Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/770

 764 MAAS MACADAM Latin origin, n assimilates itself to a following 77i, as immense, immerse, commute, for inmense, inmerse, conmute. So in words from Greek, n or a labial sometimes assimilates itself to a following m, as symmetry for synmetry, lemma for lepma ; so also d, as ammunition for ad- munition. 2. In words both of Latin and Greek origin, n sometimes conforms itself to a following labial, by becoming m ; as imbibe, impend, embark, combine, emblem, symbol, sym- pathy. 3. In words of Teutonic origin, n be- comes m before a labial ; as Lat. cannabis, Ger. Hanf, Eng. hemp. Where m is now silent, as in the word mnemonics, it once had its appro- priate sound. The Greek and Hebrew M, as a numeral, denoted 40. The Roman M, probably as the initial of mille, denotes 1,000 ; and this is its numerical value in English. MAAS. See MEUSE. MAB, a fairy, celebrated by Shakespeare and other English poets. The name is of uncertain origin, being variously derived from the Mid- gard of the Eddas, the Habundia or Dame Abonde of Norman fairy lore, and from the Cymric mad, a child. According to Voss, Mab was not the fairy queen, the same ae Titania, this dignity having been ascribed to her only by mistaking the use of the old English word queen or quean (A. S. cwen or quena), which originally meant only a woman. Queen Mab is mentioned in Shakespeare's " Romeo and Juliet," Ben Jonson's "Satyr," Randolph's pastoral of "Amyntas," Dray ton's "Nymphi- dia," and Milton's "L' Allegro." MABILLON, Jean, a French author, born at St. Pierre-du-Mont, Champagne, Nov. 23, 1632, died in Paris, Dec. 27, 1707. Having joined the Benedictines of St. Maur, he was chosen to assist Dom Jean d'Achery in the compilation of his Spicilegium Veterum Scrip- torum, and subsequently edited the works of St. Bernard (2 vols. fol., and 9 vols. 8vo, 1667; 2d ed., 1690) in the series of the fathers pub- lished by his congregation. In 1681 he pub- lished De Re Diplomatica, a work which is sometimes regarded as entitling him to be called the founder of the school of antiquarian his- torians. The ability displayed in this work in- duced the minister Colbert to offer him a pen- sion of 2,000 livres, which he refused, asking that the royal munificence might rather be shown to his order. In 1683 he was sent to Germany by Louis XIV. to collect documents relating to French history; and the applause with which his Iter Germanicum, a narrative of the journey, was received, induced the king to send him to Italy in 1685 to make purchases for the royal library. A result of this tour was his Museum Italicum (1687-'9), containing an account of the places which he visited, the rare treasures of some of the libraries, and the ceremonies of the church, besides several learn- ed historical dissertations. Soon afterward he was selected by his superiors to refute Ranc6, abbot of La Trappe, who in a recent work had condemned the custom of permitting monks to study. Mabillon's Traite des etudes monas- tiques, which appeared in consequence in 1691, was equally remarkable for sound argument and good temper. His other most important works are Vetera Analecta (4 vols. 8vo, 1675- '85), and De Liturgia Oallicana (1685). He edited and published with Ruinart Acta Sanc- torum Ordinis Sancti Benedicti, commenced by D'Achery, and published the first 4 vols. of theAnnales Ordinis Benedictini (6 vols., Paris, 1703-'39). A collection of his Outrages pos- thumes (3 vols. 4to, Paris) appeared in 1724. MABLY, Gabriel Bonnot de, a French publicist, born in Grenoble, March 14, 1709, died in Paris, April 23, 1785. His family name was Bonnot. Like his younger brother, the phi- losopher Condillac, he was destined for the church, and was ordained, but was secretly employed in affairs of state by his relative Cardinal de Tencin, minister of Louis XV. Quarrelling with his patron, however, he ap- plied himself to literature, and in 1748 pub- lished at Geneva his Droit public de V Europe, which achieved a remarkable success. It was followed by Observations sur les Grecs (1749) ; Observations sur les Romains (1751) ; Entre- tiensde Phocion (Amsterdam, 1753) ; Principes des negociations (the Hague, 1757) ; Observa- tions sur rhistoire de France (Geneva, 1765) ; De la maniere d'ecrire Vhistoire (1773) ; De la legislation (Amsterdam, 1776) ; De Videe de rhistoire (1778); and Principes de morale (1784). Having been requested by the gov- ernment of Poland to prepare for them a code of laws, he visited that country in 1771, and published in 1781 a work Du gouvernement de la Pologne. He was also consulted by the American congress in 1783 on the preparation of the constitution, and embodied his views in his Observations sur le gouvernement et les lois des ^tats-Unis d^Amerique (1784). MABl SE, Jan, a Flemish painter, whose real name was Gossaert, born in Maubeuge, Hai- naut, about 1499, died about 1562. He is said to have studied painting in Italy, after which he practised his art in various cities of the Netherlands, leading at the same time a dissi- pated and scandalous life. During the reign of Henry VIII. he found his way to England, and painted several of the royal family and many persons of distinction. He was the con- temporary and friend of Albert Diirer and Lu- cas van Leyden. His most celebrated picture, the "Descent from the Cross," perished in the fire which destroyed the cathedral of Middel- burg, where it was deposited. The finest of the authenticated works passing under his name is "The Wise Men's Offering," now in the possession of the earl of Carlisle. MACADAM, John London, a Scottish engineer, born at Ayr, Sept. 21, 1756, died at Moffat, Dumfriesshire, Nov. 26, 1836. On the death of his father in 1770 he was sent to his uncle William Macadam in New York. During the revolution he was agent for the sale of prizes at the port of New York, an office in which