Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume III.djvu/726

This page needs to be proofread.

71G CANON CANON LAW the strain of the preceding one, and all sing different portions of the melody at the same time. It differs from the fugue in requiring that the subject be repeated by each part. CANON, a Spanish word, signifying a tube, flue, or pipe, now in common use in the United States to designate deep ravines worn by run- ning water. The most remarkable of tbeso canons, which are very numerous in the in- terior of North America, is the great canon of the Colorado, whose walls rise perpendicularly in some places 7,000 ft. above the river. In the interior of New York, near the head waters of Seneca lake, there are several remarkable canons worn by small streams, of which the most noted is at Watkins, known as the Glen. CANONIC!, Lnigi della, an Italian architect, born in Milan in 1742, died there in February, 1844. Among his principal works are the pa- lazzo Bellotti and his own sumptuous residence, the casa Canonica, at Milan, several theatres in that city, Brescia, and Mantua, and one at Parma, which was built after his design by Bettoli. His most celebrated work is the amphitheatre della Porta Vercellina at Milan, begun in 1805 by order of Napoleon. His labors brought him not only fame, but wealth to the amount of $700,000, of which he bequeathed $17,000 to the academy of Milan, the interest to be used for the education of poor artists, and $35,000 to the primary schools of Lombardy. CANONICAL HOURS, originally the different portions of the breviary or divine office in the Roman Catholic and Greek churches, arranged for use at certain hours of the day, but not now strictly adhered to. According to the original custom, still preserved in some strict monastic orders, matins and lauds should be recited soon after midnight, prime early in the morning, tierce, sext, and none at 9, 12, and 3, vespers late in the afternoon, and compline in the evening. The usual custom is, however, both in the public singing or recitation of the office in choir, and in the private reading of it, to say matins and lauds on the preceding even- ing, the little hours at some convenient time in the morning, and vespers and compline at any time in the afternoon. The office is obligatory on clergymen in the major orders, the mem- bers of monastic communities, and those who hold benefices. It is chiefly composed of the psalter, and lessons from the Scriptures and the acts of the saints and martyrs, with hymns, versicles, and prayers interspersed. A great diversity of offices have been and are in use ; the one generally used in the Catholic church of the West is the Roman breviary. In the church of England canonical hours are from 8 to 12 o'clock in the morning, and during these hours only can legal marriages be performed in parish churches. CAJiONICliS, an Indian chief of the Narra- gansett tribe, born about 1565, died June 4, 1647. He was the firm friend of the English, and especially of Roger Williams, whom, to use the words of the latter, he loved " as his own son to his last gasp." From him Williams obtained, March 24, 1638, the grant of land for his settlement of the future state of Rhode Island. During his life the Narragansetts were engaged in several Indian wars, but remained at peace with the white men. Many years after his death, however, under the famous King Philip, they became involved in a war with the English, which resulted in their ex- termination. CANONIZATION, the ceremony by which a deceased person, who has previously been beatified (see BEATIFICATION), is proclaimed a saint in the Roman and Greek churches. In the Roman church this is done by the pope, who, after investigation, declares the person in question to have led a perfect life, that God has worked miracles at his intercession, either during his life or after his death, and that con- sequently he is worthy to be honored as a saint. In the Greek church canonization is performed by the patriarch and the bishops assembled in synod, and requires the testimony of a thousand witnesses to the virtues of the deceased. The trouble and expense of this process are so great that few saints are canon- ized in the Greek church. Before a beatified person can bo canonized in the Roman church four consistories must be held. In the first the pope causes the petition of the parties re- questing the canonization to be examined by cardinals appointed for the purpose ; in the second the cardinals report the result of their investigation ; in the third, which is public, a person called the devil's advocate (advocatus diuboli) says all he can against the proposed saints, to which another advocate responds by praising him, and reciting the miracles he has performed ; in the fourth and last consistory, at which all the cardinals are convened, the canonization is put to the vote, and if the verdict is favorable the person is pronounced a saint. The first canonization is said to have been performed by Leo III. in 804. No person can be canonized until 50 years after death, ex- cept in cases of martyrdom. CANON LAW, the public and general code of laws of the Catholic church. This church claims to be a perfect visible society, contain- ing within herself all that is necessary for a complete and independent organization. Hence she has her own rulers, rights, and laws. Some of these laws, given by Christ himself or by the apostles in his name, are held to be im- mutable; others have been promulgated by the ordinary ecclesiastical authority, and can be modified or abrogated by the power whence they derive their force. The discipline or practice of the church is therefore partly un- changeable and partly changeable. The change- able discipline, deriving its origin from the ordinary ecclesiastical power, has been different in various times and places. Hence, besides the general law of the church, there are in every particular country peculiar and local rights, customs, and practices, which form what