=Tannhäuser= (_Sir_), called in German the _Ritter Tannhäuser_, a Teutonic knight, who wins the love of Lisaura, a Mantuan lady. Hilario, the philosopher, often converses with the Ritter on supernatural subjects, and promises that Venus herself shall be his mistress, if he will summon up his courage to enter Venusberg. Tannhäuser starts on the mysterious journey, and Lisaura, hearing thereof, kills herself. At Venusberg, the Ritter gives full swing to his pleasures, but in time returns to Mantua, and makes his confession to Pope Urban. His holiness says to him, “Man, you can no more hope for absolution, than this staff which I hold in my hand, can be expected to bud.” So Tannhäuser flees in despair from Rome, and returns to Venusberg. Meanwhile, the pope’s staff actually does sprout, and Urban sends in all directions for the Ritter, but he is nowhere to be found. Tieck, in his _Phantasus_ (1812), introduces the story. Wagner (in 1845) brought out his great opera, called _Tannhäuser_. The companion of Tannhäuser was Eckhardt. ⁂ The tale of Tannhäuser is substantially the same as that of Thomas of Erceldoun, also called “Thomas the Rhymer,” who was so intimate with Faëry folk, that he could foretell what events would come to pass. He was also a bard, and wrote the famous lay of _Sir Tristrem_. The general belief is, that the seer is not dead, but has been simply removed from the land of the living to Faëry-land, whence occasionally he emerges, to busy himself with human affairs. Sir W. Scott has introduced the legend in _Castle Dangerous_, v. (See ERCELDOUN.) =Tantalus=, for crimes the nature of which is uncertain, he was punished in the Inferno with insatiable hunger and thirst, placed up to his chin in water, which receded whenever he tried to drink, while tempting fruits grew near by, that drew back if he attempted to touch them. Hence, _tantalize_.--_Greek Mythology._ =Taouism=, the system of Taou, that invisible principle which pervades everything. Pope refers to this universal divine permeation in the well-known lines: it Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees, Lives through all life, extends through all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent. _Essay on Man_, i. (1733). =Tapestered Chamber= (_The_), a tale by Sir W. Scott, laid in the reign of George III. There are but two characters introduced. General Browne goes on a visit to Lord Woodville, and sleeps in the “tapestered chamber,” which is haunted. He sees the “lady in the sacque,” describes her to Lord Woodville next morning, and recognizes her picture in the portrait gallery.