recting, or blotting out expreffions. Swift. 2. To efface; to erafe.- O Bertram, oh! no more my foe, but brother: One act like this blots out a thousand crimes. Dryden. Thefe fimple ideas, offered to the mind, the understanding can no more refufe, nor ater, nor Blot out, than a mirrour can refufe, alter or obliterate, the images which the objects produce. Locke. 3. To make black spots on a paper; to blur.Heads overfull of matter, be like pens overfull of ink, which will fooner blot, than make any fair letter. Ajebam. O fweet Portia ! Here are a few of the unpleafanteft words That ever blotted paper. Shur. Merch. of Venice. 4. To difgrace; to disfigure. Unkuit that threat'ning unkind brow; It blots thy beauty. Shak. Tum. of the Shrew. 5. To darken. Hefung how earth blots the moon's gilded wane, Whilt foolish men beat founding brafs in vam. Cooley * BLOTCH. n. f. [from blot.] A fpot or puftule upon the skin.-Spots and blotches, of feveral colours and figures, ftragging over the body; fome are red, others yellow, or black. Harvey. * To BLOTE. v. a. To fincke, or dry by the fmoke; as biot-d herrings or red nerrings. BLOTED CHINA WARE, a fort of china, loaded with colour in an irregular manner. This pleates fame, but it is a defective fort of ware, the large blotches of colours having been only laid on to cover the blemishes in the first baking. BLOTELING, or BLOOTELING, Abraham, a defigner and engraver of Amfterdam, flourished about 1670. From the ftyle of his etchings, which have great merit, he is supposed to have frequented the school of the Viffchers. He came to England about 1672, or 1673, at the time the French invaded Holland; but he did not refide long. He both etched and scraped feveral mezzotintos, which were much efteemed. Vertue informs us, that whilft he was in England, he received 30 guineas for an etching of the duke of Norfolk. From hence he returned to Amfterdam, where, in all probability, he died. In 1685, he published at Amsterdam, the gems of Leonardo Auguftino, and etched the plates himself. BLOTTING BOOK, a book ufed by merchants, wh under a profs of bufinefs, hastily to enter their accounts, which are copied into the journal at night. BLOTTING PAPER, a fpecies of paper made without fize or ftiffening, ferving to imbibe the wet ink in books of account, &c. and prevent its blotting the oppofite page. BLOUDWIT. See BLOodwit. (1.) BLOUNT, Charles, younger brother of Sir Thomas (N° 3.) had an excellent capacity, and was an eminent writer. His Anima Mundi, or, An hiftorical narration of the opinions of the ancients, concerning men's foul ofter this life, according to unenlightened nature, gave great offence, and was complained of to the bishop of London. But the work which rendered him most known, was his tranflation of Philoftratus's Life of Apollonius Tyanaus, published in 1680; which was foon fup preffed, as an attack on revealed religion. An other work of the fame complexion he published the fame year, called Great is Diana of the Ephe fons, &c. in which, under colour of expofing fuperftition, he ftruck at reveiation. In 1684, he printed a kind of Introduction to Polite Literature. In the warmth of his zeal for the Revolution, he wrote a pamphlet to prove K. William and queta Mary conquerors; which was condemned to be burnt by both houfes of parliament. The clofe of his life was very unhappy. For, after the death of his wife, he became enamoured of her fifter, whofe only objection was their prior connection by the maige; on which he writ a letter on the fubject, as the cafe of a third perfon, with great learning and addreis. But the Abp. of Canterbury and other divines deciding against him, and the lady on this growing inflexible, it threw him into a phrenzy, in which he fhot himfeif, in 1693.After his death, his mifcellaneous pieces were col lected and published. (2.) BLOUNT, Sir Henry, an English writer, born at Tittenhanger, in Hertfordshire, in 1602. After a regular education, he fet out on his travels in 1634; and getting acquainted with a janizary at Venice, he accompanied him into the Turkish dominions. Having been abroad two years, he retuned and published a relation of his travels in the Levant, which went through feveral editions. He was knighted by Charles I. and was at the battle of Edge-hill; but after the king's death, was employed by the parliament, and by Cromwell. Yet after the reftoration, he was appointed high fheriff of Hertfordshire, and from that time lived as a private gentleman above 20 years. He publifhed, 1. An account of his travels. 2. Six comedies written by John Lilly, under the title of Court Comedies. 3. The exchange walk, a fatire; and 4. An epiftle in praife of tobacco. He died October 9, 1682. (3.) BLOUNT, Sir Thomas Pope, bart. an eminent writer, and the eldest son of Sir Henry, (N° 2.) was born at Upper Holloway, in Middlefex, 12th Sept. 1649. He diftinguished himself as a lover of liberty, a fincere friend to his country, and a true patron of learning. He was made a baronet by Charles II. in whofe reign he was elected burgefs for St Alban's in two parliaments, and was knight of the fire in 3 parliaments after the revolution. He wrote in Latin, 1. A critique on the molt celebrated writers. 2. Efays on feveral fubjects. 3. A natural hiftory, extracted out of the beft modern writers; and 4. Remarks upon poetry, with characters and cenfures of the most considerable poets, whether ancient or modern. He died June 30, 1697. (4.) BLOUNT, Thomas, a learned English writer of the 17th century, born at Bordelley in Worcefterfhire. He had not an univerfity education; but by strength of genius and great application, made a confiderable progrefs in literature. Upon the breaking out of the popish plot in the reign of Charles II. being much alarmed on account of his being a zealous Roman-catholic, he contracted a palfy; and died in December 1679, aged 61. He wrote, 1. The academy of eloquence, containing a complete English rhetoric. 2. Gloffographica, or a dictionary interpreting fuch hard words, whether whether Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, &c. as are now used in cur refined English tongue, &c. 3. Bofcobel; or the history of his majefty's escape after the battle of Worceiter. 4. A law Dictionary. 5. Animadverfions upon Sir Richard Baker's hronicle, 6. Fragmenta Antiquitatis ; and other works. BLOUNTSVILLE, a post town of the United States, in N. Carolina. It is 30 miles SSE. of Halifax, and 413 from Philadelphia. they gain a victory, and a town; but if they are once defeated, they lofe a province at a blow. Dryden. 7. The act of a fly, by which the lodges eggs in fleth. 1 muft fear, leaft with the blows of flies, His brafs inflicted wounds are fill'd. Chapm. (3.) BLOW, in fencing, differs from a thruft, as the former is given by triking, the latter by puthing. (4.) BLOW, in law. See BATTERY, § I. & III.. (5.) BLOW, MILITARY, [alapa militaris,] that given with a fword on the neck or fhoulder of a candidate for knighthood, in the ceremony of dub-. bing him. It feems to have taken its rife from the ancient ceremony of manumiffion. In giving the blow, the prince ufed the formula, Elo bonus miles, "Be a valiant foldier;" upon which the party rose a complete knight, and qualified to bear arms in his own right. * (1.) To BLOW. v. a. 1. To drive by the force of the wind: with a particle to fix the meaning.Though you unite the winds, Though bladded corn belodg'd, and trees blown down, . (1.) BLOW, Dr John, a famous musician and compofer, was a native of N. Collingham in Nottingham; and was one of the firft it of chapel boys after the Reitoration. He was bred up under Capt. Henry Cook, and also a pupil of Hinge fton, and Dr Chriftopher Gibbons. Upon the death of Purcell in 1895, he became organift of Weftminster Abbey, and in 1699, compofer to the king. Dr Blow was a compofer of anthems while a chapel boy, and was diftinguished by Charles il, for his merit. A little ductt of Cariffimi was admired very much by the king, and the fubject of this article was requested to imitate it: the duett begins with "Dite o Cieli,”-Blow with peculiar modefty answered," he would try, but le was doubtful."-His attempt was bowever perfectly fuccefsful. He compofed in the fame measure and the fame key, (D. with a minor third) that beautiful fong, "Go perjur'd man." He fet to mufic an ode for St Cecilia's day, in 1684, the words by Mr Oldham, published with one of Pur--Thefe primitive heirs of the chriftian church csil. In imitation of Purcell's Orpheus Britannirus, he published a work entitled Amphion Anglicus, in 170c, containing compositions for 1, 2, 3, and 4 voices, with a thorough bats for the organ, harpsichord, or the orbulute: to this book a vari. ety of commendatory verfes are fixed, and among them an ode, in the fecond flanza of which are the following lines: His Gloria Patri long ago reach'd Rome, Sung and rever'd too, in St Peter's dome, A Canon, will outlive her jubilees to come. The Canon here meant is that fine one, to which the Gloria Patri, in Dr Blow's gamut fervice is fet. He likewife published a collection of leflons for the harpsichord,, and Mr Dryden's ode on the death of Purcell. There are alfo extant of his compofition fundry hymns printed in the Harmonia Sacra, and a great number of catches in the latter editions of the Mufical Companion.~*~ He died in 1708. (2) BLOW. n. f. [blowe, Dutch.] 1. The act of ftriking. 2. A stroke. A moft poor man, made tame to fortune's blows. Shak. King Lear. 4. An act of hoftility; bloays are used for combat or war. Though caftles topple on their warders heads. Fair daughter, blow away thofe mifts and And let thy eyes fhine forth in their full luftre. could not eafily blow off the doctrine of paffive No blown ambition doth our arms incite, 4. To form into fhape by the breath.-Spherical Where the bright feraphim, in burning row, Their loud uplifted angel trumpets blow. Mist. 6. To warm with the breath. When the ificles hang by the wall, Shakef But never was there man of his degree, So much efteem'd, fo well belov'd as he: So gentle of condition was he known, That through the court his courtesy was blosun, Dryden, 8. To blow out. To extinguish by wind or the breath. Your breath first kindled the dead coal of war, And brought in matter, that fhould feed this fire: And now 'tis far too huge to be bleaun out, Shakef. Moon, flip behind fome cloud, fome tempeft rife, And blogy out all the stars that light the fkics. Dryd, 9. To To blow up. To raife or fwell with breath.A plague of fighing and grief! it blows a man up like a bladder. Shakespeare.-Before we had exhaufted the receiver, the bladder appeared as full as if blown up with a quill. Boyle. It was my breath that blew this tempeft up, Upon your ftubborn ufage of the pope. Shakif. An empty biadder gravitates no more than when blown up, but fome lefs; yet defcends more eafily, because with lefs refiftance. Grew. 10. To blosu up. To inflate with pride.-Blown up with the conceit of his merit, he did not think he had received good measure from the king. Bacon. 11. To blow up. To kindle. His prefence foon blows up th' unkindly fight, And his loud guns fpeak thick like angry men. Dryden. 12. To move by afflatus.-When the mind finds herfelf very much inflamed with devotion, fhe is too much inclined to think that it is blown up with fomething divine within herfelt. Addison. 13. To blow up. To burst with gunpowder; to raise into the air. The captains hoping, by a mine, to gain the city, approached with foldiers ready to enter upon blowing up of the mine. Knolles's Hift. of the Turks. Their chief blown up in air, not waves expir'd, To which his pride prefum'a to give the law. Dryden. -Not far from the faid well, blowing up a rock, he formerly obferved fome of thefe. Woodward. 14. To infect with the eggs of flies. I know not how this fenfe belongs to the word.- I would no longer endure This wooden flavery, than I would suffer Shakef. Blow me into abhorring. Shakef. 15. To blow upon. To make tale.-I am wonderfully pleated, when I meet with any paffage in an old Greek or Latin author, that is not blown upon, and which I have never met with in any quotation. Addifon.-He will whifper an intrigue that is not yet blown upon by common fame. Addifon. 5. To found with being blown. Nor with lefs dread the loud Ethercal trumpet from on high 'gan blow. Paradife Loft. There let the pealing organ blow, i To the full-voic'd quire below. Milton. 6. To found, or play mufically by wind.-The priefts fhall blow with the trumpet. Joshua. 7. To blow over. To pafs away without effect.-The storm is blown over. Granville. 8. To blowv up. To fly into the air by force of gun-powder.—The enemy's magazines blew ap. Tatler.. (3)* To BLow. v. n. [blowan, Saxon.] T● bloom; to blossom. We lofe the prime to mark how spring (1.) * BLOWER. n.. [from blow.] A melter of tin.-Add his care and cost in buying wood, and in fetching the fame to the blowing-house, together with the blowers, two or three months extreme and increafing labour. Carew. (2.) BLOWER, [fouffleur,] an appellation of contempt fometimes given to an alchemist. BLOWFIELD, a village 4 m. NE. of Norwich. (1.) BLOWING, [exfufflatio,] a ceremony, in the ancient adminiftration of baptifm, whereby the catechumen, upon rehearfing the renunciation, blew three blasts with his mouth, to fignify that he rejected the devil. Something like this is ftill retained in the Ruffian church. In the facramentary of St Gregory, the priest who administers baptifm, is enjoined to blow thrice on the child's face, making the fign of the cross and pronouncing the words, exi ab eo fatan. Juftin Martyr, Tertullian, St Cyril, and St Auguftin speak of this ceremony as ufed in their times. (2.) BLOWING, in gardening, the action of flowers, whereby they open and difplay their leaves. The regular blowing feafon is in the fpring; though fome plants have other extraordinary times and manners of blowing, as the Glaftenbury thorn. See BLOSSOMING, I. Some flowers alfo, as the tulip, close every evening, and blow again in the morning. Annual plants blow fooner or later as their feeds are put in the ground; whence the curious in gardening fow fome every mouth in fummer, and have a conftant fucceffion of flowers. The blowing of roses may be retarded by fhearing of the buds as they expand. (3) BLOWING AIR INTO FURNACES. FURNACE. See (2.) * To Blow. v. n. pret. blew; particip. paif. blown. [blawan, Sax.] 1. To make a current of air.-At his fight the mountains are fhaken, and at his will the fouth wind bloweth. Ecclef. xli. 16.-Fruits, for long keeping, gather before they are full ripe, and in a dry day, towards noon, and when the wind bloweth not fouth; and when the moon is in decrease. Bacon's Nat. Hift. By the fragrant winds that blow (4.) BLOWING OF GLASS, one of the methods O'er the Elyfian flow'rs. Pope's St Cæcilia. of forming various kinds of works in the glass ma2. This word is fometimes imperfonally with it.-nufacture. It is performed by dipping the point It blew a terrible tempest at sea once, and there of an iron blowing pipe into melted glass, and was one feaman praying. L'Efrange.-If it blows blowing through it with the mouth, according to a happy gale, we must fet up all our fails, though the circumstances of the glafs to be blown. See it fometimes happens, that our natural heat is GLASS. more powerful than our care and correctness. Dryden. 3. To pant; to puff; to be breathlefs. Here's Mrs Page at the door, fweating and blowing, and looking wildly. Shakespeare. Each aking nerve refuse the lance to throw, And each spent courfer at the chariot blow. Pope. 4. To breathe.-Says the fatyr, if you have gotten a trick of bloaving hot and cold out of the fame mouth, I've e'en done with ye. L'Etrange. (5.) BLOWING OF TIN denotes the melting its ore, after being first burnt, to destroy the mundie. (6.) BLOWING SNAKE, in zoology, a name given in Virginia to a fpecies of ferpent, refembling the European viper, but confiderably larger, and remarkable for inflating and extending the furface of its head before it bites. Its wound is fatal. * BLOWN. The participle, paffive of blow. -AN |