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    "source_title": "Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911)",
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    "chunk_id": "1911:curtain:7c94e50612ff",
    "title": "CURTAIN",
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    "verified_text": "curtain, a screen of any textile material, running by means of rings fixed to a rod or pole. curtains are now used chiefly to cover windows and doors, but for many centuries every bed of importance was surrounded by them, and sometimes, as in france, the space thus screened off was much larger than the actual bed and was called the _ruelle_. the curtain is very ancient--indeed the absence of glass and ill-fitting windows long made it a necessity. originally single curtains were used; it would appear that it was not until the 17th century that they were employed in pairs. curtains are made in an infinite variety of materials and styles; when placed over a door they are usually called _portieres_. in fortification the \"curtain\" is that part of the enceinte which lies between two bastions, towers, gates, &c. the word comes into english through the o. fr. _cortine_ or _courtine_ from the late lat. _cortina_. according to du cange (_glossarium_, s.v. \"cortis\") this is a diminutive of _cortis_, an enclosed space, a court. it is used in the various senses of the english \"curtain.\" classical latin had also a word _cortina_, meaning a caldron or round kettle. it was very rarely applied to round objects generally. in the vulgate _cortina_ is used of the curtains of the tabernacle (exodus xxvi). there is some difficulty in connecting the classical and the late latin words. the earliest use in english is, according to the _new english dictionary_, for the hangings of a bed. curtana (a latinized form of the a.-fr. _curtein_, from lat. _curtus_, shortened), the pointless sword of mercy, known also as edward the confessor's sword, borne at the coronation of the kings of england between the two pointed swords of temporal and spiritual justice (see regalia). curtea de argesh (rumanian, _curtea de arges_; also written _curtea d'argesh_, _curtea d'ardges_, _argish_ and _ardjish_), the capital of the department of argesh, rumania; situated on the right bank of the river argesh, where it flows through a valley of the lower carpathians; and on the railway from pitesci to the rothenthurm pass. pop. (1900) 4210. the city is one of the oldest in rumania. according to tradition it was founded early in the 14th century by prince radu negru, succeeding campulung as capital of walachia. hence its name _curtea_, \"the court.\" it contains a few antique churches, and was created a bishopric at the close of the 18th century. the cathedral of curtea de argesh, by far the most famous building in rumania, stands in the grounds of a monastery, 1(1/2) m. n. of the city. it resembles a very large and elaborate mausoleum, built in byzantine style, with moorish arabesques. in shape it is oblong, with a many-sided annexe at the back. in the centre rises a dome, fronted by two smaller cupolas; while a secondary dome, broader and loftier than the central one, springs from the annexe. each summit is crowned by an inverted pear-shaped stone, bearing a triple cross, emblematic of the trinity. the windows are mere slits; those of the tambours, or cylinders, on which the cupolas rest, are curved, and slant at an angle of 70 deg., as though the tambours were leaning to one side. between the pediment and the cornice a thick corded moulding is carried round the main building. above this comes a row of circular shields, adorned with intricate arabesques, while bands and wreaths of lilies are everywhere sculptured on the windows, balconies, tambours and cornices, adding lightness to the fabric. the whole is raised on a platform 7 ft. high, and encircled by a stone balustrade. facing the main entrance is a small open shrine, consisting of a cornice and dome upheld by four pillars. the cathedral is faced with pale grey limestone, easily chiselled, but hardening on exposure. the interior is of brick, plastered and decorated with frescoes. close by stands a large royal palace, moorish in style. the archives of the cathedral were plundered by magyars and moslems, but several inscriptions, greek, slav and ruman, are left. one tablet records that the founder was prince neagoe bassarab (1512-1521); another that prince john radu completed the work in 1526. a third describes the repairs executed in 1681 by prince sherban cantacuzino; a fourth, the restoration, in 1804, by joseph, the first bishop. between 1875 and 1885 the cathedral was reconstructed; and in 1886 it was reconsecrated. its legends have inspired many rumanian poets, among them the celebrated v. alexandri (1821-1890). one tradition describes how neagoe bassarab, while a hostage in constantinople, designed a splendid mosque for the sultan, returning to build the cathedral out of the surplus materials. another version makes him employ one manole or manoli as architect. manole, being unable to finish the walls, the prince threatened him and his assistant with death. at last manole suggested that they should follow the ancient custom of building a living woman into the foundations; and that she who first appeared on the following morning should be the victim. the other masons warned their families, and manole was forced to sacrifice his own wife. thus the cathedral was built except the roof. so arrogant, however, did the masons become, that the prince bade remove the scaffolding, and all, save manole, perished of hunger. he fell to the ground, and a spring of clear water, which issued from the spot, is still called after him. curtesy (a variant of \"courtesy,\" q.v.), in law, the life interest which a husband has in certain events in the lands of which his wife was in her lifetime actually seised for an estate of inheritance. as to the historical origin of the custom and the meaning of the word there is considerable doubt. it has been said to be an interest peculiar to england and to scotland, hence called the \"curtesy of england\" and the \"curtesy of scotland\"; but this is erroneous, for it is found also in germany and france. the _mirroir des justices_ ascribes it to henry i. k. e. digby (_hist. real prop._ chap. iii.) says that it is connected with curia, and has reference either to the attendance of the husband as tenant of the lands at the lord's court, or to mean simply that the husband is acknowledged tenant by the courts of england (_tenens per legem angliae_). the requisites necessary to make tenancy by the curtesy are: (1) a legal marriage; (2) an estate in possession of which the wife must have been actually seised; (3) issue born alive and during the mother's existence, though it is immaterial whether the issue live or die, or whether it is born before or after the wife's seisin; in the case of gavelkind lands the husband has a right to curtesy, whether there is issue born or not; but the curtesy extends only to a moiety of the wife's lands and ceases if the husband marries again. the issue must have been capable of inheriting as heir to the wife, e.g. if a wife were seised of lands in tail male the birth of a daughter would not entitle the husband to a tenancy by curtesy; (4) the title to the tenancy vests only on the death of the wife. the married women's property act 1882 has not affected the right of curtesy so far as relates to the wife's undisposed-of realty (_hope_ v. _hope_, 1892, 2 ch. 336), and the settled land act 1884, s. 8, provides that for the purposes of the settled land act 1882 the estate of a tenant by curtesy is to be deemed an estate arising under a settlement made by the wife. see pollock and maitland, _hist. eng. law_; k. e. digby, _hist. real prop._; goodeve, _real property_. curtilage (med. lat. _curtilagium_, from _curtile_ or _cortile_, a court or yard, cf. \"court\"), the area of land which immediately surrounds a dwelling-house and its yard and outbuildings. in feudal times every castle with its dependent buildings was protected by a surrounding wall, and all the land within the wall was termed the curtilage; but the modern legal interpretation of the word, i.e. what area is enclosed by the curtilage, depends upon the circumstances of each individual case, such as the terms of the grant or deed which passes the property, or upon what is held to be a convenient amount of land for the occupation of the house, &c. the importance of the word in modern law depends on the fact that the curtilage marks the limit of the premises in which housebreaking can be committed. curtin andrew gregg (1817-1894), american political leader, was born at bellefonte, centre county, pennsylvania, on the 22nd of april 1817, the son of a native of ireland who was a pioneer iron manufacturer in pennsylvania. he graduated from the law department of dickinson college in 1837, was admitted to the bar in 1839, and successfully practised his profession. entering politics as a whig, he was chairman of the whig state central committee in 1854, and from 1855 to 1858 was secretary of the commonwealth. in this capacity he was also _ex officio_ the superintendent of common schools, and rendered valuable services to his state in perfecting and expanding the free public school system, and in establishing state normal schools. upon the organization of the republican party he became one of its leaders in pennsylvania, and in october 1860 was chosen governor of the state on its ticket, defeating henry d. foster, the candidate upon whom the douglas and breckinridge democrats and the constitutional unionists had united, by 32,000 votes, after a spirited campaign which was watched with intense interest by the entire country as an index of the result of the ensuing presidential election. during the civil war he was one of the closest and most constant advisers of president lincoln, and one of the most efficient, most energetic and most patriotic of the \"war governors\" of the north. pennsylvania troops were the first to reach washington after the president's call, and from first to last the state, under governor curtin's guidance, furnished 387,284 officers and men to the northern armies. one of his wisest and most praiseworthy acts was the organization of the famous \"pennsylvania reserves,\" by means of which the state was always able to fill at once its required quota after each successive call. in raising funds and equipping and supplying troops the governor showed great energy and resourcefulness, and his plans and organizations for caring for the needy widows and children of pennsylvania soldiers killed in battle, and for aiding and removing to their homes the sick and wounded were widely copied throughout the north. he was re-elected governor in 1863 and served until january 1867. he was united states minister to russia from 1869 until 1872, when he returned to america and took part in the liberal republican revolt against president u. s. grant. in 1872-1873 he was a member of the state constitutional convention. subsequently he joined the democratic party and was a representative in congress from 1881 to 1887. he died at his birthplace, bellefonte, pennsylvania, on the 7th of october 1894. see william h. egle's _life and times of andrew gregg curtin_ (philadelphia, 1896), which contains chapters written by a. k. mcclure, jno. russell young, wayne mcveagh, fitz john porter and others.",
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