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with an army to Italy, and invested Rome; but was persuaded to spare the city on receiving a ransom of 5000 pounds of gold, 30,000 pounds of silver, 4000 silk garments, 3000 pieces of fine scarlet cloth, and 3000 pounds of pepper. Negotiations took place between Honorius, in Ravenna, and A., with a view of putting an end to the war; but the parties could not agree, and A. besieged Rome a second time. By cutting off the supplies of the city, he soon compelled a capitulation, by virtue of which the senate declared the prefect of the city, Attalus, emperor instead of Honorius. But Attalus evinced so little prudence, that A. obliged him publicly to resign the empty dignity. Negotiations again took place with Honorius, but were as unsuccessful as the former, and A. besieged Rome for the third time. The Goths penetrated into the city in 410, sacked it, burned a part of it, and destroyed a great quantity of ancient works of art. But the moderation of A. is praised, because he gave orders to spare the churches, and those who had fled to them for shelter. The once proud mistress of the world now experienced a severe retribution for the sufferings which she had caused to so many cities, countries and nations in the days of her former splendor and power. The treasures collected during a thousand years, from all quarters, became the prey of barbarians. A. left Rome after a residence of 6 days, with the view of reducing Sicily and Africa. He had already laid waste Campania, Apulia and Calabria, when death overtook him at Cosenza, a Calabrian town, A. D. 410. He was buried in the channel of the Busento, that his remains might not be found by the Romans; and the captives employed in the work were murdered. Rome and Italy celebrated public festivals on the occasion; Sicily and Africa saw themselves freed from imminent danger; and the world enjoyed a moment of peace. But the march of desolation was soon renewed; the barbarians had learned the way to Rome; A. had taught them the weakness of the former queen of the world.

ALATAMAHA, or ALTAMAHA; the largest river of the state of Georgia, formed by the junction of the Oakmulgee and Oconee, both of which, rise in the spurs of the Alleghany mountains. After the junction, the A. becomes a large river, flowing with a gentle current, through forests and plains, 120 miles, and runs into St. Simon's sound by several mouths,

60 miles S. W. Savannah. Its average breadth is about 600 yards, its depth 8 feet, and the bar at the mouth of the river has 14 feet of water at low tide. Large steam-boats have ascended the Oconee branch to Milledgeville, and the Oakmulgee to Macon, about 300 miles from the ocean by the windings of the rivers.

ALAY, or Triumph; the name of a ceremony practised by the Turks at the commencement of war. We are informed by baron Tott (q. v.), who saw the ceremony which accompanied the breaking out of a war between Russia and the porte, that the A. consists of a kind of masquerade, in which the different tradesmen exhibit the implements of their respective arts, and their mode of operations. (A similar exhibition of various trades was seen in the procession formed to celebrate the commencement of the rail-road at Baltimore, July 4, 1828.) The mechanics are followed by the standard of the prophet Mahomet, brought from the seraglio, to be carried to the Ottoman army. This sacred banner is viewed with fanatical reverence. None but emirs are allowed to touch it; and the very look of an infidel is said to be sufficient to profane it. The A. having been almost forgotten, from the long peace which preceded the war abovementioned, the Christians imprudently crowded to witness the exhibition; the emir, who preceded the holy standard, cried with a loud voice, "Let no infidel profane with his presence the banner of the prophet; and let every Mussulman, who perceives an unbeliever, make it known under pain of reprobation." these words, the fanaticism of the Turks was roused, and a horrid massacre of the Christians began, in which no age and neither sex was spared.

At

ALBA LONGA; a considerable city of Latium; according to tradition, built by Ascanius, the son of Æneas; governed, after the death of its founder, by Æneas Sylvius, the second son of Æneas. It was the birthplace of Romulus and Remus, the parent of Rome, under whose dominion it fell, in consequence of the victory of the Romans in the contest between the Horatii and Curiatii. The beautiful lake of Albano, with its canal, and the castle of Gandolfo, still remind us of A. (See Niebuhr's Roman Hist. There was also a city of Alba near the Lacus Fucinus, a town of the Marsi; an A. Pompeia in Liguria, and an A. Julia, now Weissemburg, in Transylvania.

ALBAN, St., lived in the 3d century, and is said to have been the first person who suffered martyrdom for Christianity in Great Britain. He was born near the town which now bears his name, in Hertfordshire. In his youth, he served 7 years as a soldier, under the emperor Diocletian. Returning to Britain, he embraced Christianity, and suffered martyrdom in the great persecution which took place in the time of the above emperor. A number of miracles are attributed to this saint. The celebrated monastery of St. Alban's was founded between 4 and 5 centuries after his death, by Offa, king of Mercia.

ALBANI; a rich and powerful family of Rome, which fled before the Turks in the 16th century, from Albania to Italy. Here it was divided into two branches; the one constituting the family of Bergamo; the other, that of Urbino. The Roman branch of the A. owes its splendor to a fortunate circumstance. It was an A. who announced to Urban VIII the acquisition of Urbino; and riches and posts of honor were the reward of his tidings. The influence of the family was very great when Clement XI ascended the papal chair, in 1700. Of the nephews of this pope, Annibale A., Alessandro A., and Giovanni Francesco A., Annibale has distinguished himself by his writings and collections of books and works of art, which have been incorporated with the treasures of the Vatican. Alessandro A., his younger brother, born at Urbino in 1692, took orders at the express desire of pope Clement XI. He was raised to the dignity of cardinal, in 1721, by Innocent XIII. As a member of the sacred college, as protector of Sardinia, and, under Benedict XIV, as associate protector of the imperial states, he took an active part in all the contests in which the papal court was then engaged, particularly on account of his great friendship for the Jesuits, of which many proofs exist, especially in the journals of father Corda

ra.

In the charms of a quiet, literary life, of agreeable society, and a well-filled table, the cardinal found greater enjoyment than in the turmoil of business. One of his greatest pleasures was in a collection of works of art, which he was assisted in arranging by Winckelmann, whose collections he inherited. It is known how sincerely Winckelmann was devoted to the cardinal, whose knowledge could appreciate and second the genius of the archæologist. Of this, his splendid villa before Porta Salara, at Rome, not

withstanding many losses, affords striking proof. Morcelli, Marini, Fea and Zoega combined to make it known, and owe a portion of their own reputation to its treasures. It contains the richest modern private collection, and does honor to the taste of its founder. It was said in Rome, soon after the death of the cardinal, as a proof of his acquaintance with ancient coins, that he could distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit by the mere touch, without the aid of his eyes. Indefatigably active, yet never an author, the cardinal died, Dec. 11, 1779. Dionigio Strocchi has written his life.

ALBANI, Francesco, a famous painter, born at Bologna, in 1578, entered the school of Dionysius Calvert, a Flemish painter, who had a great reputation in Bologna. A. was one of his most distinguished scholars. He labored here several years, in connexion with Domenichino, to whom he was closely attached by friendship and love of art; and some resemblance is perceptible in their manner of coloring. But in invention he surpasses his friend, and, indeed, all his rivals of the school of Calvert. His female forms Mengs places above those of all other painters; an opinion which we cannot assent to unconditionally. Those of his compositions that are most frequently met with are, the sleeping Venus; Diana in the bath; Danäe reclining; Galathea on the sea; Europa on the bull. Scriptural subjects he has less frequently selected; when he has, the paintings are principally distinguished for the beauty of the heads of the angels. In general, he was most successful in paintings of a limited character. He had a numerous school in Rome and Bologna. The scholars of Guido, with whom he vied, accused him of effeminacy and weakness of style, and maintained that he knew not how to give any dignity to male figures. For that reason, he avoided subjects which demand fire and spirit, and has been called, not without reason, the Anacreon of painters. The narrowness of his sphere of excellence was eventually injurious to him. He outlived his fame, and died in 1660, in the 82d year of his age. He left behind him several writings, which Malvasia has preserved.

ALBANIA (in the Turkish language, Arnaut; in the Albanian, Skiperi); (Epirus and Illyria); a Turkish province in Arnaut-Wilajeti, extending from the Drino to the Acroceraunian mountains, along the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. It has a delicious climate, and produces in

quantities near A. It is of two kinds; the one of which is called Sperone, the other Peperino. Of this, says Winckelmann, was made the foundation of the capitol at Rome, built in the year of the city 387, of which five layers of large stones are still to be seen above ground. The cloaca maxima, a work of the Tarquins, as well as the most ancient of the Roman funeral monuments at A., and another of their oldest works, constructed about the 358th year of the city, the outlet of the lake of A., at present Lago di Castello, are built of this stone.

ALBANY, or ALBANI, countess of, princess Louisa Maria Caroline, or Aloysia, born in 1753, cousin of the last reigning prince of Stolberg-Gedern, who died in 1804, married, in 1772, the English pretender, Charles Stuart. After this marriage, she bore the title of countess of A. Her marriage was unfruitful and unhappy. To escape from the barbarity of her husband, who lived in a continual state of intoxication, she retired, in 1780, to a cloister. After his death, in 1788, the French court conferred on her an annuity of 60,000 livres. She survived the house of Stuart, which became extinct at the death of her brother-in-law, the cardinal of York, in 1807. (See Stuart.) She died at Florence, her usual place of residence, Jan. 29, 1824, in her 72d year. Her name and her misfortunes have been transmitted to posterity in the works and the autobiography of count Victor Alfieri. This famous poet called her mia donna, and confessed that to her he owed his inspiration. Without the friendship of the countess of A., he has said that he never should have achieved any thing excellent : 66 senza laquella non aurei mai fatto nulla di buono." The sketch of his first meeting with the countess, quella gentilissima e bella signora, as he calls her, is full of sentiment and genuine poetry. (See Alfieri.) Her ashes and those of Alfieri now repose under a common monument, in the church of Santa Croce, at Florence, between the tombs of Machiavelli and Michael Angelo.

ALBANY, a city of New York, the seat of the government of the state, is situated on the west bank of the Hudson, 144 miles N. of the city of New York; lat. 42° 39′ N.; lon. 73° 13′ W.; pop. in 1810, 9,356; in 1820, 12,613; and in 1825, 15,974. Albany lies near the head of tide-water, on one of the finest rivers in the world, which is navigable as far as the city for sloops of 80 tons; and, except when the river is obstructed by ice,

steam-boats run daily between this place and the city of New York. The Erie and Champlain canals form a junction at Watervliet, about 8 miles north of the city, and their united channel is connected at A. with a large basin, which covers a surface of 32 acres, on the west side of the river. These advantages, together with many stage-coaches in various directions, render A. one of the greatest thoroughfares in the United States. The city carries on an extensive trade by means of sloops, chiefly with the city of New York; and also, to a considerable amount, with Boston, Philadelphia, and other places. The exports consist of wheat, and various other kinds of produce.-A. was settled by the Dutch about the year 1614, and is, next to Jamestown in Virginia, the oldest town in the U. States. The site on which it is built is very uneven, and it was originally laid out with little regard to elegance. The older houses are in the Dutch style, with the gable ends to the streets; but within the last 20 years, the city has been greatly improved, and it now contains many elegant public and private buildings. The principal public edifices are the capitol or state-house, a large structure of stone, the Albany academy, a spacious and elegant edifice, the state-hall for the public offices, a state arsenal, and 12 houses of public worship.

ALBANY; the modern district of the colony of the cape of Good Hope. (See Good Hope.)

ALBATROSS (diomedea, L.); a genus of web-footed birds, having the following generic characters: a very long bill, which is sutured, robust, thick, straight and laterally compressed, terminating in a large hook, apparently articulated therewith. The upper mandible is laterally grooved, and the short, tubular nostrils are situated in these grooves; the lower mandible is truncated. The toes are very long, and are webbed with an entire membrane; the lateral toes are externally edged by a narrow membrane. There is no hind toe nor nail; the nails are short and blunt. The tail is rounded, and composed of fourteen feathers.-The A. most generally known is the diomedea exulans of naturalists, the frigate bird, man-of-war bird and cape sheep of sailors. It is the largest of marine birds, as its wings, when extended, measure from 10 to 12 feet from tip to tip. These long wings are very narrow, but the A. being extremely strong, is able to fly with ease over a vast space. Except during high winds, when

it ascends to the superior regions of the air, the A. sails gently over the surface of the billows, rising and sinking in graceful undulation, and seizing with avidity every luckless creature that approaches the surface. Pursuing its prey in this manner, it urges its flight far from land, and, by occasionally alighting upon vessels, deceives the inexperienced voyager into an idea that the shore cannot be very distant. At night, this bird settles down upon the waves, and sleeps securely until hunger again commands a renewal of its efforts. The A. might be assumed as a perfect emblem of gluttony, as it is scarcely possible, in description, to do justice to its excessive voracity. Whenever food is abundant, it gorges to such a degree as to become unable either to fly or swim; frequently it is seen in this state, with a fish partly swallowed and partly hanging from its mouth. The gulls then attack and worry it until it disgorges its prey, upon which they are ready to seize. When caught by hand, it makes violent struggles with its wings, and strikes with its beak. Fish spawn, gelatinous molluscæ, and various small marine animals constitute its ordinary food. Flying-fish are also particularly exposed to this devourer, whose swiftness of wing is far superior to theirs. The voice of the A. is a harsh, disagreeable cry, somewhat resembling that of a pelican; it has also been compared to the braying of an ass.— Towards the middle of June, vast numbers of these birds flock towards the coast of Kamtschatka, the sea of Ochotsk, the shores of the Kurile islands and Behring's straits. They arrive there, extremely lean, a short time preceding the fish, which come annually to spawn in the fresh water of the rivers; but, soon after, the birds become very fat from the abundance of food. They begin to retire from these coasts about the end of July, and by the 15th of August the whole have disappeared. During their sojourn, the Kamtschadales catch numbers of them by baiting hooks with fish, or by knocking them on the head when overgorged. They are not taken for their flesh, which is coarse, rank and disgusting; but their large, hol'low wing-bones furnish the natives with various useful implements, while certain parts of their intestines are inflated and employed as floats for fishing-nets. About the middle of September, they seek the southern shores of America, for the purpose of breeding; there they build nests of earth two feet or more high, and lay numerous eggs, which are larger than

those of a goose, being about 4 inches long, generally white, except towards the larger extremity, where they are speckled with black. These eggs are edible, and it is stated, by those who have used them, that the white is not rendered hard by boiling. While the female sits upon the nest, the male is industriously employed in supplying her with food. This seems to be more especially necessary, as hawks are constantly on the watch for an opportunity of pouncing upon the eggs the moment the nest is left exposed. As soon as the A. finally relinquishes the nest, it is taken possession of by a species of penguin. The common A. (diomedea exulans) is from 3 to 4 feet long, of a grayish-brown or whitish color, with lines of black upon the back and wings. The inferior part of the body and rump are white; the end of the tail and a great part of the wings are black. The shafts of the quills are yellow. The feet, toes and web membrane are of a reddishbrown color; the beak is blackish. The female is similar to the male; the young differ much from the adult. The A. moults twice a year without changing its colors.-Three other species are considered as having been established by naturalists: diomedea chlororhyncos, black and yellow-beaked A., of the size of a domestic goose; diomedea spadicea, dark-brown or chocolate-colored A., larger than the common goose; diomedea fuliginosa, sooty or quaker A., smaller than the common A. It is highly probable that future investigation will reduce the nuniver of species which have been proposed.-This bird is most commonly found within the tropics, about the cape of Good Hope, and even amid the ice of the Austral seas. It is sometimes, though rarely, seen on the coasts of the Middle States of the Union.— Except what has been already mentioned relative to the use made of them by the Kamtschadales, we know of no economic purpose for which they are employed. Possibly their large quills might be found useful, if obtained in sufficient numbers.— The importance of the A. in the economy of nature may be readily collected from what we have stated relative to its food, and the vast extent of surface over which it can protract its flight. It serves as one of the numerous restrainers of the superabundant increase of animal life, and, in its turn, becomes the prey of creatures stronger or more sanguinary than itself. Among others, a species of lestris is a dreadful enemy, and beats it, while on the wing, until the A. disgorges its food,