Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/726

WOLTER. 618 WOLZOGEN. WOLTER, vol'ter, Charlotte (1834-97). A noted German actress, one of the great tragic actresses of modern times. She was born at Cologne and began her career in Budapest. Then she joined a traveling company, played at the Carlthealer in Vienna, and from 1859 to 1801 was engaged at the Victoriatheater in Berlin. The sensation created there by her impersonation of Hermione in A Winter's Tale led in 18()2 to a perniaiiuiit engagement at the Hofbiirgthcuter in Vienna, of which henceforth she constituted one of the chief ornaments. From the rich repertory at her command may be singled out as her best roles: Adrienne Leeouvreur, ilaria Stuart, Lady Milford, Messalina, Iphigenie, Sappho, Medea, and Ladv JIacbeth. In 1874 she married Count O'SulHvan de Grasz (d.l888). WOLTlVrANN, volt'man. Alfred (1841-80). A German art-historian, born at Charlottcnburg. After studying in Berlin and Munich, he was ap- pointed professor of art-history successively at the Polyteehnicum in KarLsruhe (1868) and at the luiiversities of Prague (1874) and Strass- burg (1878). Besides his principal work, Hol- hein vnd seine Zeit (2d ed. 1874-70). he wrote Die deutsche Knnst und die Reformation (2d ed. 1871), Die Baiigeschichte Berlins (1872), Oeschiohte der dciitsehen Kinust iin Elsass ( 187G), Die deutsche Kunst in Prag ( 1877) , and Aus rier Jahrhunderten niederlandisch-deutscher Ktinstgc- schichle (1878). Conjointly with the author he adapted the fifth volume of Schnaase's Geschiclite der hihlenden^ Kiinste for the second edition (1872), and with Woermann began a Qeschlchtc der Malerei (1878), completed after his death by his collaborator. WOLVERHAMPTON, wul'vf'r-ham'tun. A manufacturing town in Staft'ordshire, England, 13 miles nortliwcst of Birmingham (Map: Eng- land, D 4) . On the south and east are coal mines, ironstone pits, blast furnaces, forges, rolling mills, and foundries. Its chief manufactures are tin-plate and japanned goods, enameled hollow wares, locks and keys, edge tools, iron braziery and galvanized iron goods, gas and water tubes, cables and railway fastenings, and iron-foundry goods of many kinds. The town possesses an ex- change, an agricultural hall for the use of farmers and corn dealers, a spacious cattle mar- ket, a market hall, and a commodious and hand- some town hall. Saint Peter's Church, built in the! fourteenth century and recently restored, is a stately edifice. The municipality owns the water supjjly, electric lighting plant, tramways, mar- kets, and refuse and sewage disposal works, and maintains free libraries, a school of art, and an art gallery. Originally called Hanton or Tlam- tune, the town was named Wilfrunahamtou afte'- Wilfruna, sister of Ethelred 11., who founded a college here in 090. During the Civil War it was for a time the headiiuarters of Prince Rupert. Population, in 1891, 82,000; in 1901, 94,180. WOLVERINE (probably French-Canadian, from Eng. v:olf), or CAliCA.Jor. The largest of the Amerienn fur-bearing animals (q.v.) of the family Mustelid*, and substantially identical with the glutton {dulo hisr.us) of the Old World. It is bear-like in form, about 40 inches in total length, less than a <|uarter of which is taken by the tail, and is sliort-Icgged and square-headed. In color it is deep blackish brown, with a pale area on the back, and light spots on the throat or chest; legs, feet, and belly nearly black. It is found throughout Canada, the northern Rocky Mountain region, and thence to tlie Arctic shores, wherever the country is wooded ; and is every- where regarded by the trappers and Indians as the most powerful, cunning, and diabolical of creatures, because it disturbs and robs their traps and breaks into their caches and lodges. It is no wonder that its qualities were exag- gerated into tlTe fanciful tales told of the animal in Europe, as stated under Glutton. In reality the wolverine is simply, to use Dr. Coues's phrase, an uncommonly large, clumsy, shaggy marten, of great strength, and displaying great perseverance and sagacity in j)rocuring food where the supply is limited or precarious. It is imperfectly plantigrade, unable to climb trees, lives in dens or burrows, and does not hibernate. It feeds upon carcasses of large animals when it finds them slain, but does not destroy such crea- tures itself, its ordinary prey being small, a fox heavy with pups, or nursing a litter in her burrow, being about the largest of its victims. It is a notorious thief, not only of stores of meat and fish, or of the baits and captives in traps, but of articles of no positive .service to itself; and it exhibits extraordinaiy cunning in escaping destruction by the various methods designed to kill or capture it. Consult: Coues, Fur-Hear- ing Animals (Washington, 1877). See Plate of Fur-Bearing ANiitALs. WOLVERINE STATE. Michigan. See the article States, Popilar Names of. WOLZOGEN, vol'tso'gen, Ernst, Baron ( 1855 — ). A German novelist and playvright, born at Breslau. He studied jihilosophy, German literature, and art-history at Strassburg and Leipzig, and in 1901 established a so-called "Ucberbrettl," a kind of variety show for the performance of lyric and minor dramatic poems, vocal recitals, and pantomimes, partly by the authors and composers themselves. A moderate adherent of the modern realistic tendency in lit- erature, he kept aloof from its pessimistic and erotic perversities, and, endowed with keen jiower of observation, has proved a humorist in the best sense of the word. A partial list of his writings includes: Vm drei^i'hn Vhr in der Vhristnacht (1879 and often) ; Immaenlata (1881) ; Heitcres und Wcitercs (1880); liasilln. ein Thiirinqer Woman (1887) ; Blau Blut (1888-91), a cycle of novels; Erlehtes, Erlauschtcs vnd F.rlogenes (1892); Die Entgleisten (1894); Ecce Ego! (1895); Die Erhschleicherinnen- (1895); Der Kraft-ilayr (1897); Das driitc (Icschlrcht (1899); several successful comedies: and the critical essays Ocorge Eliot and Wilkie Collins (188.-)). WOLZOGEN, Hans, Baron (1848—). A German autlmr. born at Potsdam, brother of the preceding. He studied philosophy and philology and. settled in 1878 at Bayreuth as editor of the Bai/reulher Bliilter. founded by Richard Wagner. He wrote: Der Nibelungenmnthos in ffage und lAtleraiur (1870); Poetischc Lautsiimholilc (1870); Veher Verrottung vnd Errettung der deutschcn ^prache (3d ed'. 1890) : Utisera Zeit und vnsere Kiinst (1881); Die Heliglon des Millcidens (1883) ; Die Idealisirung dcs Theaters