an illustrious Roman senator, who claimed his descent on the father's side from the Gracchi, and on the mother's from the Emperor Trajan. He seems to have been one of the richest senators of Rome, but his unambitious spirit, and his devotion to the study of literature, probably saved him from a violent death and the loss of his property. He was raised to the dignity of aedile in the reign of Caracalla, and the magnificence of the public shows he exhibited far surpassed any thing which Rome had ever witnessed. He was twice raised to the dignity of consul, by Caracalla A.D. 213, and by Alexander A.D. 229. His long life was spent in the study of letters; nor does he seem to have taken an active part in public affairs till he was named proconsul of Africa by the senate, an appointment which was highly approved of by Alexander, whose original letter on the subject to the senate is still preserved. (Hist. Aug. p. 152.) When the tyrant Maximin succeeded to the throne, he appointed a procurator of Africa worthy of himself, who exacted with the utmost severity the taxes he himself had imposed; but being murdered by the people, they proclaimed Gordian and his son emperors, A.D. 237. At first unwilling to accept the honour, he at length yielded to the pressing invitation of the people. The Gordians erected their court at Carthage, and no sooner did the deputation sent by the emperors to the senate make its appearance, than that body joyfully confirmed their election. Meanwhile Capelianus, governor of Mauritania, marched against Carthage with such rapidity, that they were unable to collect troops in sufficient numbers to op-

GORACKPOOR, a district of Hindustan, in the province of Oude, situated to the north of the Gogragh or ewah river, and between the 26th and 28th degrees of north latitude. To the north it is separated by hills and rests from the Nepalese territories, to the south it is bounded by the Dewah or Gogragh river, and on the east by the Gunduck. In 1801 this district was ceded to the British, in virtue of a treaty concluded between the nabob of Oude and the Marquis Wellesley. The country abounds with forests of fine timber; and since it came into the possession of the British, periodical fairs have been established, in order to promote a free intercourse with the Nepalese, and the other inhabitants of the mountains to the north, and with Gorackpoor. These fairs are numerously attended by traders from the neighbouring provinces, and to them also was sent part of the company's investment of woollens. The principal towns are Gorackpoor, Buckrah, and Mutgur. If this district were properly cleared and cultivated, it is thought that it could be one of the finest parts of the British dominions in India, being situated to the north of Bengal, and watered by three rivers, and various streams from the hills.

GORACKPOOR, the capital of the above-mentioned district, situated on the eastern bank of the Boora Rappy river, which is navigable for boats at all seasons of the year. It had formerly a brick wall, which is now in ruins. It is the residence of the civil establishment of the district. The travelling distance east from Lucknow is 170 miles. Long. 83. 22. E. Lat. 26. 45. N.

GOOSE. See ORNITHOLOGY.

GOOSE-Neck, in a ship, a piece of iron fixed on the end of the tiller, to which the lanyard of the whip-staff or wheel-rope comes, for steering the ship.

GOOSE-Wing, in nautical language. When a ship sails before or with a quarter-wind on a fresh gale, to make the foreway, a boom and sail are launched out on the lee-side, and the sail so fitted is called a goose-wing.

GOOTY, a hilly district of Hindustan, in the Balaghat ceded territories, situated chiefly between the 15th and 16th degrees of north latitude. Gooty formed a district in the empire of Aurungzebe. Between the years 1776 and 1779 it was conquered by Hyder, and the rash was carried off, and never more heard of. With the rest of the Balaghat, it was ceded by the nizam to the company in 1804, and now forms part of the collectorship of Bellary. The fortress of Gooty is the capital, and was formerly the seat of an independent Mahratta government. It is 228 miles travelling distance from Serimgapatam, and 269 from Madras. Long. 77. 35. E. Lat. 15. N.

GOPPINGEN, a bailiwick of the kingdom of Wurtemberg, in the circle of the Black Forest. It extends over 14 square miles, comprehending one city, three market-towns, and sixty-nine villages, occupied by 28,106 persons. It is mountainous and woody, with little corn land; it produces large quantities of flax, and breeds much stock cattle. The capital is a city of the same name, situated on the river Fils, and was burnt down in 1782; but has been rebuilt, and now contains 620 houses, with 400 inhabitants, who are employed in spinning and weaving cotton, and in making paper, hats, porcelain, woollen cloth, and other articles. Long. 9. 30. 10. E. Lat. 48. 41. N.

GORAGAUT, a town and zeminary of Hindustan, in the province of Bengal, ninety miles north-east from Moorshedabad. Long. 89. 10. E. Lat. 25. 13. N. pose him. The younger Gordian fell at the head of a few guards; and his father, whose reign had not exceeded thirty-six days, put an end to his life on the first news of the defeat. Gordian was the author of a poem, in thirty books, on the actions of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. (Herodian, vii.; Hist. Aug.)

Gordianus, surnamed the Pius, was grandson of the elder Gordian. When the news of his grandfather's death reached Rome, the senators elected Maximus and Balbinus emperors, as best fitted to oppose the threatened attack of Maximin; but the people insisted that one of the family of Gordian should also be raised to the empire. This boy was only thirteen years of age; and when Maximus and Balbinus fell in an insurrection of the soldiers, Gordian was left as sole emperor. Having married Fabia Sabina Tranquillina, the daughter of his master of rhetoric, he appointed his father-in-law Mictithes prefect of the praetorian guards, and through his assistance emancipated himself from the hands of his mother's eunuchs. Mictithes proved himself an able minister, and discharged the military duties of his office with vigour and ability. He induced the young emperor to proceed against the Persians, who had invaded Mesopotamia, and during the whole of the expedition Mictithes watched over the safety and discipline of the army. Mictithes, however, died, with strong suspicions of having been poisoned by Philip, his successor in the prefecture. A short time afterwards a sedition broke out among the soldiers, which was foiled by Philip, and Gordian was killed, A.D. 244, near the confluence of the Euphrates with the little river Aboras. (See L'Histoire des quatre Gordiens, par Abbé Dubos; also Caspar, Historia trium Gordianorum, Deventer, 1697.)