PRINCE'S PINE. An American evergreen plant. See Wintergreen.
PRINCESS, The. A poem by Tennyson (1847). Mediæval in setting, but modern in thought, it is a kind of epic on the question of woman. The Princess Ida, to carry out her views, founds a college from which all men are debarred. The prince to whom she is betrothed enters with companions disguised as girls, and finally wins her love. The songs interspersed are some of the noblest lyrics of the last century.
PRINCESSE DE CLEVES, prăN′sĕs′ de klā̇v, La. A novel by Madame de la Fayette (1677). The scene is the time of Henry II., but the plot is imaginary. The heroine loves the Duke de Nemours, but duty conquers, and her husband, though aware of her distress, never knows the name of his rival, a painful situation delicately treated. These characters stand for the author, her husband, and La Rochefoucauld.
PRINCES STREET. A famous street in Edinburgh, Scotland, overlooking the gardens beyond which stands the Castle. On one side it is lined with public buildings and monuments, and on the other is a beautiful terrace.
PRINCETON, prĭns′ton. A city and the county-seat of Bureau County, Ill., 103 miles west by south of Chicago; on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (Map: Illinois, C 2). It has the Matson Public Library and the library of the township high school, which was one of the first institutions of its kind established in the State. The surrounding district is fertile, and is engaged in farming and cattle-raising and coal-mining. The water-works and electric light plant are owned and operated by the municipality. Princeton was settled in 1830, incorporated in 1838, and chartered as a city in 1881. Population, in 1890, 3396; in 1900, 4023.
PRINCETON. A city and the county-seat of Gibson County, Ind., 27 miles north of Evansville; on the Evansville and Terre Haute and the Southern railroads (Map: Indiana, B 4). It has a fine court-house and a public library. The principal industries are farming and coal-mining, and the manufacturing of flour, carriages, wood handles, lumber, and brick. Shops of the Southern Railroad also are here. Princeton was settled in 1814. Population, in 1890, 3076; in 1900, 6041.
PRINCETON. A borough in Mercer County, N. J., 10 miles north by cast of Trenton; on a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad (Map: New Jersey, C 3). Princeton is a very picturesque town. It has an elevated site of great natural beauty, enhanced by wide avenues and fine shade trees. Its handsome residences, too, many of which are in the colonial style, add to its attractiveness. Princeton University (q.v.) is the chief feature of the borough. Other educational institutions in Princeton are the Princeton Theological Seminary (q.v.) and the Princeton Preparatory School. Population, in 1890, 3422; in 1900, 3899.
Princeton was first settled about 1696 and received its present name in 1724. It was of little importance, however, until the removal here from Newark of the College of New Jersey in 1756. On August 27, 1770, the first State Legislature of New Jersey assembled here and on the 31st chose William Livingston as Governor. Washington here surprised and defeated a body of British on January 3, 1777. (See Princeton, Battle of.) Congress, driven from Philadelphia by mutinous soldiers, met in Nassau Hall, Princeton, in June, 1783, and was in session until November 4th. It was here that news reached it on October 31st of the final signing of the definite treaty of peace with England. Consult: Hageman, History of Princeton and Its Institutions (Philadelphia, 1870), and a sketch in Powell, Historic Towns of the Middle States (New York, 1899).
PRINCETON, Battle of. A battle of the American Revolution, fought January 3, 1777, at Princeton, N. J., between an American force under General Washington and an inferior British force under Colonel Mawhood and General Leslie. On January 2d Cornwallis with about 8000 men took up a position on the west bank of the Assunpink, at Trenton opposite the American army, which was inferior in every way to his own. Washington, unable on account of the floating ice to retreat across the Delaware, immediately resolved to attack the British detachments at Princeton and New Brunswick, and, leaving his camp fires burning, marched around the British left during the night. Reaching the Stony Brook Bridge, about three miles from Princeton, at sunrise, he sent General Mercer with about 400 men to destroy the bridge on the main road to Princeton, and went himself by a shorter way. The British force at Princeton, on its way to Trenton, encountered Mercer's brigade at the bridge. The Americans, occupying a piece of rising ground, began a vigorous fire upon the British, who soon made a bayonet charge and drove them from their position. During the fight General Mercer was mortally wounded, and his troops slowly retreated. The British pursued, but were soon stopped by a force of regulars and militia under Washington, who displayed the greatest personal gallantry. After a short but fierce engagement, the British retreated rapidly, some toward Trenton and some toward New Brunswick, while Washington entered Princeton and seized the military stores left there by the enemy. On the approach of Cornwallis, he withdrew, and took up a strong position at Morristown. The British loss was more than 100 killed and wounded, and about 230 prisoners. The American loss was about 100. Strategically the battle was very important, as it forced Cornwallis to fall back to New York, and left New Jersey in the possession of the Americans, besides inspiring the hitherto discouraged people to renewed efforts against the enemy. Consult: Stryker, Battles of Trenton and Princeton (Boston, 1898); and Johnston, Campaign of 1776 Around New York and Brooklyn (Brooklyn, 1878).
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. One of the oldest Protestant schools of theology in America. In 1809 the proposal to found a theological seminary for the Presbyterian Church was introduced before the General Assembly in the form of an overture from the Presbytery of Philadelphia. In 1812 the General Assembly fixed the location of the seminary temporarily at Princeton. The first session began on August 12, 1812, with three students in attendance, and in 1822 an act was passed incorporating the institution under the name of the Trustees of the Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church.
