ALESIUS, ALEXANDER (1500-1565).—­Theologian and controversialist.  His unlatinised name was Aless or Alane, and he was b. at Edinburgh and ed. at St. Andrews, where he became a canon.  Originally a strong and able defender of the Romish doctrines, he was chosen to argue with Patrick Hamilton, the proto-martyr of the Reformation in Scotland, with the object of inducing him to recant.  The result, however, was that he was himself much shaken in his allegiance to the Church, and the change was greatly accelerated by the martyrdom of H. His subsequent protest against the immorality of the clergy led to his imprisonment, and ultimately, in 1532, to his flying for his life to Germany, where he became associated with Luther and Melancthon, and definitely joined the reforming party.  Coming to England in 1535, he was well received by Cranmer and other reformers.  While in England he studied medicine, and practised as a physician in London.  On the fall of T. Cromwell in 1540 he again retired to Germany, where, at Leipzig, he obtained a professorship.  During the reign of Edward VI. he re-visited England and was employed by Cranmer in connection with the 1st Liturgy of Edward VI.  Returning to Leipsic he passed the remainder of his days in peace and honour, and was twice elected Rector of the University.  His writings were both exegetical and controversial, but chiefly the latter.  They include Expositio Libri Psalmorum Davidis (1550).  His controversial works refer to such subjects as the translation of the Bible into the vernacular, against Servetus, etc.

ALEXANDER, MRS. CECIL F. (HUMPHREYS) (1818-1895).—­dau. of Maj.  H., b. in Co.  Waterford, m. the Rev. W. Alexander, afterwards Bishop of Derry and Archbishop of Armagh.  Her Hymns for Little Children had reached its 69th edition before the close of the century.  Some of her hymns, e.g. “There is a Green Hill” and “The Roseate Hues of Early Dawn,” are known wherever English is spoken.  Her husband has also written several books of poetry, of which the most important is St. Augustine’s Holiday and other Poems.

ALFORD, HENRY (1810-1871).—­Theologian, scholar, poet, and miscellaneous writer, s. of a clergyman, was b. in London.  After passing through various private schools, he proceeded to Cambridge, where he had a distinguished career, and after entering the Church and filling various preferments in the country, became minister of Quebec Chapel, London, whence he was promoted to be Dean of Canterbury.  His great work was his Greek Testament in 4 vols., of which the first was pub. in 1849 and the last in 1861.  In this work he largely followed the German critics, maintaining, however, a moderate liberal position; and it was for long the standard work on the subject in this country.  A. was one of the most versatile men, and prolific authors, of his day, his works consisting of nearly