pnugues/EB7 huggingface dataset:
SOMME, a department of the north of France. It has been formed out of those parts of the ancient Picardy known as Amienois, Ponthieu, Vimieux, and Santerre, and extends over 1,460,932 acres, or 2284 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Pas de Calais; on the east by the departments of the North and of the Aisne; on the south by the Oise and the Lower Seine; and on the west by the British channel. It contains five arrondisements, with forty-one cantons, and 835 communes, and its population in 1836 amounted to 552,706. The surface is flat and level, but gradually slopes towards the sea on the western side. There are no mountains, but some hills of inconsiderable height rise on the eastern frontier. The Somme, which has its source in the department of the Aisne, is the chief river. The others are the Avre, the Noye, the Celle, and the Brisle. The soil is chalky, and naturally fruitful. The inhabitants cultivate to a great extent corn and hemp, and considerable quantities of corn are exported. Cattle and sheep are reared in large flocks. The country is almost destitute of wood, but the valleys abound in peat. The wine produced is small in quantity, and inferior in quality. Oleaginous seeds are extensively cultivated for the manufacture of oil. In this district are numerous and extensive establishments for the manufacture of woollen cloths and fine linen goods, such as cambrics, lenos, and lawns, carpets, hats, hosiery, leather, soap, cutlery, and other hardware. It is, on the whole, one of the most prosperous divisions of the kingdom, and contains, besides many towns and villages densely inhabited, the large cities Amiens (population, 46,129) and Abbeville, (population, 18,247), in which most of the commerce of the department is concentrated.
SOMNER, William, an eminent English antiquary, was oom at Canterbury in 1606. His first treatise was the Antiquities of Canterbury, which he dedicated to Archbishop Laud. He then applied himself to the study of the Saxon language; and having made himself master of it, he perceived that the old glossary prefixed to Sir Roger Twisden’s edition of the laws of King Henry I. printed in 1644, was faulty in many places; he therefore added to that edition notes and observations valuable for their learning, with a very useful glossary. His Treatise of Gavelkind was finished about 1648, though not published till 1660. Somner was zealously attached to King Charles 1.; and in 1648 he published a poem on his sufferings and death. His skill in the Saxon tongue led him to inquire into most of the European languages, ancient and modem. He assisted Dugdale and Dodsworth in compiling the Monastico Anglicanum. His Saxon Dictionary was printed at Oxford in 1659. He died in 1669.
SOMPRE, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Cashmere, situated on the east side of the Jhylum river. Long. 73. 25. E. Lat. 34, 17. N.
SONATA (Ital. ), a piece of music, consisting of various movements for a single instrument, with or without accompaniment. The name has sometimes been given to cer tain vocal compositions, in which all the voices are equally essential. Some of the most remarkable modern sonatas are for the pianoforte, such as those of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, Dussek, &c. Formerly sonatas were classed as sonate di camera and sonate di chiesa, i.e. chambersonatas and churchsonatas, on account of their difference of style, and the place of performance.
SONATINA (Ital. ), a short and easy sonata.
SONDERHAUSEN, the capital of the principality of SchwartzburgSonderhausen, in Germany, stands on the river Wipper, at the junction of the Bebra with that stream. It is well built, and the castle on which the prince resides is situated on a hill overlooking the city; it is a venerable object, with some pleasing promenades near to it. The city contains a gymnasium, two churches, and an orphan house, 460 dwellings, and 3600 inhabitants. Long. 10. 45.

1. E. Lat. 51. 22. 33. N.
SONDRE Grund, or Bottomless, an island in the South Pacific Ocean, discovered by La Maire and Schouten in 1616. It is about twenty leagues in circumference. Long. 148. W. Lat. 15. S.
SONDRIO, a delegation of the Austrian kingdom of Lombardy, extending over 1139 square miles, is bounded on the north by Switzerland, on the east by the Tyrol, on the south by Bergamo, on the southwest by Como, and on the west by Switzerland. It comprehends an extensive valley, with lofty mountains on both sides, sometimes called the Valteline. It contains one city, six towns, and seventy eight villages, with 91,600 inhabitants. The capital is a city of the same name, situated at the entrance of the valley, on the river Moller. It contains 3480 inhabitants.
SONEHUT, a small town and mudfort of Hindustan, in the province of Gundwana. Long. 82. 33. E. Lat. 23. 33. N.
SONEPOUR, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Orissa, situated on the west bank of the Mahanuddy, at its confluence with the Taile river. Long. 83. 30. E. Lat. 20. 47. N.
SONG, in Music, in a general sense, applies to melody, whether vocal or instrumental. It is usually applied to an air adapted to the words of a short poem. Sometimes, with an adjunct, it means a particular form of melody, as plait; song (Fr. plain chant; Ital. canto piano, or canto ferma). Among songs, the most characteristic and interesting are the national ones of various countries. To the influence of national song may be traced those remarkable changes and improvements in the style of melody, with regard to free dom and expression, that are so perceptible in the music of professed composers within the last two centuries.

Song of Birds . See Singing , and Philosophical Transactions, vol. 1xiii.
SONGHUR, a town of Hindustan, in the Gujerat peninsula, situated in a wild country, twenty-five miles north west from Wankaneer. Near it is a very ancient temple dedicated to the sun, and adorned with a variety of sculptures, in a style greatly superior to any modern works by the Hindus. In the interior of this temple is a male figure, three feet high, with uplifted hands, each holding an image of the sun; and on his two sides are two smaller idols of the same kind. There are also two other temples, one of which contains the figure of Bhavani standing on an animal resembling a tortoise, and surrounded by female attendants. There is no record concerning the time when these temples were built
SONGI, a small river on the eastern coast of Malacca, falls into the China Sea. Lat. 2. 10. N.
SONGKIANG, a city of China, of the first rank, in the province of Kiangnan. It is situated on the great canal, very conveniently for trade, which is carried on to a considerable extent in calicoes and other cotton cloths. It has four large cities under its jurisdiction. It is 560 miles south of Pekin. Long. 120. 44. E. Lat. 31. N.
SONG-MEN-CHAN, a small island near the coast of the province Tchekiang, in China. Long. 121. 21. E. Lat. 31. N.
SONGOA, an island in the Straits of Malacca. It is about fifty miles in circumference. Long. 100. 30. E. Lat.

2. 18. N.
SOONDA, a town and district of Hindustan, in the pro vince of North Canara. The district, which is small, is situated between the 14th and 15th degrees of north lati tude, above the Western Ghauts. Formerly the country was well cultivated, and produced fine timber and pepper, betel nut, cardamoms, and plantains. Towards the eastern division of the country, the great object of agriculture is rice. Having been the seat of war between Hyder and the Mahrattas, it was greatly wasted by the former in 1763, and its rajah compelled to fly for protection to Goa; on which occasion he surrendered the whole of his territory below the Ghauts for a stipulated pension. In 1799 the Soonda district became the property of the British, with whom it remains. The capital, of the same name, was formerly an extensive and populous town, and was defended by strong fortifications, which were levelled by Hyder, who also nearly destroyed the town. Long. 74. 58. E. Lat. 14. 34. N.
SOONDIA, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Sinde, situated on the Indus, on the route from Tatta to Hyderabad. Lat. 24. 58. N.
SOONEL, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Mal wah, belonging to the Mahrattas, 60 miles south by east from Kotah. It is regularly built, with streets at right angles, and is of considerable extent. Long. 76. 5. E. Lat. 24. 21. N.
SOONERGONG, or Sunergong, a town of Bengal, situated on one of the branches of the Brahmapootra. It was once a large city, the provincial capital of the eastern division of Bengal, and famous for its manufactures of mus lin and other fine cottons. It is now reduced to a mere village, principally inhabited by weavers, and the city of Dacca has risen on its downfall. Long. 90. 43. E. Lat. 23. 39. N.
SOONGUR, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Gujerat, 39 miles east by south from Surat. Long. 73. 38. E. Lat. 21. 8. N.
SOONPUT, a small town of Hindustan, in the province of Delhi. To the north is a handsome mausoleum of Khizer Khan, an Afghan nobleman of the family of Shere Shah. The adjacent country was greatly benefited by the canal dug by AIy Merdan Khan. Orders have been given by the British government to repair the canal, which will aid the country to recover from the desolate state in which it has been for some years past. Long. 76. 53. E. Lat. 29. N.
SOONTABURDAR, in the East Indies, an attendant, who carries a silver bludgeon in his hand, about two or three feet long, and runs before the palanquin. He is inferior to the chubdar; the propriety of an Indian newaury requiring two soontaburdars for every chubdar in the train. The chubdar proclaims the approach of visitors, &c. He generally carries a large silver staff about five feet long in his hands; and among the nabobs he proclaims their praises aloud as he runs before their palanquins.
SOOPOOR, a town of Hindustan, in the Rajpoot territories, province of Ajmeer. It is the capital of a small principality, and is 65 miles northeast from Kotah. Long. 76. 45. E. Lat. 25. 43. N.
SOOROOTOO Isle, a small island in the Eastern Seas, situated off the western coast of Borneo, and separated from the island of Carimatia by a narrow strait, through which a ship might run if compelled by necessity. Long. 108. 40. E. Lat. 1.45. S.
SOOROPOOR, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Bejapoor, situated on the Krishna river, nearly 130 miles southwest from Hyderabad. Long. 77. E. Lat. 16.15. N.
SOORY, a town of Bengal, district of Birbhoom, 50 miles southwest from M∞rshedabad. Long. 87. 32. E. Let. 23. 54. N.
SOOSNEER, a considerable town of Hindustan, in the province of Malwah, 57 miles north-north-east from Oojain. Long. 76. 10. E. Lat. 23. 55. N.
SOOSO), a small town on the west coast of Sumatra, where pepper is sometimes exchanged for gold dust. Long. 97. 10. E. Lat. 3. 45. N.
SOOSOOHOONAN, a district in the island of Java, on the south coast, formerly extending to the north coast, and[7:20:480] including the territories of Cheribon, and the greater part of the island. It is now much fallen from its ancient gran deur, and in the last century was divided into two parts. The prince, embarrassed by the rebellion of a powerful nobleman, made a cession of his territory to the Dutch, who in return granted him half back again, under the title of Sultan. Prior to 1740 this sovereign was proprietor of all the territory to the east of Cheribon; but he lost part of his dominions in a new contest with the Dutch. The dynasty, however, still continues; and in 1813 the capital was visited by Sir Stamford Raffles, the British governor, who was graciously received.
SOOT, a volatile matter arising from wood and other fuel along with the smoke; or rather it is the smoke itself con densed, and gathered to the sides of the chimney. Though once volatile, however, soot cannot be again resolved into vapour, but, if distilled by a strong fire, yields a volatile al kali and empyreumatic oil, a considerable quantity of fixed matter remaining at the bottom of the distilling vessel. If burnt in an open fire, it flames with a thick smoke, whence other soot is produced. It is used as a material for making sal ammoniac, and as a manure.
SOOTY, a town of Bengal, in the province of Raujeshy, where an action was fought in 1763, between the British troops and those of Meer Cossim, in which the latter were defeated. Long. 88. 2. E. Lat. 24. 36. N.
SOPHI, or Son, a title given to the emperor of Persia, importing as much as wise, sage, or philosopher.
SOPHIS, or Sofees, a kind of religious order among the Mahommedans in Persia, answering to what are otherwise called dervises, and among the Arabs and Indians faquirs. Some writers suppose them to be called sophis from a kind of coarse camblet which they wear, called souf, from the city Sonf in Syria, where it is principally manufactured. The more eminent of those sophis are complimented with the title schick, that is, reverend, much as, in Romish coun tries, the religious are called reverend fathers. Schick Sophi, who laid the foundation of the grandeur of the royal house of Persia, was the founder, or rather the restorer, of this order. Ishmael, who conquered Persia, was himself a so phi, and greatly valued himself on that character. He chose all the guards of his person from among the religious of this order, and would have all the great lords of his court sophis. The king of Persia is still grandmaster of the or der, and men of rank continue to enter into it, though it be now fallen under some contempt.
SOPHIST, an appellation assumed in the early periods of Grecian history, by those who devoted their time to the study of science. This appellation appearing too arrogant to Pythagoras, he declined it, and wished to be called a philosopher; declaring that, though he could not consider himself as a wise man, he was indeed a lover of wisdom. True wisdom and modesty are generally united. The example of Pythagoras was followed by every man of eminence, while the name sophist was retained only by those who with a pomp of words made a magnificent display of wisdom upon a very slight foundation of knowledge. Those men taught an artificial structure of language, and a false method of reasoning, by which, in argument, the worse might be made to appear the better reason. In Athens they were long held in high repute, and were supported, not only by contributions from their pupils, but by a regular salary from the state. They were among the bitterest enemies of the illustrious Socrates, because he embraced every opportunity of exposing to contempt and ridicule their vain pretensions to superior knowledge, and the pernicious influence of their doctrines upon the taste and morals of the Athenian youth.
SOPING, a district or principality of the island of Cele bes, formerly one of the most extensive in the country. In 1775 it was governed by its own king.
SOPRA, a river of Hindustan, which rises in the province of Malwah, and joins the Gilly Sinde river, after which their united streams fall into the Chumbul.
SORA, a city of Italy, in the Neapolitan province of Terra di Lavoro, the capital of a district of its own name.

It stands on the banks of the river Garigliano, is the seat of a bishop, and, besides the cathedral, has five churches, and 7950 inhabitants.
SORAU, a circle of Prussia, in the government of Frankfurt, which extends over 513 square miles, with 46,400 inhabitants. The capital is the town of the same name. It stands on a large plain, is well built, and contains 430 houses, with 4060 inhabitants, who manufacture large quantities of cotton goods.
SORBONNE, or Sorbon, the house or college of the faculty of theology established in the old university of Paris. It was founded in 1252, by St Louis, or rather by Robert de Sorbon his confessor and almoner, first canon of Cambray, and afterwards of the cathedral of Paris; who gave his own name to it, which he himself took from the village of Sorbon or Serbon, near Sens, where he was born. The foundation was laid in 1250; Queen Blanche, in the absence of her husband, furnishing him with a house which had formerly been the palace of Julian the apostate. The king afterwards gave him all the houses he had in the same place, in exchange for some others. The college was magnificently rebuilt by the Cardinal de Richelieu. The institution was designed for the use of poor students in divinity.

Sorbonne was also used in general for the whole faculty of theology at Paris, as the assemblies of the whole body were held in the house of the Sorbonne, and the bachelors of the other houses of the faculty came hither to hold their sorbonnique, or act for being admitted doctor of divinity.
SORCERY, or Magic, the power which some persons were formerly supposed to possess, of commanding the devil and the infernal spirits, by skill in charms and invocations, and of soothing them by fumigations. See Magic and Ap PARITIONS.
SORIA, one of the four departments into which the pro vince of Old Castille, in Spain, is divided. Its extent is 341 square leagues, and its population amounts to 257,537 souls. It is in general a hilly district, and in some parts very mountainous. The plains are fertile, especially that of Rioja, and yield abundance of wheat and barley, and in some years it has a surplus of both these productions. Its wine is good, but not abundant; and it is deficient in a supply of oil, which is procured from the more southern provinces. This province furnishes to commerce a great proportion of the fine wool of the merinos. That of Soria is not equal in fineness to what is produced in Segovia, but is however of a good quality; and the quantity annually sent away amounts to about 2,250,000 pounds.

Soria , a city of Spain, in New Castille, the capital of the department of that name. It is situated on the north bank of the river Duero, but too near its source to derive any benefit as to navigation. In the vicinity there are excellent pastures for sheep, with houses of various kinds to shelter them when the weather is more than usually inclement, or when they are shorn. It is not a large city, nor are the public buildings of a nature to merit a detailed description; but the extensive ruins of the ancient Numantia invite the notice of every lover of Roman antiquities. Soria contains thirteen churches, eleven monasteries, four hospitals, and 6000 inhabitants. The manufacture of silk stockings employs eighty-two looms. Some of the inhabitants are employed in soapboiling, tanning, and in the manufacture of cloth. Lat. 4L 48. N.
SORIANG, a river of Celebes, on the west coast, which falls into the sea.
SORITES, in Logic, a species of reasoning, in which a great number of propositions are so linked together, that the predicate of the one becomes continually the subject of the next following, till at last a conclusion is formed by bringing together the subject of the first proposition and[7:20:482] the predicate of the last. Such was that merry argument of Themistoclee, to prove that his little son under ten years old governed the whole world: “My son governs his mother; his mother me; I the Athenians; the Athenians the Greeks; Greece commands Europe; Europe the whole world: therefore my son commands the whole world.”
SORRENTO, a city of Italy, in the province of Naples. It is finely situated among olive, citron, and pomegranate trees, and is the seat of an archbishop. It is on the sea coast, and has some foreign trade. The chief occupation is collecting and spinning silk. It was the birthplace of the poet Tasso. The surrounding hills are chiefly compos ed of tufa, which was originally lava; and the doors and windowseats are generally formed of that substance. It contains 4240 inhabitants.
SORTILEGE (Sortilegivm), a species of divination per formed by means of sortes or lots. The sortes Praenestinae, famous in antiquity, consisted in putting a number of let ters, or even whole words, into an urn; and then, after shaking them together, they were thrown on the ground; and whatever sentences could be made out of them constituted the answer of the oracle. To this method of divination succeeded that which has been called the sortes Homericae and sortes Virgilianae; a mode of inquiring into futurity which undoubtedly took its rise from a general custom of the oracular priests of delivering their answers in verse. It subsisted a long time among the Greeks and Romans, and being from them adopted by the Christians, it was not till after a long succession of centuries that it be came exploded. Among the Romans it consisted in open .ing some celebrated poet at random, and among the Christians the Scriptures, and drawing, from the first passage which presented itself to the eye, a prognostic of what would befell one’s self or others, or direction for conduct when under any exigency. There is good evidence that this was none of the vulgar errors; the greatest persons, philosophers of the best repute, admitted this superstition. Socrates, when in prison, hearing this line of Homer, within three days I Phthia’s shore shall see, immediately said, within three days I shall be out of the world; gathering it from the double meaning of the word Phthia, which in Greek is both the name of a country and signifies corruption or death.
SORTINO, a city of the island of Sicily, in the province of Noto. It stands on a healthy spot on a gentle elevation, the ancient Xuthinum, 130 miles from Palermo, and is watered by a small stream. It contains 7300 inhabitants.
SORTINSKOI, a village of Tobolsk, in Asiatic Russia, seventy-two miles southsouthwest of Beresof.
SOSVA, the name of two considerable rivers in Asiatic Russia, in the government of Tobolsk. The first has a course of 160 miles. It rises in the Oural Mountains, about the sixtyfifth degree of north latitude, and running almost due east, falls into the Obi near Beresof, after receiving a smaller river of the same name, called the Little Sosva. The other river rises somewhat farther to the north, in the same chain of hills, and running southwards about 200 miles, joins the Sosva, where their united streams take the name of Tauda.
SOTERIA, in Antiquity, sacrifices offered to the gods for delivering a person from danger; as also poetical pieces composed for the same purpose.
SOUDAN, a kingdom of Africa, situated between 11° and 16° north latitude, and 26° and 30° east longitude. See Africa.
SOUERICK, a town of Armenia, in the pachalic of Ourfa, and on the road from Ourfa to Diarbekir. It contains about 500 inhabitants, with three mosques and a strong castle. It is sixty miles northeast of Ourfa.
SOUGH, among miners, denotes a passage dug under ground to convey off waters from mines.
SOUI-TCHEOU, a city of China, of the first rank, situated at the confluence of the rivers Yan and Kincha, in a fertile though mountainous country. Long. 104. 23. E. Lat. 28. 40. N.
SOUL, the principle of perception, memory, intelligence, and volition, in man; which, since the earliest era of philo sophy, has furnished questions of difficult investigation, and materials of keen and important controversy.
SOUNDS, Musical. See Music.