PRAM. 347 PRATT. from 1790 until Ealibeli took charge in 1794. His works were edited by Eahbeh (1824-29). PRAM, or PRAAM (Fr. prame, Dutch praam, Ger. Prahiii, Prahme, from OChurch Slav. prami'i, Pol. prom, feriy; ultimately connected with Skt. par, to cross, Eng. fare). A large fiat- bottomed boat or lighter used in the Continental ports of the North Sea and Baltic for loading and unloading merchant ships. It is frequently decked over or roofed over. As late as the earh' part of the nineteenth century prams were used as armed gimboats for the defense of the smaller ports. PRANG, Louis ( 1824— ) . A German-Ameri- can engraver, lithographer, and publisher. He was born in Breslau, Germany; participated in the Eevolutionary movement of 1848: emigrated to the United States in 1850, and settled in Boston, where he became successively a wood engraver (1S51), a lithographer (18.56), and a publisher (1S61), and originated the Prang method of art instruction, publishing the books and material needed for the carrying out of that method. He also became president of the Prang Educational Company, of Boston, and of the Taber-Prang Art Companv, of Springfield, JIass. He wrote The Prang tilandard of Color (1898). PRASE ( Fr. prase, leek-gi-een, from Gk. vpiaov prason, leek). A transparent, crvstallized, or crypto-crystalline variet,v of quartz, varving in color from a dull leek to deep green. It is some- times cut as a gem. Specimens of prase are found on Staten Island, X. Y., and at various other localities in the United States, none of which, however, are of a quality suitable for gems. PRASLIN, pra'lax', Eugene Axtoixe Horace. Comte de Choiseul-. See Choisevl- Pr.slix. PRATER, pra'ter. The. The principal park of Vienna ( q.v. ) . PRATI, pra'te, Giovanxi (1815-84). An Italian poet, born at Dasindo. He studied law at Padua, but gave more attention to poetr.v than to jurisprudence. His first notable poem was the Edmenegarda ( 1841 ) , a work which shows him under the influence of Romanticism. Going to Milan, he there published the Canti lirici. the Canti del popolo. and the BaJlatc. all of which reflect his civic feelings as well as his ad- herence to the romantic doctrines. At Turin in 1844 he put forth the Metnorie e lacrime and the 'Nnovi canti. On account of his Alhertismo. glo- rifying Charles Albert, he was expelled from Tus- cany by order of Guerrazzi. who was then in power, and took refuge in Piedmont, With the change of capital he passed from Turin to Flor- ence and thence to Rome, becoming Counselor of Public Instruction and Senator in 1876. He died at Rome. May 9. 1884. To this latter period of his life belong two collections of verse, the Psichc (1875), and the Isidr (18781, which contains his best lyrics of this time. Consult his Opere varie (5 vols., 1875) : De Gubernatis. Ricordi biografici (Florence, IST."?). PRAT'INAS (Lat., from npar/ras). A Greek poet, born in Phlius, in the Peloponnesus, who lived in Athens about B.C. 500. According to Suidas. he was a contemporary and rival of JSschylus, and was the first to introduce the saty- ric drama into Athens. He also wrote tragedies, lyrics, and In/jxtrchemata, of which a considerable Vol. XVI. —23. and interesting fragment has been preserved by Athena?us (xiv., .617). For the fragments of his Ivrics, consult Bergk's Poetw Lyrici Groeci (Leip- zig, 184.3 ^ PRATO, pra'to, or Prato ix Toscaxa. A city in the Province of Florence, Italy, situated on the Bisenzio, 11 miles northwest of Florence (Map: Italy, F 4). The city is well built, sur- rounded by walls, and protected by a citadel. The cathedral, partly Tuscan-Romanesque and partly Gothic, was completed in the fourteentli century. The interior is beautifully decorated with paint- ings, frescoes and reliefs. The iladonna delle Carceri is a church in the Renaissance style of the fifteenth century. There are several other churches, a town hall with a picture gallery, a music academy, and a library of 25.000 volumes. The city has a gymnasium, a lyceum, and a tech- nical school. The industries are straw-plaiting, and manufactures of woolen and cotton goods, silk thread, biscuits, hats, and machinery. There are also iron and copper works, and productive serpentine quarries. Population (commune), in 1881, 42.100: in 1901, 51,453. Prato was an independent city before it became subject to Flor- ence in the fourteenth century. PRATORIUS, pra-tr/re-us. Micn.EL (1571- 1021). A German composer and writer, born at Kreuzberg. He occupied the position of kapell- meister at Liineburg, and later was kapellmeis- ter, organist, and secretary to the Duke of Bruns- wick. With the exception of these facts nothing is known of his life. Among his compositions are: ilusee Sioniw, collection of 1244 vocal numbers in nine parts; EuJogodia Hionia (1611 ) : 60 motets; Missodia Sionia (1611) ; Terpsichore (1612), which included dance pieces bj' Priitorius and some French composers; Ptiericinium ( 1621) ; 14 church songs: and man.v anthems, songs, and contra pimtal pieces. His great work, Syntag-mn Miisicinn. consisting of three volumes. Vol. i. 1615, divided into two parts, is a descrip- tive and historical work in Latin on ancient and ecclesiastical music, and on ancient musical instruments. Vol. ii.. written in German in 1620, is divided into five parts and an appendix. This is be.vond question the most valuable extant treat- ise on contemporary musical instruments, espe- cially the organ. The appendix is devoted to woodcuts of the principal instruments described. Vol. iii. treats in an interesting manner of con- tempoiary secular composition, solmization, and notation. Priitorius was a skillful composer, but is of more value to the musical historian for his erudite treatises. He died at Wolfenbiittel. PRATT, Charles. See Camdex, first Earl of. PRATT, Charles (1830-91). An American merchant and philanthropist, born at Watertown. Mass. He removed to Xew York Cit.v in 1851 and began his business career in the oil and pe- troleum trades. In 1879 he became president of the Board of Trustees of the Adelphi Academy, in Brooklvn, and in 1887 he founded the Pratt Institute (q.v.), in Brooklyn. PRATT, ExoCH (1808-96). An American philanthropist, born at Xorth iliddleborough, Mass. In 1831 he settled in Baltimore, Md., where he soon became prominent in the iron trade, as well as in financial circles. He founded the House of Reformation and Instruction for Col- ored Children at Cheltenham, Md., and the Mary-
