Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/717

ARCUEIL ARDITI G81 ward called Bootes. It is a star of the first mag- nitude, and was at one time erroneously believ- ed to be the star nearest to our system. ARCCEIL, a village of France, department of Seine, on the Bievre, 3J m. S. of Paris; pop. in 1866, 5,024. It is celebrated for an aque- duct constructed there by the Roman emperor Julian during his abode hi Paris, to convey wa- ter from the Bievre to his palace. Remains of this are still seen near the modern aqueduct, constructed by Maria de' Medici in 1618, to bring water to supply the gardens and the palace of the Luxembourg and the fountains of Paris. Arcueil was for a long time the resi- dence of the chemist Berthollet, whose friends, meeting here for scientific study under the name of societe d Arcueil, published several volumes of memoirs. The house of Berthollet is now a college of that branch of the Dominican order founded by Lacordaire. ARCY, Grotto of, a vast and beautiful sta- lactitic cavern, which consists of many com- partments, near Vermenton, department of Yonne, in France, 12 m. S. S. E. of Auxerre. The hill in which this remarkable cavern exists stretches into the valley of the river Cure. One of the compartments of the grotto is 1,200 feet long, 85 high, and 40 wide. In the first two compartments are found large blocks of stone, and in the second compartment is a spring of good water. In the other chambers stalactites hang from the roof, while stalag- mites rise column-like from the ground. The caverns are supposed to have been quarries in former times, but have been abandoned so long that every trace of human labor is obliter- ated. It is said that the stone with which the cathedral of Auxerre was built was taken from the grotto of Arcy. ARDABIL, Ardebil, or Erdebll, a town of Per- sia, in the province of Azerbijan, 110 m. E. of Tabriz, and 35 m. "W. of the Caspian, situated 5,000 feet above the sea, at the foot of the Sa- valan mountains; pop. about 4,000. A fine and fertile situation has made it a favorite resort of Persian princes. Abbas Mirza had a fort built there as a protection against the Russians, who were for some time in possession of the town during the war of 1826-'8. It was flourishing in former centuries under the Suf- fites, whose founder as well as the first shah of that dynasty are buried here in a beautiful mausoleum which is a resort of pilgrims. The town has been devastated by earthquakes and is in decay, though still retaining some com- mercial importance. AKDECIIE, a S. E. department of France, bounded E. by the Rh6ne; area, 2,134 sq. m. ; pop. in 1872. 380,277. The river Ard^che, from which it has its name, rises near its centre and flows S. S. E. to the Rh6ne. The Loire has its source near that of the Ardeche, and flows in the opposite direction. A large portion of the surface is occupied by branches of the C6vennes mountains. The department is rich in iron and coal, but deficient in agricultural pro- ducts, though potatoes are largely raised, chest- nuts are plentiful in the forests, and the pas- turage is tine. Wine, silk, and wool are among the principal exports, as well as various manu- factured goods, including famous stationery. Privas is the capital, and the other chief towns are Annonay and Aubenas. The department is divided into the three arrondissements of Privas, Largentiere, and Tournon. ARDEMES, a N. E. department of France, bounded N. by Belgium; area, 2,021 sq. m. ; pop. in 1872, 320,217. The forest of the Ar- dennes, an elevated wooded tract, from which it is named, begins in its N. part, thence spread- ing in various branches, but chiefly along the Meuse and Sambre, over the Belgian provinces of Namur, Hainault, and Li6ge, and over Lux- emburg. The department is also traversed, mainly in the east and centre, by ridges and off- shoots of the Argonnes. The principal rivers are the Meuse and the Aisne. The valley of the latter is remarkable for its large crops, and there are other very fertile valleys. Among the sheep are several long-wooled and merino breeds ; the horses are fine, and game abounds. There are iron, lead, calamine, and coal mines, and important slate and marble quarries. Nails and other iron wares, earthenware, glass, leather, woollens, firearms, and other articles are man- ufactured. Timber is the fuel used in the iron and copper works, besides being exported. The capital is MSzieres. Sedan is the chief place for the manufacture of cloth, and Charle- ville for the iron trade. The department is divided into the arrondissements of Mezieres, Rocroy, Rethel, Vouziers, and Sedan. ARDESHIR, Ardshir, or Artexerxes, Babegan, founder of the Persian dynasty of the Sassan- ides in A. D. 226, died about 240. According to a critical opinion not fully established, he was the son of Babek, son of Sassan, a shepherd, who claimed descent from the line of the ancient Persian kings ; and the son gradually gained an importance which brought upon him the enmity of Artaban, the last ruler of the Parthian em- pire. Ardeshir then announced his intention to recover the throne of his ancestors and to exter- minate the Arsacide usurpers. He gave battle to Artaban, whom he vanquished and put to death, and caused himself to be proclaimed shahan shak, " king of kings." He rapidly re- covered the provinces constituting the old Per- sian empire, and even extend ed its limits. A war with the Romans was of short duration. During the years of profound repose which marked the latter part of his reign, he cultivated the arts of peace, and as a jurist and legislator showed remarkable capacity. His principal achieve- ment at home was the restoration of the pure Zoroastrian religion. ARDITI, Luigi, an Italian violinist and com- poser, born at Crescentino hi Piedmont, July 22, 1822. He received his musical education in the conservatory at Milan, and first made himself known in public concerts as a violin- ist hi 1839. In 1841 his opera / Briganti