year. In Peregrine. Pickle, Smollett satirically sketched the character of Akenside under that of the pedant who undertakes to give an enter- tainment after the manner of the ancients. Akenside, who practiced blank verse and the Spenserian stanza, was one of the pioneers among the romantic poets. He became dissatis- fied with his juvenile production, and at his deatli had written a portion of a new poem on the same subject. Both poems were published in the complete edition of his works in 1772. For his biography consult: Bucke (London, 18.32), and Dyce (London, 1800); also Beers, English Romanticism in the Eighteenth Cen- tury (Xcw York, 1899).
AKERBLAD, a'ker-blad, Johann David
(170U-1819). A Swedish Orientalist and learned
epigraphist. He was secretary of the Swedish
embassy to Constantinoijle, whence he went to
Jerusalem and the Troad in 1792-97. Later he
was charge- d'affaires at Paris, Ijut spent his last
years in Rome. He puldished Juscriptionis
PhuenicicF Oxoniensis Intcrprelulio (1802) and
Lettre sitr Vinscription egi/ptienne de Rosette
(1802)..
AKERMAN. See Akkerman.
AKERS, a'kerz, Benjamin (Paul) (1825-01).
An American sculptor. He was born in West-
brook. Me., .July 10, 182,5, and died at Pliiladel-
phia, ilay 21, 1801. While in his father's saw-
mill he made toys, and turned his original de-
signs into ornamental woodwork. He tried to be
a printer, then essayed to paint, but on viewing
a plaster east he decided for sculpture, and
placed himself under the instruction of Carew of
Boston. In 1852 he went to Florence, where he
passed a year in study. In 1854 he visited Rome.
While in that city he executed his "Una and the
Lion," "Girl Pressing Grapes," "Isaiah," and
otlier works. He remained in Europe until, in
1800, failing health drove him home for a last
vain endeavor to recover his strengtii. Haw-
thorne referred to his "Milton" and " The Dead
Pearl-Diver" in The Marble Faun : and it is said
that the character of Kenyon in that book is
drawn from the personality of the young sculp-
tor. Akers also produced many portrait busts
or medallions of distinguislied Americans, among
tliem Longfellow, Edward Everett, and Sam
Houston. He had, moreover, ability as an art
writer, but only a few of his essays have been
published.
A'KERSHEM, Miss Sopiironia. A character in Dickens's Our Mutual Friend. She becomes the wife of Albert Lammle (q.v.).
AKHALTSIKH, a'Kal-tslK'. The chief town
of a district in the government of Tiflis, Russian
Armenia, about 95 miles west of Tiflis. and 1450
miles by rail southeast of Moscow, on the banks
of the Poskhov-Tchai, an affluent of the Kur
(Map: Russia, F 0). It is situated in a valley
of the Keldir Mountains, 3370 feet above the sea
level. By the river running through it, tlie town
is divided into the old town and citadel, on the
left bank, and the new town on the right. The
town is not surrounded by walls, for the citadel
is considered sufficient protection, it being very
strong and built on an almost inaccessible rock.
The climate is salubrious, although the winters
are very severe and the summers exceedingly hot.
The surrounding scenery presents a view of wild,
rugged beauty, enhanced by the numerous gar-
dens encircling the town. The mosque of Sultan
Ahmed, built on the model of St. Sophia in Con-
stantinople, has a library attached to it which
was accounted one of the most valuable in the
East; but the Russians carried off a great part
of its most valuable treasures to St. Petersburg.
Some manufactures, especially of the smaller
arms and weapons, are carried on in the town,
and it maintains an active trade with various
places on the Black Sea. Some 10 miles to the
northwest of the town are the well-known Abas-
Tumansk mineral springs. Deposits of lignite
are also found in the neighborhood. Akhaltsikh
was anciently called Keldir or Chaldir. Once
a considerable mart for trading in Christian
slaves, it has since its occupation by Russia
become a Christian town, SO per cent, of its
population being .rmenians and 10 per cent.
Jews. It is the seat of an archbislKipric of the
Greek church. In 1828, when the Russians took
possession of it, it had a population of 50,000,
but it has been decreasing ever since, so that
at the time of the taking of the last census, in
1897, there were only 15,300 inliabitants.
AKHISSAR, iik'his-sar' ( anciently Lat. Thya-
tira, Gk. OvaTeipn, Tliyatciru) . A town in the
Turkish vilayet of Smyrna, Asiatic Turkey, situ-
ated 52 miles northeast of Smyrna, on somewhat
elevated ground in the valley of the Hyllus
(Jlap: Turkey in Asia, B 3). The streets are
paved with carved stone, and other relics of an-
tiquity abound, but there are no ruins of ancient
buildings. Cotton goods are exported. The town
is situated on the ]Monissa-Soma Railway. Popu-
lation estimated at 0000 to 8000.
AKHMIM, aiv-mOm', or EKHMIM, cK-mOm'.
A city of some 10,000 inhabitants, on the right
bank of the Nile, in LTpper Egj-pt (Map: Egj^it,
EG). It occupies the site of the ancient Chemrais
or Panopolis, the seat of worship of the harvest
god Min. an ithyphallic deity whom the Greeks
identified with Pan. In Cliristian times the city
became an important religious centre, and many
converts congregated in the vicinit}'. Nestorius,
patriarch of Constantinople, whose heresy was
condemned by the Council of Ephesus, 431,
died in banishment at Panopolis.
AKHTYRKA, aK-tlr'ka. A town of Euro-
pean Russia, in the government of Kharkov, 72
miles northwest of Kharkov and 520 miles south
of Moscow (Map: Russia, D 4). It is situated
on a small river of the same name, an affluent
of the Dnieper, in a rather low valley, and until
very recently was unprotected from anniial in-
undation. Even at present the surrounding
country is often submerged, so that at times, es-
pecially in the spring, connuunicatinn with tlie
town becomes very difficult. It is a thriving little
town, nevertheless, doing a lively trade with the
great pilgrim crowds attracted there by the fa-
mous Akhtyr image of the Holy Virgin, and by
the Trinity cloister, situated on the outskirts of
the town. Some manufacturing is carried on in
textiles, boots and shoes, and a great annual fair
is held. A considerable commerce is also carried
on in gi-ain and cattle. The town was founded
bv the Poles in 1041 and acquired by the Rus-
sians in 1647. Pop.. 1897, 23.400.
AKHUND OF SWAT, a-K(5ond', swat, The (?-1878). A Mohanuucdan saint, who exercised great influence and had almost imquestioned authority over .Mohanunodans all over
Central Asia. His residence in the mountainous
