the formation and organization of the republican party in 1855, his prospects brightened, and he became one of its leaders, distinguishing himself in foreign politics by his hostility to England, and the frankness of his declarations that Canada should be annexed to the states. Fremont was preferred to him as republican candidate for the presidency in 1856, and in 1860 the Chicago convention gave Lincoln a majority over Seward. When this decision was announced, Mr. Seward cheerfully acquiesced in it, and supported Mr. Lincoln's claims by speeches in an electioneering expedition to the western states. He was rewarded, on Lincoln's election to the presidency, by being appointed secretary of state, an office of great importance, and which gives its holder the general control of the foreign relations of the republic. It devolved on Mr. Seward to conduct the diplomatic correspondence which terminated in the restoration of Messrs. Mason and Slidell, after their seizure on board a British vessel, the Trent, towards the close of 1861. His speeches, state papers, and miscellaneous works were published in three volumes at New York in 1853.—F. E.
SEWELL, William, historian and lexicographer, was born at Amsterdam in 1654, of a family of English origin, members of the Society of Friends. After having completed his preliminary studies, he entered himself as a student of medicine in the college of his native town, and divided his attention between the pursuits of his profession and of literature. He acquired the knowledge of several languages, and translated various works into Dutch, amongst which were Josephus' History of the Jews. He also published a grammar and dictionary of the Dutch and English languages. His principal production is, however, a "History of the origin, formation, and progress of the Society called Quakers," which was translated into English, and has been much esteemed for the truth and correctness of its particulars. The author's chief purpose in writing it seems to have been to correct the statements made in Gerard Croese's History of Quakerism. Sewell died about 1720.—F.
* SEWELL, William, is the son of a solicitor in the Isle of Wight. Educated at Westminster and at Merton college, Oxford, he took a first class in classics in 1827, becoming in the same year a fellow of Exeter. In 1832 he took priest's orders, and was appointed public examiner in classics. From 1836 to 1841 he was professor of moral philosophy at Oxford. It was while holding this position that he published, in 1840, his most remarkable work, "Christian Morals," in which an attempt was made to base ethics on theology. The striking review in the Quarterly of Carlyle's writings, was, it is understood, from the pen of Mr. Sewell. Among his other works may be mentioned his "Introduction to the Dialogues of Plato," 1841; his "Christian Politics," 1844; and his "Christian Vestiges of Creation," 1861. Belonging to the high church school of theology and theological politics, Mr. Sewell interested himself in the establishment and success of the Irish college of St. Columba, in which education in all its departments was conducted on Anglican principles. His "Journal of a residence at the College of St. Columbia in Ireland," published in 1847, is a memorial of this interest. In 1847, chiefly through his exertions, a similar institution, St. Peter's college, Radley, near Abingdon, was established, and Mr. Sewell became warden of it in 1852. He is the brother of the authoress of Amy Herbert, and other well-known contributions to religious fiction.—F. E.
SEXTIUS QUINTUS, a Roman philosopher, contemporary of Julius Cæsar, whom Seneca greatly praises. He was of the Stoic school. There is a little Latin work entitled Sententiæ, containing moral and religious maxims, which Rufinus translated into Latin and interpolated. The author of it has been identified by some writers with this Sextius Quintus the philosopher. If he be the same, the names Pythagoræus, Sextius, Sixtus, Xystus, are also given. This identity is certainly more probable than that of Sixtus I. or II. with the author of the Sententiæ. The Latin text, accompanied with a French version, was published by Le Comte de Lastayrie, Paris, 1843, 12mo.—S. D.
SEXTUS EMPIRICUS, a physician belonging to the school of the Empirici, lived at the end of the second century and beginning of the third. It is supposed that he was a Greek, and that he resided at Alexandria and Athens. He was one of the Sceptici or sceptics. Two works of his are extant, both in Greek, the "Pyrrhoniæ Hypotyposes" and "Adversus Mathematicos." The former is in three books, containing the doctrines of the Sceptici. The latter is in eleven books, containing an attack on all positive philosophy, i.e., a refutation of the Dogmatici. The first six books of the second treatise show the uncertainty of grammar, rhetoric, geometry, arithmetic, astrology, and music; the remaining five are directed against logic, physics, and ethics. In the two works scepticism appears at the greatest height it had reached in antiquity. They contain a full collection and clear arrangement of the maxims and conclusions which preceding sceptics had employed against the Dogmatici or dogmatists. The writings of Ænesidemus appear to have been the principal ones whence Sextus drew his materials. Negative philosophy finds its best exponent in this Greek sceptic. His writings on medical subjects are not extant. The best edition of Sextus' works is Bekker's, 1842.—(See Ritter's Geschichte der Philosophie, vol. iv.)—S. D.
SEYDLITZ, Friedrich Wilhelm von, a Prussian general, was born at Kalkar, on 3rd February, 1721, and entered the Prussian military service at an early age. He rose rapidly, and repeatedly received tokens of the approval of his master, Frederick the Great. In 1739, while serving in the first Silesian wars, he was taken prisoner, but soon regained his liberty. In the battle of Hohen-Friedberg he captured with his own hand the Saxon general, Von Schlichting, and was raised to the rank of major, whence afterwards he attained by degrees the position of major-general. In the engagement at Kunnersdorf he unsuccessfully contended against the forces brought against him, and this led to the loss of the battle and of the king's favour. Seydlitz himself was severely wounded and carried to Blenheim. After this he for a time abandoned an active military life, but subsequently regained the king's favour, and was appointed in 1767 general of the cavalry. He died on the 7th November, 1773, and a marble memorial was erected by the king's orders to his memory in one of the public places of Berlin.—F.
* SEYFFARTH, Gustav, a German antiquary, was born at Übigau, on the 13th of July, 1796. He studied at Leipsic, where in 1825 he became professor extraordinary of archæology. He has published several works on the alphabets of the Greeks and Egyptians, on Eygptian astronomy and hieroglyphics, on which latter subject he became involved in a dispute with Champollion. His writings are full of bold and strange hypotheses.—K E.
SEYFRIED, Ignatz Xavier von, Chevalier, a musician, was born at Vienna on the 15th of August, 1776, where he died in August, 1841. He was of a noble and wealthy family, and was designed by his father for the bar, notwithstanding his own predilection for music, which had been developed by the tuition of Mozart and Kozeluch on the pianoforte. He went to pursue his literary studies at Prague, where, however, his love of music was strengthened by his intercourse with the eminent musicians of that city. Returned to Vienna, he took lessons in counterpoint of Albrechtsberger, he also became intimate with Winter, and learned the principles of dramatic composition from him. By Winter's persuasion, Seyfried's father allowed him to abandon his forensic pursuits, and devote himself wholly to music. The recommendation of the same musician procured him the engagement as composer and music director at the theater an der Wien, then under the management of Schicaneder. He entered upon this appointment in 1797, and in that year produced his first opera, "Der Löwenbrunn," which was followed by an enormous number of works for the stage, including grand, romantic, and comic operas, melodramas, pieces for insertion in standard works, overtures and incidental music for tragedies, ballets, &c. He quitted the theatre in 1827-28, and retired into private but not inactive life; indeed, it is from this period till the close of his career, that the most enduring of his artistic labours were accomplished. He composed many Masses, Requiems, and other pieces for the Roman church, which are in very extensive use throughout the Austrian states; some sonatas, quartets, and symphonies; and the oratorio of "Die Israeliten in der Wüste," which is considered to be his best work. The "Libera," performed at the funeral of Beethoven, was written for the occasion by Seyfried. He contributed numerous articles to the Cecilia and the Leipsic Musikalische Zeitung, and was for several years editor of another musical journal. He was also industrious in the department of theory, having superintended the publication of the theoretical works of Albrechtsberger, the Studies in Composition of Beethoven, and the Essays on Harmony and Counterpoint of Preindl. Seyfried was much honoured, and most of the great musical societies of Europe gave him their membership.—G. A. M.
SEYMOUR, Family of: the name of this illustrious house
