SIEBIMEE. 343 MEKIVALE. ports of professional rest-a relies were the basis of four volumes: Duns Ic iijidl lie la France (1835); Dans I'Ouest (1830); En Auveryne et Limousin (183S); En Corse (1840). To this science he contributed also Monuments liisto- riques (1843) ; Peintures de VEylise Saint-Havin (1844); and to history a monograph on Don, Pedro de Castille (1843), Les faux Demetrius (1854), and a volume of miscellaneous Essaies (1855). He is best known, however, for his fiction, narrative and dramatic, Theatre de Clara Gazul (1825), a pretended translation from the Spanish and an ironical toying with Romanti- cism; />« Ouzla (1827), a pretended translation of lllyrian songs; La Jaequcrie (1828), dramatic scenes from the Peasants' War of 1358; a similar but far finer historic study, La chronique du regnc de Charles IX. ( 1829) , of which the massa- cre of Saint Bartholomew's forms the central scene; Colomba (1840), his most popular novel, a story of Corsica; Carmen (1847), a Spanish gypsy romance and subject of a po])ular opera by Bizet, and three volumes of short stories of remarkable polish and artistic ellect. but hard, ironical, and sometimes cynically pessimistic. Mfrimee was, before Maupassant, an unap- proached master of stylistic restraint and con- cision. He chooses exotic scenes, a material and moral life alike foreign to his readers, but he never fails to produce the illusion of reality even when he crosses the border of the super- natural. Although impassive in his writing, Mfrimee was in private life characterized by tender and devoted friendships, of which his Leilres a unv inconnue (1873), trans, in the "Brie !l Brae Series," ed. by Stoddard, vol. iii., New York, 1874; the Lettres a une autre ineon- nue (1875) ; the Lettres a Punizzi (1881) ; and I'ne corresjiondanee inedite (1890), are most in- teresting and beautiful monuments. They show Ato"im(;e gracious, atlectionate, loyal, capable of even a romantic idealism. Merim^e died at Cannes, September 23, 1870. Consult: Filon, ilirimie et scs amis (Paris, 1894) ; Haussonville, iliriinee (ih., 1888) ; Tonineux, Prosper Merimee, ses portraits, ses dessins. etc. (ib., 1879); and Faguet, XlXemc siecle (ib., 1894). MERINO. See Sheep. MER'ION'ETH. A county of Wales, bounded west by Cardigan Bay. and north by the counties of Carnarvon and Denbigh (Jlap: Wales, C 4). Area. 008 square miles. Merioneth is the most mountainous county in Wales, and large tracts are luifit for profitable cultivation. Slate and limestone are largely quarried, and lead and cop- per are mined. Woolens and flannels are manu- factured. Capital. Dolgellv (q.v.). Population, in 1891. 49,200; in 1901, 49,100. MER'ISTEM (irregular formation from Gk. MfpiffTit, nirristos, divided, from jneplfeii/, meri- zein, to divide, from ^^pos, mrros. part). The region of a(tivit,v dividing unditTerentiated cells. f^e Histology. MERIT, Order of. An order institiitcd in London. June 2(i, 1902. by King Edward VII., I with the object of conferring distinction on per- i sons who have gained prominence in military, 1 scientific, artistic, and professional circles. The ^ Order consists of the sovereign and the members
- and is not conferred as a reward for political
- services. ][embers of the order are accorded
I precedence immediately after the Order of the Bath and before the other orders of knighthood. Up to January 1, 1903, only twelve members had been installed, com|)rising, as repre.sentatives of the army. Lords Roberts, Wolseley, and Kitch- ener; of the navy. Admirals Keppel and Sey- mour; of science. Lords Rayleigh and Kelvin and Sir William Huggins; of medicine. Lord Li.ster; of literature and history, John Jlorley and W. E. H. Lecky ; of painting, O. F. Watts. MERIT SYSTEM, The. The merit system, as the name implies, looks toward the appointment of men to office because of their competency, and not because of their political opinions. The fitness of the candidate is determined Ijy liis ability to pass a written competitive examination, given by a commission of examiners. The an- swers submitted by candidates must be unsigned, so as to obviate the possibility of favoritism on the part of the examiners. A list is made of the successful candidates, arranged in the order of their merit as shown by the results of the exami- nation. Appointments must be made from this eligible list in the order of rank unless good cause can be shown why one of higher rank should be set aside for one standing lower on the list. A common objection to the merit system is that it does not give an adequate test of a man's real capacity to administer the office to which he seeks appointment. This is in a measure true, though more and more the civil service examiners are coming to lay stress upon experience and prac- tical knowledge. Inasmuch as the merit system makes it more difficult for the ordinary political heeler to secure lucrative offices because of his vote-getting abilitv. the svstcm nuist be recog- nized as a power for good. Though it does not inevitably lead to the choice of the most com- petent, it docs very effectually exclude the abso- lutely unfit — the political trickster and dealer in votes. See C'ivil-Service Reform. MERIVAIiE, merl-val. Charles (1808-93). An English historian, best known by his work on the Roman Empire. He was born March 8, 1808, the son of John Herman Merivale. a well- known minor poet. He was educated at Harrow, Haileybury College, and Saint .John's College, Cambridge. He took his degree at the latter place in 1830, and was successively scholar, fel- low, and tutor. During all this time he was in- terested especially in Roman histor.v, and between 1850 and 1804 wrote his well-known Uistoni of the Romans Under the Empire, which deals with the period between the rise of the Gracchi and the death of Marcus Aurelius. The first part of the work was especially popular, and was published in popular form under the title of The Fall of the Roman Repuhlie. The merit of this history was great in its dav, but more re- cent investigation, especiall.v the stid,v of epig- raphy, has controverted man.v of Merivale's views. In 1869 he became dean of Elv, though he had only a slight interest in strictly ecclesi- astical questions and disputes. He continued to publish various studies on Roman history, among which may be noted General Uistori/ of Rome from the Foundation of the Citti to the Fall of Au.justulvs (1875). He died December 27. 1803. Consult Autohioyraphji and Letters, edited bv his daughter, Judith Anne Merivale (London, 1899). MERIVALE, Herman (1806-74). An Eng- lish political economist and author, bom at T)awlish, Devonshire. He was a brother of
