[Terminus], in Roman mythology a deity who presided over boundaries, the worship of whom was instituted by Numa (q. v.).
[Terpsichorë], the Muse of choral song and dancing.
[Terra-Cotta], a composition of fine clay and fine colourless sand moulded into shapes and baked to hardness.
[Terray, Abbé], "dissolute financier" of Louis XV.; "paying eightpence in the shilling, so that wits exclaim in some press at the play-house, 'Where is Abbé Terray that he might reduce it to two-thirds!'"; lived a scandalous life, and ingratiated himself with Madame Pompadour; he held his post till the accession of Louis XVI., and fell with his iniquitous colleagues (1715-1778).
[Terre-Haute] (37), capital of Vigo County, Indiana, stands on a plateau overlooking the Wabash, 178 m. S. of Chicago; is situated in a rich coal district, and has numerous foundries and various factories; is well equipped with schools and other public institutions.
[Terry, Ellen] (Mrs. Charles Kelly), the most celebrated of living English actresses, born at Coventry; made her début at the early age of eight, appearing as Mamilius in "The Winter's Tale," at the Princess Theatre, then under the management of Charles Kean; during 1864—74 she lived in retirement, but returning to the stage in 1875 achieved her first great success in the character of Portia; played for some time with the Bancrofts and at the Court Theatre; in December 1878 made her first appearance at the Lyceum Theatre, then under the management of [Henry Irving] (q. v.), with whose subsequent successful career her own is inseparably associated, sharing with him the honours of a long list of memorable Shakespearian and other performances; b. 1848.
[Tersanctus], the ascription of praise, Holy, Holy, Holy, preliminary to the consecrating prayer in Holy Communion.
[Tertullian, Quintus Septimius Florens], one of the Latin Fathers, born at Carthage, the son of a Roman centurion; was well educated; bred a rhetorician; was converted to Christianity, became presbyter of Carthage, and embraced [Montanist views] (q. v.); wrote numerous works, apologetical, polemical, doctrinal, and practical, the last of an ascetic tendency (150-230).
[Test Act], act of date 1673, now repealed, requiring all officials under the crown to take the oath of allegiance and supremacy, &c.; directed equally against Dissenters, Roman Catholics, &c.
[Testudo] (tortoise-shell), in ancient Roman warfare a covering of the shields of the soldiers held over their heads as protection against missiles thrown from the walls when besieging a city.