ruins, and overgrown with an almndance of trop- ical vegetation, amid which piles of masonry, sculptured masses, hronze statues, and spires may he discerned. In the days of its glory it was 9 miles in circumference, and within its walls were different quarters, in which dwelt foreigners, who came for trade from many coun- tries — Chinese, JIalays, Portuguese, Japanese, and various Asiatics. The most conspicuous structure, 400 feet high, huilt in the form of a pyramid and surmounted by a domed spire, is called the "Golden Jlount.' At one time, when trade was lively between Japan and Siam, it is believed that no fewer than 700, possibly 7000, Japanese dwelt at A^iithia, 500 of them serving as niercenary soldiers to resist the Burmese. These Japanese formed part of the bodyguard, and took part in the palace revoluti<m of 1033. The city was also the scene of the missionary labors of the Portuguese, and of a bloody battle between the Dutch and the English — one of the incidents which led to the naval wars of the Sev- enteenth Century. Population, about 50,000.
AYVAZOVSKI, I'va-zof'ske, Ivan Konstan-
riNOvnt'H ( 1S17-11I00) . A Russian painter, born
at Feodosia, in the Crimea. He studied at the
Academy of Fine Arts, Saint Petersburg, and
under Philippe Tanneur, traveled widely in Eu-
rope, and exhibited from 1847. His marine pic-
tures are generally esteemed his best work. At
the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1803),
AjTazovski exliibited a series of paintings deal-
ing with the discovery of America by Columbus,
which were greatly admired. His canvases for
the most part display brilliant efl'ects, but have
been criticised for their extremely ornate treat-
ment and their exaggeration of color. A list of
liis more important pictures includes: "Sun-
rise on the Black Sea" (18.50); "The Deluge"
(1865): "Calm Sea:" "Naples by Moonlight;"
and several views of storms at sea.
AZALEA (Gk. dfaX^os, <i::<ileos, dry, so
called because supposed to grow best in dry
ground). A genus of plants belonging to the
natural order Ericaccfe (heath family). Some
botanists unite the genus Azalea to Rhododen-
dron. One of the species best deserving of no-
tice is Azalea ponticu, a shrub from 3 to 5 feet
high, a native of the countries around the Black
Sea, with large obovate or oblong, lanceolate shin-
ing leaves and umbellate yellow flowers, which
are externally covered with glutinous hairy
glands, and are very fragrant. It covers many
mountain slopes, but does not ascend to great
ilcvalions, giving place to the more alpine Rlio-
ilmlrndron iioiiticiiiii. It is common in gardens
- nid shrubberies in Britain, and varies with
orange, red, and almost white flowers. The whole plant is narcotic and poisonous. North America abounds in azaleas as well as in rhododendrons, and some of the species have been long cultivated in Great Britain, particularly Azalea niidiflora and Azalea risicosa. which, with Azalea pontiea, have become the parents of many hybrids. The former has pink, the latter ])ure white flowers, of delightful fragrance. Azalra risrosa has the flowers covered with glutinous hairs like Azalea pontiea: but the flowers of Azalea iiiidifleira are nearly destitute of them. Both species abound from Canada to the southern parts of the I'nited States (the latter is sometimes known by the, ic-mmon name of honevsuckle) . Azalea arbo- resceiis, a mountainous -rpccics, from 3 to 10 feet high, has large rose-colored flowers. Azalea ealendulacca, a native of the southern parts of the I'nitcd Slates, is described as frequently clotliing the mountains with a robe of living scarlet. India and China produce several species of azalea, of which one of the finest is Azalea iiuliea, well known as a greenhouse shrub. Its flowers exhibit great brilliancy of colors. Many hybrids exist between it and the more hardy species. Another extremely beautiful species is Azalea liliflora, an evergreen introduced from China.
AZANCHEVSKY, a'zan-chyef'ske, JIichael
VON (1838-81). A Russian composer. He was
born in Moscow, studied under Riehter and
Hauptmann at Leipzig, and was director of the
Conservator}' at Saint Petersburg from 1870 to
1870. He was the owner of a noteworthy musical
library, and was an acknowledged authority in
general music. Among his many com])ositions
are a fionala in B Minor for pianoforte and
violoncello; a Trio in F f^harp Minor for piano-
forte and stings and a First Polonaise for two pianofortes.
AZARA, a-thii'ra, Felix de (I74G-1811). A
Spanish soldier, naturalist, and traveler. He was
born at Barbunales, in Aragon, was educated at
the University of Huesca, obtained a commission
in the Spanish Army, and rose to the rank of
brigadier-general. He was severely wounded in
the attack u]ion Algiers. In 1781 he was ap-
pointed one of the commissioners for fixing the
boundaries of the Spanish and Portuguese pos-
sessions in South America. He did not return to
Spain till 1801, when he published an account of
his travels in his Voyage dans I'Ameriijue merid-
ionule (ISOfl), and an important work on quad-
rupeds and birds, inider the modest title of T^otes
on the Xatural History of Paragtiai/ and La
Plata (1802).
AZAKA, .Tosfi NicoLO de (1731-1804). A
Spanish diplomat, born at Barbunales, Aragon, a
brother of Felix de Azara. He studied at the uni-
versities of Huesca and Salamanca, and in 17(55
was appointed Spanish Envoy at the Papal
Court. Here he exercised a very considerable in-
fluence, and was concerned with the suppression
of the Jesuit Order in 1773, and with the election
of Pius VI. Subsequently he was sent on mis-
sions to Paris and Barcelona. He was known as
a patron of art. editeil the works of his friend
Mengs, with a biography (1780), and translated
(1702) iliddleton's Life of Cieero.
AZARA'S DOG (or FOX). See Fox-Dog.
AZ'ARI'AH (Heb., the Lord helps). The
name of a number of biblical personages, no less
than twenty-four being found. (1) The most
important of these is Azariah, the son of Oded,
a prophet who, by his exhortation of Asa, King
of .Tudah, brought about a religious reform (II.
Chron. xv. 1-8 1. Of the same name were at
least four high-priests at various times. (2)
In the reign of Solomon (I. Kings, iv. 2) ; (3)
in the reign of Asa (I. Chron. vi. 10) ; (4) in
the reign of LTzziah (II. Chron. xxvi. 16-20) ;
(5) in the reign of Hezekiah (II. Chron. xxxi.
10), who helped the King in the purification of
the Temple. (6) Another Azariah, of the tribe
of Fphraim. was one of four who sided with the
prophet Oded, when he preached against the
Israelites for attempting to make captives of
