“The Virginians,” in 1862 by “Philip,” and in 1863 by “Denis Duval”; in 1852 he lectured in the United States on “The English Humorists of the Eighteenth Century,” and in 1855 on “The Four Georges,” while in 1860 he was appointed first editor of Cornhill.  When “Vanity Fair” was issuing, Mrs. Carlyle wrote her husband:  “Very good indeed; beats Dickens out of the world”; but his greatest effort was “Esmond,” which accordingly is accounted “the most perfect, artistically, of his fictions.”  Of Thackeray, in comparison with Dickens, M. Taine says, he was “more self-contained, better instructed and stronger, a lover of moral dissertations, a counsellor of the public, a sort of lay preacher, less bent on defending the poor, more bent on censuring man; brought to the aid of satire a sustained common-sense, great knowledge of the heart, consummate cleverness, powerful reasoning, a store of meditated hatred, and persecuted vice with all the weapons of reflection...  His novels are a war against the upper classes of his country” (1811-1863).

THAIS, an Athenian courtezan who accompanied Alexander the Great on his expedition into Asia; had children after his death to Ptolemy Lagi.

THALBERG, SIGISMUND, a celebrated pianist, born at Geneva; early displayed a talent for music and languages; was intended and trained for a diplomatic career, but, overcoming his father’s scruples, followed his bent for music, and soon took rank as one of the most brilliant pianists of the age; “Thalberg,” said Liszt, “is the only pianist who can play the violin on the key-board”; composed a large number of pianoforte pieces, chiefly fantasias and variations (1812-1871).

THALES, philosopher of Greece, and one of her seven sages; was a philosopher of the physical school, and the father of philosophy in general, as the first to seek and find within Nature an explanation of Nature; “the principle of all things is water,” he says; “all comes from water, and to water all returns”; flourished about the close of the 7th century B.C.

THALIA, one of the THREE GRACES (q. v.), as also of the
NINE MUSES (q. v.).

THALLIUM, a rare metallic element similar to lead, but heavier, discovered in 1861 by the green in the spectrum in the flame as it was being volatilised.

THAMES, the most important river of Great Britain, formed by the junction at Lechdale of four head-streams—­the Isis, Churn, Coln, and Leach—­which spring from the SE. slope of the Cotswold Hills; winds across the southern midlands eastwards till in a wide estuary it enters the North Sea; forms the boundary-line between several counties, and passes Oxford, Windsor, Eton, Richmond, London, Woolwich, and Gravesend; navigable for barges to Lechdale, and for ocean steamers to Tilbury Docks; tide is felt as far as Teddington, 80 m.; length estimated at 250 m.