Ethiopians both in the east and the west. After-scends again during the night, in the form of dew; wards, the inhabitants of Abyssinia were called by being absorbed by those vegetables which yielded this name, Abyssinia being denominated Ethiopia. it before. The Ethiopian women, who are frequently sold as slaves in Constantinople, are celebrated for their fine forms.

ETIQUETTE. A ticket or title affixed to a bundle of papers, expressing its contents; is still used, when applied to the Spanish and some other courts, to signify a particular account of what is to be done daily in the king's household, and in the chief ceremonies relating to it. The word is otherwise chiefly used, to denote those forms that regulate the decorum of conduct towards persons of various ranks and stations.

ETYMOLOGY. The science which investigates the nature, origin, derivation, and formation of words.

One of the most beneficial effects of evaporation, is to cool the earth, and prevent it from being too much heated by the sun. This property of producing cold by evaporation, has but lately been observed by chemists, who have accordingly availed themselves of it in its fullest extent; though their mode of procuring cold, by means of those expensive fluids, ether and spirits of wine, can only be employed by way of experiment. The most simple method, however, of producing cold by the evaporation of water, may be applied to various useful purposes, especially in warm countries: thus sailors are accustomed to cool their casks of liquors, by sprinkling them with sea-water.

Dr. Darwin justly observes, that the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the earth, produces so much cold as to injure those terrestrial plants, which are too long covered with it. Hence, such parts of wall trees as are sheltered from the descending dews, by a coping stone on the wall, are not so liable to be injured by frosty nights; because they are not made colder by the evaporation of the dew, and also have less water to be congealed in their vessels, and to burst them by its consequent expansion.

The subject of etymology being words spoken or written, it may be viewed under two aspects: 1st, As forming a part of particular grammar; 2d, as constituting a branch of the philosophy of language. In the former, the office of etymology is to mark out the different classes of words, or parts of speech, as they are usually termed; the purposes which these respectively serve; the inflections or changes which they may undergo; and the modes in which, by composition or derivation, EUCHARIST. The sacrament of the Lord's they are to be deduced or formed from one another. Supper, so called, because the death of our ReIn the latter, the etymologist extends his views be-deemer is thereby commemorated with thankful yond mere grammatical formations, to the remote remembrance. and recondite analysis of words, whether primitive or derived, with a view to trace out the actual origin, progress, and filiation of languages, and, if possible, to discover the radical nuclei or germs of human speech, as expressive of human thought. The elucidation of the first branch belongs to grammarians and lexicographers; the second forms an interesting subject of philosophical inquiry.

EVACUATION. In Military affairs, the leaving a town, fortress, or any place which has been occupied as a military post or position.

EVANGELIST. A general name given to those who write or preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The word is of Greek origin, signifying one who publishes glad tidings, or is the messenger of good news.

EVAPORATION. The volatilization of a fluid by means of heat, with access of air, in order to diminish its fluidity, or to obtain any fixed salts it may hold in solution, or diminish the quantity of a residuum. In this manner, the water of the sea is evaporated, and the salt obtained, and decoctions made into extracts.

EUCLID. A celebrated philosopher and logician of Megara; he was a disciple of Socrates, and flourished about 400 years before Christ. The Athenians having prohibited the Megarians from entering their city on pain of death, this philosopher disguised himself in women's clothes to attend the lectures of Socrates. After the death of Socrates, Plato and other philosophers went to Euclid at Megara, to shelter themselves from the tyrants who governed Athens. This philosopher admitted but one chief good; which he at different times called God, or the Spirit, or Providence.

EUCLID. The celebrated mathematician, according to the account of Pappus and Proclus, was born at Alexandria, in Egypt, where he flourished and taught mathematics, with great applause, under the reign of Ptolemy Lagos, about 280 years before Christ. And here, from his time, till the conquest of Alexandria by the Saracens, all the eminent mathematicians were either born or studied.

History is silent as to the time of Euclid's death, or his age. He is represented as a person of a courteous and agreeable behavior, and in great esteem and familiarity with king Ptolemy; who once asking him whether there was any shorter way of coming at geometry than by his Elements, Euclid, as Proclus testifies, made answer, that there was no other royal way or path to geometry.

Evaporation is one of the great chemical processes, by means of which Nature supplies the whole vegetable kingdom with the dew and rain necessary for its support. Hence, it takes place at all times, not only from the surface of the ocean, but also from that of the earth. Nor is it confined EVERGREENS. Are a species of perennials, to these it is even carried on from the leaves of such as hollies, phillyreas, laurustinuses, bays, pines, trees, grass, &c. with which the earth is covered. firs, cedars of Lebanon, &c. They preserve their Great part of the water which is thus raised, de-old leaves a long time after the formation of the

EURYTHMY. In Architecture, painting, and sculpture, is a certain majesty, elegance, and easiness, appearing in the composition of divers members, or parts of a body, painting, or sculpture, and resulting from the fine proportion of it. Vitruvius ranks the eurythmia among the essential parts of architecture; he describes it as consisting in the beauty of the construction, or assemblage of the several parts of the work, which renders its whole appearance beautiful.

new, and do not drop them at any determinate | that is too harsh, and convert it into a smoother, time. In general, the leaves of evergreens are contrary to the ordinary rules: of this there are harder, and less succulent, than those which are abundance of examples, in all languages. renewed annually. The trees are generally natives of warm climates; as the alaternuses of France and Italy, the evergreen oak of Portugal and Suabia, &c. Some herbaceous perennials, as the house-leeks, and naval-worts, enjoy the same privilege with the evergreen trees, and resist the severities of winter; some can even exist out of the earth for some time; being replete with juices, which the leaves imbibe from the humidity of the atmosphere, and, which, in such plants, are of themselves sufficient for effecting the purposes of vegetation. For this reason, unless in excessive hot weather, gardeners seldom water fat succulent plants, as the aloes, which rot when they are moistened, if the sun does not quickly dry them. The leaves of all the evergreen shrubs and trees have a thin compact skin over their surface, as is easily discovered by macerating them in water, to separate the parenchyma, or pulp, from the vessels of the leaves; which cannot be effected in any of these evergreens till a thin parchment-like cover is taken off. They are found by experiment to perspire but little, when compared with those which shed their leaves; and it is, perhaps, principally owing to this close covering, that they retain their verdure, and continue through the winter on the trees. The nutritive juices of these plants always abound, more or less, with an oily quality, which secures them from heing injured by severe frost, so that many evergreens grow in the coldest parts of the habitable world.

EVIL, KING'S. Is the name formerly given to scrofula, in consequence of its being supposed that the kings of England and France possessed the power of curing this disease by the touch. The English and French have each contended that this power was first exercised by their respective monarchs; the French asserting that St. Louis was first endowed with it, and the English that it was possessed by Edward the Confessor.

In the reign of Charles II. the practice seems to have reached its greatest height; and such were the crowds that flocked to the royal physician, that he is said to have touched more than six thousand persons in one year after his restoration. The demands upon the king's time were so great, that he found it necessary to have the patients examined by his surgeons, for the purpose of determining from their certificates if they were proper objects of compassion. They then received tickets of admission to the royal presence, and were touched by the king on one of the days of healing, either at Whitehall or Windsor. After touching those that were brought to him, the king put about each of their necks a white ribbon, with an angel of gold upon it..

During five years, from 1660 to 1664 inclusive, 23,601 persons were touched by Charles II., and from May 1667 to May 1684, the number amounted to 68,506, making in all 92,107.

EUPHONY. In Grammar, an easiness, smoothness, and elegance in pronunciation. Euphony is properly a figure, whereby we suppress a letter

EVOCATION. Is the name of a religious ceremony which was always observed by the Romans, when they began the siege of a town, and which they considered as necessary to their success. It consisted in calling upon the gods and goddesses of the place to forsake the town and come over to them.

EVOLUTION. In Geometry, the unfolding or opening of a curve, and making it describe an evolvent. The equable evolution of the periphery of a circle, or other curve, is such a gradual approach of the circumference to rectitude, as that its parts do all concur, and equally evolve or unbend; so that the same line becomes successively a less arc of a reciprocally greater circle, till at last they change into a straight line.

EXAGGERATION. In Rhetoric, a kind of hyperbole, whereby things are augmented or amplified, by saying more than the truth, either as to good or bad. There are two kinds of exaggeration; the one of things, the other of words.

EXALTATION. The act of raising high. Elevation to power, office, rank, dignity or excellence. Elevated state; state of greatness or dignity. In Pharmacy, the refinement or subtilization of bodies or their qualities and virtues, or the increase of their strength. In Astrology, the dignity of a planet in which its powers are increased.

EXCELLENCY. In England, the title given to ambassadors, commanders, and others not entitled to that of highness. In America, the title is given to the President, to ambassadors, and governors of states.

EXCHANGE. In Arithmetic, the reducing of moneys of different denominations from one to another, or the method of finding what quantity of the money of one place is equal to a given sum of another, according to a certain course of exchange.

EXCHANGE. In Commerce, the trucking or bartering one thing for another; also the place where merchants meet for the purpose of transact ing business; and likewise the giving a sum of money in one place for a bill, ordering the payment of it in another place.

EXCHEQUER. In the British jurisprudence, an ancient court of record, in which all causes

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EXCOMMUNICATION.

An ecclesiastical penalty or censure whereby such persons as are guilty of any notorious crime or offence, are separated from the communion of the church, and deprived of all spiritual advantages.

concerning the revenues and rights of the crown are heard and determined, and where the crown revenues are received. It took this name from the cloth that covered the table of the court, which was party-colored or chequered. This court is said to have been erected by William the Conqueror. In the exchequer, some reckon seven EXCUBIA. In Antiquity, the watches and courts, viz. those of pleas, accounts, receipts, ex-guards kept in the day by the Roman soldiers, chequer chamber, (which is an assembly of all the contradistinguished from the vigile, which were judges on difficult matters in law,) errors in the kept in the night. The excubia were placed either the exchequer, errors in the king's bench, and, at the gates and intrenchments, or in the camp; lastly, the court of equity in the exchequer: but, for the latter there was allowed a whole manipulus for despatch of business, it is generally divided to attend before the prætorium, and four soldiers into two parts; one of which is chiefly occupied to the tent of every tribune. The excubiæ at the in the judicial hearing and deciding of all causes gates of the camp, and at the intrenchments, were relating to the king's coffers, formerly termed the properly called stationes. One company of foot exchequer of accounts: the other is called the re- and one troop of horse were assigned to each of ceipt of the exchequer, as being principally em- the four gates every day. ployed in receiving and payment of money. Officers of the receipt may take one penny in the pound, as their fee for sums issued out; and they are obliged, without delay, to receive the money brought thither; and the money received is to be put in chests, under three different locks and keys, kept by three several officers. All sheriff's, bailiffs, &c. are to account in the exchequer; and in the lower part, termed the receipt, the debtors of the king, and persons in debt to them, the king's tenants, and the officers and ministers of the court, are privileged to sue one another, or any stranger, and to be sued in like actions as are brought in the courts of king's bench and common pleas. The judicial part of the exchequer, is a court both of law and equity. The court of law is held in the office of pleas, according to the course of common law, before the barons.

In this court, the plaintiff ought to be debtor or accountant to the king. The court of equity is held in the exchequer chamber, before the treasurer, chancellor, and barons; but, generally, before the barons only; the lord chief baron being the chief judge to hear and détermine all causes. The proceedings in this part of the exchequer, are by English bill and answer, according to the practice of the court of chancery; with this difference, that the plaintiff here must likewise set forth that he is a debtor to the king, whether he be so or not. It is in this court of equity, that the clergy exhibit bills for the recovery of their tithes. Here, too, the attorney-general exhibits bills for any matters concerning the crown; and a bill may be exhibited against the king's attorney, by any person aggrieved in any cause prosecuted against him on behalf of the king, to be relieved therein: in which case, the plaintiff is to attend on the attorney-general with a copy of the bill, and procure him to give in an answer thereto; in the making of which, he may call in any person interested in the cause, or any officer, or others, to instruct him, that the king be not prejudiced thereby; and his answer is to be put in without oath.

EXECRATION. In Antiquity, a kind of punishment, consisting of direful curses and marks of infamy; such was that used against Philip of Macedon by the Athenians. A general assembly of the people being called, they made a decree, that all the statues and images of that king, and of all his ancestors, should be demolished, and their very name rased; that all the festivals, sacred rites, priests, and whatever else had been instituted in honor of him, should be profaned; that the very places where there had been any monument or inscription to his honor, should be detestable; that nothing should be set up, or dedicated in them, which could be done in clean places; and, lastly, that the priests, as often as they prayed for the Athenian people, allies, armies, and fleets, should as many times detest and execrate Philip, his children, kingdom, land and sea forces, and the whole race and name of the Macedonians. At the taking and demolishing of cities, it was usual amongst the Greeks and Romans to pronounce curses upon, and load with direful execrations, the rebuilders of them.

EXECUTOR. In Law, a person appointed by another's last will and testament, to have the execution of the same after his decease, and the disposing of the testator's goods and effects, according to the intent of the will. Where there is no executor, there is properly no will; and where there is no will, there can be no executors: but this only regards goods; for where lands in fee are devised, it is a good will, though no executors be named.

EXEGESIS. The interpretation of the scriptures. As the sacred books were composed by authors of a distant age and country, and in foreign languages, it is evident, that, in order to understand them, it is necessary to possess not only a profound knowledge of the languages, but also a mass of historical, geographical and antiquarian knowledge; and as the knowledge of christian doctrine must be drawn from the scriptures, it folEXCLAMATION. In Punctuation, is placed lows that the whole study of theology must proat the end of an exclamatory sentence. Exclama- ceed from exegesis. The most celebrated exegetic tion is the voice of nature, when she is agitated, authors among the church fathers were Origen, amazed, or transported. In reading, it requires an Chrysostom, Theodoret, Diodorus of Tarsus, and elevation of the voice, as the term exclamation im- Jerome. In the middle ages, when people confinplies; and such a pause, as may seem to give roomed themselves almost exclusively to the Vulgate, or for a momentary reflection.

Latin translation, which was in common use, and fore requisite, when charcoal is employed for culimost of the theologians were ignorant of the lan-nary or domestic purposes. In a similar manner guages, exegesis was very much neglected. But the study was revived by the reformation, and the last century shows a multitude of eminent exegesists, particularly in the Protestant church, and especially in Germany.

humid air of every kind is very detrimental to health; and we seriously reprobate the keeping of damp linen, wet clothes, and even wet umbrellas, in dwelling-rooms; as, by paying due attention to this circumstance, many serious accidents might easily be prevented.

EXHIBITION. A public display of whatever is interesting, either as a matter of art, or a natural curiosity; in England, particularly the exhibition of paintings at Somerset House, which is by distinction called the Exhibition.

EXERCISE. Or bodily motion, constitutes, in the language of the older physicians, one of the six non-naturals, and has been justly considered, from the earliest times, as an important measure in the preservation of health, as well as in the cure of several diseases. It increases the circulation of the blood, attenuates the fluids; promotes a regular perspiration, and a due secretion of all the humors; EXILE. Among the Romans exilium properly accelerates the animal spirits; facilitates their dis- signified an interdiction or exclusion from water tribution into all the fibres of the body; strengthens or fire; the necessary consequence of which was, the parts; creates an appetite, and helps digestion. that the interdicted person must betake himself Boerhaave recommends bodily exercise in diseases into some other country, since there was no living of a weak and lax fibre. By riding on horseback, without fire and water. Thus Cicero, ad Herenn, says his commentator, the pendulous viscera of the observes that the form of the sentence did not exabdomen are shaken every moment, and gently press exilium, but only aquæ et ignis interdictio: rubbed one against another, while in the meantime and that 'exile was not properly a punishment, the pure air acts on the lungs with greater force. but a voluntary flying and avoiding the punishment But, though nothing is more conducive to health decreed.' He adds, that there was no crime among than moderate exercise, yet violent exercise dissi- the Romans, as among other nations, punished pates the spirits, weakens the body, destroys the with exile; but it was a resource to which people elasticity of the fibres, and exhausts the fluid parts flew voluntarily, to avoid chains, ignominy, starving, &c. The Athenians often sent their great men into exile, from envy of their merits, or jealousy of their popularity.

of the blood.

EXFOLIATION. This term, in Surgery, denotes the process by which the dead part of a bone separates from the living portion. It is also not uncommon for surgeons to signify, by the word exfoliation, the piece of bone itself that has perished, though this is certainly an abuse of language.

EXHALATION. Generally speaking, denotes effluvia or steams, which arise from the surface of the earth, or other bodies, in the form of vapor.

Plants and flowers afford a grateful exhalation, provided their fragrance be not too strong: hence they should never be placed in confined apartments; as instances have occurred of persons being almost suffocated, by sleeping in rooms where quantities of fresh flowers were exposed. In serene weather, however, fresh plants or evergreens (but by no means flowers) may be strewed with advantage, during the day, in the apartments of valetudinarians; as such vegetables, especially in sunshine, generate a vital air, which produces salutary effects on the lungs.

EXOCOETUS. Or the flying fish, in Ichthyology, a genus belonging to the order of abdominales. The head is scaly, and it has no teeth; it has ten radii in the branchiostege membrane; the body is whitish, and the belly is angular: the pectoral fins, the instruments of flight, are very large. When pursued by any other fish, it raises itself from the water by these long fins, and flies in the air to a considerable distance, till the fins dry, and then it falls down into the water. This fish is caught in the Mediterranean and some other seas. It is most common between the tropics, and there its enemies are most numerous. In these climates the flying fishes spring out of the water by hundreds, to escape the rapacity of the dolphins, sharks, dorados, &c. When flying, they have as formidable enemies to encounter in the air, viz. the pelican, eagle, diomedea, &c. and frequently throw themselves on board the ships to escape their pursuit. Their flesh is said to be palatable and nourishing food.

The exhalations arising from vast numbers of burning candles, as also from the breath of many persons respiring in the same room, are peculiarly EX OFFICIO. By virtue of one's office, as, unwholesome to weak and consumptive habits. in England, ex officio informations, prosecutions This inconvenience may, however, be remedied commenced by the king's attorney-general by virby means of conical tubes, the funnels or broad tue of his office, without applying to the court for ends of which should be placed so as to commu- permission. nicate in or above the windows, with the open air: thus the latter will be impelled into the rooms with EXOTIC. An appellation for the produce of considerable force, and ventilate them more effect- foreign countries. Exotic plants are such as beually, and at much less expense, than is accom-long to a soil and climate entirely different from plished by fumigations, or other methods.

The vapor arising from charcoal is particularly hurtful, and, in close apartments, often productive of fatal accidents. The greatest precaution is there

the place where they are raised, and therefore can be preserved for the most part only in green-houses. Exotic plants of the hot climates are very numerous, and require the utmost attention of the garden

er. Even if they can be brought to blossom, it is | linseed tea, thin starch, barley-water, gruel, or oily rare that they produce fruit, and still more rare emulsions, are useful on such occasions. that the seeds ripen. It is only by care and accu- The most useful of expectorant drugs is the rate observation of their nature and wants, that squill or root of the sea-onion, either in powder, or some of them can be acclimated, or made to flour-infused in vinegar, or given in the form of tincture. ish on the foreign soil. The powder of squill is combined with ammoniacum in the squill pill of the Edinburgh pharmacopoeia; and this is a very good way of exhibiting it. Two pills at night and one in the morning, or one pill four times a-day may be taken, or half a tea-spoonful of the vinegar of squill in a little syrup, twice a-day; or an ounce of the vinegar of squill, with three or four of mucilage, and two of some aromatic water, may be made into a mixture, and of this a table-spoonful is to be taken three or four times a-day. Squill may be combined with

grain of calomel may be added to each grain of squill. Ipecacuan, in doses of three or four grains, proves expectorant.

Emetics, even in full doses, have been given with the view of promoting expectoration; and it is probable that, in hooping cough, they not only enable the stomach to get rid of the mucus which has been swallowed, but also promote the discharge from the lungs. We may here mention, that in diseases of the chest it is an unfavorable symptom when emetics do not empty the stomach.

EXPANSION. In Natural Philosophy, the enlargement or increase of bulk in bodies, chiefly by means of heat. This is one of the most general effects of caloric, being common to all bodies whatever, whether solid or fluid, or in an aeriform state. In some cases bodies seem to expand as they grow cold, as water in the act of freezing; this, however, is known to be no exception to the general rule, but is owing to the arrangement of the particles, or to crystallization, and is not a reg-calomel, to promote its expectorant effects; half a ular and gradual expansion like that of metals, or other solid substances by means of heat. In various metals likewise an expansion takes place in passing from a fluid to a solid state, which is accounted for in the same way. The expansion of solids is exhibited by the pyrometer; a rod of iron, for instance, becomes sensibly longer and larger in all its dimensions in passing from a low to a high state of temperature. The expansion of fluids is shown by the thermometer, and is the principle upon which that useful instrument is constructed; by immersing a thermometer into hot water, the mercury, or other fluid, contained in it immediately expands. The degree of expansion produced in different liquids, varies very considerably. In general, the denser the fluid, the less the expansion; water expands more than mercury, and alcohol, which is lighter than water, expands more than water. The expansion of aeriform fluids may be exhibited by bringing a bladder, partly filled with air, and the neck closely tied, near the fire; the bladder will soon be distended, and will, if the heat be strong enough, burst. Metals expand in the following order, those that expand most are placed first: zinc, lead, tin, copper, bismuth, iron, platina.

EXPECTATION. In the doctrine of changes, is applied to any contingent event, upon the happening of which, some benefit is expected.

Some old people are troubled with an habitual cough and expectoration, which they are very anxious to get rid of; but it is not advisable to stop this discharge suddenly, especially by opiates, as it too often happens that derangement of the bowels, or headach, or some more alarming symptom, attacks old people when their cough and spitting are much checked. The sulphate of zinc, in the quantity of one grain twice a-day, and in the form of lozenge, is a medicine that may be given with more safety, to check the excessive expectoration of old people.

EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY. Those branches, the deductions in which are founded on experiment as contrasted with the moral, mathematical, and speculative branches of knowledge; and the wider range of experiments made by the moderns confer on them an ascendancy over the ancients on all subjects of this nature. The principal experimental science is chemistry; the others are optics, pneumatics, hydrostatics, electricity, and magnetism.

EXPLORATOR. A contrivance, invented by Beccaria, consisting of a wire, whose insulated ends, provided with knobs of tin, are fastened to a pole over the chimney or to the top of a tree. From this wire, another leads into a chamber, through a glass tube, covered with sealing-wax, communicating, in the chamber, with an electrometer, by which the electricity of the air may be daily observed.

EXPECTORANTS. Those medicines which have the power of promoting the discharge of mucus from the lungs. They are of great service in many diseases of the chest. The greater number of expectorant medicines are those which in larger doses prove emetic, viz. squill, ipecacuan, ammoniacum, and antimony. Besides those medicines which are more commonly called expectorants, there are various other remedies which indirectly have the same effect in another way. Thus bleeding, blistering, and nauseating doses of emetics have the effect of promoting expectoration; and some substances, by stimulating the top of the wind-pipe, act as expectorants; hence the benefit derived from stimulating lozenges, jellies slowly EXPLOSION. In Natural Philosophy, a sudden dissolved in the mouth, and the inhaling the steam and violent expansion of an aerial, or other elastic of hot vinegar or other stimulant vapors. When the mucus is scanty and acrid, mucilaginous and demulcent substances prove good expectorants. Gum arabic, liquorice, or honey dissolved in water,

fluid, by which it instantly throws off any obstacle that happens to be in the way, sometimes with incredible force, and in such a manner as to produce the most astonishing effects. It differs from ex