up with the Capitol of Rome, where Pope Benedict XIII. crowned him with laurel, and created him a Roman citizen. One of the most remarkable improvisatores of modern times appeared in Sweden, in the person of Karl Mikael Bellman (1740–1795), who used to take up a position in the public gardens and parks of Stockholm, accompanying himself on a guitar, and treating metre and rhythm with a virtuosity and originality which place him among the leading poets of Swedish literature. In England, somewhat later, Theodore Hook (1788–1841) developed a surprising talent for this kind, but his verses were rarely of the serious or sentimental character of which we have hitherto spoken. Hook’s animal spirits were unfortunately mingled with vulgarity, and his clever jeux d’esprit had little but their smartness to recommend them. A similar talent, exercised in a somewhat more literary direction, made Joseph Méry (1798–1865) a delightful companion in the Parisian society of his day. It is rare indeed that the productions of the improvisatore, taken down in shorthand, and read in the cold light of criticism, are found to justify the impression which the author produced on his original audience. Imperfections of every kind become patent when we read these transcripts, and the reader cannot avoid perceiving weaknesses of style and grammar. The eye and voice of the improvisatore so hypnotize his auditors as to make them incapable of forming a sober judgment on matters of mere literature.
IN-ANTIS, the architectural term given to those temples
the entrance part of which consisted of two columns placed
between the antae or pilasters (see Temple).
INAUDI, JACQUES (1867– ), Italian calculating prodigy,
was born at Onorato, Piedmont, on the 15th of October 1867.
When between seven and eight years old, at which time he was
employed in herding sheep, he already exhibited an extraordinary
aptitude for mental calculation. His powers attracted the notice
of various showmen, and he commenced to give exhibitions.
He was carefully examined by leading French scientists, including
Charcot, from the physiological, psychological and mathematical
point of view. The secret of his arithmetical powers appeared
to reside in his extraordinary memory, improved by continuous
practice. It appeared to depend upon hearing rather than
sight, more remarkable results being achieved when figures were
read out than when they were written.
INCANTATION, the use of words, spoken, sung or chanted,
usually as a set formula, for the purpose of obtaining a result
by their supposed magical power. The word is derived from
the Latin incantare, to chant a magical formula; cf. the use of
carmen, for such a formula of words. The Latin use is very early;
thus it appears in a fragment of the XII. Tables quoted in
Pliny (N.H. xxviii. 2, 4, 17), “Qui malum carmen incantasset.”
From the O. Fr. derivative of incantare, enchanter, comes
“enchant,” “enchantment,” &c., properly of the exercise of
magical powers, hence to charm, to fascinate, words which also
by origin are of magical significance. The early magi of Assyria
and Babylonia were adepts at this art, as is evident from the
examples of Akkadian spells that have been discovered. Daniel
(v. 11) is spoken of as “master of the enchanters” of Babylon.
In Egypt and in India many formulas of religious magic were in
use, witness especially the Vedic mantras, which are closely
akin to the Maori karakias and the North American matamanik.
Among the holy men presented by the king of Korea to the
mikado of Japan in A.D. 577 was a reciter of mantras, who would
find himself at home with the majinahi or incantation practised
by the ancient Japanese for dissipating evil influences. One
of the most common, widespread and persistent uses of incantation
was in healing wounds, instances of which are found in the
Odyssey and the Kalevala, and in the traditional folk-lore of
almost every European country. Similar songs were sung to
win back a faithless lover (cf. the second Idyll of Theocritus).
See further Magic.
INCE, WILLIAM, English 18th century furniture designer
and cabinetmaker. He was one of the most successful imitators
of Chippendale, although his work was in many respects lighter.
He helped, indeed, to build the bridge between the massive and
often florid style of Chippendale and the more boudoir-like forms
of Hepplewhite. Although many of his designs were poor and
extravagant, his best work was very good indeed. His chairs
are sometimes mistaken for those of Chippendale, to which,
however, they are much inferior. He greatly affected the Chinese
and Gothic tastes of the second half of the 18th century. He
was for many years in partnership in Broad Street, Golden
Square, London, with Thomas Mayhew (q.v.), in collaboration
with whom he published a folio volume of ninety-five plates,
with letterpress in English and French under the title of The
Universal System of Household Furniture (undated, but probably
about 1762).
INCE-IN-MAKERFIELD, an urban district in the Ince
parliamentary division of Lancashire, England, adjoining the
borough of Wigan. Pop. (1901) 21,262. The Leeds and Liverpool
Canal intersects the township. There are large collieries, ironworks,
forges, railway wagon works, and cotton mills. There
is preserved here the Old Hall, a beautiful example of half-timbered
architecture.
INCENDIARISM (Lat. incendere, to set on fire, burn), in law,
the wilful or malicious burning of the house or property of another,
and punishable as arson (q.v.). It may be noted that in North
Carolina it is provided in case of fires that there is to be a preliminary
investigation by local authorities: all towns and cities
have to make an annual inspection of buildings and a quarterly
inspection within fire limits and report to the state insurance
commissioner; all expenses so incurred are met by a tax of
1/5% on the gross receipts of the insurance companies (L. 1903,
ch. 719).
INCENSE,[1] the perfume (fumigation) arising from certain
resins and gum-resins, barks, woods, dried flowers, fruits and
seeds, when burnt, and also the substances so burnt. In its
literal meaning the word “incense” is one with the word
“perfume,” the aroma given off with the smoke (per fumum[2])
of any odoriferous substance when burnt. But, in use, while
the meaning of the word “perfume” has been extended so as to
include everything sweet in smell, from smoking incense to the
invisible fresh fragrance of fruits and exquisite scent of flowers,
that of the word “incense,” in all the languages of modern
Europe in which it occurs, has, by an opposite process of limitation,
been gradually restricted almost exclusively to frankincense
(see Frankincense). Frankincense has always been obtainable
in Europe in greater quantity than any other of the aromatics
imported from the East; it has therefore gradually come to be
the only incense used in the religious rites and domestic fumigations
of many countries of the West, and at last to be properly
regarded as the only “true” or “genuine” (i.e. “franc”) incense
(see Littré’s Fr. Dict. and Skeat’s Etym. Dict. of Engl. Lang.).[3]
The following is probably an exhaustive list of the substances available for incense or perfume mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures:—Algum or almug wood (almug in 1 Kings x. 11, 12; algum
- ↑ Incensum (or incensum thuris) from incendere; Ital. and Port. incenso; Span. incienso; Fr. encens. The substantive occurs in an inscription of the Arvalian brotherhood (Marini, Gli Atti e Monumenti de’ fratelli Arvali, p. 639), but is frequent only in ecclesiastical Latin. Compare the classical suffimentum and suffitus from suffio. For “incense” Ulfila (Luke i. 10, 11) has retained the Greek θυμίαμα (thymiama); all the Teutonic names (Ger. Weihrauch; Old Saxon Wîrôc; Icel. Reykelsi; Dan. Rögelse) seem to belong to the Christian period (Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, i. 50).
- ↑ The etymological affinities of θύω, θύος, thus, fuffio, funus, and the Sans. dhuma are well known. See Max Müller, Chips, i. 99.
- ↑ Classical Latin has but one word (thus or tus) for all sorts of incense. Libanus, for frankincense, occurs only in the Vulgate. Even the “ground frankincense” or “ground pine” (Ajuga chamaepitys) was known to the Romans as Tus terrae (Pliny), although they called some plant, from its smelling like frankincense, Libanotis, and a kind of Thasian wine, also from its fragrance, Libanios. The Latino-barbaric word Olibanum (quasi Oleum Libani), the common name for frankincense in modern commerce, is used in a bull of Pope Benedict IX. (1033). It may here be remarked that the name “European frankincense” is applied to Pinus Taeda, and to the resinous exudation (“Burgundy pitch”) of the Norwegian spruce firs (Abies excelsa). The “incense tree” of America is the Icica guianensis, and the “incense wood” of the same continent I. heptaphylla.
