SORBONNE
1782
SOULT
Trachinian Women; Philoctetes; and Œdipus at Coloneus. Antigone, one of the earliest dramas, produced in 440, gained the prize and so pleased the Athenians that he was made commander with Pericles in the Samian War. There are only fragments and titles of the other plays. He is said to have been beautiful in person, a fine musician and athlete and a ready wit. His death has been attributed to losing his breath in prolonging his voice in a public reading of Antigone; or to excess of joy at a dramatic victory; but without sufficient authority. He died in 405 B. C. Consult Sophocles in Green's "Classical Writers," by Campbell and Lectures by Schlegel. See Æschylus, Drama and Euripides.
Sorbonne (sdr-bon*), the earliest and most famous of the colleges of the University of Paris in the middle ages. It was founded in 1253 foy Robert of Sorbon, and was the first institution connected with the university that was intended as a place of living as well as of study, as before this the great crowd of students of the university had found lodgings wherever they could. It was devoted to the study of theology, and the life was monastic, the students calling themselves "the poor masters of the Sorbonne." It soon became celebrated as the first theological school in Europe, its decision on disputed points was accepted as decisive, and it drew its scholars from all Europe. But when the new learning found its way into France'at the beginning of the 16th century, the Sorbonne, though it had led to the introduction of printing in France, opposed all reform either in study or religion and lost its position. Its property was confiscated in the Revolution in 1792, but the Sorbonne was revived under Napoleon in 1808, and was made the seat of the three departments of the University of France, — theology, science and literature. New buildings were erected in 1884, the largest theater seating 3,000.
Soredia (so-re'di-d) (in plants), minute granules which appear on the surface of many lichens, making them appear powdery. Soredia are scattered by the wind, and form new lichens. Each one consists of a few alga-cells invested by some fungus filaments. See LICHENS.
Sorel (sd-reV)t Can., county-seat of Richelieu County, Quebec, lies on the St. Lawrence at the mouth of Richelieu River, taking its name from a captain of the Carig-nan-Salieres regiment, who built a fort on this site in 1665. It has 7,057 inhabitants, engaged in trade with the surrounding country and in its shipyards and foundries.
Sorghum (sdr'gum), a plant belonging to the grass family, whose original home is thought to have been the interior of Africa, but it has not yet been found growing wild there. It is nearly related to the sugarcane, and has been cultivated from the most
ancient times. It is extensively cultivated in this country for the production of sorghum-molasses, and a large amount of sugar is also manufactured as an incidental product. As a source of sugar, however, it does not compete with sugar-cane and the sugar-beet. See SUGAR.
Sorus (so'rus} (in plants), a definite group of sporangia, as in the ferns, in connection with which the term is chiefly used. See
FlLICALES.
Sothern (stith'erri), Edward Askew, an
American actor, was born at Liverpool, England, April i, 1826. His first appearances on the stage in England and the United States were not particularly successful, until in 1858 he assumed the character of Lord Dundreary in the comedy of Our American Cousins, which was made so rich and entertaining by Sothern's acting that it became famous, the comedy running 140 nights in New York and nearly 500 in London, and being again and again repeated at other times. His most successful character next to Dundreary was David Garrick, both characters making his name famous. He died at London, Jan. 21, 1881. Consult Pemberton's Memoir.
Soulanges (soo'lanzh') Canal, Can., extends from Cascade Point to ,Coteau Landing, overcoming the Cascade Rapids, Cedar Rapids and Coteau Rapids. From the head of the Lachine to the foot of the Soulanges the distance is 16 miles. Its length is 14 miles. It has five locks, 280 by 45 feet. The total rise or lockage is 84 feet. It is 100 feet wide at the bottom and 164 at water-surface. The depth of water on the sills is 15 feet. See LACHINE.
Soult (sooU), Nicholas Jean de Dieu, marshal of France, was born at St. Amans-la-Bastide, March 29, 1769. He enlisted as a private and was six years in reaching the rank of sergeant, but then rose rapidly. He was from 1794 to 1799 in constant service in Germany and on the French frontier. He served in command of a division under Masse'na in his Swiss and Italian campaigns. In 1802 Napoleon made him one of four consular guards, and in 1804 a marshal. He decided the battle of Austerlitz by piercing the Russian center, and was in the Prussian and the Russian campaign. He drove the British out of Spain and held Portugal until driven out in turn by Wellington. As commander in Spain he gained a victory at Ocana in 1809, and subdued Andalusia. Failing to enlist Joseph Bonaparte in his plans, he asked to be relieved of his command, but was sent back by Napoleon, after the battle of Vittoria, as the only commander who could turn back the tide of disaster and successfully meet the strategy of Wellington with his own brilliant tactics. He became a royalist, when Napoleon had abdicated, but went back to him on his return from Elba. He was banished after
