and the article on Athanasius in Smith and Wace's Dictionary of Christian Biography. For the teaching of Athanasius, consult: Harnack, History of Dogma, Vol. IV. (London, 1898); and Fisher, History of Christian Doctrine (New York, 1896).
ATH'APAS'CAN STOCK. One of the most
important and most widely extended linguistic
stocks of North America, having its territorial
and tribal nuclelus along the Yukon and Macken-
zie rivers of Alaska and British America, but ex-
tending in detached tribes on both sides of the
great divide southward almost to Central Mexico.
The line of migration has evidently been by suc-
cessive conquests from north to south, the origi-
nal tribes everywhere giving way before the
more warlike Athapascans. Tribal characteris-
tics and habits are as various as might be ex-
pected in a race scattered from the Arctic zone to
the tropics. Among the more important tribes
may be named the Chippewayan, Kutchin, Ta-
culli, Sarsee, Hupa, Wailaki, Navajo, Apache,
Jicarilla, Mescalero, and Lipan. See Plate
American Indians, accompanying Indians.
ATHARVA, a-fhiir'v:i. or ATHARVAN, a-fhiir'van. or ATHARVAVEDA, a-fhiir'va-va'da. The name of the fourth Veda (q.v.).
A'THEISM (Gk. ἀ, a priv. + θεός, theos, god). The doctrine that there is no God. It is to be clearly distinguished from agnosticism (q.v.), which is a profession of ignorance about God, not a denial. It has sometimes been doubted whether there ever were atheists; but while many have been charged with it when they merely denied some form of current theism, or some of its supposed consequences, there seems no reason to say that there have not been real atheists. No clearer affirmations of atheism than those of Feuerbach and Flourens could be made. One cannot say that atheism is so unthinkable that it can never have existed. However contrary to right reason, it is not inconceivable. The doctrine of God must receive some formulation; and it is always possible to deny any formulation which may be made. Neither is it more necessary to possess omniscience to deny the existence of God than to make any affirmation dependent upon mere induction. Yet the instincts of men are against atheism. Even when men have not been convinced by the theistic arguments (see Apology; Religion, Comparative; Theism), they have not generally proclaimed atheism. Its vast unpopularity, increased by the suspicion of lack of patriotism in nations where there has been a State religion, has assisted in preventing its spread.
ATHEIST, The. Otway's last play, being a continuation of The Soldier's Fortune, produced at Dorset Gardens, in 1684, with Betterton as Beaugard and Mrs. Barry as Porcia. Its plot, which is extremely involved, is drawn from a French novel, The Invisible Mistress, by Scarron. It was dedicated to Lord Elande, son of the Marquis of Halifax.
ATHEIST'S TRAG'EDY, The. One of Cyril Tourneur's best-known plays. It bears the sub-title of The Honest Man's Revenge, and, when published in 1011, also bore the note, "As in divers places it hath often beene acted." It was probably written in 1600. The plot, grotesque and crude, is drawn from the Decameron. As poetry, it contains several passages of no little imaginative power.
ATH'ELARD. See Adelard.
ATH'ELING (AS. Ætheling; Ger. Adel, nobility). Among the Anglo-Saxons a general designation for a noble. In the Ninth and Tenth centuries it was often restricted to members of the royal family, and sometimes to the heir to the throne.
ATH'ELM (?-923). An archbishop of Canterbury. He became Bishop of Wells in 909, and Archbishop of Canterbury in 914, and obtained the pall from Pope John X. Athelm was the brother of Heorstan, the father of Saint Dunstan. The statement of Florence of Worcester that Athelm crowned Athelstan is an error, as the Archbishop died January 8, 923, and was succeeded by Wulfhelm, who probably officiated at the coronation.
ATHELNEY, ath'el-ni.
Isle of (AS. Æthelinga, princes' + ig, island). An island in the midst of a marsh, at the junction of the rivers Tone and Parret, in the middle of Somersetshire, England. Here Alfred established his camp as a rallying-point against the Danes, and later (in 888) founded a Benedictine abbey, now entirely gone. Athelney is the scene of Alfred's reputed adventure with the cakes.
ATH'ELSTAN (AS. Æthele, noble + stān, stone), or ÆTHELSTAN (895-940). The grandson of Alfred the Great, and the first monarch who took the title of King of England. He was crowned at Kingston, in Surrey, in 925, and seems to have possessed both great ambition and high talent. It is supposed that his design was to unite in subjection to his single sway the entire island of Britain. On the death of Sihtric, King of Northumbria, who had married one of his sisters, Athelstan took possession of his dominions. This excited the alarm and animosity of the neighboring States, and a league, composed of Welsh, Scotch, and English, was formed against him. Athelstan crushed this coalition; but later another more formidable revolt occurred. A fierce and decisive battle was fought at Brunanburh, in 937, in which the allies were utterly defeated, and which became famous in Saxon song. After this, the reputation of Athelstan spread to the Continent. Four of his sisters married prominent rulers — viz., Otho the Great, Charles the Simple, Hugh the Great, and Louis, King of Arles. At home he exhibited a deep interest in the welfare of his people, improved the laws, built monasteries, and encouraged the translation of the Bible into the vernacular. He died at Gloucester, October 27, 940. Consult Freeman, Old English History (London, 1869) and The Norman Conquest (London, 1885).
ATH'ELSTANE. A character in Scott's Ivanhoe. Although of gigantic strength, he is nicknamed 'The Unready,' because of his phlegmatic temperament. He is a suitor for the hand of Eowena, but in the end renounces his pretensions in favor of Ivanhoe. His title is 'Thane of Coningsburgh.'
ATHE'NA. See Minerva.
ATH'ENÆ'UM (Lat. Athenæum, from Gk. Ἀθήναιον, Athēnaion, Temple of Athene). The name applied in general to temples dedicated to the tutelary goddess of Athens, though more
