Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/405

SORRENTO. 351 SOTTEVILLE-LES-ROUEN. in olive oil and fruits. Sorrento was originally a Grecian colony. It was called ^urrentiim by the Romans, who embellished it with temples, the ruins of which still remain. Population (commune), in 1901, 8933. SORROWS OF WERTHER (Ger. Leiden des Juiiycn Weitlitr) . A romance by Goethe (1774), embodying some of the author's own experi- ences. Just previous to the time of its produc- tion Goethe was battling against his unrequited love for Charlotte Buff, and was greatly atlected by the suicide of a young man, Jerusalem, who conunitted suicide because of an unfortunate love affair and a fancied slight. The recognition of the possible results in his own similar case led to the creation of Werther (representing him- self) and Jerusalem, and of Lotte, typifj'ing the object of the love of each. The romance at once created a sensation and established Goethe's fame. Its influence on sentimental natures was profound and led some to follow the hero's ex- ample, so that Goethe was obliged in a subse- quent edition to add a warning note. SORSOGON, sor'scgon'. A province of the Philippine Islands, occupying the extreme south- eastern portion of the island of Luzon (Jlap: Philippine Islands, H 7). Area, 075 square miles. It is surrounded by water on three sides, and almost cut into halves b^- the large Bay of Sorsogon. It is traversed lengthwise by a forest-covered mountain range culminating in the volcano of Bulusan. Sorsogon is a great hemp-producing province. Its export of hemp in 1899 amounted to 14.014,639 pounds. Copra is also a staple product. The province was cre- ated by the Philippine Commission in 1001, hav- ing previously been a district of the Province of Albay. Population, estimated, in 1901, 98,650, belonging to the Vicol tribe. Capital, Sorsogon. SORSOGON. The capital of the Province of Sorsogon, Southern Luzon, Philippines. It is situated at the head of the Bay of Sorsogon, 30 miles from the southeastern extremity of the island (Map: Philippine Islands. H 7). The bay. which measures 6 by 12 miles, is entirely landlocked, with a narrow entrance from the Visayan Sea ; it is one of the best harbors in the archipelago, and is very favorably situated near the Strait of San Bernardino on the route from Jlanila to the United States. Population, estimated, in 1899, 10,720. SORTES (sdr'tez) VERGILIA'NJE. See SOKULKCE. SORTILEGE (ilL. soriilegiiim. divination by lot. from Lat. sors, lot -|- leijcre. to read). The casting of lots. This method of division was an ancient way of distributing shares among several claimants. At the bottom is a religious idea. The choice of lots was performed in the presence of a deity, as represented by his image, and was accompanied with prayer and sacrifice, being often accomplished in the temple and by a priest. It was, therefore, presumed that the god deter- mined the order in which the lots would fall and was responsible for the decision. The com- mon practice was to use slips of wood, pebbles, potsherds, or arrows, which were drawn from a helmet, quiver, or pail, and in order that they should be indicative, they were usually marked in some manner. A favorite mode of forecasting was to open at random a sacred book and mark the passage on which the eyes first rested, the significance of which would serve as a token of the destiny awaiting the inquirer. As Vergil's -F/ifiVi came so to be used, the consultation was called Sortes Vergilianw. The Scriptures were so employed by Christians, while the Arabs use the Koran and the Persians the poems of Hafiz. SOSIA. In the Amphitrtio of Plaiilus, a ser- vant of the title character. He is made doubtful of Ids own identity by Jlercury, who, assuming Sosia's form, plays the part of his double. SOSTENtTTO, sus'ta-noo'tu (It., sustained). A term used in music to indicate a sustained tone or a uniform rate of decreased speed. SOTHEBT, suthTjI, William (1757-1833). An English translator, educated at Harrow and at the military academy at . gcrs in France. He was in the English army for a short period, but retired on his marriage in 1780. Henceforth he followed the career of a man of letters, divid- ing his time between his London house and Fair ilead Lodge by Epping Forest. In original com- position Sotheby left nothing of value. His numerous volumes of poems and his twelve his- torical tragedies have long since been forgotten. He survives as the translator of Vergil's Geor- oics (1800). With less success lie turned into "English heroic verse the Iliad (1830-31) and the Odi/ssei/ (1834). Of some interest is his early translation (1798) of Wieland's Oberon. SOTH'ERN, Edward Askew (1826-81). An English comedian. He was born in Liverpool, and was educated for the Church, but the stage was more congenial to his tastes, and he made his d^but in Jersey in 1849. In 18.52 he came to the United States and appeared at the National Theatre of Boston in the character of Dr. Pan- gloss. In 1854 he joined Wallack's company and afterwards that of Laura Keene. In the charac- ter of Lord Dvmdrearv in Tom Taylor's comedy Our American Cousin (1858) he made his great success. In 1864 he appeared in David (iarriek, which was regarded as. next to Dun- dreary, his best part. His other chief successes were in Brother Sam. written for him by Oxen- ford (1865), Sidney Spoonbill in Byron's Hor- net's Sest, and Fitzaltaniont in The Crushed Tragedian, with which he appeared in London in 1878, soon after his return from a prolonged tour in America. Consult: Pemberton. Memoir of E. A. Sotheni (London. 1890) ; Scott. The Drama of Yesterday and To-day (ib., 1899). SOTHERN, Edward H. (1859—). An Ameri- can actor, the second son of E. A. Sothern. He was born in London, England. In 1879 he made his debut as an actor with his father in Xew York. His first real success was in One of Our Girls at the Lyceum, New York, in 1885. This was followed in 1887 by his success in The Highest Bidder, and later he was popular in many romantic plays. In 1900 he appeared in Hamlet. He married in 1896 the actress Vir- ginia Harned. Consult: McKay and Wingate, Famous American Actors of To-day (New York, 1896) : Strang. Famous Actors of the Day in America (Boston. 1000). SOTTEVILLE-LES-ROUEN, sfit'vel' 1:1 roi5'- jix'. A town in the Department of Seine-Tn- ferieure. France, one mile south of the city of Rouen, of which it is a suburb (Map: France, H 2). Population, in 1901, 18,.535.