a competition;
his chief work is the "Thebais," an epic in 12 books, embodying the
legends connected with the war against Thebes; he ranks first among the
poets of the silver age; a collection of short pieces of his named
"Silvae" have been often reprinted (61-96).

STAUBBACH (dust stream), a famous waterfall in Bern, near
Lauterbrunnen, 8 m. S. of Interlaken, with a sheer descent of 980 ft.; in
the sunlight it has the appearance of a rainbow-hued transparent veil,
and before it reaches the ground it is dissipated in silvery spray.

STAUNTON, HOWARD, a famous chess-player; was an Oxford man, and led
a busy life as a journalist and miscellaneous writer in London; won the
chess championship in 1843, and did much to extend the scientific study
of the game by various publications, "The Chess-Player's Handbook," &c.;
was also held in high repute as a Shakespearian scholar; published
well-annotated editions of Shakespeare's works and a facsimile of the
first folio (1810-1874).

STAVANGER (24), a flourishing port of Norway, on a fiord on the SW.
coast, 100 m. S. of Bergen; is of modern aspect, having been largely
rebuilt; has two excellent harbours, a fine 11th-century Gothic
cathedral, and is the centre of important coast fisheries.

STAVROPOL (657), a Russian government on the Caspian Sea, the
inhabitants of which are chiefly nomads and breed horses, with a capital
of the same name (36) on a hill, a modern town and a prosperous, both in
manufacture and trade.

STEEL, SIR JOHN, sculptor, born at Aberdeen; studied at Edinburgh
and Rome; made his mark in 1832 by a model of a statue, "Alexander and
Bucephalus," and soon took rank with the foremost and busiest sculptors
of his day; his works are mostly to be found in Edinburgh, and include
the equestrian statue of Wellington, statues of Sir Walter Scott (in the
Scott Monument), Professor Wilson, Dr. Chalmers, Allan Ramsay, etc.; the
splendid figure of Queen Victoria over the Royal Institution gained him
the appointment (1844) of sculptor to Her Majesty in Scotland, and on the
unveiling of his fine equestrian statue of Prince Albert in 1876 he was
created a knight (1804-1891).

STEELE, SIR RICHARD, a famous English essayist, born, the son of an
attorney, in Dublin; educated as a foundationer at the Charterhouse and
at Oxford; enamoured of a soldier's life, enlisted (1694) as a cadet in
the Life Guards; in the following year received an ensigncy in the
Coldstrea