CADENABBIA

cadenabbia, a village of lombardy, italy, in the province of como, about 15 m. n.n.e. by steamer from the town of como. it is situated on the w. shore of the lake of como, and owing to the great beauty of the scenery and of the vegetation, and its sheltered situation, is a favourite spring and autumn resort. the most famous of its villas is the villa carlotta, now the property of the duke of saxe-meiningen, which contains marble reliefs by thorwaldsen, representing the triumph of alexander, and statues by canova. cadence (through the fr. from the lat. _cadentia_, from _cadere_, to fall), a falling or sinking, especially as applied to rhythmical or musical sounds, as in the "fall" of the voice in speaking, the rhythm or measure of verses, song or dance. in music, the word is used of the closing chords of a musical phrase, which succeed one another in such a way as to produce, first an expectation or suspense, and then an impression of finality, indicating also the key strongly. "cadenza," the italian form of the same word, is used of a free flourish in a vocal or instrumental composition, introduced immediately before the close of a movement or at the end of the piece. the object is to display the performer's technique, or to prevent too abrupt a contrast between two movements. cadenzas are usually left to the improvisation of the performer, but are sometimes written in full by the composer, or by some famous executant, as in the cadenza in brahms's _violin concerto_, written by joseph joachim. cader idris ("the seat of idris"), the second most imposing mountain in north wales, standing in merionethshire to the s. of dolgelly, between the broad estuaries of the mawddach and the dovey. it is so called in memory of idris gawr, celebrated in the triads as one of the three "gwyn serenyddion," or "happy astronomers," of wales, who is traditionally supposed to have made his observations on this peak. its loftiest point, known as pen-y-gader, rises to the height of 2914 ft., and in clear weather commands a magnificent panorama of immense extent. the mountain is everywhere steep and rocky, especially on its southern side, which falls abruptly towards the lake of tal-y-llyn. mention of cader idris and its legends is frequent in welsh literature, old and modern. cadet (through the fr. from the late lat. _capitettum_, a diminutive of _caput_, head, through the provencal form _capdet_), the head of an inferior branch of a family, a younger son; particularly a military term for an accepted candidate for a commission in the army or navy, who is undergoing training to become an officer. this latter use of the term arose in france, where it was applied to the younger sons of the _noblesse_ who gained commissioned rank, not by serving in the ranks or by entering the _ecoles militaires_, but by becoming attached to corps without pay but with certain privileges. "cadet corps," in the british service, are bodies of boys or youths organized, armed and trained on volunteer military lines. derived from "cadet," through the scots form "cadee," comes "caddie," a messenger-boy, and particularly one who carries clubs at golf, and also the slang word "cad," a vulgar, ill-bred person. cadger (a word of obscure origin possibly connected with "catch"), a hawker or pedlar, a carrier of farm produce to market. the word in this sense has fallen into disuse, and now is used for a beggar or loafer, one who gets his living in more or less questionable ways. cadi (_q[=a][d.][=i]_), a judge in a _ma[h.]kama_ or mahommedan ecclesiastical court, in which decisions are rendered on the basis of the canon law of islam (_shar[=i] `a_). it is a general duty, according to canon law, upon a moslem community to judge legal disputes on this basis, and it is an individual duty upon the ruler of the community to appoint a cadi to act for the community. according to sh[=a]fi`ite law, such a cadi must be a male, free, adult moslem, intelligent, of unassailed character, able to see, hear and write, learned in the koran, the traditions, the agreement, the differences of the legal schools, acquainted with arabic grammar and the exegesis of the koran. he must not sit in a mosque, except under necessity, but in some open, accessible place. he must maintain a strictly impartial attitude of body and mind, accept no presents from the people of his district, and render judgment only when he is in a normal condition mentally and physically. he may not engage in any business. he shall ride to the place where he holds court, greeting the people on both sides. he shall visit the sick and those returned from a journey, and attend funerals. on some of these points the codes differ, and the whole is to be regarded as the ideal qualification, built up theoretically by the canonists. see mahommedan law; also juynboll, _de mohammedaansche wet_ (leiden, 1903), pp. 287 ff.; sachau, _muhammedanisches recht_ (berlin, 1897), pp. 687 ff. (d. b. ma.)