=Taliesin= or TALIESSIN, son of St. Henwig, chief of the bards of the West, in the time of King Arthur (sixth century). In the _Mabinogion_, are given the legends connected with him, several specimens of his songs, and all that is historically known about him. The bursting in of the sea through the neglect of Seithenin, who had charge of the embankment, and the ruin which it brought on Gwyddno Garanhir, is allegorized by the bursting of a pot called the “caldron of inspiration,” through the neglect of Gwion Bach, who was set to watch it. That Taliessen, once which made the rivers dance, And in his rapture raised the mountains from their trance. Shall tremble at my verse. Drayton, _Polyolbion_, iv. (1613). =Talisman= (_The_), a novel by Sir W. Scott, and one of the best of the thirty-two which he wrote (1825). It relates how Richard Cœur de Lion was cured of a fever in the Holy Land, by Saladin, the soldan, his noble enemy. Saladin, hearing of his illness, assumed the disguise of Adonbec el Hakim, the physician, and visited the king. He filled a cup with spring water, into which he dipped the talisman, a little red purse that he took from his bosom, and when it had been steeped long enough, he gave the draught to the king to drink (ch. ix.). During the king’s sickness, the archduke of Austria planted his own banner beside that of England; but as soon as Richard recovered from his fever he tore down the Austrian banner, and gave it in custody to Sir Kenneth. While Kenneth was absent he left his dog in charge of it, but on his return, found the dog wounded, and the banner stolen. King Richard, in his rage, ordered Sir Kenneth to execution, but pardoned him on the intercession of “the physician” (Saladin). Sir Kenneth’s dog showed such a strange aversion to the Marquis de Montserrat, that suspicion was aroused, the marquis was challenged to single combat, and, being overthrown by Sir Kenneth, confessed that he had stolen the banner. The love story interwoven is that between Sir Kenneth, the prince royal of Scotland, and Lady Edith Plantagenet, the king’s kinswoman, with whose marriage the tale concludes. =Talismans= (_The Four_). Houna, surnamed Seidel-Beckir, a talismanist, made three of great value: viz., a little golden fish, which would fetch out of the sea whatever it was bidden; a poniard, which rendered invisible not only the person bearing it, but all those he wished to be so; and a ring of steel, which enabled the wearer to read the secrets of men’s hearts. The fourth talisman was a bracelet, which preserved the wearer from poison.--Comte de Caylus, _Oriental Tales_ (“The Four Talismans,” 1743).