes's Diseours de la mHliode (1877; 8th ed. 1899), and wrote an excellent series of text-books of philosophy. Lemons de philosophie (1884 sqq.). RABIES. See Hydrophobia. RABSHAK'EH (Heb. Rabshukch, Bab.-Ass. rab-shake, chief of the captains). A word which occurs in the Old Testament (II. Kings xviii.- xix., and the parallel passages. Is. xxxvi.- xxxvii.) as the title of the officer sent by Sen- nacherib with Tartan and Rabsaris (likewise titles of high officials) to demand of Hezekiah the surrender of Jerusalem. The Rabshakeh is represented as delivering his message in Hebrew, in the presence of the people. and when requested to speak Aramaic — at the time the language of diplomatic interchange — so as not to alarm the people by the threats of the Assyrian King, in- solently declines to do so. It follows from the choice of the Rabshakeh to convey the message of Sennacherib that he was a liigh dignitary in the Assyrian army, though not the highest, and this view is confirmed both by the occurrence of the title in Assyrian historical texts and in legal documents and also in lists of officials (e.g. Raw- linson II., pi. 31, no. 5, 34a). Exactly what ])Osition the Rabshakeh occupied is not known, though it is jn'obably nut far wrong to regard him as a general .start' officer. The old rendering 'chief cup-bearer' is certainly wrong and must be abandoned. Consult Schrader, Cuneiform In- scriptions and the Old Testament (Eng. trans., London, 1885-80). RABTJTIN, nl'bi.rtaN', Roger, Comte de Bussy-. See Bissy-Rabitii^. RACALMUTO, rii'kul-moo'to. A town in the Province of Girgenti, Sicily, situated on the crest of a hill, 12 miles by rail northeast of Girgenti (Map: Italy, H 10). It has a fourteenth-cen- turj' castle. There are salt, sulphur, and quick- silver mines, and a trade in wine and oil. Popu- lation (eoninume), in 1901, 15,938. RACAN, ra'kiiN', Ho>-orat de Bueil, Marquis de (1589-1670). A French poet, born at La Roche Racan, Touraine. He was a page to Henry IV. and in that capacity met Malherbe, whose disciple he became. He served in the army for several years, and then retired to his estates. Les Bergeries, a dramatic pastoral, appeared in 1625. It is studied from nature and his best production. But he had not the sustained force to write a great work, and he had little education. This becomes apparent in Les sept psaumes (1631), Odes snerees tirces des psaumes de David (1651), and Dcrnieres eeuvrcs et Poesies chrctiennes (1660), where his limited knowledge of Latin is evident. RACCONIGI, rak'kd-ne'je. A towTi in the Province of Cuneo, Italy, situated on the Maira, 21 miles by rail south of Turin. Its palace, sur- rounded by a park, was a country residence of Charles Albert. The town has a gvannasium. a technical school, and a large hospital. Silk fabrics, woolen cloths, and shoes are manufac- tured. Population (comnnine), in 1881, 9565; in 1901, 9009.
RACCOON (from American Indian arathcone, arrathkune. raccoon). A small American carnivore (Procyon lotor), closely related to the bears. The family (Procyonidoc) is American, with the single exception of the Himalayan genus .Elurus. (See Panda.) The raccoon is to bo found all over the wooded parts of temjierate North Amer- ica, and most of Mexico, and a second species frequents tropical America. It is about the size of a cat, but more robust in appearance, becai:se of its long fur and the semi-plantigrade feet. The genera! color is a grizzle, as the grayish hairs are tipped with black; but on the nose and cheeks there are black and white patches, which, with the erect ears, give the countenance a shrewd ex- pression, well justified by the cunning ainl mis- chief-loving activity of the little beast. Although it spends much of its time on the ground in , search of small animals, insects, and vegetable ' dainties, it climbs well and makes its home in the hollow of a tall tree, where it sleeps during i the day, and hibernates in the colder parts of the country. In the late summer and early fall the raccoon shows a special fondness for ripening corn. -At this season also, frogs, crayfish, and wild oysters form a large part of their fare. These they open and scoop out with great dex-
