Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 07.djvu/244

This page needs to be proofread.
LEFT
190
RIGHT

PERPENDICULAR STYLE 190 PERRY PERPENDICULAR STYLE, the third period of Pointed Architecture. It origi- nated at the endof the 11th century, and continued till the close of the 16th, when it was succeeded by the Revived, or De- based Classic, known as the Elizabethan. It is also known as the Florid, from the multiplicity, profusion, and minuteness of ornamental detail, and its more gen- eral name, Perpendicular, is derived from the mullions of the windows and the divisions of ornamental panel work running in straight or pependicular lines, which was not the case in any earlier style. The pointed arches are constructed from almost every radius. The most common doorway is the de- pressed four-centered arch (almost pe- culiar to this style) within a square head, having generally a hood molding over, the spandrels being filled with quatre- foils, paneling, roses, foliage, small shields, or other sculptured ornaments. Pan-shaped roofs, ornamented with de- pendent pendants resembling stalactites, are also peculiar to the Perpendicular style. Richly decorated roof trusses, which are left clearly visible, are also of frequent occurrence. In these roofs the spaces between the highly ornamented and molded beam are filled with rich tracery. PERPETUAL MOTION, a motion which, once generated by mechanical means, should have the power of perpetu- ating itself. A machine which, accord- ing to the hopes of its inventors, after it has once set in motion, will keep in mo- tion without drawing on any external source of energy. As early as 1775 the Aeademie des Sciences of Paris placed the problem in the same category with the duplication of the cube and the quad- rature of the circle, and refused to re- ceive schemes claiming to have overcome the difficulty — in reality, to have per- formed the impossible. The overbalanc- ing wheel was a favorite contrivance with the seekers after a perpetual motion. It appears as early as the 13th century. PERPETUITY, uninterrupted or con- tinued duration or succession; endless duration; continuance to eternity; some- thing of which there will be no end; that which continues indefinitely. The num- ber of years in which the simple interest of any sum invested in an annuity or an- nuities becomes equivalent to the prin- cipal; also, the amount which will pur- chase an annuity payable forever. In law, quality or class of an estate by which it becomes inalienable, either per- petually or for an indefinitely long period of time; also, the estate so perpetuated. PERPIGNAN, a town of France, and a fortress of the first rank; in the de- partment of Pyren6es-0rientales, on the river Tet, 7 miles from the Mediterra- nean, 40 S. of Narbonne, and 17 from the Spanish frontier. It commands the passes of the Eastern Pyrenees, and is defended on the S. by a citadel, which in- closes the old castle of the Counts of Roussillon, and by a detached fort. The streets are narrow and the houses of semi- Moorish construction, and show evidences of Spanish influence. The cathedral (be- gun in 1324), the Moorish-Gothic cloth hall or bourse (1396), the town house (1692), the building of the former uni- versity (1349-French Revolution), the court house, and a college are the princi- pal public buildings. Good red wine is made, sheep and silkworms are bred, vegetables and fruit grown, brandy dis- tilled, cloth woven, and corks cut; and there is a good trade in wine, spirits, wool, cork bark, oil, cloth, and silk. As capital of the former county of Roussil- lon Perpignan was in the hands of the kings of Aragon from 1172 to its capture by France in 1475; it was restored to Spain in 1493; but Richelieu retook it in 1642, and France has possessed it ever since. Pop. (1911) 39,510. PERRANZABULOE, a Cornish coast parish, 10 miles N. by W. of Truro. The rude little stone oratory (25 by 12% feet) of St. Piran, who was sent to Corn- wall by St. Patrick in the 5th century, had been buried in the sands for 1,000 years, when it was discovered in 1835; it is probably the earliest ecclesiastical structure in England. Perran Round is a circular inclosure, with seven rows of seats that could seat 2,000 spectators, in which miracle plays were performed of old. PERRY, a city of Iowa, about 35 miles N. W. of Des Moines. It is on the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul and the Minneapolis and St. Louis railroads. It is the center of a rich agricultural dis- trict and has also important industries including the manufacturing of washing machines, cement blocks, etc. It is the seat of Jones College. Pop. (1910) 4,- 630; (1920) 5,642. PERRY, BLISS, an American educa- tor and editor; born in Williamstown, Mass., Nov. 25, 1860. He was Professor of Oratory and Esthetic Criticism at Princeton University, resigning to become editor of the "Atlantic Monthly." He has published: "The Broughton House" (1890); "Salem Kittredge, and Other Stories" (1894); "The Plated City" (1895); "Walt Whitman" (1906); "The