Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Grant, Sir Francis, 1803–78, Scottish portrait painter. He was self-taught in painting, for which he abandoned a career in law. He began as a painter of hunting scenes (The Melton Hunt and The Cotte...

(Encyclopedia) Ross, Sir John, 1777–1856, British arctic explorer and rear admiral. In 1818 he went in search of the Northwest Passage but turned back after exploring Baffin Bay. Financed by Sir Felix Booth, he co...

(Encyclopedia) Eliot, Sir John, 1592–1632, English parliamentary leader. He was a staunch defender of parliamentary liberties. Eliot instituted (1626) the impeachment proceedings against Charles I's favorite, the ...

(Encyclopedia) Gardiner, Sir Christopher, fl. 1630–32, figure in the early history of the Massachusetts Bay colony. When the Puritans arrived in Massachusetts Bay in 1630, they found that Gardiner had preceded the...

(Encyclopedia) Lauder, Sir Harry lôˈdər [key], 1870–1950, Scottish baritone. His original name was MacLennan. Lauder was popular for his singing of ballads and comic songs, many of his own composition. During W...

(Encyclopedia) Ayton or Aytoun, Sir Robert both: āˈtən [key], 1570–1638, English poet and courtier. He was private secretary to the queens of James I and Charles I, besides holding other posts of honor. He wrot...

(Encyclopedia) Stainer, Sir John stāˈnər [key], 1840–1901, English composer and organist, grad. Oxford. He was organist and choirmaster at St. Paul's Cathedral (1872–88), and he wrote music for the church ser...

(Encyclopedia) Spenser, Edmund, 1552?–1599, English poet, b. London. He was the friend of men eminent in literature and at court, including Gabriel Harvey, Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Robert Sidney,...

(Encyclopedia) Anstey, F., pseud. of Thomas Anstey Guthrie, 1856–1934, English author. He relinquished his law practice to write humorous fiction. His best and most successful works are marked by an atmosphere of ...

(Encyclopedia) Westmacott, Sir Richard wĕstˈməkŏt [key], 1775–1856, English sculptor. He worked in the studio of his father, also a sculptor, and in Italy under Canova. His work includes statues in the neoclas...