Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/767

 TICK mulberries, and pomegranates. Game is abim- f dant in the forests, and the streams and lakes are well stocked with fish. . The manufactures are of no importance. The inhabitants belong to the Italian race, and speak that language. Only one village, Bosco, situated near the frontier of Valais, speaks German. Ticino was con- quered from- Italy by the Swiss in 1512, and, under the name of the Italian bailiwicks, was governed by deputies till 1815, when it was admitted as a member of the Swiss confedera- tion. The government is vested in a council chosen by all citizens who have attained the age of 20 years. The property qualification of voters was abolished in 1863. The grand council meets alternately at Lugano, Locarno, and Bellinzona. The canton sends six members to the national council. The railway from Bel- linzona to Locarno was opened Dec. 20, 1874. TICK, the common name of several families of small arachnids infesting the skin of man and the lower animals. In addition to what has been given under EPIZOA and MITE, it may be stated that, from the young tick having only three pairs of legs instead of the four pairs of the adult spider and mites, some have maintained that the arachnids form an order of the class of insects, and not an independent class. The legs also in the young are very long and the head separate from the thorax, as in the insect. (See " American Naturalist," vol. iii., 1869, pp. 364-373.) TiCKELL, Thomas, an English poet, born at Bridekirk, Cumberland, in 1686, died in Bath, April 23, 1740. He was educated at Queen's college, Oxford, and in 1710 was chosen fel- low. He was a friend of Addison. During the negotiations for peace with France, Tickell published a poem entitled " The Prospect of Peace," which went through several editions. On the arrival of King George I. he wrote "The Royal Progress," printed in the "Spec- tator." His translation of the first book of the Iliad was brought out in opposition to that of Pope. Addison declared it the best version ver made, and it was suspected that he him- slf was the translator. Besides some minor ems, Tickell published a "Letter to Avi- on," written during the dispute on the Han- overian succession, and an elegy on Addison, which was extravagantly praised by Johnson. Addison had employed Tickell in public affairs, and when in 1717 he was appointed secretary of state, he made him his under secretary. In 1725 Tickell became secretary to the lords jus- tices of Ireland, in which office he died. TICKNOR, George, an American author, born in Boston, Aug. 1, 1791, died there, Jan. 26, 1871. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1807, studied law, and was admitted to the Boston bar in 1813, but never practised. From 1815 to 1820 he resided in Europe, and on his return became professor of the French and Spanish languages, literature, and belles-lettres in Harvard college. He resigned in 1835, and spent three years in Europe. In 1849 appeared TICONDEROGA 737 his " History of Spanish Literature " (3 vols. 8vo, New York ; 4th ed., edited by G. S. Hillard, 3 vols., Boston, 1871), which was translated into Spanish, German, and French (in part), and was accepted as an authority in Spain itself. Mr. Ticknor was one of the association of writers by whom the " Monthly Antholo- gy" was conducted. His latest publication was the life of his friend W. H. Prescott (Bos- ton, 1864). See "Life of George Ticknor," by George S. Hillard (Boston, 1876). TICONDEROGA, a town of Essex co., New York, enclosing the outlet of Lake George, 88 m. N. by E. of Albany; pop. in 1870, 2,590; in 1875, 3,401. It is at the junction of the Addison railroad, a branch of the Central Ver- mont, with the Champlain division of the Del- aware and Hudson canal company's lines, and is the S. terminus of the Lake Champlain com- pany's steamers. The portion of the town ly- ing between Lakes George and Champlain is a lofty promontory, the terminus of a mountain ridge ; Mt. Defiance at the extremity of the promontory is 750 ft. above the surface of Lake Champlain. The outlet of Lake George, 4 m. in length, has a fall in 2 m. of 220 ft. ; and as the water never apparently varies in quan- tity, and is remarkably pure, it forms a very valuable water power. There is a vein of excellent graphite in the town, and about 25 tons of black lead are produced monthly by the "American Graphite Company," the only one in the United States. There are also extensive deposits of good iron ore, which is mined by the "Iron Company." Large quantities of lumber are manufactured, and there are an extensive sash and door factory, two founderies, two woollen mills, and a cot- ton factory of 20,000 spindles. The town has 15 schools, a weekly newspaper, and Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist, and Ro- man Catholic churches. Nearly the entire business portion was destroyed by fire, March 31, 1875; it is now being rebuilt with fine brick blocks. The town is particularly re- markable for the prominent place its fortifi- cations have held in American history. Early in 1755 the French, who had already occupied and fortified Crown Point, and caused a care- ful survey of Lake Champlain to be made, ad- vanced to Ticonderoga and commenced a forti- fication there, which entirely commanded the passage of the lake. This fort they named Carillon (chime of bells), in allusion to the music of the waterfalls near it. It was after- ward known as Fort Ticonderoga. Sir Wil- liam Johnson was the commander of an Eng- lish and colonial army the same year intended for the reduction of this fortress and Crown Point; but learning that the French had re- enforced it largely, he contented himself, after defeating Dieskau at Lake George, with forti- fying Fort William Henry at the S. end of that lake. In 1757 Montcalm assembled a force of 9,000 men at Fort Carillon, and ascending Lake George attacked and reduced Fort Wil-