Volume 4

The universal dictionary of biography and mythology / by J. Thomas.

  • Thomas, Joseph, 1811-1891.
Date:
[1887]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The universal dictionary of biography and mythology / by J. Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/514 (page 1867)
    like an Ishmaelite,” says Garland,—“ his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him.” See Hugh A. Garland, “Life of John Randolph,” 2 vols., 1850; James Parton, “Famous Americans of Recent Times,” 1867 ; “ National Portrait-Gallery of Distinguished Americans,” vol. iv.Edinburgh Review” for October, 1807; “North American Review” for July, 1866. Randolph, (Peyton,) an American jurist and states- man, born in Virginia in 1723, was first president of che American Congress which met in 1774. He was re-elected president of that body in May, 1775. Died in Philadelphia, October, 1775. Randolph, (Sir Thomas,) an able British diploma- tist, born in Kent about 1525. He performed many missions to Scotland, France, and Russia in the reign of Elizabeth, and was an adept in political intrigues. He married a sister of Walsingham. Died in 1590. His Letters, which are of great historical importance, are preserved in the British Museum, and are largely quoted by Froude in his “ History of England.” Randolph, (Thomas,) an English poet, born in Northamptonshire in 1605. On leaving college he be- came a resident of London and a friend or protege of Ben Jonson. He wrote, besides other poems, several dramas, among which is “ The Muses’ Looking-Glass,” (1638.) His habits were dissipated. Died in 1634. See “ Retrospective Review,” vol. vi., (1822.) Randolph, (Thomas,) an English theologian, born at Canterbury in 1701. He became professor of divinity at Oxford in 1768. He published several works on theology, among which is “Christian Faith,” (1744.) Died in 1783. Randon, r&N'diN', (Charles Joseph,) Comte de PuIIy, a French general, born in Paris in 1751; died in 1832. Randon, ( Jacques Louis C£sar Alexandre, ) Count, a French general, born at Grenoble in 1795. He became a colonel in 1838, served in Algeria, and obtained the rank of general of division in 1847. He was appointed minister of war in January, 1851, and Governor-General of Algeria in December of that year. In 1856 he was made a marshal of France. He was minister of war from 1859 to 1867. Died in 1871. Randon-Dulauloy, r&N'd6N' diiTo'lwl/, (Charles Franqois,) Count, a French general, born at Laon in 1764. As general of division, he distinguished himself at Eylau, Friedland, Lutzen, and Dresden. Died in 1832. Rangabe. See Rizo RangabE. Ranieri, ri-ne-a'ree, (Antonio,) an Italian writer, born at Naples in 1806. He wrote “ Ginevra,” a tale, (1838,) and a “History of Italy from Theodosius to Charlemagne,” (1841.) Ranieri-Biscia, ri-ne-a'ree bee'shS, (Luigi,) an Ital- ian poet, born in Tuscany in 1744. He wrote a poem “ On the Cultivation of Anise,” (1772,) and other works. Died about 1824. Rank, rink, (Joseph,) a German writer of tales, born near Neumark, Bohemia, in 1815. He wrote, besides other works, “ Aus dem Boehmerwalde,” (3 vols., 1851,) and “ Florian,” (1853.) Ranke, rink'eh, (Friedrich Heinrich,) a distin- guished Protestant theologian and preacher, brother of the historian Leopold, was born in 1797. He became professor of dogmatics at Erlangen in 1840. Ranke, (Karl Ferdinand,) a brother of the pre- ceding, was born in 1802. He published several educational and philological works. Ranke, (Leopold von,) one of the most eminent German historians of recent times, was born in Thurin- gia in 1795. He published in 1824 a “History of the Roman and German People from 1494 to 1535,” and was appointed the following year professor-extraordinary of history at Berlin. To this succeeded his “Princes and Nations of Southern Europe in the Sixteenth and Seven- teenth Centuries,” (1827,) “The Servian Revolution,” (1829,) and “The Conspiracy against Venice in 1688,” (1831.) His “Popes of Rome, their Church and State in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries,” (3 vols., 1834,) and “German History during the Reformation,” (5 vols., 1839-43,) are among his most popular works, and have become widely known by the admirable trans- lations of Mrs. Austin. Besides the above-named, he published “Nine Books of Prussian History,” (3 vols., 1847,) which has been translated by Sir Alexander and Lady Duff Gordon, a “ History of France in the Six- teenth and Seventeenth Centuries,” (1852,) “AHistory of England, principally in the 17th Century,” (transla- tion 1875), and other similar works. Ranke was appointed historiographer of Prussia in 1841. His “History of the Popes” is highly commended by Macaulay. He died in 1886. Rankine, (William John Macquorn,) F.R.S., a British civil engineer, distinguished as a writer on heat, elasticity, mechanics, etc. He became professor of civil engineering and mechanics at Glasgow about 1855. Among his works are a “Manual of Applied Mechanics,” (1858,) and “On Energetics.” He died at Glasgow in 1872. Rannequin, rin'neh-kin, Ren'kin, or Rennequin, (Swalm,) a hydraulic engineer, born at Liege in 1644. He constructed the machine of Marly, near Versailles, in France. Died in 1708. Ran'som, (Thomas Edward Greenfield,) a brave and skilful American general, born at Norwich, Ver- mont, in November, 1834. He was a civil engineer in Illinois before the civil war. In July, 1861, he became a lieutenant-colonel, and in February, 1862, he was se- verely wounded at Fort Donelson. He commanded a regiment at Shiloh in April, 1862, obtained the rank of brigadier-general in January, 1863, and served under General Banks in the Red River expedition. He was disabled by a wound at Sabine Cross-Roads, Louisiana, in April, 1864. He joined the army of Sherman after his wound had healed, and took command of a division or corps just before the capture of Atlanta, (September 2.) He died at Rome, Georgia, in October, 1864. See Tenney, “Military History of the Rebellion,” p. 793; “ Sherman and his Campaigns,” by Colonels Bowman and Irwin. Ransonnette, rSN'so'nlt', (Charles Nicolas,) a French engraver, born in Paris in 1797. He engraved plates for several books of travel. Rantoul, ran'tool, (Robert,) a distinguished states- man of the Democratic party, was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, in 1805. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1827, and was elected in 1834 to the legis- lature, in which he advocated the abolition of capital punishment. In 1845 he was appointed a district attor- ney of the United States by the President, and in 1851 succeeded Daniel Webster as Senator of the United States for a short term. Having avowed himself a decided opponent of the extension of slavery, he was elected to Congress by the united votes of the Demo- crats and Free-Soilers. Died in August, 1852. See “ Memoir” prefixed to a volume of his speeches, published by L. Hamilton in 1854; “ Democratic Review” for October, 1850, (with a portrait.) Rantzau, de, deh rSNt'so', (Josias,) Count, a mar- shal of France, born in Denmark in 1609. He com- manded a French army with success in Flanders from 1642 to 1649. Died in 1650. Rantzau, von, fon rfint'sow, (Johann,) Count, a German general, born in 1492. He entered the service of the Duke of Holstein, (afterwards Frederick I. of Denmark,) for whom he conquered Denmark about 1525. Died in 1565. Ranzani, rin-zi'nee, (Camillo Abbate,) an eminent Italian naturalist, born at Bologna in 1775. He was appointed professor of natural history in the university of his native city in 1803. About 1810 he visited Paris, where he was treated with much attention by Cuvier. He began in 1819 to publish a great work entitled “Ele- ments of Zoology,” which he was not able to finish. About twelve volumes of it have been published. Died in 1841. See Corrado Politi, “Elogio di C. Ranzani,” 1842; Tipaldo, “ Biografia degli Italiani illustri.” Raoul, rt'ool', or Rodolphe, ro'dolf', [Lat. Ra- DUl'fus,] Duke of Burgundy, married Emma, a daughter of Robert, Duke of France. In 923 he was chosen king by the barons who deposed Charles III. He waged war against the Normans under Rollo. Died in 936.