ETRURIA 56 EUCHER Etruscans showed great constructive and engineering skill. They were acquainted with the principle of the arch, and the massive ruins of the walls of their an- cient cities still testify to the solidity of their constructions. Various arts and inventions were derived by the Romans from the Etruscans. ETRURIA, KINGDOM OF, in Italy, founded by Napoleon I. in 1801. Its capital was Florence. In 1807 Napoleon incorporated it with the French empire. ETTRICK, a district of Scotland, in Selkirk, through which the Ettrick water runs. It is now a sheep pasture denuded of wood, but anciently formed part of Ettrick Forest, which included the whole county as well as parts of Peebles and Edinburghshire. The "Ettrick Shep- herd," James Hogg, was a native of this district. ETTY, WILLIAM, an English painter: born in 1787. He studied at the Royal Academy. He worked long with- out much recognition, but at length in 1820 he won public notice by his "Coral Finders." In 1828 he was elected an academician. Among his works are a series of three pictures (1827-1831) il- lustrating the "Deliverance of Bethulia by Judith," "Benaiah one of David's Mighty Men," Women Interceding for the Vanquished." All are now in the National Gallery of Scotland. Others of note are "The Judgment of Paris," "The Rape of Proserpine," "Youth at the Prow," and "Pleasure at the Helm." He died in 1849. ETYMOLOGY, a term applied to that part of grammar which treats of the various inflections and modifications of words and shows how they are formed from simple roots; and to that branch of philology which traces the history of v/ords from their origin to their latest form and meaning. Etymology in this latter sense, or the investigation of the origin and grovd;h of words, is among the oldest of studies. It was not till modern times, and particularly since the study of Sanskrit, that etymology has been scientifically studied. Languages then began to be properly classed in groups and families, and words were studied by a comparison of their growth and relationship in different languages. It was recognized that the development of language is not an arbitrary or acci- dental matter, but proceeds according to general laws. The result was a great advance in etymological knowledge and the formation of a new science of phi- lology. EITBCEA (u-be'a), formerly called Negropont, a Greek island, the second largest island of the ^gean Sea. It is 90 miles long, 30 in greatest breadth, re- duced at one point to 4 miles. It is sep- arated from the mainland of Greece by the narrow channels of Egripo and Ta- lanta. It is connected with the Boeotian shore by a bridge. There are several mountain peaks over 2,000 feet, and one over 7,000 feet. The island is well- wooded and remarkably fertile. Wine is a staple product, and cotton, wool, pitch, and turpentine are exported. The chief towns are Chalcis and Karyst. The is- land was anciently divided among seven independent cities, the most important of which were Chalcis and Eretria, and its history is for the most part identi- cal with that of those two cities. With some small islands it forms a modern nomarchy, with a population of about 100,000. EUCALYPTUS, a genus of trees, mostly natives of Australia, and remark- able for their gigantic size, some of them attaining the height of 480 or 500 feet. In the Australian colonies they are known by the name of gum trees, from the gum which exudes from their trunks; and some of them have also such names as "stringy bark," "iron bark," etc. The wood is excellent for shipbuild- ing and such purposes. EUCHARIST (u'ka-rist), a name for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in reference to the blessing: and thanks- giving which accompany it. EUCHER (u'ker), the most generally played parlor game after whist in the United States. The pack of cards con- sists of 32, being an ordinary "deck," minus the deuce, trey, four, five, and six spots of each suit. The game is usu- ally played by two, three, or four per- sons, the most interesting party being four, two playing on each side as part- ners. When choice of partners and first dealer shall have been decided (as at whist, or in any other mode agreed on), five cards are dealt, usually two at once, then three, or the contrary. In throw- ing around for partners and dealers the holder of the best cards deals. The cards rank in value as follows: The best eucher card is the knave of trumps; the second best is the knave of the suit of the same color as the trump. The former card is called the "right bower," the latter the "left bower." After the right and left bowers the cards rank as at whist, the knaves of the color not turned as trumps falling into their regu- lar place as at whist. The object of the game is to take tricks. The score is five points, unless otherwise agreed. The non-dealer may "pass," or "order up" the trump. Should he nass. then the
