PUPPET SHOWS 384 PUBITAN Electrical Waves"; "Wave Propagation Over Non-Uniform Conductors." Di- rector Phenix Research Laboratories (1911). During the World War he placed his wireless inventions at the service of the U. S. Government (1917) ; was Honorary Consul-General of Serbia in New York. Organized a Serbian Re- lief Association at Columbia University (1915). PUPPET SHOWS, the performances of images of the human figure moved by fingers, cords, or wires, with or without dialogue. PURANA, the last great division of Hindu sacred literature. Eighteen prin- cipal Puranas are enumerated, called Brahma, Padma, Brahmanda, Agni, Vishnu, Garuda, Brahmavaivarta, Siva, Linga, Naradiya, Skanda, Markandeya, Bhavishyat, Matsya, Varaha, Kaurma, Vaman, and Bhagavat. None of them is dated. Some quote from others, and the period of their redaction embraces per- haps a dozen centuries. In their present form none of them appears older than the 9th century A. D. The most cele- brated are the Vishnua and the Bhaga- vat Puranas. PURBECK, ISLE OF, a peninsula S. of Dorsetshire, so separated from the mainland on the N. by Poole harbor and the Frome as to be connected with it by only a very narrow isthmus. It is about 12 miles long by 7 miles broad. The prevailing rock is limestone. PURCELL, HENRY, an English com- poser; born in 1658. He became organ- ist of Westminster Abbey, and in 1882 of the chapel-royal. In 1680, probably, he composed "Dido and JEnea.s," which has been called the first genuine English opera. He composed mainly anthems and sacred music, all of great excellence. In 1690 he wrote the music for Dryden's version of "The Tempest." In 1691 he produced the music to Dryden's "King Arthur," considered his dramatic mas- terpiece. In 1694 he wrote his great works "The Jubilate" and "Te Deum," and in 1695 the music to "Bonduca," in which was "Britons, Strike Home." He died in 1695, and was buried in West- minster Abbey. PURCHAS, SAMUEL, an English clergyman; born in Thaxted, Essex, England, in 1577. He was educated at Cambridge, and was rector of St. Mar- tin's, London, His great works were "Purchas, His Pilgrimage, or Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in All Ages" (1613); and "Hakluyt's Posthumus, or Purchas His Pilgrimes: Containing a History of the World, in Sea Voyages and Land Travels by Eng- lishmen and Others" (1625). Another work is "Purchas His Pilgrim : Microcos- mus, or the History of Man; Relating the Wonders of His Generation, Varie- ties in His Degeneration, and Necessity of His Regeneration" (1619). He died in London, in September, 1626. PURCHASE, in law, the suing out and obtaining a writ; the obtaining or acquiring the title of lands and tene- ments by money, deed, gift, or any means except descent. In mechanics, a means of increasing applied power; any me- chanical hold, advantage, power, or force applied to the raising or removing of heavy bodies: mechanical advantage gained by the application of any power. PURDUE UNIVERSITY, a coeduca- tional non-sectarian institution in Lafa- yette, Ind. ; founded in 1874; reported at the close of 1919: Professors and in- structors, 187; students, 2,470; pres- ident, W. E. Stone, A. M., LL. D. PURGATORY, in comparative re- ligions, any place or state succeeding the moral purification. In Roman theology, a place in which souls who depart this present life, and serving as a means of life in the grace of God, suffer for a time, because they still need to be cleansed from venial, or have still to pay the tem- poral punishment due to mortal sins, the guilt and eternal punishment of which have been remitted. PURIFICATION, a Jewish rite. It was mainly the one through the per- formance of which an Israelite was re- admitted to the privilege of religious communion, lost through uncleanness. PURIM, the Festival of Lots, which was instituted by Mordecai (Esther ix: 27, x: 3), and is celebrated to this day by the Jews on the 14th and 15th of the month Adar (March) , in commemora- tion of their wonderful deliverance from the destruction with which they were threatened by Haman. PURITAN, the name given, at first perhaps in contempt, to those clergymen and others in the reign of the English Queen Elizabeth, who desired a simpler, and what they considered to be a purer form of worship than the civil and ec- clesiastical authorities sanctioned. The Puritan controversy commenced as early as 1550, when Hooper, appointed to the see of Gloucester, refused to be conse- crated in the ecclesiastical vestments then in use. New England was settled very largely by the Puritans. ^ Also, one who has severely strict notions as to what is proper or who is strict in his religious duties.
