SILVES. 180 SIMEON. Christians two centuries later. Population, in 1900, 9688. SILVESTRE, sel'ves'tr', Paul-Armand ( 1837-1901 ) . A French novelist, poet, playwright, and critic, born in Paris. He studied at the Ec(>le Polytechnique. entered the Government service, and' was finally employed in the Bureau of Libraries and Archives. His first verses. Rimes neuves et vicilles, appeared in 1860 with a pre- lace by George Sand. Other books of his poetry
- are: Renaissances (1870); Gloire du souvenir
(1872) ; Chanson des heures (1878) ; Ailes d'or ■(1880) : Chemin des etoiles (1885) ; Roses d'octu- bre (1889); L'or des couchants (1899). Silves- tre also composed a great many Rabelaisian tales for Gil Bias. His prose consists mainly of the short stories which he turned out with journal- istic facility, graceful and finished in style, but nearly always sensual in tone and subject. He ■also wrote La Russie, impressions, portraits, pay- sages (1891), and several dramas, comedies, and libretti. Among the latter are Dimilri. music by Joncieres (1876); Henrij VIII.. with D6- troyat, music by Saint Saens ( 1883 ) ; Pedro de Zalamea. music by B. Godard; and Jocelyn (1888), music by Jlaillard. SIMANCA3, se-manlias (Lat. Septimanca) . A town of the Province of Valladolid, in Old Castile, Spain, 20 miles southwest of Valladolid, on the right bank of the Risuerga River (Map: Spain, C 2). The town is situated in the midst ■of a plain devoted to the culture of cereals, fruits, and the vine. Here an old Roman bridge of sixteen arches spans the river and there are numerous remains of former walls. In Siman- cas are collected the richest archives of Spain. The Moorish alcazar was selected as the reposi- tory by Charles V. and the project received the hearty support of Philip II. These historical treasures ai'e still largely une.xplored. The pop- ulation, in 1900, was 1129. In 934 Simaneas was the scene of a bloody battle between the Christians and Moors. SIMBIRSK, sem-bersk'. A government of Eastern Russia, bounded by Kazan on the north. Samara on the east, Saratov on the south, and Penza and Nizhni-Novgorod on the west (Map: Russia, G 4). Area, about 19,120 square miles. The surface is hilly. It rises to an elevation of over 1000 feet above the sea in the range which covers the eastern part along the Volga. The western part is depressed and inter- sected by numerous rivers. Simbirsk belongs to the basin of the Volga, and is watered chiefly by that river, which forms its eastern boundary, and by its tributary, the navigable Sura. The climate is continental and severe, and a large part of the surface is still covered with forests. Agri- culture, the leading occupation, is favored by a fertile soil and yields extensive crops of rye and oats for export. Linseed and hemp are also grown extensively and stock-raising is important, the government being noted for its breed of horses. The forests furnish the materia! for the house industry, whose chief products are wagons, sledges, and wooden vessels. Felt hats and boots, bags, and small metal wares are also pro- duced in the villages. The annual output of the manufacturing industries is about $5,000,000, principally military cloth, flour, and spirits. The population in 1897 was 1,549,461, including over 144,400 Mohammedans, chiefly Mordvins, Tatars, and Tcliuvashes. SIMBIRSK. The capital of the Government of Simbirsk, in Russia, on the right bank of the Volga, about 580 miles east-southeast of Moscow (Map: Russia, G 4). It has a pleasant appear- ance on account of its numerous gardens and elevated position above the river. The principal products are spirits; a considerable trade in horses is carried on. The annual fair is still of some importance. The town was founded in 1648. Population, in 1897, 43,298. SIMCOE, sim'kS, Lake. A lake of Ontario, Canada, 30 miles long and 18 miles wide, with an area of 100 square miles (Map: Ontario, D 3). It is about 130 feet above Lake Huron, into which it discharges through the Severn, Lake Couchiehing, and Georgian Bay. In the winter it is so solidly frozen as to be a serviceable high- way. Barrie and Orillia (qq.v.) are the chief towns along its densely W'Ooded banks, on which are also situated numerous pleasant summer re- sorts and private residences. The waters afford good boating and fishing. The vicinity was the scene of the great war between the Iroquois and Hurons, in which the latter ■were almost extermi- nated. SIMCOE, .John Graves C1752-I806). An Eng- lish soldier, the first Governor of Upper Canada. He was born at Cotterstock, Northamptonshire. After education at Merton College, Oxford, he entered the army in 1771, and came to New Eng- land during the Revolutionary War, raising and commanding the Queen's Rangers, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was wounded at the battle of the Brandywine and at Jlonmouth, and surrendered with Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. He served as Governor of LTpper Canada in 1791-94; Governor of Santo - Domingo in 1796- 97; became lieutenant-general in 1798, and in 1806 received tlie appointment of commander-in- chief in India, but was taken ill just after be- ginning the voyage, and returning, died in Eng- land. He founded London (q.v.) , Ontario; and Lake Simcoe, a county, and a town in Ontario were named in his honor. He published privately History of the Operations of a Partisan Corps Called the Queen's Ranfjersi, During the War of the American Revolution (1787); republished with "Memoir of the Author" (New York, 1844). SIM'EOIf (Heb. Shim'on; of uncertain deriva- tion). A very common Hebrew name (also Xabatfean), appearing generally in English as Simon (also Symeon) ; also the name of a He- brew tribe and of its traditional ancestor, the second son of Jacob. Of the patriarch little is told ; he took part with Levi in the raid upon Shechem ( Gen. xxxiv. ) , was hostage for his brothers to Joseph (ch. xliii.), and is cursed along with Levi by the father in 'Jacob's bless- ing' (ch. xlix,). These traditions doubtless rep- resent tribal conditions in early Hebrew history. Upon the conquest of Canaan Simeon appears as accompanying Judah in the conquest of South- ern Canaan ( Judges xi.). In the allotment of the territory Simeon acquired districts in the west- ern and southern portions of Judah, including the important towns of Beersheba, Hormah. Zik- lag. Sharuhen, yet in Joshua xv. all Simeon's towns are included in Judah. From this time Simeon almost disappears from history, except
