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RINEHART-RING AND THE BOOK

larly to guard children from tuberculous milk. Plenty of good food, fresh air and sunlight, rigid cleanliness, the use of disinfectants and the determination and isolation of affected animals are now viewed as the best means of checking the disease. The tuberculin test is a ready means of determining whether or not cattle are tuberculous. Tuberculin is made by growing the bacterium for two or three weeks in bouillon to which glycerine is added. The germs are then killed by heating and their remains removed by filtration. Carbolic acid is added to prevent decomposition and the fluid is packed in sealed sterilized bottles. Inoculation with this fluid causes a rise in temperature in the case of diseased animals. See CATTLE, DisEASES OF.

Bibliography.- Consult various Reports of Bureau of Animal Industry, Washington, D. C.; also of the State departments of agriculture in many States; and bulletins of the State agricultural experiment stations.

RINEHART, rin'härt, Mary Roberts, American novelist: b. Pittsburgh, Pa., 1876. She was educated at the Pittsburgh High School and the Pittsburgh Training School for Nurses, and in 1896 was married to Stanley Marshall Rinehart, M.D., of Pittsburgh. She attained her first literary success through her clever mystery stories and she later became well known as a novelist and playwright. She made a tour of the western battle front under the protection of the allied governments in 1915, and after the entry of the United States into the European War volunteered as a nurse. Author of The Circular Staircase' (1908); 'Window at the White Cat' (1910); Amazing Adventures of Letitia Carberry) (1911); 'Street of Seven Stars' (1914); Kings, Queens and Pawns' (1915); Altar of Freedom (1917); The Amazing Interlude' (1918); 'Dangerous Days' (1919), etc.

RINEHART, William Henry, American sculptor: b. Carroll County, Md., 13 Sept. 1825; d. Rome, Italy, 28 Oct. 1874. He apprenticed himself at 21 to a marble-worker of Baltimore, and 10 years later went to Italy where he remained two years. On his return to Baltimore he executed several busts and a fountain for the United States general post office. He did not stay long in the United States, though his success as a sculptor met with much appreciation here, but established himself in Rome in 1858. Among his best-known works are the reliefs Night' and 'Morning'; his highly poetic and well-wrought 'Clytie' and 'Love Reconciles with Death'; 'Latona and her Children'; 'Antigone'; 'Atlanta' and 'Endymion.) He finished the bronze doors for the national Capitol, a work bequeathed to him by Crawford.

RINES, George Edwin, American editor: b. Maitland, Hants County, Nova Scotia, Canada, 28 Dec. 1860. Coming to the United States when 11 years old, his early education was obtained in the public schools of Brooklyn, N. Y. For several years after graduation from the high school there he was engaged in mercantile life, but in 1887 resumed his studies at Colgate University, Hamilton, N. Y. In 1890 he entered the full Hebrew and Greek course in theology and was graduated from the Hamilton Theological Seminary in 1893. He was for two

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years pastor at Binghamton, N. Y., afterward accepting a call to the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Ridgewood, N. J., where he remained for three years. He resigned from the ministry in 1899 to devote himself to literary work, and has been a frequent contributor to religious and other periodicals. In 1903 he was appointed managing editor of the 'Encyclopedia Americana, to which he contributed many articles. Subsequently Mr. Rines was managing editor of the United Editors' Encyclopedia, and in 1910-11 was general editor of "The Foundation Library for Young People.' In 1913-15 Mr. Rines was managing editor of 'The German Classics,' and after 1916 was editorin-chief of the Encyclopedia Americana ed.). This second edition he planned with consummate care, adding many features hitherto foreign to works of reference. His particular care was to have an adequate treatment of every phase of American life and American government and informative articles describing the motives and actions of America in the Great War and the mighty forces loosed by her participation in that conflict.

RING. See RINGS.

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RING-BONE, a bony excrescence on the pastern of a horse. It is a morbid growth, callus or exostosis, commonly due to inflammation, and in some cases extending to toe-joints with disabling effect. It is one of the more frequent ailments of horses and, although ordinarily affecting animals of inferior condition or injured by overwork, it sometimes appears in very young colts. While not always visibly impairing the serviceableness of a horse, ringbone usually depreciates the market value of animals affected with it, and as cure is practically impossible it is a defect which calls for particular preventive methods in the care and breeding of horses and for cautious scrutiny in the purchase of them.

RING AND THE BOOK, The. This is indisputably one of the most remarkable poems of the 19th century. In 21,000 lines of blank verse such poems as the Iliad' and 'Paradise Lost' with their breadth of theme fall far short of this total-Browning unfolds a story centring in a murder actually committed at Rome in 1698. A Tuscan nobleman, nearly 50 years cld, slew his young and low-born wife, whom he had wedded for her fortune. The material Browning derived from a miscellaneous collection of documents, legal and other, relating to the trial, partly in print, partly manuscript, bound together in a volume-the so-called "Yellow Book'- which fell into his hands, probably in 1860. The details, thoroughly assimilated by the poet's imagination, are used in the poem with marvelous fidelity and fullness. The poem already begun in 1862, was published in 1868, and was the first work of its author to receive adequate recognition in the reviews.

The plan is unprecedented and seemingly cumbrous. Owing to Browning's employment of his favorite monologue form, the story is told 11 times. In the monologues we become acquainted with events and actors as transmitted through the personality of each speaker and colored by his prejudices. The interest is maintained, in these repetitions, by extraordinary subtlety, psychological insight and imaginative grasp. The central figure, a triumph of

creative imagination, is the girl-wife, Pompilia. The central interest is her relations with the noble young churchman, Caponsacchi, who rescues her from the tyranny of her husband. Here we have a spiritual romance. - love in that purely altruistic form in which it so often appears in Browning's pages as the motive force of the highest life.

In Book I the poet, speaking_in_person, tells of the finding of the Yellow Book'; outlines the story-thus eliminating the element of plot interest; and explains the circumstances in which each of the following monologues is spoken. In Books II-IV, we see the case as it appears to the general public. Two ordinary citizens in gossiping fashion narrate the story,

the first with a bias toward the husband, the second toward the wife. In Book IV, an habitué of the higher circles complacently unfolds, for a politer audience, a more subtle and cynical view. The reader, familiarized with the facts through these partially informed and conflicting statements, is next introduced into the very heart of the action. In Book V Count Guido, the husband, unable to deny the deed, and in peril of his life, sets forth before the judges a cunning and plausible justification; in Book VI, Canon Caponsacchi gives an impassioned narrative of his relations with Pompilia; in Book VII Pompilia, on her deathbed, with infinite pathos, tells her story. The next three monologues - uttered by officials. are on a lower plane. Books VIII, IX contain the pleas of the lawyers, indifferent to the truth, and intent only on displaying their skill in legal quibbling: these books are humorous and satirical, and Browning's penchant for special pleading finds full scope. Book X consists of the meditations of the Pope as in the privacy of his chamber he writes his confirmation of the sentence and orders the execution. The figure of the Pope is a noble and impressive one, and in his discursive meditations he utters much of Browning's favorite philosophy. In Book XI Guido "the same man, another voice, speaks and despairs this last night of his life. Finally the poet himself, in Book XII, by means of extracts from imaginary letters, ties up the loose threads of his tale and concludes with reflections on art.

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The style offers tew of the difficulties which are supposed to confront the reader of Browning, and the books may be enjoyed separately. As is natural in the case of a work so recent and novel, critical estimates vary. It was a favorite poem with George Meredith, while Carlyle threw off the remark that "it was among the absurdest books ever written by a gifted man.” Arthur Symons writes that "it takes rank easily among the greatest poems." William Sharp considers it, regarded as artistic whole, "the most magnificent failure in literature. The faults alleged are in the direction of excess. "No one has said that it is too short," remarks Dowden, "many that it is too long." Professor Hereford speaks of its "immense, even riotous vitality," of its being "even mercilessly voluble, but with the volubility of a consummate master of expression, in whose hands the difficult medium of blank verse becomes an instrument of Shakespearean flexibility and compass, easily answering to all the shifts and windings of a prodigal inven

tion." It is doubtful if any competent critic would now deny that the book is the product of imaginative and intellectual power almost unparalleled the latter at times unfortunately predominating. Most competent readers will probably assent to Symon's dictum "It has a wealth of spiritual insight, human science, dramatic and intellectual and moral force, a strength and grip, a subtlety, a range and variety of genius and knowledge without parallel save in the pages of Shakespeare."

References. Mrs. Orr's Handbook; John Morley in Fortnightly Review, 1869; James Thomson in Gentleman's Magazine, 1881; the Yellow Book is published in facsimile, with English translation and notes by C. W. Hodell, Carnegie Institution, Washington; the translation is republished in Everyman's Library. WILLIAM J. ALEXANDER, Professor of English, University College, Toronto.

RING-DOVE, or CUSHAT. See Dove;

PIGEON.

RING-MONEY, in numismatics, an ancient metallic currency in the form of rings, This seems to have originated with the Egyptians, with whom rings were freely used as ornaments, and the same rings appear to have answered both purposes. The use of ringmoney in Africa subsists to this day. A form of ring-money was also anciently used in Ceylon.

RING-OUZEL, oo'zl, a European thrush (Turdus torquatus), rather larger than a black bird and of shy habits, preferring mountain slopes, heaths and wild land to cultivated districts, but it often makes raids on fruit gardens, and in vine countries feeds largely on grapes. In some parts of Scotland it is known as the moor blackbird. The song consists of a few loud, clear and plaintive notes, and is somewhat monotonous. It is dark-brown with grayish wings and has a broad crescentic white gorget, whence the name. See OUZEL.

RING PLOVER, or RINGNECK, a common plover or dotterel (q.v.) of the whole northern hemisphere (Egialitis hiaticula), distinguished by its black collar and its brilliant, gold-colored eyes. This bird was formerly celebrated in European folk-medicine. To be cured of the jaundice it was held to be only necessary to look fixedly at the bird's eyes with a firm faith in the success of the experiment. See PLOVER.

RING SNAKE, the name of various serpents with a band encircling the body, especially at the neck, In the United States the name belongs especially to a small harmless serpent of the warmer States (Diadophis punctatus), which is found "coiled up under stones, logs or the bark of fallen trees, chiefly in forests." It is bluish black above, yellowish orange beneath and has a whitish collar. In Great Britain the common grass-snake (q.v.) is often so called; in South America, the many-banded coral-snakes and in South Africa a large black and yellowish venomous hooded snake (Sepedon hæmachates) known to the Dutch as "ringhals," and differing from the cobras only in anatomical peculiarities. Consult Gadow, Amphibia and Reptiles) (1901).

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RING-TAILED LEMUR-RINGS

RING-TAILED LEMUR. See LEMUR.

RINGGOLD GAP, Battle of. After the expulsion of the Confederates from Missionary Ridge 25 Nov. 1863 they retreated on Dalton (see CHATTANOOGA, BATTLE OF). To intercept the retreat, General Thomas, on the morning of the 26th, ordered General Hooker to push on Graysville, from near Rossville, and directed General Palmer, commanding 14th corps, to report to Hooker and join in the movement. On reaching Pea Vine Creek Palmer was ordered to move directly on Graysville, while Hooker, with his three divisions Osterhaus', Geary's and Cruft's moved on Ringgold to strike the Confederate line of retreat six miles farther south. At 9 P.M. Palmer struck the Confederate rearguard, capturing three guns and some prisoners. Pushing on to Graysville, which was reached at 11 P.M., he captured more prisoners and another gun, and bivouacked for the night. Hooker advanced to within six miles of Ringgold, and late in the night bivouacked a short distance to the right of Palmer. At daybreak of the 27th Hooker renewed the pursuit, Osterhaus' division, in the advance, capturing many prisoners, and pursuing the Confederates into Ringgold. At 3 A.M. of the 27th General Cleburne, whose division was acting as rear-guard to Hardie's corps, received an order from General Bragg to hold Ringgold Gap, in Taylor's Ridge,. near the town, until the trains and rear of the retreating troops could get well advanced. Cleburne disposed his four brigades of about 4,200 men on the ridge, on each side of the gap, and as a support two guns in it, and in less than half an hour Hooker came up and Wood's brigade of Osterhaus' division was ordered to attack. Cleburne's skirmishers were soon driven in; but Cleburne, assuming the offensive, attacked Wood's main line and was repulsed, Wood's men following to the gap. Meanwhile Williamson's_brigade had made a lodgment on a spur of Taylor's Ridge, half a mile to the left of the gap, but found the Confederates so strongly posted that it could make no headway, and Creighton's brigade of Geary's division was ordered to ascend the ridge still further to the left. Cleburne had anticipated the movement by still farther extending his right. Colonel Creighton, making a gallant assault, was badly repulsed, and in falling back he carried part of Williamson's brigade with him. While Creighton was preparing for another assault he was killed, and operations on that part of the field were suspended. Meanwhile sharp work was going on in the gap and on the line on either side of it, without any material advantage to Hooker. Between 12 and 1 o'clock Hooker's artillery came up and opened a furious fire upon Cleburne's position, but Cleburne had gone, leaving only a few skirmishers in the gap. These were closely followed by some of Geary's men to the bridges beyond the gap. General Grant arrived on the field early in the afternoon, and orderd pursuit discontinued; later in the day Grose's brigade went forward, but encountering cavalry, supported by infantry, it returned to Ringgold. The Union loss at Ringgold Gap was 65 killed and 377wounded. The Confederate loss, as reported by Cleburne, was 20 killed, 190 wounded and 11 missing. Consult 'Official Records,' Vol.

VOL. 23-34

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XXXII (Washington 1889-1901), and Van
Horne, 'History of the Army of the Cumber-
land,› Vol. I (Cincinnati 1875).
E. A. CARMAN.

RINGS. Among primitive races ring adornment of the human members is universal and dates back to prehistoric times. Lip rings (labrets), neck rings (torques, etc.), nose rings, anklets, bracelets, ear rings were worn by the "savages" of the different countries. The Orientals, from time immemorial, have worn rings on their toes; married women wearing them on the big toe of the left foot, men wearing them on the big, second and third toes. The finger ring, strange to say, does not figure among the aboriginal adornments of the wild or savage tribes (America, Africa, etc.). The finger ring appears to have originated with the early Egyptians, and was evolved from the seal or signet (about 16 centuries before our era). The intaglio seal affording security and authenticity of ownership was probably carried strung on a cord until the invention of fastening it in a stirrup-shaped loop. A hole was bored longitudinally and wire passing through this entered holes in the extremities of the loop (see Figs. 1, 2) to be fastened by winding round the latter. Fine specimens of goldsmiths' work in this form are in the Louvre and London museums. The seal being sign of power or authority, it was natural that the wearer of the portable seal (a signet ring) assumed dignity. In this sense Pharaoh (Gen. xli, 42) invested Joseph with his ring; a ring in the Ashburnham collection, it is claimed, may be this very one (see Fig. 3) as it was found in a mummy case (in the Necropolis of Sakkarah, near Memphis) having hieroglyphics indicating that it contained the body of Joseph, The step from the ring being insignia of authority to its becoming an article of adornment is a short one, and we find the Egyptian ladies wore finger rings, even several on a single finger; a number of elegant specimens are extant (see Fig. 4). Herodotus (5th century B.C.) tells the story of the ring of Polycrates, tyrant of Samos. Warned that the great wealth and marvelous successes would bring dire visitations from his enemies in later life if he did not make some great sacrifice to the gods to forefend disaster, he threw his most valued possession, a talismanic ring, into the sea. His cook found it in the belly of a fish and returned it to him. The Greeks, Etruscans and Romans produced lovely finger-rings (see Figs. 5-7). One quite peculiar form of Roman ring has a key attached to it, some specimens have numerous wards and even the hollow barrel (see Fig. 8) of modern keys. Roman rings are in many decorative forms (see Fig. 9), the betrothal ring (anulus pronubus) being composed of two rings having oval plates containing the engraved names of the betrothed couple (see Fig. 10). Like the rings of the Spartans, the betrothal ring was made of iron, till Pliny's time. But we have Roman rings made in double, triple, even quintuple form; such were termed polysephi Mythology records a ring dating back far beyond those above mentioned, for it informs us that, when Jupiter released Prometheus from his agonies on the Caucasian rock, he had to wear on his finger one of the links of his iron chain with a piece of the rock

set in it as reminder of his terrible experience. The first Roman senators wore rings of iron, but when acting as ambassadors a gold one was given them; later they could all wear gold rings. Next the privilege of wearing a gold ring became so common even the menials wore them and only slaves wore iron rings. When Hannibal's soldiers took the gold rings from the Roman dead after the battle. of Cannæ (216 B.C.) they filled, some writers say, three bushel baskets. During the Roman Empire it was a custom to give birthday (anniversary) rings, termed anuli natalitii. The imperial signet of Constantius (306 A.D.) is in the Rinucinnit cabinet at Florence with its 53-carat sapphire engraved with the scene of the emperor spearing a wild boar, etc. Of AngloSaxon rings the British Museum (London) contains that of King Ethelwulf (see Fig. 11) and that of Ethelswith, his daughter, queen of Mercia, of the 9th century. Other extant rings of historic interest are: The "Shakespeare ring" (see Fig. 12) supposed to have been given by Anne Hathaway to the poet, which was found in a field at Stratford-on-Avon; the ring said to have been given to Henry Darnley (her spouse) by Mary Queen of Scots (see Fig. 13); the wedding ring Martin Luther gave to Catherine Bora when he made her his wife (see Fig. 14), it is what is known as a "Passion" ring, carrying the symbols of the Passion. The wedding ring of the Romans was a signet ring and conveyed the meaning that it was the wife's right to seal up the property of the household; it, sometimes, had a small key attached. It was placed on the fourth finger in early Roman days; the index finger was regarded by the Jews as the hallowed finger and bore the marriage ring; in the days of "Queen Bess" of England the ring, after betrothal, was worn on the thumb. The betrothal ring in Britain became the wedding ring about the time of the Reformation.

Ecclesiastical Rings. Closely allied to the wedding ring is the ecclesiastical ring, ceremonially wedding the wearer to the Church, as well as signifying the dignity of the office. Most important of these insignia jewels is the papal ring, called the "Fisherman's Ring" (or anulus piscatoris), with its gem stone containing an engraving (used by the Pope for his seal) of Saint Peter in a bark pulling up a fishing net and the Pope's name above. A new one is conferred by the cardinal-chamberlain, to be broken on the death of the Pontiff. Episcopal rings conferred on bishops and abbots are of gold embellished by a stone; the latter must not be cut (as is the papal ring) but left in its natural form (see Fig. 15), though polished. The stone was formerly green (emerald favored), later blue (sapphire), but Dr. Kunz says: "Besides rubies and emeralds, balas-rubies, turquoises, chalcedonies and even opals were used, pearls and garnets also appear occasionally." The episcopal ceremonial ring is worn by the bishop outside his glove, and is, therefore, quite a large ring. An amethyst, emblematic of sincerity, innocence and earthly suffering is worn in the rings of cardinals and bishops as a sign of submission to the Church as well as of spiritual power. Decade rings came into being in the 14th century and are so termed from the fact that they have 10 projections on their circumference.

They answer the purpose of a rosary (see Fig. 16) and each knob represents an Ave, while the head or bezel (often with I.H.S. and the three nails) represents the Pater Noster. Peculiar to England and Scotland are the socalled iconographic rings, with their Virgin Mary and Child, or saints' images, in gold or silver. They were made from 1390 to 1520. The Jewish ceremonial wedding ring is frequently a very large and cumbersome device with its bezel towering into the architecture of houses (see Fig. 17) and with raised filigree ornamental circlet. A very noted ceremonial ring is the English "Coronation" ring; it is of pure gold and large, being worn over the glove, generally on the index finger of the right hand formerly, except on celebrating Mass, when it is changed to the annular finger. Usually it has a large violet-hued table-cut ruby, and a Saint George's cross is engraved on the flat surface; 26 diamonds surround the ruby.

Memorial Rings. In olden times it was the custom to bequeath memorial rings to one's friends, as is shown in many wills. Richard II (1400) left a gold ring to each of his nine executors. Shakespeare (1616) bequeathed rings to a number of friends. Samuel Pepys willed 123 memorial rings to surviving friends. Followers of Charles I, after his execution, wore memorial rings, some with his effigy or rame on them, and it established a custom that lasted for many years. Black enamel or niello was favored for memorial rings, but in the 18th century young maidens' deaths were memorialized with rings in white enamel. Hair from the head of deceased, in the end of the 18th century, was used in forming a device in the bezel. Later very plain rings came into vogue with just a motto, as: "To the Memory of » Other mottos seen are: "Not lost but gone before," "Memento Mori," etc. But the "Memento Mori» rings so-called are those bearing a death's head. Extant are rings with the letters BDLK, they stand in memory of executed lords Balmerino, Derwentwater, Lovat and Kilmarnock.

Occult Rings.-The fact that, in mediæval days, certain peculiar-shaped pieces of stone, metal, ore, etc., were considered to have occult powers of great value led to the setting such talismans in finger-rings to obtain security and portability. Cabalistic words or sentences also served for occult influences and we find them on rings (see Figs. 18-20); astrological signs of significance are frequently found on such talismanic rings. Great curative power was supposed to be possessed by certain mystic rings carried by physicians of olden times, they are known as medicinal rings; Galen (about 200 A.D.) was renowned as a doctor and tells of a green jasper amulet of King Nechepsus, of Egypt, that had a design cut in it representing a dragon surrounded by rays. He said it was a most potent remedial agent for the digestive organs. To be numbered among the medicinal rings are the "royal cramp rings." Edward the Confessor, king of England (104266) instituted the practice, according to the legend, from the fact that, he being without money, one day when an aged pilgrim accosted him, the royal personage handed over a ring as alms. The pilgrim turned out to be no other than the Apostle Saint John in disguise, who sent the ring

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Figs. 1, 2-Finger Rings Fig. 3 Joseph's Ring Fig. 4- Egyptian Lady's Ring Fig. 5 Etruscan Ring Fig. 6-Greek Rings Fig. 7-Roman Ring Fig. 8- Roman Key Rings Fig. 9 -Other Roman Rings Fig. 11- Ring of Ethelwolf Fig. 12- Shakespeare's Ring Fig. 13 Fig. 14- Passion Ring of Martin Luther Fig. 15- - Ecclesiastical Ring in Fig. 1616th Century Ring Fig. 17- - Jewish Wedding Ring Fig. 19-Cabalistic Ring in the Londes-Borough Collection Fig. 20Fig. 22- - Triple Ring, Arms of Cosimo Di Medici

Fig. 10- Roman Betrothal Rings
Ring of Mary Stuart to Darnley
the Cluny Museum. (Note the Uncut Stone)
Fig. 18- Physician's Medicinal Ring
Astrological Ring Fig. 21- Gimmel Rings

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