TERRA TERRAY. 



569 



ness. Much of what has come down to us may 

 have been merely models and casts (typi, protypa, 

 ectypa). The investigations of professor Busching 

 into the history of this branch of the fine arts are 

 important. He has traced it in the middle ages, 

 and shown, by the monument of duke Henry IV. 

 (the Minnesinger) in the church of the cross at 

 Breslau, that this art was successfully practised in 

 Silesia in the thirteenth century (about 1290). 

 Busching has illustrated this subject in a magnifi- 

 cent work. 



TERRA, OR TIERRA DEL FUEGO; agroup 

 of islands lying to the south of the continent of 

 South America, from which it is separated by the 

 straits of Magellan (see Magalhaens), and extend- 

 ing from lat. 56 to 53 30' S. The southern ex- 

 tremity is cape Horn. It received its name, signi- 

 fying Land of Fire, from the fires seen along its 

 shores by the discoverer Magalhaens, who supposed 

 them to be volcanic. The existence of volcanoes 

 here has been doubted ; but captain Hall saw one 

 in activity in 1820, and captain Weddel found lava 

 on the coast. The interior of these islands has 

 never been explored. So far as they are known to 

 us, they are rugged and unprolific. The climate is 

 severe, and there are summits visible to mariners 

 which appear to be covered with perpetual snow. 

 Captain King states the mean temperature during 

 the three winter months at 34.5, the maximum 

 being 49.5, and the minimum 12. 6. The inhabi- 

 tants, at least those on the coasts, are in a very 

 rude state; but they are friendly and peaceable: 

 they live by fishing. The following exhibits a re- 

 presentation of their costume. The seals are 



numerous on the coasts, and dogs, otters, and 

 guanacoes are also found here. The three principal 

 islands of the group are King Charles's Southland, 

 to the east, Santa Ines, or South Desolation, on 

 the west, and Clarence island, lying between them. 

 The latest information concerning this region is 

 contained in Weddel's Voyage towards the South 

 Pole (London, 1825), and the Journal of the Royal 

 Geographical Society for 1831, art. xi, containing 

 the results of the examination of the coasts by 

 captain King. 



TERRA FIRM A (that is, firm land) ; mainland, 

 or continent, in opposition to insular territories. 

 In Italy, the name of Terra firma, or i7 dominio 

 Veneto, is given to the continental provinces of 

 Venice, in contradistinction to the insular portions. 



By it is therefore signified the duchy of Venice, 

 Venetian Lombardy, the marquisate of Tarvis, the 

 duchy of Friuli and Istria Under this name was 

 formerly comprehended a vast extent of country in 

 South America, forming a government under the 

 authority of the crown of Spain, including several 

 extensive provinces, and three audiences, which 

 were fixed at Panama, Quito, and Santa Fe de 

 Bogota. The large provinces were Terra Firma 

 Proper, or Darien, Popayan, Quito, and New 

 Grenada, all of which were again subdivided into 

 several smaller provinces or jurisdictions. These 

 provinces afterwards formed the viceroyalty of New 

 Grenada, and now constitute the republic of 

 Colombia or New Grenada. See Colombia, and 

 Venezuela. 



TERRA MAGELLANICA. See Patagonia. 



TERRA SIGILLATA (that is, sealed earth) ; 

 called also Lemnian earth ; a sort of bole found in 

 the island of Lemnos, which was formerly much 

 used in medicine, as a styptic, &c. It derives its 

 name from the circumstance of its being impressed 

 with the seal of the grand signior, or the governor 

 of the island. It is, however, found in other places 

 in the East, as Armenia and Malta, and in Italy, 

 France, &c. The Lemnian bole is detersive, like 

 fuller's earth. See Clay. 



TERRACINA; a town in the Campagna di 

 Roma, forty-seven miles south-east of Rome; 

 population, 9000. It is situated at the southern 

 extremity of the Pontine marshes, in a picturesque 

 situation, but rendered unhealthy by the surround- 

 ing marshes. It was anciently the capital of the 

 Volsci, and named Anxur. The Greeks called it 

 Trachyna, corrupted into Terracina. It had once 

 a harbour ; but that is now choked up. Near Ter- 

 racina are considerable fragments of the Via Appia, 

 made from Rome to Capua. 



TERRAIN; a French word, used in military 

 language for the natural condition of the ground on 

 which any military operation takes place ; and the 

 expression embraces, therefore, all objects on the 

 surface of the earth, which can affect the disposi- 

 tion to be made of troops. In English, the word 

 ground is generally used. The Germans divide the 

 doctrine of terrain into the general, which is much 

 the same as that which others call military geo- 

 graphy (q. v.), and special, which is the accurate 

 knowledge of a particular theatre of war. General 

 conclusions may be drawn from experience, in which 

 geology is often an assistant; but particular ob- 

 servation of the ground is always indispensable. 



TERRAS. See Cements. 



TERRAY, JOSEPH MARIE, a notorious French 

 minister of finance, born in 1715, entered the 

 church, became an abbe, member of the spiritual 

 bench of the parliament of Paris, insinuated himself 

 into favour at court, and, during the last days of 

 the reign of Louis XV. was minister of finance. 

 Finding a great deficit in the treasury, he employed 

 the most disgraceful means to cover it, and publicly 

 declared that he held his office only to rob, and 

 because he excelled in that operation. He con- 

 trived new impositions, abolished the pensions 

 which had been previously granted, and thus re- 

 duced many individuals to destitution. In addition 

 to this, he treated with derision the unfortunate 

 victims of his policy, who applied to him for relief. 

 Louis XVI. removed this monster (1775) ; and a 

 horrible disease, the consequence of his excesses, 

 put an end to his life in 1778. He was the subject 

 of general execration; and even his services in 



