ORACLE. In the history of superstition and naked, or seen through the hair, is a bluish gray. imposture, a pretended revelation of future events, The head, viewed in front, is pear-shaped, exor the will of supernatural powers, through the panding from the chin upwards, the cranium bemedium of a priest or priestess, the most famous ing much the larger end. The eyes are close toof which was that of Apollo, at Delphi, Oracles gether, of an oval form, and dark brown color. belonged to the Pagan religion, and fell as their The eye-lids are fringed with lashes, and the lower basis decayed. The ambiguity of the words which ones are succular and wrinkled. The nose is conthese authorities affected to utter, has always been fluent with the face, except at the nostrils, which the subject of remark. This, it is to be observed, are_but_little elevated: their openings are narrow was essential to the maintenance of their credit; and oblique. The mouth is very projecting, and and the artifice has been resorted to, on all similar of a roundish mammillary form. Its opening is occasions. Whenever we profess to prophesy, or large, and when closed is marked by little more point out what ought to be done, we must be care-than a narrow seam. The lips are very narrow, ful to speak in terms so general and equivocal, and scarcely perceptible when the mouth is shut. that, happen what will, they may be believed to The chin projects less than the mouth: below it, apply. a pendulous membrane gives the appearance of a double chin, and swells out when the animal is THE ORANG OUTANG. Cuvier thus de-angry or much pleased. Each of the jaws conscribes this animal. The average height of the tains twelve teeth; namely, four incisive teeth, the species is from 3 to 4 feet. The body is covered two middle ones of the upper jaw being twice the with coarse red hairs. The forehead equals in width of the lateral; two canine, and six double height one half of the rest of the visage. The teeth. The ears are small, closely resembling the face is bluish. There are neither pouches in the human ear, and have their lower margins in the cheeks, nor callositics on the posteriors. The same line with the external angles of the eyes. hinder thumbs are remarkably short. This cele- "The chest is wide compared with the pelvis : brated ape resembles man more nearly than any the belly is very protuberant. The arms are long other animal, in the form of the head and the vol-in proportion to the height of the animal, their ume of the brain. The natural history of the span measuring full four feet seven inches and a Orang Outang has been miserably disfigured by half. The legs are short, compared with the arms. the mixture of it with that of other apes of the larger size, more especially with that of the Chimpanse. Upon a critical examination, it is ascertained that he inhabits the most oriental countries only, as Malacca, Cochin China, and particularly the great island of Borneo, whence he has been brought to Europe by way of Java, though but rarely. He is gentle, easily tamed, and capable of attachment. From the character of his physical conformation he can arrive at some facility in the imitation of several human actions; but his intel- | ligence by no means equals the exaggerated ac- entirely without nails. counts we have received of it, nor does it appear 'The Orang Outang of Borneo is utterly incato surpass much that of the canine species. Cam-pable of walking in a perfectly erect posture. He per has discovered and ably described two mem-betrays this in his whole exterior conformation, branous sacks, which produce a thickness and and never wilfully attempts to counteract its tenhoarseness in the voice; but he was wrong in be-dency. His head leaning forward, and forming a lieving that the nails are always wanting on the considerable angle with the back, throws the centre hinder thumbs.

We are in possession of some very minute and labored descriptions of this animal, especially by M. F. Cuvier, Professor Camper, Tilesius, and Dr. Abel. The last we shall present to the reader in the author's own words, as scientific, useful, and highly interesting.

The hair of the Orang Outang is of a brownish red color, and covers his back, arms, legs, and outside of his hands and feet. On the back it is in some places six inches long, and on his arms five. It is thinly scattered over his hands and feet, and is very short. It is directed downwards on the back, upper arm, and legs, and upwards on the fore arm. The face has no hair except on its sides, somewhat in the manner of whiskers, and a very thin beard. The shoulders, elbows, and knees, have fewer hairs than other parts of the arms and legs. The palms of the hands and feet are quite naked.

"The prevailing color of the animal's skin, when

"The hands are long, compared with their width and with the human hand. The fingers are small and tapering: the thumb is very short, scarcely reaching the first joint of the fore finger. All the fingers have very perfect nails, of a blackish color, and oval form, and exactly terminating with the extremities of the fingers. The feet are long, and resemble hands, in the palms, and in having fingers rather than toes, but have heels resembling the human. The great toes are very short, are set on at right angles to the feet close to the heel, and are

of gravity so far beyond the perpendicular, that his arms, like the fore legs of other animals, are required to support the body. So difficult, indeed, is it for him to keep the upright position for a few seconds, under the direction of his keeper, that he is obliged in the performance of his task, to raise his arms above his head, and throw them behind him to keep his balance. His progressive motion on a flat surface is accomplished by placing his bent fists upon the ground, and drawing his body between his arins: moving in this manner he strongly resembles a person decrepit in the legs, supported on stilts. In a state of nature he probably seldom moves along the ground; his whole external configuration showing his fitness for climbing trees, and clinging to their branches. The length and pliability of his fingers and toes enable him to grasp with facility and steadiness, and the force of his muscles empowers him to support his body for a great length of time by one hand or foot. He can thus pass from one fixed

"This animal neither practises the grimaces and antics of other monkeys nor possesses their perpetual proneness to mischief. Gravity, approaching to melancholy, and mildness, were sometimes strongly expressed in his countenance, and seem to be the characteristics of his disposition. When 'Whilst in Java he lodged in a large tamarind- he first came among strangers, he would sit for tree near my dwelling, and formed a bed by inter-hours with his hand upon his head, looking pentwining the small branches, and covering them with leaves. During the day, he would lie with nis head projecting beyond the nest, watching whoever might pass under; and when he saw any one with fruit, would descend to obtain a share of it. He always retired for the night at sunset, or sooner if he had been well fed, and rose with the sun, and visited those from whom he habitually received to those who used him kindly. By their side ed food.

his meals with him, and was his chief favorite, although he sometimes purloined the grog and the biscuit of his benefactor, he learned to eat with a spoon; and might be often seen sitting at his cabin door, enjoying his coffee, quite unembarrassed by those who observed him, and with a grotesque and sober air, that seemed a burlesque on human

nature.

'Next to the boatswain, I was, perhaps, his most intimate acquaintance. He would always follow me to the mast head, whither I often went for the sake of reading, apart from the noise of the ship; and, having satisfied himself that my pockets contained no eatables, would lie down by my side, and putting a topsail entirely over him, peep from it occasionally to watch my movements.

'His favorite amusement in Java was in swinging from the branches of trees, in passing from one to another, and in climbing over the roofs of houses; on board, in hanging by his arms from the ropes, and in romping with the boys of the ship. He would entice them into play by striking them with his hand as they passed, and bounding from them, but allowing them to overtake him, and engage in a mock scuffle, in which he used his hands, feet, and mouth. If any conjecture could be formed from these frolicks of his mode of attacking an adversary, it would appear to be his first object to throw him down, then to secure him with his hands and feet, and then wound him with his teeth.

a person all over the ship to obtain it. I seldom came upon deck without sweetmeats or fruit in my pocket, and could never escape his vigilant eye. Sometimes I endeavored to evade him by ascending to the mast-head, but was always overtaken or intercepted in my progress. When he came up with me on the shrouds, he would secure himself by one foot on the rattlings, and confine my legs with the other and one of his hands, while he rifled my pockets. If he found it impossible to overtake me, he would climb to a considerable height on the rigging, and then drop suddenly upon me. Or if, perceiving his intention, I attempted to descend, he would slide down a rope and meet me at the bottom of the shrouds. Sometimes I fastened an orange to the end of a rope, and lowered it to the deck from the mast-head; and as soon as he attempted to seize it, drew it rapidly up. After being several times foiled in endeavoring to obtain it by direct means, he altered his plan. Appearing to care little about it, he would remove to some distance, and ascend the rigging very leisurely for some time, and then, by a sudden spring, catch the rope which held it. If defeated again by my suddenly jerking the rope, he would, at first, seem quite in despair, relinquish his effort, and rush about the rigging, screaming violently. But he would always return, and again seizing the rope, disregard the jerk, and allow it to run through his hand till within reach of the orange; but if again foiled, would come to my side, and taking me by the arm, confine it while he hauled the orange up.

'On board ship he commonly slept at the mast head, after wrapping himself in a sail. In making his bed, he used the greatest pains to remove eve- 'I have seen him exhibit violent alarm on two ry thing out of his way, that might render the sur- occasions only, when he appeared to seek for safety face on which he intended to lie, uneven: and, in gaining as high an elevation as possible. On having satisfied himself with this part of his ar- seeing eight large turtles brought on board, whilst rangement, spread out the sail, and lying down the Cæsar was off the Island of Ascension, he upon it on his back, drew it over his body. Some-climbed with all possible speed to a higher part of times I pre-occupied his bed, and teased him by refusing to give it up. On these occasions he would endeavor to pull the sail from under me, or to force me from it; and would not rest till I had resigned it. If it were large enough for both, he would quietly lie by my side. If all the sails happened to be set, he would hunt about for some other covering, and either steal one of the sailors' jackets or shirts that happened to be drying, or empty a hammock of its blankets. Off the Cape of Good Hope he suffered much from a low temperature, especially early in the morning, when he would descend from the mast, shivering with cold, and running up to any one of his friends, climb into their arms, and clasping them closely, derive warmth from their persons, screaming violently at any attempt to remove him.

the ship than he had ever before reached, and, looking down upon them, projected his long lips into the form of a hog's snout, uttering at the same time a sound which might be described as between the croaking of a frog and the grunting of a pig. After some time he ventured to descend, but with great caution, peeping continually at the turtles, but could not be induced to approach within many yards of them. He ran to the same height, uttering the same sounds, on seeing some men bathing and splashing in the sea; and since his arrival in England has shown nearly the same degree of fear at the sight of a live tortoise.'

This animal survived his transportation to England from August, 1817, when he arrived, to the 1st of April, 1819, during which interval he was in the custody of Mr. Cross at Exeter 'Change, as His food in Java was chiefly fruit, especially | much caressed for the gentleness of his disposition mangostans, of which he was extremely fond. as he was noticed for his great rarity. There was He preferred coffee and tea, but would readily no need of personal confinement, and little of retake wine, and exemplified his attachment to spirits by stealing the Captain's brandy bottle. Since his arrival in London he has preferred beer and milk to any thing else, but drinks wine and other liquors. In his attempts to obtain food, he afforded us many opportunities of judging of his sagacity and disposition. He is always very impatient to receive it when held out to him, and became passionate when it was not soon given up; and would chase

straint or coercion; to his keepers especially, and to those whom he knew by their frequent visits, he displayed a decided partiality. During his last illness, and at his death, his piteous appearance, which seemed to bespeak his entreaties to those about him for relief, did not fail to excite the feelings of all who witnessed them, an excitement evidently heightened by the recollection of human suffering, under similar circumstances, which the

sight of this animal so strongly brought to mind. He was shedding his teeth at the period of his death, which was probably promoted, if not caused by it.

tween two concentric spherical surfaces, as the orb of the heavens.

ORBIT. In Astronomy, the path of a planet or comet, in its course round the sun. Thus the earth's orbit is the curve which it describes in its annual revolution, and which is usually called the ecliptic. The orbits of all the planets are ellipses, (ovals,) having the sun in their common focus: but that of the earth loses much of apparent regularity, by the action of the moon; as does that of Saturn, by the action of Jupiter, when they happen to be in conjunction.

ORANGE. A low, evergreen, branching tree, bearing oblong, oval, acute, smooth and shiuing leaves, inserted on winged leaf stalks, by which character it is easily distinguished from the lemon. The flowers are white, containing about twenty stamens, and are disposed in clusters of from two to six upon a common peduncle. The fruit is globose, bright yellow, and contains a pulp, which consists of a collection of oblong vesicles filled with a sugary and refreshing juice: it is, besides, ORCHARD. A plantation of fruit trees. In divided into eight or ten compartments, each con- planting an orchard great care should be taken taining several seeds. The principal varieties are that the soil is suitable to the trees transplanted in the sweet or China, and the bitter or Seville it; and that they are procured from a soil nearly orange; the Maltese orange is also deserving of of the same kind, or rather poorer than that laid notice, from its red pulp. Though now extensive-out for an orchard. As to the situation, an easy ly cultivated in the south of Europe, the introduc- rising ground, open to the northeast, is to be pretion of the orange is of modern date, and it was ferred. unknown in that continent till about the beginning of the fifteenth century. At the present time, it forms an extensive branch of commerce between the Mediterranean and the more northern countries. It is exceedingly long lived, and is still esteemed young at the age of a century. An essential oil is obtained from the flowers, which is hard-seats appropriated to the senators, magistrates, ly less esteemed than the celebrated ottar of

roses.

Bergamot is a well known perfume, obtained from the rind of a variety of the orange, and has received the name from the town of Bergamo, in Italy, where this variety is much cultivated. The wood of this tree is fine grained, compact, susceptible of a fine polish, and is employed in the arts. The orange, together with the lemon, citron, lime, shaddock, and indeed almost the entire family aurantiaceœ, is a native of tropical Asia and the East Indies. A singular exception is found in our own country: a species of orange, bearing fruit of a very agreeable flavor, is extremely abundant in East Florida, and, according to the testimony of scientific travellers, is undoubtedly native: it has not, however, been accurately compared with other species, and, what is more remarkable, although mentioned by early travellers, has not hitherto found its way into systematic works on our botany.

ORATORIO. In Music, a species of musical drama, originally an imitation of the serious opera, the subject of which is generally taken from scripture, and can be only treated properly by music of the sublimest style.

ORCHESTRA. This name was applied by the ancient Greeks to a certain circular part of the theatre where the dances were performed. At Rome the orchestra was separated from the parts occupied by the performers, and furnished with

vestals, and other persons of distinction. At present we understand by the word orchestra, that enclosed part of the theatre between the audience and the curtain, in which the instrumental performers sit. We, however, sometimes transfer the word from the place to the performers themselves: as when we say that theatre has a well appointed, or a powerful orchestra.'

ORDEAL, ORDALIUM. A form of trial, that is, of discovering innocence or guilt; practised in England in the time of Edward the Confessor: and since, as low as king John and king Henry III.

The ordeal was of various kinds; viz. that of fire, that of redhot iron, that of cold water, that of judical pottage, that of hallowed cheese, that of boiling water, that of a cross, and that of dice laid on relics, covered with a woollen cloth. There were particular masses for each species of

ordeal.

The more popular kinds of ordeal were those of redhot iron and water: the first for freemen and people of fashion; the second for peasants

Fire ordeal was performed either by taking up in the hand, unhurt, a piece of redhot iron, of one, two, or three pounds' weight; or else by walking, barefoot and blindfold, over nine redhot ploughORATORY. The art by which a speaker is shares, laid lengthwise, at unequal distances; and enabled to affect and convince his hearers, the first if the party escaped without injury, he was adof which purposes is achieved by manner, gesture, judged innocent, but if it happened otherwise, as modulation, and language; and the last by logic, without collusion it generally did, he was then knowledge, and method: which last divides every condemned as guilty. The former was conducted perfect discourse into an exordium, a statement of in this manner: a ball of iron was prepared, of the question, an illustrative narration, an exhibition one, two, or three pounds' weight, according to of arguments in proof, a reply to objections, and a the nature of the accusation. When all the pray peroration. ers and other religious ceremonies were finished, this ball was put into a fire, and made redhot; ORB. A bollow sphere or space contained be- after which it was taken out. The prisoner having

signed himself with the cross, and sprinkled his hand with holy water, took the ball of hot iron in his hand, and carried it to the distance of nine feet; after which his hand was put into a bag, and sealed up for three days; at the expiration of which it was examined, in the presence of twelve persons of each party. If any marks of burning appeared upon it, the accused was found guilty; if none, he was declared innocent.

gave him the communion, saying, 'Let this body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be received by you as a probation this day.' After this a quantity of holy water was consecrated, and then the whole company left the church, and went in procession to the pool where the ordeal was to be performed. When they arrived there, the priest gave the prisoner a draught of the holy water, saying, 'Let this holy water be to thee a probation this day.' If the prisoner still continued to deny his guilt, the priest then pronounced a long and very fervent

Water ordeal was performed either by plunging the bare arm up to the elbow in boiling water, and escaping unhurt; or by casting the person suspect-prayer over the pool, adjuring it by every thing ed into a river or pond of cold water, and if he floated therein, without any action of swimming, it was deemed an evidence of his guilt, but if he sunk he was acquitted.

The preparations by fastings, prayers, and other religious exercises, were the same for both these ordeals. In the hot water ordeal, the person to be tried was conducted with great solemnity to the church, where the priest began by saying certain prayers suitable to the occasion; after which mass was celebrated, and before the accused was permitted to communicate, he was adjured, in the most awful form of words, to confess if he was guilty. Fire was then kindled under a pot filled with water; and while the water was heating, the priest said many prayers composed for that purpose. As soon as the water began to boil, a stone was suspended in it by a string, at the depth of one, two, or three palms, according to the nature

of the accusation.

The pot was then taken down and placed by the side of the fire; and the prisoner having said the Lord's prayer, (not very rapidly we may presume) and marked himself with the sign of the cross, plunged his naked hand and arm into the water, and snatched out the stone. His arm was instantly wrapped in linen cloths, and put into a bag, which was sealed by the judge in the presence of the spectators. The prisoner was then restored to the priest, who produced him in the same church at the end of three days; when the bag was opened, the bandages taken off, and the arm examined by twelve of his own friends, and twelve of the friends of the prosecutor. If any marks of scalding then appeared upon the arm, the prisoner was found guilty: if no marks could be discovered, he was acquitted.

that was divine and venerable in heaven or ou earth, that if the person to be thrown into it was guilty, it would reject him, and cause him to float upon its surface; but if he was innocent, that it would receive him into its bosom. The prisoner was then stripped naked, his hands and legs made fast, and a rope tied about his middle, with a knot upon it, at the distance of a yard and a half from his body, and thrown into the pool. If he floated, which was hardly to be expected, he was taken out, and declared guilty; if he sunk so deep as to carry the knot of the rope under the water, he was instantly pulled out, before he could receive any injury.

This ordeal was evidently a very uncertain test of guilt or innocence; but the great solemnity with which it was administered, might sometimes strike terror into the minds of criminals, and bring them to confession. In this ordeal it is presumed that God would work a miracle for the detection of guilt: in the ordeals of hot water and hot iron the presumption was, that he would work a miracle for the vindication of innocence; but for either of these presumptions there was no solid foundation.

ORDER. In Architecture, a distinct style or system of proportions, or regular arrangement of the projecting parts of a building, particularly the column, so as that it shall possess that unity of expression, which gives pleasure to the mind.

powers the human faculties; but the other species of beauty are each exemplified by some peculiar order.

Now, this unity, which we require as well in poetry, music, and the graphic arts, as in architecture, is a unity or oneness of idea, in an individual object; not a sameness of all objects. Accordingly, we admire beauties of very various kinds. There is a graceful wildness, which, absolutely The ordeal by cold water was thus conducted: from the want of a word, we call picturesque. the person who was tried was put under the di- There are neatness, elegance, gracefulness, granrection of a ghostly father, of great reputation for deur, and sublimity. The last, perhaps, is almost his sanctity, who obliged him to perform many beyond the reach of architecture; since one of its extraordinary acts of devotion, and to keep a rig-chief sources is a vastness, that, in a degree, overorous fast for three days. When this fast was ended, and the day appointed for the trial came, the prisoner was publicly conducted to the church, where the priest celebrated mass; and before he permitted the accused to communicate, he addressed him in the following solemn strain: 'I adjure thee, O man, by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by the true Christianity which you profess, by the only begotten Son of God, by the holy Trinity, by the holy Gospel, and by all the holy relics in this church, that you do not presume to communicate, or approach this holy altar, if you have committed this crime, consented to it, or know who committed it. If the prisoner made no confession the priest

There are three which have been received from the Greeks; the Doric, the Ionic, and the Corinthian. To these, by a mixture of their proportions, the Romans added two; the Tuscan and the Composite; which, with the former, make what are usually denominated the five orders of architecture.

The column, in every order, has been very naturally supposed to have originated in an imitation of the trunks of trees; materials which those who first erected wooden buildings, would doubtlessly