Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/104

HUMANE SOCIETY 80 HUMBOLDT held to be illegal by the courts. It has also interested Itself to prevent the abuses of vivisection as practiced in the schools and colleges. The membership of the societies represented in the federa- tion is nearly 150,000. HUMANE SOCIETY, THE, an asso- ciation formed in 1774 in London, Eng- land, for the purpose of resuscitating those who had been immersed in water and were apparently drowned. At the present time it distributes rewards, con- sisting of medals, clasps, testimonials, and sums of money, to those who save or attempt to save life from drowning. Also "all cases of exceptional bravery in rescuing or attempting to rescue persons from asphyxia in mines, wells, blast-fur- naces, or in sewers where foul gas may endanger life, are recognizable by the society." It likewise gives prizes for swimming to the pupils of public schools and of training-ships. The society is supported by bequests and private sub- scriptions. Since 1873 the Stanhope gold medal has been awarded "to the case ex- hibiting greatest gallantry during the year." HUMANISTS, a party which, during the Renaissance of the 16th century, cul- tivated literature, especially classical lit- erature. Erasmus is the great type of the humanist, as Luther is of the re- ligious reformer. HUMANITARIANS, a name assigned to anti-Trinitarians, who regard Christ as a mere man, and refuse to ascribe to Him any supernatural character, whether of origin or of nature. The name Humanitarian is also sometimes applied to the disciples of St. Simon. For the religion of Humanity, see Posi- tivism; Unitarian Church. HUMANITIES, a term for humane or polite literature, including the study of the ancient classics, in opposition to philosophy and science. In the Scotch universities "humanity" is applied to the study of the Latin language and liter- ature alone. HUMBEB, a large river, or tather estuary, on the E. side of England, be- tween the counties of York and Lincoln. At its W. extremity it is joined by the Ouse, after the latter has been aug- mented by the Derwent and Aire; below Goole it receives the Don, lower down the Trent, and still lower the Hull from the opposite side. It is about 35 miles long, and varies in breadth from 1 to 7 miles. HUMBER, chief of the Huns, defeated by Locrin, King of England, and drowned in the river Abus, ever since called the Humber. HUMBERT I., Italian UMBERTO (6m-ber't6), King of Italy; born in Tu- rin, March 14, 1844. He was the eldest son of Victor Emmanuel. In the war of 1866, in which Italy joined Prussia against Austria, he took the field in com- mand of a division, and distinguished himself by his bravery in the disastrous battle of Custozza. In 1868 he married his cousin, Margherita, daughter of Duke Ferdinand of Genoa. He succeeded his father Jan. 9, 1878, and was assassinat- ed in Monza, near Milan, July 29, 1900. HUMBLE-BEE, in entomology, the genus Bombus, called also and more ac- curately the bumble-bee. Darwin has shown that the humble-bees fertilize various plants by unintentionally brush- ing off the pollen when they are seeking honey in one flower, and carrying it, ad- hering to the hairs of their body, till they unwittingly clean it off against the pistil of some other individual of the same species. HUMBOLDT, a river of Nevada, ris- ing in the N. E. part of the State, and flowing W. S. W. to Humboldt Sink, a lake over 40 miles in circumference, which has no outlet; lengfth, nearly 350 miles. The river is unnavigable even for canoes. The region through which it flows is barren, and the banks are desti- tute of trees or shrubs. ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT HUMBOLDT, ALEXANDER VON (hom'bolt), a distinguished German sci- entist; born in Berlin, Sept. 14, 1769. From childhood he delighted in zoologi-