Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/25

SEVERN. 13 a struggling young artist he became a friend of John Keats. In 1817 he won a gold medal from the Royal Academy, for his historical painting "Una." Afterwards he worked principally at miniatures. He went with Keats to Rome in 1820, and remained with him until his death. ^ He painted several portraits of Keats, and after his return to London in 1841 did some literary work of little importance. From ISOO until 1872 he was consul at Rome, and he was buried in that city, beside the poet. Consult Sharp, Life and Letters of Joseph Severn (London, 1892). SEVERO (sa-va'r6) CAPE, Northeast Cape, or f'Ai'E Chelyuskin. The northernmost point of the Asiatic continent (Jlap: Asia, K 1). It is a low, stony, and desert outrunner of the Taimur Peninsxila and extends to latitude 77° 34' north. After its discovery by the Russian officer Tchelj'uskin iu 1742 it was not again visited until Nordenskjold reached it in 1878. SEVE'RTJS, Alexander. See Alexander Sevekus. SEVERUS, Lucius Septimius (a.d. 146-211). A Roman emperor from 193 to 211, born near Leptis Magna, on the north coast of Africa. He was commander of a legion in Gaul, and gov- ernor successively of Gallia Lugdunensis, Pan- nonia, and Sicily. After the murder of Pertinax he was proclaimed Emperor, a.d. 193, at Car- nuntum, and promptly marched upon Rome, where tlie puppet .Julianus had by purchase ob- tained the Imperial purple. His arrival before Rome was the death signal for Julianus; and after taking vengeance on the murderers of Per- tinax, and distributing an extravagant largess to his soldiers, Severus marched against Pescen- nius Niger, and conquered him at Issus, a.d. 194. A campaign in the East, and a three years' siege of Byzantium, which was finally taken, were fol- lowed by a desperate struggle with Clodius Al- binus, whom, after an obstinate conflict at Lyons, he conquered in 197. Severus returned to Asia, and met with the most brilliant success in the campaign of 198 against the Parthians, and took and plundered their capital, Ctesiphon. He re- turned to Rome in 202. and gratified the popular taste by the exhibition of shows of unparalleled magnificence, also distributing another extrava- gant largess to the citizens and prfetorians. A rebellion in Britain drew him to that country in 208, and at the head of an immense army he marched, it is said, to the extreme north of the island, encountering enormous hardships, to which no less than .50,000 of his soldiers suc- cumbed. To safeguard the natives of Southern Britain from the incursions of the Meat:^ and Caledonians, Severus began the wall which bears his name. He died soon after at Eboracum (York). SEVERUS, Wall of. See Roman Wall. SEVIER (sever') LAKE. A salt lake lying among the Basin Ranges of western L^tah, and surrounded by the Sevier Desert (Map: Utah, A 2). It has no outlet, but is fed by the Sevier River. It is a remnant of Lake Bonneville, which in Pleistocene times covered a vast area and made Sevier Lake continuous with the Great Salt Lake. Half a century ago the lake was 30 miles long, 10 miles wide, and 15 feet deep, but, since the river is now largely used for irri- gation, the lake-bottom is dry for a great part SEVIGUE. of the year, and is covered with a vast deposit of salt. SEVIER, John (1745-1815). An American I^ioneer and political leader, born in Rockingham Countj', Va. Leaving school when sixteen year* of age, he married in the following year, and in 1704 founded the village of New Market in the Shenandoah Valley. Here he became cele- brated as an Indian fighter, and in 1772 removed beyond the Alleghanies to the Watauga settle- ments. He served as captain in Lord Dunmorc's War, participating in the battle of Point Pleas- ant (q.v. ), was a delegate for several years from Watauga to the North Carolina Legisla- ture, conducted many expeditions against the Indians, gained a victory over them at Boyd's Creek (1779). and served with great gallantry at Kings ^lountain (1780). He took part iu the battle of Musgrove's Mills, and in 1781 fought under Marion, and was made brigadier-general. He was Governor of the "State of Franklin" in 1785-88, on the breaking up of which by North Carolina he was imprisoned, but soon escaped. In 1790 he was sent as a Representative to Con- gress. In 1793 he conducted the Etowah cam- paign against the Indians, and in nno became the first Governor of Tennessee, serving until 1801. He was again Governor from 1803 to 1809, and was a member of Congress from 1811 to 1815. He died on a mission to the Creek Indians. For his life, consult .J. R. Gilmore (New York, 1887). SEVIGNE, sa've'nya', Marie de Rabutin- Chantal, Marquise de (1626-96). A French epistolary writer. She was born in Paris, February 6, 1626, of a military famil.v known in Burgundy as earl.y as the twelfth century. Her father, Baron de Cliantal, was killed at the Isle of Rlie in 1627. Her mother, Marie de Coulanges. died in 1633. The little heiress was then cared for by her motlier's parents, both of whom died within three years. Her uncle, Christoplie de Cou- langes, Abbe de Livry. was now chosen guardian. He lived till 1686, always her close friend and business adviser, and was frequently visited bv her at his abbev. He gave his niece an excellent education ; among her tutors were Chapelain and Mgnage. Her earliest letters are in response to Menage's professions of love. Among the close friends of her youth was the future Madame de la Favettc. The careful management of her guardian left her relatively rich at eighteen, when she married Henri, Marquis de Sevigne. a Breton gentlenurn, whom she loved better than he seems to have deserved. The Chevalier d'Albret mortally wounded him in a duel over Madame de Gondran and he died in 1651. leaving a son, Charles, who died childless, and a daujihter, Francoise, who married, in 1669, Francois Ad- hemar. Count de Grignan, and had two children, who died without issue. To her children Madame de Sevigne devoted the rest of her life, especially to the daughter, who did not worthily requite her affection. Her social tact, good looks, vivacity, and charm made her very popular and brought her the homage of many distinguished friends, among them Turenne and the Prince de Conti. It was not till her daughter's marriage (1669) that her letters became numerous. Count de Grignan was practicall.v Governor of Provence, and Madame de sevigne divided her time between Paris, Les