Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/905

* ZELTER. 767 ZENITH TELESCOPE. ZELTER, tsM'ter, Karl Fktedeicii (1758- 1832). A German composer, born in Berlin. He studied music with Kirnljerger and Kasch and became the leader in Kellstab's Liebhaher-Cou- eerte. From 1877 he assisted Faseh in conducting the iSiiigakademie, and in 1800 siicceeded him. In 1807 he organized a school for ordicstral practice, and two years afterwards the Herlin hiedertafel, the llrst of its kind, for which he composed nearly one liundrcd male clioruses, many of which have continued popuhir to this day.' He also founded, in 1810, the Royal Institute for Church Music, of which he was di- rector until his death. Goethe and he were close friends, and their correspondence, liricfwechsel zii-ischen Goethe vnd '/A-Itcr in den .hihren 17911- ISSi, was edited by Riemer (Berlin. lS:i3-34). Felix Mendelssohn was among his pupils. He also wrote the Life of Fasch (1801). He was a composer of national importance because of his songs and male choruses. For his biography consult Rintel (Berlin, 1861). ZEMINDAR, ze-nien'dUr (Hind, zamindar, from I'ers. zaiiiln, land -)- ddr, to hold, possess). The title given in India from Mohammedan times to the landlords who held property as a fief from the Government or from a superior lord. Under Mohammedan rule the zemindars were looked upon as collectors of revenues from the ryots, or cultivators in large towns and districts, and as answerable to the authorities, from whom they received a commission of ten per cent, besides other emoluments during the good discharge of their duties. In the course of time their office became practically hereditary and their fiefs came to be regarded as their own property, and they often rose to the position of cliicfs. gov- ernors, and princes. Under the British Govern- ment the zemindar system of tax collection was continued in Bengal, Behar, Orissa, and Madras. ZENANA, ze-na'na (Pers. zaimnali, feminine, seraglio, from zan, woman ; connected with Gk. yvi't'i, (jyne, Skt. giw, woman, and ultimately with Eng. queen). The name applied in India to the women's quarters. In Bengal, where is the typical zenana, the dwelling consists of two houses built each round its own court. The one on the street is occupied by the men. In the rear building, which contains the zenana, the first floor is for cow-slieds, storage, and cook rooms ; above are colls, 10 to 12 feet square, each having a door and a small grated window opening upon piazzas, which. in one, two, or three tiers, sur- round the inner court. The surroundings and conditions are generally miscraljle when judged by Western standards, and it has been the spe- cial object of the Zenana Jlission in India, since 18.55, to ameliorate gradually the zenana system and to advance the condition of Hindu women, whom Oriental custom tlius secludes within the ■walls of the seraglio. ZEND-AVES'TA. See Ave.sta. ZENGKER, .ToHN Petee (c.1G80-1746). An American publisher. He was born in Germany, came to New York about 1700. and there entered the printing business. In 1733 he began to pub- lish the ]S!ew York We'rkb/ Journal, which he made the organ of the popular party in the colony. So much did the Government feel his attacks that it was resolved in Council that cer- tain numbers of his papers and two ballads should be burnt by the hangman, while he was arrested on a charge of libel and was imprisoned for about eight months. His friends employed to defend him Andrew Hamilton (<i.v.), the emi- nent barrister from Philadelphia, in the trial the defense admitted th(' fact of publication, but maintained that since the statements were true there was no libel. The Chief .Justice, who pre- sided, contended, however, that "you cannot be permitted to give the truth of a libel in evi- dence." Hamilton, on the other hand, asserted that the jury had the right to determine both the law and the fact. The result was that the jury, which was imbued with popular opinion on the matter, gave a verdict of not guilty. This triumpli of freedom of the press has been termed "the morning star of that liberty which subse- quently revolutionized America." Consult Ruth- erf urd, John Peter Zenger (New York. IBOi). ZENGER, tseng'er. Max (1837—). A Ger- man composer, born at Munich. He studied with Stark in his native city, and at the Conservatory of Leipzig. In 1808 he became kapellmeister at Regen.sburg, and in 1SB9 was appointed mu- sical director of the Royal Opera in Munich. In 1878-85 he was conductor of the Munich Oratorio Society, and also of the Academi.sehe Ciesang- verein and choral society in the Royal School of Music. His Avorks include the operas Die Fos- cari (1863) ; Fuy Bias (1868) : and Wieland der Schmicd (1880) ; an oratorio, Kain (after Byron, 1867) ; a secular cantata. Die Heinzelmiinnchen, for mixed chorus and orchestra; music to Goethe's Faust ( first part, 1887 ; second part, 1895) ; a symphony; a Missa Solemnis, a Stabat Mater, and other church music ; some chamber music, besides choruses for male and mixed voices, and many songs. ZENITH (OF. zenith, cenith, Fr. zenith, from OSp. zenith, Sp. zenit, zenith, from Ar. samt, way. from sinnata, to pursue one's way, especially samt al-ra's, zenith, way of the head). The name given to that point of the heavens which is direct- ly overhead. A term defined in astronomy as that point of the celestial sphere where it would be pierced by a plumb-line produced indefinitely upward at the place of observation. It is the opposite of nadir (q.v.). ZENITH TELESCOPE. An instrument espe- cially adapted for the measurement of small differences in the zenith distances of celestial objects. It consists of a vertical column re- volving about a vertical axis and carrying a horizontal axis, to one end of which the tele- scope is attached and to the other a weight to counterpoise the telescope. To this horizontal axis is also attached a striding level. The ver- tical column carries also a vernier and a clamp. The distinctive features of the instrument are .a spirit level and a micrometer. The spirit level is attached by means of a pivot and a bar to the telescope and at right angles to the horizon- tal axis so that it is free to move in the plane of the telescope and consequently may be inclined to the optical axis at any angle, read off by means of a vernier attached to the bar carrying the spirit level. When the bubble of the level is in the middle of the tube, this circle, graduated from 0° to 00° in each direction, will give the zenith distance of the star toward which the telescope is directed. The micrometer consists of