Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/634

MINOB. 566 MINORCA. For practical oompositicin, however, the scale always begins with the tonic. In the progression a, I), o, (1, e. f, g, a, the whole step from 7 to 8 was found unsatisfactory to the ear, which im- peratively demanded a semistep. By raising g a semistep this leading tone was obtained, but the step from 6 to 7 was augmented. It was only during the nineteenth century that this form of the minor scale a, b, c, d, e, f, gjf, a, which is known as the harmonic minor scale, was pro- claimed as the normiil form. Itefore that the- orists had been afraid of the augmented sec- ond from G to 7 (a dissonance) and had over- come the difficulty by also raising the sixth de- gree a semitone, so that ascending the minor scale had this form: a, b. c, d, e, fjf, gj, a, while dcsccndiny the 7th anil (>th degrees were restored to their original pitcli. Thus what is known as the melodic minor scale has two forms, one when ascending the other wlicn descending. Now, con- sidering the luiruionic form as the normal minor scale, modern musical theory establislies the dom- inant chord of both the major and minor modes as a major triad. Thus the three fundamental chords of the modern minor mode present them- selves as two minor triads (tonic and subdoni- inant) and one major triad (dominant). See lMl:liVAL: JIODES. MINOR. In the law, a person who has not attained the age of full legal capacity, or the age of legal capacity with respect to the performance of certain acts. The term minor belongs strictly to the civil law, in which a person of full legal capacity is called 'major;' but generally the term miiinr is used in English as synonymous with I.M-A.r. tinder which title the statement of the general law of the subject will be found. In Scots law 'minor' is sometimes specifically used of an infant above the age of a pupil ( 12 years for fenuiles. 14 for males), and imder the full age ("21 years) of majority. See Infant; Parent and Child. MINOR, m^'nor, .Jakob (18.5.5—). An Aus- trian sihidar in Teutonic philology and litera- ture, born at Vienna. He studied at the uni- versities of Vienna (1874-78) and Berlin (1878- 70). became a lecturer at the former (18S0). in I88'2-84 lield a chair in the Accademia Scientifico- Letteraria of Milan, and from 1884 to 1885 was professor of the (iernian language and literature in the I'niversity of I'rague. In 1885 he was appointed professor of Teutonic philology at Vi- enna. His numerous [mblications include many editions of texts, such as volumes 7.3 (Fabcl- dichler, Haiiriker, und Popuhirphiloxophcn dex achlzehntcn Jahrhundcrtu) , 145 (Ticrk und yacirnrndcr) . and 151 (/)«.« SrhichKiilsdrama) , wilh introductory essays and annotations, in the "Deutsche Xational-I.itteratur" series, and the Ar<hdike Ferdinand's Spccuhim 'ilw Hiimanw (188!t) : Xcuhoclidrulsrhc Mrlrik (180.1). a valu- able manual of Oerman prosody, based on lec- tures given at Vienna in 1882: and important works in literary history, such as Die Srhirk- Siilslniftodir in ilirrn flauplrrrtrilrrn (ISSS), and an uncompleted stuily of Schiller. Srhillrr. ■irin Lrhrn und srinr ^Verlcc (vols. i. and ii., 1800). ranked, so far as it extends, among the Iw'st on the subject. MI'NOR, T.rciAN (1802-58). An .Vmericnn lawver and author, bom in Virginia. He gradu- ated at the College of William and Mary in 1823, and five years later became Lonnnonwealth attor- ney for Louisa County, 'a., an ollice which he held until 1852. In 1855 he was appointed pro- fessor of law in William and Mary. He wrote a ])art of .John A. (!. Davis's Guide to Justices (1838), and contributed the notes to Daniel Call's Viryinia Reports. A tract of his. Reasons for Abolishing the Liquor Traffic, had a large sale; and after his deatli his Travels in Xcio England were edited by .1. R. Lowell for appear- ance in the .l(/«H(ic. MINOR, RoiiEiiT Ckannell (1840—). An American lanilscajic painter, born in New York City. He studied under Diaz at Barbizon, France, and under ^'an Luppen and Boulanger in Antwerp, and traveled in Germany and Italy. He was elected to the Society of American Art- ists and the National Academy of Design. His pictures have been exhibited in New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, and elsewhere in this country, as well as in the Royal Academy of London and -salons of Paris and .Antwerp. His works include "Dawn," "Sundown," "The Stream," "October Days," "The Vale of Kennet," "Edge of the Wood," "Interior of the Forest," "Jlorning in .June," "Sunrise on Lake Champlain," "Cradle of the Hudson," "Close of Day," and "A Jloun- tain Path." MINOR, Virginia Loiisa (1824—). An American woman sutl'ragist, born in Goochland County, Va. She was educated at a seminary in Cliarlottesville in Virginia, but in 1846 went to live in Saint Louis, Mo., three years after her marriage. She was a nurse during the Civil War, and in 1867 organized the Missouri Wom- an's Suffrage Association. In 1872 sh» appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States for woman's right to vote. She was the first woman in this country to take this question to the courts. MINOR BARONS. The term applied in the early Middle Aj.'es in luiglaiid to tliosr tenants-in- chief of the King who did not receive a special summons to council and to militaiy service, but were summoned by a general proclamation of the sherifT given in the county courts. The term was not used in England after the thirteenth century. MINOR'CA (Sp. Mcnorcn). The second lar- gest of the Balearic Islands (q.v.). It is the east- ernmost of the group, and lies 20 miles north- east of Majorca (Map: Spain, G 3). Area, 403 square miles. Its northern half consists of rather low. rolling hills, generally arid and covered with heath: the southern half is an undulating plateau out by deep, fertile valleys. There are numerous bays on the north<astern coast, in one of which is the harbor of Port Mah6n (q.v.), the principal town. Though minerals are found on the island, agriculture is the chief occupation, the principal products being wine, oil, grain, flax, and sweet potatoes. The island is not prosperous, and its po])iilation is declininsr. largelv bv emigration. Population, in 1887, 30.041 : "in 'lOOO. 38.301. Minorca was taken by the British in 1713 and held by them, with several intermissions, until 1,802. when it was finally secured by Spain by the Treaty of .miens. MINORCA. . class of domestic fowls re- sembling Leghorns, but of more length of body and heavier mold. Their flesh is good for table purposes, but their chief value is as egg-layers,