Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/612

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584 TAUCHNITZ TAUNTON

under parts white, the latter with circular brownish black spots; primaries, secondaries, and outer tail feathers tipped with white, the last with irregular brownish black bars. It is found over temperate North America, in Central America in winter, and also in Europe; it is one of the most common marsh birds of New England, arriving from the south about the beginning of May; it is often called “teeter” from the jerking of its tail up and down; it does not associate with other species, nor form large flocks; it alights on branches overhanging the water, and on fences and walls; the flesh is delicious in autumn; the eggs are 1¼ by 1 in., grayish yellow with deep brown blotches; both sexes incubate.

TAUCHNITZ. I. Karl Christoph Traugott, a German publisher, born at Grosspardau, near Grimma, Oct. 29, 1761, died in Leipsic, Jan. 14, 1836. He learned the printer's trade at Leipsic, and worked in the celebrated printing house of Unger in Berlin. In 1792 he entered the house of Sommer in Leipsic, and in 1796 established in that city the house long known by his name. He began with a small printing house, but in 1798 opened a bookstore in connection with it, and in 1800 a type foundery. In 1809 he published the first volumes of a series of Greek and Latin classics, which, from their accuracy, cheapness, and convenient size, became very popular. He also published some very perfect editions of classical authors in folio. In 1816 he established the first stereotype foundery in Germany; and he was the first to stereotype music. His edition of Mozart's Don Giovanni had a wide popularity. He also printed stereotype editions of oriental works, including two of the Hebrew Bible, and an edition of the Koran. II. Karl Christian Philipp, son of the preceding, born in Leipsic, March 4, 1798. He enlarged his father's business, and carried it on with success until he retired in 1865. Besides many celebrated and important philological publications, he completed in 1840 Fürst's edition of the Hebrew concordance. III. Christian Bernhard, baron, a German publisher, cousin of the preceding, born Aug. 25, 1816. He founded in Leipsic in 1837 a publishing house, which has become celebrated by the issue of a collection of English works, well known as the “Tauchnitz editions,” of which more than 1,000 volumes had been published in 1868, of more than 120 English authors; a copyright for the continent being secured for the more recent works. In 1866 he began the publication of a series of German authors for the use of English-speaking people. In 1860 the title of baron was conferred upon him by the duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and his title was recognized by the king of Saxony in 1861.

TAULER, Johann, a German mystic, born probably in Strasburg in 1290, died there, June 16, 1361. At the age of 18 he renounced a fortune to enter the Dominican cloister. After studying the scholastic theology in Paris he returned to Strasburg, and came under the influence of Master Eckhart. He became one of the so-called “friends of God,” an unorganized brotherhood, including priests, nobles, and burghers in all the large cities, who represented the height of mysticism, denied the special prerogative of the clergy except in the celebration of the sacraments, and dwelt upon worship in the heart and life. He preached in Strasburg, Cologne, and Basel, where Henry of Nordlingen had resumed his forbidden functions. Amid the ravages of the black death (1348-'9), he bestowed the consolations of religion on the people, preaching in German mingled with Latin. He wrote in German a treatise on “Following the Lowly Life of Christ” (Frankfort, 1621), addressed a remonstrance to the clergy against leaving the dying unattended and unabsolved, and denounced ecclesiastical abuses. Having been summoned by the emperor Charles IV., when at Strasburg in 1348, to render an account of his faith, he disappeared from the city, but returned there shortly before his death. The best of the early editions of his sermons are those of Leipsic (1498), Basel (1521-'2), Halberstadt (1523), and Cologne (1543). There is a modern German translation by Schlosser of his sermons (3 vols., Frankfort, 1826; 2d ed., 1864), and of his Nachfolgung des armen Lebens Christi (1833). The hymns attributed to him are of doubtful authenticity. See Schmidt, Johannes Tauler von Strasburg (Hamburg, 1841), and Miss Winkworth, “Life and Times of Tauler,” with 25 of his sermons translated from the German (1857).

TAUNTON, a city and one of the shire towns of Bristol co., Massachusetts, at the head of navigation on Taunton river, 24 m. from Narragansett bay, 17 m. E. of Providence, R. I., and 32 m. S. of Boston; pop. in 1850, 10,441; in 1860, 15,376; in 1870, 18,629, of whom 4,605 were foreigners; in 1875, 20,429. In shape it is an irregular polygon, having an extreme length N. W. and S. E. of 11 m. and an average width of 6 m. The surface is generally level; half of the land is wooded with forests of pine, oak, beech, and cedar, and there are five ponds of considerable size. It is traversed by the Taunton river and two principal branches, the Canoe and Rumford, which furnish power for many mills and factories. Navigation is impeded by ice but a small part of the winter. The city communicates by rail with Boston, Providence, Fall River, Newport, New Bedford, Cape Cod, and various other points, and has a line of street cars. There are several villages within the city limits. The streets of the central village are well laid out, lighted by gas, and adorned by shade trees of various kinds. The “green” is a well shaded public ground. There are many elegant residences, some of great cost, to which are attached gardens and conservatories. The principal public buildings are the court house, city hall, hotels, school houses, and churches. The