quadrupeds, never associate. Like robbers, they lead a solitary and wandering life. Mutual attachment unites the male and the female; and, as they are both capable of providing for themselves, and can give mutual assistance in making war against other animals, they never separate, even after the season of love. The same pair are uniformly found in the same place; but they never assemble in flocks, nor even associate in families. The larger kinds, as the eagles, require a greater quantity of food, and, for that reason, never allow their own offspring, after they have become rivals, to approach the places which they frequent. But all those birds, and all those quadrupeds, which are nourished by the productions of the earth, live in families, are fond of society, and assemble in numerous flocks, without quarrelling or disturbing one another.

son. The flounder lays annually above one million, and the mackarel more than five hundred thousand; an increase so great, if permitted to arrive at maturity, that the ocean itself, in a few centuries, would not be spacious enough to contain its animated productions. This wonderful fertility answers two valuable purposes. In the midst of numberless enemies, it continues the respective species, and furnishes to all a proper quantity of nourishment.

It has been often said, that no animal spontaneously feeds upon its own species. This remark has probably been intended as an apology for, or at least a limitation to, the general system of carnage established by nature. But, the observation, whatever might have been its intention, is unhappily a result of ignorance; for some quadrupeds, all fishes, and many insects, make no such discrimination. The weaker are uniformly preyed upon by the stronger. Reaumur put twenty of those caterpillars which feed upon the leaves of the oak into a vial. Though he regularly supplied them with plenty of fresh oak leaves, he observed that the number of dead ones daily increased. Upon a more attentive examination into the cause of this mortality, he found, that the stronger attacked with their teeth, killed, sucked out the vitals of their weaker companions, and left nothing but the head, feet, and empty skins. In a few days, one only of the twenty remained in life.

Both the earth and the air furnish examples of rapacious animals. In these elements, however, the number of carnivorous animals is comparatively small. But every inhabitant of the waters depends for its existence upon rapine and destruction. The life of every fish, from the smallest to the greatest, is one continued scene of hostility, violence, and evasion. Their appetite for food is almost insatiable. It impels them to encounter every danger. They are in continual motion; and the object of all their movements is to devour other fishes, or to avoid their own destruction. Their desire for food is so keen and undistinguish- The hostilities of animals give rise to mutual ing, that they greedily swallow every thing which improvement. Animals improve, and discover a has the appearance of animation. Those that superiority of parts, in proportion to the number have small mouths feed upon worms and the of enemies they have to attack or evade. The spawn of other fishes; and those whose mouths weak, and consequently timid, are obliged to exert are larger devour every animal, their own species their utmost powers in inventing and practising not excepted, that can pass through their gullet. every possible mode of escape. Pure instinct powTo avoid destruction, the smaller fry retire to the erfully prompts; but much is learned by experience shallows, where the larger kinds are unable to and observation. Rapacious animals, on the conpursue them. But, in the watery element, no sit-trary, by frequent disappointment, are obliged to uation is absolutely safe; for, even in the shallows, provide against the cunning and alertness of their the oyster, the scallop, and the muscle, lie in am- prey. Herbivorous animals, as they have little bush at the bottom, with their shells open, and, difficulty in procuring food, are proportionally when a small fish comes in contact with them, stupid; but they would be still more stupid, if they they instantly close their shells upon him, and de- had no enemies to annoy them. Man, if his attenvour at leisure their imprisoned prey. Neither is tion and talents were not excited by the animosities the hunting or pursuit of fishes confined to partic-of his own species, by the attacks of ferocious anular regions. Shoals of one species follow, with unwearied ardor, those of another through vast tracts of the ocean. The cod pursues the whiting from the banks of Newfoundland to the southern coasts of Spain.

imals, and even by those of the insect tribes, would be an indolent, an incurious, a dirty, and an ignorant auimal. Those of the human race, accordingly, who procure their food with little or no industry, as we learn from a multitude of travellers It is a remarkable circumstance in the history and voyagers, are perfectly indolent and brutishly of animated nature, that carnivorous birds and stupid. Timid animals never use the arts of dequadrupeds are less prolific than the inoffensive fence, or provide against danger, except from three and associating kinds; but, on the contrary, that causes, pure instinct, which is implanted in their the inhabitants of the waters, who are all carniv-natures, imitation, and experience. By experience, orous, are endowed with a most astonishing fecun- timed animals are taught the arts of evasion. dity. All kinds of fishes, a few only excepted, are Flight is instinctive; but the modifications of it oviparous. Notwithstanding the amazing destruc-are acquired by imitation and experience. tion of their eggs by the smaller fry that frequent the shores, by aquatic birds, and by the larger fishes, the numbers which escape are sufficient to supply the ocean with inhabitants, and to afford nourishment to a very great portion of the human race. A cod, for instance, according to the accurate computation of Lewenhoeck, produces, from one roe, above nine millions of eggs in a single sea

HOTBED. In Gardening, a name given to a sort of bed constructed for the purpose of producing artificial heat, and the raising of different sorts of culinary and other vegetables and plants.

It is chiefly by the aid of these beds also that various tender plants, flowers, and fruits, are raised in perfection, which, without such artificial heat,

could not possibly be produced or continued in this climate. By this means likewise, vast numbers of seeds, which would otherwise remain years in the earth, and some never grow at all, are made to generate, form plants, continue their growth, and produce their flowers and fruits as in their native soils. And the cuttings and slips of many sorts of trees and shrubs, which would otherwise remain inactive and perish, are also made soon to enit root-fibres and shoots, and become plants in due time.

By this means, too, many valuable esculent plants, that succeed in the full ground at one time of the year or other, are brought to perfection much sooner than they could otherwise be obtained, as the cucumber, asparagus, peas, beans, kidneybeans, radishes, carrots, strawberries, and various sallad herbs, and other plants, which grow in the open ground of the garden departments.

The early Portuguese writers also, mention a colony of Chinese in the vicinity of Soffala; and the natives in the interior of Madagascar are described as a small race of Tartars, resembling the Hottentots in stature, color, and countenance. The name Hottentot, though frequently represented as their native appellation, is now ascertained to be of modern fabrication, and has no place or meaning in their own language. They take it to themselves, under the idea of its being a Dutch word; and it is conceived to have been applied at first as a term in some degree imitative of the remarkable clacking made by them in speaking, which is said to sound like hot or tot.

The personal appearance of the Hottentots, though by no means prepossessing, is not nearly so revolting as has been often represented. Their countenance, indeed, is in general extremely ugly. Prominent cheek bones, and a narrow pointed chin, give to the face the form nearly of a triangle. The nose, in most of them, is remarkably flat, and rather broad between the eyes. The eyes are of a deep chestnut color, long and narrow in their shape,

And annual flowering plants, as well as those of the herbaceous and shrubby kinds, are also brought to more early perfection and flowering by them. They are therefore of great use in the practice of gardening in numerous cases of forcing early pro-and the eye-lids, at the extremity next the nose, ductions.

HOTCH-POT. Properly, flesh cut into small pieces, and stewed with herbs and roots. In Law, in England, the putting lands together, that belong to coparceners, for the purpose of distributing them equally.

HOTHOUSE. A building, constructed in a garden, for the rearing of exotics and tender plants that require heat.

instead of forming an angle, as in Europeans, are rounded into each other, exactly like those of the Chinese. Their mouth is of the ordinary size, the lips thinner than those of the Negroes and Caffres and the teeth beautifully white. The hair of their heads is of a singular nature, growing in small tufts at certain distances from each other, and extremely hard and frizzled, resembling, when short, the bristles of a shoe-brush twisted into round lumps about the size of a large pea, and, when suffered to grow, hanging about the neck in strong tassels like fringe. The color of their skin is that HOTTENTOTS. An extraordinary people in of a yellowish brown or faded leaf. Their figure, the southern extremity of Africa, originally occupy-especially when young, is not devoid of symmetry. ing the territories around the Cape of Good Hope. They are erect, clean-limbed, and well proportionThey are altogether an insulated tribe, confined to ed; their hands, feet, and all their joints, remarkaa small corner of the African Continent, and bear- bly small; and the muscular parts of the body ing no resemblance either to the Negro race along delicately formed, so as to indicate rather feminine the western coast, or to the Caffre nation to the inactivity, than masculine exertion. Some of the eastward. Various conjectures have been proposed, women, in their youth, and before child-bearing, but nothing very satisfactory has yet been estab- are described as models of perfection in the human lished, respecting their origin, or affinity. Kolben, figure; every joint and limb being well shaped and in full consistency with his multitude of marvellous turned; their breasts round, firm, and distant; stories on the subject, affirms, that they have a tra- their hands and feet small and delicately formed; dition among themselves, of having been thrust and their gait not altogether deficient in grace. upon the promontory of the Cape out of some narrow passage; and, as a narrow passage might signify a doorway or window, he forthwith concludes, that it could be nothing else than the window of Noah's ark, out of which they crept. Mr. Barrow considers them as approaching nearest in color, and in the construction of the features, especially in the shape of the eye, to the Chinese or Tartar race; and accounts for this relation, by supposing them to have proceeded from the Egyptians, who have been not improbably represented as originally the same people with the Chinese. In support of this opinion, he adduces the strong resemblance between the physical character of the Bosjesmans, or real Hottentots, and the descriptions given by ancient writers, particularly by Diodorus Siculus, of the Egyptians and Ethiopians, especially of the Pigmies and Troglodytes, who are said to have dwelt in the neighborhood of the Nile.

The dress of a Hottentot is very simple; and in summer is so trifling, as not to deserve the name of covering. It consists of a belt cut from the hide of some animal, and fastened round their body. From this strap is suspended in front a kind of case or bag made of the skin of a jackal with the hair outwards; and which is intended to receive those parts, which modesty requires to be concealed. From the back part of the girdle hangs a piece of stiff dried skin, shaped like an isosceles triangle, with the point uppermost, and reaching nearly to the middle of the thigh. Sometimes two of these pieces are used; but these straps, especially when the wearer is walking or running, entirely fail to answer the purpose of concealment; and are conjectured to have been originally intended rather as a kind of artificial tail, to fan the body by its motion, and to lash away troublesome insects. In the winter months, they wear cloaks made of skins,

HOURGLASS. A glass for measuring the hours by the running of the sand from one part of the vessel to another.

generally of sheep, which are worn, as the weather the vicinity of high trees: the covered side must requires, either with the wool inwards or outwards; in this case be kept towards the building which and which serve as blankets and bedding through occasions the inconvenience. the night, as well as for a garment through the day. The women suspend from their belt in front a kind of apron made of skin, but cut into threads, which hang in a bunch between the thighs, and reach about half way to the knee; or they wear a smaller apron about seven or eight inches wide, not divided into threads, but ornamented with shells, metal buttons, and any of their most showy trinkets. Instead of the thongs of dried skin, which formerly covered their legs from the ankle to the knee, as a protection against the bite of poisonous animals, they have substituted strings of glass beads and shells. These they wear also in great abundance around their necks and arms. Some of them have skin caps on their heads, differently shaped and adorned, according to the fancy of the wearer; and they have sheep skin cloaks resembling those of the men. When these cloaks are laid aside, which is commonly the case in the warmer weather, both sexes may be said to be nearly naked; but their bodies are in some measure protected from the influence of the sun or air by the unctuous matter which they rub over the whole of their persons; and which, however filthy in itself, is a very natural and useful resource in hot climates, to prevent the skin from being parched and shrivelled by the scorching heat.

HOWITZERS. In Artillery, are a kind of mortars, invented by the Germans about the year 1593 or 1594, which are mounted upon carriages like travelling gun-carriages, and have their trunnions placed nearly in the middle. The construction of howitzers is as various as that of mortars, excepting the chambers, which are all cylindric. Howitzers are capable of doing great execution, by firing shells and grapes of shots, in a siege where the distance is small, and in the field, if they are placed in the flanks or between the battalions. They are also more easily carried from one place to another than mortars. For the dimensions of different howitzers, and remarks on their construction, the reader may consult the article Cannon.

HUER. A name given to certain fountains in Iceland, forming at times jets d'eau of scalding water arising out of cylindrical tubes of unknown depths. The largest is that which is called Geyer or Geyser, in a plain rising into small hills, and in the midst of an amphitheatre, bounded by the most magnificent and various-shaped icy mountains; among which the three-headed Hecla soars preeminent. Of this, as exemplifying the general appearance of these tremendous fountains, we ex

The Hottentots are often reduced, especially in their native state, to live upon guns, roots, and the larvæ of insects, and at times make a kind of bread from the pith of the palin tree; but their universal delight is to indulge in animal food. They are re-tract the following description from the Travels of markably patient of hunger, and are able to fast a Dr. Henderson. On our approach, the first thing very long time; but are equally voracious when we observed,' says the doctor, was a large circular supplied with their favorite diet, and are described mound, formed of the decompositions of the founas the greatest gluttons on the face of the earth. tain, justly distinguished by the appellation of the Their manner of eating sufficiently indicates the Great Geyser, from the middle of which a great voracity of their appetite. They cut a large steak degree of evaporation was visible. Ascending the from the carcass upon which they feed, and, pass- rampart we had the spacious basin at our feet, ing the knife in a spiral manner from one edge till more than half filled with the most beautiful hot they reach the middle, form it into a string of flesh crystalline water, which was just moved by a gentle two or three yards in length. This they coil ebullition, occasioned by the escape of steam from round and lay upon the hot ashes; and, when the a cylindrical pipe or funnel in the centre. This meat is just warmed through, they grasp it in both pipe I ascertained, by admeasurement, to be sevenhands, and, applying one end of the string to their ty-eight feet in perpendicular depth. Its diameter mouth, proceed without intermission, and with is in general from eight to ten feet, but near the considerable expedition, to the other extremity. mouth it gradually widens, and opens almost imThey do not think of cleaning the meat from the perceptibly with the basin, the inside of which exashes of the green wood, which serve as a substi-hibits a whitish surface, consisting of a siliceous tute for salt; and they wipe their hands, when incrustation, which has been rendered almost perdone with eating, merely by rubbing them on dif- fectly smooth by the incessant action of boiling ferent parts of their body. They are passionately fond of ardent spirits and tobacco; and, to make as much as possible of the flavor of the latter luxury, they purposely employ a very short pipe.

water. The diameter of the basin is fifty-six feet in one direction, and forty-six in another; and, when full, it measures about four feet in depth, from the surface of the water to the commencement of the pipe. The borders of the basin, which form the highest part of the mound, are very ir

HOVELLING. In Architecture, is a method of working up the sides of a chimney, and cover-regular, owing to the various accretions of the deing the top with tiles or bricks, set up in a pyramidal form, so that the smoke may escape below the current, which the wind makes over the chimney, or against any one side of it. This is used to prevent the inconvenience arising from adjoining buildings higher than the chimney, or from its being in the eddy of any very lofty building, or in

posited substances; and at two places are small channels equally polished with the interior of the basin, through which the water makes its escape when it has been filled to the margin. The declivity of the mound is rapid at first, especially on the northwest side, but instantly begins to slope more gradually, and the depositions are spread all

around to different distances, the least of which is nearly one hundred feet. On leaving the mound, the hot water passes through a turfy kind of soil, and, by acting on the peat, mosses, and grass, converts them entirely into stone, and furnishes the curious traveller with some of the finest specimens of petrifaction.

HULKS. Old vessels, stationed in the river Thames in England, wherein convicts are kept to hard labor.

to meet in the night-time in subterraneous vaults near this gate of Hugon; and what seems to countenance this opinion is, that they were first called Huguenots at Tours. Others say that the leaguers gave this name to the reformed, because they were for keeping the crown in the royal line of Hugh Capet; whereas the leaguers were for giving it to On hearing a sound resembling the discharge the house of Guise, as descended from Charleof distant artillery,' continues our author, I ran magne. Others derive it from a faulty French to the mound, which shook violently under my pronunciation of the German word eidgnosser, feet, and I had scarcely time to look into the basin, signifying confederates, originally applied to that when the fountain exploded, and instantly com- valiant part of the citizens of Geneva, who entered pelled me to retire to a respectful distance on the into an alliance with the Swiss cantons, to mainwindward side. The water rushed up out of the tain their liberties against the tyrannical attempts of pipe with amazing velocity, and was projected by Charles III. duke of Savoy. These confederates irregular jets into the atmosphere, surrounded by were called Eignots, whence Huguenots. The immense volumes of steam, which, in a great persecution which the Huguenots underwent has measure, hid the column from the view. The first scarcely its parallel in civil or ecclesiastical history; four or five jets were inconsiderable, not exceeding though they obtained a peace from Henry III. in sixteen or twenty feet in height. These were fol- 1576, it was of short continuance; and their suflowed by one about fifty feet; which was suc-ferings, mitigated by the famous edict of Nantes, ceeded by two or three considerably lower; after granted to them in 1598, by Henry IV., were again which came the last, exceeding all the rest in renewed, after the revocation of this edict, by Louis splendor, which rose at least to the height of sev- XIV. in 1685. enty feet. The large stones which we had previously thrown into the pipe were ejected to a great height, especially one, which was thrown much higher than the water. On the propulsion of the jets they lifted up the water in the basin nearest to the orifice of the pipe to the height of a foot, or a foot and a half, and on the falling of the column it not only caused the basin to overflow at the usual channel, but forced the water over the highest part of the brim, behind which I was standing, the great body of the column (at least ten feet in diameter) rose perpendicularly, but divided into a number of the most superb curvated ramifications; and several smaller sproutings were severed from it, and projected in oblique directions, to the no small danger of the spectator, who is apt to get scalded, ere he is aware, by the falling of the jet. On the cessation of the eruption, the water instantly sunk, but rose again directly to about half a foot above the orifice, where it remained stationary at the temperature of one hundred and eighty-three degrees of Fahrenheit. This fountain has, however, by other travellers been observed to throw its water to the amazing height of three hundred and sixty feet.' Dr. Henderson observed the Stocker, another of these huers, form a jet of two hundred feet. These huers rise in the very sea, and form scalding fountains anidst the waves. Their distance from land is unknown; but the new volcanic isle, twelve miles off Reickenes, proves that the subterraneous fires and waters extend to that distance.

HUGONOTS, or HUGUENOTS. An appellation given to the Reformed Churches, or Protestants of France. The name had its first rise in 1560; but authors are not agreed as to its origin. One of the two following seems to be the least forced derivation. One of the gates of the city of Tours is called the gate Tourgon, by corruption from few Hugon, i. e. the late Hugon. This Hugon was once count of Tours. Davila and others pretend, that the nickname of Huguenots was first given to the French Protestants, because they used

HUMAN FIGURE, The, in Painting and Sculpture. Amidst all the various beauties with which this earth abounds, and which attract the eyes and call forth the emulation of the artist, nothing is so astonishing and so engaging as the structure of the human form, and the elegance and variety of the actions of which it is capable. It has been the subject of panegyric in all ages. The naturalist, the moralist, the philosopher, and the divine, have dwelt, with holy reverence to its Maker, on its delicacy, its simplicity, yet variety of conformation, and on its intellectual and spiritual endowments; all of which are most justly combined in description, in the admired contemplative speech that Shakspeare has put into the mouth of Hamlet. What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action, how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!'

To the painter and sculptor no object in nature is so interesting as the human figure; none requires more study and attention to enable them justly to display its various beauties of action and expression; and a long continued series of observation and practice will alone qualify them for the fulfilment of so arduous a task.

The sources of this difficulty are, the very great latitude of its motions, and the numerous combinations of them, added to the various possibilities of view, and of light and shade. Its beauty is indeed very great, independent of all these; but they serve to enhance its value and render delight to the artist, while they call for his utmost exertions in his endeavors to represent them.

It has long been acknowledged, among artists, that the sculptures of the Greeks, from the time of Pericles to that of Alexander the Great, afford

the best examples of beautiful and characteristic proportion, and from them a scale has been drawn out, which, if it will not serve for every purpose, will always be of use, as well to depart from, as to follow. It is, in either case, a line to guide us, and should never be lost sight of.

HUMMING BIRD. The least of all the feathered tribes; its body being not bigger than the end of one's finger, and its eggs no larger than small peas: it is a native of America. On this little bird nature has profusely lavished her most splendid colors; the most perfect azure, the most beautiful gold color, the most dazzling red, are forever in contrast, and help to embellish the plumes of its majestic head. Like the bee, it finds its food in flowers and blossoms; when it feeds, it appears as if immovable, though continually on the wing. Myriads of these little birds are seen, feeding on the flowers and blossoms, in the southern parts of the United States, and in the Floridas.

and is the great standard of moisture and hu midity, is not capable of wetting all things; for it stands or runs off in globular drops from the leaves of cabbages, and many other plants; and it will not wet the feathers of ducks, swans, and other water-fowl.

Add, that the texture alone may cause the fluid to be humid, as is plain, in that neither quicksilver, lead, nor bismuth alone will stick upon glass; yet, being mixed together, they will form a mass that will do so; as appears from such a composition being frequently used in foliating looking glasses.

HUNGER. The feeling of a want of food. When the stomach has digested and disposed of the food and drink which it contained, its peculiar nervous power is destroyed, and some time is necessary before it collects it again. This time is shorter in proportion as the individual is healthy, young, strong, and active. As soon as this nervous power is restored, the activity of the organ is again awakened, and produces a longing to eat, which HUMILITY. In Ethics, is a virtue consisting we call, in its first degree, appetite. If this is not in the moderate value which a person puts upon gratified, it gains strength, and becomes hunger, himself, and every thing relating to him. Or, more which, if not appeased, turns to voracity. Appeparticularly, it consists in not attributing to our-tite is not a disagreeable feeling, but hunger is an selves any excellence or good which we have not; ever-increasing pain, on account of the everin not overrating any thing which we have or do; increasing sensibility of the nerves of the stomin not taking an immoderate delight in one's self; ach. in not assuming more of the praise of a quality or action, than belongs to us, and in a lowly sense and acknowledgment of our imperfections, errors, and sins. This virtue expresses itself in the modesty of our appearance, of our pursuits, and of our behavior towards other men. It is distinguished from affectation, bashfulness, and meanness.

To some men, whose stomachs are morbidly sensitive, the first desire for food is unpleasant, and if this desire is not immediately gratified, they are seized with griping pains in the parts about the stomach, which, if not appeased, are followed by sudden weakness, and even fainting. If hunger is not allayed, a dreadful state of the body ensues, and finally death. After long continued hunger, HUMORS OF THE EYE. Are three; namely, the blood becomes weak, acrid and thin, on account the aqueous or watery humor, which lies in the of the want of materials to compensate for the nufore part of the globe; the crystalline, or icy, next tritious matter expended in the support of the to the aqueous; and the vitreous or glassy humor, body; hence the whole body becomes lean and which is larger than the rest, and fills the back-weak, bloody fluxes take place from all parts, as ward cavity of the eye.

well as violent irritation of the nervous system, caused by the excessive sensibility of the nerves HUMIDITY, MOISTURE. The quality or of the stomach, which at length extends to the power of wetting or moistening other bodies. whole region of the abdomen, is carried to a still Modern writers consider humidity as a particular greater height, and produces pain over the whole species of fluidity; and define it a fluor, which, body, sleeplessness, convulsions, raving madness, being applied on a solid body, adheres to, and until at length death puts an end to the scene. communicates the quality to other bodies. Others, somewhat more accurately, call humidity the power whereby a body moistens another; but what that power is they do not show.

HUNGER CURE. A mode of curing diseases by the greatest possible abstinence from food; so much only being allowed as is requisite to keep But of this we are certain, humidity is only a the patient alive. The food is diminished by desort of relative mode. So far as the component grees, and in the period of convalescence, is inparticles of a fluid, compared with respect to the creased in the same way, with much precaution, pores and particles of other bodies, or the texture as many patients, unable to resist their appetite, thereof, are apt and disposed to enter those pores, have died in consequence of a slight indulgence. or stick to those particles, so far is that fluid humid: This mode of cure has been found of great use in on the contrary, so far as there is a repugnance or incongruity between the particles, &c. in respect of such bodies, the fluid is not humid.

Thus quicksilver is not moist in respect to our hands, clothes, and other things, which it will not stick to; but it may be called humid, in reference to gold, tin, or lead, to whose surfaces it will presently adhere, and render them soft and moist. Even water itself, which wets almost every thing,

the case of deep-rooted complaints, which baffled the powers of medicine. It is used, particularly in connexion with frequent unctions of mercury, in obstinate cases of syphilis, when even the bones have become affected; and the cases in which this severe remedy has produced brilliant successes are numerous. It is considered, in Germany, as indispensable to the cure of inveterate syphilis. The patient is kept in a well closed room, receiving only