A L E A L E 1851). After completing his preJiminary education at Timber Ridge, he came under the influence of the religious movement known as the "great revival," and devoted himself to ths study of theology. Licensed to preach in 1791, he was engaged for seven years as an itinerant missionary in his native state, and acquired during this period the facility of extemporaneous speaking for which he was remarkable. For a time president of Hampden Sidney College, he resigned that position in 1807 to become pastor of Pine Street church, Philadelphia. In 1810 the degree of doctor of divinity was conferred upon him by the college of New Jersey, and in the following year he was appointed first professor in the newly-estab lished Presbyterian theological seminary at Princeton. He filled the chair until his death in 1851. Dr Alexander wrote a considerable number of works in theology, which have had a large circulation. Among these may be men tioned his Outlines of the Evidences of Christianity (1823), which has passed through several editions, and been trans lated into various langiiages; and his Treatise on the Canon of the Old and New Testament (182G). He was also a frequent contributor to the Biblical Repertory, edited by Professor Hodge. ALEXANDER, JOSEPH ADDISON, D.D., third son of the preceding, one of the most eminent biblical scholars of America, was born in Philadelphia in 1809 (died 1860). He studied at New Jersey, devoting himself specially to Hebrew and other Oriental languages. He graduated in 1826, and from 1830 to 1833 was adjunct professor of ancient languages and literature in his alma mater. In 1838 he was appointed professor of biblical criticism and ecclesiastical history in the theological seminary at Prince ton. He was transferred in 1852 to the chair of biblical and ecclesiastical history, which he occupied till his death in January 1860. Dr Alexander wrote several valuable works in his own department, the most important being a Translation of and Commentary on the Psalms, a Critical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, and a treatise on primitive church government. He also contributed nume rous articles to the Biblical Repertory and the Princeton Review. At the time of his death he was engaged along with Dr Hodge in the preparation of a commentary on the New Testament. ALEXANDER, SIB WILLIAM, earl of Stirling, poet. The family of Alexander of Menstrie i.e., of the poet is of ancient lineage, " tracing its descent from Somerled, lord of the Isles, in the reign of Malcolm IV., through a misty Highland genealogy, to John, lord of the Isles, who married the Princess Margaret, daughter of King Robert II. Their son, Alexander, was father of Angus, who founded the family of Macalister of Loup, and of Alex ander, who obtained from the Argyle family a grant of the lands of Menstrie in Stirlingshire, and settled there his descendants assuming his Christian name of Alexander as their surname. The fifth in descent from this personage was Alexander Alexander, whose successor was his son, William Alexander, the poet " (Works : Introductory Memoir, vol. i. p. ix., 1870). From his (rare) engraved portrait, William was, it appears, aged 57 in 1637; so that he must have been born (at Menstrie House, where afterwards uas born Sir Ralph Abercromby) in 1580. The grammar school of neighbouring Stirling probably furnished his early education; of his later, it is simply known that he attended the university of Glasgow. On leaving it he proceeded on his travels with Archibald, seventh earl of Argyle. It is supposed that it was during his sojourn on the Continent he composed his series of sonnets, afterwards published under the title of Avrora (1604). He was tutor to the young earl. Upon his return he pro ceeded to court, and won for himself speedily a name as a gentleman of parts and learning. The first of his Monarchiclce Tragedies had been published at Edinburgh in 1603, viz., The Tragedie of Darivs, which, like his Parenesis to the Prince (1604), bore on the title-page simply, " By William Alexander of Menstrie." In 1501 he reprinted Darivs along with a new tragedy of Cce*ar, giving the two the afterwards more celebrated title of Monarchicke Tragedies ultimately increased by The Alexandraen and Julius Ccesar (1607). In 1607 he describes himself as " William Alexander, gentleman of the prince s privy chamber." King James was much taken with him. He held his office with the prince of Wales until his lamented death in 1612, on which he published his Elegie on the Death of Prince Henrie (Edinburgh, 1612). In 1612 he was made master of bequests, and knighted; his title-page of the Elcgie bearing to be by " Sir William Alexander of Menstrie." In 1614 appeared his Doomesday ; or, the Great Day of the Lord s lodgement (Edinburgh). In 1621 (September 21) he received the most prodigious "gift" ever bestowed on a subject, viz., "a gift and grant" of Canada, inclusive of Nova Scotia, or Acadie, and Newfoundland a fact declarative of royal ignorance of what the gift really was. Yet was it subsequently confirmed by Charles I. In 1624, Alexander, in relation to his grant, published An Encouragement to Colonies twice at least reprinted (1625 and 1630). The gift and grant belong to history rather than biography, and their later results to the romance of the peerage and of law. In 1626 he was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, and in 1630 created a peer, as Lord Alexander of Tulli- body, and Viscoimt Stirling. In 1631 he was made an extraordinary judge in the Court of Session. In 1632 he built Argyle House, a quaint building, which remains one of the "lions" of Stirling. In 1633 he was advanced a step in the peerage, being created Earl of Stirling and Viscount Canada; and in 1639 Earl of Dovan. In 1637 he collected his poetical works, and issued them as Recrea tions with the Muses, "by William, Earle of Sterline," with his portrait engraved by Marshall. This folio did not include either Avrora or the Psalms of King David (Oxford, 1631), although there seems little doubt that he, rather than King James, was the main author of the latter. It, however, first gave his second sacred poem (incomplete) of Jonathan. He died in London on 12th February 1640, and later his remains were transferred to Stirling. Lauded by Sir Robert Ayton and William Drummond of Haw- thornden, the Earl of Stirling, nevertheless, soon fell out of men s memories. The recent careful and beautiful edition of his Poetical Works (3 vols.) ought to revive his fame ; for while there is too often a wearying wordiness, the student-reader is rewarded with "full many a gem of purest ray serene." His Doomesday has some grand things; his Avrora suggests comparison with Sidney s Astrophel and Stella. (Works as above; Laing s BaHUe s Letters and Journals, iii. 529 ; Drummond MSS., by Laing ; Hunter s MSS., in Brit. Museum.) (A. B. G.) ALEXANDRETTA. See SCANDEEOON. ALEXANDRIA, a city of Lower Egypt, and for a long time its capital, was situated on the Mediterranean, 12 miles west of the Canopic mouth of the Nile, in 31 11 N. lat., and 29 52 E. long. The ancient city was oblong in form, with a length from east to west of 3 to 4, a breadth from north to south of 1, and, according to Pliny, a circum ference of 15 miles. Lake Mareotis bathed its walls on the south, and the Mediterranean on the north ; on the west was the Necropolis, and on the east the Hippodrome. The city was laid out in straight parallel streets, one of which, about 200 feet wide, ran westward from the Canopic gate to the Necropolis. This street was decorated with
magnificent houses, temples, and public buildings, and
