Noel, an indefatigable writer of the 17th century, born at Rouen, in Normandy, 1639. After finish- ing his studies at Rouen, he entered into the order of Dominican friars, and was professed there in 1655. Soon after he went to Paris, to go through a course of philoso- phy and divinity in the great convent, where he distin- guished himself so, that he was appointed to teach philo- sophy there, which he did for twelve years. M. Colbert showed him many marks of his esteem; and being deter- mined to omit nothing to perfect the education of his son, afterwards archbishop of Rouen, he formed an assembly of the most learned persons, whose conferences upon eccle- siastical history might be of advantage to him. Father Alexander was invited to this assembly, where he exerted himself with so much genius and ability, that he gained the particular friendship of young Colbert, who showed him the utmost regard as long as he lived. These confe- rences gave rise to Alexander's design of writing an ec- Alexander. clesiastical history; for, being desired to reduce what was material in these conferences to writing, he did it with so much accuracy, that the learned men who composed this assembly advised him to undertake a complete body of church history. This he executed with great assiduity, collecting and digesting the materials himself, and writing even the tables with his own hand. He at last completed his work in 1686. Towards the latter part of his life he was afflicted with the loss of his sight; a most inexpressible misfortune to one whose whole pleasure was in study, yet he bore it with great patience and resignation. He died merely of a decay of nature, 1724, in the 86th year of his age.

Alexander Severus, emperor of Rome, succeeded Heliogabalus about A. D. 222, when but 16 years of age. His mother's name was Mammæa, and by her advice he in a great measure regulated his conduct. He applied himself to the reformation of abuses, the state having been greatly disordered by the vicious conduct of his predecessor. He was a most strict lover of justice, an encourager of learning and learned men, and favourable to the Christians. He made a successful expedition against the Persians; but endeavouring to reform his troops, who had grown very licentious under the late bad government, they murdered him at the instigation of Maximinus, in the 29th year of his age, together with his mother, A. D. 235.

Alexander VI. Pope, had four bastards when he was cardinal, for one of whom he had so great affection, that he stuck at nothing to raise him. Designing to poison some cardinals, he was poisoned himself, A. D. 1503. See Borgia.

Alexander VII. Pope. See Chigi.

Alexander, bishop of Lincoln in the reigns of Henry I. and Stephen, was a Norman by birth, and nephew of the famous Roger, bishop of Salisbury, who first made him archdeacon of Salisbury, and afterwards, by his interest with the king, raised him to the mitre. Alexander was consecrated at Canterbury, July 22, 1123. Having received his education under his uncle the bishop of Salisbury, and been accustomed to a splendid way of living, he affected show and state, more than was suitable to his character or consistent with his fortune. This failing excepted, he was a man worthy of honour, and every way qualified for his station. The year after his consecration, his cathedral church at Lincoln having been accidentally burnt down, he rebuilt it, and secured it against the like accident for the future by a stone roof. This prelate increased the number of prebends in his church, and augmented its revenues with several manors and estates. In imitation of the barons and some of the bishops, particularly his uncle the bishop of Salisbury, he built three castles; one at Banbury, another at Sleaford, and a third at Newark. He likewise founded two monasteries; one at Haverholm, for regular canons and nuns together; the other at Tame, for white friars. He went twice to Rome, in the years 1142 and 1144. The first time, he came back in quality of the pope's legate for calling a synod, in which he published several wholesome and necessary canons. In August 1147 he took a third journey to the pope, who was then in France, where he fell sick through the excessive heat of the weather, and returned with great difficulty to England, where he died, in the 24th year of his prelacy.

Alexander, William, earl of Stirling, an eminent Scottish statesman and poet in the reigns of James VI. and Charles I., who, after travelling with the duke of Argyll as his tutor or companion, wrote a poetical work, with the view of alleviating the sorrows of unsuccessful love, under the title of Aurora. He then removed to the court of James VI., where he applied to the more solid parts of poetry, forming himself upon the plan of the Greek and Roman tragedians. In 1607 he published some dramatic performances, entitled Monarchic Tragedies, dedicated to King James, who was so well pleased with them as to call him his philosophical poet. After this, he is said to have written A Supplement to complete the third part of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia. He also wrote a poetical piece, entitled A Parenthesis to the Prince; and in 1614 he published his last poem, called Doomsday, or the Great Day of Judgment. His poetical works were published by himself, in a folio volume, under the title of Recreations with the Muses. He was made gentleman-usher to Prince Charles, and master of the requests; was knighted; and obtained a grant of Nova Scotia, where he projected the settlement of a colony, but afterwards sold it to the French. In 1626 he was made secretary of state for Scotland, was created first viscount and then earl of Stirling, and died in 1640.

Alexander I. St., whom St Irenæus reckons the fifth bishop of Rome, succeeded St Everistus in the year 109, and died in the year 119. There is no account of his life, and the epistles which are attributed to him are supposititious.

Alexander II., king of Scotland, succeeded his father William in 1213, at 16 years of age. He made an expedition into England, to oppose the tyranny of King John, who returned the visit, and was offered battle by Alexander, but refused it. He took the city of Carlisle from Henry III., which was afterwards exchanged for Berwick. Alexander died in 1249, in the 51st year of his age and 35th of his reign, and left for his successor his son.

Alexander III., who was crowned king of Scotland in 1249. The Cummings, a powerful family, took arms against him, and, taking him prisoner, confined him at Stirling; but he was afterwards released by his subjects. He married the daughter of Henry III., king of England and was at length killed by a fall from his horse, on the 10th of April 1290, after having reigned 42, or, according to others, 37 years.

Alexandretta, by the Turks called Scanderon, a town in Syria, at the extremity of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the port of Aleppo, from which it is distant 28 or 30 leagues. It is now, properly speaking, nothing but a village, without walls, in which the tombs are more numerous than the houses, and which entirely owes its existence to the road which it commands. This is the only road in all Syria where vessels anchor on a solid bottom, without their cables being liable to chafe; but in other respects it has many inconveniences. It is infested during winter by a peculiar wind, called by the French sailors le Raquier, which, rushing from the snowy summits of the mountains, frequently forces ships to drag their anchors several leagues; and when the snow begins to cover the mountains which surround the gulf, tempestuous winds arise, which prevent vessels from entering for three or four months together. The road also to Aleppo by the plain is infested by Curd robbers, who conceal themselves in the neighbouring rocks, and frequently attack and plunder the strongest caravans. But the worst circumstance is the extreme unwholesomeness of the air, occasioned here by stagnant waters and mephitic exhalations. It may be affirmed that this every year carries off one-third of the crews of the vessels which remain here during the summer; nay, ships frequently lose all their men in two months. The season for this epidemic disorder is principally from May to the end of September: it is an intermitting fever of the most malignant kind, and is accompanied with obstructions of the liver, which terminate in dropsy. To this baneful epidemic, Alexandretta, from its situation, seems to be irremediably condemned; for the plain on which the town is built is so low and flat, that the rivulets, finding no declivity, can never reach the sea. When they are swelled by the winter rains, the sea, likewise swelled by tempests, hinders their discharging themselves into it; hence their waters, forced to spread themselves, form lakes in the plain. On the approach of the summer the waters become corrupted by the heat, exhale vapours equally corrupt, and which cannot disperse, being confined by the mountains that encircle the gulf. The entrance of the bay, besides, is to the west, which in those countries is the most unhealthful exposure when it lies open to the sea. The labour necessary to remedy this would be immense, and after all insufficient; and, indeed, such an undertaking would be absolutely impossible under a government like that of the Turks. Mr Volney informs us, that the merchants of Aleppo, disgusted with the numerous inconveniences of Alexandretta, wished to abandon that port and carry the trade to Lata- kia. They proposed to the pacha of Tripoli to repair the harbour at their own expense, provided he would grant them an exemption from all duties for ten years. To induce him to comply with their request, the agent then employed talked much of the advantage which would in time result to the whole country. "But what signifies it to me what may happen in time?" replied the pacha; "I was yesterday at Marach; to-morrow, perhaps, I shall be at Djedda. Why should I deprive myself of present advantages, which are certain, for future benefits I cannot hope to partake?" The European factors were obliged therefore to remain at Scanderoon.