STRATTON-HILL, BATTLE OF, in Devonshire, between the royal army and the forces of the parliament headed by the poet Waller; in this battle the victory was gained over the parliamentarians, who lost numbers in killed and wounded, and Waller was obliged to fly to Bristol; fought May 16, 1643.

STUCCO-WORK. The art was known to the ancients, and was much prized by them, particularly by the Romans, who excelled in it.-Abbé Lenglet. It was revived by D'Udine about A.D. 1550; and is now exquisitely performed in Italy and France, and is advancing rapidly to perfection in England.

STYLE. The style was altered by Augustus Cæsar's ordering leap-year to be but once in four years, and the month Sextilis to be called Augustus, 8 B.C. Again at Rome, by taking twelve days off the calendar, A.D. 1582.—See Calendar. Introduced into

most of the other states of Europe, 1710. Act passed to change the style in England from the Julian to the Gregorian, 1751. It took effect Sept. 3, 1752.-See New Style, and Year.

STYLE, ROYAL, OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND. See articles Majesty, and Titles. SUBSIDIES. Subsidies to the kings of England formerly granted in kind, particularly in wool; 30,000 sacks were voted to Edward III. on account of the war with France, 1340.-Anderson. Subsidies raised upon the subjects of England for the last time by James I., 1624, but they were contained in a bill for the redress of grievances, 1639. England granted subsidies to foreign powers in several wars, particularly in the war against the revolutionists of France, and the war against Buonaparte. One of the most remarkable of these latter was June 20, 1800, when a treaty of subsidies was ratified at Vienna, between Austria and England, stipulating that the war should be vigorously prosecuted against France, and that neither of the contracting powers should enter into a separate peace. Subsidies to Austria, Prussia, Russia, the Porte, and other powers, were afterwards given by England, to the amount of many tens of millions sterling.—Phillips.

SUCCESSION, ACT OF. The memorable act to exclude Roman Catholics from ascending the throne of these realms was passed in 1689; and the crown of England was settled upon the present royal family by the act of June 12, 1701-2. SUCCESSION, THE WAR OF. This celebrated war, alike distinguished by the glorious achievements of the duke of Marlborough and its barren and unprofitable results, arose in the question whether an Austrian or a French prince, grandson of Louis XIV., should succeed to the throne of Spain. Our court opposed Louis, and Marlborough was victorious; but the allies withdrew one after another, and the French prince succeeded; 1702 to 1713. See Utrecht, Peace of.

SUGAR, Saccharum officinarum. Sugar is supposed to have been known to the ancient Jews. Found in the East Indies by Nearchus, admiral of Alexander, 325 B.C. -Strabo. An oriental nation in alliance with Pompey used the juice of the cane as a common beverage.-Lucan. The best sugar was produced in India.-Pliny. It was prescribed as a medicine by Galen.-Encyclop. Brought into Europe from Asia, A.D. 625. In large quantities, 1150. It was attempted to be cultivated in Italy; but not succeeding, the Portuguese and Spaniards carried it to America about 1510.-Robertson's History of Charles V.*

SUGAR-REFINING. The art of refining sugar was made known to the Europeans by a Venetian, A.D. 1503. It was first practised in England in 1659, though some authorities say that we had the art among us a few years sooner. Sugar was first taxed by name, 1 James II., 1685.-Anderson; Mortimer. See Beet Root. SUICIDE. The first instance of it (passing that of Samson) recorded in Jewish history is that of Saul, 1055 B.C.- -Apollodorus. The Greek and Roman philoso

* About the year 1138 the sugar-cane was transported from Tripoli and Syria to Sicily, thence to Madeira, and finally, to the West Indies and America. It is not known at what date sugar was introduced into England, but it seems to have been prior to the reign of Henry VIII. Mr. Whittaker, in the History of Whalley, p. 109, quotes an earlier instance, in 1497. A manuscript letter from sir Edward Wotton to lord Cobham, dated Calais, 6th March, 1546, advertises him that sir Edward had taken up for his lordship, 25 sugar-loaves at six shillings a loaf," whiche is eighte pence a pounde." In 1840, the imports of sugar into the United Kingdom were nearly 5,000,000 cwts., of which nearly four millions were for home consumption; and the duty amouted to about five millions and a half sterling.

LL

phers deemed it a crime, and burned the offending hand apart from the rest of the body. In the early part of the Roman history, the only instance recorded occurs in the reign of Tarquin I., when the soldiers, thinking themselves disgraced by being ordered to make common sewers, destroyed themselves, 606 B.C. Instances afterwards occurred, however, of illustrious men committing suicide, as Cato, 45 B.c. In the Catholic church, in the sixth century, it was ordained that no commemoration should be made in the Eucharist for such as committed self-murder. This ecclesiastical law continued till the Reformation, when it was admitted into the statute law of England by the authority of parliament, with the confiscation of land and goods.

A FEW OF THE MOST MEMORABLE RECENT CASES OF SUICIDE IN ENGLAND, &c.
Suicide of gen. Pichegru

Jan. 26, 1825

April 7, 1804

Of hon. colonel Stanhope
Of rev. Mr. Lee

May 21, 1826

Of Mr. Montgomery in Newgate (see
Prussic Acid).

July 4, 1828

Of gen. sir Rufane Shaw Donkin, May 1, 1841
Of the earl of Munster. . March 20, 1842
Of lord Congleton
Of Dr. Peter Kenney

Oct. 18, 1842

Of marquess of Londonderry. Aug. 12, 1822 There have been only three instances of self-destruction by fire; that of the philosopher Empedocles, who threw himself into the crater of Mount Etna; of a Frenchman, who, in imitation of him, threw himself, in 1820, into the crater of Vesuvius; and of an Englishman, who jumped into the furnace of a forge about the year 1811. Plutarch relates that an unaccountable passion for suicide seized the Milesian virgins, from which they could not be prevented by the tears and prayers of their friends; but a decree being issued that the body of every young maid who did self-murder should be drawn naked through the streets, a stop was soon put to the extraordinary frenzy. In England, the body was buried in cross-roads, a stake being previously driven through it, until the statute 4 George IV., 1823.

SULTAN. A Turkish title, from the Arabic, signifying king of kings, and given to the grand signior or emperor of Turkey. It was first given to the Turkish princes Angrolipex and Musgad, about A.D. 1055.- Vattier. It was first given, according to others, to the emperor Mahmoud, in the fourth century of the Hegira. SUMPTUARY LAWS. Laws to restrain excess in dress, furniture, eating, &c. Those of Zaleucus ordained that no woman should go attended by more than one maid in the street, unless she were drunk ; and that she should not wear gold or embroidered apparel, unless she designed to act unchastely, 450 B.C.-Diog. Laert. This law checked luxury. The Lex Orchia among the Romans limited the guests at feasts, and the number and quality of the dishes at an entertainment; and it also enforced that during supper, which was the chief meal among the Romans, the doors of every house should be left open. The English sumptuary laws were chiefly in the reigns of Edward III. and Henry VIII. See Dress, Luxury, &c. SUN. Pythagoras taught that the sun was one of the twelve spheres, about 529 B.C. The relative distances of the sun and moon were first calculated geometrically by Aristarchus, who also maintained the stability of the sun, about 280 B.C. Numerous theories were ventured during fifteen centuries, and astronomy lay neglected until about A.D. 1200, when it was brought into Europe by the Moors of Barbary and Spain. The Copernican system was made known in 1530.-See Copernican System and Solar System. Galileo and Newton maintained that the sun was an igneous globe. Maculæ were first discovered by Chr. Scheiner, 1611. Transit of Mercury observed by Gassendi. By the observations of Dr. Halley on a spot which darkened the sun's disk in July and August 1676, he established the certainty of its motion round its own axis. Parallax of the sun, Dr. Halley, 1702. A macula, three times the size of the earth, passed the sun's centre, April 21, 1766, and frequently since. Herschel measured two spots whose length taken together exceeded 50,000 miles, April 19, 1779.

SUN-DIALS. Invented by Anaximander, 550 B.C.-Pliny, 1. 2. The first erected at Rome was that by Papirius Cursor, when time was divided into hours, 293 B.C. Sun-dials were first set up in churches, A.D. 613.—Abbé Lenglet.

SUNDAY, OR LORD'S DAY. Sunday was the day on which, anciently, divine adoration was paid to the Sun. Among Christians it is called the Lord's day, on account of our Saviour's rising from the dead on that day, which, according to the Jewish account, was the next day after the sabbath. The apostles transferred that religious rest observed by the Jews on the sabbath to this day. The first civil law for its proper observance was made by Constantine, A.D. 321.-Eusebius. The council of Orleans prohibited country labour, 338. The Book of Innocent Sunday Sports, authorising certain sports and pastimes after divine service on Sundays, published in England 14 James I. in 1617, was violently opposed by the clergy and puritans. Its sanction by the unfortunate Charles I. was a primary cause of the civil war which ended in his death. This book was burnt by the hangman, and the sports suppressed by order of parliament.-Rapin. Sunday schools were established in England first by Mr. Raikes in 1780. The Sunday act passed 1781. SUPREMACY OVER THE CHURCH. The supremacy of the king over the church, as well as sovereignty over the state, whereby the king was made the head of the church of England, was established in 1534, when Henry VIII. shook off the yoke of Rome, and settled the supremacy in himself. Our kings have from that time had the title of supreme head of the church conferred upon them by parliament. The bishop of Rochester (Fisher) and the ex-lord chancellor (sir Thomas More) were, among numerous others, beheaded for denying the king's supremacy, 1535. SURAT. Before the English East-India Company obtained possession of Bombay, the presidency of their affairs on the coast of Malabar was at Surat; and they had a factory here, established under captain Best in 1612. The Great Mogul had then an officer here, who was styled his admiral. Memorable attack of the Mahratta chief Sivagee, on the British factory, defeated by sir George Oxenden, 1664. The English were again attacked in 1670 and 1702, and often subsequently. The East-India Company, in 1759, fitted out an armament, which dispossessed the admiral of the castle; and, soon after, the possession of this castle was confirmed to them by the court of Delhi. The Surat was vested in the British by treaty in 1800 and 1803. SURGERY. It was not until the age of Hippocrates that diseases were made a separate study from philosophy, &c., about 410 B.C. Hippocrates mentions the ambe, the ancient instrument with which they reduced dislocated bones. Celsus flourished about A.D. 17; Galen, 170; Ætius, 500; Paulus Ægineta in 640. The Arabians revived surgery about 900; and in the 16th century sprung up a new era in the science; between these periods surgery was confined to ignorant priests or barbers. Anatomy was cultivated under the illustrious Vesalius, the father of modern surgery, in 1538. Surgeons and doctors were exempted from bearing arms or serving on juries, 1513, at which period there were only thirteen in London. SURGEONS, COLLEGE OF. The first charter for surgeons was granted by Henry VIII., 1540. Formerly barbers and surgeons were united, until it was enacted that "no person using any shaving or barbery in London shall occupy any surgery, letting of blood, or other matter, excepting only the drawing of teeth." The surgeons obtained another charter in 1745; and a new charter in 1800. Since that period, various legislative and other important regulations have been adopted to promote their utility and respectability; and no person is legally entitled to practise as a surgeon in the cities of London and Westminster, or within seven miles of the former, who has not been examined at this college. The college in Lincoln's-inn Fields was re-modelled in 1836, and the interior completed in 1837. SURPLICES. First worn by the Pagan priests. First used in churches, A.D. 316, and generally introduced by Pope Adrian, 786. Every minister saying public prayers shall wear a comely surplice with sleeves, Can. 58. The garb prescribed by Stat. 2 Edward VI., 1547; again, 1 Elizabeth, 1558; and 13 and 14 Charles II., 1662.

SUSPENSION BRIDGES. The greatest and oldest in the world is in China, near King-tung; it is formed of chains. Rope suspension bridges, from rocks to rocks, are also of Chinese origin. In these realms chain suspension bridges are of recent construction. The bridge over the Menai Strait is the most surprising work, every way considered, of modern times. See Menai Strait, Hungerford Bridge, &c.

SUTTEES, OR THE BURNING OF WIDOWS. This custom began in India from one of the wives of "Bramah, the son of God," sacrificing herself at his death, that she might attend him in heaven. So many as seventeen widows have burned themselves on the funeral pile of a rajah; and in Bengal alone, 700 have thus perished, until lately, in each year. Mr. Holwell was present at many of these sacrifices. On February 4, 1743, he saw a young and beautiful creature, only seventeen years of age, the mother of two children, thus sacrifice herself, with a fortitude and courage that astonished every witness of the scene.-Holwell. The English government in India have discouraged these self-immolations, while yet avoiding any undue interference with the religion and prejudices of the natives. Suttees were abolished, Dec. 7, 1829; but they have since occasionally, though rarely, taken place. SWAN RIVER SETTLEMENT. Projected by Colonel Peel in 1828. Regulations issued from the Colonial-office, and captain Stirling appointed to the colony as lieutenant-governor, Jan. 17, 1829. The three towns of Perth, Freemantle, and Guildford, were founded the same year. A journal, called the Freemantle Gazette, was published here in March 1831. See article Colonies.

SWEARING ON THE GOSPEL. First used A.D. 528. Introduced in judicial proceedings about 600.-Rapin. PROFANE SWEARING made punishable by fine; a labourer or servant forfeiting 1s., others 2s. for the first offence; for the second offence, 4s.; the third offence, 6s.; 6 Wm. III., 1695. See Oaths. SWEATING SICKNESS. An English disease, which caused great mortality in 1485, soon after the accession of Henry VII. It raged with great violence in London, where two mayors and six aldermen died of it in one week; many thousands of persons were carried off by this complaint.-Hall's Chronicle. Again in 1517, when it carried off the afflicted in three hours, and destroyed one-half of the inhabitants in many parts of England; the terms were obliged to be adjourned for a year.— Salmon. It broke out again in 1528, 1529, and 1551, but with less violence. Oxford, where in one month 510 persons (all men, no women) died, July 1575.— Coghlan.

At

SWEDEN. The ancient inhabitants were the Fins, now the modern inhabitants of
Finland, a diminutive race, who retired to their present territory on the appearance
of the Scandinavians or Goths, who have ever since been masters of the country.
Gylf reigns in Sweden

During this reign, Odin, surnamed the
Divine, at the head of a swarm of bar-
barians, falls upon the north of Europe,
making vast conquests

B.C. 57

**

Christian II., "the Nero of the North,"
massacres all the Swedish nobility, to
fix his despotism
The Swedes delivered from the Danish
yoke by the valour of Gustavus Vasa 1523
He makes the crown hereditary, and in-
troduces the reformed religion

1520

1544

A.D. 1000

SWEDENBORGIANS. A sect of mystics, so called from the learned but eccentric Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish nobleman. He considered the New Jerusalem, foretold in the Apocalypse, to be a church now about to be established, in which will be known the true nature of God and of man, of the Word, of heaven and of hell-concerning all which subjects error and ignorance now prevail, and in which church this knowledge will bear its proper fruits-love to the Lord and to one's neighbour, and purity of life. His first work on theology was published in 1743; his sect rose about 1760, but it did not spread in England until 1782. SWEET-BAY, Laurus nobilis, was brought to these realms from Italy before 1548. The Sweet-Fern Bush, Comptonia asplenifolia, came from America, 1714. SWITHIN, ST. This saint lived in the ninth century, and was bishop of Winchester in 838, he being the seventeenth prelate of that see. The tradition, that if it rain upon St. Swithin's day, July 15, it will rain forty days following, is supposed to have a shadow of reason only from the circumstance of some particular constellations, which have the character of portending rain, rising cosmically about the time of St. Swithin's festival.