MEYER. 423 MEYERBEER. Cats" (1885, Dresden Gallerj') ; "Players at Dice" (18SG, National Gallery, Berlin); "In- fants' School" (1888), and others which were immediately acquired for private collections. He was professor at the .School of Art in Karlsruhe in 1891-95, and afterwards at the Academy in Dusseldorf. MEYER, KoxRAD Ferdinand (1825-98). A Swiss |HHt and liistorical novelist. The little volume of historical Balladen (Leipzig, 18G7), by uhicli 111' first attracted attention, is halting in expression, as are the verses of Eomanzcn vnd liildrr (Leipzig, 1870). More plasticity appears in Hullens Ictzte Tntic (Leipzig, 1871), and in Enyelberg (Leipzig, 1873), both narrative poems. Meyer then turned his attention from verse to prose, still remaining faithful to historical themes, and produced six striking epic narra- tives, which, though they require in the reader loo wide a culture to be popular, are an enduring part of Gernuin novelistic literature. These are: Jiirg Jcnulsch (1876): Der IleiUgc (1880); Leiden eines Knaben (1883) ; Die Hochzeit des Monchs (1884); Die VersMchiitig des Pescara (1887); and Angela Borgia (1891). Meantime he had written a remarkable group of historical sliort stories, first collected as Kleine NoL-ellen (1883) and later as yorellen (13th ed. 1899). Characteristic and perhaps best of these is Gus- tav Adolf s Page. His early poems are incor- porated, with many changes, almost always for the better, in Gedichte (1882). Jleyer's literary characteristics, which combine to make him the most important imaginative writer in Switzer- land in his generation, are truthfulness of observation, a realistic plasticity in description, clearness of style, objectivity in statement, A uniform edition of Meyer's works appeared in 1892. For his bio2ra])hv. consult Trog (Basel, 1S97) and Frey (Stuttg.irt, 1900). Also Moser, ^y^>ldlungrn der Gedichte K. F. Meyers (Leipzig, 1900) : and Kraeger, A'. F. Meyer, Qvellen und 'Wandlun gen seiner Gedichte (Berlin, 1901). MEYER, Leo (1830—). A German philolo- gist, born at Bledeln. near Hanover, and edu- cated at Gcittingen and Berlin, From 1862 to 1805 he was professor in Gcittingen, and in 1865 he became professor of comparative philology' at Dorpat. In 1889 he again accepted a chair at Gcittingen, His contributions to philological lit- erature are of great merit; they include: Ter- gleichcnde Grammatilc der griechischen nnd la- teinischen ^prachr (1861-65): Die gothische S<lirnche (1869) : and Handbuch der griechischen Elgmologie (1901), He also wrote Glnuhen und Wissen (1876), and Uebcr das Leben nach dem Tode (1882). MEYER, LoTiiAR .JUI.IU.S (1830-95). A Ger- man clieniist. born in Varel, Oldenburg, He studied medicine in Zurich and Yiirzburg and chemistry at Heidelberg, where, in 1857, he made the discover}', by a simple analysis, that the taking up of o.xygen by the blood is not accom- jilished by the air, but results from the chemical affinity between oxygen and the coloring matter of the blood. This view, published in Die Gase des Blutes (1857), was supplemented by the study De fUnnguinr Ori/do Carbonico Infeeto (1858), Tn 1859 he became jirofcssor in the chemical laboratory in Breslau : in 1866 ho he- came professor at F.berswalde: and in 1868 at Karlsruhe, whence in 1876 he went to Tiihingen. Meyer also wrote important monographs on educational methods. Die modernen Theorien der Chemie (1864; 0th ed., partially, 1896), and Die Atomgeiriehtr der Elemente (with Seubert, 1883). MEYER, mn'yar', Paul (1840—). A French pliilologist, borii in Paris. He studied at the Keole des Chartes; served in the manuscript de- partment at the Biblioth(>que Xationale( 1863- 65) ; and was keeper of the national archives from 1865 to 1872. In 1865 he founded the Iterue Critique, of which he was joint-editor until 1872, when he established the Romania. Meyer became secretary of the Ecole des Chartes in 1872; pro- fessor of Romance languages in the C'ollfege de France in 1876, and director of the Ecole des Chartes in 1882. He was elected to the Institute in 1883. His researches into the literature of the Jliddle Ages, which began with a study of that of Provence and was very comprehensive, in- volved laborious investigations in many libraries, particularly those of France and England, His works include: Recherches sur Vepopie francaise (1867) ; Recherches sur les auteurs de la chan- son de la croisade albigcoise (1868); Memoire sur I'^tude des dialectcs de la langue d'oc cut moyen age (1874) ; Recueil d'anciens textes bas- latins, provenQoux et francais (1874-76); Alex- andre le Grand dans la littcrature francaise du mot/en age ( 1886) ; Xicole de Boxon (1889) ; and Guillaume le Marcchal (1891-94). MEYER, mi'er, Victor (1848-97). A German chemist, born in Berlin. He was appointed pro- fessor in the Stuttgart Polytechnikum in 1871, and in 1872 professor of chemistry and director of the chemical laboratory in the Polv'technie In- stitute of Zurich. In 1885 he became professor at Gi'ittingen, and in 1889 he was called, as Bun- sen's successor, to Heidelberg. He made valuable researches in organic cliemistry, and invented apparatus for determining the solubilit}' and density of gas and smoke. I See Molecules.) In addition to voluminous contributions to the reports of the German Chemical Society, he wrote Gutachtcn betreffeiid den Verkehr mit Petroleum und anderen feuergefiihrlichen Fliissigkeiten (1879). MEYERBEER, mi'Cr-bar. Giacomo (1791- 1864). A famous Cierman composer. He was born at Berlin, of wealthy Jewish parents, and gave early promise of musical talent, which his parents encouraged, Lauska, considered the best teacher in Berlin, superintended his studies, while Clementi took a special interest in his progress and instruction. He made his first pub- lic appearance as a boy of nine. In 1806 he be- came a student under Vogler, and entered the latter's academy in Darmstadt, where he formed a friendship with Weber, which proved to be life- long. Jleyerbeer's earliest compositions gave lit- tle indication of the success he afterwards achieved, and in style were largely ecclesiastical. An opera, -/ephthah's ^'ou dating from this period, is singularly dull and hea^'y. and when first given was little esteemed by the general public, though the critics thought highly of it. Abimelek (1813) was a comic opera which met with a more favorable reception than any of his previous efforts, and was especially fateful in that it took its conipo-;er to Vienna, where he first heard Hummel, whose virtuosity on the piano so impressed liini that he postponed all his plans and went into retirement with the object of perfecting his own style. After a brief stay
