198 



SERAI SERINGAPATAM. 



here remark, that among the 5 GOOO men employed 

 in guarding the interior of the seraglio, not a single 

 fire-arm is to be found. The bostangi-baschi is, 

 after the kislar ago, the second person of tlu 

 seraglio, and is the only individual, except the 

 sultan, allowed to wear a beard within the palace. 

 The baltagis (wood-cutters) are of the same condi- 

 tion as the preceding, and make a part of the 

 household guard and servants. Besides these, the 

 sultan has also a life-guard (pcicks and solacks), 

 who accompany him when he leaves the seraglio. 



SERAI; a large building for the accommodation 

 of travellers, common in the Eastern countries. 

 In Turkey, these buildings are commonly called 

 khans; in Persia, caravanserais, by corruption 

 caravansaries; but in Tartary and India, simply 

 terais. The erection of them is considered a meri- 

 torious act by Hindoos as well as Mussulmans. 

 See Seraglio. 



SERAMPORE, OR SERAMPOUR; a town 

 in Bengal, belonging to the Danes, on the west 

 bank of the Hooghly, twelve miles north of Cal- 

 cutta; Ion. 88 26' E. ; lat. 22 45' N.; popula- 

 tion, about 5000. It is pleasantly situated, the 

 territory extending one mile along the river, and 

 half a mile in breadth. The houses are built of 

 brick and plastered, but few of them are of more 

 than two stories, with flat roofs, balconies, and 

 Venetian windows. It is not fortified, but has a 

 battery with twelve pieces of cannon, and carries 

 on a trifling trade with Europe, China, &c. This 

 town is the head-quarters of the Baptist mission- 

 aries in India. They commenced their establish- 

 ment here in 1799, and have ever since been engaged 

 in propagating Christianity, and translating and 

 printing the Scriptures. (See Missions.} A col- 

 lege for the education of native preachers has also 

 been established here, which lately received a 

 charter from the king of Denmark, with power to 

 confer degrees. 



SERAPH (in the plural, seraphim}; the name 

 applied, by the prophets of the Old Testament, to 

 the highest class of angels that surround God's 

 throne. (See Hierarchy.} The word is Hebrew, 

 signifying nobles, the great, who surround the royal 

 throne. The Franciscans are styled the seraphic 

 order (see Francis of Assist}; and Bonaventura 

 was called the seraphic doctor. 



SERAPIS; tutelary god of Egypt, by some 

 considered as an old deity identical with Osiris, by 

 others as introduced from abroad. In Alexandria 

 he was the chief deity. 



SERASKIER, with the Turks; the generalis- 

 simo of a whole army. He has very extensive 

 power, but is under the grand vizier, and is chosen 

 from among the pachas of two or three tails. 

 Sometimes, also, commanders of a lower rank are 

 called seraskiers. 



SERENADE (Italian, serenata, from the Latin 

 serenws, clear) ; properly, music performed in a 

 clear night ; hence a musical entertainment providec 

 by a lover under the window of his mistress. It 

 consists, generally, of instrumental music, bul 

 vocal is sometimes added. The practice existec 

 even among the Greeks and Romans. Such music 

 is sometimes performed merely as a mark of esteem 

 and good will towards distinguished persons, am 

 then is not unfrequently accompanied by long pro 

 cessions with torches. Hence the different cha 

 racter of serenades. A single singer may accom 

 pany his song with the guitar, mandoline, lute, &c. 

 or wind instruments may be used, as flutes, horns 



larionets, hautboys; or, as is the fashion in some 

 f the largest cities of Northern Germany, many 

 ingers may Join. Serenades are also sometimes 

 sed as concert pieces, and then, of course, expe- 

 ience some change of character. 

 SERENDID; one of the names of Ceylon. 

 SERGEANT, OR SERJEANT, in war, is an 

 iferior or non-commisioned officer ii a company c 

 oot, or troop of dragoons, appointed to see discip- 

 ne observed, to teach the soldiers the exercise ol 

 heir arms, and to order, straighten, and form 

 anks, files, &c. 



SERGELL, JOHN TOBIAS, a celebrated Swedish 

 culptor, born at Stockholm, in 1740, began his 

 areer as a stone-mason, but afterwards became a 

 iupil of L'Archeveque, whom he accompanied to 

 ''ranee. He subsequently went to Italy, at the 

 expense of the king of Sweden, and acquired great 

 elebrity. In 1778, he returned to Sweden, visiting 

 *aris in his way, where he was nominated a member 

 if the academy of fine arts. He then visited 

 Condon, reached Stockholm in 1779, and, on the 

 lecease of his preceptor, succeeded to his place, 

 'n' 1784, he accompanied Gustavus III. on his 

 ravels to Italy; in 1795, was made a knight of the 

 5 ole Star; and, in 1810, received letters of nobility, 

 and was appointed superintendent of the police, 

 works are chiefly confined to Sweden.' He 

 died February 26, 1814. Depth of thought and 

 vigour of conception, energy and grace, are the 

 iharacteristics of his style. His Cupid and Psyche; 

 Diomedes carrying off the Palladium (in England) ; 

 Vlars and Venus ; a Faun; Oxenstiern dictating the 

 History of Gustavus Adolphus to the historic 

 Muse, are among his principal statues. Among 

 lis groups are the monument of Descartes; the 

 Resurrection of Christ; a bass-relief; two angels 

 over the altar in the cathedral of Carlstadt, &c. 

 Bystrom is his most celebrated pupil. 



SERIES, in general, denotes a continued suc- 

 cession of things in the same order, and having the 

 same relation or connexion with each other. 

 Series, in mathematics. See Progression. 

 Series, Infinite, "consists of an infinite number of 

 terms, so that, let the series be carried to any 

 assignable length or number of terms, it can be 

 carried yet farther without limitation. 



SERINGAPATAM, OR SRI-RANGA-PATA- 

 NA ; a city of Hindoostan, in Mysore, and, for a con- 

 siderable time, the capital of the province; 215 

 miles south-west of Madras, Ion. 76 51' E. ; lat. 

 12 26 N. The population in 1800 was estimated 

 at upwards of 20,000; in 1820, it was stated at 

 less than 10,000; the diminution is owing to the 

 removal of the court. It is situated at the upper 

 end of an island in the Cauvery, and has existed as 

 a fortress from a remote period. During the reigns 

 of Hyder Aly and his son Tippoo Sultan, it rose 

 to a degree of wealth and splendour before un- 

 known, and was supposed to contain 150,000 in- 

 habitants. In 1792, Seringapatam was invested by 

 the British and allied armies, under lord Cornwallis, 

 amounting to 400,000 men. Tippoo Sultan, terri- 

 fied, relinquished half his dominions, and paid to 

 the conquerors 3,500,000 sterling. In 1799, it 

 was again invested by the forces of the British arid 

 Nizam, and taken by storm, May 4th, Tippoo Sul- 

 tan and nearly 8000 of his men having fallen. 

 Seringapatam afterwards became the property of 

 the British, and is the residence of a judge, col- 

 lector, &c., but has greatly declined from its former 

 importance. 



