fixing on some convenient situation open to the water, it watches, with its intensely observant eye, the motions of the osprey; as soon as it perceives this bird bearing off a fish in its mouth, the bald eagle pursues it with the swiftness of a meteor; the fish is instantly dropped from the mouth of the osprey, and in its fall intercepted by the eagle with the most energetic and successful dexterity.

BALDNESS. A disease, or the effect of old age, by which the hair falls from the crown of the head, and the parts immediately above the temples. Women are seldom afflicted with this disease.

quires a deeper color as well as greater consistency and clearness, and is not unlike honey in its appearance. It sinks in clear water to the bottom, and if dropped on hot iron, collects itself into a globule.

Prosper Alpinus ascribes many properties to the balsam of Mecca, esteemed the most precious of all that bear the appellation of balsam, and which, in ordinary description, we must consider synonymous with the balm of Gilead; and the modern Arabs,' Turks, and Egyptians, entertain great confidence in its efficacy. It is a powerful vulnerary: Mahomet affirmed, that a grove of trees sprung up from the blood of his own tribe killed in battle, the juice of which cured the wounds of the faithful, however BALE. In commerce, is said of merchandises deadly, nay, that it recovered some of them from packed up in cloth, and corded round very tight, in death itself. It is also taken for complaints in the order to keep them from breaking, or preserve them breast, in fevers, and rheumatism. Hasselquist from the weather. Most of the merchandise capa- says, it is used as a stomachic in doses of three ble of this kind of package, designed for fairs or grains. Its repute as an atiseptic is very great; exportation, ought to be in bales, and too much care and it is esteemed so effectual an antidote against cannot be taken in packing them, to prevent their the plague, that when this distemper makes its apbeing damaged. The bales are always to be mark-pearance, the Egyptians take a certain quantity daied and numbered, that the merchants to whom they belong, may easily know them.

ly. Its principal use, however, is as a cosmetic by the eastern females of rank: after being kept in a very warm bath, the face and breast are anointed BALESSAN. The eastern name for that spe- with it, and the same process is continued every cies of the Amyris which produces the celebrated third day for a month. Oil of almonds and other balsam of Mecca, the ancient balm of Gilead. This cosmetics are then rubbed over the parts, whereby plant grows to the height of fourteen feet, flourish- the skin and complexion are beautifully renovated. ing in a hot climate, and in a stony barren soil. In Lady Mary Wortley Montague relates, that she was general it is lower, and Mr. Bruce describes a spe-induced to try the experiment, by which her face cimen five feet and a half in height, and five inches became swelled and red for three days, during across the stem where thickest. The wood is white, which she suffered much pain; but her complexion light, and of open texture, covered with a smooth was greatly improved. She adds, that the ladies bark, reddish or of bluish white, resembling that of of Constantinople, by whom it is used, have the a healthy standard cherry-tree, green within, and finest bloom. As yielding the virtues of the balm emitting a very fragrant odor. That of the branch- of Gilead, this plant has been celebrated from very es, which are very flexible and resinous, is equally remote antiquity. When Joseph was confined by agreeable. The leaves, which are evergreen and his brethren in a pit, it is said they sat down to eat scanty, bear some resemblance to those of rue; and bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, the flowers, which are leguminous and of a purplish and behold a company of Ishmaelites came from color, resemble those of the acacia. The fruit con- Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, sists of small pointed ovoidal berries, containing a and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt! Jereyellowish fluid similar to honey, of a bitterish taste, miah particularly alludes to its virtues; and Joseand exhaling a pleasing perfume, approaching the phus states, that the queen of Sheba, or Saba, who odor of balm. was 'inquisitive into philosophy, and on that and other accounts was also to be admired,' brought the balm of Gilead as a present to Solomon, on her visit to Jerusalem.

It has been in modern times maintained that the plants producing the balsam of Mecca are restricted to a plantation of a little more than thirty acres, at Beder Hunein, a station for pilgrims in Arabia, between Mecca and Medina. Yet it cannot be BALLAD. In music, formerly a little history positively affirmed if this be one species, that Abys- told in verse, and sung to the harp or viol, either sinia, the country ascribed to the other, is deprived by the author himself, or the jongleur, whose proof it, or that the balm of Gilead grows in Abyssinia fession it was to follow the bard and sing his works. exclusively. These are facts which require eluci- About a century since the word ballad began to imdation from future botanical research. The planta-ply a brief, simple tale, conveyed in three or four tion belongs to a noble family of Arabs, of the tribe verses, set to a short and familiar air, in which sense Beni K'oreish, from which Mahomet originated, it is now understood. unless the Wahabees, who interrupted the pilgrimages, have dispossessed them of their inheritance. BALLAST, (from the Danish baglast.) Is a The balsam is a resinous matter, exuding like ordi- load of sand or stones, deposited in ships, which nary resin from incisions in the bark, in July, Au- have not freight enough to sink them to their propgust, and September. It is received in an earthen er depth in the water, so as to resist the wind and bottle, and the most productive trees do not yield waves. In storms, if the vessel leaks, part of the more than sixty drops a day, we are told. At this ballast must often be thrown out, to make the vestime it emits a very strong and pungent odor, and sel lighter. By the English navigation act, and by is of a rough acrid taste, a pale yellow turbid color, the laws of other commercial nations, formed by and it dissolves in oils readily. Afterwards it ac-way of retaliation, vessels are often obliged to take

ballast, either on their departure or return, instead of transporting, even at little profit, heavy and cheap goods of the country, to foreign countries.

BALLS OF FIRE. In meteorology, a kind of luminous bodies, commonly appearing at a great height above the earth, with a splendor surpassing her apparent size. They generally proceed with that of the moon; and even occasionally equalling great velocity in this hemisphere, from north to south, frequently breaking into several smaller ones, sometimes vanishing with a report, and someconstitute one branch of the ancient prodigies, or times not. These luminous appearances no doubt blazing stars. They sometimes resemble comets, in being attended with a train, but frequently they appear with a round and well defined disk. The observed by Dr. Halley and others at different first of which we have any accurate account, was places, in 1719. From the slight observations.they dicular height was computed at about seventy miles could take of its course among the stars, its perpenfrom the surface of the earth. The height of others has also been computed, and found to be various; though in general it is supposed to be beyond the limits assigned to our atmosphere, or where it loses its refractive power.

BALLOON. The principal machine used in the art of AEROSTATION, Or art of navigating through the air. This art is of modern invention -the honor of having made the first successful experiments in it belongs to Mr. Cavallo, an account of which was read to the Royal Society in 1782. But it is said that Gusman, a Portuguese, had, early in the last century, launched a paper bag filled with air, which, however, fell on attaining the height of 200 feet. Soon after Mr. Cavendish's discovery of the specific gravity of inflammable air, Dr. Black suggested, in his lectures at Edinburgh, as early as 1767 or 1768, that a bladder filled with such air would form a mass lighter than atmos pheric air; but, from other engagements, he did not pursue the subject, and therefore to Cavallo is the immediate honor of the discovery awarded. In the same year (17829 the Mongolfiers (brothers) invented, in France, the first large balloon of linen, lined with paper, and inflated it with heated smoke obtained from chopped straw and wool. The most remarkable on record appeared on This balloon contained upwards of 23,000 cubic feet of the 18th of August 1783, about nine o'clock in the air, and was capable of lifting 500 pounds includ- evening. It was seen to the northward of Sheting its own weight. In ten minutes it rose to the land, and took a southerly direction for an immense height of 6000 feet, and fell, when exhausted, to the space, being observed as far as the southern provground, at the distance of 7668 feet from the place inces of France and Rome. During its course it it had left. Live animals were at first sent up in appears frequently to have changed its shape, such machines; but at length men ventured into sometimes appearing in the form of one ball, soniethe hitherto unvisited regions of the air. times two or more; sometimes with a train, sometimes without one. great difference, however, between the specific It passed over Edinburgh gravity of atmospheric air and hydrogen gas, soon nearly in the zenith, and had the appearance of a led to the abandonment of heated smoke, and well defined round body, extremely luminous, thenceforward most balloons have been inflated and of a greenish color; the light which it diffused with this last gas; latterly, in this country, carbu- on the ground giving likewise a greenish cast to retted hydrogen is the gas usually employed; al- objects. After passing the zenith, it was attended though on a small scale, the combustion of spirit by a train of considerable length, which continualof wine will exhibit the phenomenon of the bally augmenting, at last obliterated the head entirely, loon, even when it is made of paper. Balloons are so that it looked like a wedge, flying with the ob usually made of oiled silk, and of very large di-tuse end foremost. The motion was not apparentmensions; beneath is a car, attached by ropes to ly swift, by reason of its great height; though in the machine, sufficiently large to contain one or reality it must have moved with great rapidity, on more persons: they are now so commonly exhibit- account of the vast space it travelled over in a short ed in the air, in and around the metropolis, as different. At Greenwich, we are told, that two time. In other places its appearance was very scarcely to be objects of wonder; they do not

The

seem to have yet been made of much use; and bright balls parallel to each other led the way, the the impossibility of impelling them in any direc-diameter of which appeared to be about two feet; tion, they being wholly at the mercy of the wind and were followed by an expulsion of eight others, or currents of air, renders them little more than mere curiosities. One of the most perilous but successful voyages made with balloons was that of Blanchard and Jefferies, who crossed from Dover to Calais on the 7th of January 1785. They were in imminent danger of their lives, having been obliged to part with every thing in the car by which they were surrounded; and, at length, even with their clothes, to render the balloon buoyant. Many lives have, however, from time to time, been lost in

these aerial excursions.

BALLOT. A particular mode of election. This is managed by putting little balls or tickets of different colors, black and white, privately into a box, which has two compartments; by counting the balls it is known what is the result of the poll, without the discovery of the respective voters.

not eliptical, seeming gradually to mutilate, for the last was small. Between each two balls a luminous serrated body extended, and at the last a blaze issued which terminated in a point. Minute partinted first by a pure light, then followed by a ticles dilated from the whole. The balls were delicate yellow, mixed with azure, red, green, &c. which, with a coalition of bolder tints, and a reflection from the other balls, gave the most beautiful rotundity and variation of colors that the human eye could be charmed with. The sudden illumination of the atmosphere, and the form and singular transition of this bright luminary, tended much to make it awful: nevertheless the amazing vivid appearance of the different balls, and other rich connective parts not very easy to delineate, gave an effect equal to the rainbow in the zenith of its glory..

BALSAM. An oily, aromatic, resinous substance flowing spontaneously or by incision, from certain plants. A great variety of substances pass under this denomination. But in modern chemistry, the term is confined to such vegetable juices, as are liquid or spontaneously become concrete, and consist of a resinous substance, combined with benzoic acid, or capable of affording it by decoction or sublimation. The balsams are either liquid or solid; of the former, are the balm of Gilead and the balsams of Copaiba, Peru, and Tolu; of the latter, benzoin, dragon's blood, and storax.

Other fire-balls have appeared, much smaller and nearer the surface of the earth, and sometimes rolling or falling upon it, and exploding with violence, as is the case with those which appear in the time of thunder, and frequently produce mischievous effects. One of these is mentioned by some authors as falling in a serene evening in the island of Jamaica, exploding as soon as it touched the surface of the ground, and making a considerable hole in it. Another is mentioned by Dr. Priestley, as rolling along the surface of the ground, then rising and striking the top-inast of a man of war, exploding and damaging the ship. In like manner we hear of an electrified cloud at Java, BAMBOO. A plant of the reed kind, or genus whence, without any thunder storm, there issued | Arundo, growing in the East Indies, and in some a vast number of fire-balls which did incredible other warm climates, and sometimes attaining to mischief. All these point out the true origin of the height of 60 feet. From the main root, which balls of this kind, viz. an extensive accumulation is long, thick and jointed, spring several round, of electricity bursting from one part of the atmos-jointed stalks, which at 10 or 12 feet from the phere to another.

ground, send out from their joints several stalks which are united at their base. These are armed, BALM OF GILEAD. Is the dried juice of a at their joints, with one or two sharp rigid spines, low tree or shrub which grows in several parts of and furnished with oblong, oval leaves, eight or Abyssinia and Syria. By the inhabitants of Syria nine inches long, on short footstalks. The flowers and Egypt, this balsam, as appears from the scrip-grow in large panicles, from the joints of the stalk, tures, was in great esteem from the highest periods placed three in a parcel, close to their receptacles. of antiquity. We are informed by Josephus, the Old stalks grow to five or six inches in diameter, Jewish historian, that the balsam of Gilead was and are so hard and durable, as to be used for one of the trees which was given by the queen of building and for all sorts of furniture, for waterSheba to king Solomon. The Ishmaelitish mer-pipes, and for poles to support palanquins. The chants, who were the purchasers of Joseph, are smaller stalks are used for walking sticks, flutes, &c. said to have been travelling from Gilead, on the eastern side of Canaan, to Egypt, and to have had BAMBOO-HABIT. A Chinese contrivance by their camels laden with "spicery, balm and myrrh." which a person who does not know how to swim It was then, and is still, considered one of the most may easily keep himself above water. The followvaluable medicines that the inhabitants of those ing account of it is taken from a letter to the author countries possess. The virtues, however, which of the Seaman's Preservative. 'In the year 1730 have been ascribed to it exceed all rational bounds I was passenger in a ship from Batavia to China, of credibility. The mode in which it is obtained burden about 400 tons, called the Pridæ, Francisis described by Mr. Bruce. The bark of the tree co Xavier, commander, freighted by the English, is cut with an axe, at a time when its juices are in Chinese, and Portuguese. Near the coast of Chitheir strongest circulation. These, as they ooze na, we met with one of those storms called a tuffoon, through the wound, are received into small earth-or a great wind, which carried away all our masts, en bottles; and every day's produce is gathered, bowsprit and rudder; and in our hold we had six and poured into a large bottle, which is closely feet of water, expecting every moment the ship corked. When the juice first issues from the would founder. We consequently were consulting wound, it is of a light-yellow color, and a some- our preservation; the English and Portuguese what turbid appearance; but, as it settles, it be- stood in their shirts only, ready to be thrown off'; comes clear, has the color of honey, and appears but the Chinese merchants came upon deck, not in more fixed and heavy than at first. Its smell, a jacket, but I will call it a bamboo habit, which when fresh, is exquisitely fragrant, strongly pun- had lain ready in their chests against such dangent, not much unlike that of volatile salts; but if gers; and it was thus constructed: four bamboos, the bottle be left uncorked, it soon loses its quality. two before and two behind their bodies, were Its taste is bitter, acrid, aromatic and astringent. placed horizontally, and projected about twentyThe quantity of balsam yielded by one tree never eight inches. These were crossed on each side by exceeds 60 drops in a day. Hence its scarcity is two others, and the whole properly secured, leaving such, that the genuine balsam is seldom exported a space for their body; so that they had only to as an article of commerce. Even at Constantino- put it over their heads, and tie the same securely, ple, the centre of trade of those countries, it cannot, which was done in two minutes, and we were without great difficulty, be procured. In Turkey, satisfied they could not possibly sink. it is in high esteem as a medicine, an odoriferous unguent and a cosmetic. But its stimulating properties upon the skin are such, that the face of a person unaccustomed to use it becomes red and swollen after its application, and continues so for some days. The Turks also take it in small quantities, in water, to fortify the stomach, and excite the animal faculties.

BAN. Notice of a marriage proposed, or of a matrimonial contract, proclaimed in a church, that any person may object, if he knows of any kindred between the parties, of any pre-contract or other just cause, why the marriage should not take place.

An edict of interdiction or proscription. Hence to put a prince under the ban of empire, is to divest

him of his dignities, and to interdict all intercourse | printing; for it consists of dyeing the cloth of a and all offices of humanity with the offender. durable color, as red, blue, or purple, and then Sometimes whole cities have been put under the discharging that part which forms the pattern, by ban, that is, deprived of their rights and privileges.

means of a strong solution of the oxy-muriate of lime applied by a mechanical process.

BANANA OR PLANTAIN. An invaluable The goods used for this manufacture are of tropical fruit-tree. It serves the Indians for bread, cotton, sometimes woven plain, but much more and grows to the height of 15 or 20 feet. At the frequently tweeled. The cloth after being woven, top of the stalk, leaves expand from six to eight is dyed, and the color most frequently used is the feet long, and two to three feet broad, which grow Turkey red. After the cloth has been dyed, it is so quick that their expansion may almost be dis-smoothly and regularly folded in pieces generally cerned. The flower forms a spike in the centre, containing twelve handkerchiefs each, and in this often nearly four feet long, and nodding on one state is put into the press; which being firmly shut, side. The fruit or plantains are twelve inches to prevent the discharging liquor from coming into long and two inches in diameter, at first green, and contact with, or operating upon, any part of the afterwards of a pale yellow. The spikes of fruit cloth, excepting that from which the color is to be weigh from 30 to 40 pounds. They are generally extracted, in about ten or twelve minutes the cut before ripe, the green stud pulled off, and the chemical discharge is completed. As soon as this heart roasted, and served at table as bread. The is done, the press being opened, another piece is negroes almost live upon them, and they serve, put in, and the operation repeated; so that, allowlikewise, to fatten all domestic animals. Every ing 15 minutes for each piece, about 50 may be other part of the tree is useful, and the leaves are put through the press in the course of a day of 12 used as napkins and table-cloths. Of another sort, working hours, by the labor of one man, if the the fruit is rounder and more luscious, and, when pieces be previously folded, which is generally the ripe, eaten raw or fried in slices, and is relished by case. The pieces, after discharging the red, reall ranks in the West-Indies. It is only perennial quire only a little cleaning, by the usual processes in its roots, for the stalk dies down to the ground for colored goods, when they may be returned to every year; but, by cutting them down, suckers the warehouse, or sent to the callender to be folded rise in the root, and there is a constant succession and dressed for the market. of fruit all the year.

BANDITTI. Robbers who infest the southern parts of the continent of Europe, in troops. They are persons who live wholly unconnected with established society, but not unmindful of a certain legislation among themselves. They have even obtained the character of scrupulous honor, and rendered themselves so powerful as not to be treated like common highwaymen. Unable to dislodge them from their fastnesses, especially in the neighborhood of Mount Etna, it has been found expedi

BANDANA HANDKERCHIEFS. A species of the East Indian manufacture much admired in Europe, and fabricated in India both from silk and cotton. The ground of these handkerchiefs is commonly of a dark color, most frequently red, blue, or purple; and the pattern almost always consists of spots generally white, or sometimes a bright yellow. The durability of the colors, and the darkness of the ground, have contributed to cause a very great demand for this article in the Europe-ent to make the best compromise. The prince of an market; and, from this cause, the manufacturers in England have long been very anxious to produce articles of this description, which might rival the Indian goods in quality and cheapness.

Villa-Franca, as a matter of prudence, declared himself their protector; and such of them as choose to leave their forests, even temporarily, are safe, and receive an unbounded confidence, which they have never been known to abuse. Travellers put themselves under their care; and it is said, that no one who has done so, ever had cause to repent of the proceeding. The name banditti appears to have originated with outlaws, called bannitti; to the miserable policy of placing persons in which situation, the existence of these pillagers of society is, probably, to be ascribed.

The only mode of accomplishing this, was for a long time, and until very recently, considered to be by the ordinary process of calico printing with blocks upon white cloths; but in this way it was very rarely, if ever, in the power of the manufacturer to render his colors sufficiently durable, especially the reds; and therefore their homemade article was never held in estimation by purchasers, most of whom consisted of that class of people to whom durability was a most essential, and even indispensable, requisite. Besides the difficulty of fixing the color sufficiently, the tax upon this, as well as every other species of printed cloths, must have operated considerably in the comparison with the imported goods. Lately, however, a discovery BANIAN-TREE. One of the greatest wonders has been made of a mode of manufacturing this of the vegetable kingdom. For many centuries it kind of handkerchief, so as to insure the durability continually extends itself; for every branch shoots of the color, and at the same time to be entirely downward, and, striking into the ground, becomes free from any tax whatever under the existing itself a parent tree, whose branches, in like manrevenue laws. This manufacture was first prac-ner, spread. One of them, the Cubeer Burr, has tised at Glasgow, where it is now prosecuted to very considerable extent.

The new process is exactly the converse of

BANIANS. A caste of the Hindoos, whose profession is trade and merchandise, and, in India and Asia they are the great factors and bankers, as the Jews are in the West.

350 stems, equal to large oaks, and more than 3000 smaller ones, covering space sufficient to shelter 7000 persons. Its branches are crowded with fam

ilies of monkeys, and with birds of every descrip- | his creditors as far as it will go; and releases him tion, and also with enormous bats, all of which find from the danger of farther molestation. luxurious subsistence on the rich scarlet figs that grow upon it. The common fig-tree, and the sycamore of scripture, is of the same species, and the wood of the latter is almost imperishable.

BANNER. The banner, the sign of union, which fastened to a pole, may be furled or unfurled at pleasure, like a roll of canvass or silk; and which armies and other bodies of men elevate as a standard, which distinguishes the party and cause which they have espoused, or the common purpose to which they have bound themselves. We find (say the writers in the Encyclopedia Britannica,) a multiplicity of opinions concerning the etymology of the word banner; some deriving it from the Latin bandum, a band or flag; others from the word bann, to summon the vassals to appear in arms; others again from the German ban, a field or tenement, because landed men were allowed a banner; and finally, there are some who think it is a corruption of panniere, from pannus, cloth; because banners were originally made of cloth.

BANK. The term bank, in reference to commerce, implies a place of deposit of money. Banks, like most commercial institutions, originated in Italy, where, in the infancy of European commerce, the Jews were wont to assemble in the market-places of the principal towns, seated on benches, ready to lend money; and the term bank is derived from the Italian word banco, (bench.) Banks are of three kinds, viz: of deposit, of discount, and of circulation. In some cases, all these functions are exercised by the same establishment; sometimes two of them; and in other instances only one of them. The bank of England is the greatest establishment of the kind that ever existed. Its notes form the currency of the kingdom, by common consent; and, for many years past, have varied between twenty and thirty millions. It is also the bank of government, and pays the interest of the public debt. In the United Kingdom there are about one thousand local banks, most of which issue their own currency. The present bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, with a capital of thirty-five millions of dollars. In January, 1829, it had twenty-tree which grows on the west coast of Africa, from one branches in different parts of the Union, and its general concerns were highly prosperous. There are about four hundred other banking companies, in the United States, incorporated by state legislatures. About seven-eighths of these have capital and credit, and business: the other one-eighth are either broken or of doubtful standing. Public and private banks are now very common in most civilized countries.

The banks of this country keep what are called cash accounts, lending sums of money to responsible persons, receiving small sums in payment, and discounting a proportionable part of the interest of the great sum, from the day on which each of these small sums is paid in, till the whole be in this manner repaid. All merchants, therefore, and men of business, find it convenient to keep such cash accounts with them, and are, consequently, interested in promoting the trade of those companies, by readily receiving their notes in all payments, and by encouraging those with whom they have any interest to do the same. The banks, when their customers apply to them for money, generally advance it in their own promissory notes. Much of the money business of the country is transacted through the medium of these notes. The basis of all banking is the profitable use to which the banker or company can apply the capital which is deposited.

BANKER. A person who traffics and negotiates in money, who receives and remits money from place to place, by commission from correspondents, or by means of bills or letters of exchange.

BANKRUPT. One who, having been engaged in trade, is unable, or unwilling, to pay his debts. In this case, the law takes the affairs of the insolvent man into its own hands; divides his property among

BANTER. To play upon in words and in good humor; to rally; to joke or jest with. Banter hardly amounts to ridicule, much less to derision. It consists in being pleasant and witty with the actions of another, and raising a humorous laugh at his expense, often attended with some degree of sarcasm.

BAOBAB, or BAHOBAB. The name of a huge

the Niger to the kingdom of Benin. The circumference of its trunk is generally between seventy and eighty feet, though the height of the trunk seldom exceeds twelve feet. The branches, which are remarkably thick, shoot out horizontally to the length of fifty or sixty feet, and their extremities, being bent to the ground by their own weight, they form a hemispherical mass of foliage about one hundred and thirty feet in diameter. The decayed trunks of the Baobab are hollowed out into burying-places by the negroes, for their poets and musicians. The bodies are thus preserved perfectly dry, and resist putrefaction as if they had been embalmed.

BAPTISM. Has been defined, a New Testament ordinance, appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ, as the first or initiatory sacrament of the Gospel dispensation, whereby its subjects are admitted as visible members of that spiritual society of believers, which is scripturally denominated the 'Church of Christ,' and entitled to all the privileges of church communion. Purification by water seems so natural an emblem to express mental purification, that the use of it has prevailed amongst nations who were never enlightened by revelation; water was used in the religious ceremonies both of the Egyptians and Greeks; and Grotius is of opinion, that it originated at the time of the deluge. According to Clemens; Alexdrinus, and Tertullian, purification, by water, was the first ceremony performed at initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries, which were derived from Egypt.

The Jews are said by many writers, to have used Baptism together with circumcision and sacrifice in the admission of male proselytes: all these ceremonies, according to the same authors, having been observed in their own admission into covenant with the Deity at Sinai, when they washed their clothes,