Merlin
An enchanter of Britain who dwelt at the court of King Arthur. His origin is obscure, but early legends concerning him agree that he was the offspring of Satan . He was probably an early Celtic god, who in process of time came to be regarded as a great sorcerer. There appears to have been more than one Merlin, and we must discriminate between the Merlin of Arthurian romance and Merlin Caledonius; but it is probable that originally the two conceptions sprang from the one idea.
Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism
Mermaid
or Sea Maiden, a mythical inhabitant of the sea. The traditional mermaid has the form of a woman from the waist upward and the form of a fish from the waist downward. Seamen's tales of mermaids appear to be as old as navigation. The mermaid sits on a rock combing her hair. Sometimes she herds her drove of sea cattle, or else swims with one hand, clasping a child to her breast with the other, and so on. Until of late a sailor who had not seen a mermaid and who was not ready to tell many a marvelous tale of the mermaids, forfeited his title as an old tar. Tales of mermaids are widely distributed from Iceland to India. They seem akin to the myths of sirens and tritons. The German Lorelei is a creation of this kind. It has been suggested that the entire group of tales has its origin in the half human look of many seals, and particularly of the dugong or manatee. Seen at a distance, half erect, holding its young to its breast with one flipper, the dugong might almost pass for a savage woman nursing her child. See Dugong ; Manatee
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Merostomata
the order of Podostomata, represented by Limulus, the horseshoe or king crab, and a number of fossil forms popularly called in Scotland "seraphims," and known to zoölogists as Eurypterida. The latter resemble scorpions in general appearance, but were marine, some of their feet ending in paddles, while they breathed by gills. The typical forms of the latter group were Pterygotus and Eurypterus. They flourished in the Palæozoic Age, disappearing during the Carboniferous Period, when the predecessors of the king crab made their appearance.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Merovingians
or MERWINGS, the 1st dynasty of Frankish kings in Gaul. The name is derived from Merwig or Merovech, king of the Western or Salian Franks from 448 to 457. His grandson Clovis established the fortunes of the dynasty which gave way to the Carlovingians in 752.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Merrick
LEONARD, English novelist and dramatist; born in London in 1864, educated at Brighton College and private schools. In 1918 his works were republished in a collected edition with introductions by well-known writers, among them Sir J. M. Barrie and Sir Arthur Pinero. His novels include: "Conrad in Quest of His Youth"; "When Love Flies Out of the Window"; "The Position of Peggy Harper"; "The Man Who Understood Women"; "The Quaint Companions"; "Cynthia"; "The Man Who Was Good"; "A Chair on the Boulevard"; "One Man's View"; "The Worldlings"; "The Actor-Manager"; "The House of Lynch," and "While Paris Laughed." His plays are: "The Free Pardon"; "When the Lamps Are Lighted"; "My Innocent Boy"; "The Elixir of Youth," and "A Woman in the Case."
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Merrill
County-seat of Lincoln co., Wis., 18 miles N. W. of Wausau, on Wisconsin and Prairie rivers, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad. Has handsome public buildings and parks. Center of region rich in timber. Has large sash and shoe factories. Pop. (1910) 8,689; (1920) 8,068. American
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Merrill
SELAH, an archæologist; born in Canton Centre, Conn., May 2, 1837. He was chaplain in the Civil War (1864-1865); after that was engaged in explorations in Palestine. He was consul at Jerusalem 1884-1886, in 1890-1893, and after 1898. Among his works are: "East of the Jordan" (2d ed. 1883); "Galilee in the Time of Christ" (1881); "The Site of Calvary" (1886); "Ancient Jerusalem" (1906). He died in 1909.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Merrimac River
a river of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Its general course is southerly until it enters Massachusetts; then it turns at almost right angles and flows northeast into the Atlantic. The river receives the waters of Lake Winnepesaukee. During its short course to the sea it tumbles from level to level, furnishing abundant water power at Concord, Manchester, and Nashua in New Hampshire, and at Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill in Massachusetts. Important manufactures have grown up at these points. The largest cotton and carpet mills in America stand on its banks. Though otherwise a comparatively unimportant stream, it is one of the greatest industrial rivers in the world. See Lowell
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Merritt
WESLEY, an American military officer; born in New York City, June 16, 1836; was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1860; assigned to the dragoons and served in the Federal army with gallantry and distinction throughout the Civil War. He was promoted captain April 5, 1862; took part in General Stoneman's raid toward Richmond in April and May, 1863, and was in command of the reserve cavalry brigade in the Pennsylvania campaign of the same year, being commissioned Brigadier-General of volunteers in June; for gallantry at Gettysburg he was brevetted major. He took part in the various engagements in central Virginia in 1863- 1864, and was brevetted colonel, U. S. A., and Major-General, U. S. V., for gallantry at the battles of Yellow Tavern and Winchester, and Brigadier-General and Major-General, U. S. A., for bravery at Five Forks, and his services_during the final Virginia campaign. He was ordered to Fort Leavenworth, and in 1897 he became Major-General, U. S. A. In 1898 he commanded the land forces of the United States in the Philippine campaign, which culminated in the fall of Manila, Aug. 13. In 1899 he was placed in command of the Department of the East, with headquarters at Governor's Island, N. Y. He died Dec. 3, 1910.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Merry Del Val
RAFAEL, CAR- DINAL, Roman Catholic ecclesiastic; born in London, Oct. 10, 1865, son of the secretary of the Spanish Embassy there. His family is of Irish extraction, Merry being his father's and Wall, altered into Val in Spain, his mother's name. He was educated in England and at Rome, and was introduced to the notice of Pope Leo XIII. by his father. He soon gained the Pontiff's favor, being appointed Papal Chamberlain in 1892 and Archbishop of Nicosia in 1900. He acted as secretary to the consistory that elected Pope Pius X. in 1903, 1900story who that ward made him his Secretary of State, and created him cardinal. His reactionary policy as adviser to his Holiness led to the estrangement from Rome of both France and Spain, and to much loss of prestige by the Vatican. In September, 1914, following the accession of Pope Benedict XV., he was succeeded as Secretary of State by Cardinal Gasparri, and in October, 1914, was appointed Secretary of the Congregation of the Holy Office.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia