]> A a Roman Character, A a Italick, A a old English, A a Greek, A Hebrew, are the first Letters of the Alphabet; and in all Languages, ancient and modern, the Character appropriated to the same Sound is the first Letter, except in the Abissine. A Foreigner finds it very difficult to learn how to pronounce our a, in different Words; it having four distinctly differing Sounds; two long, as in Wake, Wall; and two short, as in Wax, Was, and hardly any Rules how to distinguish them, but what are liable to a greater Number of Exceptions. The Dipthongs form'd with it are liable to as great Difficulties. Aamong the Ancients was a numeral Letter, and signified 500. Aa signified 5000. Aamong the Romans was used as an Abbreviation of the Word Absolvo, i.e. I acquit: The Judges being wont to give their Sentence upon Persons, by casting Tables into a Box or Urn, on which Tables were the Letters A. C. or N L. If they acquitted the Person try'd, they cast into the Urn a Table with the Letter A marked on it; if they condemned, with the Letter C, for Condemno, i.e. I condemn; if the Matter was hard to be determined, with the Letters N L, for Non liquet, i.e. It does not appear plain. Hence Cicero calls the Letter A Litera salutaris, i.e. the saving Letter. A was also used by the Romans, as the first of the Litteræ Nundinales, in Imitation of which, the Dominical Letters in our Julian Kalendar. Abe&stress;ston a Stone found in Arabia, of the Colour of Iron, which if set on Fire, is not easy to be quenched. Abso&stress;rbwith Gardeners, &ersand;c. is a Term applied to those greedy Branches, that growing on Fruit-Trees, do drink up and rob the other Branches of the nutritious Juice, that they stand in need of for their Nourishment and Augmentation. Absorbabsorber, F. assorbire, It. of absorbere, L.to sup or swallow up; to devour, to consume, to waste. Abso&stress;rbentsabsorbans, F. of absorbentia, L.Medicines which temper and qualify the sharp Juices in the Body, by imbibing or supping them up. Actino&stress;bolism`aktinobolismo`s of akti`na Sunbeam and bo'lha Plumb­linea Term given by Philosophers to the Diradiation, Diffusion, or Spreading abroad of Light or Sound, by which it is carried, or flows every way from its Centre. A&stress;ctionF. Azione, It. Accion, Sp. Acçaô, Port. of Actio, L. an Act or Deed, also a particular Manner of Delivery in a Speech, Oration, Sermon, &ersand;c. Actionin Physics an Operation or Function performed by Persons, either by the Body alone, or by both Body and Mind, and is both voluntary and spontaneous. Spontaneous Actionwith Philosophers and Physicians an Action that does not depend on the Will, as the Beating of the Pulse, the Circulation of the Blood, &ersand;c. Voluntary Actionwith Philosophers that which is directed by the Will, as Handling, Going, Running, &ersand;c. Actionin Law the Process or Form of a Suit given to recover a Right. Preparatory Action Prejudicial Actionin Law is that which grows from some Doubt in the Principal; as suppose a Man sue a younger Brother for Land, descended from his Father, and Objection is made that he is a Bastard, the Bastardy must first be try'd, and thence the Action is called Prejudicial. Actionin an Epic Poem is reckoned the second Part; and this Action, which is presented by the Recital, must be universal, imitated, feigned, and the Allegory of a moral Truth. Actionwith Orators is the Orator's accommodating his Person to his Subject; or the Management of the voice and Gesture suitable to the Matter he delivers. Actionin Orators some give Directions. 1. To hold out the Hand when you speak of begging, up when you speak of praying. 2. To beat down the Hand when Anger is spoken of or display'd. 3. To clap the Hands together in speaking of any thing that is wonderful. 4. To open one or both Hands when you would make any thing plain. 5. To draw the Arms back close to the Sides when any Thing is requested. 6. To put forth the Fore-finger in demonstrating. 7. To turn down the first Finger in urging. 8. To put up the same for threatening. 9. To put out the middle Finger for reproaching. 10. To touch the Left Thumb with the Index of the Right Hand, in reasoning and disputing. 11. To touch a Finger with the other Hand in distinguishing and numbering. 12. To bring the Hand towards one in speaking of himself. 13. To move the Hand towards the Head in speaking of Understanding; towards the Breast when speaking of the Will, Soul or Affection. 14. To fold the Arms when Sadness is imitated. A&stress;ctoOld Records a Coat of Mail. Ada&stress;rcon a Gold Coin of the Jews, in Value fifteen shillings Sterling. Ado&stress;lescence Ado&stress;lescencyF. Adolescenza, It. Adolescéncia, Sp. ofAdolescentia, L.the Flower of Youth, the State of young Persons, from twelve Years of Age to twenty one in Women; and from fourteen to twenty five or thirty in Men, or it is that Period of a Person's Age, commencing from Infancy and terminating at his full Growth. Ado&stress;niaFestivals celebrated in Honour of Adonis; wherein the Women imitated the Lamentation of Venus, for the Death of Adonis; and when they were tired with this, they changed their Notes, sung his Praises, and made Rejoycings, as if he were raised to Life again. Adventitious GlandulesAnatomy those Kernels which are some times, under the Arm-holes, some times in the Neck, as the King's Evil, &ersand;c. Adventitious Matterwith Philosophers Matter which does not properly belong to any Body, either natural or mix'd; but comes to it from some other Place; as in the freezing of Water, some frigorific Particles do enter in, which are adventious to the Water, either from the Air or the freezing Mixture. Æ&stress;gilopsin Surgury a swelling between the Nose and the great Corner of the Eye, which if not timely opened, the Bone underneath will putrify; also the Fistula lacrymalis. Ægipa&stress;nes&Asmogr;gip&aacugr;nes, Gr. of Ai''x and P~anBeasts like Men, having their Feet and lower Parts like goats, and Satyrs. Aigui&stress;sce Aigui&stress;sse Agui&stress;ssein Heraldry a Term apply'd to a Cross, when its four Ends are sharpened, but so as to terminate in obtuse Angles, F. Aiguisce Eiguiscein Heraldry

&Aiguisce;

as a Cross Aiguisce, signifies a Cross having two Angles at the Ends, cut off, so as to terminate in Points; but it is not like the Cross Fitchee, that goes tapering away by Degrees to a sharp Point, for this Cross Aiguisce has only an obtuse Point made by taking of the Angles. Air...is generally understood to be that Fluid in which we breathe and the Earth is enclosed, and as it were wrapped up. Air is found to have these Six Properties, following. 1. It is liquid, and cannot be congeal'd like Water. 2. It is mich lighter than Water, but yet is not without its Gravity. 3. It is diaphanous, that is, it transmits the Light. 4. It can easily be condens'd and rarefied. 5. It has an elastick Force. 6. It is necessary for Flame and Respiration. I. It is much more liquid than Water is, and cannot be congeal'd, and that for the Reasons following. 1. Because it seems to have Pores much larger, full of finer Matter, of a very quick Motion, whereby the Particles of Air are continually driven about, as it appears by this Experiment, that if Air be pent up in a Vessel it is easily condens'd; whereas no Person yet, by any Invention, has been able to condense Water. 2. The Particles of Air are very fine and branched, so that they have Interstices between one another, and can never be formed into a compact Body. II. Water had been prov'd by Experiment to be 840 Times heavier than Air, from whence it will follow, that a certain Bulk of Air contains in it 840 Times less homogeneous Matter than an equal Bulk of Water does; and this is the Reason why Air may be condens'd, but not Water. III. The Air is Diaphonous, because having very wide Pores, and separable parts, it admits the Matter whereof Light consists through right Lines. And hence it is, tht not only the Sun and the Planets shine or reflect their Light upon us, but also the fixt Stars are seen by us at an immense Distance. But as deep Water does not tranmit all the Rays which fall upon it, because the Series of Light is interrupted by the Motion of the watery Particles: So many of the Rays, which fall upon this prodigious Bulk of Air over us, must needs be broken off and intercepted before they reach us; which probably may be the Cause, that where the Sky is very clear, it is not quite transparent, but appears of a more blue and waterish Colour. IV. Air is condensed and rarefied, because it consisting of branchy Particles, those Particles are easily scatter'd by an extra&hy;ordinary quick Motion, which is called Rarefaction. Again, they are easily thrust into a less Compass, while their Branches are driven together, and close one with another, and thereby crush out the liquid Matter which lay between them; and this is called Condensation. There are a Multitude of Experiments to prove this; as there are a sort of Guns, into which such a Quantity of Air may be forc'd, as to shoot out a Leaden Bullet with great Violence. V. That the Air has an Elastick Force; that is, that it has a Power to return to the same State, and re-occupy the same Space which it filled before, when ever the Force that crushed it into a narrower Compass is removed, the beforementioned Experiment does demonstrate. VI. That Air is necessary forFlame or Respiration. Without Air, Flame and Fire go out, and Air seems to have a nitrous or sulphurous Matter in it, that the Air which lies upon so many Plants, Animals and Minerals, upon which the Heat of the Sun continually operates and extracts a good Part of them, must needs carry away with it innumerable Particles of Sulphur and volatile Salts, wherewith Things abound, as chymical Experiments demonstrates. Air is represented by a Damsel sitting upon a Cloud with her Hair dishevel'd, and a loose, flying Garment, with one Hand stroking a Peacock, and holding under her other Arm a Cameleon. All sorts of Birds flying round a bout her. Plate I. Fig. 11. Pure Air is represented by a Lady of a serene and beautiful Aspect, cloth'd in Gold: holding in one Hand a white dove, the other holding up Zephyrus or the West Wind in the clouds with this motto: Spirat levis aura Favoni. See Plate I. Fig. 12. This intimates the West Wind to be the most Healthful. The white dove is an Emblem of Health, being an Antidote against Infection. Her Aspect and Gold Habit denote the same. Airin Chymical Writers is expressed by one of these Characters

&Air;

Airin Horsemanship is a Cadence and Liberty of Motion, that is accommodated to the natural Disposition of a Horse, that makes him work in the Manage, and rise with Obedience, Measure and Justness of Time. Others use the Word Air in a strict Sense, to signifie a Manage that's higher, slower and more artfully designed than the terra a terra. The Walk, Trot and Gallop are not in the general accounted Airs; others again use the Word Air, for the Motion of a Horse's Legs upon a Gallop. A&stress;irinessof AirBriskness, Liveliness. High Airsare the Motions of a Horse that rises Higher than terra a terra, and works at Curvets, Balotades, Croupades and Capriols. Airwith Anatomistsis supposed to be a fine aerial Substance inclosed in the Labyrinth of the inward Ear, and to minister to the due Conveyance of the Sounds in the Sensory. Airwith Musicianssignifies the Melody or the Inflection of a Musical Composition. To Airairer, F.to expose to the Air, also to dry before the Fire. Air pumpa Machine or Instrument contrived to extract or draw the Air out of proper Vessels. See Pump. Airy Meteorswith Astronomers such as are bred of flatulous and spirituous Exhalations or Vapours; as Winds, &ersand;c. Airy Triplicitywith Astrologersthe Signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Alembickin Chymical Writers is express'd by this Character

&Alembick;

Aisethe Herb Ax-weed. Aisiame&stress;ntaEasements or Conveniences, including any Liberty of Passage, open Way, Water-Course, &ersand;c. for the Ease and Conveniency of any Tenant, of a House or Land Alexa&stress;ndrinewith Poets a Metre that consists of two Syllables more than the common Heroic or Pentameter; as The same the Fate of Arms and Arts you'll find, They rose with equal Pace, with equal Pace declin'd. A&stress;lgebrait is deriv'd of allexcellent, and g,the Name of its supposed Inventorit is the Science of Quantity in general, or a peculiar Method of Reasoning, which takes the Quantity sought, as if it were known, and then by the Helps of another or more Quantities given, proceeds by undeniable Consequences, till at length the Quantity first only supposed to be known, is found to be equal to some Quantity or Quantities certainly known, and it is two-fold, either numeral or literal: It is called the Analytical Art. Numeral Algebra Vulgar Algebra serves to resolve Arithmetical Questions, it is so called because the Quantity unknown and sought for, is represented by some Letter of the Alphabet, or some other Character taken at Pleasure; but all the Quantities given are expressed by Numbers, called the Old Algebra. Literal Algebra Specious Algebra is a Method by which both the Quantities given or known, and those unknown are severally expressed by Letters of the Alphabet, and this is useful generally in the solving Mathematical Problems, and is called the New Algebra. Alle&stress;rionsin Heraldry

&Allerions;

are small Birds painted without Beak or Feet, like the Martlet or Martinet. Others say, they are like Eagles without Beak or Feet, so called, because they have nothing perfect but the Wings; that they differ from Martlets, in that their Wings are expanded and the Martlets are close; and also that they are not represented facing as the Allerions are, as in the Figure. Almonds of the Throat are a glandulous Substance, placed on each Side of the Uvula at the Root of the Tongue, resembling two Kernels; these receive the Saliva or Spittle from the Brain, and disperse it to the Tongue, Jaws, Throat and Gullet, to moisten them, and make them slippery. These being inflam'd and swell'd by a Cold, &ersand;c. straighten the Passage of the Throat, and render it painful and difficult to swallow even the Spittle. This is called a sore Throat, and by some the falling of the Almonds of the Ears. Alu&stress;delswith Chymists

&Aludels;

a sort of Pots used in Sublimations; they have no Bottom, and are fitted into one another, as many, as there is Occasion. At the Bottom, in the Furnace, there is a Pot holding the Matter that is to be sublimed, and at the Top there is a Head to receive the Flowers that sublime up thither. Amphi&stress;scii`amf'iskioi of amf`i and sk'ioiShadows those People dwelling in Climates, wherein the Shadows at different Times of the Year fall both Ways, viz. both to the North Pole, when the Sun is in the Southern Signs, and to the South Pole, when he is in Northern Signs. These are those who inhabit the Torrid Zone. An&stress;choredin Heraldry

&Anchored;

as a Cross anchored is so called, because the four Extremities of it resemble the Flook of an Anchor. Anger is describ'd in Painting or Sculpture, by a Woman of a fierce Aspect, in Armour, leading a Dragon which spits Fire, holding in one Hand a Sword, and in the other a flaming Torch. Or, according to others, with a Sword in her Hand, in a Posture as if thrusting at Some-body; Cupid at the same Time presenting her an Arrow. Near her a Table, upon which stand Bottles, Glasses, Dice and Cards, and at her Feet a Hedge-Hog. Anger is also represented by a young Man, round shoulder'd, his Face bloated, with sparkling Eyes, a round Brow, a sharp Nose; wide Nostrils, he is armed, his Crest is a Boar's Head: from which issues Fire and Smoke, a drawn Sword in one Hand and a lighted Torch in the other, all in red. Youth is subject to Anger. The Boar is an Animal much inclin'd to Wrath. The Sword intimates that Anger presently lays hold of it; the puff'd cheeks &ersand;c. that Anger often alters the Face, by the boiling of the Blood, and inflames the Eyes. See Plate, Fig 8. Angerlypassionately. Annu&stress;ityof annus,yearlya yearly Income or Rent that is to be paid for Term of Life; an Annuity is different from a Rent only in this, that the former only charges the Granter or his Heirs, whereas a Rent is payable out of Land. Dr. Halley in his Observations on the Breslaw Bills of Mortality, shews that it is 80 to 1 a Person of 25 Years of Age does not die in a Year; that it is 512 to one that a Man of 40 lives 7 Years; and that one of 30 may reasonably expect to live 27 or 28 Years: So great a Difference there is between the Life of Man at different Ages; that it is 100 to 1, if one of 20 lives out a Year; and but 38 to 1, that one of 50 does so. When and from some other Observations he has constructed the following Tables, shewing the Value of Annuities from every 5th Year of Live to the 70th. AgeY.Pur.AgeY.Pur.110,284010,57513,40459,911013,44509,211513,33558,512012,78607, 612512,27656,543011,72705,32 3511,12 A&stress;ntheræin Botany those little Tufts or Knobs which grow on the Tops of the Stamina of Flowers. Anthra&stress;cothei&stress;osaleni&stress;trumof &asagr;nqroxa Coal, qe&icirgr;enSulphur, &asmogr;ljSalt, and n&iacugr;tronNitre, Gr.all the Ingredients of Gunpowder. Anti&stress;podesF., Sp. and L. antipodi of &asmogr;nt&igragr; and p&acirgr;s pod&ogragr;s, Gr.a Foot Contrary or opposite as to the Foot. Anti&stress;podesin Geography such Inhabitants of the Earth, who dwell in opposite Parallels of Latitude, and under the opposite half of the same Meridian, and walk with their Feet directly opposite one to another. The Antipodes have the same Length of Day and Night, but at contrary Times; when it is Noon with the one, it is Midnight with the Other; and the longest day with one is the shortest with the other; they have likewise the same Degree of Heat and Cold; they have likewise their Summer and Winter, the Rising and Setting of Stars quite contrary one to another. Apo&stress;thecaries

&Apothecaries;

having separated themselves from the ancient Society of Grocers, grew so much in favour with King James I. that he used to call them his Company, and gave them a Charter or Incorporation, in the fifteenth Year of his Reign. Their Arms are Argent. Apollo arm'd with a bow and arrow, surmounted a Python. Their supporters two Unicorns, and the crest a Rhinoceros surmounting a torce and helmet. The motto, Opifer per Orbem dicor. Archeuswith Chymiststhe highest and most exalted Spirit that can be separated from mixed Bodies. Armi&stress;llary Sphere is when the greater and lesser Circles of the Sphere being made of Brass, Wood, &ersand;c. and put together in their natural Order, so as to represent the three Positions of those Circles in the Heavens, as in this Figure, where N P represents the North Pole, and S P the South Pole,a b the North Circle, and x y the South Polar Circle, each 23° 29' distant from its respective Pole; and the two Tropicks as far removed from the Equator, as the Polar Circles are removed from the Poles. The Tropick of Cancer is represented by

&Armillary69;

, and that of Capricorn by

&ArmillaryVR;

; also the Horizon by HO. Those Circles that pass through both Poles are called Meridians. The Earth is represented by the small Ball in the center of the Sphere, and the Sphere it self is made to turn round the Earth agreable to the Ptolemaick System; and by this Sphere the Positions, viz. A Right Sphere, an Oblique Sphere, and a Parallel Sphere (which see under the several Words) are truly represented according as the several Inhabitants of the Earth enjoy them; also the several Problems belonging to the Sphere, viz. the Time of Rising, Setting, and Culminating of the Planets in any Latitude, and consequently the Length of their Days and Nights.

&Armillary;

A&stress;rmourers

&Armourers;

were incorporated in the beginning of the Reign of Henry VI. the King himself being pleased to be Free of their Company, their Arms are Argent on a Chevron Gules, a Gauntlet between four Swords in Saltire, on a chief sable, a Buckler argent, charged with a Cross, Gules betwixt two Helmets of the first. Their Crest is a Man demi-armed at all Points, surmounting a Torce and Helmet. Arse smartwith Herbalists the Herb Water-Pepper. Arse versyof Arse and versus, L.turnedHeels over Head, topsy turvey, preposterously, without Order. A&stress;scii&Asagr;skioi of aprivat. and ski&agragr;, Gr.a Shadow those Inhabitants of the Globe, who at certain Times in the Year, have no Shadow at 12 a Clock, such are the Inhabitants of the Torrid Zone, by reason that the Sun is sometimes Vertical to them. Asmato&stress;grapher&Asmogr;smat&oacugr;grofos, Gr.a Composer of Songs. Astrologyis describ'd in Painting and Sculpture, as a Woman crown'd with Stars, having on a rich Vestment embroider'd with the same, a Sun upon her Breast, in her right Hand a Scepter, and in her left a C&oe;lestial Globe; at her Feet an Eagle. Astronomythe Ancients used to paint Astronomy like a Goddess with a silver Crescent on her Forehead, clothed in an azure Mantle, and a Watchet-scarf, spangled with golden Stars. She has been like wise painted in the same Manner as Astrology, (see above) only with a Table of Astronomical Figures in her left Hand, instead of a c&oe;lestial Globe. And sometimes as a Lady in a starry Habit; her Eyes looking up to heaven, in her right Hand holding an Astrolabe, and in her left a Table of Astronomical Figures. Her Garment denotes the Night to be the most proper to see the Stars in; her Eyes and Thoughts always elevated and intent upon c&oe;lestial Bodies; the Astrolabe measures the Distance of them. See Plat. II. Fig. 8. Avari&stress;ceis represented by a hideous, pale-fac'd old Woman, with a discontented and dejected Aspect, and a swoln Belly, upon she lays one of her Hands as if in Pain, and in the other she gripes a Purse close ty'd, on which her Eyes are fix'd; by her Side stands a meager Wolf, as an Emblem of Voracity. Her Paleness proceeds from her Envy, which torments her to see her Neighbours richer than herself; her Eyes are fix'd on her Purse, it being her chief Delight. The Wolf denotes the voracious Humour of the colvetous, who would have other Mens Goods by Hook or by Crook. Plate II. Fig. 9. A&stress;venageof avena, L.Oatsa certain Quantity of Oats paid to a Landlord instead of some other duties, or as a Rent by the Tenant. Au&stress;ncel Weightprobably q. d. Handsale Weightan ancient sort of Weight or Balance, with Scales Pendant, or Hooks hanging to each End of a Beam, which being raised upon the Forefinger or Hand, shewed the Difference between the Thing weighed and the Weight. But this, by reason of Deceit used in it, was forbidden, and quite prohibited, 22 of King Charles II. Axisin Peritrochio

&Axis;

a Machine for the raising of Weights, consisting of a Cylindrical Beam which in [sic] the Axis, lying Horizontally, and supported at each End by a Piece of Timber, and somewhere about it, it hath a kind of Tympanum or Wheel which is called the Peritrochium, in the Circumference of which are made Holes to put in Staves (like those of a Windless or Capstan, in Order to turn the Axis round the more easily, to raise the Weight by a Rope that winds round the Axis.