WEISSE, CHRISTIAN FELIX, a German writer for children, was born at Annaberg in Saxony on the 8th of February 1726. After studying at Altenburg and Leipzig, he became suddenly smitten by a passion for the drama. His friend Lessing tried by public and private criticism to moderate or direct his thirst, but it was all in vain. After frequent attempts at tragedies, comedies, and vaudevilles, and as frequent failures, he resolved to give over writing for adults, and try writing for children. Here he was much more at home than in the drama. Basedow did the intellectual portion of education, while to Weisse was committed the domestic. The Spelling-book, the Little Reading-book, the Children's Friend, had an unbounded popularity. The author, however, was much better fitted to drill children than to form their character. He died on the 16th of December 1804. A list of his numerous works will be found in Jörden's Lexicon.
Walachia.—The weights are those of Moldavia. The killog of Brailow, of about 400 oche = 1.5 killog of Galatz = 18 killog of Constantinople = 9 sacchi of Leghorn. In other respects the same as in Turkey.
West Indies (British).—In general the same as in Britain; but Spanish measures are partly used in Trinidad, and the old system of France in St Lucia.
West Indies (French).—Same as in France.
West Indies (Dutch).—Chiefly the old system of Amsterdam. In Curaçoa the Spanish varo is also employed.
West Indies (Danish).—Same as in Denmark. The British yard and French aune are sometimes employed.
West Indies (Swedish).—Chiefly the same as in Sweden.
Würtemberg.—The lb. = 1.0314 lb. avoird.; the foot = 11.25 Brit. inches. The toise = 6 feet; the ell = 24.18 Brit. inches. The mile is the fifteenth of a degree. The morgen or acre = 31.518 French acres; and 1.5 morgen = 1 jochart. The fuder of wine = 388.16 Brit. gall. The scheffel of corn = 4.88 Brit. bushels.
For further particulars we beg to refer to Kelly's Metrology, and his Universal Cambist; the Parliamentary Reports, particularly those relating to the Board of Trade; Buchanan on Weights and Measures; McCulloch's Commercial Dictionary; Waterston's Manual of Commerce; and, above all, the Dictionnaire Universel des Poids et Mesures Anciens et Modernes, par Horace Dourstier, Bruxelles, 1840. (7. Y.) (H. M.—E.)