RALPEL ROISTBR DOISTER, a play by Nicholas Udall. It was the •first English comedy,' althornth not printed until 1556, and probably written about '1540. At this time its author was heed master of Eton, and the comedy was written for the schoolboys, 'whose custom it was to act a Latin play at the Christ mas season. An English Play, was an innova tion, but Roister Doister" was very suc cessful, Ii follows Terence and Plautus, Ralph,
rirston, William Ralston Shedden, Enghsh Russian scholar: b. London, 4 April 1828: d. there, 6 Aug. 1889. He was the son of W. P. Ralston Shedden and educated at Cambridge. During the period of his college years his father entered upon a litigation to ob tain possession of some Ayrshire property and in this effort dissipated his whole fortune. The name of Shedden becoming somewhat notorious in connection with the suit, the son adopted the additional surname of. Ralston; and obtained a post at the British Museum in 1853. He gave his attention to the study of Russian, a lan guage then little known. He published (Kriloff•
and His Fables) (1868), a translation of Tur guenieff's (1869) ; (Songs of the Rus sian People' (1872), and 'Russian Folk Tales) (1873). He made several journeys to and became the life-long friend of Turguenieff, and was also made a corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Saint Petersburg. He projected an exhaustive his tory of Russia, but did not publish it. In 1874, however, he published his Oxford Taylorian lectures, Russian History.) RAM, Thomas, English bishop: b. Windsor, 1564; d. Dublin, 24 Nov. 1634 He was edu cated at Eton and Cambridge, and in 1599 ac companied Essex to Ireland, and in the follow-1 ing year was made dean of Cork. On 2 May 1605 he was consecrated bishop of the united sees of Ferns and Leighlin. Ram was a ful bishop, constantly resident, and did what he could to maintain schools, but the recusant clergy excommunicated all who used them.
was one of the 12 bishops who, 26 Nov. I& signed a protest against tolerating popery.
RAM, Battering. See BaTruutm-RAM. RAM, Hydraulic. See HYDRAULICS.