Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/362

* MEPHISTOPHELES. 328 MERCANTILE AGENCY. Gk. /i^, »i<", not + 0iit, phon, light + 0iXos, philos, loving). One of the seven chief devils in the old denionology, the second of the fallen archangels, and the most powerful of the infernal legions after Satan. He ligures in the old legend of Dr. Faustus, and in Marlowe's play of that name, as the familiar spirit of that renowned magician, and his name was commonly used as a term of jocular reproach. To modern readers he is chicily known as the cold, scoffing, relent- less fiend of Goethe's Faust. MEP'PEL. A town in the Netherlands, situ- ated I'll the ileppeler Diep, 10 miles northeast of Zwolle (Map: Netherlands. E 2). It is an important centre for the hutter trade, and has calico and canvas manifacturcs. Population, in 1880, 8S(iO; in 1900, 10,154. MEQTIINEZ, niek'i-nez, or MEK'NEZ. A noted town of Morocco. Africa, situated in a mountainous regiim over 30 miles southwest of Fez (Map: Africa. D 1). It is still one of the finest cities of Morocco, although it has greatly declined since the eighteenth century, when it had attained unusual magnificence under the Sultan Jluley Ismail. It is surrounded by exten- sive olive groves, and has a fine mosi|iU' which is visited hy pilgrims, and a palace of the Sultan, ■who occasionally visits the town in the summer. It is of little commercial or industrial impor- tance, its chief manufactures being earthenware and leather goods. Tlie population is estimated at from ^n.OOO to 00,000. MERAN, mft-rlin'. A famous health resort in Tyrol, Atistria. situated on the Passer, about 42 miles south-southwest of Innsbruck (Map: Austria, B 3). It lies at the foot of the Kiichel- berg, at an altitude of about 1000 feet, and is noted for its salubrious and moderate climate. The vicinity abounds in picturesque old castles and chateaux, and fine promenades extend along both banks of^the Passer. The principal street, Vnter den Lauben. flanked with arcades, con- tains the fifteenth-century burg — the former residence of the cmints of Tyrol, and now in its restored condition serving as a museum. The season lasts from the begiiming of fall to the end of spring, and Ihe annual number of patients exceeds 10.000. Meran is ]irovided with several churches, schools, and a theatre. On the north- western side of the Kiichelberg is the remarkable old castle of Tyrol, the ancient seat of the counts of Tyrol, and now in a half-ruined condition. The chateau of l.ebenberg. south of Meran. is also of no little interest. Meran is first mentioned as ilairania in S.'il. It became a town at the end of the thirteenth century, and was nntil 14110 the residence of the counts of Tvrol. Population, in 180O. 7170: in MIOO, 9284. MERAN, .V(i.Ks or. See Agnes of Mf.rax. MERCADANTE, mer'ka-dan'tft. Francesco Samiiki I I7!I7IS70). A celebrated Italian musician, born at Altanuna. He studied the violin and the llute uniler Zingarelli at the Con- servatory i^an Sebastiano at Naples, but soon turned his attention to compositions for the voice. In 1818 he produced a grand cantata, en- titled h'uniimr rlrllf lirlli nrli. which was per- formed af the Teatro Fondo. and which met with a very favorable reception. This led to an en- gagement at the Teatro San Carlo, where his first opera, L'apoteosi d'ErcoU (1819), was well re- ceived. In 1833 he was appointed' chapelmaster at the Cathedral of Xovara.and in 1830 liisoiiera / briyanti was i)crl'ornied in Paris with an ex- traordinary cast, which consisted of Kubini, Tamburino, Lablache, and Grisi. He was made director of the royal conservatory at Naples in 1840, but became totally blind in 1802. He com- posed many masses, and much Church music. He died at Naples. MERCANTILE AGENCY. "An institution wbicj]. lor a subscripliuM price, agrees to collect information as to the financial condition and re- sponsibility of business men and to transmit the same to its subscribers." At times it also un- dertakes the collection of debts for its cus- tomers. It originated in the United States, dur- ing the period of depression following the panic of 1837, and its avowed object was to uphold, extend, and render safe and profitalile to all con- cerned the great credit system which had grown up with the increase of commerce. The first mer- cantile agency was established in New York dur- ing the year 1841 by Lewis Tappan, and was followed the next year by a simihir agency un- der the control of Woodward and Duscnbury, While originally establislied for the purpose of answering <piestions about the financial stand- ' ing of jjarticular persons, the scope of the i agency has been extended, until its records eon- tain the financial ratings of nearly every business man in the country. In addition to the general agencies, such as Dun & Co, and the Pradstreet Comjiany. there are many special agencies which confine themselves to particular lines of trade. By the general agencies the country is divided into districts, in each of which is a maniiging agent with various correspondents in the several localities. If a subscriber wishes more minute or more recent information than that contained in the agency's periodical reports, he asks for and receives a special report brought down to date. While a mercantile agency is employed by its subscribers to do certain things for them, it is not in the strict sense their agent (<|.v.) in these transactions: it is rather an independent con- tractor. It engages to accomplish a stipu- lated result, but is entirely free to accomplish this in its own way and with its own instrumen- talities. If. in obtaining and publishing infor- mation, it docs a legal wrong to tliird persons, it is responsible therefor, but its employers are not. A statement made to a subscriber iisking for it is generally held to be conditionally ]>rivileged. hut when made to other subscribers who have no interest in the information it is not privileged. In a ease of the former kind the plaintiff would be obliged, therefore, to prove actual malice, or malice in fact, to sustain an action for libel, slander, or the like, on the part of the agency; but in the latter case he would not. . subscriber who is misled to his injury by acting upon false information stipplicd by the agency is generally entitled to daimigcs against it. Alost agencies, however, require their pa- trons to agree that the agency shall not be re- spor.sible for any loss caused by the neglect of anj' of its servants, clerks, attorneys, or employees in procuring, collecting, and comiiiunicnting in- formation. Such agreements have been nplicid by several courts. If. however, after correct infor- mation has been received by the agency, a blunder is made by its managers in printing it, the