pnugues/EB7 huggingface dataset:
THOROUGH BASS (Ital. Basso continuo). See Music . From an edition of Emilio del Cavaliere’s musical drama, called La Rappresentazione di Anima e di corpo, published by Guidotti in 1600 at Bologna, it appears that Cavaliere was one of the earliest musicians who conceived the idea of writing an instrumental bass different from the vocal bass, gave it the name of basso continuo, and accompanied it by numerals and signs intended to direct the instrumental performers in the improvised accompaniments which they executed. “This fact,” says an eminent continental writer, “is proved by the instructions which Guidotti has given in that edition regarding those numerals and signs. I numeri piccoli posti sopra le note del basso continuato per suonare, says Guidotti, significano la conso-nanza e la dissonanza di tal numero, corne il 3 terza, il 4 quarta, e case di mano in mano.” Thus it would seem that G. Sabbatini, who, in his work printed at Venice in 1628, claims the invention of figured bass, must yield the priority at least to Cavaliere. It appears however that G. Sabbatini was the first person who published the precepts of the so-called Rule of the Octave. Andrea Majer of Venice, in his Discorso sulla Origine, Progressi, e State atruale della Musica Italiana, says, that in the Euridice and Madrigals of Caccini, and other compositions of the sixteenth century, we find a basso continua. But this does not overturn L. Viadana’s claim, set forth as about 1597, in his cento converti, published in 1603; since the Euridice was set to music by Perti and Caccini, and also performed in 1600; while Caccini’s Euridice, set to music entirely by himself, and also his Madrigals, were first published in 1615. See Music , sect. Harmony.
THOROUT, a market-town of the Netherlands, in the province of West Flanders and arrondissement of Bruges. It is on the chaussée leading from Menen to Bruges, and contains 5160 inhabitants.
THORVERTON, a decayed town of the county of

Devon and the hundred of Hayridge, 175 miles from London. In former years the principal occupation of the inhabitants was making serges and other coarse woollen goods for the Spanish market, and long ells for the East India Company; but both these branches have diminished by the competition of the north-country manufacturers. The population amounted in 1821 to 1317, and in 1831 to 1455.
THOTH, or Theut (called by the Phoenicians Tarnst, by the Greeks Hermes, and by the Romans Mercury), was a Phoenician of very superior talents, and one of the civilizers of mankind. He was prime minister to Osiris, whom, after his death, he deified; and he was himself deified by his countrymen the Egyptians, for the benefits which he had rendered to the human race.
THRACE, a country very frequently mentioned by the Greek and Latin writers, deriving its name, according to Josephus, from Tiras, one of the sons of Japhet. It was bounded on the north by Mount Haemus; on the south by the Aegean Sea; on the west by Macedon and the river Strymon; and on the east by the Euxine Sea, the Hellespont, and the Propontis. The Thracian Chersonesus is a peninsula enclosed on the south by the Aegean Sea, on the west by the gulf of Melas, and on the east by the Hellespont; being joined on the north to the continent by a neck of land about thirty-seven furlongs broad. The inland parts of Thrace are very cold and barren, the snow lying on the mountains the greater part of the year; but the maritime provinces are productive of all sorts of grain and necessaries for life, and withal so pleasant, that Mela compares them to the most fruitful and agreeable countries of Asia.

The ancient Thracians were deemed a brave and warlike nation, but of a cruel and savage temper; being, according to the Greek writers, strangers to all humanity and good nature. It was to the Thracians, however, that the Greeks were chiefly indebted for the polite arts that flourished among them; for Orpheus, Linus, Musaeus, Thamyris, and Eumolpus, all Thracians, were the first, as Eustathius informs us, who charmed the inhabitants of Greece with their eloquence and melody, and persuaded them to exchange their fierceness for a sociable life and peaceful manners; nay, great part of Greece was anciently peopled by Thracians. Tereus, a Thracian, governed at Daulis in Phocis, where the tragical story of Philomela and Progne was acted. From thence a body of Thracians passed over to Eu-boea, and possessed themselves of that island. Of the same nation were the Aones, Tembices, and Hyanthians, who made themselves masters of Boeotia; and great part of Attica itself was inhabited by Thracians, under the command of the celebrated Eumolpus. Thrace was anciently divided into a number of petty states, which were first subdued by Philip of Macedon. On the decline of the Macedonian empire, it fell under the power of the Romans, and continued under subjection to them till the irruption of the Turks.
THRAPSTON, a town in the hundred of Navisford and county of Northampton, seventy-five miles from London. It is built on the river Nen, by which it has some trade with Lynn and with Northampton. There is a market on Tuesday. The inhabitants amounted in 1821 to 854, and in 1831 to 1014.
THRASHING, in Agriculture, the operation by which corn is separated from the straw. This operation is performed in a variety of ways, sometimes by the feet of animals, sometimes by a flail, and sometimes by a machine called a thrashing mill. See the article Agriculture.
THREE Hills Island, one of the Hebrides, in the South Pacific Ocean, about twelve miles in circumference. Long. 168. 35. E. Lat. 17. 7. S.
Three Hummock Island, a small island on the east coast of New Holland; also an island on the north coast of Van Diemen’s Land. Long. 145. E. Lat. 40. 45. S.
Three Islands, small islands in the Eastern Seas, near the east coast of Bintang. Long. 105. 2. E. Lat. 1. 10. S.
Three Kings, three small islands in the South Pacific Ocean, near the north coast of New Zealand. Long. 172. 12. E. Lat. 34. 13. S.
Three Points Cape, the north head of the entrance into Broken Bay, on the east coast of New Holland. Long. 151. 23½. E. Lat. 33. 32½. S.
Three Rivers, the name of numerous small islands, about eight in number, scattered over the Eastern Seas, two on the coast of Celebes, one on the coast of Amboyna, and one on the coast of Madagascar.
THRONE, a royal seat or chair of state, enriched with ornaments of architecture and sculpture, raised on one or more steps, and covered with a kind of canopy. Such are thrones in the rooms of audience of kings and other sovereigns.
THUANUS, Jacobus Augustus, an historian of great and merited reputation, is better known by this classical, than by his vernacular name of Jacques Auguste de Thou. He was the son of Christophe de Thou, first president of the parliament, and was born at Paris on the 8th of October 1553. He received a very learned education, and became distinguished among men of learning. The highest preferment which he obtained was that of president à mortier in the parliament of Paris. He died on the 7th of May 1617, leaving behind him the character of one of the most excellent men of his age and nation. Besides Latin poems, and an account of his own life written in the same language, he composed a very ample and valuable work, entitled Historia sui Temporis. It is indeed a work unparalleled in modern literature. The first eighteen books were published at Paris in 1604; and the author continued to make various additions till the year 1609, when he completed the printing of eighty books. The fearless liberality of his sentiments had excited so violent a clamour against him, that he did not venture to publish the more recent portion of his history. To his faithful friends Du Puy and Rigault he left a copy of his entire history prepared for the press; and as they found it could not be safely printed at Paris, they sent it to Geneva, where the edition was superintended by Lingelsheim. For the sake of greater concealment, the imprint of Lyon was substituted for that of Geneva; and the editor added a preface, stating that be had in vain waited for an edition of Thuanus’s history from the hands of his executors, and therefore determined to publish it from a copy which had been transmitted to him from the author. Under these circumstances, the work, complete in one hundred and thirty-eight books, was first published in the year 1620, together with the six books of the author’s memoirs of his own life. Other two impressions proceeded from Frankfurt and Geneva; but all these have been superseded by the splendid and valuable edition published at London by Samuel Buckley, in seven volumes folio, in the year 1733.^[1. Collinson’s Life of Thuanas, with some Account of his Writings and a Translation of the Preface to his History. Lond. 1807, 8vo. ]
THULE, or Thylae, in Ancient Geography, an island in the most northern parts of the German Ocean. Its situation was never accurately ascertained by the ancients, hence its present name is unknown by modern historians. Some suppose that it is the island now called Iceland, or part of Greenland, and others that it is Foula.
THUNDER, the noise occasioned by the explosion of a flash of lightning echoed back from the inequalities on the surface of the earth, in like manner as the noise of a cannon is echoed, and in particular circumstances forms a rolling lengthened sound. See Electricity.
THUNDERBOLT. When lightning acts with extraordinary violence, and breaks or shatters any thing, it is called a thunderbolt; which the vulgar, to fit it for such effects, suppose to be a hard body, and even a stone.
THURGAU, or Thurgovia, a canton of Switzerland. It is bounded on the north-west by the Rhine, on the north-east by the lake of Constance, on the south-east by St Gall, and on the south-west by Zurich. It extends over 265 square miles, is divided into eight circles, and in 1838 contained 84,124 inhabitants, of whom 72,191 were of the reformed church, and 18,500 adhered to the Roman Catholic profession. The canton has five cities, six market-towns, and 284 villages. the force required as the contingent to the general confederation is 1520 men, and the pecuniary contribution amounts to L.2280. The capital is the town of Frauenfeld, on the river Murg, with 1600 inhabitants. In the northern part the face of the country is either level or undulating, but in the south is rather hilly than mountainous, none of the elevations exceeding 2500 feet. The Rhine is the main stream, which receives the waters of the Murg, the Thur, the Sitter, and the smaller brooks. The climate is healthy and temperate. The chief pursuit is agriculture, which affords a sufficiency of corn, good crops of hemp and flax, and abundance of fruit and wine. There is some coal near Frauenfeld. The pasturage feeds upwards of 25,000 cows, and supplies large quantities of butter and cheese. The fishing on the lake of Constance is highly productive of salmon and other fine fish.
THURINGIA, a division of the circle of Upper Saxony, in Germany. It is a fruitful tract, abounding in corn, especially wheat; in black cattle, sheep, and horses. It is about seventy-three miles in length, and as much in breadth.
THUROCZ, a palatinate or district of the province of the Hither Danube, in the Austrian kingdom of Hungary. It extends over 460 square miles, but contains only about 45,000 inhabitants, of whom two thirds are Lutherans, and the remainder of the Greek church. The soil is poor, and the climate mountainous and raw; and the country better adapted for breeding cattle than for growing corn. The chief corn raised is buckwheat; but excellent crops of turnips and carrots are produced. The district produces no wine. The chief article for sale is the cheese of the milch cows. The district comprises four circles, six market-towns, and ninety-eight villages, besides a few hamlets, and it confers the dignity of a palatine on the noble family of Erbober. The capital is St Martin, a town situated on the river which gives its name to the palatinate, and contains about 2000 persons.
THURROCK-GRAYS, a small town of the hundred of Chafford, in the county of Essex, twenty-five miles from London. It stands on the banks of the Thames, near St Clement’s Reach. It has a market on Thursday. In 1831 the inhabitants amounted to 1248.
THURSDAY, the fifth day of the Christian week, but the sixth of that of the Jews.
THURSO, a seaport town, borough of barony, and parish on the north-west side of the county of Caithness. The town is situated on the river Thurso, which here falls into the bay of the same name, and by it is divided into two parts. The old portion of the town is irregularly built and ill paved; hut the new part is built on a regular plan, and contains a better class of houses, with a handsome new church, town-house, and other buildings for carrying on the public business connected with the customs, excise, and banking. The harbour will only admit vessels of ten feet draught of water at stream tides; the entrance is also much obstructed by a bar, and, for want of a pier or breastwork of stone, vessels, after getting over the bar, can only unload or load at low water. Besides this inconvenience, the bay of Thurso is too dangerous to admit of its ever being a resort for shipping. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, there is a considerable coasting trade, and the inhabitants of the town and immediate neighbourhood are extensively engaged in fisheries, tanning, bleaching, and spinning. Thurso is a place of great antiquity, but was not erected into a borough of barony until the year 1633, when Charles I. granted a charter with the usual powers and privileges. It is governed by two bailies, a dean of guild, and twelve councillors. The population of the town amounted in 1831 to about 2700, and of the parish to 4679.
TIARA, an ornament or dress with which the ancient Persians covered their head, and with which the Armenians and the kings of Pontus are represented on medals; these last, because they were descended from the Persians. Latin authors call it indifferently tiara and cidaris. Strabo says the tiara was in the form of a tower; and the scholiast on Aristophanes affirms that it was adorned with peacocks’ feathers.
Tiara is also the name of the pope’s triple crown. The tiara and keys are the badge of the papal dignity; the tiara of his civil rank, and the keys of his spiritual jurisdiction. As soon as the pope is dead, his arms are represented with the tiara alone, without the keys. The ancient tiara was a round high cap. John XXIII. first encompassed it with a crown. Boniface VIII. added a second crown, and Benedict XII. a third.
TIBER, a great river of Italy, which runs through the pope’s territories, passing by Perugia and Orvietto; and having visited Rome, falls into the Tuscan Sea at Ostia, fifteen miles below that city.
TIBUR, a town of ancient Latium, pleasantly situated on the Anio. Here Horace had his villa and house, and here he wished to end his days.
TICAO Isle, one of the Philippine Islands, situated due south of the large island of Luzon, about twenty-eight miles in length by seven in average breadth. Here the Spanish galleon used to take in water and provisions before setting sail for Acapulco. Long. 123. 40. E. Lat. 12. 36. N.
TICHFIELD, a town of the hundred of that name, in the division of Portsdown, in Hampshire, seventy-eight miles from London. The parish is very extensive, and includes a good roadstead for vessels in the bay of that name, near the mouth of Southampton water. Near to it are the remains of a Cistertian abbey. There is a market on Saturday. The inhabitants amounted in 1821 to 3528, and in 1831 to 3712.
TICKARY, a town of Hindustan, province of Bahar, fifty miles south by west from Patna. Long. 84. 55. E. Lat. 24. 58. N.
TICKELL, Thomas, an English poet, was the son of the Rev. Richard Tickell, and was born in 1686, at Bride-kirk in Cumberland. He was educated at Queen’s College, Oxford, of which he became a fellow. While he continued at that university, he addressed to Addison a complimentary copy of verses on his opera of Rosamond, which introduced him to an acquaintance with that gentleman, who, discovering his merit, became his sincere friend. On Addison being made secretary of state, he appointed Tickell his under secretary; and on his being obliged to resign that office on account of his ill health, he recommended him so effectually to Mr Craggs, bis successor, that he was continued in his post till that gentleman’s death. In 1724, Tickell was appointed secretary to the lords justices in Ireland, and enjoyed that place as long as he lived. He wrote some poems, which, when separately published, met with a favourable reception, and passed through several editions. After Mr Addison’s death, Tickell had the care of the edition of his works printed in four vols. 4to; to which he prefixed an account of the author’s life, and a poem on his death. Tickell died in the year 1740.
TICKHILL, a town of the hundred of Strafforth and Tickhill, in the west riding of the county of York, 156 miles from London. The church is a large and ancient building. The town was fortified, but its defences were destroyed in the civil wars. It has at present little or no trade. There is a market on Friday. The inhabitants amounted in 1821 to 1830, and in 1831 to 2018.
TICOO, a cluster of small islands near the west coast of Sumatra. These islands were frequented by the early voyagers for pepper, and the Dutch and English had factories on them, but they were expelled in 1621. They are small and woody, and are about a mile and a half distant from each other. Long. 99. 13. E. Lat. 0. 6. S.
TICOS, a small island in the Pacific Ocean, near the east coast of the island of Luzon. Long. 124. E. Lat. 14. 10. N.
TIDESWELL, a market-town of the hundred of High Peak, in the county of Derby, 160 miles from London. It is in a lofty situation, and takes its name from a well near it, which, like the sea, ebbs and flows at intervals, rapidly in wet, but slowly in dry seasons. It is an ill-built place, with a large old church, and has a market on Wednesday. The inhabitants amounted in 1821 to 1543, and in 1831 to 1553.
TIDORE, one of the Molucca Isles, in the Eastern Seas, about twenty-one miles in circumference, situated on the west coast of Gilolo, three leagues south of Ternate, from which it is separated by a safe channel, with good anchorage near the town. It is mountainous towards the centre; the mountains are high, and generally covered with clouds; and the lower country is well watered by streams which flow from the elevated ground. It is populous, and formerly contained twenty-five mosques. The Mahommedan faith generally prevails. The island was first visited by the Spaniards under Magellan. Here they formed a settlement in 1521, and in 1527 they were driven out by the Portuguese. In 1607 the Dutch arrived in those seas, and soon after expelled the Portuguese; from which time till its capture by the English, it remained in their hands. The sultan was at one period a very considerable potentate, but was entirely under the power of the Dutch, who elevated or deposed sultans according to their pleasure. The island carries on a considerable trade with New Guinea, Gilolo, the northern islands, and the Chinese. In 1579 Drake arrived at Tidore. Long. 127. 25. E. Lat. 0. 45. N.
TIGA, a small island in the Eastern Seas, near the northwest coast of the island of Borneo. Long. 112. 14. E. Lat. 6. 25. N.
TIGRIS. This large and celebrated river, which flows along the boundaries of the Turkish and Persian empires, has its rise in the mountains of Armenia, about fifty miles to the north-west of the valley of Diarbekir, and fifteen to the east of the source of the Euphrates. It derives its ancient Persian name of Tir or Teer, the arrow, from the swiftness of its stream, its average rate being about seven knots an hour. Not being within the range of the periodical rains, its waters begin to rise in April, with the melting of the winter snows in the mountains; its second rise takes place in the beginning of November, with the setting in of the winter rains. The spring inundation is however the greatest, and it is then only that a complete inundation covers the land, and that by the conflux of the waters of [7:21:288] the Tigris and the Euphrates. Bagdad stands like an island in the midst of a wide ocean. To the annual overflowing of these two streams the country is indebted for its fertility. The Tigris is not navigable above sixty miles beyond Bagdad for vessels of more than twenty tons burden; though the intercourse is still maintained much higher up, by a kind of float called a kelek, which was used in ancient times, and which carries both passengers and merchandise, chiefly corn and copper, from Mosoul to Bagdad. It is singularly well adapted for its purpose, consisting of a raft in the form of a parallelogram. The trunks of two large trees crossing each other are the foundations of its platform, which is composed of branches of osier twigs ingeniously fastened to the stems below. To this light bottom are attached sheep-skins filled with air. and on these the floor is laid. These vessels are floated down to Bagdad with the current, where, after their cargoes are disposed of, they are taken to pieces and sold, it being impossible to return with them against the stream. Between Bagdad and Korna the Tigris is about 200 yards wide. At the latter place it joins the Euphrates; and the united stream, under the new name of Shat-el-Arab, falls into the Persian Gulf. This river was particularly famed in antiquity; and many of the greatest cities, as Nineveh, Seleucia, and Ctesiphon, were built upon its banks. The Tigris and the Euphrates, though they rise within fifteen miles of each other, soon separate, and running parallel, but at a greater distance, enclose the extensive province of Algesira. At Bagdad they again approach within thirty miles, and afterwards separate, forming the rich district of Irak Arabi. (f.)
TIGUIL, a river of Kamtschatka which falls into the Penjinskaia gulf. On its banks is the fort of Tiguilskoi, the strongest in the country, where a Russian garrison is maintained, to keep in awe the wild tribes of the country.
TILBURG, a city of the Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. It has been only of late years raised from the class of towns to that of cities. It stands on the river Lay, in a healthy district, chiefly flourishing by the extension of its manufactures, which provide fine broad clothe, casimeres, common cloths, beavers, and military cloth. In 1833 it contained 11,726 inhabitants, most of of them adhering to the Romish church.
TILBURY, a village of the hundred of Barnstaple, in the county of Essex. It is only remarkable for the strong fortifications constructed there to command the course of the river Thames. It contains a regular work, which can be surrounded by water, and has more than 100 cannon, from twenty-four to forty-eight pounders, directed towards the stream. It is nearly opposite to Gravesend in Kent, on a bend of the river. Near it are the vestiges of the camp formed by Queen Elizabeth at the time of the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada. The population in 1821 amounted to 249, and in 1831 to 276.
TILLOUTA, a town of Hindustan, province of Bahar, and district of Rotas, pleasantly situated on the north-west bank of the river Soane. Long. 84. 15. E. Lat. 21.43. N.
TILSIT, a city of East Prussia, in the government of Gumbinnen, the capital of a circle of its name. It stands on the river Memel, where the Tilse falls into that stream. It contains three churches, a hospital, 860 houses, and 12,800 inhabitants, who conduct manufactories of linen goods, hosiery, and gloves, and have many distilleries and breweries. The trade is considerable. At this place the emperors of Russia and France met on a raft in the middle of the river, and concluded, in 1807, the peace which bears the name of this town. Long. 21.49. E. Lat. 55.4. 30. N.
TIMAAN, or Timoan, a small island, high and woody, situated off the east coast of the Malay peninsula. There are several other smaller islands lying to the westward. Long. 104. 5. E. Lat. 2. 52. N.