the south of Europe and temperate parts of Asia. It is low with generally irregular branches, with oval leaves and rather large whitish flowers, growing singly at the end of young branches. The fruit is usually pear-shaped, of a rich yellow or orange color, with a strong smell. It is hard and sour, but when stewed with sugar becomes very pleasant, and is used in this way very much, either by itself or to give a flavor to apples. It is also much used for making a preserve called quince marmalade. A delicious beverage somewhat resembling cider is made from it. The seeds, which readily give out their mucilage to water, so that they turn fifty times their amount of water into a substance as thick as syrup, have long been used as medicine. The quince was cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and is now grown in America, the south of Europe, England and generally in temperate climates.

Quincy, the third city in Illinois, and county seat of Adams county, is on the Mississippi river,160 miles above St. Louis and 262 miles southwest of Chicago. It is handsomely built on a high bluff, has a large trade by the river, and as an important railroad bridge crosses the river here, Quincy has extensive railroad connections. The public buildings include a fine courthouse, a medical college, several hospitals and asylums, an Episcopal cathedral, and some forty other churches. The city has many large flour mills, machine shops, foundries, saw and planing mills, breweries, and manufactories of stoves, furniture, carriages, tobacco, etc. Population, 31,494.

Quincy, JOSIAH, an American lawyer, was born in Boston, Feb. 23, 1744, and died at sea, off Gloucester, Massachusetts, April 20, 1775. After graduating at Harvard in 1763, he studied law. He took a strong stand against the oppressions of parliament and its violations of the rights of the colonists, and his name is associated with those of James Otis and Joseph Warren, as men who had most influence in bringing about the revolution. Although Quincy had a slender frame and ill-health, his gift of oratory, heightened by a voice of rare beauty and compass and an impassioned and graceful delivery, had great weight in public assemblies. When Captain Prescott and the soldiers who fired on the people in the Boston massacre of March 5, 1770, were

QUINTILIAN

arrested, Josiah Quincy and John Adams were applied to in their behalf to act as their counsel, and although they earned great reproach by doing so, the acquittal of the prisoners on trial the next autumn justified their course. In May, 1774, he published his principal political work, Observations on the Boston Port Bill with Thoughts on Civil Government and Standing Armies. In September, 1774, he went to England on a private mission for the popular cause as well as for his health. This visit excited much notice in London. He had interviews with Lords North and Dartmouth at their own request, had intercourse with Dr. Franklin and other friends constantly, and received the most bitter personal abuse from Lord Hillsborough. He returned early in the spring against the advice of his physician, and died just before arriving. Almost his last words were that he could die content if he had an hour's talk with Samuel Adams or Joseph Warren. See his life by his son Josiah Quincy (1820).

Quinine is present in the bark of numerous species of cinchona and ri mijia, its yield varying from 11⁄2 to 8 per cent. Quinine is obtained from the powdered bark by treating it with lime, and then extracting the mixture with alcohol, neutralizing with an acid so as to obtain a salt of quinine, and finally purifying the product. Preparations of quinine, especially the sulphate, are largely used in medicine.

Quinoa, a valuable food-plant, a native of Chile and the high tableland of Mexico. In these countries it is much cultivated for its seeds, which form a principal food of the inhabitants. The meal made from some varieties of the seed has a somewhat peculiar flavor, but it is very nutritious, and is made into porridge and cakes. The plant is sometimes cultivated in British gardens for its leaves, which are a good substitute for spinach.

Quintilian, M. FABIUS QUINTILIANUS, was born about 35 A. D., at Calagurris, in Spain, and attended the lectures of Dimitius Afer in Rome. After 59 A. D., however, he revisited Spain, whence he returned to Rome in the train of Galba and began to practice as a pleader in courts, gaining there a considerable reputation. He was more distinguished as a teacher of oratory, however, and his instructions were most eagerly sought after, his pupils including the younger Pliny and the

two grand-nephews of Domitian, who conferred on him the title and insignia of consul. After twenty years of labor as advocate and teacher, he retired to private life and died about 96 A. D. His reputation rests securely on his great work entitled De Institutione Oratoria Libri XII., a complete system of rhetoric. It was written after he had ceased to be a teacher, and was the fruit of two years' labor, as he says in his preface. The best edition of Quintilian's work is that of Burmann; of the Institutione Oratoria, those by Spaulding, completed by Zumpt and Bonnell.

Quipu, the language of knotted cords which was used by the Incas of Peru previous to the conquest of their country by the Spaniards. A series of knotted strings was fastened at one end to a stout cord; the other end hung free. This was used for the purpose of conveying commands to officers in the provinces, and even for recording historic events.

Quito (kee'-to), the capital of Ecuador, lies in 0° 14' south latitude, on the east side of the great plateau of Quito, at the foot of the volcano of Pichincha, at an elevation of 9,351 feet above the sea. Its site, cut up with numerous ravines, is very uneven; but the streets are laid out regularly at right angles, plunging into and scaling the sides of the valleys which come into their Course. The city is well paved, but the sidewalks are very narrow; and the streets are lighted only with candles

or

kerosene lamps-oftenest those placed before shrines at the street corners. The appearance of Quito is very picturesque, with its beautiful mountains on every side. This, together with its clear, healthy and temperate climate, maintaining a perpetual spring,

QUITO

makes it one of the most charming cities of South America; yet the abrupt changes from the hot sun of midday to the chills of evening make pneumonia and diseases of the chest very common. The principal houses are built of stone, the others of adobes, or sundried bricks, covered with tiles. In the great square stand the quaint cathedral, with its green-tiled dome, the archbishop's palace, the municipal building and the capitol, built of brick and stucco, with the two halls of congress on the third floor. Other public buildings include the university, a seminary, an institute of science, an observatory, a museum, a library of 20,000 volumes, a penitentiary, a hospital, a lunatic asylum, a retreat for lepers, a score of churches and three times as many monasteries. Most of these last are in a very dilapidated condition, for which it is hard to find any reason but laziness; for they still retain their lands and revenues, and the offerings of the faithful, who are nearly all Indians, are as constant as ever. Indeed, Quito is the paradise of priests, of whom there are more than 400 in the city, and the bells are jangling all day long; for Ecuador is the most faithful province of the pope, and the one state in the world which still refuses to recognize the unity of Italy and the condition of affairs which resulted from the occupation of Rome. There are only two or three good stores and no hotels; the daily market in the square before the monastery of San Francisco is the general purchasing place, and the religious houses serve for hotels. Quito was founded in 1534, and has suffered frequently from earthquakes. Population, about 50,000, mainly Indians and mestizoes (half Spanish or Creole and half Indian).

Rabat (ra-bah'), also called New Sallee, a seaport city of Morocco, Africa, is situated on the south side of the Bu-Ragrag, where it empties into the Atlantic ocean. The most conspicuous object in the town is the tower of BeniHassan (180 feet high); and near it is the ruined mosque of Almanzor, originally intended to be the largest in the world. Formerly Rabat was the center of the European trade with Morocco; but owing to the silting up of the mouth of the river its commerce has greatly declined. Population, 26,000.

Rabbi, an honorary title applied to teachers and masters of the Jewish law, being in common use in the time of Christ, who was frequently addressed as such by his disciples. Other forms of the same title are Rab, "master," Rabban, our master," and Rabboni, 'my master."

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Rabbit, an animal of the same class as the hare. It is, however, smaller, with shorter head, ears and legs. The young of rabbits are blind and naked at birth, and are fed and cared for in burrows. These burrows are often very long, crooked, and have usually several openings. Rabbits are great breeders, there being from four to eight litters a year, and from three to eight young being born at once. A tame rabbit has been known to bear fifty-eight young in a year. The mother rabbit takes much care of her young, and the male is affectionate towards them, though under certain circumstances he sometimes destroys the brood. A rabbit's life is from seven to eight years. Its senses are sharp, but it is most active in the gloaming and darkness. Its chief enemies are hawks, owls, foxes and weasels. By stamping with the hind legs, the older rabbits warn the others of danger. Tame rabbits are varieties of the wild form. Among the more important kinds are the silver rabbits, with bluish-gray silvery fur; the Russian rabbits, with gray body and brown head; the Angora rab

bits, with long silken fur and short ears. White rabbits called albinos, with white hair and red eyes, are common; and a remarkable kind is the dwarf rabbit of Porto Santo. Wild rabbits feed on grass, herbs and tender bark. Tame rabbits will eat almost any kind of vegetable food, cabbage leaves, turnip

Rabelais (ră-blā'), FRANÇOIS, the greatest of French humorists, was born, according to the general statements of biographers, in 1483, but more probably a few years later, near Chinon, a small town in Touraine. At the request of his father he became a brother of the order of St. Francis in the convent of Fontenay le Comte about the year 1519, and at once devoted himself with the utmost ardor to his hitherto neglected studies. To medicine in particular he seems to have been strongly attracted, and, in addition to the Latin and Greek languages, he is said to have mastered Italian, Spanish, German, Hebrew and Arabic. Charged with heresy on account of bis devotion to learning, he left the convent, and later was in turn a monk of the order of St. Benedict, lecturer in the university at Montpellier and canon of Cardinal Bellay's abbey near Paris. He died at Paris in 1553. Rabelais' great romance, in which are narrated the adventures of Gargantua and Pantagruel, continues to hold its rank as a masterpiece of humor and grotesque invention. In the form of a sportive and extravagant fiction it is a pointed criticism of the corrupt society of the period, the follies and vices of which are pictured with marked ingenuity and effect; but at the same time, on account of its free tone and plainness of speech, few books are less suitable for general perusal.

Raccoon, a quadruped of the bear family, restricted to the American con

RACCOON.

tinent. It is about the size of a small fox, blackish-gray in color, the tail short and bushy, marked with five or sometimes six blackish rings upon a ground of dark-gray. It is a good climber, and makes its home in hollow trees, where it lies concealed during the day, descending at night to search for food and water. It is capable of feeding on

RACES OF THE WORLD

animal or vegetable food, is fond of oysters, crabs and similar animals, and has a special liking for green corn. It is always fond of water, drinking freely and immersing its food so as to moisten it. When engaged in this curious custom it grasps its food with both its fore paws and shakes it violently backward and forward in the water. Roving at night through the woods, cunning and agile to a degree, it is often hunted by men and boys, who, with torches and trained dogs, find in a coon-hunt one of the most picturesque and exciting of sports.

Races of the World. The most general division of the human family is into five great races: the Caucasian, the Mongolian, the Malay, the Ethiopian and the American. The Caucasian race is the most numerous and the most widely spread over the earth of all the races. It is distinguished by a fair complexion, complexion, a high forehead and straight hair and beard varying in color. This race is dispersed over nearly the whole of Europe and North America, Northern Africa and large areas in Asia, Australia and southern Africa. It leads the other races in literature, commerce and all the arts of civilization. The Mongolian race has a yellowish complexion, small eyes, prominent cheek bones and rather coarse black hair. It comprises the Chinese, the Japanese, the Turks and many other nations in Asia, together with the Magyars of Hungary and the Esquimaux of North America. The Malay race has a dark-brown complexion, with a skull like the Caucasian, a flat face like the Ethiopian, and straight dark hair like the Mongolian. This race is found in Madagascar, Australia, the islands of the Pacific, and in the Malay peninsula in Asia. The Ethiopian, or African, race has a black complexion, a rather low forehead, a broad, flat nose, thick lips, thin beard and wooly hair. It inhabits the greater part of Africa, although it has several million representatives in North America. The American race (Indians) has a red or copper-colored skin, high cheek bones, coarse, black hair, and scanty beard. It is found in certain portions of North America and South America. The population of the world may be estimated in round numbers at 1,500,000,000, of which more than 1,000,000,000 belong to the Caucasian and Mongolian races. Various divisions and subdivisions of these races have been

made by ethnologists during the last 25 years.

Rachel, properly Elisa Rachel Felix, the great tragic actress, was born of Jewish parents at Munf, in the Swiss canton of Aargau, March 24, 1821. She took her first lessons in singing in Paris about the year 1830 when her parents took up their residence in that city, and in 1838 appeared as Camille in Les Horaces in the Theater Français. From this time forward she shone without a rival and the furore excited in Paris in 1848 by her recitation of the Marseillaise will continue to connect her name with the revolution of that year. In 1849 she made the tour of the French provinces, and afterwards visited London, St. Petersburg, Berlin, and other great cities of Europe, everywhere meeting enthusiastic admiration and applause. In 1855 while on a professional visit to America her health gave way, and she returned home utterly prostrated, her death taking place at Cannet, near Toulon, Jan. 3, 1858. As an artist, within the limits prescribed by her genius, Rachel has never been surpassed. No language can give an idea of the force and intensity which characterized her rendering of passion. Her Phedre, by common consent her masterpiece, was the very incarnation of agony, not to be forgotten by anyone who ever heard it. "She does not act -she suffers," a fine critic has observed of her. But in spite of her great genius she was never tenderly loved, being grasping and avaricious. She left a large fortune besides the amounts lavished upon her family during her life.

Racine, a city of Wisconsin, on the west shore of Lake Michigan, and on both sides of Root river, whose mouth forms an excellent harbor. Racine is situated about 25 miles from Milwaukee and about 60 from Chicago. It contains a handsome post office, city hall, the Episcopal University (formerly called Racine College), and the Taylor Orphan Asylum. A large trade is carried on, and there are numerous manufactories throughout the city. Population, 21,014.

Racine (rah-seen'), JEAN BAPTISTE, the greatest dramatic poet of France, was born at La-Ferte-Milon, in the modern department of Aisne, in December, 1639. His parents dying when he was very young, he was cared for by his maternal grandfather, being sent first to the College Beauvais and afterwards to Port Royal, at which latter

RADISH

place he studied diligently under such masters as Claude Lancelot, Nicole and La Maitre. At the age of 19 he left Port Royal to pursue a course of philosophy at the College d'Harcourt, where he appears to have first felt the attractions of a life devoted to letters, and to have become intimately acquainted with various actors and actresses. Racine's earliest play was acted by Molière's company at the Palais Royal theater, in June, 1664, and in the same year he received from the king a pension of 600 francs for a congratulatory ode. The next fifteen years Racine devoted to writing plays and produced a number of works, all of which bore the stamp of very high, if not the highest genius. His last production, Phédre, which appeared in 1677, was the one in which Rachel's genius, in the 19th century, reached its highest manifestation. After this Racine professed conversion, and married a noble woman, who bore him two sons and five daughters. Besides the income derived from his works, he filled a number of profitable offices under the king, and divided his time between the duties of these offices and the practice of various religious exercises. In his later years he wrote a memoir on the miseries of the people at which the king is said to have expressed his displeasure in words that broke the heart of the courtier-poet, and doubtless hastened his death. He wrote a long letter to Madame de Maintenon to clear himself of the charge of Jansenism; but in recounting the miseries of the French people he had committed an offense which such a monarch as Louis XIV. could not forgive, and he never recovered the royal favor that appeared so very dear to him. He died April 21, 1699, and was buried according to his own request at Port Royal.

Radiometer, an instrument invented by Professor William Crookes for estimating the mechanical effects of radiation. It consists of four horizontal arms of very fine glass, carefully poised so as to revolve on a fine point. the tips of the arms having discs of pith blackened on one side, and the whole being contained in a glass vessel nearly exhausted of air. When exposed to light or heat the effect of radiation is seen in the circular motion of the arms caused by the effect of the rays upon these blackened discs, and the air by which they are surrounded.

Radish, a garden vegetable highly prized for its succulent roots with