Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/230

MAUKICE. 202 MAURITIUS. sau, and was raiding tlie Rhine bishoprics and Franconia, when lit' was fatally wounded in the battle at Sievcrshaiisen. July i)th, dying July 11th. Although but thirty-two years of age, he had establislu'il his reputation as one of the ablest diplomats, administrators, and generals of his time; but he united with a most agreeable per- sonality a dissinuilation and bad faith which lost him the eontidenee of both parties. Consult: Issleib, "Moritz von Sach.sen als pro- testantischer FUrst,"' a short study in Sammluiiff gemeinrcrslii 11(11 idler if issiiischdf 1 1 icher Vorlriigc (Haml)urg, 18118) : Langcnn. Morit::. He>::oii unci Churfiirat zti Sachseii (Leii)zig, 1841): Prutz, "iloritz von Sachsen." in Der ncue Plutarch, vol. i.. (Leipzig, 1882). See Reformation; Saxoxv. MAURICE, Saixt. See Legion, Tueban. MAURICE, (.John) Fredebic Denison ( lS(l.")-7:i I . An English autlior and divine, born at Xonnanston.the son of a Unitarian clergyman. He studied at Cambridge and became engaged in literary work in London. Intluenced by Coleridge and others, he decided to become a clergyman in the Established Church. He went to Oxford and took his M.A. degree, and was ordained in 1831. His first position was the curacy of Bubbenhall. In 1830 he became chaplain of Grey's Hospital, London; iji 1840 professor of history and English literature at King's Cidlege, and in lS(4ti of divinity in tills school, losing these last positions in 1S.5:J because of his supposedly radical religious views. He was cha])lain of Lincoln's Inn, 1846-GO; incumbent of Saint Peter's, Vere Street. London, 1800-60; profes- sor of moral philosophy at Cambridge from 1800 until his death, which occurred in London, April 1, 1S72. At the time of his death there was jirobably no clergyman in England more deeply revered and loved by the people, ami within the Cliurch he had become the head of the 'Broad Church Party,' and had a large follow- ing among the younger men. He founded the Working Men's College in London in 1854 and became its principal. He wrote one novel, F.ustncr Conu-aii (1834). Other works are: The Kinffdom of Christ (1838); Itvliflions of the World (1847) : Moral and Melujihi/sical Philoxo- phy (lS;)0-57); I'rojihrls and Kiiif/s of the Old Testament (18:53) ; Vnitii of the Neie Testament (18.54) ; Kcclcsiaslieal Uistorij of the I'ir.il and fiecond Centuries (18.54): Patriarehs and Lau- givers of the Old Testament (18:5;5) ; Epistle of Haint John (18:57); The Word Eternal (1803); Co>i.scicHCr (1808) ; ^oeial Moraliti/ (1800). Con- sult his Life, 'chiefly told in his own letters' by bis ~iin. Frederic Maurice (London, 1884), MAURICE, TiioMA.s (17:54-1824). An Eng- lish scludar and historian, born at Hertford, lie was a pupil of Dr. Parr, in an academy at Stan- more, and afterwarils entered Saint .Tohri's Col- lege. Oxford, but the next year removed to I'ni- versity College, at which he graduated in 1773. Appointed curate of Woodford in Essex, he re- signed in 178.5 for a jiastorate at Epping. In 1708 he was apjiointed by Earl Spencer Vicar of Wornileighton in Warwickshire, and in the same year was appointed keeper of manuscripts in the British Jlusenni. In 1800 he received the pen- sion left vacant by the death of the poet Cowper, and in 1804 was pre-ienled by the Lord Chancel- lor to the vicarage of Cudham in Kent. He was a learned Orientalist, and published a volvmiinous work on Indian Antiquities (1703-1800). In addition, he wrote Historti of Hindustan (170.5- 08) and a Modern Hisfor'u of niiidustan (1802- 10). MAURICE OF SAXONY. A French sol- dier generally known as Marshal Saxe. See Saxe. il-riiUE. Count of. MAURICIUS, ma-rlsh'i-us, Flavius Tibe- itii's. A liyzantine Emperor. See M.URICE. MAU'RITA'NIA. See Mauretania. MAURITIA, nin-risli'i-u (Xeo-Lat., so called in honor of I'riiue Maurice of Xassau). A genus of jialnis, having male llowers and female or hermaphrodite llowers on distinct trees, ini]ierfect spathes, and fan-shaped leaves. They are all natives of the hottest parts of America. Some of them, like Maiiritia rinifera, the buriti palm (q.v. ), have lofty c>oIuninar smooth stems; others are slender, and armed with strong conical spines. The Miriti jialm {Mauritia flej-uosa) grows to the height of 100 feet, or even 1:50 feet in river deltas; it has very large leaves on long stalks. The stem and leaf-stalks are utilized for various purposes. The fibre from the young leaves is extensively used for cordage and in the manufacture of hammocks. Sago is olitained from the stems. A beverage is made from the fruit, as from that of the buriti palm and sev- eral other species. MAURITIUS, mn-rish'I-us (named in honor of .M:iiiiiie of Xassau). formerly Ii.E UE 1'ra.nce. A liritir-h island in the Indian Ocean, 550 miles cast of Madagascar, between longitudes 57° and 58° E., and latitudes 10° and 20° S, (Map: .f- rica, K 7). Its area is 705 sipiare miles. The coasts are low except at three points where the mountains reach them. The surface rises in the interior to a plateau, surmounted by three groups of mountains with other outlying eleva- tions. Extinct craters testify to the volcanic origin of the island, which, however, is friiitred with coral reefs. The highest jieaks are Pitoii de la Rivifere Xoire (2711 feet) and Ponce (2050 feet). The coasts, although well indented, are difficult of access on account of the numerous coral reefs by which they are surrounded. The rivers are short and unlit for navigation. The climate is considerably tenipeied by the moun- tainous character of the island. The only good harbor is Port Louis, on the northwest coast, which is sheltered by coral reefs. There is about 10° dilTercnce between the temperature in the interior and th;it of the coast regions. The mean annual tem|ierature at Port Louis, the cajiital and largest town, is about 70° F. The island lias sutlered considerably from hurricanes and fever epidemics. The present tlora is almost entirely foreign, although some of the plants were intro- duced so long ago that they have come to be con- sidered indigenmis. The fauna of Mauritius, never very extensive, has been still more impoverished by the almost total ilestniction of (he once mag- nificent forests, which liav<' been replaced with plantations. Most of the domestic animals are of foreign origin. Among the extinct species may be mentioned the dodo (q.v.) and several other birds whose inability to fly was the cause of their early extermination. Mauritius has a fer: tile although somewhat stony soil, adapted for the cultivation of the chief tropical products.