Encyclopædia Britannica; Or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature; Constructed on a Plan, by which the Different Sciences and Arts Are digested into the Form of Distinct Treatises or Systems, comprehending The History, Theory, and Practice, of each, according to the Latest Discoveries and Improvements; and full Explanations given of the Various Detached Parts of Knowledge, whether relating to Natural and Artificial Objects, or to Matters Ecclesiastical, Civil, Military, Commercial, &c. Including Elucidations of the most important Topics relative to Religion, Morals, Manners, and the Oeconomy of Life: together with A Description of all the Countries, Cities, principal Mountains, Seas, Rivers, &c. throughout the World; A General History, Ancient and Modern, of the different Empires, Kingdoms, and States; and An Account of the Lives of the most Eminent Persons in every Nation, from the earliest ages down to the present times. Third Edition. Volume 3. Edinburgh: A. Bell and C. MacFarquhar. [Internet Archive]
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BARBELICOTÆ, an ancient sect of Gnostics, spoken of by Theodoret. Their doctrines were absurd, and their ceremonies too abominable to be repeated. (EB III, 1797: 6)
Such information, wow.
BARBER, one who makes a trade of shaving or trimming the beards of other men for money. Anciently, a lute or viol, or some such musical instrument, was part of the furniture of a barber's shop, which was used then to be frequented by persons above the ordinary level of the people, who resorted to the barber either for the cure of wounds, or to undergo some chirurgical operations, or, as it was then called, to be trimmed, a word that signified either shaving or cutting and curling the hair; these, together with letting blood, were the ancient occupations of the barber-surgeon. As to the other important branches of surgery, the setting of the fractured limbs, that was practised by another class of men called bone-setters, of whom there are hardly any now remaining. The musical instruments in his shop were for the entertainment of waiting customers; and answered the end of a newspaper, with which at this day those who wait for their turn at the barber's amuse themselves. (EB III, 1797: 6)
Actually neat. The haid-dresse do rely on radios and waiting customerd resort to scrolling their smartphones.
BARBEYRAC (John), was bron in Besiers in Lower Languedoc in 1674. He was made professor of law and history at Lusanne in 1710; which he enjoyed for sever years, and during that time was three times rector: in 1717, he was professor of public and private law at Groningen. He translated into French the two celebrated works of Puffendorf, his Law of Nature and Nations, and his Duties of a Man and a Citizen; to both which he wrote excellent notes, and to the former an introductory preface. He translated also Grotius's treatise De Jure Belli ac Pacis, with large and excellent notes; and several of Tillotson's large and excellent notes; and several of Tillotson's sermons. He wrote a work titled Traité de Jeu, 2 vols 8vo. (EB III, 1797: 6)
P.P. is probably aware of this scholar.
The principal attention of [BARBIERI (Giovanni Francesco), otherwise called] Gucercino seems to have been fixed on arriving at perfection in colouring of the celebrated Venetian masters; and observed, that notwithstanding any imperfections in regard to grace, correctness, or elegance, the works of those masters were the objects of universal admiration. (EB III, 1797: 6)
What's the difference between grace and elegance?
But he [Guercino] apologized for that conduct, by declaring, that in his former time he painted for fame, and to please the judicious; and he now painted to please the ignorant, and enrich himself. (EB III, 1797: 7)
Straight outta Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics.
The inhabitants are diligent, and equally fit for labour and trade; they are also very civil to strangers. The women are well shaped, and as handsome as any in Spain; they are brisk and lively in their conversation, and more free and unrestrained in their behaviour than in other parts of Spain. (EB III, 1797: 9)
What about the men, though? Are they as finely shaped as in other parts of Spain?
He [BARCLAY (Robert)] travelled with the famous Mr William Penn through the greatest part of England, Holland, and Germany, and was every where received with the highest respect; for though both his conversation and behaviour were suitable to his principles, yet there was such liveliness and spirit in his discourse, and such serenity and cheerfulness in his deportment, as rendered him extremely agreeable to all sorts of people. (EB III, 1797: 10)
A phatic appraisal.
The curiosity of man is great with respect to the transactions of his own species; and when such transactions are described in verse, accompanied with music, the performance is enchanting. An ear, a voice, skill in instrumental music, and, above all, a poetical genuis, are requisite to excel in that complicated art. As such talents are rare, the few thta possess them were highly esteemed; and hence the profession of a bard, which, beside natural talents, required more culture and exercise than any other known art. (EB III, 1797: 10)
An 18th century naturalist's take on poetry and song.
Ammianus Marcellinus gives them this express testimony, that there flourished among them the study of the most laudable arts; introduced by the bards, whose office it was to sing in heroic verse the gallant actions of illustrious men; and by the druids, who lived together in colleges and societies, after the Pythagorean manner, and philosophizing upon the highest subjects, asserted the immortality of the human soul. (EB III, 1797: 11)
A very odd comparison. Today we'd probably say that they "lived in a commune".
BARDESANISTS, a sect of ancient heretics, thus denominated from their leader Bardesanes, a Syrian of Edessa in Mesopotamia. Bardesanes, born in the middle of the second century, became eminent, after his conversion to Christianity, fro his zeal against heretics; against whom, we are informed by St Jerome and Eusebius, he wrote a multitude of books; yet had he the misfortune to fall, himself, into the errors of Valentinus, to which he added some others of his own. He taught, that the actions of men depend altogether on fate, and that God himself is subject to necessity. His followers went further, and denied the resurrection of the body, and theincarnation and death of our Saviour; holding that these were only apparent or phantastical. (EB III, 1797: 12)
Might be some of those called "gnostics".
Clandestine bargains and sales of chattel interests, or leases for years, were thought not worth regarding, as such interests were very precarious till about six years before; [...] (EB III, 1797: 13)
Phraseology for something having been ignored.
BARLOW (Thomas), born in 1607, was appointed fellow of Queen's college in Oxford in 1633; and two years after was chosen reader of metaphysics to the university. He was keeper of the Bodleian library, and in 1657 was chosen provost of Queen's college. After the restoration of king Charles II. he was nominated one of the commissioners for restoring the members unjustly expressed in 1648. He wrote at that time The case of Toleration in matters of Religion, to Mr R. Boyle. In 1675, he was made bishop of Lincoln. After the popish plot, he published several tracts against the Roman-catholic religion; in which he shows an uncommon extent of learning, and skill in polemical divinity. (EB III, 1797: 16)
Sounds interesting enough. Or at least more so than the other Barlows enumerated here thus far.
St Barnabas was born at Cyprus, and descended of the tribe of Levi, whose Jewish ancestors are thought to have retired thither to secure themselves from violence during the troublesome times in Judea. (EB III, 1797: 17)
Ironic, considering the rumors that Israelis these days travel to Cyprus to marry or whatever.
St BARNABAS's Epistle, an apocryphal work ascribed to St Barnabas, and frequently cited by St Clement of Alexandria and Origen. - It was first published in Greek, from a copy of father Hugh Menard a Benedictine monk. An ancient version of it was found in a manuscript of the abbey of Coebey, near a thousand years old. Vossius published it, in the year 1656, together with the epistles of St Ignatius.
St BARNABAS's Gospel, another apocryphal work, ascribed to St Barnabas the apostle, wherein the history of Jesus Christ is related in a manner very different from the account given us by the four Evangelists. The Mahometans have this gospel in Arabic, and it corresponds very well with those traditions which Mahomet followed in his Koran. (EB III, 1797: 17)
More non-canonical gospels.
She [BARNAVELDT (John d'Olden)'s wife and Réné's mother] solicited a pardon for Réné; upon which Maurice expressed his surprise that she should do that for her son which she had refused for her husband. To this remark, she replied with indignation, "I would not ask a pardon for my husband, because he was innocent. I solicit it for my son, because he is guilty." (EB III, 1797: 18)
Those Dutch anecdotes do be hitting different.
BARON and Feme, in the English law, a term used for husband and wife, in relation to each other: and they are deemed but one person; so that a wife cannot be witness for or against her husband, nor he for or against his wife, except in cases of high treason. (EB III, 1797: 34)
Something to add to the discussion of personhood in Lotman's "On the semiosphere".
Baronets take place according to the dates of their patents; by the terms of which no honour is to be erected between barons and baronets. The title Sir is granted them by a peculiar clause in their patents, tho' they be not dubbed knights: but both a baronet, and his eldest son, being of full age, may claim knighthood. (EB III, 1797: 35)
What does erecting honour mean?
The characters given by this person to Leonora Baroni is as follows: "She is endowed with fine parts; she has a very good judgment to distinguish good from bad music; she understands it perfectly well; and even composes, which [|] makes her absolute mistress of what she sings, and gives her the most exact pronunciation and expression of the sense of her words. She does not pretend to beauty, neither is she disagreeable, or a coquet. She sings with a bold and generous modesty, and an agreeable gravity; her voice reaches a large compass of notes, and in exact, loud, and harmonious; she softens and raises it without straining or making grimaces. Her raptures and sighs are not lascivious; her looks having nothing impudent, nor does she transgress a virgin modesty in her gestures." (EB III, 1797: 35-36)
The state of her kidneys is excellent.
"Her mother played upon the lute, her sister upon the harp, and herself upon the theorbo. This concert, composed of three fine voices, and of three different instruments, so powerfully transported my senses, and threw me into such raptures, that I forgot my mortality, and though myself already among the angels enjoying the felicity of the blessed." (EB III, 1797: 36)
Õnnistatute õnn.
BARRATOR, or BARRETOR, in law, a person guilty of barretry. See BARRETRY.
Lambert derives the word barretor from the Latin balatro, "a vile knave;" but the proper derivation is from the French barrateur, i.e. a "deceiver;" and this agrees with the description of a common barretor in my Lord Coke's report, viz. that he is a common mover and maintainer of suits in disturbance of the peace, and in taking and detaining the possession of houses and lands or goods by false inventions, &c. [...] And there is said that a common barretor is the most dangerous oppressor in the law, for he oppresseth the innocent by colour of law, which was made to protect them from oppression. (EB III, 1797: 37)
Strategic lawsuits against public participation (also known as SLAPP suits).
His majesty did not speak from report, but from his own knowledge: the doctor being then his chaplain, he used often to converse with him, and in his humorous way, to call him an "unfair preacher," because he exhausted every subject, and left no room for others to come after him. (EB III, 1797: 39)
The two sources of knowledge: experience and communication.
He was unrivalled in mathematical learning, and especially in the sublime geometry; in which he has been excelled only by one man, and that man was his pupil the great Sir Isaac Newton. The same genius that seemed to be born only to bring hidden truths to light, to rule to the heights or descend to the depths of science, would sometimes amuse itself in the flowery paths of poetry, and he composed verses both in Greek and Latin. (EB III, 1797: 39)
An amazing sentence.
Observing, with much concern, that his [BARRY (Girald)] countrymen, the Welsh, were very backward in paying the tithes of wool and cheese, which he was afraid would involve them in eternal damnation, he applied to Richard archbishop of Canterbury, and was appointed his legate in Wales for rectifying that disorder, and for other purposes. He executed this commission with great spirit; excommunicating all, without distinction, who refused to save their souls by surrendering the tithes of their cheese and wool. (EB III, 1797: 42)
What the hell have wool and cheese to do with one's soul?
Upon the death of his [BARTHIUS (Gaspar)] father (who was professor of civil law at Franfort, counsellor to the elector of Brandenburg, and his chancellor at Custrin), he was sent to Gotha, then to Eisenach, and afterwards, according to custom, went through all the different universities in Germany. When he had finished his studies, he began his travels; he visited Italy, France, Spain, England, and Holland, improving himself by the conversation and works of the learned in every country. (EB III, 1797: 44)
People are improved by conversations with the learned.
Upon his return to Germany, he took up his residence at Leipsic, where he led a retired life, his passion for study having made him renounce all sort of employment. (EB III, 1797: 44)
An enviable situation.
BARULES, in church-history, certain heretics, who held, that the Son of God had only a phantom of a body; that souls were created before the world, and that they lived all at one time. (EB III, 1797: 45)
Jesus was translucent, sent by god to deliver us the message that all souls are trapped in this simulation of a universe by the wheel of time that, after death, yeets you into another life somewhere somewhen random.
It is made up of pozzolana, consolidated by a certain liquid, which while it has communicated solidity to the pozzolane, has at the same time suffered that substance to shrink considerably, in such a manner as to leave large chinks between the pieces of basaltes, which are thus formed by the operation of the liquid on the pozzolana. (EB III, 1797: 47)
"Chinks in the armour" not dents but chasms or splits.
Steatites, generally a greenish soapy appearance, more rarely of a pure white, and raising an imperfect saponaceous froth when agitated with water. (EB III, 1797: 47)
Hence saponins - plant substances that foam. I get saponaceous froth when I mix my Bacopa monnieri powder with non-boiling water.
It cannot be doubted that there has been some connection betwixt the basaltic pillars and subterraneous fire; as they are found in places where the marks of fire are yet visible; and as they are even found mixed with lava, tophus, and other substances produced by fire. (EB III, 1797: 49)
Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender?
BASE, in geometry, the lowest side of the perimeter of a figure: Thus, the base of a triangle may be said of any of its sides, but more properly of the lowest, or that which is parallel to the horizon. (EB III, 1797: 52)
Relevant for triangular scheming.a
On the stair-case of the council-house, is a picture of the last judgment, in which, though drawn before the reformation, popes, cardinals, monks, and priests, are represented in the forments of hell. Over-against the French church, on a long covered wall, is painted the dance of death; where the king of terrors is represented as mixing with all ranks and ages, and complimenting them, in German verses, on their arrival at the grave. (EB III, 1797: 54)
Very blatant on what the protestant reformation was about. The other one I cannot imagine - Satan mixing with people, how?
BASILEUS, βασιλευς, a title assumed by the emperors of Constantinople, exclusive of all other princes, to whom they give the title rex, "king." The same quality was afterwards given by them to the kings of Bulgaria, and to Charlemagne, from the successors of which last they endeavoured to wrest it back again.
The title basileus has been since assumed by other kings, particularly the kings of England, Ego Edgar totius Angliæ basileus confirmavi. Hence also the queen of England was intitled Basilea and Basilissa. (EB III, 1797: 54)
Basklisk, the king of snakes.
Each community has its particular rule, besides the rule of St Basil, which is very general, and prescribes little more than the common duties of a Christian life. (EB III, 1797: 55)
These being, evidently, cotton and cheese.
BASILIDIANS, ancient heretics, the followers of [|] Basilides, an Egyptian, who lived near the beginning of the second century. He was educated in the Gnostic school, over which Simon Magus presided; with whom he agreed that Christ was a man in appearance, that his body was a phantom, and that he gave his form to Simon the Cyrenian, who was crucified in his stead. We learn from Eusebius, that this heresiarch wrote 24 books upon the gospel, and that he forged several prophets; to two of which he gave the names Barcaba and Barcoph. We have still the fragment of a Basilidian gospel. His disciples supposed there were particular virtues in names; and taught with Pythagoras and Plato, that names were not formed by chance, but naturally signified something. - Basilides, to imitate Pythagoras, made his disciples keep silence for five years. (EB III, 1797: 55-56)
The connections between pythagoreans and gnostics are exceedingly interesting. Basilides's Wikipedia page is quite extensive.
BASILISK, a fabulous kind of serpent, said to kill by its breath or sight only. Galen says, that it is of a colour inclining to yellow; and thta it has three little eminences upon its head, speckled with whitish spots, which have the appearance of a sort of crown. Ælian says, that its poison is so penetrating, as to kill the largest serpents with its vapour only; and that if it but bite the end of any man's sticks, it kills him. It drives away all other serpents by the noise of its hissing. Pliny says, it kills those who look upon it. - The generation of the basilisk is not less marvellous, being said to be produced from a cock's egg, brooded on by a serpent. These, and other things equally ridicurous, are related by Matthiolus, Galen, Dioscorides, Pliny, and Erasistratus. (EB III, 1797: 56)
Ooh, nice. Rowling really did know her classics.
BASKERVILLE (John), an eminent artist, especially in letter-sounding and printing, of the present century. [...] In a short time he obtained leave from the university of Cambridge to print a Bible in royal folio, and editions of the Common Prayer in three sizes; for which he paid a large sum to the university. He afterwards printed Horace, Terence, Catullus, Lucretius, Juvenal, Sallust, and Florus, in royal quarto; Virgil in octavo; and several books in duodecimo. He published likewise some of the English classics. (EB III, 1797: 57)
Could he be the inspiration for the Sherlock Holmes story?
He was employed in a secret negociation with Marshal d'Uxelles, plenipotentiary of France at the congressof Utrecht; and he executed it with so much success, that he was afterwards entrusted with several important commissions, all which he discharged in such a manner as to gain a great character for his abilities and address; a celebrated modern writer has therefore said of him, that he was sitter to be minister of state than of a parish. (EB III, 1797: 57)
The word "character" used in an odd sense. Probably 'distinguishing marks' or something akin.
BASS, the lowest in the four parts of music: of uncertain etymology; whether from the Greek word βασις, a foundation; or from the Italian adjective basso, signifying "low." (EB III, 1797: 58)
The deplorables call themselves "based", probably ignorant of the etymology.
BASTARD, a natural child, or one begotten and born out of lawful wedlock. The civil and canon laws do not allow a child to remain a bastard, if the parents afterwards intermarry: and herein they differ most materially from our law; which though not so strict as to require that the child shall be begotten, yet makes it an indispensable condition that it shall be born, after lawful wedlock. And the reason of our law is surely much superior to that of the Roman, if we consider the principal end and design of establishing the contract of marriage, taken in a civil light; abstractly from any religious view, which has nothing to do with the legitimacy or illegitimacy of the child. (EB III, 1797: 61)
Kui paned vasakule ja armuke jääb rasedaks, aga lahutad esimesest naisest ja abiellud oma armukesega enne kui laps sünnib, siis see laps ei ole tõbras. (Sa ise, vb teine lugu.)
And really any other distinction but that of not inheriting, which civil policy renders necessary, would, with regard to the innocent offspring of his parent's crimes, be odius, unjust, and cruel to the last degree; and yet the civil law, so boasted of for its equitable decisions, made bastards in some cases incapable even of a gift from their parents. (EB III, 1797: 62)
Is this a triad? (1) cruel, (2) unjust, and (3) odious.
If a bastard be got under the umbrage of a certain oak in Knollwood in Staffordshire, belonging to the manor of Terley-castle, no punishment can be inflicted, nor can the lord nor the bishop take cognizance of it. (EB III, 1797: 62)
The British are funny like that.
Arms of BASTARDY should be crossed with a bar, fillet, or traverse, from the left to the right. They were not formerly allowed to carry the arms of their father, and therefore they invented arms for themselves; and this is still done by the natural sons of a king. (EB III, 1797: 63)
The most interesting aspect naturally revealed in relation with symbolism.
BASTILLE, denotes a small antiquue castle, fortified with turrets. Such is the bastile of Paris, which seems the only castle that has retained the name: it was begun to be built in 1369 by order of Charles V. and was finished in 1383 under the reign of his successor. - Its chief use is for the custody of state-prisoners; or, more properly speaking, for the clandestine purpose of unfeeling despotism. (EB III, 1797: 63)
The French Quantanamo.
The lieutenant-general of the police of Paris is sub-delegate of the ministry for the department of the Bastile. He has under him a titular commissary, who is called the comissary of the Bastile. He has a fixed salary for drawing up what are called instructions, but he does not this exclusively. (EB III, 1797: 63)
Neat phrase.
After this examination, the prisoner is conducted into an apartment, where he is locked up within three hours. They who have no servants make their own bed and fire. The hour of dining is eleven, and of supping six. (EB III, 1797: 63)
Breakfast IS dinner.
These commissioners are purely passive beings. Frequently they attempt to frighten a prisoner; they lay snares for him, and employ the meanest artifices to get a confession from him. They pretend proofs, exhibit papers without suffering him to read them; asserting that they are instruments of unavoidable conviction. Their interrogatories are always vague. They turn not only on the prisoner's words and actions, but on his most secret thoughts, and on the discourse and conduct of persons of his acquaintance, whom it is wished to bring into question. (EB III, 1797: 64)
Õelad kunsttükid?
They fatigue prisoners by varied and infinitely multiplied interrogatories. According to the persons, they employ promises, casesses, and menaces. (EB III, 1797: 64)
Emba vangi kuniks ta üles tunnistab!
This recital was made with the indifference which people discover for events long passed, and almost forgot. The miserable man groaned, and groaned alone. The crowd around, offering only unknown features to his view, made him feel the excess of his calamities even more than he would have done in the dreadful solitude that he had left. (EB III, 1797: 66)
Most likely translated from the French encyclopaedia. Very poetic.
This discourse was the single consolation that he received: for he shunned all intercourse with a new race, born since he had been exiled from the world; and he passed his time in the midst of Paris in the same solitude as he had done whilst confined in a dungeon for almost half a century. But the chagrin and mortification of meeting no person who could say to him, We were formerly known to one another, soon put an end to his existence. (EB III, 1797: 66)
The vibes of John the Savage in Huxley's Brave New World.
BASTONALDO, BASTONADE, the punishment of beating or drubbing a criminal with a stick. The word is formed fo the French baston, a "stick" or "staff." The bastonade is a punishment used both among the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Jews, and still obtains among the Turks. The Romans called it fustigatio, fustium admonitio, or fustibus cædi; which differed from the flagellatio, as the former was done with a stick, the latter with a rod, or scourge. The fustigation was a lighter punishment, and inflicted on freemen; the flagellation a severer, and reserved for slaves. It was also called tympanum, because the patient here was beat with sticks, like a drum. - The punishment is much in use in the east to this day. The method there practised is thus: the criminal being laid on his belly, his feet are raised, and tied to a stake, held fast by officers for the purpose; in which posture he is beaten by a cudgel on the soles of his feet, back, chin, &c. to the number of 100 or more blows. (EB III, 1797: 67)
Nimetus tollele jõhkrale stseenile Vilde Mahtra Sõjas.
BATACALA, a small kingdom on the coast of Malabar in the East Indies. It had a very large town of the same name; but there is nothing now left, except 11 or 12 small pagods covered with copper and stone. The country produces a good deal of pepper: the English formerly had a factory here; but were all massacred by the natives, because one of their bull-dogs had killed a consecrated cow. (EB III, 1797: 67)
Didn't know cows were THAT sacred in India.
BATENITES, a sect of apostates from Mahometanism dispersed through the East, who professed the same abominable practices with the Ismaelians and Karmatians. The word properly signifies esoteric, or people of inward or hidden light. (EB III, 1797: 68)
What has "esoteric" to do with light?
This place was of old a resort only for cripples and diseased persons; but now it is more frequented by the sound for pleasure than by the sick for health. (EB III, 1797: 68)
Recreational bathing. Seeing sick vs "sound" used like this for the first time.
The company assemble in the afternoon alternately, at two stately rooms, to converse together, or play at cards. At a very pretty new theatre near the parades, plays are acted every other night; and there are balls twice aweek; for which and the rooms, and books at the libraries, the gentry generally subscribe. (EB III, 1797: 69)
Phatics baths.
He then throws water upon the hot stones, from which immediately arises a thick steam to the top of the temazcalli. While the sick person lies upon the mat, the domestic drives the vapour downwards, and gently beats the sick person, particularly on the ailing part, with the bunch of herbs, which are dipped for a little while in the water of the pitcher, which has then become a little warm. The sick person falls immediately into a soft and copious sweat, which is increased or diminished at pleasure, according as the case requires. (EB III, 1797: 71)
Vanaaegsed mehhiklased vihtusid oma haigeid ravimtaimedega.
Some authors speak of bloody baths, balnea sanguinolenta, prepared especially of the blood of infants anciently supposed to be a kind of specific for the leprosy. (EB III, 1797: 71)
The ancients k ew of the Clintons?
The pepper bath, or peffer wasser, on the Alps, is one of the most celebrated in Europe, and has been the subject of treatises express, besides what has been said of it occasionally by Scheuchzer and others. (EB III, 1797: 72)
Subject of special studies.
BATH-Kol, the daughter of a voice. So the Jews call one of their oracles, which is frequently mentioned in their books, especially the Talmud; being a fantastical way of divination invented by the Jews themselves, though called by them a revelation from God's will, which he made to his chosen people, after all verbal prophecies had ceased in Israel. It was in fact a method of divination similar to the sortes Virgilianæ of the Heathens. For as, with them, the first words they happened to dip into, in the works of that poet, were a kind of oracle whereby they predicted future events; so, with the Jews, when they appealed to Bath-kol, the first words they heard from any man's mouth were looked upon as a voice from heaven, directing them in the matter they inquire about. The Christians were not quite free from this superstition, making the same use of the book of the Scriptures as the Pagans did of the works of Virgil. (EB III, 1797: 73)
Must be the same god who's trying to contact me whenever I'm reading with rap music on the background and a word or phrase in the lyrics matches what I see on the page.
[M. Savary in his Letters on Egypt:] "When you are undressed, you tie a napkin round your loins, take a pair of sandals, and enter into a narrow passage, where you begin to be sensible of the heat." (EB III, 1797: 74)
Kummaline sõnastus. Sa alustad kuuma suhtes tundlikuks olemist, st sa hakkad kuuma tundma.
[M. Savary:] "Perfectly massed, and as it were regenerated, one experiences an universal comfort. The blood circulates with freedom; and one feels as if disengaged from an enormous weight, together with a suppleness and lightness to which one has been hithero a stranger. A lively sentiment of existence diffuses itself to the very extremities of the body. Whilst it is lost in delicate sensations, the soul, sympathising with the delight, enjoys the most agreeable ideas. The imagination, wandering over the universe, which it embellishes, sees on every side the most enchanting pictures, every where the image of happiness. If life be nothing but the succession of our ideas, the rapidity with which they then recur to the memory, the vigour with which the mind runs over the extended chain of them, would induce a belief that in the two hours of that delicious calm that succeeds the bath, one has lived a number of years." (EB III, 1797: 75)
The bliss following a proper sauna.
[M. Savary:] "Hence likewise they find a radical cure for that fatal evil which attacks the sources of generation, the remedy for which is so dangerous in Europe." (EB III, 1797: 75)
Genitals.
His learning and talents were various. He was an orator, a philosopher, and a poet: he possessed an inexhaustible fund of wit, and was a facetious companion at 80 years of age. Ridicule was the weapon with which he used to correct the delinquents of his college; and he was so absolute a master of it, that he had it always at hand. (EB III, 1797: 75)
A triadic personality: (1) a poet, (2) an orator, and (3) a philosopher.
His Lordship continued to speak his sentiments with an undaunted freedom in the upper house; and stept forth as a formidable opponent to the court-measures in the reign of George I. and during Sir Robert Walpole's administration. (EB III, 1797: 76)
One can speak one's sentiments. "Formidable opponent" is an early Colber Report sketch format.
[...] among the many friends the bishop's eloquence, politeness, and ingenuity had procured him, was Lord Bathurst. (EB III, 1797: 76)
An odd (synonym-wise) but fairly straight triad.
Lord Bathurst's integrity gained him the esteem even of his opponents; and his humanity and benevolence, the affection of all that knew him more intimately. He added to his public virtues all the good breeding, politeness, and elegance, of social intercourse. (EB III, 1797: 76)
It's been a minute since I last met this pair of words. Before the early 20th century when the by definition (because implying telepathy) impossible "social interaction" took over, it could be found practically everwhere.
[Sterne, in his letter to Eliza:] "This nobleman, I say, is a prodigy: for at 85 he has all the wit and promptness of a man of 30; a disposition to be pleased, and a power to please others beyond whatever I knew! added to which, a man of learning, courtesy, and feeling." (EB III, 1797: 76)
A complementary triad: (1) eloquent feeling, (2) polite courtesy, and (3) ingenious learning.
BATHYLLUS and PYLADES, inventors of pantomime entertainment on the stage. Bathyllus succeeded in representing comedy; Pylades, in tragedy. The art consisted in expressing the passions by gestures, attitudes, and dumb shew; not, as in modern times, in machinery, and the fooleries of Harlequin. They flourished at Rome, under Augustus, about A.D. 10. Each of them kept scholars, who perpetuated their master's name: for the followers of Bathyllus, who excelled in the comic part, called themselves Bathylli; and those of Pylades, who excelled in the tragic, called themselves Pyladæ. (EB III, 1797: 77)
A historical curiosity concerning the art of nonverbal communication.
BATMAN, in commerce, a kind of weight used at Smyrna, containing six okes of 400 drams each, which amount to 16 pounds 6 ounces and 15 drams of English weight. (EB III, 1797: 77)
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na... Weights and measures!
Next an oath against sorcery and enchantment is to be taken by both the champions, in this or a fimilar form: "Hear this, ye justices, that I have this day neither eat, drank, nor have upon me neither bone, stone, ne grass; nor any inchantment, sorcery, or witchcraft, whereby the law of God may be abased, or the law of the devil exalted. So help me God and his saints." (EB III, 1797: 79)
Enne duelli vannutakse, et loitse, võlu- ja nõiakunsti ei ole kasutatud ning palutakse abi jumalalt ja pühakutelt.
The ram was managed at one time by a whole century of soldiers; and they being spent were seconded by another century, so that it played continually without any intermission. (EB III, 1797: 80)
First time seeing the word "century" used in this way.
BATTOLOGY, in grammar, a superfluous repetition of some words or things. (EB III, 1797: 82)
Frequently happens when pausing to think in the middle of a lengthy sentence or or when otherwise mentally preoccupied, leading to e.g. "and and".
BATTORY, a name given by the Hans Towns to their magazines or factories abroad. The chief of these batteries are those at Archangel, Novogrod, Berghmen, Lisbon, Venice, and Antwerp. (EB III, 1797: 82)
Hansalinnad.
BAUCIS, in fabulous history, an old woman who lived with Philemon her husband in a cottage in Phrygia. Jupiter and Mercury, travelling over that country, were well received by them, after having been refused entertainment by every body else. To punish the people for their inhumanity, these gods laid the country waste with water; but took Baucis and Philemon with them to the top of a mountain, where they saw the deluge, and their own little hut above the waters, turned into a temple. Having a wish granted them, they desired to officiate in this temple as priest and priestess, and also that they might die both together; which was granted them. (EB III, 1797: 83)
Another deluge story. Here there's at least a half-way reasonable motive. I forgot why the OT god drowned everyone besides Noah's family.
BAWD, a person who keeps a place of prostitution, or makes a trade of debauching women, and procuring or conducting criminal intrigues. Some think the word is derived from the old French baude, bold or impudent; though Verstegan has a conjecture which would carry it higher, viz. from bathe anciently written bade. In which sense bawd originally imported no more than bath-holder, as if bagnios had anciently been the chief scenes of such prostitution.
The Romans had their male as well as female bawds; the former denominated lenones and proagogi, among us panders; the latter, lenæ. Donatus, speaking of the habits of the ancient characters in comedy, says, Leno paliis varii coloris utitur. But the ancient lenones, it is to be observed, furnished boys as well as girls for venereal service. Another sort of these merchants or dealers in human flesh, were called mangones, by the Greeks ανδροχπηλοι, who sold enuchs, slaves, &c. By a law of Constantine, bawds were to be punished by pouring melted lead down their throats. (EB III, 1797: 85)
Pimping. Hence "bawdy" as an adjective for something sexualized.
BAWDY-House, a house of ill fame, to which lewd persons of both sexes resort, and there have criminal conversation.
The keeping a bawdy-house is a common nuisance, not only on account that it endangers the public peace by drawing together debauched and idle persons, and promoting quarrels, but likewise for its tendency to corrupt the manners of the people. (EB III, 1797: 85)
The "drawing room" of the lowest class of people.
Mr Sylvester also says, that "he had a great command over his thoughts. He had that happy faculty, so as to answer the character that was given of him by a learned man dissenting from him, after discourse with him; which was, that he could say what he would, and he could prove what he said. He was most intent upon the necessary things. Rational learning he most valued, and was a very extraordinary master of. And as to his expressive faculty, he spake properly, plainly, pertinently, and pathetically. He could speak suitably, both to mens capacities and to the things insisted on. He was a person wonderful at extemporate preaching." (EB III, 1797: 85)
Alliteration.
Mr Granger's character of him is too striking to be omitted. "Richard Baxter was a man famous for weakness of body and strength of mind; for having the strongerst sense of religion himself, and exciting a sense of it in the thoughtless and profligate; for preaching more sermons, engaging in more controversies, and writing more books, than any other Nonconformist of his age." (EB III, 1797: 86)
Mõttetud inimesed.
BAXTER (Andrew), a very ingenious metaphysical writer, was born in 1686 or 1687, at Old Aberdeen (where his father was a merchant), and educated in King's College there. [...] About 1724 he married the daughter of a clergyman in the shire of Berwick. A few years after he published in 4to, "An Inquiry into the Nature of the Human Soul, wherein its immateriality is evinced from the principles of reason and philosophy;' without date. (EB III, 1797: 86)
Sounds interesting. [Internet Archive | IA vol. II]
His learning and abilities are sufficiently displayed in his writings. He was extremely studious, and sometimes sat up whole nights in reading and writing. His temper at the same time was very cheerful, and he was a friend to innocent merriment. (EB III, 1797: 86)
An odd phrase.
He also frequented the most polite assemblies in that city, and his company and conversation were particularly acceptable to the ladies. So that Mr Baxter appears to have studied the graces, though without neglecting more valuable acquisitions and accomplishments. He was at once the scholar and the gentleman. In conversation he was modest, and not apt to make much show of the extensive knowledge of which he was possessed. (EB III, 1797: 86)
Ah, a gentleman and a scholar. The pretentiousness is real.
[Christina Alexandra:] "But you shall not get off so cheap as you imagine. I will enjoin you a penance; which is, that you will henceforth take the trouble of sending me all curious books that shall be published in Latin, French, Spanish, or Italian, on whatever subject or science, provided they are worthy of being looked into; I do not even except romances or satires; and above all, if there are any books of chemistry, I desire you may send them to me as soon as possible. Do not forget likewise to send me your Journal. I shall order that you be paid for whatever you lay out, do but send me an account of it." (EB III, 1797: 88)
Send me books. I desire books. I feast on books. Send them. - The queen of Sweden to a French journalist.
Among the productions which do honour to the age of Louis XIV. Mr Voltaire has not omitted the Chritical Dictionary of our author: "It is the first work of the kind (says he) in which a man may learn to think." He censures indeed those articles which contain only a detail of minute facts, as unworthy either of Bayle, an understanding reader, or posterity." (EB III, 1797: 89)
Voltaire naturally knows how to turn a phrase.
BEACONAGE, money paid towards the maintenance of a beacon. - The word is derived from the Saxon beacnian, to nod, or show by a sign; hence also the word beckon. (EB III, 1797: 91)
How very semiotic.
BEADLE, (from the Saxon bydel, a messenger), a crier or messenger of a court, who cites persons to appear and answer. Called also a summoner or apparitor. - Beadle is also an officer at an university, whose chief business is to walk before the master with a mace, at all public processions. - There are also church-beadles, whose office is well known. (EB III, 1797: 92)
The professor's henchman.
The ancients made use of beans in gathering the votes of the people, and for the election of magistrates. A white bean signified absolution, and a black one condemnation. Beans had a mysterious use in the lemuralia and parentalia; where the master of the family, after washing, was to throw a sort of black beans over his head, still repeating the words, "I redeem myself and family by these beans." Ovid gives a lively description of the whole ceremony in verse. - Abstinence from beans was enjoined by Pythagoras, one of whose symbols is, κυαμων απεχεσθαι, abstine a fabis. The Egyptian priests held it a crime to look at beans, judging the very sight unclean. The flamen dialis was not permitted even to mention the name. The precept of Pythagoras has been various interpreted: some understandi it of forbearing to meddle in trials and verdicts, which were then by throwing beans into an urn: others, building on the equivoque of the word κυαμος, which equally signifies a bean and a human testicle, explain it by abstaining from venery. Clemens Alexandrinus grounds the abstinence from beans on this, that they render women barren; which is confirmed by Theophrastus, who extends the effects even to plants. Cicero suggests another reason for this abstinence, viz. that beans are great enemies to tranquillity of mind. For a reason of this kind it is, that Amphiaraus is said [|] to have abstained from beans, even before Pythagoras, that he might enjoy a clearer divination by dreams. (EB III, 1797: 92-93)
Not at all surprised that the monadological explanation, which Diogenes Laertios mentions, the bean being an unseparated whole like the universe, is excluded.
In England, the famous chancellor Thomas More, one of the greatest men of his time, being on the point of falling a victim to court intrigues, was able, when on the fatal scaffold, to procure respect to his beard in presence of the people, and saved it, as one may say, from the fatal stroke which he could not escape himself. When he had laid his head on the block, he perceived that his beard was likely to be hurt by the axe of the executioner; on which he took it away, saying, My beard has not been guilty of treason; it would be an injustice to punish it. (EB III, 1797: 94)
I'll look out for it on my upcoming second viewing of A Man for All Seasons. // Sadly, no beard.
BEATITUDE, imports the supreme good, or the highest degree of happiness human nature is susceptible of; or the most perfect state of a rational being, wherein the soul has attained to the utmost excellency and dignity it is framed for. In which sense, it amounts to the same with what we otherwise call blessedness and sovereign felicity; by the Greeks, ευδαιμονια; and by the Latins, summum bonum, beatitudo, and beatitas. (EB III, 1797: 99)
"Felicity" in Thomas Taylor's translations. Summum bonum in Kant.
Yet that Fletcher was not entirely excluded from a share in the conduct of the drama, may be gathered from a story related by Winstanley, viz. that our two bards having concerted the rough draught of a tragedy over a bottle of wine at a tavern, Fletcher said, he would undertake to kill a king, which words being overheard by the waiter, who had not happened to have been witness to the context of their conversation, he lodged an information of treason against them. But on their explanation of it only to mean the destruction of a theatrical monarch, their loyalty moreover being unquestioned, the affair ended in a jest. (EB III, 1797: 101)
A good anecdote on the importance of context.
A gradual progress from simplicity to complex forms and profuse ornament, seems to be the fate of all the fine arts; resembling behaviour, which from original candour and simplicity has degenerated into duplicity of heart and artificial refinements. At present, literary productions are crowded with words, epithets, figures: In music, sentiment is neglected for the luxury of harmony, and for difficult movement. (EB III, 1797: 103)
I wouldn't have thought that harmony was a luxury.
At any rate, it concurs in an eminent degreew ith mental qualifications, in producing social intercourse, mutual good-will, and consequently mutual aid and support, which are the life of society: it must not however be overlooked, that the sense of beauty does not tend to advance the interests of society, but when in a due mean with respect to strength. Love, in particular, arising from a sense of beauty, loses, when excessive, its social character: the appetite for gratification, prevailing over affection for the beloved object, is ungovernable, and tends violently to its end, regardless of the misery that must follow. Love, in this state, is no longer a sweet agreeable passion: it becomes painful, like hunger or thirst; and produceth no happiness, but in the instant of fruition. This suggests an important lesson, that moderation in our desires and appetites, which fits us for doing our duty, contributes at the same time the most to happiness; even social passions, when moderate, are more pleasant than when they swell beyond proper bounds. (EB III, 1797: 103)
How vey philosophical, even promoting the proper mean.
Human or Personal BEAUTY, only slightly touched upon in the preceding article, merits more particular discussion; and may be considered under these four heads: Colour, Form, Expression, Grace; the two former being, as it were, the Body, the two latter the Soul, of beauty. (EB III, 1797: 103)
A neat little double dualism.
2. Form. This takes in the turn of each part, as well as the symmetry of the whole body, even to the turn of an eye-brow, or the falling of the hair. Perhaps, too, the attitude, while fixed, ought to be reckoned under this article: By which is not only meant the posture of the person, but the position of each part; as the turning of the neck, the extending of the hand, the placing of a foot; and so on to the most minute particulars. (EB III, 1797: 104)
Very odd to think of "turning" (around) eyebrows, but what is meant it turning upwards, inwards, etc.
There is one thing indeed in the last of these figures which exceeds the bounds of our present inquiry; what an Italian artist called IL sovra umano; and what we may call the transcendent, or celestial. It is something distinct from all human beauty, and of a nature greatly superior to it; something that seems like an air of divinity: Which is expressed, or at least is to be traced out, in but very few works of the artists; and of which scarce any of the poets have caught any ray in their descriptions (or perhaps even in their imagination), except Homer and Virgil, among the ancients; and our Shakespear and Milton among the moderns. (EB III, 1797: 105)
See the description of Pythagoras in Ritter.
Whoever would learn what makes the beauty of each part of the human body, may find it laid down pretty much at large, by (c) Felibien; or may study it with more plesaure to himself, in the finest pictures of statues; for in life we commonly see but a small part of the human body, most of it being either disguised or altered by what we call dress. (EB III, 1797: 105)
"Send nudes"
Philosophers may dispute as much as they please about the seat of the soul; but, where-ever it resides, we are sure that it speaks in the eyes. Perhaps it is injuring the eye-brows, to make them only dependents on the eye; for they, especially in lively faces, have, as it were, a language of their own; and are extremely varied, according to the different sentiments and passions of the mind. (EB III, 1797: 106)
Indeed, the eyebrows are one of our most expressive features.
Mr Pope has included the principal passion of each sort in two very pretty lines:Love, hope, and joy, fair pleasure's smiling train;
Hate, fear, and grief, the family of pain.
The former of which naturally give an additional lustre and enlivening to beauty; as the latter are too apt to fling a gloom and cloud over it. (EB III, 1797: 106)
An early run-down of universal emotions. With the light (here "lustre") and cloud metaphorics, which I haven't met much in English because I haven't read much English-language fiction before the first third of the 20th century.
Yet in these, and all the other passions, moderation ought perhaps to be considered in a great measure the rule of their beauty, almost as far as moderation in actions in the rule of virtue. Thus an excessive joy may be too boisterous in the face to be pleasing; and a degree of grief, in some faces, and on some occasions, may be extremely beautiful. Some degrees of anger, shame, surprise, fear, and concern, are beautiful; but all excess is hurtful, and all excess ugly. Dulness, austerity, impudence, pride, affectation, malice, and envy, are always ugly. (EB III, 1797: 106)
Moderation (or the mean) is best in all. I would even include the ones that are here excluded, given their proper measure.
The superiority which the beauty of the passions has over the two parts of beauty first mentioned, will probably be now pretty evident: or if this should appear still problematical to any one, let him consider a little the following particulars, of which every body must have met with several instances in their lifetime. That there is a great deal of difference in the same face, according as the person is in a better or worse humour, or in a greater or less degree of liveliness: That the best complexion, the finest features, and the exactest shape, without any thing of the mind expressed on the face, are as insipid and unmoving as the waxed on the face, are as insipid and unmoving as the waxen figure of the fine Duchess of Richmond in Westminster-Abbey: That the finest eyes in the world, with an excess of malice or rage in them, will grow as shocking as they are in that fine face of Medusa on the famous seal in the Strozzi family at Rome: That a face without any good features in it, and with a very indifferent complexion, shall have a very taking air; from the sensibility of the eyes, the general good-humoured turn of the look, and perhaps a little agreeable smile about the mouth. (EB III, 1797: 107)
There is beauty in the activity, liveliness or expressiveness of the face, rather than its mere features.
The chief dwelling-place of grace is about the mouth; though at times it may visit every limb or part of the body. But the mouth is the chief seat of grace, as much as the chief seat for the beauty of the passions is in the eyes. (EB III, 1797: 107)
This I did not know. Might give an alternative reading to that British author Kant cited, who wrote extensively about the graces.
BECK, or BEKE, a word which imports a small stream of water issuing from some burn or spring. Hence Hell-becks, little brooks in the rough and wild mountains about Richmond near Lancaster, so called on account of their ghastliness and depth. (EB III, 1797: 111)
Sounds scary, like the Bolton Strid.
BECKET (Thomas), lord chancellor of England, archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century. The story of his birth is as extraordinary as that of his life. It is related, that his father Gilbert Becket, some time sheriff of London, went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where being surprised and enslaved by a party of Saracens, his master's daughter fell in love with him; and that when he made his escape, she followed him to London. So singular an instance of heroic affection struck him; and after consulting with some bishops, he baptized her by the name of Matilda, and married her; from which marriage proceeded the haughty Thomas Becket. (EB III, 1797: 111)
Indeed, not a bad story.
In poetry more particularly he [BECKINGHAM (Charles)] very early discovered an uncommon genius, two dramatic pieces of his writing being represented on the stage before he had completed his 20th year: and those not such as required the least indulgence or allowance on account of his years; but such as bore evidence to a boldness of sentiment, an accuracy of diction, an ingenuity of conduct, and a maturity of judgement, which would have done honour to a much more ripened age. (EB III, 1797: 112)
A fairly odd set of adjectives and faculties.
BED, a convenience for stretching and composing the body on, for ease, rest, or sleep, consisting generally of feathers inclosed in a ticken case. There are varieties of beds, as a standing-bed, a settee-bed, a tent-bed, a truckle-bed, &c. (EB III, 1797: 113)
A sack of feathers passed for a bed.
Dining-BED, lectus tricliniaris, or discubitorius, that whereon the ancients lay at meals. The dining or discubitory beds were four or five feet high. Three of these beds were ordinarily ranged by a square table (whence both the table and the room where they eat were called triclinium) in such a manner, that one of the sides of the table remained open and accessible to the waiters. Each bed would hold three or four, rarely five persons. These beds were unknown before the second Punic war: the Romans, till then, sat down to eat on plain wooden benches, in imitation of the heroes of Homer, or, as Varro expresses it, after the manner of the Lacedemonians and Cretans, Scipio Africanus first made an innovation: he had brought from Carthage some of these little beds called punicani, or archaici; being of a wood common enough, very low, stuffed only with strays or hay, and covered with goats or sheeps skins, hædinis pellibus strati. (EB III, 1797: 113)
The thing Hedonism-bot reclines on.
BEDFORDSHIRE is a small inland county. When the Romans landed in Britain, 55 years before Christ, it was included in the district inhabited by the Catieuchlani, whose chief or governor Cassibelinus headed the forces of the whole island against Cæsar, and the year following was totally defeated. In 310 the emperor Constantine divided Britain into five Roman provinces, when this county was included in the third division, called Flavia Cæsariensis; in which state it continued 426 years, when the Romans quitted Britain. (EB III, 1797: 115)
Very general history for a very specific place.
It contains 124 parishes, 58 vicarages, and 10 market-towns, viz. Bedford, Ampthill, Biggleswade, Dunstable, Leighton, Beaudefart, Luton, Potton, Shefford, Tuddington, and Woburn, and 55 villages. (EB III, 1797: 115)
British placenames are something else.
It is not without reason that the inhabitants of the desart boast of being the purest and the best preserved race of all the Arab tribes: for never have they been conquered, nor have they mixed with any other people by making conquests; for those by which the general name of Arabs has been rendered famous, really belong only to the tribes of the Hedjas and the Yemen. Those who dwelt in the interior of the country, never emigrated at the time of the revolution effected by Mahomet; or if they did take any part in it, it was confined to a few individuals, detached by motives of ambition. Thus we find the prophet in his Koran continually styling the Arabs of the desart rebels and infidels; nor has so great a length of time produced any very considerbale change. We may assert they have in every respect retained their primitive independence and simplicity. (EB III, 1797: 116)
Somethin, something, Frank Herbert's Dune.
Tyranny must have expelled man from the havitable parts of the earth before the camel could have lost his liberty. Become domestic, he has rendered habitable the most barren soul the world contains. He alone supplies all his master's wants. The milk of the camel nourishes the family of the Arab under the varied forms of curd, cheese, and butter; and they often feed upon his flesh. Slippers and harness are made of his skin, tents and clothing of his hair. Heavy burdens are transported by his means; and when the earth denies forage to the horse, so valuable to the Bedouin, the she camel supplies that deficiency by her milk at no other cost, for so many advantages, than a few stalks of brambles or wormwood and pounded date kernels. So great is the importance of the camel to the desart, that were it deprived of that useful animal, it must infallibly lose every inhabitant. (EB III, 1797: 117)
The vital significance of the camel. Vague analogies to the sand-trout in Dune.
These tribes are distinguished from each other by the name of their respective chiefs, or by that of the ruling family; and when they speak of any of the individuals who compose them, they call them the children of such a chief, though they may not be all really of his blood, and he himself may have been long since dead. Thus they say, Beni Temin, Oulad Tai, the children of Temin and of Tai. This mode of expression is even applied, by metaphor, to the names of countries: the usual phrase for denoting its inhabitants being to call them the children of such a place. Thus the Arabs say, Oulad Masr, the Egyptians; Oulad Sham, the Syrians: they would also say, Oulad Fransa, the French; Oulad Moskou, the Russians; a remark which is not unimportant to ancient history. (EB III, 1797: 119)
Indeed, what were the interactions of ancient berbers and the "children of Moscow"?
The principal shaik in every tribe, in fact, defrays the charges of all who arrive at or leave the camp. He receives the visits of the allies, and of every person who has business with them. Adjoining to his tent is a large pavilion for the reception of all strangers and passengers. There are held frequent assemblies of the shaiks and principal men, to determine on encampments and removals; on peace and war; on the differences with the Turkish governors and the villages; and the litigations and quarrels of individuals. To this crowd, which enters successively, he must give coffee, bread baked on the ashes, rice, and sometimes roasted kid or camel; in a word, he must keep open table; and it is the more important to him to be generous, as this generosity is closely connected with matters of the greatest consequence. On the exercise of this depend his credit and his power. (EB III, 1797: 119)
On the "drawing room" of the berbers.
They have not a single book; and nothing is so uncommon among the Shaiks as to know how to read. All their literature consists in reciting tales and histories in the manner of the Arabian Nights Entertainments. They have a peculiar passion for such stories, and employ in them almost all their leisure, of which they have a great deal. In the evening they seat themselves on the ground, at the threshold of their tents, or under cover, if it be cold; and there, ranged in a circle round a little fire of ding, their pipes in their mouths, and their legs crossed, they sit a while in silent meditation, till on a sudden one of them breaks forth with, Once upon a time, - and continues to recite the adventures of some young Shaik and female Bedouin: he relates in what manner the young first got a secret glimpse of his mistress; and how he became desperately enamoured of her: he minutely describes the lovely fair; boasts her black eyes, as large and soft as those of the gazelle; her languid and empassioned looks, her arched eye-brows, resembling two bows of ebony; her waist straight and supple as a lance: he forgets not her steps, light as those of the young filley; nor her eye-lashes, blackened with kohl; nor her lips painted blue; nor her nails, tinged with the golden coloured henna; nor her breasts, resembling two pomegranates; nor her words, sweet as hdoney. He recounts the sufferings of the young lover, so wasted with desire and passion, that his body no longer yields any shadow. At length, after detailing his various attempts to see his mistress, the obstacles of the parents, the invasions of the enemy, the captivity of the two lovers, &c. he terminates, to the satisfaction of the audience, by restoring them, united and happy, to the paternal tent, and by receiving the tribute paid to his eloquence, in the Ma cha allah (an exclamation of praise, equivalent to admirably well!) he has merited. (EB III, 1797: 120)
Very phatic, in a manner, though Malinowsky does force a separation between storytelling and purely free social intercourse. In truth, such a separation is highly artificial.
Among themselves they are remarkable for a good faith, a distinterestedness, a generosity, which would do honour to the most civilized people. What is there more noble than that right of asylum so respected among all the tribes? A stranger, nay even an enemy, touches the tent of the Bedouin, and from that instant his person becomes inviolable. It would be reckoned a disgraceful meanness, an indelible shame, to satisfy even a just vengeance at the expense of hospitality. (EB III, 1797: 120)
A familiar tidbit, though unplaceable. Herbert's Dune, once again, a faithful caricature.
They even make no difficulty in saying that the religion of Mahomet was not made for them: "For (add they) how shall we make ablutions who have no water? How can we bestow alms who are not rich? Why should we fast in the Ramadan, since the whole year with us is one continual fast? and what necessity is there for us to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, if God be present every where?" In short, every man acts and thinks as he pleases, and the most perfect toleration is established among them. (EB III, 1797: 121)
A very good question. The maker of the universe does not reside at tourist traps.
The danger of being stung by bees may be in a great [|] measure prevented by a quiet composed behaviour. A thousand bees will fly and buzz about a person without hurting him, if he stand perfectly still, and forbear disturbing them even when near his face; in which case he may observe them for hours together without danger: but if he molests or beats them away, he usually suffers for it. It has been lately affirmed, that a person is in perfect safety in the midst of myriads of bees, if he but carefully keep his mouth shut, and breathe gently through the nostrils only; the human breath, it would seem, being peculiarly offensive to their delicate organs: and merely with this precaution, it is said, the very hives may be turned up, and even part of the comb cut out, while the bees are at work. (EB III, 1797: 121-122)
Fear is the mind killer.
There is between the combs a space sufficient for two bees to march abreast, without embarrassing each other; and in some parts it is more spacious. (EB III, 1797: 122)
A lovely turn of expression. Calls forth the image of two bees bumping into each other and apologizing profusely.
A very ingenious naturalist [Barbut, Genera of Insects, p. 268] of the present day, without taking any notice of recent discoveries, seems to have given into the same idea. "The office of the males or drones (says he) is to render the queen pregnant. One single female should in the midst of sever or eight hundred males, one would think, be incessantly assailed. But nature has provided against that inconvenience, by making them of a constitution extremely frigid. The female chooses out one that pleases her; she is obliged to make the first advances, and excite him to love by her caresses. But this favour proves fatal to him: scarce has he ceased from amorous dalliance, but he is seen to perish. The pleasure of these observations may be taken, by putting a female with several males into a bottle." (EB III, 1797: 128)
"Amorous dalliance".
This method of impregnation has been lately established beyond all contradiction by the observations of Mr Debraw of Cambridge. Having put some bees into glass-hives with a large number of drones, he observed on the first or second day (always before the third) from the time in which the eggs were placed in the cells, which the queen generally lays on the fourth or fifth day after they are put into the hive, that a great number of bees fastened themselves to one another, and formed a kind of curtiain from the top to the bottom of the hive, probably in order to conceal the process of generation. Mr Debraw, however, could soon perceive several bees, whose size he was not able to distinguish, inserting the posterior part of their bodies each into a cell, and sinking into it; after a little while they retired, and he could see with the naked eye a small quantity of whitish liquor left in the angle of the base of each cell, containing an egg; this liquor was less siquid than honey, and had no sweet taste. (EB III, 1797: 128)
The hanging-from-the-ceiling-in-a-bee-pyramid acrobatics that is bee insemination of eggs.
On the fire I put some wax: close by this fire, on another stone, I drop honey in distinct drops, which I surround with small quantities or vermillion, laid on the stone; and then I retire carefully to watch whether any bees appear. If there are any in that neighbourhood, I rest assured that the smell of the burnt wax will unavoidably attract them. The will soon find out the honey, for they are fond of preying on that which is not their own; and, in their approach, they will necessarily tinge themselves with some particles of vermillion, which will adhere long to their bodies. (EB III, 1797: 133)
Bees are thieves and steal honey from other bees.
We find by Pliny, that this was likewise the practice of Italy in his time. "As soon," says he, "as the spring-food for bees has failed in the valleys near [|] our towns, the hives of bees are put into boats, and carried up against the stream of the river, in the night, in search of better pasture. The bees go out in the morning in quest of provisions, and return regularly to their hives in the boats, with the stores they have collected. This method is continued, till the sinking of the boats to a certain depth in the water shows that the hives are sufficiently full; and they are then carried back to their former homes, where their honey is taken out of them." And this is still the practice of the Italians who live near the banks of the Po, (the river which Pliny instanced particularly in the above-quoted passage). (EB III, 1797: 133-134)
Travelling beehives.
More humane and judicious methods were practised by the ancients; and the following simple method is at this day practised in Greece, degenerate as it is. "Mount Hymethus is celebrated for the best honey in all Greece. This mountain was nto less famous in times past for bees and admirable honey; the ancients believing that bees were first bred here, and that all other bees were but colonies from this mountain; which if so, we assured ourselves that it must be from this part of the moutnain that the colonies were sent; both because the honey here made is the best, and that here they never destroy the bees. (EB III, 1797: 136)
Sadly nothing about it Wikipedia.
BEER, is a spiritous liquor made from any sarinaceous grain, but generally from barley. It is, properly speaking, the wine of barley. (EB III, 1797: 143)
Recently saw beer being described as a girly "wheat tea".
Foreigners have framed divers conjectures to account for the excellency of the British beer, and its superiority to that of other countries, even of Btemen, Mons, and Rostoch. It has been pretended our brewers throw dead dogs flea'd into their wort, and boil them till the flesh is all consumed. Others, more equitable, attribute the excellency of our beer to the quality of our malt and water, and the skill of our brewers in preparing it. (EB III, 1797: 143)
Lisa õlut kääritades natuke surnud koerakirpe, siis saab õlu õige hää.
He [BEGA (Cornelius)] took the plague from a woman with whom he was deeply enamoured; and he showed so much sincerity of affection, that, notwithstanding the expostulations of all his friends and physicians, he would attend her to the last moments of her life, and died a few days after, aged 44. (EB III, 1797: 144)
Love is deadly.
In the latter country, some of these religious fell into extravagant errors, persuading themselves that it was possible, in the present life, to arrive at the highest perfection, even to impeccability, and a clear view of God; in short, to so eminent a degree of contemplation, that there was no necessity, after this, either to observe the fasts of the church, or submit to the direction and laws of mortal men. The council of Vienna, in 1113, condemned these errors, and abolished the order of Beguines; permitting, nevertheless, those among them, who continued in the true faith, to live in chastity and penitence, either with or without vows. (EB III, 1797: 145)
The abolished sects are so much more interesting than the surviving ones.
Beheading was a military punishment among the Romans, known by the name of decollatio. Among them the head was laid on a cippus or block, placed in a pit dug for the purpose; in the army, without the vallum; in the city, without the walls, at a place near the porta decumana. Preparatory to the stroke, the criminal was tied to a stake, and whipped with rods. In the early ages with a sword, which was thought the more reputable manner of dying. (EB III, 1797: 145)
Torture before beheading.
BEHEMOTH, the hippopotamus or river-horse. (EB III, 1797: 145)
Jõe-hobu.
To this purpose she [BEHN (Aphara)] went over to Antwerp, by her intrigues and gallantries, she so far crept into the secrets of state, as to answer the ends proposed by sending her over. Nay, in the latter end of 1666, she, by means of the influence she had over one Vander Albert, a Dutchman of eminence, whose heart was warmly attached to her, she wormed out of him the design formed by De Ruyter, in conjunction with the family of the De Wits, of sailing up the Thames and burning the English ships in their harbours, which they afterwards put in execution at Rochester. This she immediately communicated to the English court: but though the event proved her intelligence to be well grounded, yet it was at that time only laughed at; which, together probably with no great inclination shown to reward her for the pains she had been at, determined her to drop all further thoughts of political affairs, and during the remainder of her stay at Antwerp to give herself up entirely to the gaiety and gallantries of the place. (EB III, 1797: 145)
An interesting lady-writer. Should look up more about her and perhaps her writings.
She published three volumes of Miscellany Poems; two volumes of Histories and Novels; translated Fontanelle's Plurality of Worlds, and annexed a Criticism on it; and her Plays make four volumes. In the dramatic line, the turn of her genius was chiefly to comedy. As to the character her plays should maintain in the records of dramatic history, it will be difficult to determine, since their faults and perfetions stand in strong opposition to each other. In all, even the most indifferent of her pieces, there are strong marks of genius and understanding. Her plots are full of business and ingenuity, and her dialogue sparkles with the dazzling lustre of genuine wit, which every where glitters among it. But then she has been accused, and that not without great justice, of interlarding her comedies with the most indecent scenes, and giving an indulgence in her wit to the most indelicate expressions. To this accusation she has herself made some reply in the Preface to the Lucky Chance; but the retorting the charge of prudery and preciseness on her accusers, is far from being a sufficient exculpation of herself. The best and perhaps the only true excuse that can be made for it is, that, as she wrote for a livelihood, she was obliged to comply with the corrupt taste of the times. (EB III, 1797: 146)
Sounds very interesting indeed.
BEIZA, or BEIZATH, in Hebrew antiquity, a word signifying an egg; as also a certain measure in use among the Jews. The beiza was likewise a gold coin, weighing 40 drachms, among the Persians, who gave out, that Philip of Macedon owed their king Darius 1000 beizaths or golden eggs, for tribute-money; and that Alexander the Great refused to pay them, saying, that the bird which laid these eggs was flown into the other world. (EB III, 1797: 146)
Clever.
BEKKER (Balthazar), one of the most famous Dutch divines, and author of the celebrated book, The World bewitched, an ingenius piece against the vulgar notion of spirits. This raised a terrible clamour against him. He was deposed from the office of minister; but the magistrates of Amsterdam continued him his pension. He died in 1698. (EB III, 1797: 146)
Sounds interesting. At some point I should make a list of authors and books mentioned here that sound interesting enough to take up in my later years.
BEL and the Dragon (the history of); an apocryphal, and uncanonical, book of Scripture. It was always rejected by the Jewish church, and is extant neither in the Hebrew nor the Chaldee language, nor is there any proof that it ever was so. St Jerome gives it no better title than the Fable of Bel and the Dragon. It is however permitted to be read, as well as the other apocryphal writings, for the instruction and improvement of manners. (EB III, 1797: 147)
Yeah, thank you for giving no indication as to its contents.
BELIEF, in its general and natural sense, denotes a persuasion, or a strong assent of the mind to the truth of any proposition. In which sense, belief has no relation to any particular kind of means or arguments, but may be produced by any means whatever. Thus we are said to believe our senses, to believe our reason, to believe a witness, &c. And hence, in rhetoric, all sorts of proofs, from whatever topics deduced, are called πισεις, because apt to get belief or persuasion touching the matter in hand. (EB III, 1797: 149)
Compare with Clay's definition of belief.
BELIEF, in its more restrained and technical sense, invented by the schoolmen, denotes that kind of assent which is grounded only on the authority or testimony of some person or persons, asserting or attesting the truth of any matter proposed. (EB III, 1797: 149)
Believing our own senses and reason is markedly easier than believing those of another person.
That he was deprived of his eyes, and reduced by envy to beg his bread, "Give a penny to Belisarius the general!" is a fiction of later times; which has obtained credit, or rather favour, as a strange example of the vicissitudes of fortune. - The source of this idle fable may be derived from a miscellaneous work of the 12th century, the Chiliads of John Tzetzes, a monk. (EB III, 1797: 150)
I was wondering who this Tzetzes was - Zeller refers to him frequently but the name does not sound very ancient.
As to the number of bells worn by the high priest, the scripture is silent; and authors are not very well agreed: but the sacred historians has let us into the use and intent of them in these words (Exod. xxviii. 33-35.), "And it shall be upon Aaron to minister, and his sound shall be heard when he goeth into the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not." The kings of Persia are said to have the hem of their robes adorned like the Jewish high-priests with pomegranates and gold bells. It was, in the opinion of Calmet, with a design of giving notice that the high-priest was passing by, that he wore little bells on the hem of his robe; or rather it was as it were a kind of public notice that he was going to the sanctuary: for as, in the king of Persia's court, no one was suffered to enter the apartments without giving notice thereof by the sound of something; so the high priest, out of respect to the divine presence residing in the holy of holies, did, by the sound of little bells fastened to the bottom of his robe, desire as it were permission to enter, that the sound of the bells might be heard, and he not be punished with death for an unmannerly intrusion. (EB III, 1797: 151)
Something like a phatic ping. The topic of crepitation, or bodily noises announcing one's presence, comes to mind.
Bells were put on the necks of criminals going to execution, that persons might be warned by the noise to get out of the way of so ill an omen as the sight of the hangman or the condemned criminal, who was devoted and just going to be sacrificed to the die manes. (EB III, 1797: 151)
Made to wear bells and then tortured before execution.
Leo Allatius, in his dissertation on the Greek temples, proves the contrary from several ancient writers. It is his opinion, that bells first began to be disused among them after the taking of Constantinople by the Turks; who, it seems, prohibited them, lest their sound should disturb the repose of souls, which, according to them, wander in the air. He adds, that they still retain the use of bells in places remote from the intercourse of the Turks; particularly, very ancient ones in Mount Authos. (EB III, 1797: 152)
Nice. Recall the belief attributed to pythagoreans, that souls are floating in the air all around us, disembodied and insensible.
In the ancient monasteries we find six kinds of bells enumerated by Durandus, viz. Squilla, rung in the refectory; cymbalum, in the cloister; nola, in the choir; nolula or dupla, in the clock; campana, in the steeple; and signum in the tower. Belethus has much the same; only that for squilla he puts tintinnabulum, and places the campana in the tower, and campanella in the cloister. Others place the tintinnabulum or tinniolum in the refectory or dormitory; and add another bell called Corrigiuncula, rung at the time of giving discipline, to call the monks to be flogged. The cymbalum is sometimes also said to have been rung in the cloister, to call the monks to meal. (EB III, 1797: 152)
The author of The City of the Sun is a cloister bell.
Mabillon adds, that it wsa an ancient custom to ring the bells for persons about to expire, to advertise the people to pray for them; whence our passing bells. The passing-bell, indeed, was anciently rung for two purposes: one, to bespeak the prayers of all good Christians for a soul just departing; the other, to drive away the evil spirits who stood at the bed's foot, and about the house, ready to seize their prey, or at least to molest and terrify the soul in its passage: but by the ringing of that bell (for Duradus informs us, evil spirits are much afraid of bells), they were kept aloof; and the soul, like a hunter hare, gained the start, or had what is by sportsmen called law. Hence, perhaps, exclusive of the additional labour, was occasioned the high price demanded for tolling the greatest bell of the church; for, that being louder, the evil spirits must go farther off to be clear of its sound, by which the poor soul got so much more the start of them: besides, being heard farther off, it would likewise procure the dying man a greater number of prayers. This dislike of spirits to bells is mentioned in the Golden Legend, by W. de Worde. (EB III, 1797: 152)
Thus, the bell does "stir" (drive away) spirits very functionally. The head-start ordeal sounds scary - after you die and your soul leaves the body behind, it must now flee from demons.
His [BELLARMIN (Robert)] stature was low, and his mien very indifferent; but the excellence of his genius might be discovered from the traces of his countenance. He [|] expressed himself with great perspicuity; and the words which he first made use of to explain his thoughts were generally so proper, that there appeared no rasure in his writings. (EB III, 1797: 154-155)
Erasure. In other word, his writings showed that he didn't have to correct of improve his words after the fact.
BELLATRIX, in astronomy, a ruddy glittering star of the second magnitude, in the left shoulder of Orion. It takes its name from bellum, as being anciently supposed to have a great influence in kindling wars, and forming warriors. (EB III, 1797: 155)
As philologist, Rowling was on point.
BELLES LETTRES. Whether we consult the voluminous dictionaries of the French language, or those treatises that profess to point out the method of studying and teaching the belles lettres, we find not, in the one or the other, either a clear definition, or a succinct explication of the words belles lettres, nor any summary of those sciences which are comprehended under that general and collective denomination. It appears to be a vague term, under which every one may include whatever he thinks proper. Sometimes we are told that by the belles lettres is meant, the knowledge of the arts of poetry and oratory; sometimes that the true belles lettres are natural philosophy, geometry, and other essential parts of learning; and sometimes, that they comprehend the art of war, by land and sea: in short, they are made to include all that we know, and whatever we please; so that, in treating on the belles lettres, they talk of the use of the sacraments, &c. Some comprehend under the term, all [|] those instructive and pleasing sciences which occupy the memory and the judgment, and do not make part either of the superior sciences, of the polite arts, or of mechanic professions: hence they make history, chronology, geography, genealogy, blazonry, philology, &c. the belles lettres. In a word, it were an endless task to attempt to enumerate all the parts of literature which different learned men have comprehended under this title. Nor would it be of any use to the reader for us to pretend to fix the true import of the term. Whatever arts or sciences it may be supposed to include, they are severally explained in the course of this work. (EB III, 1797: 156-157)
Huh. I though it meant "men of letter" or "writers", "essayists" or something like that.
She [BELLONA] is commonly represented in an attitude expressive of fury and distraction, her hair composed of snakes clotted with gore, and her garments stained with blood: she is generally depictured driving the chariot of Mars, with a bloody whip in her hand; but sometimes she is drawn holding a lighted torch or brand, and at others a trumpet. (EB III, 1797: 158)
Noted for the connection between a divinity and a chariot. What is the chariot of one's soul in the Golden Verses?
The province is watered by a river called Lutano, or San Francisco, which abounds with crocodiles, sea-horses, and monstrous serpents, that do a great deal of mischief. (EB III, 1797: 161)
A familiar name.
BENCHERS, in the inns of court, the senior members of the society, who are invested with the government thereof. (EB III, 1797: 162)
Gerontocracy.
BENDIDA, in antiquity, a festival, not unlike the Bacchanalia, celebrated by the Athenians in honour of Diana. (EB III, 1797: 162)
A cult and festival for every god.
[...] every day in lent they were obliged to fast till six in the evening, and abated of their usual time of sleeping and eating; but they were not allowed to practise any voluntary austerity without leave of their superior: they were conversed in their refectory at meals, but were obliged to attend to the reading of the scriptures: they all slept in the same dormitory, but not two in a bed: they lay in their clothes: for small faults they were shut out from meals; for greater, they were debarred religious commerce, and excluded from the chapel; and as to incorrigible offenders, they were excluded from the monasteries. (EB III, 1797: 163)
Something, something, Campanella. Curious that the matters of the stomach are first and foremost.
Under the name benediction, the Hebrew also frequently understand the presents which friends make to one another, in all probability because they are generally attended with blessings nad compliments, both from those who give and those who receive them. (EB III, 1797: 163)
Giving gifts should be attended with compliments.
Three doors (a type of the trinity, according to the rules established by the mystical Vitruvii of those ages) open into this facade. That in the centre is of bronze, embossed with the life of Christ, and the effigies of the Beneventine Metropolitan, with all his suffragan bishops. (EB III, 1797: 165)
Colour me interested.
The second duke, whose name was Arechis, conquered almost the whole country that now constitutes the kingdom of Naples. His successors appear long to have remained satisfied with the extent of dominion he had transmitted to them. Grimwald, one of them, usurped the crown of Lombardy; but his son Romward, though a very successful warrior, contented himself with the ducal title. (EB III, 1797: 166)
Lord Grimwald.
BENEVOLENCE, in morals, signifies the love of manking in general, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness. (EB III, 1797: 166)
Universal sympathy.
The great cause of the unhealthiness of Bengal, however, is owing to the inundations of the Ganges and Burrampooter, by which such quantities of putrescible matters are brought down as infect the air with the most malignant vapours when the waters retire. (EB III, 1797: 167)
Ganges, the "designated" river of India.
One of the most deplorable of this kind happened in the years 1770. The nabob and several great men of the country distributed rice gratis to the poor until their stocks began to fail, when those donations were of consequence withdrawn. Vast multitudes then came down to Calcutta, the capital English settlement in the province, in hopes of meeting with relief at that place. The granaries of the Company, however, being quite empty, none could be afforded; so that when the famine had prevailed a fortnight, many thousands fell down in the streets and fields; whose bodies, mangled by the dogs and cultures, corrupting in the air, seemed to threaten a plague as the consequence of the famine. An hundred people were daily employed on the Company's account, with doolys, sledges, and bearers, to throw them into the river. At this time the fish could not be eaten, the river being so full of carcases; and many of those who ventured to feed upon them died suddenly. Hogs, ducks, and geese, also fed mostly on carnage; so that the only meat that could be procured was mutton; and this, from the dryness of the season, was so small, that a quarter of it would scarcely weigh a pound and an half. (EB III, 1797: 168)
Wow. The dead human bodies being eaten by fish, birds, and animals made their meat poisonous to humans in turn.
The mango tree grows here also in plenty. Its fruit is preferred to all others in the country excepting very fine pine-apples; the gentlemen eat little else in the hot months when these fruits are in season. If no wine is drunk with them they are apt to produce boils which are troublesome but healthful. (EB III, 1797: 168)
That cannot be a healthy diet.
This kingdom [Asham], which is thought to have formerly made a part of Bengal, and is only divided from it by a river that falls into the Ganges, deserves to be better known, if what is asserted here be true, that gun-powder has been discovered there, and that it was communicated from Asham to Pegu, and from Pegu to China. (EB III, 1797: 169)
Big if true.
M. L'Abbé Olivet says, that Benserade, towards the latter end of his life, withdrew from court, and made Gentilly the place of his retirement. When he was a youth, he says it was the custom to visit the remains of the ornaments with which Benserade had embellished his house and gardens, where ever thing favoured of his poetical genius. The bark of the trees were full of inscriptions: and amongst others, he remembers the first which presented itself was as follows:Adieu fortune, honneurs adieu, vous et les votres,
Je viens ici vous oublier;
Adieu toi-meme amour, bien plus que les autres
Difficile a congedier.
(EB III, 1797: 173)
That is indeed a striking image: a garden where the bark of trees bear beautiful poems.
Benserade suffered at last so much from the stone, that, notwithstanding his great age, he resolved to submit to the operation of cutting. But his constancy was not put to this last proof; for a surgeon letting him blood, by way of precaution, pricked an artery, and, instead of endeavouring to stop the effusion of blood, ran away. There was but just time to call F. Commire, his friend and confessor, who came soon enough to see him die. (EB III, 1797: 174)
Not the best surgeon, that.
In this work, besides illustrating throughout the history of the Acts and most of the epistles, by a view of the history of the times, the occasion of the several epistles, and the state of the churches to whom they were addressed, he established the truth of the Christian religion on a number of facts, the most public, important, and incontestable. (EB III, 1797: 174)
A neat little pseudo-triad.
The principal pieces which appeared in this noted controversy were, 1. Dr Bentley's dissertation upon the epistles of Themistocles, Socrates, Euripides, Phalaris, and the Fables of Æsop, at the end of the second edition of Mr Wotton's Reflections on Ancient and Modern Learning: but afterwards printed by Dr Bentley entire, and added with great additions to his farther defence of it, in answer to Mr Boyle. 2. "Dr Bentley's Dissertation on the Epistles of Phalaris and the Fables of Æsop examined by the Honourable Charles Boyle, Esq;" a book more commonly known by the title of Boyle against Bentley. 3. Dr Bentley's Answer to the above, commonly known by the name of Bentley against Boyle; a curious piece, interspersed with a great deal of true wit nad humour. From the caprice or partiality of the age the victory was adjuded to Mr Boyle, and the ridicule of the wits exercised upon Dr Bentley. Thus Dr Garth, in the DispensarySo diamonds take a lustre from their soil,
And to a BENTLEY 'tis we owe a BOYLE.
(EB III, 1797: 175)
What little I know of Boyle, I would not be at all surprised if the victory in this controversy was handed to Boyle solely on the merit of him being better connected and more popular person.
Mr Dodwell, who resided at Oxford during the controversy, who made himself in some sort a party in it, and who had a very particular court paid to him by the Christ-Church men, declared to them that he never learned so much from any book of the size in his life, as he had done from Dr Bentley's Answer to Boyle. (EB III, 1797: 175)
Now that is high praise!
He [Dr Bentley] loved hospitality and respect; maintained the dignity and munificence of the ancient abbots in house-keeping at his lodge, which he beautified; and, in conversation, tempered the severity of the critic with such a peculiar strain of vivacity and pleasantry, as was very entertaining. (EB III, 1797: 175)
Something phatic.
He [BERGMAN (Sir Torbern)] discovered that the leech is oviparous; and that the coccus aquaticus in the egg of this animal, from whence issue ten or twelve young. Linnæus, who had at first denied this fact, was struck with astonishment when he saw it proved. Vidi et obstupui! were the words he pronounced, and which he wrote at the foot of the memoir when he gave it his sanction. (EB III, 1797: 181)
Vaata ja imesta?
His learning and virtues, his wit and agreeable conversation, introduced him to the acquaintance, and procured him the esteem and friendship, of many great and larned men; and among others the Earl of Peterborough, Dr Swift, and Mr Pope. (EB III, 1797: 183)
A somewhat typical phaticism.
In the Gentleman's Magazine for January 1777, it is said that the Adventures of Signor Gaudentio di Lucca, have generally been attributed to bishop Berkeley; and we have observed that this work is ascribed to him by the booksellers in their printed catalogues. It is a beautiful Utopian Romance, which was published between 30 and 40 years ago, and hath gone through several editions. What external evidence there is for its having been written by our ingenious prelate we cannot say; but we think that the book itself affords no internal evidence to the contrary. There are no sentiments in it but what might be supposed to come from Dr Berkeley, allowing for the costume necessary to be preserved in the work, according to the plan upon which it is formed. The beauty of singularity of imagination displayed in it, and the philanthropy and humanity with which it abounds, are perfectly suitable to the bishop's character. The mode of government delineated in the Romance is agreeable to his ideas. It is the patriarchal, and represented as being admirably contrived for promoting the general happiness. (EB III, 1797: 184)
Huh, Berkeley might have written a utopian novel.
The dangers attending the navigation, and the untowardly situation of these islands, through their distance from the American continent, seem to be the reasons why the Bermudas did not now become the best peopled islands belonging to England; [...] (EB III, 1797: 188)
A new word for me!
When any bailiwic is to be disposed of, as many balls as there are competitors are put into a bag, whereof one is gilt, and he that draws that has the bailiwic. (EB III, 1797: 189)
Bingo.
The regent duke of Orleans admired his works, and patronized their author. This prince having given him a motet of his own composition to examine, and being impatient for his observations thereon, went to the house of Bernier, and entering his study, found the abbe de la Croix these criticising his piece, while the musician himself was in another room carousing and singing with a company of his friends. The duke broke in upon and interrupted their mirth, with a reprimand of Bernier for his imagination to the task assigned him. (EB III, 1797: 193)
Guillitine for the prince, then.
He gave very early proofs of his genius for mathematics, and soon became a geometrician, without any assistance from masters, and at first almost without books: for he was not allowed to have any books of this kind; and if one fell by chance into his hands, he was obliged to conceal it, that he might not incur the reprimands of his father, who designed him for other studies. This severity made him choose for his device, Phaeton driving the chariot of the sun, with these words, Invito patre sidera verso, "I traverse the stars against my father's inclination;" This had a particular reference to astronomy, the part of mathematics to which he at first applied himself. (EB III, 1797: 193)
Taevakaarik, jah. aga hingekaarik?
In 1748, Mr Daniel Bernouilli succeeded his father in the academy of sciences, and was himself succeeded by his brother John; this place, since its first erection, i.e. 84 years, never having been without a Bernouilli to fill it. He was extremely respected at Basil; and to bow to Daniel Bernouilli, when they met him in thes treets, was one of the first lessons which every father gave every child. (EB III, 1797: 194)
A good anecdote about respecting public figures.
BEROSUS, priest of the temple of Belus at Babylon, in the time of Ptolemy PHiladelphus, wrote the History of Chaldea, which is often cited by the ancients, and of which Josephus gives some curious fragments. The Athenians, according to Pliny, caused his statue, with a golden tongue, to be placed in their Gymnasium. (EB III, 1797: 195)
Golden tongue in much more symbolic than a golden thigh.
He [BERRETINI da CORTONA (Pietro)] worked with remarkable ease and freedom; his figures are admirably grouped; his distribution is truly elegant; the chiaro-scuro is judiciously observed; and through his whole compositions there appears uncommon grace: but De Piles observes, that it was not such a grace as was the portion of Raphael and Correggio; but a general grace, consisting rather in a habit of making the airs of his heads always agreeable, than in a choice of expressions suitable to each subject. [...] By the best judges it seems to be agreed, that although this master was frequently incorrect; though not always judicious in his expressions; though irregular in his draperies, and apt to design his figures too short and too heavy; yet, by the magnificence of his composition, the delicate airs of his figures, the grandeur of his decorations, and the astonishing beauty and gracefulness of the whole together, he must be allowed to have been the most agreeable mannerest that any age hath produced. (EB III, 1797: 195)
Mannerest? - "a person who works in the style of Mannerism (= a movement in 16th-century Italian art)"
BESAILE, signifies the father of a grandfather. (EB III, 1797: 198)
Rare.
BESANT, or BEZANT, a coin of pure gold, of an uncertain value, struck at Byzantium, in the time of the Christian emperors; from hence the gold offered by the king at the altar is called besant or bisant. (EB III, 1797: 198)
And what do you call gold coins struck at Rome?
BETHARAN (anc. geog), a town of the Peraea, or on the other side Jordan. Said to be called Livias or Libias, in the Greek manner, by Herod in honour of Livia, (Eusebius, Jerome); and of the same latitude almost with Jerusalem, (Ptolemy; called Julias by Josephus, who always calls the Livia of Augustus lia. (EB III, 1797: 200)
Livland would have beeb Libland for the Greeks?
However this may be, we are told (John v. 2, 3, &c.) that in the porticos of this bath, at the time of a certain feast (which is generally supposed to have been the passover), there lay a multitude of impotent folk, such as the blind, halt, and withered, waiting for the moving of the water: for an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water; that is, moved it in a sensible manner. Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped into it, was made whole of whatever disease he had. Some writers confine the miracle of the pool of Bethesda to the season of this particular feast mentioned in verse 1. of this chapter, because they understand κατα καιρον, by times (verse 4.), which our translators render, a certain season, meant at that season; that is, the season mentioned verse 1.; and since the evangelist does not say that the water of Bethesda had their sanative quality at any other feast, we are at liberty to make what supposition seems most convenient. (EB III, 1797: 201)
Sanatorium. Halt meaning not moving?
His [BETHUNE (Maximilian de)] Memoirs are ranked among the best books of French history: they contain a most particular account of whatever passed from the peace of 1570 to the death of Henry IV. in 1610: and acquire additional value from the many curious personal anecdotes preserved in them. They were translated into English by Mrs Lennox in 1757. (EB III, 1797: 203)
Chech the archive: Memoirs of Maximilian de Bethune, Duke of Sully, prime minister of Henry the Great.
According to Simon Paulli and Bartholinus, this plant affects those who gather any considerable quantity of it with a disorder resembling drunkenness. Its leaves are sometimes smoked like tobacco. (EB III, 1797: 203)
Don't drink, pick flowers all day instead.
BEVERAGE, in a general sense, signifies a drink: hence nectar is said to be the beverage of the gods. In writers of the middle age, beverage, beveragium, or biberagium, denotes money given to an artificer, or other person, to drink, over and above his hire or wages. (EB III, 1797: 207)
A bonus for alcohol.
BEVERLAND (Hadrian), a man of excellent genius in the end of the 16th century, but who prostituted it in the study and composition of books of a very obnoxious kind. He was a perfect master of Ovid, Catullus, Petronius, and authors of thet stamp. He is famous for his book on Original Sin, in which he maintained, that Adam's sin constituted in his commerce with his wife, and that original sin is nothing else but the inclination of the sexes to each other: it was condemned to be burnt. (EB III, 1797: 207)
That makes a surprising amount of sense. Though, still, it it on god for supplying Adam with a companion who serves up the forbidden fruit - in this case, her lower-body-cavity.
BEYS (Giles), a celebrated printer at Paris, in the 16th century, and the first introducer of the consonants j and v. (EB III, 1797: 208)
These letters are so late.
BEZOAR, in natural history and medicine, a general name for certain animal-substance supposed to be effectual in preventing the fatal consequences of poison. The word comes from the Persian badzcher, bazcher, or pahazar, which signifies an antidote. (EB III, 1797: 209)
So just antidote in Persian, professor Snape?
BIAS, one of the seven sages of Greece, flourished about 608 before Christ. He was accustomed to say, "It is a sickness of the mind to wish for impossible things." During the siege of Priena, his native city, being asked why he was the only one who retired from the place without carrying any thing with him, he replied, That he carried his all with him; meaning, that his knowledge and virtue were the only blessings that were peculiarly his own, since they could not be taken from him. He experied while pleading for one of his friends. (EB III, 1797: 211)
The first appears in the Golden Verses, the second in the story of a ship-wrecked philosopher.
The five books of the law are divided into 54 sections. This division many of the Jews hold to have been appointed by Moses himself; but others, with more probability, ascribe it to Ezra. The design of this division was, that one of these sections might be read in their synagogues every sabbath-day. The number was 54, because in their intercalated years a month being then added, there were 54 sabbaths. In other years, they reduced them to 52, by twice joining together two short sections. Till the perfection of Antiochus Epiphanes, they read only the law; but the reading of it being then prohibited, they substituted in the room of it 54 sections out of the prophets; and when the reading of the law was restored by the Maccabees, the section which was read every sabbath out of the law served for their first lesson, and the section out of the prophets for their second. (EB III, 1797: 211)
Given a free year, one could follow this example and read the Old Testament in this order, studying each of the 52 respective double-sections along with modern interpretations for a week.
The Jews, at first, were very reserved in communicating their scripture to strangers: despising and shunning the Gentiles, they would not disclose to them any of the treasures concealed in the Bible. We may add, that the people bordering on the Jews, as the Egyptians, Phœnicians, Arabs, &c. were not very curious to know the laws or history of a people, whom in their turn they hated and despised. (EB III, 1797: 213)
Analogous to what Ritter writes about the communication of religious sentiments and ideas.
Whilst the Roman empire subsisted in Europe, the reading of the Scriptures in the Latin tongue, which was the universal language of that empire, prevailed every where. But since the face of affairs in Europe has been changed, and so many different monarchies erected upon the ruins of the Roman empire, the Latin tongue has by degrees grown into disuse: whence has arisen a necessity of translating the Bible into the respective languages of each people; and this has produced as many different versions of the Scriptures in the modern languages, as there are different nations professing the Christian religion. (EB III, 1797: 216)
First time meeting the phrase "the face of affairs".
The Russians or Muscovites published the Bible in their language in 1581. It was translated from the Greek by St Cyril, the apostle of the Sclavonians; but this old version being too obscure, Ernst Gliik, who had been carried prisoner to Moscow after the taking of Narva, undertook a new translation of the Bible in Sclavonian; who dying in 1705, the Czar Peter appointed some particular divines to finish the translation: but whether it was ever printed, we cannot say. (EB III, 1797: 218)
Narva!
Tindal's. - The first printed Bible in our language was that translated by Will. Tindal, assisted by Miles Coverdale, printed abroad in 1526; but most of the copies were brought up and burnt by Bishop Tunstal and Sir Thomas More. It only contained the New Testament, and was revised and republished by the same person in 1530. The prologues and prefaces added to it reflect on the bishops and clergy; but this edition was also suppressed, and the copies burnt. IN 1532, Tindal and his associates finished the whole Bible except the Apocrypha, and printed it abroad: but while he was afterwards preparing for the second edition, he was taken up and burnt for heresy in Flanders. (EB III, 1797: 218)
Thomas More, the utopian bible-burner.
BIBLISTS, so the Roman-catholics call those Christians who make Scripture the sole rule of faith; in which sense, all Protestants either are or ought to be biblists. (EB III, 1797: 220)
Why not also traditions and visions that have nothing to do with Jesus Christ - why not include them in Christianity?
BIBLINIUM, in Roman antiquity, a chamber with two beds in it; or when two beds only were round a table. (EB III, 1797: 220)
An average dormitory room.
BIDAL, or BIDALE, in our ancient customs, denotes the invitation of friends to drink ale at some poor man's house, who in consideration hereof expects some contribution for his relief. This custom still obtains in the west of England, and is mentioned in some of our ancient statutes. (EB III, 1797: 220)
The poor man's cocktail party.
BIDENTALES, in Roman antiquity, priests instituted to perform certain ceremonies and expiations when thunder fell on any place. Their principal office was the sacrificing a sheep of two years old, which in Latin is called bidens; from whence the place struck with thunder got the name of bidental. (EB III, 1797: 221)
A sacrificial lamb president Joe.
BIGNON (Jerome), a French writer, was born at Paris in 1590. He gained an uncommon knowledge, under the care of his father, in philosophy, mathematics, history, civil law, and divinity, in a very short time; and was almost at the end of his studies at an age when it is usual to send children to school. At ten years of age he gave the public a specimen of his learning, in a Description of the Holy Land; and two years after, he published a Discourse concerning the principal antiquities and curiosities of Rome; and A summary treatise concerning the election of Popes. Henry IV. desired to see him, and appointed him page to the dauphin, who was afterwards Louis XIII. He appeared at court with all the politeness of manners imaginable. (EB III, 1797: 223)
Another French child prodigy, likewise taught by father.
The whole country [of BILEDULGERID or BELAD AL JERID] is barren, sandy, and mountainous, producing little or nothing besides dates, which grow here in such profusion, that the face of half the kingdom is covered over with date-trees, and from hence the whole country takes its name. The climate is hot and unhealthy: the people lean, swarthy, and shrivelled in their complexions; with their eyes inflamed, owing to the reflection of the sun-beams from the white hard soil; and the showers of dust and sand driven by the high winds that blow here at certain seasons are frequently so violent as to bury men and cattle under them. (EB III, 1797: 225)
Reads like Frank Herbert's Dune, again, concerning the fremen.
[...] and the king's answer is declared by the clerk of the parliament in Norman-French: a badge, ti must be owned (now the only one remaining), of conquest; and which one colud wish to see fall into total oblivion; unless it be reserved as a solemn memento to remind us that our liberties are mortal, having been once destroyed by a foreign force. (EB III, 1797: 228)
"Our liberties are mortal" sounds powerful.
[...] because every man in Britain is, in judgment of law, party to the making of an edict of parliament, being present thereat by his representatives. (EB III, 1797: 228)
I had to read this word (there-at) several times before concluding that it is not a typo or some very obscure technical term.
Since that time, indeed it has been in a great measure prostituted by the designing and vulgar sort of people: notwithstanding, it will never be out of fashion, being of itself very entertaining, and attended with that kind of moderate exercise which renders it the more agreeable. (EB III, 1797: 228)
Rude classism.
BINARY ARITHMETIC, that wherein unity or 1 and 0 are only used. This was the invention of M. Leibnitz, who shows it to be very expeditious in discovering the properties of numbers, and in constructing tables: and Mr Dangecourt, in his history of the royal academy of sciences, gives a specimen of it concerning arithmetical progressionals; where he shows, that because in binary arithmetic only two characters are used, therefore the laws of progression may be more easily discovered by it than by common arithmetic. All the characters used in binary arithmetic are 0 and 1; and the cypher multiplies every thing by 2, as in the common arithmetic by 10. Thus 1 is one; 10, two; 11, three; 100, foour; 101, five; 110, six; 111, seven; 1000, eight; 1001, nine; 1010, ten; which is built on the same principle with common arithmetic. (EB III, 1797: 231)
That Leibniz was behind it has been at the back of my mind for a while. I should memorize this sequence.
What makes thebinary arithmetic the more remarkable is, that it appears to have been the same with that used 4000 years ago among the Chinese, and left in ænigma by Fohi, the founder of their empire, as well as of their sciences. (EB III, 1797: 231)
Likewise common knowledge that Leibniz derived it from the Chinese.
BINGAZI, a sea-port town of Africa, in the kingdom of Tripoli. E. Long. 19. 10. N. Lat. 32. 20. (EB III, 1797: 231)
The ineffective bane of Hillary Clinton.
He [BINGHAM (Joseph)] published also several other books. But notwithstanding his great learning and merit, he had no other preferment than that of Headbournworthy till the year 1712, when he was collated to the rectory of Havant, near Portsmouth, by Sir Jonathan Trelawney bishop of Winchester, to whom he dedicated several of his books. (EB III, 1797: 232)
An ancestor of a Harry Potter character.
BIOGRAPHY, a species of history which records the lives and characters of remarkable persons. This is at once the most entertaining and instructive kind of history. It admits of all the painting and passion of romance; but with this capital difference, that our passions are more keenly interested, because the characters and incidents are not only agreeable to nature, but strictly true. No books are so proper to be put into the hands of young people. (EB III, 1797: 232)
An author of an autobiography must consider him- or herself a remarkable person.
BION, sirnamed Borysthenites, because he was of Borysthenes, was a philosopher of a great deal of wit, but of very little religion: he flourished about the 120th Olympiad; but falling sick, he, like other profane persons, became superstitious. (EB III, 1797: 232)
There are no sick atheists.
BIOTHANATI (from βια, violence, and θανατος, death), in some medical writers, denotes those who die a violent death. The word is also written, and with more propriety, biathanati; sometimes biæthanti. (EB III, 1797: 232)
Didn't know this required a word of its own. A word for people who can go to Valhalla.
In a more particular sense, it denotes those who kill themselves, more properly called autothanati. In this sense it is that the word is used both by Greek and Latin writers. By the ancient discipline of the church, they were punished by denying them burial, and refusing all commemoration of them in the prayers and offices of the church. (EB III, 1797: 232)
I've heard that Christians don't think people who commit suicide go to heaven. Now it appesrs you can't even pray for them.
BIQUADRATIC Power of any number, is the fourth power or squared square of that number: Thus 16 is the biquadratic power of 2; for 2×2=4, and 4×4=16.
BIQUADRATIC Root of any number, is the square root of the square root of that number: Thus the biquadratic root of 81 is 3; for the square root of 81 is 9, and the square root of 9 is 3. (EB III, 1797: 232)
Perhaps a useful term for describing Chase's table of faculties.
BIRCH-Leaves are of use in the dropsy, itch, &c. either internally or externally applied. (EB III, 1797: 233)
After reading about the American Indian saunas and how they beat their sick with medical herbs, a thought did cross our minds that perhaps us Finnics do so with birch as a simple and available substitute. Perhaps our ancestors were just constantly itchy.
His [BIRCH (Dr Thomas)] principal publications were, 1. "The General Dictionary, Historical and Critical;" including a new translation of Mr Bayle, and interspersed with several thousand new lives. Dr Birch's associates in this undertaking were, the Rev. John Peter Bernard, Mr John Lockman, and Mr george Sale. The whole design was completed in 10 volumes folio. 2. Dr Cudworth's "Intellectual System (improved from the Latin edition of Mosheim), his Discourse on the true Notion of the Lord's Supper, and two Sermons, with an Account of his Life and Writings," 2 vols 4to, 1743. 3. "The Life of the Hon. Robert Boyle," 1744; prefixed to an edition of that excellent philosopher's works, revised by Dr Birch. 4. "The Lives of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain," annexed to the engravings of Houbraken and Vertue, 1747-1752. (EB III, 1797: 234)
The list goes up to 13 but these first 4 sound most interesting.
The call-birds, [|] while the bird is at a distance, do not sing as a bird does in a chamber; they invite the wild ones by what the bird-catchers call short jerks, which, whe the birds are good, may be heard at a great distance. The ascendency by this call or invitation is so great, that the wild bird is stopped in its course of flight; and, if not already acquainted with the nets (E), lights boldly within 20 yards of perhaps three or four bird-catchers, on a spot which otherwise it would not have taken the least notice of. Nay, it frequently happens, that if half a flock only are caught, the remaining half will immediately afterwards light in the nets, and share the same fate; and should only one bird escape, that bird will suffer itself to be pulled at till it is caught; such a fascinating power have the call-birds. (EB III, 1797: 235-236)
The sounds of these Judas-birds can get a whole flock trapped during their migration.
It may be here observed, that birds when near each other, and in flight, seldom jerk or sing. They either sight, or use short and wheedling calls; the jerking of these call-birds, therefore, face to face, is a most extraordinary instance of contention for superiority in song. (EB III, 1797: 236)
An unfamiliar word.
The following simple but ingenious method of catching aquatic birds is used in Mexico by the natives. The lakes of the Mexican vale, as well as others of the kingdom, are frequented by a prodigious multitude of ducks, geese, and other water-birds. The Mexicans leave some empty gourds to float upon the water, where those birds resort, that they may be accustomed to see and approach them without fear. The bird-catcher goes into the water so deep as to hide his body, and covers his head with a gourd: the ducks come to peck at it; and then he pulls them by the feet under water, and in this manner secures as many as he pleased. (EB III, 1797: 238)
A vivid image.
He [BIRON (Armand de Gontault, Lord of)] was a very universal scholar: and used to carry a pocket-book, in which he wrote down every thing that appeared remarkable; which gave rise to a proverb very much used at court: When a person happened to say any thing uncommon, they told him, You have found that in Biron's pocket-book. (EB III, 1797: 242)
Should look up the contents of Biron's pocket-book.
"It has been observed, that virtue appears more amiable when accompanied with beauty; it may be added, that it is more useful when recommended to the notice of mankind by the distinction of an honourable ancestry. It is then greatly to be wished, that the nobly born would endeavour to deserve the respect which the world pays them with alacrity, by employing their influence to benevolent purposes; to those purposes which can at all times be accomplished, even when the patriotic exertions of the field and cabinet are precluded." (EB III, 1797: 243)
Alacrity in the wild, again. I should perhaps search for all of Chade's faculties in this encyclopedia.
BIRTH-Day, the anniversary return of the day whereon a person was born. The ancients placed a good deal of religion in the celebration of birth-days, and took omens from thence of the felicity of the coming year. (EB III, 1797: 243)
A somewhat odd phrasing - placing religion.
BISACUTA, in middle-age writers, an axe with two edges, or which cuts either way; or a missive weapon pointed at both ends. Walshingham represents the securis bisacuta as peculiar to the Scottish nation. (EB III, 1797: 243)
Washington in a parallel universe.
The Biscayners ares tout, brave, and choleric to a proverb. The best sailors in Spain belong to the ports of Biscay, and its mountains produce a very valuable race of soldiers. (EB III, 1797: 244)
Being something to a proverb evidently like "you can set the clock to..." And the old neutral "race" not associated with skin colour but here even with occupation.
The Bisertines, both of the city and country, are the most superstitious people in Barbary, scarce going any where without hanging a quantity of amulets about their own, or if they rise, their horses neck also. These amulets are only scraps of rachment or paper, with somes trange characters written upon them, which they sew up with a piece of leather, silk, &c. and imagine when worm about them to be a preservative against all accidents. (EB III, 1797: 245)
Abracadabra.
He is then interrogated as to the belief of the Trinity; to which he answers by a long profession of faith, and receives a second benediction. Lastly, he is asked what he thinks of the incarnation; to which he answers in a third profession of faith; which is followed by a third benediction: after which the consecrator gives him the pastoral staff: [...] (EB III, 1797: 247)
Confirm that you believe in the nonsense.
BISHOPING, a term among horse-dealers, to denote the sophistications used to make an old horse appear young, a bad one good, &c. (EB III, 1797: 247)
Kunst mida mustlased harrastasid Galiti Ekke Moor-is.
The solution, diluted with water, becomes a kind of sympathetic ink; the words written with it on white paper being invisible when dry, but assuming a yellowish colour when heated before the fire. (EB III, 1797: 248)
Sympathetic in the alchemical sense.
To the same mixture we must ascribe the property which bismuth-ore has of making sympathetic ink of the same kind with that formed directly by solution of regulus of cobalt. For this purpose of tincture is to be drawn from the ore with aquafortis, and this afterwards mixed with a saturated solution of sea-salt, and inspissated, yields a reddish salt: its watery solution is the curious liquor called Green SYMPATHETIC Ink; though there is an impropriety in calling it green, when in fact it is red. If any words are written with this ink on white paper, the characters disappear as soon as dry; but on holding the paper to the fire, they become green and legible; on cooling they disappear again, and this repeatedly any number of times. Bomare informs us, that words written with this sympathetic ink may also be rendered legible, by wetting them with a sponge or pencil dipped in an aqueous solution of hepar sulphuris. (EB III, 1797: 249)
This sympathetic ink ordeal recalls some detective story but probably not Sherlock himself.
In some places of this kingdom it is said the roads have great forests of bamboos on each side, which are so thick that it is impossible for a man to pass. These forests are full of monkeys; and what is singular, those on the one side seem to be enemies to those on the other; for if a basket of rice is set down on the road with a parcel of small sticks about it, the monkeys on each side will come out, and fall a-fighting with the sticks till one of the parties retreats. This, it is said, is often done by travellers for diversion. They catch the wild elephants here in pitfalls, and then tame them by means of others already tamed: the latter seldom fail of beating the wild ones into a good behaviour. (EB III, 1797: 250)
I understand the monkey-business but elephants doing that to themselves I wouldn't have imagined. No wonder they could list 535 elephants in their army if this kind of thing was going on.
In general, they are idolaters; cruel and savage in their disposition, not only to strangers but to one another, when they happen to quarrel, as they frequently do about trifles; and if they happen to be disappointed of their revenge, they frequently drown or stab themselves. (EB III, 1797: 251)
Familiar phatic tropes.
The singular situation of this country has preserved to the inhabitants their primitive happiness and the gentleness of their character, by securing them from the danger of being conquered, or of imbruing their hands in the blood of their fellow-creatures. Nature has surrounded them with water; and they need only open the sluices of their rivers to overflow the whole country. The armies sent to sobdue them have so frequently been drowned, that the plan of enslaving them has been laid aside; and the projectors of it have thought proper to content themselves with an appearance of submission. (EB III, 1797: 251)
An uncharacteristically well written entry, this.
The several parts of a snaffle, or curb-bit, are the mouth-piece, the cheeks and eyes, guard of the cheek, head of the cheeks, the port, the welts, the campanel or curb and hook, the bosses, the bolsters and rabbets, the water-chains, the side-bolts, the rings, kirbles of the bit or curb, trench, top-rol, flap and jieve. (EB III, 1797: 252)
Reads like a description of the plumbus.
BITTER, a sea-term, signifying any turn of the cable about the bits, so as that the cable may be let out by little and little. And when a ship is stopped by a cable, she is said to be brought up by a bitter. Also that end of the cable which is wound about the bits is called the bitter end of the cable. (EB III, 1797: 253)
Language is indeed a wonderful creation.
BIZARRE, denoting capricious, &c. a term used among florists for a particular kind of carnation, which has its flowers striped or variegated with three or four colours.
BIZARRO, in the Italian music, denotes a fanciful kind of composition, sometimes fast, slow, soft, strong, &c. according to the fancy of the composer. (EB III, 1797: 253)
Wearing a shower cap and hospital gown outdoors and in public.
It may be proper to observe also, that the combustibility of the paper may be increased, by impregnating it with substances of themselves not combustible, and which give no colour to it. This is the foundation of one of the sympathetic inks, as they are called, made of a strong solution of sal ammoniac in water, which, though colourless when written with on paper, becomes very legible on exposing the paper to the fire; that is, it occasions the parts moistened with it to scorch or burn, before the rest of the paper is hurt, to a brown or black. All the salts I have tried produced this effect in a greater or less degree; nitre, alum, tartar, very weakly; sea-salt more strongly; fixed alkaline salts still more so; sal ammoniac the most strongly of all. Metallic solutions, made in acids, and diluted so as not to corrode the paper, acted in the same manner. (EB III, 1797: 254)
A single-use sympathetic ink. Weird thing to find under the entry for "Black", shortly after finding it under "Bismuth", but I guess whoever authored this section was keenly interested in the topic.
The dyers also have different blacks, and often darken other colours by slightly passing them through the black dying liquor; but the term brown-black is in this business unknown, brown and black being here looked upon as opposite to one another. In effect, the colour called brown-black is no other than that which ill-died black clothes change to in wearing: no wonder then that it is excluded from the catalogue of the dyers colours. (EB III, 1797: 254)
Perhaps why puritans and pilgrims are depicted frequently in bown clothes - they may have been black but worn to brown.
BLACK-Books, a name given to those which treat of necromancy, or, as some call it, negromancy. The black-book of the English monasteries was a detail of the scandalous enormities practised in religious houses, compiled by order of the visitors under king Hen. VIII. to blacken, and thus hasten their dissolution. (EB III, 1797: 255)
The name of the British TV show takes on a darker connotation.
BLACK-Whytlof, in our old writers, bread of a middle fineness betwixt white and brown, called in some parts ravel-bread. In religious houses, it was the bread made for ordinary guests, and distinguished from their household loaf, or panic conventualis, which was pure manchet, or white bread. (EB III, 1797: 255)
Sepik.
BLACK-Work, iron wrought by the blacksmith; thus called by way of opposition to that wrought by whitesmiths. (EB III, 1797: 255)
Never heard of them whitesmiths: "a person who makes articles out of metal, especially tin"; "a polisher or finisher of metal goods".
It must be mentioned too in honour of Sir Richard, that he was a chaste writer, and a warm advocate for virtue, at a time when an almost universal degeneracy prevailed. He had been very free in his censures on the libertine writers of his age; and it was owing to some liberty he had taken of this kind, that he drew upon him the resentment of Mr Dryden. (EB III, 1797: 256)
Exactly 100 years before this encyclopedia, universal degeneracy prevailed.
BLACKSTONE (Sir Wililam), an eminent English lawyer, was born at London in July 1723. His father, Mr Charles Blackstone, a silk-man, citizen, and bowyer of London, died some months before the birth of our author, who was the youngest of four children; and their mother died before he was 12 years old. Even from his birth, the care both of his education and fortune was kindly undertaken by his maternal uncle Mr Thomas Bigg, an eminent surgeon in London, and afterwards, on the death of his elder brothers, owner of the Chilton estate, which is still enjoyed by that family. (EB III, 1797: 256)
By "universal degeneracy" they surely meant the lack of hygene and medicine that caused people to drop like flies?
Some notes on Shakespeare, which just before his death he communicated to Mr Steevens, and which were inserted by him in his last edition of that author, show how well he understood the meaning, as well as the beauties, of that his favourite among the English poets. (EB III, 1797: 257)
The death here mentioned is the only indication thus far that this lengthy and flowery bibliography full of irrelevant details and potentialities is not an autobiography.
His [BLACKSTONE (SIR William)] Lectures on the Laws of England appears to have been an early and favourite idea; for in the Michaelmas term, immediately after he quitted Westminster-hall, he entered on the province of reading them at Oxford; and we are told by the author of his life, that even at their commencement, such were the expectations formed from the acknowledged abilities of the lecturer, they were attended by a very crowded class of young men of the first families, characters, and hopes; but it was not till the year 1758, that the lectures in the form they now bear were read at the university. (EB III, 1797: 257)
Ah, young men of the first hopes. Those who are first and foremost in hoping.
It is doubtful whether the Commentaries were originally intended for the press; but many imperfect and incorrect copies having got abroad, and a pirated edition of them being either published, or preparing for publication in Ireland, the learned lecturer thought proper to print a correct edition himself; and in November 1765 published the first volume, under the title of Commentaries on the Laws of England; and in the course of the four succeeding years, the remaining parts of this admirable work. (EB III, 1797: 257)
The only thing interesting here is the word "pirated". Otherwise it follows the formula seen several times already in this entry: he wrote something for his own use but it was so awesome that it just had to be published.
The Grammar whereby he [BLACKWELL (Anthony, A. M.)] initiated the youth under his care into Latin, was of his own composing, and so happily fitted for the purpose, that he was prevailed on to make it public, though his modesty would not permit him to fix his name to it, because he would not be thought to precscribe to other instructors of youth. It is intitled, "A New Latin Grammar; being a short, clear, and easy Introduction of young Scholars to the Knowledge of the Latin Tongue; containing an exact account of the two first Parts of Grammar." (EB III, 1797: 258)
Damn anons with their modesty.
Having never married, he [BLAGRAVE (John)] bequeathed to all the posterity of his three brothers, the sum of 50 l. each payable at the age of 26; and he calculated his donation so well, that near fourscore of his nephews and their descendants have reaped the benefit of it. He also settled certain lands at Swallowfield in the same county, as a provision for the poor for ever. Among other charities, he left ten pounds to the annually disposed of in the following manner: On good-Friday, the church-wardens of each of the three parishes of Readin send to the town-hall one virtuous maid, who has lived five years with her master: there, in the presence of the magistrates, these three virtuous maids throw dice for the ten pounds. The two losers are returned with a fresh one the year following, and again the third year, till each has had three chances. (EB III, 1797: 260)
A generous uncle and teaser of virtuous maids.
The precise year of the institution of the knights of St Blaise is not known; but they appear to have commenced about the same time with the knights Templars and Hospitallers; to the former of which the bore a near affinity, the regulars being the same in both. (EB III, 1797: 261)
Probably meaning rules, i.e. regulations, not the regular members being included in both.
This is allowed to have been one of the most remarkable action that ever happened at sea. "It was so miraculous (says the Earl of Clarendon), that all men who knew the place wondered that any sober man, with what courage soever endowed, would ever have undertaken it; and they could hardly persuade themselves to believe what they had done; whilst the Spaniards comforted themselves with the belief, that they were devils and not men who had destroyed them in such a manner." (EB III, 1797: 262)
So that is why the name of Rober Blake rings familiar. Mind you, this was written before the Napoleonic wars and that Swedish fellow who was his bane at sea.
[...] in consequence of which it would be necessary to encamp on the snow: but he found it difficult to convince his companions of the practicability of the plan. (EB III, 1797: 263)
A neat word.
By the canon law, blasphemy was punished only by a solemn penance; and by custom either by a pecuniary or corporal punishment. By the English laws, blasphemies of God, as denying his being or providence, and all contumelious reproaches of Jesus Christ, &c. are offences by the common law, and punishable by fine, imprisonment, and pillory. And, by the statute law, he that denies one of the persons in the Trinity, or asserts there are more than one, or denies Christianity to be true, for the first offence is rendered incapable of any office; for the second, adjudged incapable of suing, being executor or guardian, receiving any gift or legacy, and to be imprisoned for three years. (EB III, 1797: 267)
Speaking ill of someone who might not have existed but to whom we have anchored all our mortal hopes is very serious business indeed.
From the former operation these lyes are gradually made stronger, till the cloth seems of an uniform white, nor any darkness or brown colour appears in its ground. (EB III, 1797:270)
The bleached linen are canvasses in a sense. The "ground" is the surface area. Made me think of the philosophical term "ground". Like the yard or garden, the linen-canvas is limited. Somehow I've never thought about that limit in something like 'the ground of the symbol' and the like.
Here chemistry lends us its assistance. Whatever has a stronger affinity or attraction to the salts with which it is joined than this substance has, must set it at liberty, and make it visible. (EB III, 1797: 272)
Sympathy.
What is most wanted in this operation is a more expeditious and cheaper method of obtaining the same end. (EB III, 1797: 276)
The battle-cry of capitalism that results in wage-theft and environmental disaster.
I take a lippy of the finest and richest powdered lime that can be got, of the brightest white colour, as poor lime does more hurt than good, to thirty pieces of the above length; [...] (EB III, 1797: 278)
You take a what?
BLEEDING of a Corpse, is a phenomenon said to have frequently happened in the bodies of persons murdered, which, on the touch, or even the approach, of the murderer, began to bleed at the nose, ears, and other parts; so as formerly to be admitted in England, and still allowed in some other parts, as a sort of detection of the criminal and proof of the fact. Numerous instances of these posthumous hæmorrhagies are given by writers. (EB III, 1797: 279)
Human imagination is incredible.
The raninus, with six divisions in the belly-fins, is found in the lakes of Sweden. It is remarkable, that when this fish appears in the lake, all the other fishes retire; and what is worse, it is not fit for eating. (EB III, 1797: 281)
A cursed fish.
And yet, notwithstanding the impropriety of that manner of composing, his [BLESS (Henry)] pictures were so delicately pencilled and finished, and his landscapes in particular so agreeably invented, so full of variety, and well executed, that even in Italy his works were in great request, and were distinguished there by the appellation of the owl-pictures: for he fixed an owl, as his peculiar mark, in every picture he painted; by which the works of this master are always indisputably known. (EB III, 1797: 281)
Neat. I thought it was Hieronymus Bosch who was known for his owls.
BLETONISM, a faculty of perceiving and indicating subterraneous springs and currents by sensation. The term is modern, and derived from a Mr Bleton, who for some years past has excited universal attention by his possessing the above faculty, which seems to depend upon some peculiar organization. Concerning the reality of this extraordinary faculty, there occurred great doubts among the learned. (EB III, 1797: 281)
Unbelievable.
Others direct the use of tobacco-dust, or to wash the trees with water wherein tobacco-stalks have been infused for 12 hours; which they say will destroy those insects, and recover the plants. (EB III, 1797: 282)
Tobacco as insecticide.
Another cause of blights in the spring, is sharp hoary frosts, which are often succeeded by hot sunshine in the day-time. This is the most sudden and certain destroyer of the fruits that is known. (EB III, 1797: 283)
Something we may expect to become frequent once climate change goes into a feeback loop.
The living and comprehensive eye darts its instantaneous view over expansive valleys, lofty mountains, protracted rivers, illimitable oceans. It measures, in an indivisible point of time, the mighty space from earth to heaven, or from one star to another. (EB III, 1797: 283)
Poetic.
A blind man, when walking swiftly, or running, is kindly and effectually checked by nature from rudely encountering such hard and extended objects as might hurt or bruise him. When he approaches bodies of this kind, he feels the atmosphere more sensibly resist his progress; and in proportion as his motion is accelerated, or his distance from the object diminished, the resistance is increased. He distinguishes the approach of his friend from far by the sound of his steps, by his manner of breathing, and almost by every audible token which he can exhibit. Prepared for the dangers which he may encounter from the surface of the ground upon which he walks, his step is habitually firm and cautious. Hence he not only avoids those falls which might be occasioned by its less formidable inequalities, but from its general bias he collects someideas how far his safety is immediately concerned; and though these conjectures may be sometimse fallacious, yet they are generally so true, as to preserve him from such accidents as are not incurred by his own temerity. The rapid torrent and the deep cascade not only warm him to keep a proper distance, but inform him in what direction he moves, and are a kind of audible synosures to regulate his course. In place to which he has been accustomed, he as it were recognises his latitude and longitude from every breath of varied fragrance that tinges the gale, from every ascent or declivity in the road, from every natural or artificial sound that strikes his ear; if these indications be stationary, and confined to particular places. Regulated by these signs, the blind have not only been known to perform long journeys themselves, but to conduct others through dangerous paths at the dark and silnet hour of midnight, with the utmost security and exactness. (EB III, 1797: 285)
The semiotics of blindness.
Such readers as may wish to see a more minute detail of these questions, may conslut M. Diderot's Lettre sur les aveugles, a l'usage de ceux qui voyent; "A letter concerning the blind for the use of those who see." To these may be added, Mr Cheselden's Anatomy, and Locke's Essay on the human understanding. (EB III, 1797: 287)
First mention of Locke's essay in this encyclopedia.
It is possible for the blind, by a retentive memory, to tell you, That the sky is an azure; that the sun, moon, and stars, are bright; that the rose is red, the lily white or yellow, and the tulip variegated. By continually hearing these substantives and adjectives joined, he may be mechanically taught to join them in the same manner: but as he never had any sensation of colour, however accurately he may speak of coloured objects, his language must be like that of a parrot; without meaning, or without ideas. (EB III, 1797: 288)
Locke's influence is apparent in this.
But the novelty of the phenomenon, while it astonishes vulgar and contracted understanding, inflames their zeal to rage and madness. (EB III, 1797: 289)
A circulocutory slur against intelligence.
He had the good fortune, however, contrary to their expectations, to obtain the first places among his condisciples. (EB III, 1797: 289)
Kaasjüngrid, kaasjärgijad.
Coffee may sometimes be taken with impunity: but tea should be interdicted with inflexible severity; for no vegetable juice under heaven is more noxious to sedentary people. (EB III, 1797: 291)
What does tea do to sedentary people?
We have more than once hinted, during the course of this article, that the blind, as liable to all the inconveniences of sedentary life, are peculiarly subjected to that disorder which may be called tædium vitæ or low spirits. This indisposition may be said to comprehend in it all the other diseases and evils of human life; because, by its immediate influence on the mind, it aggravates the weight and bitterness of every calamity to which we are obnoxious. (EB III, 1797: 291)
Depression. When life becomes tedious.
Those who are afflicted with low spirits may be said to be doubly unfortunate; for they have not only their own internal sufferings to sustain, but the contempt and ridicule of a thoughtless and unfeeling world, by whom their complaints are thought to be imaginary, and their depression affected. (EB III, 1797: 292)
"Big sad."
Parents of middle, or of higher rank, who are so unfortunate as to have blind children, ought, by all possible means, to keep them out of vulgar company. The herd of mankind have a wanton malignity, which eternally impels them to impose upon the blind, and to enjoy the painful situations in which these impositions place them. This is a stricture upon the humanity of our species, which nothing but the love of truth and the dictates of benevolence could have extorted from us. (EB III, 1797: 293)
People are cruel.
Villany, which frequently piques itself more upon the arts by which it prevails, than upon the advantages which it obtains, may often with contempt reject the blind, as subject beneath the dignity of its operation; but the ill-natured buffoon considers the most malicious effects of his merriment as a mere jest, without reflecting on the shame or indignation which they inspire when inflicted on a sensible temper. (EB III, 1797: 293)
"It's just a prank, bro."
[...] you may even regale his imagination with the sportive gambols and innocent frolics of fairies; [...] (EB III, 1797: 294)
What are gambols? - "an act of running or jumping about playfully."
There are a sort of people in the world, whose views and education have been strictly confined to one province, and whose conversation is of consequence limited and technical. These, in literary intercourse, or fashionable life, are treated with universal contempt, and branded with the odious name of mere men of business. Nor is it any wonder that the conversation of such should prove nauseous and disgusting. It would be arrogance in them to expect, that indifferent persons should either enter into their private interests, or the peculiarities of their craft, with a warmth equal to their own. We have known the intrusion of such a person involve a numerous company in gloom, and terminate the freedom and vivacity of agreeable discourse in lazy yawning and discontented silence. OF all innocent characters, this ought to be avoided by the blind; because, of all others, it is the character which they run the greatest hazard of adopting. (EB III, 1797: 294)
Nerds kill the conversation by geeking out. Something phatic. Mahaffy included this aspect of too specific knowledge in his treatment of conersation.
To this may be added, that the joys of religion are for ever adequate to the largest capacity of a finite and progressive intelligence; and as they are boundless in extent, so they are endless in duration. (EB III, 1797: 299)
Religion is perfect for children because their intelligence is limited.
But as it is not indispensable, and as its acquisition is tedious and operose, we thought it less necessary to be early and minutely specified. (EB III, 1797: 299)
define:operose - "involving or displaying much industry or effort".
Living and percipient substances have immediate sensations of pain or pleasure, which likewise are productive of desire and aversion. To these sentiments particular sounds are adapted, whether immediately inspired by nature, or resulting from association and tacit convention. (EB III, 1797: 300)
Natural and conventional signs.
Surely there is not a human being, who does not disgrace the works of God, that can be at any loss in answering this question. (EB III, 1797: 303)
A powerful phrase for those feeble-minded who think that the world, and human beings, are intelligently designed.
Is the native and hereditary portion of human wo so light and supportable in itself, that we should neglect and despise those to whom it is embittered by accidental circumstances of horror and distress? (EB III, 1797: 303)
First time seeing this expression in here.
Mounting BLOCK, an eminence usually of stone, cut in steps or notches, serving as a help to mount on horseback. These were much in use among the ancients, who were unacquainted with stirrups. The Romans erected them at proper stations along all their great roads. (EB III, 1797: 307)
Now I'm imagining Romans walking miles with their horse to the nearest mounting block to ride the horse.
The trade of Blois is chiefly in wine and brandy; but they also make some serges and stuffs at this place. Several kings have kept their courts at Blois; for which reason they speak the French language in perfection, and the inhabitants are accounted witty and polite. (EB III, 1797: 308)
The exact opposite of the phatic complaint.
Le Blond was also authors of a treatise, in French, on ideal beauty. It was published in 1732, and has since been translated into English. (EB III, 1797: 309)
Seeing the sparsity of books from that era, I doubt it is available in the archive yet.
Though there is no living creature as yet known [|] whose life doth not immediately depend upon the circulation of some kind of fluid through its vessels, yet unless such fluid is of a red colour, it does not obtain the name of blood; and therefore such creatures as have a colourless or milky liquid circulating through their vessels, are called exsanguious animals. (EB III, 1797: 309-310)
Are vampires exsanguious? At least in one vampire movie, one was turned back to human by way of blood transfusion, implying that vampire blood is not normal blood.
Blood taken from the arm in the most intense cold which the human body can bear, raises the thermometer to the same height as blood taken in the most sultry heat. This he [Mr Hunter] considers as a strong proof of the blood's being alive; as living bodies alone have the power of resisting great degrees both of heat and cold, and of maintaining in almost every situation, while in health, that temperature which we distinguish by the name of animal heat. (EB III, 1797: 313)
Is the blood "alive" by itselt? Will it regulate its temperature outside the body?
The latter hath been commonly held as the principal source of the vital principle; and, for a long time, it was generally thought that there was a kind of vivifying spirit in the air, which being absorbed by the blood at each inspiration, communicated to that fluid the quality necessary for preserving animal life. As a proof of this it was urged, that life cannot be supported without respiration, and that air which hath been often breathed ceases to be capable of supporting life; because when once it has been totally deprived of its vivifying spirit, it can communicate none of the blood in any subsequent respirations. (EB III, 1797: 314)
What is oxygen?
[...] but being obliged to cease for a little time from pressing the air into his lungs, while matters were preparing for this additional experiment, in the mean time the dog died, which might otherwise have lived longer if I had continued to force the air into the lungs. (EB III, 1797: 315)
Quite possibly one of the cruelest animal experiment I've read about here yet. Not even sure what the torturer was trying to prove.
The foregoing reasoning, which to us appeared sufficiently conclusive, leads to a very important discovery in natural philosophy, viz. That it is to the atmosphere, and to that particular part of it which goes by the name of fixed air, that we are every moment indepted for that vital spirit which animates our bodies, and is the immediate bond of union betwixt our immaterial spirit and this visible world. (EB III, 1797: 316)
Breathing ties the soul to the body.
BLOODY-Hand, is when a trespasser is apprehended in a forest with his hands or other parts bloody; which is a circumstance of his having killed the deer, though he be not found chasing or hunting them. (EB III, 1797: 319)
Catching someone red-handed, literally.
The blossoming of the Glastenbury thorn piously on Christmas-day-morning, is a vulgar error; owing to this, that the plant, besides its usual blossoming in the spring, sometimes puts forth a few white transinet blossoms in the middle of winter. For the blossoming of the rose of Jericho on the same day as it is commonly held in England, or in the time of midnight mass, as it is held in France, is somewhat more thna an error, being really a fraud on one side, and a superstition on the other. This rose, whose leaves are only closed and shrivelled up in winter, will, at any time, upon setting its pedicle in water, expand and blossom a-new; because the pedicle being spongy imbibes the fluid apace, and thus fills and swells out the shrivelled leaves: which property some monks have turned to good account. (EB III, 1797: 320)
Another one of those monkish "miracles".
He [BLOUNT (Thomas)] wrote, 1. The academy of eloquence, containing a complete English rhetoric. 2. Glossographica, or a dictionary interpreting such hard words, whether Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, &c. that are now used in our refined English tongue, &c. 3. Boscobel; or the history of his majesty's escape after the battle of Worcester. 4. A law dictionary. 5. Animadversions upon Sir Richard Baker's chronicle. 6. Fragmenta Antiquitatis; and other works. (EB III, 1797: 320)
The first two sound interesting.
But the work which rendered him [BLOUNT (Charles)] most known, was his translation of Philostratus' Life of Apollonius Tyanæus, published in 1680; which was soon suppressed, as an attack on revealed religion. (EB III, 1797: 320)
Imagine having to defend revealed religion by suppressing religious literature that might reveal the former having been invented instead of revealed.
Acid of phosphorus easily melts into a pellucid globule, which afterwards deliquiates in the air. Crystallized vegetable alkali first becomes opaque, and decrepitates long and violently; then melts into a globule, which remains in the spoon; but expands on charcoal, and is absorbed with a crackling noise. (EB III, 1797: 324)
Dekrepitatsioonid. Krepitatisioon ise on nt vihmapladin vastu akent, kopsude krabisemine kopsupõletikus, susside vihisemine haigla lamineeritud põrandal, jne.
When it lays hold of animals, especially any of the larger kinds, it twists itself several times round their body, and by the vast force of its circular muscles bruises and breaks all their bones. After the bones are broke, it licks the skin of the animal all over, besmearing it with a glutinous kind of saliva. This operation is intended to facilitate deglutition, and is a preparation for swallowing the whole animal, it begins to swallow the feet first, and gradually sucks in the body, and last of all the head. When the horns happen to be large, this serpent has been observed to go about for a long time with the horns of a stag sticking out from its mouth. As the animal digests, the horns putrify and fall off. After this serpent has swallowed a stag or a tiger, it is unable for some days to move; the hunters, who are well acquainted with this circumstance, always take this opportunity of destroying it. (EB III, 1797: 331)
Scary stuff.
Boadicea opposed these unjust proceedings; which was resented to such a pitch of brutality, that they ordered the lady to be publicly whipped, and her daughters to be ravished by the soldiers. The Britons took arms, with Boadicea at their head, to shake off the Roman yoke; and made a general and bloody massacre of the Romans in all parts. (EB III, 1797: 331)
"Ravished" = brutally raped.
Some of these trials were made on the first of August 1777, at the gate of the invalids in Paris, in the presence of the provost of the merchants, of the body of the town, and a numerous concourse of spectators of all conditions. (EB III, 1797: 333)
How the word should be used.
BOBARTIA, in botany, a genus of the digynia order, belonging to the triadria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 4th order, Gramina. The calyx is imbricated; and the corolla is a bivalve glume, above the receptacle of the fruit. Of this genus there is only one species known, which is a native of the Indies, and hath no remarkable property. (EB III, 1797: 334)
The shortest entry about a plant yet.
BOCCALE, or BOCAL, a liquid measure used at Rome, answering to what among us is called a bottle, being equivalent to about an English quart. Seven boccales and an half make the rubbia. (EB III, 1797: 335)
Pokaal.
BOCKING, a very large village of Essex in England, adjoining to Brain-tree, from which it is separated only by a small stream. (EB III, 1797: 336)
English placenames continue to astonish.
BOEHMEN (Jacob), called the Teutonic philosopher, was a noted visionary of the 17th century, born in a village of Germany near Gorlitz, in 1575. He was bred a shoemaker; and marrying, supported a large family by this occupation; until, after amusing himself with chemistry, a visionary turn of mind, heated by sermons and German divinity, got the upper hand of his common sense, and produced raptures and notion of divine illumination. These he first gave vent to in 1612, by a treatise intitled Aurora, or the rising of the Sun; being a mixture of astrology, philosophy, chemistry, and divinity, written in a quaint obscure style. This being censured by the magistrates of Gorlitz, he remained silent for seven years: but improving that interval by pursuing the flights of his imagination, he resumed his pen; and resolving to redeem the time he had lost, he, in the remaining five years of his life, published above 20 books, which greatly needed what he concluded with, A table of his principles, or a key to his writings; though this has not proved sufficient to render them intelligible to common apprehensions. The key above mentioned appeared in 1624, and he did not long survive it. (EB III, 1797: 337)
The name sounds familiar, as does the dying bed story, but I'm not sure where I've read about him before. Sounds like an inspired nut, like Charles Fourier.
The activity of his [BOERHAAVE (Herman)] mind sparkled visibly in his eyes. He was always cheerful, and desirous of promoting every valuable end of conversation; and the excellency of the Christian religion was frequently the subject of it: for he asserted, on all proper occasions, the divine authority and sacred efficacy of the Scriptures; and maintained, that they only could give peace of mind, that sweet and sacred peace which passeth all understanding; since none can conceive it but he who has it; and none can have it but by divine communication. (EB III, 1797: 339)
Phatic. What are the goals (ends) of conversation?
BOGOMILI, or BOGARMITÆ, in church history, a sect of heretics, which sprung up about the year 1179. They held, that the use of churches, of the sacrament of the Lord's supper, and all praper, except the Lord's prayer, ought to be abolished; that the baptism of Catholics is imperfect; that the Persons of the Trinity are unequal; and that they oftentimes made themselves visible to those of their sect. They said, that devils dwelt in the churches, and that Satan had resided in the temple of Solomon from the destruction of Jerusalem to their own time. (EB III, 1797: 341)
Insightful.
THe name Bohemia, in the German language, signifies the home, or abode, of the Boii, a people of ancient Gaul, who under their leader Sergovesus settled in that country about about 590 years before the Christian æra. These Boii were soon after expelled by the Marcomanni, nation of the Suevi, who were afterwards subdued by the Sclavi, a people of Scythia, whose language is still spoken in Bohemia and Moravia. Notwithstanding this expulsion of the Boii, the present inhabitants are still called Bohemians by foreigners, but the natives call themselves Zechs. (EB III, 1797: 341)
Czech yourself.
The states of Bohemia have never been comprehended in the government, or in the circles of the empire; they are not subject to any of its jurisdictions, nor to the Roman months, taxes, or public contributions; and they owe nothing to the empire but what the emperor Leopold voluntarily imposed upon himself, which amounts to 6000 livres a-year for the imperial chamber. (EB III, 1797: 341)
This really sounds as if the counting of months was invented only for tax collecting purposes.
BOHEMIAN Brethren, a sect of Christian reformers which surpng up in Bohemia in the year 1467. They treated the pope and cardinals as antichrist, and the church of Rome as the whore spoken of in the Revelation. They rejected the sacraments of the Romish church, and chose laymen for their ministers. They held the Scriptures to be the only rule of faith, and rejected the Popish ceremonies in the celebration of the mass, nor did they make use of any other prayer than the Lord's Prayer. (EB III, 1797: 342)
Now I'm not saying the church was a gold digger, but it didn't issue letters of indulgence to no broke peasants.
BOILING to Death (caldariis decoquere), in the middle age; a kind of punishment inflicted on thieves false coiners, and some other criminals. (EB III, 1797: 343)
Chopping off hands is mild in comparison.
The upper surface is quite white, generally covered with a short strong down, but sometimes smooth. The flesh or internal substance is thick, white, tough, light, and spongy, like cork; and is sometimes cut and shaped by the country people, and used as corks in their bottles: [|] but such corks must not be suffered to touch the liquid, for moisture soon renders them soft and useless. (EB III, 1797: 345-346)
Puuseentest valmistati pudelikorke.
This much is certain, that she [BOLEYN (Ann)] was maid of honour to queen Catharine of SPain, Hnery VIII's first wife; and that the king fell extremely in love with her. She behaved herself with so much art and address, that by refusing to satisfy his passion, she brought him to think of marrying her: and the king, deceived by her into a persuasion that he should never enjoy her unless he made her his wife, was induced to set on foot the affair of his divorce with Catharin, which at last was executed with great solemnity and form. (EB III, 1797: 346)
The maid of honour was literally next in line.
She [BOLEYN (Ann)] was brought to bed upon the 7th of September of a daughter, who was afterwards queen Elizabeth; and continued to be much beloved by the king, till the charms of Jane Seymour had fired that prince's heart in 1536. Then his love for his wife was changed into violent hatred: he believed her to be unchaste, and caused her to be imprisoned and tried. (EB III, 1797: 346)
Curious how the women are at fault, and not Henry himself. How can he, a mere king of England, resist the charms of wily women?
She [BOLEYN (Ann)] was condemned to be either burnt or beheaded; and she underwent the latter on the 19th of May 1536. The right revened author of the History of the Reformation, [|] relates some very remarkable things of her behaviour during the time of her imprisonment, and a little before her execution. When she was imprisoned, she is said to have acted very different parts; sometimes seeming devout and shedding abundance of tears, then all of a sudden breaking out into a loud laughter. A few hours before her death, she said, that the executioner was very handy: and besides, that she had a very small neck; at the same time feeling it with her hands, and laughing heartily. However, it is agreed that she died with great resolution; taking care to spread her gown about her feet, that she might fall with decency; as the poets have related of Polyxena, and the historians of Julius Cæsar. (EB III, 1797: 346-347)
Manic pixie executee.
[...] for the year 1715 was scarcely expired, when at the same time thta he was attainted of high treason at home, the seals and papers of his foreign secretary's office were taken from him; followed by an accusation from the Pretender and his party, of neglect, incapacity, and treachery. (EB III, 1797: 347)
A diplomatic triad of failure of duty.
BOMBARD, a piece of ordnance anciently in use, exceedingly short and thick, and with a very large mouth. There have been bombards which have thrown a ball of 300 pound weight. They made use of cranes to load them. The bombard is by some called basilisk, and by the Dutch donderbass. (EB III, 1797: 151)
Might have entered into Rowlings' calculation.
The beautiful purple down of the third is spun, wrought into clothes, and wore, without being dyed any other colour, by the inhabitants of the Spanish West Indies, where the tree naturally grows. Large pirogues, or canoes fit to carry a sail, are made both at Senegal, and in America, of the trunk of the silk-cotton tree, the wood of which is very light, and found unfit for any other purpose. In Columbus's first voyage, says Miller, it was reported that a canoe was seen at Cuba made of the hollow trunk of one of these trees, which was 95 palms long, of a proportional width, and capable of containing 150 men. (EB III, 1797: 151)
The silk-cotton tree. Never heard of it before.
A very extraordinary circumstance is related by Mr Ives concerning the island of Bombay during the rainy season, viz. that, ten days after the rains set in, every pool and puddle swarms with a species of fish about six inches long and somewhat resembling a mullet. Such a phenomenon has occasioned various speculations. Some have imagined that the exhaling power of the sun is so strong in the dry seasons as to be able to raise the spawn of these fishes into the atmosphere, and there suspend and nourish it till the rains come on, when it drops down again in the state of living and perfectly formed fish. (EB III, 1797: 352)
Were people really this ignorant of physics and biology?
Few of them [English church buildings at Bombay] have glass windows to any apartment; the sashes being generally paned with a kind of transparent oyster-shells, square cut; which have the singular property of transmitting sufficient light, at the same time that they exclude the violent glare of the sun, and have besides a cool look. (EB III, 1797: 354)
Is that slang or reference to temperature?
BOMONICI, in Grecian antiquity, young men of Lacedæmon, who contended at the sacrifices of Diana which of them was able to endure most lashes; being scourged before the altar of this goddess. (EB III, 1797: 356)
Young people enjoying life with not a smartphone in sight.
BONA Dea, the good goddess, in Pagan mythology, one of the names of Cybele. Others say, she was a Roman lady, the wife of one Faunus, and was famous for her chastity, and that after her death she was deified. Her sacrifices were performed only by matrons; and in so secret a manner, that it wsa no less than death for any man to be present at the assembly. Cicero reproaches Clodius with having entered into this temple disguised as a singing woman, and having by his presence polluted the mysteries of the good goddess. What kind of mysteries these were, we may learn from Juvenal, Sat. VI. 313. (EB III, 1797: 356)
Reminds me of the Bene-gesseit again.
BONAVISTA, an island in the Atlantic ocean, the most easterly and first discovered of the Cape de Verd islands. It is 20 miles long, and 13 broad; has plenty of goats and cotton, and some indigo. The inhabitants are remarkable for slothfulness: they have a town and two roads where ships come to an anchor. (EB III, 1797: 357)
Those damn lazy natives again. Why aren't they being productive on their tropical paradise island!?
BOND, in law, is a deed whereby the obligor obliges himself, his heirs, executors, and administrators, to pay a certain sum of money to another at a day appointed. (EB III, 1797: 357)
Bonds of union then promises to be friendly to your acquaintance next time you meet?
BONDMAN, in the English law, is used for a villain, or tenant in villenage. - The Romans had two kinds of bond men; one called servi, who were those either bought for money, taken in war, left by succession, or purchased by some other lawful acquisition; or else born of their bondwomen, and called vernæ. We may add a third kind of bondmen mentioned by Justinian, called adscriptii glebæ, or agricensiti; who were nto bound to the person, but to the ground or place, and followed by him who had the land. (EB III, 1797: 358)
Hence "vernacular", the language of slave children.
BONES Whitened for Skeletons. Two processes are described in the Acta Hoffniensia for whitening bones. Professor Rau had a method of giving them a great degree of whiteness. By bare exposure to the air, sun, and rain, for a length of time, they become notably white; but the whitest bones, kept in rooms tainted with smoke or fuliginous vapours, grow in a little time yellowish, brownish, and unsightly. It is customary for the purification of bones, to boil them in alkaline liquors; which, by dissolving and extracting the superfluous fat, improve their whiteness. (EB III, 1797: 358)
We imagine bones as white because that's how anatomists like their skeletons.
The French turcoise stones are no other than these bones prepared by calcination: they are very durable, and bear to be worked and polished nearly in the same manner as glass; without the imperfection, inseparable from glassy bodies, of being brittle. (EB III, 1797: 360)
Türkiis on vasemaagist läbi imbunud luud.
BONFADIO (James), one of the most polite writers of the 16th century, was born in Italy, near the lake Garda. He was secretary to the cardinal de Bari, and after his death to the cardinal Ghinucci. He afterwards read public lectures on Aristotle's politics, and on rhetoric; and was made historiographer to the republic of Genoa. (EB III, 1797: 360)
He always said "hello" when entering a room, even an empty one.
Bonner was with the cardinal at Caw-wood, when he was arrested for high treason. After the death of that minister, he soon found means to insinuate himself into the favour of Henry VIII. who made him one of his chaplains, and employed him in several embassies abroad, particularly to the pope. In 1532, he was sent to Rome, with Sir Edward Kame, to answer for the king, whom his Holiness had cited to appear in person or by proxy. In 1533, he was again dispatched to pope Clement VII. at Marseilles, upon the excommunication of king Henry on account of his divorce. On this occasion he threatened the pope with so much resolution, that his Holiness tlked of burning him alive, or throwing him into a caldron of melted lead; upon which Bonner thought fit to decamp. His infallibility did not foresee that the man whom he thus threatened was predestined to burn heretics in England. (EB III, 1797: 361)
Jesus, what a sentence.
He continued to comply with reformation; but with such manifest neglect and reluctance, that he was twice reprimanded by the privy council, and in 1549, after a long trial, was committed to the Marshalsea, and deprived of his bishopric. The succeeding reign gave him ample opportunity of revenge. Mary was scarce seated on the throne before Bonner was restored to his bishopric; and soon after appointed vicegerent and president of the convocation. From this time he became the chief instrument of papal cruelty: he is said to have condemned no less than 200 Protestants to the flames in the space of three years. (EB III, 1797: 361)
Ah, the Witchfinder General.
The bonzes of China are the priests of the Fohists, or sect of Fohi. It is one of their established tenets, that there are rewards allotted for the righteous, and punishments for the wicked, in the next world; and that there are various mansions in which the souls of men will reside, according to their different degrees of merit. But, in order to deserve the favour of heaven, the bonzes instruct the people to treat the priests with respect and reverence, to support and maintain them, and to erect temples and monasteries for them. They tell them, that, unless they comply with these injunctions, they will be cruelly tormented after death, and pass through a disagreeable variety of transmigrations: in short, that they will be changed into mules, asses, rats, and mice. (EB III, 1797: 363)
Same shit, different religion.
Of profane books, the oldest extant are Homer's poems, which were so even in the time of Sextus Empiricus; though we find mention in Greek writers of seventy others prior to Homer; as Hermes, Orpheus, Daphne, Horus, Linus, Musæus, Palamedes, Zoroaster, &c: but of the greater part of these there is not the least fragment remaining; and of others, the pieces which go under their names are generally held, by the learned, to be supposititious. (EB III, 1797: 363)
Oldest Western book authors were deified.
The leaves of the palmtree were afterwards used instead of wooden planks, and the finest and thinnest part of the bark of such trees, as the lime, the ash, the mapple, and the elm; from hence comes the word liber, which signifies the inner bark of the trees: and as these barks are rolled up, in order to be removed with greater ease, these rolls were called volumen, a volume; a name afterwards given to the like rolls of paper or parchment. (EB III, 1797: 364)
Good to know.
In some countries, as among the orientals, the lines began from the right and ran leftward; in others, as the northern and western nations, from left to right; others, as the Greeks, followed both directions, alternately going in the one, and returning in the other, called boustrophedon: In most countries, the lines run from one side to the other; in some, particularly the Chinese, from top to bottom. (EB III, 1797: 364)
This I didn't know about the Greeks, but it would add to the difficulties that hindered the text from being read subvocally.
Albert, abbot of Gemblours, who with incredible labour and immense expense had collected an hundred volumes on theological, and fithy on profane, subjects, imagined he had formed a splendid library. (EB III, 1797: 364)
Having read 150 valuable books is a rarity even these days.
BOOKS are usually subdivided into chapters, sometimes into sections or paragraphs: accurate writers quote chapter and book. (EB III, 1797: 366)
A practice that still comes handy with books that have numerius reissues over the centuries, e.g John Locke.
Everlasting BOOK. - We find in Signior Castaquo's account of the asbestus, a scheme for the making of a book, which, from its imperishable nature, he is for calling the book of eternity. The leaves of this book were to be of the asbestus paper, the covers of a thicker sort of work of the same matter, and the whole sewed with thread spun from the same substance. The things to be commemorated in this book were to be written in letters of gold; so that the whole matter of the book being incombustible, and everlastingly permanent against the force of all the elements, and subject to no changes from fire, water, or air, must remain for ever, and always preserve the writing committed to it. (EB III, 1797: 366)
What an idea.
Books of Charges of Merchandize. This book is only paged, and designed to abbreviate the cash-book. It contains particular changes on goods and voyages; such as carriage, custom, freight, cranage, wharfage, &c; as also other expenses that affect trade in general; such as, warehouse-rent, shop-rent, accountant's wages, postage of letters, and the like. At the end of each month the money-columns of this book are added up, and the sum carried to the credit-side of the cash-book. (EB III, 1797: 391)
The accountant's wage is in a separate book from the book of house-expenses that includes the other wages..
Letter-book. It is very imprudent in any person to send away a letter of business, without keeping a double of it to himself; and therefore to prevent the bad consequences of such a careless practice, merchants are provided with a large book in folio, into which is copied verbatim every letter of business before it be sent off. (EB III, 1797: 391)
I can think of one "successful businessman" who routinely destroyed papers he no longer needed, including chewing and swallowing important messages.
Formerly, the offices of booksellers and printers were united in the same persons. Labbe gives a list of learned booksellers; most of whom were also authors. Of late, booksellers have drawn their business into less compass, and leaving the lbaour of composing books to one set of persons, and that of printing them to another, content themselves with the gainful part; thus ministering to the republic of letters not with the head or the hand, but the purse only. (EB III, 1797: 392)
A triad: (1) purse, (2) hand, (3) head.
An acquaintance with the booksellers marks or signs, frequently expressed on the title-pages of their books, is of some use; because many books, especially in the last century, have no other designation either of printer, bookseller, or even city. (EB III, 1797: 392)
So that's why that little icon is ther.
The traffic of books was anciently very inconsiderable, insomuch that the book-merchants of England, France, Spain, and other countries, were distinguished by the appellation of stationers, as having no shops, but only stalls and stands in the streets. (EB III, 1797: 392)
Selling your books out of a briefcase.
BOOM, denotes also a cable stretched athwart the mouth of a river or harbour; with pards, top-masts, battling or spars of wood lashed to it, to prevent an enemy's coming in. (EB III, 1797: 392)
An effective hindrance for a watership with sailmasts sticking out of it.
Mr Booth wrote a dramatic entertainment called Dido and Æneas; but his master-piece was a Latin inscription [|] to the memory of Mr William Smith, a celebrated actor, who died whiel he was young. - As an actor, his excellency lay wholly in tragedy, not being able to endure such parts as had not strong passion to inspire him. And even in this walk, dignity rather than complacency, rage rather than tenderness, seemed to be his taste. (EB III, 1797: 393-394)
Quite funny reading this a few days after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.
BOQUINIANS, in church-history, a sect of heretics, so called from Boquinus their founder, who taught that Christ did not die for all mankind, but only for the faithful, and consequently was only a particular Saviour. (EB III, 1797: 394)
Why believe in Christ if he died for your sins whether or not you believe in such a thing.
Professor Pott and M. d'Henouiville have very carefully examined the refined borax; and from their experiments, which have been published, it is evident, that it is of a peculiar nature. However, there remains to be known, for certain, from whence it is prepared by the Indians: for if it is produced from a mineral substance, as is very probable, there must exist other mixtures and compositions as yet unknown to the learned world. (EB III, 1797: 396)
Yep, the learned world had some more learning to do yet.
BORBORITES, in church-history, a sect of gnostics, in the second century, who, besides embracing the errors of these heretics, denied the last judgment. Their name comes from the Greek Borbores, "filth;" on account of a custom they had of daubing their faces and bodies with dirt and filth. (EB III, 1797: 397)
The second century was a crazy time for Christianity. Pax Romana made apocalytic monotheism flourish.
The merry tales of the madmen of Gotham. Printed, says Wood, in the time of Henry VIII. in whose reign, and after, it was accounted a book full of wit and mirth by scholars and gentlemen. (EB III, 1797: 397)
Batman?
6. A book of every region, country, and province; which shows the miles and leagues distance from city to city, and from town to town, with the noted things in the said cities and towns. Wood says that the author lent the manuscript of this book to his friend Thomas Cromwell, who lost it, to the great grief of the author, who would otherwise have published it. In this instance, however, the antiquary was misinformed; for it has since been published by Hearne at the end of Denedictus abbas Peterb. de vita Henrici II. Oxf. 1735, 8vo. (EB III, 1797: 397)
What is this, Blackadder?
7. The principles of astronomy, the whych diligently persecuted is in a manner a prognostication to the world. Lond. printed by Robert Copland, 12mo. The author says that he wrote this little book in four days, with one old pen without mending. (EB III, 1797: 397)
Makaveli.
Towards the close of his life he retired to the Jesuits convent in Rome, where he is said to have taken sanctuary to rid his hands of an ill bargain he had got of a wife; but happily surviving her, he lived in great esteem and honour till after the year 1675. (EB III, 1797: 399)
Jesus Christ, what the hell is going on in establishments dedicated to worshiping you?
BORISTHENES, (anc. geog.), the largest river of Sarmatia Europea, thus described by Mela, who copies verbatim from Herodotus: "It runs through a cognominal people, is the most pleasant of all the rivers of Scythia, and calmer than all of them in its course, and very agreeable to drink: it feeds very rich pastures, and produces large fish of the best flavour, and without bones: it comes a great way, rising from springs unknown; its course is a distance of 40 days, and so far it is navigable." It is now called the Dnieper or Nieper. (EB III, 1797: 399)
Ancient Ukraine.
He furnished Pope with many of the materials which formed his grotto at Twickenham, consisting of curious fossils; and there may at present be seen Dr Borlase's name in capitals, comosed of chrystals, in the grotto. On which occasion Pope says to Borlase in a letter, "I am much obliged to you for your valuable collection of Cornish diamonds: I have placed them, where they may best represent yourself, in a shade, but shining;" alluding to the obscurity of the doctor's situation, and the brilliancy of his talents. Besides the above works, he sent many curious papers to the Philosophical Transactions, and had in contemplation several other works. (EB III, 1797: 400)
Look up William Borlase on JSTOR.
The eastern and western parts of Bornou are inhabited by a people of a roving disposition, who live in tents, and have their women, children, and every thing else, in common; the word property, or any idea equivalent to it, being utterly unknown among them. (EB III, 1797: 401)
A title.
Baudrand and Daper affirm, that the natives are scarce superior in their understanding to brutes; not even having any names whereby to distinguish each other, except what they take from some personal humb-backed, &c. In the towns, however, it is acknowledged that they are something more civilized and polite, being many of them merchants; but of these towns, or indeed of the kingdom in general, very little is known. (EB III, 1797: 401)
A slur against intelligence.
BOROUGH, in its original Saxon borge, or borgh, is by some supposed to have been primarily meant of a tithing or company consisting of ten families, who were bound and combined together as each others pledge. Afterwards, as Verstegan informs us, borough came to signify a town that had something of a wall or inclosure about it: so that all places which among our ancestors had the denomination borough, were one way or other fenced or fortified. (EB III, 1797: 401)
Or as Thatcher put it, there is no society, only 10 or so families.
BOROUGH-English, a customary descent of lands or tenements, in some ancient boroughs and copy-hold manors, by which the youngest son, and not the eldest, succeeds to the burgage tenement on the death of his father. For which Littleton gives this reason; because the younger son, by reason of his tender age, is not so capable as the rest of his brethren to help himself. Other authors have indeed given a much stranger reason for this custom; as if the lord of the see had anciently a right to break the seventh commandment with his tenant's wife on her wedding night; and that therefore the tenement descended, not to the eldest, but to the youngest son, who was more certainly the offspring of the tenant. But it cannot be proved that this custom ever prevailed in England, though it certainly did in Scotland, (under the name of mercheta, or marcheta), till abolished by Malcolm III. (EB III, 1797: 402)
Read like a scene from Orwell's 1984 where Winston is trying to ascertain the veracity of the prima nocta.
BORRELLISTS, in church-history, a Christian sect in Holland; so denominated from their founder Borrel, a person of great learning in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues. They reject the use of the sacraments, public prayer, and all other external acts of worship. They assert, that all the Christian churches of the world have degenerated from the pure apostolical doctrines, because they have suffered the word of God, which is infallible, to be expounded, or rather corrupted, by doctors who are not infallible. They lead a very austere life, and employ a great part of their goods in alms. (EB III, 1797: 402)
Yeah, that's what happens when God gives his word in several languages over many centuries, and some of it is thrown out by a council.
In order to render even his amusements useful, he [BORROMEUS (St Charles)] established an academy of select and learned persons, as well ecclesiastics as laics, from among his household and dependants, who were employed in some exercise which tended to inspire a love of virtue, and to form a just taste. Each of them was to write upon some chosen subject, either in verse or in prose, and to communicate to each other in frequent conferences the fruits of their studies. (EB III, 1797: 403)
Loved that sentence.
He had before sent thihter his grand vicar Ormanetus, whose labours at first had not been unsuccessful, but who soon found oppositions so pertinacious and obstinate as put an end to his hopes: Borromeus therefore saw the necessity of going in person, and he was received with the most distinguished honours. (EB III, 1797: 403)
The phraseology is incredible.
As soon as this event had taken place, and all was quiet at Rome, Borromeus gave himself wholly up to the reformation of his diocese, where the most flagitious irregularities were openly practised, having first made another reform in his own family. (EB III, 1797: 403)
Define:flagitious - "(of a person or their actions) criminal; villainous".
In conformity to the decrees of the council of Trent, he cleared the cathedral of many pompous tombs, rich ornaments, banners, arms, and in general of all the trophies with which the vanity of man had disfigured the house of God; and in order to give a sanction to his zeal by his example, he spared not the monuments of his nearest relations. (EB III, 1797: 403)
American megachurches, with fast food restaurants in them, come to mind.
It would certainly be [|] a work of infinite service to the Romish church, to new-write the lives of her saints in such a manner as can now be believed, since the lives already written might by that means be gradually superceded, which are a better antidote against Popery than the arguments of the best reasoner in the world. (EB III, 1797: 404-405)
A combination of words I would not expect to see in English.
BORSEHOLDER, among the Anglo-Saxons, one of the lowest magistrates, whose authority extended only over one freeburgh, tithing, or decennary, consisting of ten families. Every freeman who wished to enjoy the protection of the laws, and not to be treated as a vagabond, was under the necessity of being admitted a member of the tithing where he and his family resided; and in order to obtain this admission, it was as necessary for him to maintain a good reputation; because all the members of each tithing being mutual pledges and sureties for each other, and the whole tithing sureties to the king for the good behaviour of all its members, they were very cautious of damitting any into their society who were of bad or doubtful characters. Each tithing formed a little state or commonwealth within itself, and chose one of its most respectable members for its head, who was sometimes called the alderman of such a tithing or freeburgh, on account of his age and experience, but most commonly borsholder, from the SAxon words borh, "a surety," and alder "a head or chief." (EB III, 1797: 405)
Mechanism of Anglo-Saxon social control.
Castration remarkably softens the nature of this animal; it destroys all his fire and impetuosity, and renders him mild and tractable, without diminishing his strength; on the contrary, after this operation, his weight is increased, and he becomes fitter for the purposes of plowing, &c. (EB III, 1797: 406)
Imagine aliens writing this about the human male.
But the largest are to be met with in Denmark, Podolia, the Ukrain, and among the Calmuck Tartars; likewise those of Ireland, England, Holland, and Hungary, are much larger than those of Persia, Turky, Greece, Italy, and Spain; but those of Barbary are least of all. (EB III, 1797: 407)
This year we all learned to drop the "the".
They are in fact excessively fierce and dangerous to travellers; will lie quietly in wait in the woods, and rush suddenly on passengers, and trample them, their horses, and oxen of draught, under their feet: so that they are to be shunned as the most cruel beast of this country. They will even return to the attack, and delight to lick the slaughtered bodies. They are prodigiously swift, and so strong, that a young one of three years of age, being placed with six tame oxen in a wagon, could not by their united force be moved from the spot. They are also found in the interior parts of Guinea; but are so fierce and dangerous, that the negroes who are in chase of other animals are fearful of shooting at them. The lion, which can break the back of the strongest domestic oxen at one blow, cannot kill this species, except by leaping on its back, and suffocating it by fixing its talons about its nose and mouth. The lion often perishes in the attempt; but leaves the marks of its fury about the mouth and nose of the beast. (EB III, 1797: 410)
Never heard of lions killing bigger animals (like oxen) like this.
This creature, as well as most of the larger kind of game, was shot by the Hottentot. Even some of the best huntsmen among the farmers are obliged, for the most part, to make use of Hottentots by way of bush-hunters; as in their skin cloaks they do not excite the attention of the wild beasts so much as the Europeans do in their dress. They are likewise ready at any time when there is occasion for it, to go barefoot, and crawl softly upon their bellies, till they come within a proper distance of the animal. Moreover, when the buffalo at length is irritated, the Hottentots can much easier escape from the danger which threatens them than a Christian. I myself, on another occasion, saw two Hottentots run with amazing swiftness when a buffalo was in pursuit of them. (EB III, 1797: 410)
Good thing Hottentots cannot become Christians, eh? Sitting in a Church every sunday evidently makes one lose the ability to run.
The edges of the ears are notched and shrivelled up in divers ways, which probably proceeds from the wounds these creatures frequently receive in their battles with each other, and from the rents they get in their briars and almost impenetrable thickets through which they pass, together with other casualties of that nature: Though several Hottentots have been induced from thence to imagine, that the buffaloes belonged to certain supernatural beings, who marked these animals in this manner for their own cattle. (EB III, 1797: 410)
What is "rent"? Is the etymology of the word for paying someone for a place to live that of getting physically attacked and beaten?
He may in some sort be called treacherous, as he is wont to hide himself among the trees, and stand there skulking till somebody happens to come very near him, when he rushes out at once into the road, and attacks them. This animal likewise deserves the appellation of fierce and cruel; as it has been remarked, that, not content with throwing down and killing the person whom he attacks, he stands over him afterwards, in order to trample upon him with his hoofs nad heels, at the same time crushing him with his knees, and with his horns and teeth tearing to pieces and mangling the whole body, and stripping off the skin by licking it with his tongue. This, however, he does not do all at once, but at intervals, going away between whiles to some distance off. Notwithstanding all this, the buffalo will bear to be hunted; though sometimes he will turn and hunt his pursuer, whose only dependence in that case is upon the swiftness of his steed. (EB III, 1797: 411)
Here the buffalo appears to earn the Hottentot appellation, "duyvel", meaning devil. Yet it also sounds like hearsay from those darn non-Christians with their own superstitions.
"My Hottentots showed so much diligence and zeal both in cutting up and eating this beast, that the encouragement and stimulation which is otherwise frequently necessary to set their sluggish and heavy souls in motion, would on this occasion have been quite superfluous. They drove the waggon then up to the place where the beast lay, and loaded it with the best and fattest part of the flesh." (EB III, 1797: 411)
The Bottentots, suprisingly, eagerly do things they are interesed in or have a stake in. Why won't they obey the European's commands like that at all times?
BOS, in antiquity, was peculiarly used for an ancient Greek silver coin, which was didrachmus, or equivalent to two drachms. It was so called as having on it [|] the impression of an ox, and chiefly obtained among the Athenians and Delians; being sometimes also struck of gold. From this arose the phrase Bos in lingua, applied to those who had taken bribes to hold their tongue. (EB III, 1797: 412-413)
I wonder if the scene in Apteeker Melchior where coins are found in a decapitated heads' mouth relies on this tradition.
Such agreeable baits, together with a little tobacco, soon induce them, continually cockered and feasted as they are, to go with a tolerable degree of cheerfulness to the colonist's place of abode. There this luxurious junketting upon meat and fat is exchanged for more moderate portions, consisting for the most part of butter-milk, frumentry, and hasty pudding. This diet, nevertheless, makes the Boshies-man fat in a few weeks. However, he soon finds his good living embittered by the maundering and grumbling of his master and mistress. (EB III, 1797: 415)
Several unfamiliar words at once.
- cockered - "spoiled, indulged, pampered";
- junketting - "unctuous unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating";
- fumentry - "a porridge, a thick boiled grain dish";
- maundering - "move or act in a dreamy or idle manner".
"The slave business, that violent outrage to the natural rights of mankind, always in itself a crime, and which leads to all manner of misdemeanors and wickedness, in exercised by the colonists in general with a cruelty towards the nation of Boshies-men which merits the abhorrence of every one; though I have been told that they pique themselves upon it: and not only is the capture of those Hottentots considered by them merely as a party of pleasure, but in cold blood they destroy the bands which nature has knit between husbands and their wives and children. Not content, for instance, with having torn an unhappy woman from the embraces of her husband, her only protection and comfort, they endeavour all they can, and that chiefly at night, to deprive her likewise of her infants; for it has been observed, that the mothers can seldom persuade themselves to flee from their tender offspring. (EB III, 1797: 415)
Bonds or "bands" of union between families. Family ties.
BOSTON, the capital of New England in North America, built in 1630, in a peninsula of about four miles in circumference, at the bottom of Massachusets bay, in a very convenient situation for trade. The following [|] is a description of this capital before the commencement of the present American war. (EB III, 1797: 416-417)
Ah, yes, the "American war" of 1776.
Among the Greeks, Anaxagoras, Pythagoras, and other ancient philosophers, wrote treatises on plants: but their works are also lost; and from the quotations that yet remain in the works of Theophrastus, Dioscorides, and Pliny, we learn, that those first botanical writings could convey but very little knowledge. (EB III, 1797: 418)
Curious.
In giving an account of the works of Theophrastus and Dioscorides, we have already taken notice that the former chose seven distinguishing characters, viz. the generation of plants; their place of growth; their size, as trees and shrubs: their use, as pot-herbs and esculent grains; and their sactescence, or liquor that flows from them when cut. (EB III, 1797: 419)
The lactations of plants.
With the former he [Cæsalpinus] combines shrubs; with the latter, under-shrubs; and distributes his plants into the 15 following classes. 1. Trees with the germ (radicle or principle of life in the seed) on the point of the seed. (EB III, 1797: 420)
Radical radicle?
The principal of these are, the disposition, situation, and figure, or the flowers; [...] (EB III, 1797: 421)
Reads like a triad: figure-body, situation-space, disposition-time.
His method was adopted by one Emsting, a German, in a treatise intitled The first principles of Botany, published in octavo at Wolfenbuttle, in 1748. (EB III, 1797: 423)
Where? The butt of a wolf?
In 1690, however, Augustus Quirinus Rivinus, a German, professor of Botany at Leipsic, relinquishing the pursuit of natural affinities, and convinced of the insufficiency of characteristic marks drawn only from the fruit, attached himself to the flower, which, he was sensible, would furnish characters no less numerous, permanent, and conspicuous, than those drawn from the fruit. The calyx, petals, stamina, and style or pointal, which constitute the flower, are sufficiently diversified in point of number, figure, proportion, and situation, to serve as the basis of a mode of arrangement; yet all are not equally proper for this purpose. Rivinus made use of the petals as the largest and most beautiful part, and that from which the flower itself is commonly characterized. (EB III, 1797: 423)
I had no idea that these words pertain to the flower of a plant. When I read botanical entries here, the enumeration of these parts is just white noise for me.
The distinction into herbs and trees had been adopted by every writer on plants since the time of Aristotle. Rendered in some measure sacred by its antiquity, this distinction maintained a kind of importance to which it was by no means essentially intitled. Rivinus was the first who in this matter dared to think for himself. (EB III, 1797: 423)
Tradition is peer pressure from dead people.
Agreeable to this opinion, capsules, he says, with respect to their consistence or substance, are of two sorts; pulpy, or membranaceous. The former correspond to the fruits of the apple, berry, and cherry kind; the latter to the capsules properly so called, and naked seeds of other botanists. (EB III, 1797: 424)
An apple is a pulpy seed. Peas are membranaceous seeds.
Simple flowers monopetalous, labiated or lipped. (EB III, 1797: 424)
Labia are literally lips?
Under capitulum is now introduced the term fasciculus (a little bundle), which in former editions stood distinct. It means when the peduncles are erect, parallel, approaching each other, and raised to the same height as in sweet William, where they generally proceed from different parts of the common stalk, opposite to each other. (EB III, 1797: 428)
Antifasciculus.
A luxuriant flower is supposed generally to be owing to superabundant nourishment; the luxuriant part is generally the corolla, but sometimes the calyx also. It is divided into three degree: 1. multiplicatus; 2. plenus; 3. prolifer: To which may be added, as an opposite imperfection, flos mutilatus. (EB III, 1797: 428)
Anti-abortionists are actually part of a flower.
A prolific flower is also called leafy (frondosus), when it produceth branches with flowers and leaves, which, though rare, sometimes happens in rosa, anemone, monarda, and others. (EB III, 1797: 429)
A prolific flower is a youtuber who demeans children in video game footage commentary videos.
Vernation. The complication of the leaves within the bud, as conduplicate or doubled together; convolute or rolled together; involute or rolled in; revolute or rolled back; imbricated or tiled; equitant or riding; obvolute or rolled against each other; plaited or folded over; spiral or coiled like a watch-spring, one end in the centre. (EB III, 1797: 429)
So many unfamiliar or strange technical terms in botany.
Hence, in his sexual theory, he necessarily makes the flower and fruit the foundation of his generic distinctions. These are generally composed of seven parts; the CALYX, the COROLLA, the STAMINA, the PISTILLUM, the PERICARPIUM, the SEMINA, the RECEPTACULUM; and the presence or absence, the number, figure, proportion, and situation of the several parts, constitute the genus. (EB III, 1797: 432)
Cannot explqin it, but I like how the list of distinctions flows.
The ARILLUS, a term used to express the proper exterior coat or covering of the seed; which falls off spontaneously, and is either cartilaginous or succulent: [|] yet seeds are said to be naked, when not inclosed in any form of pericarpium, as in the class and order didynamia gymnospermia. (EB III, 1797: 435-436)
A nice-sounding word.
Linnæus is at great pains in tracing the notion of sexes in plants to the remotest periods of antiquity. He informs us, that Empedocles, Anaxagoras, and other ancient philosophers, not only attributed the distinction of sexes to plants, but maintained that they were capable of perceiving pleasure and pain. (EB III, 1797: 448)
Not impossible.
Dr Grew, in his anatomy of plants, after enumerating the analogies between plants and animals, concludes, that the pollen probably emits certain vivific effluvia, which may serve for the impregnation of the seeds. (EB III, 1797: 448)
Plant semen.
Vaillant, in the year 1717, judiciously considering that the canal in the stylus of most plants was too narrow to admit the pollen itself, republished Dr Grew's theory of impregnation by means of a subtile seminal aura. (EB III, 1797: 449)
Somewhat spiritual.
Ætas. - Every animal must not only begin to exist, and have that existence dissolved by death, but must likewise pass through a number of intermediate changes in its appearance and affections. Infancy, youth, manhood, old age, are characterised by imbecility, beauty, fertility, dotage. Are not all these vicissitudes conspicuous in the vegetable world? Weak and tender in infancy; beautiful and salacious in youth; grave, robust, and fruitful, in manhood; and when old age approaches, the head droops, the springs of life dry up, and, in fine, the poor tottering vegetable returns to that dust from whence it sprung. (EB III, 1797: 449)
Youth is beautiful, adulthood is fertile.
Morbus. - The term disease means nothing more than a certain corruption of life. It is well known, that vegetables are subject to diseases as well as animals: when over-heated, they turn thirsty, languish, and fall to the ground; when too cold, they are tormented with the chilblain, and not unfrequently expire: they are sometimes afflicted with cancers; and every plant is infested with lice peculiar to its species. (EB III, 1797: 449)
That's why Morbius is named so - Jared Leto's character is diseased.
Organizatio. - Vegetables not only propel humours, but also prepare and secern a number of different juices for the fruit, the nectar, &c. analogous to the various secretions in animal bodies. (EB III, 1797: 449)
Secrete? Define:secern - "to discriminate in thought : distinguish".
1. Situs. - The stigmata are always situated so that the pollen may with most ease fall upon them. Besides, it is remarkable, that in most plants (though not in all) the number of the stigmata exactly corresponds with the leculamenta or cells of the pericarpium.
2. Tempus. - Here the observation, that the stigmata and antheræ constantly flourish at the same time, is repeated. (EB III, 1797: 450)
Hic et nunc.
"These arguments (nocludes Linnæus) are sufficient to demonstrate, that the stigma is the female organ of generation, or that organ which is suited for the reception and conveyance of the semen to the vegetable eggs. Hence plants may be said to be in actu veneris, when the atheræ or testiculi spread their pollen over the stigma or female vulva." (EB III, 1797: 450)
Pairs with "coitus interruptus".
Locus. - The stamina of most plants surround the pistillum, to give the pollen an opportunity of falling upon the stigma at every breeze of wind. Even in the monœcia class, the male flowers stand generally above the female ones, to afford an easier conveyance of the pollen to the stigma. (EB III, 1797: 450)
Not so very good implications for sex related height differences in the human animal.
Submersi. - Many plants that grow below water, emerge when their flowers begin to blow, and swim upon the surface till they receive their impregnation, and then sink down. (EB III, 1797: 450)
Is this the case with Bacopa monnieri?
"No physiologist could demonstrate, à priori, the necessity of the masculine fluid to the rendering the eggs of animals prolific; but experience has established it beyond a doubt. We therefore judge à posteriori principally of the same effects in plants. (EB III, 1797: 455)
A priori and a posteriori by Linnaeus.
The fleshy roots of many of these plants are extremely acrid when fresh. They lose this pungent quality, however, by being dried, and become of a soapy nature. The smell of many of them is extremely fetid, frequently resembling that of human excrement. The flowers, however, of an Ethiopian dracunculus or arum, and the cover in which they are involved, are said to emit a very fragrant odour. (EB III, 1797: 458)
Specifically human excrement.
Those [roots] of orchis bear an obvious resemblance to the scrotum in animals: from which circumstance the genus has derived its name. (EB III, 1797: 458)
Weird.
Trihilatæ, (from tres three, and hilum an external mark on the seed); consisting of plants with three seeds, which are marked distinctly with an external cicatrix or scar, where they were fastened within to the fruit. (EB III, 1797: 461)
Cool, cool, cool. Triadic seeds.
With respect to their virtues, they are powerful aperients. The Indians pretend that the fruit of a species of caper-bush, which they call baducca, extinguishes the flames of love. (EB III, 1797: 462)
Is there an opposite of a "love-potion"?
Rhæædeæ, consisting of poppy, and a few genera which resemble it in habit and structure. These plants, upon being cut, emit plentifully a juice, which is white in poppy, and yellow in theothers. With respect to their virtues, they seem to operate principally upon the nerves. Their juice is soporific and narcotic, their seeds less so, their roots aperient. Applied externally, they are slightly corrosive. (EB III, 1797: 462)
Poppy milk.
In mushrooms which are branched, the seeds are frequently visible by the naked eye, and always to be distinctly observed by the assistance of a good microscope. These plants are very astringent, and some of them are used for stopping violent hæmorrhages. As a vegetable food, they are at best suspicious: some of them are rank poison. (EB III, 1797: 470)
Mushrooms: suspicious.
BOTANOMANCY, (from βοτανη, herb, and μαντεια, divination), an ancient species of divination, by means of plants; especially sage and fig-leaves. The manner of performing it was thus: the persons who consulted wrote their own names and their questions on leaves, which they expose to the wind; and as many of the letters as remained in their own places where taken up, and being joined together, contained an answer to the question. (EB III, 1797: 473)
There is no limit to what you can use to "predict the future".
There are only two towns worth mentioning [in BOTHNIA], viz. Tornea and Uma. The inhabitants of this province are Protestants; and are a civil well-behaved people. (EB III, 1797: 474)
A description very much unlike those given to most inhabitants of the global south in this encyclopedia.
[...] when a man lends a merchant 1000l. to be employed in a beneficial trade, with condition to be repaid with extraordinary interest, in case such a voyage be safely performed: which kind of agreement is sometimes called fænus nauticum, and sometimes usura maritima. But as this gave an opening for usurious and gaming contacts, especially upon long voyages, it was enacted by the statute 19 Geo. II. c. 37. that all monies lend on bottomry, or at respondentia, on vessels bound to or from the East indies, shall be expressly lent only upon the ship, or upon the merchandize; [...] (EB III, 1797: 475)
Haven't met usury as an adjective before.
The fly then, we see, can find means of depositing its eggs, or perhaps its worms (i.e. botts), in the fundament of the horse; which once effected, it has done all that is necessary for them. (EB III, 1797: 476)
Fundament = butt.
Different compositions have been used, and generally mercury was a part of them. Riverius made a plaster as follows: R. ol. oliv. lᵬ iv. ceræ citrin. lᵬ ii. minii & ceruss. āā lᵬ iss tereb. venet. & rez. alb. āā ʒ iii m. (EB III, 1797: 477)
What kind of measures are these?
He [BOUHOURS (Dominic)] wrote afterwards several other works; the chief of which are, 1. Remarks and doubts upon the French language. 2. Dialogues upon the art of thinking well in works of genius. 3. The life of St Ignatius. 4. The art of pleasing in conversation. 5. The life of St Francis Xavier, apostle of the Indies and of Japan. (EB III, 1797: 478)
Sounds interesting, but is definitely in archaic French.
On one of these occasions he [BOULTER (Dr Hugh)] distributed vast quantities of corn throughout the kingdom, for which the House of Commons passed a vote of public thanks; and at another time 2500 persons were fed at the poor-house in Dublin, every morning, and as many every evening, for a considerable time together, mostly at the primate's expence. [...] In short, the instances he gave of his generosity and benevolence of heart, his virtue, his piety, and his wisdom, are almost innumerable, and the history of his life is his noblest panegyric. This excellent prelate died at London, on the 2d of June 1742, and was interred in Westminster-abbey, where e beautiful monument of finely polished marble is erected to his memory. (EB III, 1797: 480)
One could see it as a benevolent personality, worthy to build a memorial monument to, or as a sign of systemic failure of that society, that one person has accrued such wealth while so many are poor and dependent on a single person's feelings of benevolence. Also, it's been a while since the last triad here.
BOULUKE, in the military orders of the Turks, a body of the janizaries, with an officer in the place of a colonel at theri head, sent upon some particular enterprize; they are selected out of the body for this, and, as soon as the business is over, are received again into their former companies. (EB III, 1797: 480)
Turkish task force.
These assistances, however, are never bestowed but on mature deliberation, in virtue of strong proofs, and with a moral certainty of a national benefit. (EB III, 1797: 481)
How certain is it? - It's so certain, it's morally certain.
In A.D. 1750 we exported more than one fifth of our growth of wheat, which was notwithstanding but at four shillings per bushel; whereas a century before, A.D. 1650, when we had neither bounty nor exportation, wheat wasa at nine shillings and sixpence per bushel. The causes of scarcity are unkindly seasons; which though human policy cannot prevent, yet their sad effects have been evidently lessened by our increased growth, since the taking place of bounty and exportation. (EB III, 1797: 482)
It looks like we're going to be having more and more unkind sessons with climate change kicking in its gears, but policy could have changed that.
In the south part of the island there is a burning mountain, which has thrown out vast quantities of bitumen, sulphur, and other combustible materials; neither does it cease throwing them out still, so that the country about it is useless, and is called by the inhabitants pays brule, that is, burnt land. (EB III, 1797: 482)
Wheelwright was one letter off.
It was not long before a further stock of inhabitants arrived. A pirate that had been committing depredations in the Indies, returning to Europe, ran ashore and was split to pieces upon the rocks, so that the crew were forced to join themselves to the former inhabitants; and as they had on board their vessel a great many Indian women whom they had made prisoners, they lived with them, and in process of time had a numerous posterity. (EB III, 1797: 483)
Odd use of the word "posterity". The above use of "fundament" for "ass" comes to mind.
Amongst these people the usual distinction of whites and blacks entirely fails: for even the free are of different colours; and a French writer assures us, that he saw in a church one family, consisting of five generations, of all complexions. The eldest was female, 108 years of age, of a brown black, like the Indians of Madagascar; her daughter, a mulatto; her grand-daughter, a mestizo; her great-grand-daughter, of a dusky yellow; her daughter, again, of an olive colour; and the daughter of this last, as fair as any English girl of the same age. (EB III, 1797: 483)
A documentary I saw about racism in Brazil comes to mind.
In 1748, Admiral Boscawen appeared before this island with a British fleet; but found it so well fortified both by nature and art, that he was obliged, after some cannonading to very little purpose, to pursue his voyage. (EB III, 1797: 483)
Sail-by cannonading.
His [BOURCHIER (John)] other wroks were a whimsical medley of translations from French, Spanish, and italian novels, which seem to have ben sthe mode then, as they were afterwards in the reign of Charles II. (EB III, 1797: 484)
Using the "mode" in this sense went out of fashion some time after this was written. (Aga mõned keeles jäigi moodi.)
It [BOURGES, France] stands upon a great deal of ground; but one part of it is without houses; and the rest is but thinly peopled withgentlemen, students, and ecclesiastics, the whole number of souls amounting only to about 1800. They have no manner of trade but for their own necessaries. (EB III, 1797: 485)
How unproductive!
BOURGUIGNONS, or BURGUNDIANS, one of the northern nations who over-ran the Romna empire, and settled in Gaul. They were of a greta stature, and very warlike; for which reason the emperor Valentinian the Great engaged them in his service against the Germans. They lived in tents which were close to each other, that they might the more readily unite in arms on any unforeseen attack. These conjunctions of tents they called burghs; and they were to them what towns are to us. (EB III, 1797: 486)
Is this the etymology of burgs?
BOURIGNON (Antonietta), a famous enthusiastic preacher and pretended prophetess, was born at Lisle in 1616. At her berth she was so deformed, taht it was debated some days in the family whether it was not proper to stifle her as a monster, but her deformity diminishing, she was spared; and afterwards obtained such a degree of beauty, that she had her admirers. From her childhood to her old age she had an extraordinary turn of mind. She set up for a reformer, and published a great number of books filled with very singular notions; [|] the most remarkable of which are intitled The light of the World,and The testimony of Truth. She was an enemy to reason and common sense, which she maintained ought to give place to the illumination of divine faith; and asserted, that whenever any one was born again by embracing her doctrine, she felt the pains and throes of a woman in labour. Of her pretended visions and revelations we shall give one instance as a sample. In one of her ecstasies she saw Adam in the same form in which he appeared before his fall, and the manner in which he was capable of procreating other men,s ince he himself possessed in himself the principles of both sexes. Nay she pretended it was told her that he had carried this procreating faculty so far as to produce the human nature of Jesus Christ. "The first man (says she), whom Adam brought forth without any concurrent assistance in his glorified state, was chosen by God to be the throne of the Divinity; the organ and instrument by which God would communicate himself externally to men: This is Christ the first born united to human nature, both God and man." Besides these and such like extravagancies, she had other forbidding qualities: her temper was morose and peevish, and she was extremely avaricious and greedy of amassing riches. She dressed like a hermit, and travelled to France, Holland, England, and Scotland. In the last she made a strong party, and some thousand sectarists, known by the name of Bourignoists. She died af Faneker in the province of Frise, October 40th, 1680. Her works have been printed in 18 vols octavo. (EB III, 1797: 486-487)
Adam was a hermaphrodite? In any case, haven't heard of her but her ideas do sound interesting ("singular").
The Grecian bows were frequently beautified with gold or silver; whence we have mention of aurei arcus; and Apollo is called Αργυροτοξος. (EB III, 1797: 488)
Golden thighs, golden bows.
The invention of the bow is usually ascribed to Apollo, and was communicated to the primitive inhabitants of Crete, who are said to have been the first of mortals who understood the use of bows and arrows. And hence, even in latter ages, the Gretan bows were famous, and preferred by the Greeks to all others. (EB III, 1797: 488)
Bows have been found all over the world, though.
BOWLING, the art of playing at bowls. - This game is practised either in open places, as bares and bowling-greens, or in close bowling-alleys.
The skill of bowling depends much on a knowledge of the ground, and the right choice of a bowl suitable to it: for close alleys, the flat bowl; for green swards plain and level, the bowl as round as a ball is preferred. [...] Ground, a bag or khandkerchief laid down to mark where a bowl is to go. Lead, the advantage of throwing the block, and bowling first. Cast, is one best bowl at an end. End, a hit, or when all the bowls are out. The game, or up, is five casts or best bowls. (EB III, 1797: 489)
What is a "flat bowl"? Are they rolling actual dinner-ware past wooden blocks, towards handkerchiefs laid on the ground? This entry makes very little sense.
BOWLING-Green, in gardening, a kind of parterre in a grove, laid with fine turf, requiring to be frequently mowed, laid out in compartments of diverse figures, with dwarf trees and other decorations. Bowling-greens are of English origin, but have been adopted by the French and italians, who have them only for ornament; being unacquainted with or not fancying the exercise, on account of which they were first made in England. (EB III, 1797: 489)
I looked it up - the game is still played, now called garden or target bowling. The bowling-garden losing its function abroad calls to mind the American fixation with green lawns.
In October 1728 he married Miss Ann Prudom, his mother's niece, a very accomplished lady, by whom he had two sons, William and Thomas; the former of whom died an infant, and the latter survived his father. (EB III, 1797: 490)
So, he married his cousin?
To his literary and professional abilities he added an excellent moral character; and he was particularly distinguished by his inflexible probity, and an uncommon alacrity in relieving the necessitous. (EB III, 1797: 492)
What does this mean? That he donated money to those in need?
Dice-BOX, a narrow deep cornet, channelled within, wherein the dice are shaken and thrown. This answers to what the Romans called fritillus; whence, crepitantes fritilli; and, in Secena,resonante fritillo. The same atuhor uses also concutere fritillum, figuratively, for playing. (EB III, 1797: 492)
Just recently randomly recalled the technical term, "crepitation", for noises that the human body produces (breathing, footsteps, flatulence, etc.).
BOXERS, a kind of athlete, who combat or contend for victory with their fists. Boxers amount to the same with what among the Romans were called pugiles. (EB III, 1797: 492)
Hence pugnacity.
BOYAR, a term used for a grandee of Russia and Transylvania. Becman says, that the boyars are the upper nobility; and adds, that the Czar of Muscovy, in his diplomas, names the boyars before the waywodes. (EB III, 1797: 493)
An odd couple - a large country, and a small county now far removed from each other.
He [BOYD (Mark Alexander)] could with facility dictate to three amanuenses at the same time, in different languages, and on different subjects. He was also one of the best Scottish poets of the age. To all this we must add, that his personal beauty and accomplishments were equal to his mental superiority. (EB III, 1797: 493)
A triad, after a while.
He immediately armed and disciplined his servants and Protestant tenants; and by their assistance, and a small army raised and maintained at his own expence, which he put under the command of his four sons, defended the province of Munster, and in the space of a year took several strong castles, and killed upwards of 3000 of the enemy: during which time he paid his forces regularly; and when all his money was gone, like a true patriot, converted his plate into coin. This great man died on the 15th of September, 1634. (EB III, 1797: 494)
Such a great war lord.
Then proceeding to the castle of Carrigdroghid, he sent a summons to the garrison to surrender before the arrival of his battering cannon, otherwise they were to expect no quarter. His own army was surprised at this summons, as knowing he had not one piece of heavy cannon: but Brog hill had ordered the trunks of several large trees to be drawn at a distance by his baggage horses; which the besieged perceiving, and judging from the slowness of the motion that the guns must be of a vast bore, immediately recapitulated. (EB III, 1797: 495)
Dang that's clever.
He [BOYLE (Robert)] was also one of the first members of that small but learned body of men which, when all academical studies were interrupted by the civil wars, secreted themselves about the year 1645; and held private meetings, first in London, afterwards at Oxford, for the sake of canvassing subjects of natural knowledge upon that plan of experiment which Lord Bacon had delineated. They styled themselves then The philosophic college; and, after the Restoration, when they were incorporated and distinguished openly, they took the name of the Royal Society. (EB III, 1797: 497)
Sounds forbidden and exciting.
Sceptical chemist, 1662, 8vo; a very curious and excellent work, reprinted about the year 1679, 8vo, with the addition of divers experiments and notes about the producibleness of chemical principles. (EB III, 1797: 498)
That's a new one.
In June 1663, he published, 5. Considerations touching the usefulness of experimental natural philosophy, 4to. 6. Experiments and considerations upon colours; to which was added a letter, containing, Observations on a diamond that shines in the dark, 1663, 8vo. This treatise is full of curious and useful remarks on the hithero unexplained doctrine of light and colours; in which he shows great judgment, accuracy, and penetration; and may be said to have led the way to that mighty genius the great Sir Isaac Newton, who has since set that point in the clearest and most convincing light. 7. Considerations on the style of the Holy Scriptures, 1663, 8vo. It was an extract from a larger work, intitled, An essay on scripture; which was afterwards published by Sir Peter Pett, a friend of Mr Boyle's. (EB III, 1797: 498)
Boyle was one of those giants on top of whose shoulders Newton climbed? Also: (1) penetration; (2) judgment; and (3) accuracy.
The year following, came forth, 8. Occasional reflections upon several subjects; whereto is prefixed a discourse about such kind of thoughts, 1665, 8vo. This piece is addressed to Sophronia, under whose name he concealed that of his beloved sister the viscountess of Ranelagh. The thoughts themselves are on a vast variety of subjects, written many years before; some indeed upon trivial occasions, but all with great accuracy of language, much wit, more learning, and in a wonderful strain of moral and pious reflection. Yet this exposed him to the only severe censure that ever was passed upon him; and that too from no less a man than the celebrated Dean Swift, who, to ridicule these discourses, wrote A pious meditation upon a broomstick, in the style of the honourable Mr Boyle. But as his noble relation the late Lord Orrery has said, "To what a height must the spirit of sarcasm arise in an author, who could prevail on himself to ridicule so good a man as Mr Boyle? The sword of wit, like the scythe of time, cuts down fried and foe, and attacks every object that lies in its way. But, sharp and irresistible as the edge of it may be, Mr Boyle will always remain invulnerable." (EB III, 1797: 498)
Miscellanea?
But, besides these, he kept a very extensive correspondence with persons of the greatest figure, and most famous for learning, in all parts of Europe. [...] 13. Tracts about the cosmical qualities of things; cosmical suspicions; the temperature of the subterraneous regions; the bottom of the sea: to which is prefixed an introduction to the history of particular qualities. This book occasioned much speculation, as it seemed to contain a vast treanuce of knowledge which had never been communicated to the world before; and this too grounded upon actual experiments, and arguments justly drawn from them, instead of that notional and conjectural philosophy which in the beginning of the 17th century had been so much in fashion. (EB III, 1797: 498)
It kinda sounds like Boyle was publishing speculations drawn from other parts of Europe, what with him speaking both French and Italian.
The regard which the great Newton had for Mr Boyle, appears from a very curious letter, which the former wrote to him, at the latter end of this year, for the sake of laying before him his sentiments of that etherial medium, which he afterwards considered in his Optics as the cause of gravitation. This letter is to be found in the life of our author by the reverend Dr Birch. (EB III, 1797: 499)
Dayum. So much for falling apples.
Discourse of things above reason; inquiring, whether a philosopher should admit any such; 1681, 8vo. (EB III, 1797: 499)
No transcendentals?
The bishop made choice upon this occasion of a text very apposite to the subject; namely, "For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, knowledge, and joy." (EB III, 1797: 500)
Either: (1) joy, (2) wisdom, and (3) knowledge; or (1) joy, (2) knowledge, and (3) wisdom.
He [BOYLE (Charles)] was delighted with the company of two sorts of persons; either such as were really geniuses of the first rank, who had fine understandings, strong judgments, and true tastes; or such as had a few foibles, and an eye of ridicule in them, which served to mke him laugh. (EB III, 1797: 502)
A triad of (1) true tastes, (2) steong judgments, and (3) fine understandings.
He [BOYLE (John)] was educated at Christ-church collefe in Oxford: but, as he himself declares, early disappointments, indifferent health, and many untoward accidents, rendered him fond of retirement, and of improving his talents for polite literature and poetry; of which last art he gave several excellent specimens. (EB III, 1797: 502)
A triad of (1) health, (2) accidents, and (3) disappointments.
Happening to have the small-pox when he [BOYSE, (John)] was elected fellow, he, to preserve his seniority, caused himself to be carried in blankets to be admitted. He applied himself for some time to the study of medicine; but, fancying himself affected wit hevery disease he read of, he quitted that science. (EB III, 1797: 502)
Hypochondria.
His [BOYSE (John)] young wife, who was bequeathed to him with the living, which was an advowson, proving a bad œconomist, and he himself being wholly addicted to his studies, he soon became so much involved in debt, that he was obliged to sell his choice collection of books, consisting of almost every Greek author then extant. (EB III, 1797: 502)
Define:advowson - "the right of presentation of a candidate to a benefice or church office".
When he [BOYSE (John)] was a young student at Cambridge, he rceeived from the learned Dr Whitaker three rules for avoiding those distempers which usually attend a sedentary life, to which he adhered with equal constancy and success. The first was, To study always standing; the second, Never to study in a window; and the third, Never to go to bed wit hhis feet cold. (EB III, 1797: 502)
The standing desk.
BOYSE (Joseph), a late eminent dissenting minister in Dublin, much respected not only for learning and abilities, but his extensive humanity and undissembled piety. (EB III, 1797: 502)
Dissembled piety is the worst.
BOYSE (Samuel), the poet, a man remarkable for the fineness of his genius, the lowness of his manners, and the wretchedness of his life. (EB III, 1797: 503)
A bulky triad of (1) life, (2) manners, and (3) genius.
Young [Samuel] Boyse was of all men the furthest removed from a gentleman; he had no graces of person, and fewer still of conversation. Nveer were three people of more libertine characters than young Boyse, his wife, and sister-in-law; yet the two ladies wore such a mask of decency before the old gentleman, that his fondness was never abated. (EB III, 1797: 503)
The graces of person and conversation. I should look into the "graces". They came up in one of the English writers Kant quoted in his passage on dinner parties.
The Greeks ascribe to them [BRACHMINS] the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and certain notions concerning the nature of the Supreme Being and future rewards and punishments. To this species of knowledge theBrachmans added an infinite number of religious observances, which were adopted by Pythagoras and his school; such as fasting, prayer, silence, and contemplation. They looked upon as the friends of the gods, because they affected to pay them so much regard; and as the protectors of mankind, because they paid them no regard at all. (EB III, 1797: 505)
Highly dubious.
Bradford [John] at this time was a gay man, and to support his extravagance made free with the king's money; but being at last unable to support the reflection of his guilt, he determined to make restitution, and actually repaid the money. (EB III, 1797: 506)
Okay. Not later, tho?
As to his character, he [BRADLEY (Dr James)] was remarkable for a placid and gentle modesty, very uncommon in persons of an active temper and robust constitution. It was still more remarkable, that, with this untroubled equanimity of temper, he was compassionate and liberal in the highest degree. Although he was a good speaker, and possessed the rare but happy art of expressing his ideas with the utmost precision and perspicuity, yet no man was a great lover of silence, for he never spoke but when he thought it absolutely necessary. He did indeed think it necessary to speak when he had a fair opportunity to communicate any useful knowledge in his own way; and he encouraged those that attended his lectures to ask him questions, by the exactness with which he answered, and the care he took to adapt himself to every capacity. (EB III, 1797: 508)
Somewhat Pythagorean.
BRAE-MAR, a mountainous territory of Scotland, in the shire of Aberdeen, where the last earl of Mar began to raise a rebellion in 1715. It is 27 miles northwest of Aberdeen. (EB III, 1797: 509)
Mar-Mar.
BRAG, an ingenious and pleasant game at cards, where as many may partake as the cards will supply; the eldest hand dealing there to each person at one time, and turning up the last card all round. This done, ecah gamester puts down three stakes, one for each card. - The first stake is won by the best card turned up in the dealing round; beginning from the ace, king, queen, knave, and so downwards. When cards of the same value are turned up to two or more of the gamesters, the eldest hand gains; but it is to be observed, that the ace of diamonds wins, to whatever hand it be turned up. - The second stake is won by what is called the brag, which consists in one of the gamesters challenging the rest to produce cards equal to his: Now it is to be observed, that a pair of aces is the best brag, a pair of kings the next, and so on; and a pair of any sort wins the stake from the most valuable single card. In this part consists the great diversion of the game; [|] for, by the artful management of thelooks, gestures, and voice, it frequently happens, that a pair of fives, treys, and even duces, out-brags a much higher pair, and even some pairs royal, to the no small merriment of the company. The knave of clubs is here a principal favourite, making a pair with any other card in hand, and with any other two cards a pair royal. - The third stake is won by the person who first makes up the cards in his hand one and thirty; each dignified card going for ten, and drawing from the pack, as usual in this game. (EB III, 1797: 509-510)
This sounds like fun, should look up if modern rules are anh different. It al lst sounds like "21" with bluffing, though the number here is "one and thirty".
His [BRAHE (Tycho)] marrying a country girl, beneath his rank, occasioned such a violent quarrel between him and his relations, that the king was obliged to interpose to reconcile them. (EB III, 1797: 510)
Oh sweet Tycho.
That prince [Henry Ranzou] gave him [BRAHE (Tycho)] a magnificent house, till he could procure one for him more fit for astronomical observations; assigned him a pension of 3000 crowns; and promised, upon the first opportunity, a see for him and his descendants: but he did not long enjoy this happy situations; for, upon the 24th of October 1601, he died of a retention of urine, in the 55th year of his age, and was interred in a very magnificent mannerin a principal church at Prague, where a noble monument was erected to him. (EB III, 1797: 510)
What the hell. This is the second interesting biography that ends abruptly with retention of urine in a row. God damn urine.
When he [BRAHE (Tycho)] lived at Uraniaburg, he had at his house a madman, whom he placed at his feet at table, and fed himself. As he imagined that every thing spoken by mad persons presaged something, he carefully observed all that this man said; and because it sometimes proved true, he imagined it might always be depended on. (EB III, 1797: 510)
Dude. What. The. Fuck. There's the trope of madmen speaking godly truths and then there's whatever this is.
The corn raised [in BRAIDALBIN, a district of Pertshire in Scotland] seldom suffices the number of inhabitants, so they are often obliged to have recourse to importantion. From their potatoes some have distilled a very strong spirit, which has been found cheaper than what is distilled from any grain. (EB III, 1797: 511)
Ooh boy, inventing vodka over here.
BRAMINs, the name of the priests among the idolatrous Indians; the successors of the ancient Brachmans. [...] They have a language peculiar to themselves, which they call Shanschrit; in which they have several ancient books, written, as is alleged, by their great prophet Brahma; as the shastram, which is their bible; and porane, a history whic they esteem sacred, and pretend to have been dictated by God himself. (EB III, 1797: 512)
Sanskrit. Their "bible" I haven't heard of.
The others, who live abstracted from the world, are either weak-minded men or enthusiasts; and abandon themselves to laziness, superstition, and the dream of metaphysics. We find in their disputes the very same ideas that occur in the writings of our most celebrated metaphysicians; such as, substance, accident, priority, posteriority, immutability, indivisibility, &c. (EB III, 1797: 512)
How does one dream of metaphysics?
The Bramins of Siam and Coromandel maintain that the earth will be destroyed by fire; and the former assert that another will arise out of its ashes, in which there shall be no sea, nor any change of seasons, but an eternal spring; and the latter maintain a plurality of worlds, which are alternately destroyed and renewed. (EB III, 1797: 513)
Gamma burst?
Robert de Nobili, an Italian Jesuit, and one of the Indian missionaries, in the beginning of the 17th century, in order to secure success to his mission, assumed the title and appearance of a Bramin, and at length persuaded the credulous people that he was in rality a member of that venerable order. He forged a deed in the ancient Indian characters, showing that the Bramins of Rome were older than those of india, and that the Jesuits of Rome descended in a direct line from the god Brahma. He farther declared on oath, that he derived his origin from this Indian deity. By this imposture he proselyted twelve eminent Bramins, whose influence proved very favourable to his mission. After his death, the Portuguese Jesuits carried on the imposture with very considerable success. These missions, however, were suspended and abandoned in consequence of a papal mandat, issued out in the year 1744, by Benedict XIV. who declared his disapprobation of the artifices that had been used in the conversion of the Indians. (EB III, 1797: 513)
All religions are outright lies, fancies and fabrications.
Those of the French nation, settled in this country [BRANDENBURG (Marquisate of)], are allomed particular courts of their own. The amount of the yearly revenues of the Mark, arising from the domains, protection-money paid by the Jews, tolls, land-tax, mines, forests, duties on stamp-paper, salt, and variety of other imposts and excises, is computed at about 2,500,000 crowns; but the money is said to be much inferior in goodness to that of Saxony and the dominions of Hanover. (EB III, 1797: 515)
What?
BRANDEUm, in ecclesiastical writers, a linen cloth or veil put over the tombs of the apostles St Peter and St Paul, and left there for some time; by which it is supposed to acquire a degree of sanctity, so as to be worshipped as a relic; and for that purpose frequnetly sent by the pope as a present to some prince. In this sense, Brandeum amounts to thes ame with what was otherwise called sanctuarium, sudarium, orarium, and velum. (EB III, 1797: 515)
Now that's some great business - Catholic NFTs, if you will.
It [BRASIL] was accidentally discovered by the Portuguese in 1500. Emmanuel king of Portugal had equipped a squadron of 13 sail, carrying 1200 soldiers and sailors destined for the East Indies, under the conduct of Peter Alvarez Cabral. This admiral, quitting Lisbon on the 9th of March 1500, struck out to sea to avoid the coast of Guinea, and steered his course southward, that he might the more easily turn the Cape of Good Hope, which projects a good way into the ocean. On the 24th of April, he got sight of the continent of South America, which he judged to be a large island at some distance from the coast of Africa. Coasting along for some time, he ventured to send a boat on shore; and was astonished to observe the inhabitants entirely different from the Africans in features, hair, and complexion. It was found, however, impracticable to seize upon any of the Indians, who retired with great celerity to the mountains on the approach of the Portuguese; yet, as the sailors had discovered a good harbour, the admiral thought proper to come to an anchor, and called the bay Puerto Seguro. (EB III, 1797: 516)
Not the story North Americans bring up often, or ever.
In 1548, the Jews, many of whom had taken refuge in Portugal, beginnings to be persecuted by the inquisition, were stripped of their possessions, and banished to Brasil. Here, however, they were not entirely forsaken. Many of them found kind relations and faithful friends; others, who were known to be men of probity and understanding, obtained money in advance from merchants of different nations with whom they had formerly had transactions. By the assistance of some enterprizing men, they were enabled to cultivate sugar-canes, which they first procured from the island of Madeira. Sugar, which till then had been used only in medicine, became an article of luxury. Princes and great men were all eager to procure themselves this new species of indulgence. This circumstance proved favourable to Brasil, and enabled it to extend its sugar plantations. (EB III, 1797: 516)
This I did not know about sugar.
Some had settled habitations; but the greater number of them led a roving life, and most of them had no intercourse with each other. It is not to be supposed that such a people would be at all disposed to submit to the yoke which the Portuguese wanted to put upon them on their arrival. At first they only declined all intercourse with these strangers: but finding themselves pursued in order [|] to be made slaves, and to be employed in the labours of the field, they took the resolution to murder and devour all the Europeans they could seize upon. The friends and relations of the savages that were tken prisoners, also ventured to make frequent attempts to rescue them, and were sometimes successful; so that the Portuguese were forced to attend to the double employments of labour and war. (EB III, 1797: 516-517)
There are still uncontacted peoples in Brazil, living it up as if civilization didn't exist. And of course you should murder those trying to enslave you and your people.
So plentiful are diamonds in this country, that the court of Portugal hath found it necessary to retain their importation, to prevent too great a diminution of their value. They are neither so hard nor so clear as those of the East Indies, nor do they sparkle so much, but they are whiter. (EB III, 1797: 517)
A common theme in later times - diamonds are only worth anything because of artificial scarcity, and the effective marketing strategy which made the Americans think that it gives their marriages legitimacy, somehow.
To all this may be added the vast slave-trade carried on with the coast of Africa for the use of the Brasil colonies; which, we may believe, employs a great number of shipping, from the multitude of slaves that are annually transported. (EB III, 1797: 518)
Not a proud moment.
The veins of copper and calamine would be easily found out by an experienced inquirer after them; and the former metal is therefore distinguished among the Welsh, only by the Roman appellation of cyprium, koppr or copper. (EB III, 1797: 519)
Cyprus was famous for copper, but I didn't know that it had also an etymological connection.
When your seeds begin to ripen, you must be particularly careful that the birds do not destroy it, for they are very fond of these seeds. The best method to prevent this, is to get a quantity of birdlime, and dawb over a parcel of slender twigs, which should be fastened at each end to stronger sticks, and placed near the upper part of the seed in different places, so that the birds may alight upon them, by which means they will be fastened thereto; where you must let them remain, if they cannot get off themselves: and although there should not above two or three birds be caught, yet it will sufficiently terrify the rest, that they will not come to that place again for a considerable time after. (EB III, 1797: 522)
Jesus Christ. These cabbage-growers mean business.
All the species of cabbage are supposed to be hard of digestion, to afford little nourishment, and to produce flatulencies, though probably on no very good foundation. They tend strongly to putrefaction, and [|] run into this states ooner than almost any other vegetable; when putrefied, their smell is likewise the most offensive, greatly resembling that of putrefied animal substances. A decoction of them is said to loosen the belly. (EB III, 1797: 524-525)
And yet such a long entry on how to grow them properly.
BRAUN (George), in Latin Braunius, archdeacon of Dortmund, and dean of Notre Dame in Gradibus, at Cologne. He published a Latin oration against the priests guilty of fornication; he also wrote the life of Jesus Christ, that of the Holy Virgin, and a controversial treatise against the Protestants; but his chief workin is the Theatrum URbium, in several volumes folio. (EB III, 1797: 525)
The Catholics sure do have an unhealthy obsession with virginity... With dire consequences for millions of children in their care throughout the centuries.
BRAY (Dr Thomas), an eminent, learned, and pious divine, was born at Marton, in Schropshrie, in the year 1656, and educated at Oxford. (EB III, 1797: 525)
(1) pious, (2) eminent, and (3) learned.
He [BRAY (Dr Thomas)] endeavoured to get a fund established for the propagation of the gospel, especially among the uncultivated Indians; and by his means a patent was obtained for erecting the corporation called The society for the propagation of the gospel. (EB III, 1797: 526)
Uncivilized, uncultivated, uncultured - not yet "farmed".
Cacabaceus, apparently the same with what was otherwise denominated sordidus, as being given to dogs; furfuraceous, furfureus, or furfurativus, because made in great part of bran; and, in the middle age, bissus, on account of its brownnness; sometimes also leibo. (EB III, 1797: 528)
Dog-bread.
The same author assures us, that in Norway they make bread which keeps 30 or 40 years; and that they are there fonder of their old hard bread, than elsewhere of new or soft; since the older it is, the more agreeable it grows. For their gerat feasts, particular care is taken to have the oldest bread; so that, at the christening of a child, they have usually bread which had been baked perhaps at the christening of the grandfather. (EB III, 1797: 531)
Fairy bread in The Lord of the Rings?
To BREAM, to burn off the filth, such as grass, ooze, shells, or sea-weed, from a ship's bottom, that has gathered to it in a voyage, or by lying long in a harbour. This operation is performed by holding hindled furze, faggots, or such materials, to the bottom, so that the flame incorporating with the pitch, sulphur, &c. that had formerly covered it, immediately loosens and throws off whatever filth may have adhered to the planks. After this, the bottom is covered anew with a composition of sulphur, tallow, &c. which not only makes it smooth and slippery, so as to divide the fluid more readily, but also poisons and destroys those worms which eat through the planks in the course of a voyage. Breaming may be performed either when the ship lies aground after the tide has ebbed from her, or by docking, or by careening. (EB III, 1797: 532)
Somewhat disturbing to imagine. A recent reddit video of someone shovelling these slimy creatures off the metallic bottom of a modern ship is not better.
The breasts are usually two; though we also meet with instances of trimamiæ or women with three bresats, even some with four, all yielding milk alike. (EB III, 1797: 532)
Something in a Tom Green movie.
[...] and, notwithstanding all the efforts of that potent prince, the brave governor Sir Thomas Maule, ancestor of the present earl of Panmure, held out this small fortress for 20 days, till he was slain by a stone cast from an engine on the 2th of August, when the place was instantly surrendered. (EB III, 1797: 533)
Trebucher?
But here he forme da false judgment of the prudence of Justin de Nassau, who finding he could not accomplish his purpose by his firing, resolved to try the effect of water. With this view, he stopped up the course of the river Mark; and having formed a large bason of water, opening the sluices, swept away men, horses, and houses, in an inundation, and overflowed the whole country. The chief force of the torrent fell upon Spinola's quarters, and he exerted his utmost ability to remove the consequences. He dug large pits, and cut out ditches and canals to receive the water; but these being filled, and the whole ground covered over, so as to appear one uniform mass of water, served only to entrap his cavalry. The inundation was augmented by the rains which happened to fall; a mortality among the soldiers and horses ensued; and of his whole army, Spinola had scarce twelve thousand men fit for service by the month of December. With these inconsiderable remains, lines of vast extent were to be defended, the works were to be advanced, the sallies from the garrison repulsed, and provisions to be conveyed into the camp, while Spinola, the soul of action, was confined to a sick-bed. (EB III, 1797: 534)
When this was done somewhere in Ukraine, it was noted that it was a common practice in Holland.
Breeches appear to be a habit peculiar to the barbarous nations, especially those inhabiting the colder countries of the north; whence Tacitus calls them barbarum tegmen. We find mention made of the mamong the ancient Getæ, Sarmatæ, Gauls, Germans, and Britons; they also obtained among the Medes and Persians, as being a people of Scpthian origin: they also afterwards got sooting in Italy, some pretend as early as the time of Augustus; but without much foundation, that emperor's breeches, mentioned by Suetonius, being apparently only swaths tied over his thighs. However this be, breeches were at last received into Italy, and grew so highly into fashion, that it was thought necessary under Honorius and Arcadius, to restrain them by law, and expel the bracarii or breeches-makers out of the city; it being thought unworthy of a nation that commanded the world, to wear the apparel of barbarians. (EB III, 1797: 536)
The mighty cradle of Western Civilization... Banning underpants.
BREEDING, in a moral sense, denotes a person's deportment or behaviour in the external offices and decorums of social life. In this sense we say well-bred, ill-bred, a man of breeding, &c. Good-breeding is hard to define; none can understand the speculation but those who have the practice. Good-breeding amounts to much the same with what is otherwise called politeness, among the ancient Romans urbanity. Good-breeding is near to virtue, and will of itself lead a man a great part of the way towards the same. It teaches him to rejoice in acts of civility, to seek out objects of compassion, and to be pleased with every occasion of doing them good offices. Lord Shaptesbury compares the well-bred man with the real philosopher: both characters aim at what is excellent, aspire to a just taste, and carry in view the model of what is beautiful and becoming. The conduct and manners of the one are formed according to the most perfect ease, and good entertainment of company; of the other, according to the strictest interest of mankind; the one according to his rank and quality in his private station, the other according to his rank and dignity in nature. (EB III, 1797: 536)
Belongs to the history of phaticity.
By the statute of Kilkenny, made under Edward III. it is enacted that no English subject shall submit to a trial by the brehon law, on the penalty of high treason. Notwithstanding which, many were still under a necessity of being concluded by the Irish laws and customs, till the whole kingdom was settled on an English bottom by king James I. (EB III, 1797: 537)
An odd archaism. Something along the lines if "settled on the basis of".
BREMEN, a dutchy of Germany, in the province of Lower Saxony, lying between the rivers weser and the Elbe; of which the former separates it from the dutchy of Oldenburg, and the other from that of Holstein. The air is cold; but the country is fertile, and well peopled. It formerly belonged to the Swedes, but was afterwards sold to the king of Great Britain, as elector of Hanover, in 1716. In the winter it is subject to inundations. (EB III, 1797: 537)
What? How?
BRENNUS, a celebrated captain among the Gauls, who, about 388 years before the Christian æra, entered [|] Italy with a powerful army; made great conquests there; defeated the Romans; and sacked Rome. The capital alone was defended; and Camillus coming to its relief, drove the Gauls not only out of Rome, but out of all Italy. (EB III, 1797: 537-538)
Again, what?
Commentarii in ethica Aristotelis. Mr Wood tells us, that the original manuscript of this, written with his own hand, is in the smallest and neatest characters that his eyes ever beheld; and that it was finished by him on the 27th of October 1586. (EB III, 1797: 538)
A legible manuscript - impossible!
BRETHREN AND SISTERS OF THE FREE SPIRIT, in Ecclesiastical History, an appellation assumed by a new sect which sprung up towards the close of the thirteenth century, and gained many adherents in Italy, France, and Germany. They took their denomination from the words of St Paul, Rom. chap. viii. ver. 2, 14. and maintained, that the true children of God were invested with the privilege of a full and perfect freedom from the jurisdiction of the law. They were enthusiasts to a degree of distraction, both in their principles and practice. They cesembled the Beghards, by which name they were sometimes called, in their aspect, apparel, and manner of living. Some of their professed principles resembled those of the Pantheists; for they held, that all things flowed by emanation from God; that rational souls were portions of the Deity, and that the universe was God; and that, by the power of contemplation, they were united to the Deity, and acquired hereby a glorious and sublime liberty, both from the sinful lusts and the common instincts of nature: and hence they conclude, that the person, who was thus absorbed in the abyss of the Deity, became a part of the Godhead, and was the son of God, in the same sense and manner that Christ was, and that he was freed from the obligation of all laws human and divine. They treated with contempt all Christian ordinances, and all external acts of religion, as unsuitable to the state of perfection at which they were arrived. Some of them were honest but deluded enthusiasts; and they endured the torments inflicted upon them by the inquisitors with astonishing calmness and triumph. Others proceeded to the most extravagant licentiousness of conduct. They held their secret assemblies stark naked, and lay in the same beds with their spiritual sisters, and indiscriminately with other women, without the least scruple or hesitation: modesty and decency being, according to their creed, marks of inward corruption. (EB III, 1797: 539)
The "sovereign citizens" of Christianity.
White BRETHREN, fratres albati, were the followers of a leader about the beginning of the fifteenth century, who was arrayed in a white garment; and as they were also clothed in white linen, they were distinguished by this title. Their leader was a priest from the [|] Alps, who carried about a cross, like a standard, and whose apparent sanctity and devotion drew together a number of followers. This deluded enthusiast practised many acts of mortification of penance, endeavoured to persuade the European nations to renew the holy war, and pretended that he was favoured with divine visions. Boniface IX, ordered him to be apprehended and committed to the flames, upon which his followers dispersed. (EB III, 1797: 539-540)
Imagine if Jesus had this fate. Could have saved so much trouble for humanity down the line. No other "book religions" would have emerged in the region, and the Medkterranean world would have remained pantheistic and atheistic, and there wouldn't have been two millenia of religious wars.
The inhabitants never applied themselves to agriculture, the soil being unfit for it. They often sowed corn, but it seldom came to maturity; and when it did thrive so much as to be worth reaping, it had degenerated so considerably, that it was not fit for seed for the next harvest. They have only continued to plant a few pot-herbs that are tolerably well tasted, but must be renewed every year from abroad. The poorness and scarcity of pastures has likewise prevented the increase of cattle. In a word, the soil of Cape Breton seemed calculated to invite none but fishermen and soldiers. (EB III, 1797: 540)
A well formed sentence.
The French, as soon sa they saw that the enemy had got a firm footing on land, betook themselves to the only remaining refuge, and shut themselves up in Louisbourg. The fortifications were in a bad condition, because the sea sand, which they had been obliged to use, si by no means fit for works of masonry. The revetments of the several curtains were entirely crumbled away. (EB III, 1797: 541)
The value of proper sand not polished to round ovals by the sea.
BREUGEL (Peter), an eminent painter, commonly called Old Breugel, to distinguish him from his son, was born at a village of the same name near Breda, in the year 1565; and was the first pupil of Peter Cock, whose daughter he married. It was customary with him to dress like a country-man, in order to be more easily admitted into the company of country-people, and be allowed to join in their frolics, by which means he became perfectly acquainted with their manners and gestures, of which he made xcellent use in his pictures. (EB III, 1797: 542)
Vaguely phatic "their frolicks".
He tells us, that when this play was acted at Cambridge, Oliver Cromwell (then a youth) acted a part in it. The substance of the picees is a contention among the Senses for a crown which Lingua had laid for them to find. [..]My blood's ennobled, and I am transform'd
Unto the sacred temper of a king.
Methinks I hear my noble parasites
Styling me Cæsar, or Great Alexander,
Licking my feet, &c.
It is said that he felt the whole part so warmly, and more especially the above-quoted speech, that it was what first fired his soul with ambition, and excited him from the possession of an imaginary crown to stretch his views to that of a real one; for the accomplishment of which he was content to wade through seas of blood. (EB III, 1797: 543)
Kintsukaapimine, tallalakkumine, jne.
In about an hour more, it began to look of a bright orange colour on the outside, and appeared more swelled than before. Every one is sensible how long-continued custom alone makes us sufficinet judges of colours. (EB III, 1797: 544)
Custom as synonym of practice.
BRIAREUS, in fabulous history, a giant; the son of Æther, Titan, or Cœlus, and Terra. This was his name in heaven; on earth he was called Ægeon. He was of singular service to Jupiter, when Juno, Pallas, Neptune, and the fest of the gods, undeavoured to bind him in chains and dethrone him. Afterwards, howveer, he conspired with the rest of his gigantic brethren to dethrone Jupiter. Virgil, on this occasion, describes him as having 100 hands, 50 heads, and breathing out fire. The fable says that Jupiter, to punish him, threw him under mount Ætna, which, as often as he moves, belches out fire. (EB III, 1797: 550)
Never heard of him. Should check if he made it to Fry's Mythos.
But in judges, especially the superior ones, it has been always looked upon as so heinous an offence, than the chief justice Thorpe was hanged for it in the reign of Edward III. [...] And some notable examples have been made in parliament, of persons in the highest stations, and otherwise very eminent and able, but contaminated with this sordid vice. (EB III, 1797: 551)
Imagine if justice reigned and SCOTUS chief justices who have lied under oath and perverted justice would hang.
BRICKING, among builders, the counterfeiting of a brick-wall on plaster: which is done by smearing it over with red ochre, and making the joints with an edged tool; these last are afterwards filled with a fine plaster. (EB III, 1797: 553)
Why.
Among the Romans, the bridge was to seem to be ravished by force from her mother; in memory of the rape of the Sabines under Romulus; she was to be carried home in the night-time to the bridegroom's house, accompanied by three boys, one where of carried a torch, and the other two led the bride; [...] (EB III, 1797: 553)
So romantic.
The church of St Michael exceeds mayn English cathedrals in beauty, largeness, nad conveniency; and has a fine organ, bells, and clock. Here also is a free-school for the instruction of poor boys, an hospital, and a college. (EB III, 1797: 557)
Things that come in threes but don't make triads.
The first horsemen, not being acquainted with the art of governing horses with bridles, managed them only with a rope or a switch, and the accent of the voice. This was the pracwice of the Numidians, Getulians, Libyians, and Massilians. The Roman youth also learned the art of fighting without bridles, which was an exercise or lesson in the manege; and hence it is, that on the Trajan column, soldiers are represented riding at full speed without any bridles on. (EB III, 1797: 558)
Sounds much more humane that the foregoing deacription of the bridle and "breaking" horses.
It is noted for making or ropes and cables for shipping; whence arises a proverb of a man that is hanged, that he is stabbed with a Bridport dagger. (EB III, 1797: 558)
The 'Puerto Rican wallet' of its day.
BRIGITTINs, or BRIDGETINs, more properly Brigittins, a religious order, denominated from their founder St Bridgit or Birgit, a Swedish lady in the 14th century: whom some represent as a queen; but Fabricius, on better grounds, as a princess, the daughter of king Birgenes, legislator of Upland, and famous for her revelations. The brigittins are sometimes also called the Order of our Saviour; it being pretended, that Christ himself dictated the rules and constitutions observed by them to St Bridget. (EB III, 1797: 559)
Pirita klooster vist samast ordust.
"The whole kingdom of Naples (says Mr Swinburne) cannot show a more complete situation for trade than Brindisi. Here goodness of soil, depth of water, safety or anchorage, and a centrical position, are all united; yet it has neither commerce, husbandry, nor populousness." (EB III, 1797: 561)
Central, or middle-of-circle?
In 1775 above fifteen hundred persons died during the autumn; a woful changce of climate! (EB III, 1797: 561)
Riding through climate change with my wos.
The workmen, in cleaning the channel, have found some medals and seals, and have drawn up many of the piles that were driven in by Cæsar. They are small oaks stripped of their bark, and still as fresh as if they had been cut only a month, though buried above eighteen centuries seven feet under the sand. (EB III, 1797: 561)
Canned oak trees.
In 1756, he undertook to erect a steam-engine near Newcastle under Line upon a new plan; and it is believed that he would have brought this engine to a great degree of perfection, if some interested engineers had not opposed him. (EB III, 1797: 562)
A curious use of the word "interest".
For he never indulged and relaxed himself in the common diversions of life, as not having the least relish for them; and, though once prevailed on to see a play in London, yet he declared that he would on no account be present at another; because it so disturbed his ideas for several days after, as to render him unfit for business. (EB III, 1797: 562)
If you've seen one theatre play you've seen them all.
When any extraordinary difficulty occurred to him in th eexecution of his works, he generally retired to bed; and has been known to lie there one, two, or three days, till he has surmounted it. He [|] would then get up, and execute his design without any drawing or model: for he had a prodigious memory, and carried every thing in his head.
As hsi station in life was low, and his education totally neglected, so his exterior accomplishments were suitable to them. He could indeed read and write, but both very indifferently; and he was perhaps, in his way, as abnormis sapiens - "of motherwit, and wife without the schools" - as any man that ever lived. "He is as plain a looking man as one of the boors in the Peake, or one of his own carters: but when he speaks, all ears listen; and every mind is filled with wonder, at the things he pronounces to be practicable." (EB III, 1797: 562-563)
Sounds like a charismatic guy who figured things out in his sleep.
BRISTOL, a city of England, and inferior to none, except London, for wealth, trade, and number of inhabitants. Bristol is a corruption of Brightstow, as it was called by the Saxons. (EB III, 1797: 565)
A place to stlw away something bright?
This charity cost the founder L. 25,000. 4. Another founded partly by Mr Colston and partly by the merchants, in which 18 men on account of the merchants, and 12 men and women on account of Mr Colston, are maintained. (EB III, 1797: 565)
Kelle kulul, mitte mille tõttu.
About half way betwixt Bristol and Bath, at a place called Warmly, a company of Bristol merchants have erected a noble manufacture of pins and other brass utensils, whcih employs a great number of hands, including about 200 children of both sexes from seven to twelve or thirteen years of age. (EB III, 1797: 566)
Bragging about child labour.
Towards the end of the 16th or beginning of the 17th century, a great revolution took place, though insensibly, throughout all Europe. Arts and sciences began to flourish, commerce and navigation were greatly extended, and learning of all kinds began to diffuse itself. By more enlarged views, the love of freedom began, in England especially, to take place in the bresats of most people of birth and education; and this was [|] greatly promoted by an acquaintance with the ancient Greek and Latin historians. (EB III, 1797: 567-568)
Renaissance. "Birth" referring once again to being born into a wealthy upper-class family.
The person excommunicated was shunned by every one as profane and impious: his whole estate during his life-time,and all his moveables for ever, were forfeited to the crown. A sentence of excommunication was sometimes pronounced in a summary manner, by any ecclesiastical court however inferior, against any person, whether he lived within the bounds of their jurisdiction or not. (EB III, 1797: 569)
The financial consequences of atheism during barbarous ages.
By the Brehon law, every crime however enormous was punished not with death, but by a fine. Murder itself was compensated in this way. Every one had a value affixed to him, called his eric; and whoever was able to pay this, might kill him when he pleased. As for such slight offences as oppression, extortion, or other things of that nature, no penalty was affixed to them, nor could any redress for them ever be obtained. (EB III, 1797: 571)
What would Erik think of this designation?
This famous covenant consisted of a renunciation of Popery, formerly signed by James in his youth, and filled with many virulent invectives against that party. A bond of union followed, by which the subscribers obliged themselves to resist all religious innovations, and to defend each other against all opposition whatsoever: And all this for the greater glory of God, and the greater honour and advantage of their king an dcountry. (EB III, 1797: 579)
A wild bond of union appears.
Whitehall, and accompanied their demand of justice with the loudest clamours and most open menaces. A thousand idle reports of conspiracies, insurrections, and invasions, where spread abroad. On whatever side the king cast his eyes, he saw no resource nor security. (EB III, 1797: 582)
Idle gossip.
The old Irish, by the wise conduct of James, had been fully subdued, and proper means taken for securing their dependence and subjection for the future; but their old animosity still remained, and only wanted an occasion to exert itself. (EB III, 1797: 583)
Folly.
An universal massacre now commenced, accompanied with circumstances of unequalled barbarity. No age, sex, or condition, was spared. All connections were dissolved, and death was dealt by that hand from which protection was implored and expected. All the tortures which wanton cruelty could devise, all the lingering pains of body, the anguish of mind, the agonies of despair, could not satiate revenge excited without injury, and cruelty derived from no cause. Such enormities, in short, were committed, that though attested by oundoubted evidence, they appear almost incredible. The stately buildings or commodious habitations of the planters, as if upbraiding the sloth and ignorance of the natives, were consumed with fire, or laid level with the ground; and where the miserable owners, shut up in their houses, and preparing for defence, perished in the flames, together with their wives and children, a double triumph was afforded to their insulting foes. If any where a number assembled together, and resolved to oppose the assassins; they were disarmed by capitulations, and promises of safety, confirmed by the most solemn oaths. (EB III, 1797: 584)
No reason, huh? How did the planters come to possess such commodious accommodation if not by oppressing the people now revolting?
The conduct of the parliament towards the king now became exceedingly unreasonable, unjust, and cruel. (EB III, 1797: 585)
A kind of reverse triad.
Several reduced officers, and young gentlemen of the inns of court, during this time of distress and danger, offered their service to the king. Between them and the populace there passed frequent skirmishes, which ended not without bloodshed. (EB III, 1797: 586)
What a double negative. 'Tis but a few lives lost.
The bishops there set forth, that though they had an undoubted right to fit and vote in parliament, yet in coming thither they had been menaced, assaulted, affronted, by the unruly multitude, and could no longer with safety attend their duty in the house. (EB III, 1797: 586)
The Unruly Multitude is a band name if I ever saw one.
The articles were, That they had traiterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamental laws and government of the ingdom, to deprive the king of his regal power, and to impose on his subject an arbitrary and tyrannical authority; that they had invited a sovereign army to invade the kingdom; that they had aimed at subverting the very right and being of parliaments; and had actually raised and countenanced tumults against the king. (EB III, 1797: 586)
Reeturlikult.
Men had scarce leisure to wonder at the precipitancy and imprudence of this impeachment, when they were astonished by another measure still more rash and unsupported. A serjeant at arms, in the king's name, demanded of the house the five members, and was sent back without any positive answer. This was followed by a conduct still more extraordinary. The next day, the king himself was seen to enter the house of commons alone, advancing through the hall, while all the memmbers stood up to receive him. The speaker withdrew from his chair, and the king took possession of it. Having seated himself, and looked round him for some time, he told the house, that he was sorry for the occasion that forced him thither; that he was come in person to seize the members whom he had accused of high treason, seeing they would not deliver the mup to his serjeant at arms. Then addressing himself to the speaker, he desired to know whether any of them were in the house: but the speaker, falling on his knees, replied, that he had neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak, in that place, but as the house was pleased to direct him: and he asked pardon fro being able to give no other answer. The king sat for some time, to see if the accused were present; but they had escaped a few minutes before his entry. Thus disappointed, perplexed, and not knowing on whom to rely, he nxt proceeded, amidst the invectives of the populace, who continued to cry out, Privilege! Privilege! to the common council of the city, and made his complaint to them. The common council answered his complaints by a contemptuous silence; and, on his return, one of the populace, more insolent than the rest, cried out, "To your tents, O Israel!" a watch-word among the Jews, when they intended to abandon their princes. (EB III, 1797: 586)
Trouble between the king and parliament.
At last, every [|] compliance only increasing the avidity of making fresh demands, the commons desired to have a militia, raised and governed by such officers and cammanders [si] as they should nominate, nuder pretence of securing them from the Irish Papists, of whom they were under the greatest apprehension. (EB III, 1797: 586-587)
Semitoics of cammandments.
The person they principally trusted to on this occasion was Sir Henry Vane, who in eloquence, address, capacity, as well as in art and dissimulation, was not even surpassed by any one in that age so famous for active talents. (EB III, 1797: 589)
(1) capacity, (2) address, and (3) eloquence?
And being determined that the sword should carry conviction to all refractory minds, they prepared themselves with greta vigilance and activity for their military enterprizes; so that, having added to their other forces the troops which they had recalled from Ireland, they were ready about the end of the year to enter England under their old general the earl of Leven, with an army of above 20,000 men. (EB III, 1797: 589)
Changing hearts and minds... with violence.
Rapturous ecstasies supplied the place of study and reflection; and while the zealous devotees poured out their thoughts in unpremeditated harangues, they mistook that eloquence, which to their own surprise, as well as that of others, flowed in upon them, for divine illumination, and illapses of the Holy Spirit. (EB III, 1797: 591)
define:illapse - "A gliding in; an immission or entrance of one thing into another".
The reception he met with was such as might be expected from these infatuated bigots, destitute of every principle of reason, honour, or humanity. (EB III, 1797: 592)
(1) humanity, (2) honor, and (3) reason.
To add to their zeal, a woman of Herefordshire, illuminated by prophetical visions, desired admittance, and communicated a revelation she pretended to have received from heaven. She assured them that their measures were consecrated from above, and ratified by the sanction of the Holy Ghost. This intelligence gave them great comfort, and much confirmed them in their present resolutions. (EB III, 1797: 595)
"I know that game." - J. Leinberg (Prohvet Maltsvet)
Charles was executed on the 30th of January 1649, in the 49th year of his age, and 24th of his reign. He was of a middling stature, robust, and well-proportioned. His visage was pleasant, but melancholy; and it is probable that the continual troubles in which he was involved might have made that impression on his countenance. (EB III, 1797: 596)
A pretty neat summary.
Nay, so cautious on this head, it is said, were some of the republicans, that, in reciting the Lord's prayer, they would not say, "thy kingdom," but "thy commonwealth, come." (EB III, 1797: 596)
Should look into the word "commonwealth".
Pursuing from thence his journey to the sea-side, he once more had a very narrow escape at a little inn, where he set up for the night. The day had been appointed for a solemn fast; and a fanatical weaver, who had been a soldier in the parliamentary army, was preaching against the king in a little chapel fronting the house. Charles, to avoid suspicion, was himself among the audience. It happened that a smith, of the same principles with the weaver, had been examining the horses belonging to the passengers, and came to assure the rpeacher, that he knew by the fashion of the shoes, that one of the strangers horses came from the north. The preacher immediatel/y affirmed, that this horse could belong to no other than Charles Stuart [|] and instantly went with a constable to search the inn. But Charles had taken timely precautions, and left the inn before the constable's arrival. (EB III, 1797: 597-598)
The devil's in the details.
Thus the whole civil and military power centered in Cromwell, who by this bold transaction became, in effect, king of Great Britain, with uncontroulable authority. Benig willing, however, to amuse the people with the form of a commonwealth, he proposed to give his subjects a parliament; but such an one as should be altogether obedient to his commands. For this purpose it was decreed, that the sovereign power should be vested in 144 persons, under the denomination of a parliament; and he undertook to make the choice himself. The persons pitched upon were the lowest, meanest, and most ignorant among the citizens, and the very dregs of the fanatics. To go further than others in the absurdities of fanaticism was the chief qualification upon which each of these valued himself. (EB III, 1797: 598)
The wording is top notch.
To add to all this, not only were conspiracies formed against him, but he was at last taught, upon reasoning principles, that his death was not only desirable, but his assassination would be meritorious. A book was publisted by colonel Titus, a man who had formerly been attached to his cause, entitled KIlling no murder. Of all the pamphlets that appeared at that time, or perhaps of those that have since appeared, this was the most eloquent and masterly. Cromwell read it, and is said never to have smiled afterwards. (EB III, 1797: 600)
Harsh emotional damage.
The usurper now found, that the grandeur to which he had sacrificed his former tranquillity was only an inlet to fresh inquietudes. He was haunted with perpetual fears of assassination. He wore armour under his clothes, and always kept pistols in his pockets. His aspect was clouded by a settled gloom, and he regarded every stranger with suspicion. He was always attendend by a numerous guard, and travelled in a hurry. He never returned from any place by the road he went; and never slept above three nights together in the same chamber. At last he was delivered from this life of horror and anxiety by a tertian ague, of which he died September 3d 1658, after having usurped the government nine years. (EB III, 1797: 600)
These past few pages have made me want to look into Cromwell's biography.
He dispatched against him colonel Ingoldsby, with his own regiment, before Lambert had time to assemble his dependents. That officer had taken possession of Daventry with four troops of horse: but the greater part of them joined Ingoldsby; to whom he himself surrendered, not without exhibiting strong marks of pusilanimity. (EB III, 1797: 601)
Pugnacious pusilanimity.
He promised to indulge scrupulous consciences with library in matters of religion; to leave to the examination of parliament the claims of all such as possessed lands with contested titles; to confirm all these concessions by act of parliament; to satisfy the army under general Monk with respect to their arrears, and to give the same rank to his officers when they should be enlisted in the king's army. (EB III, 1797: 601)
What are arrears? ("money that is owed and should have been paid earlier") - Also, isn't this Plato' triad in the Republic: (1) land, (2) army, and (3) religion?
Charles II. was 30 years of age at the time of his restoration. Being naturally of an engaging countenance, and possessed of an open an daffable disposition, he was the favourite of all ranks of his subjects. They had now felt the miseries of anarchy, and in proportion to these miseries was the satisfaction they felt on the accession of their young monarch. (EB III, 1797: 601)
He's got a face fit for a king.
After repeated solicitations, the act of indemnity passed both houses, with the exception of those who had an immediate hand in the king's death. Even Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshaw, thought dead, were considered as proper objects of resentment: their bodies were dug from their graves; dragged to the place of execution; and, after hanging some time, buried under the gallows. (EB III, 1797: 602)
A very cool and civilized thing to do.
A like revolution took place with regard to religious matters. During the former reigns, a spirit of the most gloomy enthusiasm had overspread the whole island, and men imagined that the Deity was only to be plesaed by their denying themselves every social pleasure, and refusing every thing that tended to make life agreeable. The extreme hypocrisy of Cromwell and his associates, and the absurd conduct of others, showed that this was not religion; but, in avoiding this error, they ran into one equally dangerous; and every thing religious or serious was discountenanced. Nothing but riot and dissipation took place every where. The court set them the example; nothing but scenes of gallantry and festivity were to be seen; the horrors of the late war became the subject of ridicule; the formarilty of the sectaries was displayed on the stage, and even laughed at from the pulpit. In short, the best mode of religion now was to have as little as possible; and to avoid not only the hypocrisy of the sectaries, but even the common duties of morality. (EB III, 1797: 602)
From one extreme to the other. Vaguely phatic with regard to festivities.
These animosities were heightened by the ejected clergy, especially when they saw Dunkirk, which had been acquired during the usurper's vigorous administration, sold to the French for 40,0000l. and that merely to supply the king's extravagance. From this time (August 17th 1662), Charles found himself perpetually opposed, and his parliaments granted supplies much more reluctantly than before. (EB III, 1797: 603)
I was wondering what happened to English possession of Dunkirk. Europe could have looked different, had Charles II not spent beyond his means on parties and bullshit.
The king now began to act in a very arbitrary manner. He had long wished to extend his prerogative, and to be able to furnish himself with whatever sums he might want for his pleasures, and therefore was most likely to be pleased with those ministers who could flatter both his wishes at once. These he found in Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale, a junto distinguished by the name of the cabal; a word formed by the initials of their names. (EB III, 1797: 604)
Tha kabalah, or, the tradition.
After prevailing upon his brother to disgrace his natural son the duke of Monmouth, who was now become very popular, he himself retired to Scotland, under pretence of quieting the apprehensions of the English nation, but in reality to strengthen his interests in that part of the empire. (EB III, 1797: 605)
Adding to a new topic of interest, "interest".
Thus the nation came to be distinguished into petitioners and abhorrers. Whig and Tory, also, were now first used as terms of reproach. The whigs were so denominated from a cant name given to the four presbyterian conventiclers, ( whig being milk turned sour). The tories were denominated from the Irish banditti so called, whose usual manner of bidding people deliver was by the Irish word Toree, or "Give me." (EB III, 1797: 606)
Nice, some very welcome etymologies..
By Sharpe's delay, one Hugh Maccail had been tortured, who would otherwise have escaped; and so violent were the torments he nedured, that he expired under them. He seemed to die in an ecstasy of joy. His last words were uttered with an accent which struck all the bystanders with astonishment. "Farewell (said he) sun, moon, and stars; farewell world and time; farewell weak frail body; welcome eternity; welcome angels and saints; welcome Saviour of the world; and welcome God the judge of all." (EB III, 1797: 606)
An iconic speech - the first words are very familiar from various sources.
It was an old law, and but seldom put in execution, that a man who was accused of any crime, and did not appear to take his trial, might be intercommuned; that is, he might be publicly outlawed; and whoever afterwards, either on account of business, relation, or charity, had the least intercourse with him, was subjected to the same penalties which the law could inflict on the criminal himself. A great many writs of intercommuning were now issued against the covenanters; by which absurd method of proceeding, crimes and punishments were multiplied to an extreme degree. (EB III, 1797: 607)
Way worse than excommunication.
This nobleman fled at the first onset; and the revels, being charged in flank, gave way after a three-hours contest. About 300 were killed in the engagement, and 1000 in the pursuit. Monmouth fled above 20 miles from the field of battle, till his horse sunk under him. He then alighted; and, exchanging clothes with a shepherd, fled on foot, attended by a German count who had accompanied him from Holland. Being quite exhausted with hunger and fatigue, they both lay down in a field, and covered themselves with fern. The shepherd, being found in Monmouth's clothes by the pursuers, increased the diligence of the search; and by the means of blood-hounds he was detected in his miserable situation, with raw pease in his pocket, on which he had lived for some days. He burst into tears when seized by his enemies; and petitioned, with the most abject submissions, for his life. (EB III, 1797: 611)
Had he not changed clothes with the shephard then the blood-hounds would not have found him.
The unfortunate duke made various attempts to obtain mercy. He write to the queen dowager; he sent a letter to the reigning queen, as well as to the king himself. He begged his life, when admitted into his presence, with a meanness unsuitable to his pretensions and high rank. (EB III, 1797: 611)
For some reason I like the turn of phrase.
Circumstances are said to have attended his death that created a horror among the spectators. The executioner missed his blow, and struck him slightly on the shoulder. Monmouth raised his head from the block, and looked him full in the face, as if reproaching him for his mistake. He struck him twice again, but with feeble strokes; and then threw the axe from his hands. The sheriff forced him to renew his attempt; and the head of the duke, who seemed already dead, was at last severed from his body. (EB III, 1797: 611)
Damn. The executioner's job comes with a responsibility to do it correctly.
In his zeal for Poperi, it is said, that James stooped so low as even to attempt the conversion of colonel Kirk: but the daring soldier told him, that he was pre-engaged; for he had promised the king of Morocco, when he was quartered at Tangiers, that, if he changed his religion, he wolud turn Mahometan. (EB III, 1797: 612)
This gave me a hearty laugh.
The fellows of the college made very submissive applications for recalling his mandate; but the election day coming on before they received an answer, they chose Dr Hough, a man of learning, integrity, and resolution. (EB III, 1797: 612)
(1) integrity, (2) resolution, and (3) learning.
The earl of Sunderland, whom he chiefly trusted, was a man of abandoned principles, insatiable avarice, and fitted by nature for strategem, deception, and intrigue. The love of money was his ruling passion, and he sold his influence to the highest bidder. To such a degree was he mercenary, that he became at once the pensioner of the prince of Orange and of the king of France. (EB III, 1797: 613)
Sellin wares outside the stadium.
The former, who had long fixed his eye on the English throne, watched James's motion, and took every advantage of his errors. He had laid his schemes so extensively, that nothing but the birth of a male heir to the crown of England could possibly prevent him from an almost immediate possession of the kingdom. He had the address to render two thirds of the powers of Europe interested in his success. (EB III, 1797: 613)
Should look into "address" as well.
The prince of Orange sent his intimate friend the prince of Vaudemont to Rome, to procure the aid of the Pope. He explained to his Holiness, that the Catholic princes were in the wrong to expect any advantage to their faith from James, as his being a declared Papist rendered his people averse to all his measures. As for himself, should he have the good fortune to mount the throne of England, he might take any step in favour of the Roman-catholics without jealousy; and he promised to procure a toleration for the Papists, should the Pope, the emperor, and the king of Spain, favour his attempt. This negotiation procured the desired effect. Innocent contributed, with the money of the church, to expel a Roman-catholic prince from his throne. (EB III, 1797: 613)
But what is faith when compared to even more political power for the church.
In the reign of a prince to be educated under the prejudices of such a father nothing but a continuance of the same unconstitutional measures could be expected. So low indeed [|] was his credit sunk among his people at this time, and such prescience they all seemed to have of his fate, that the child had like to have died before a wet nurse could be procured to suckle him. (EB III, 1797: 613-614)
The infant fancied to shuffle off its mortal coil.
It happened that the same wind which sent the Dutch to their place of destination, detained the English fleet in the river: so that the Dutch passed the straits of Dover without molestation; and after a voyage [|] of two days, landed at Broxholme in Torbay, on the 5th of November, the anniversary of the gunpowder treason. (EB III, 1797: 614-615)
I know of no reason why "the gunpowder treason" should ever be forgot.
Soon after this the unhappy monarch found himself deserted by his own servant and creatures. Lord Churchill had been raised from the rank of a page, and had been invested with a high command in the army; he had been created a peer, and owed his whole fortune to the king's bounty; yet even he deserted among the rest; and carried with him the duke of Graston natural son to the late king, colonel Berkly, and some others. (EB III, 1797: 615)
No that's a familiar name.
He resolved to quit the kingdom; and having communicated his design to a few of his friends, he passed at midnight through the back-door of the house where he lodged, and with his son the duke of Berwick, and Biddulph one of his servants, went in a boat to smack, which lay waiting for him without the fort of Sheerness. (EB III, 1797: 616)
Now that's an odd name.
The nation in general was much prejudiced against foreigners, and universal discontent ensued upon seeing them preferred. (EB III, 1797: 617)
Britain never changed.
Visuaalselt väga apetiitne 2. Meenutas, kuidas ma väiksena alati nr kahte A tähega seostasin - see 2 on a-st ühe kriipsu kaugusel.
Halifax and Danby, who had in a manner raised the king to the throne, caballed with his enemies. (EB III, 1797: 618)
Didn't know that it could be a verb.
That nobleman having been in vain urged by the convention to return, they had declared him a fugitive, an outlaw, and a rebel. (EB III, 1797: 618)
A scoundrel, a villain, and a rapscallion.
Macdonald of Keppoch lay with 700 men before that town; after having ravaged, in his way from his own country, the lands of the clan of Macintosh. (EB III, 1797: 618)
The fellows with iPhones.
But the French, knowing their own importance, and the necessity of the unfortunate monarch's affairs, claimed and obtained advantages in traffic which offended his own subjects. (EB III, 1797: 620)
The French are indeed very French.
Capital H? You mean, a big h?
Macdonald, as he was rising to receive his guest, was shot dead behind his back, with two bullets. His wife had already put on her clothes; but she was stripped naked by the soldiers, who tore the rings off her fingers with their teeth. The slaughter was become general. To prevent the pity of the soldiers to their hosts, their quarters had been changed the night before. Neither age nor infirmity was spared. Some women, in defending their children, were killed. Boys, imploring mercy, were shot by officers, on whose knees they hung. In one place, nine persons, as they sat enjoying themselves at table, weres hot dead by the soldiers. At Inveriggen, in Campbell's own quarters, nine men were first bound by the soldiers, and then shot at intervals, one by one. Near 40 persons were massacred by the troops. Several, who fled to the mointains, perished by famine and the inclemency of the season. Those who escaped owed their lives to a tempestuous night. (EB III, 1797: 622)
Quartering soldiers with civilians - not a desirable thing.
His chief motive for accepting the crown was to engage England more deeply in the concerns of Europe. His great object had been to humble the French, and all his politics consisted in forming alliances against them. On the other hand, many of the English had no such animosity against the French: and these, therefore, considered the interest of the nation as sacrificed to foreign connections; and complained that the continental war fell most heavily on them, though they had the least interest in its success. (EB III, 1797: 624)
So weird to see Brexit-like themes in Britain's earlier history.
In the beginning of April 1703, the duke of Marlborough crossed the sea, and, assembling the allied army, opened the camaign with the siege of Bonn, the residence of the elector of Cologne. This held out but a short time. He next retook Huy; the garrison of which, after a vigorous defence, surrendered prisoners of war. (EB III, 1797: 627)
Funny placename in Russian.
The arms of Britain, in the mean time, were not less fortunate by sea than by land. The town of Gibraltar was taken by the prince of Hesse and Sir George Rooke: but so little was the value of the conquest at that time understood, that it was for some time in debate whether it was a capture worth thanking the admiral for; and at last it was considered as unworthy of public gratitude. (EB III, 1797: 627)
Britain still holds Gibraltar. Recently watched a video of a youtuber calling up world leaders to receive a presidential pardon, and got one from Gibraltar.
The earl of Peterborough, a man of romantic bravery, offered to conduct them; and his single service was reckoned equivalent to armies. (EB III, 1797: 627)
One man army.
They began to meditate schemes of opposition to the duke of Marlborough. Him they considered as a self-interested man, who sacrificed the real advantages of the nation, in protracting a ruinous war for his own private emolument and glory. they saw their country oppressed with an increasing load of taxes, which by a continuance of the war must inevitably become an intolerable burden. (EB III, 1797: 628)
Reminds me of a recent US president, who casually skirted the emoluments clause.
The fleet under Sir Cloudesly Shovel, having set sail for England, was driven by a violent storm on the rocks of Scilly. (EB III, 1797: 628)
Can't get any more British than that, Sir Rainsly Bucket.
Emissaries were employed to disunite the Cameronians from the Cavaliers, by demonstrating the absurdity, sinfulness, and danger, of such a proceeding. (EB III, 1797: 629)
Nearly a triad, with (2) danger and (3) absurdity. Sinfulness, on the other hand, means nothing. Even less in this context, as if the bible cointained anything about England and Scotland.
All these arguments, however, were answered by those of the opposite party with such success, that the union was unalterably completed on the first of May 1707; and the island took the name of "The United Kingdom of Great Britain." (EB III, 1797: 630)
The sentence proclaiming its inception is 2/3 about the opposition to it. Encyclopedia Britannica was initiated by scotsmen.
This princess was remarkable neither for her learning nor her capacity. Like all the rest of her family, she seemed rather fitted for the duties of private life than a public station; being a pattern of conjugal fidelity, a good mother, a warm friend, and an undilgent mistress; and to her honour it certainly must be recorded, that during her [|] reign none suffered on the scaffold for treason. (EB III, 1797: 632-633)
This, I take it, is queen Anne. There was a pretty good movie about her somewhat recently, played by Olivia Wilde.
Tumults became every day more frequent, and every tumult served only to increase the severity of the legislature. They now passed an act, declaring, that if any person to the number of 12, unlawfully assembled, should continue together one hour after being required to disperse by a jusice of peace or other officer, and after hearing the act against riots read in public, they should be deemed guilty of felony without benefit of clergy. This is a very severe act, and one of the greatest restrictions on the liberty of the subject that has passed during this century; as, by it, all meetings of the people, either for the purposes of amusement or redress, are rendered criminal, if it shall please any magistrate to consider them as such. (EB III, 1797: 634)
Is this martial law? That meeting for the purpose of amusement can be dispersed by law is vaguely phatic.
His party, however, which was composed of the lowest and the most ignorant exiles from the British dominions, affected the utmost confidence, and boasted of a certainty of success. The deepest secrets of his cabinet, and all his intended measures, were bandied about in coffee-houses by persons of the lowest rank both in fortune and abilities. Subaltern officers resolved to be his generals; and even prostitutes were entrusted to manage his negociations. Little therefore could be expected from such assistants and such councils. (EB III, 1797: 635)
Riigisaladused lähevad kohvikutes ringlusse. Samuti kaudselt faatiline.
The judges appointed to try the rebels at Liverpool found a considerable number of them guilty of high treason. Two-and-twenty were executed at Manchester and Preston; about 1000 experienced the king's mercy, if such it may be called, to be transported to North America. (EB III, 1797: 636)
The horror!
The emperor dying in the year 1740, the French began to think this a favourable opportinity for exerting their ambition. Regardless of treatises, therefore, particularly that called the Pragmatic Sanction, by which the late emperor's dominions were settled upon his daughter, they caused the elector of Bavania to be crowned emperor. (EB III, 1797: 640)
The word "pragmatic" has a longer history of usage than I expected.
Being furnished with some money from France, he embarked for Scotland aboard a small frigate, accompanied by the marquis of Tullibardine, Sir Thomas Sheridan, and some others; and for the conquest of the whole British empire only brought with them seven officers, and arms for 2000 men. (EB III, 1797: 641)
A palpable mockery in this summary.
[...] the conquerors spread terror wherever they came; and after a short space, the whole country round was one dreadful scene of plunder, slaughter, and desolation. (EB III, 1797: 642)
A triad of violence. Plunder and slaughter even match the Olympic anecdote.
Cromarty was pardoned: but Kilmarnock and Balmerino were executed; as was also Mr Radcliffe brother to the late earl of Derwentwater, who was sentenced upon a former conviction. (EB III, 1797: 642)
British names sure are funny.
Some time before this, viz. in the year 1749, a scheme was entered upon, which the nation in general imagined would be very advantageous. This was the encouraging those who had been discharged the army or navy to become settlers in Nova Scotia. This country is cold, barren, and almost incapable of cultivation. Nevertheless, on account of this barren spot, the English and the French renewed the war, which soon after spread with such terrible devastation over every part of the globe. The possession of this country was reckoned necessary to defend the English colonies to thenorth, and to preserve their superiority in the fisheries in that part of the world. The French, however, who had been long settled in the back parts, resolved to use every method to dispossess the new comers, and spirited up the Indians to begin hostilities. (EB III, 1797: 643)
As seen in the recent documentary Prey.
Upon this, the court of London, eager to preserve Hanover, entered into a treaty with the court of Russia, by which it was stipulated, that a body of 50,000 Russians should be ready to act in the British service, in case Hanover should be invaded by the French. For this the czarina was to receive 100,000 l. annually, to be paid in advance. This treaty was opposed by the king of Prussia. He had long considered himself as guardian of the interests of Germany, and was therefore alarmed at a treaty which threatened to deluge the empire with an army of barbarians. (EB III, 1797: 644)
How little has changed in 275 years. Russian army still feared, not because of its strength or cunning but because it will steal everything not bolted down and rape women and children indiscriminately.
The 79th regiment was the only regular corps that could be spared for this service. Every thing was conducted with the greatest celerity and judgment. (EB III, 1797: 647)
Love meeting that word.
During the whole summer, the minds of the people were kept in continual agitation by political pamphlets and libels of various kinds, while the affair of general warrants so engrossed the general attention, that by the time the parliament sat down, November 15th 1753, scarce any other subject of conversation could be started in company. (EB III, 1797: 650)
Phatic preoccupations.
After warm debates, the North Briton was deemed a false, scandalous, and seditious libel, tending to excite traiterous insurrections &c. This was followed by another, that the privilege of parliament does not extend to the writing and publishing of seditious libels, nor ought to obstruct the ordinary course of the laws in the speedy and effectual prosecution of so heinous and dangerous an offence. (EB III, 1797: 650)
What shljld ideally have happened to Fox News.
The evidence appearing quite satisfactory, he was expelled the house, and a prosecution afterwards commenced against him before the house of lords, on account of an obscene and blasphemous pamphlet, in which he had mentioned a reverend and learned bishop in a most shameful manner. The event of all was, that, failing to appear to answer the charges against him, he was outlawed, which, it was then supposed, would for ever consign his patriotism to oblivion. (EB III, 1797: 651)
A use of the word "event" that astonishes. The result.
It was thought proper therefore now, when the colonies were not only secured but extended, to make the experiment whether they would be obedient or not. They contained more than two millions of people, and it was evidently necessary to raise a revenue from such a numerous body. Some thought it might be dangerous to provoke them; but to this it was replied by administration, that the danger must increase by forbearance; and as taxation was indispensable, the sooner the experiment was made, the better. The fatal trial being thus determined, an act was passed for preventing smuggling, so that the duties laid on the American trade might come into the hands of government. (EB III, 1797: 652)
Ingenious. There's no way Great Britain could lose a colony by taxing them too much! It is just too Great, you see. Make the experiment!
His [the duke of Cumberland] death was greatly lamented, not only by their majesties, but by the whole nation, being universally esteemed not only as a brave commander, but an excellent member of society, an encourager of industry, and any active promoter of the arts of peace. (EB III, 1797: 653)
He was agreeable in conversation?
The Spaniards first showed an inclination to come to a rupture with Britain. The subject in dispute was a settlement formed on Falkland's islands, near the southern extremity of the American continent. A scheme of this kind had been thought of as early as the reign of Charles II. but it was not till after lord Anson's voyage that much attention had been paid to it. In the printed account of it, his lordship showed the danger incurred by our navigators through the treachery of the Portuguese in Brasil; and that it was a matter of the greatest importance to discover some place more to the southward, where ships might be supplied with necessaries for their voyage round Cape Horn; and, among others, he pointed out Falkland's islands as eligible for this purpose. (EB III, 1797: 654)
Wow. Some diputes do last for centuries.
The English were ordered to depart within a limited time, carrying with them what stores they could; and the Spanish commander declared himself answerable for what they should leave on the island. (EB III, 1797: 654)
Vastutav.
It is the effect of learning, leisure, and refinement, to give men many opportunities of altering established forms. This has been the case formerly, and always will be. (EB III, 1797: 662)
(1) leisure, (2) refinement, and (3) learning.
The chairman of the company declared at a general court that the government had agreed, or would agree, to the proposed increase of dividend, before the participation of profits took place betwixt the government and company; the first lord of the treasury had told him so, and now wished to deny what he had said by using these expressions in private conversation, and when he did not consider the chairman as acting officially. But if this was the case, to what purpose did public men hold conversations, since they were afterwards to deny or forget what passed? (EB III, 1797: 665)
The chairman is not a man of his word.
The greatest political evil that could befal them was to be deprived of the political and commercial support they received from Great Britain; and to this they must ultimately submit, if they should ever succeed in the pursuit of that delusive phantom of idependence which they now accounted their happiest situation. (EB III, 1797: 669)
Just like for some the dissolution of the Soviet Union was the greatest catastrophe of the 20th century, while for others it meant the end of 45 years of occupation.
So determined were the majority in giving this an entire rejection, that it was not even permitted to lie upon the table; which, however, may be considered as a piece of indignity offered to that great man, proceeding rather from the indifference with which he had been received at court for some time, than from any real and thorough conviction of the inutilitya of the plan he proposed. (EB III, 1797: 670)
Somehow a fairly rare word. Amounts to futility or uselessness.
Great stress, they said, was laid upon the uinon of the colonies, but a very little time would show with how much impropriety. The principles on which they were associated were too self-denying to be supported by human nature, and were too inimical to the interest and feelings of individual to bind them long together. In other respects this union of the colonies might be viewed with indifference, and even contempt. (EB III, 1797: 671)
This folly was so short-lived that no-one ever heard or uttered the words "united states" together ever again.
The natives of America, it was said, were no soldiers; they were averse to military discipline, and incapable of subordination; they were of a slothful and spiritless disposition; uncleanly, liable to sickness, and easily overcome by fatigue. Such people as these would never face a British army; and a very small force would be necessary to put an end to all their projects of independence. (EB III, 1797: 671)
The British colonists in North America given the treatment usually here reserved for various natives of small islands in the global south.
This project of arming the Americans against one another was reprobated by opposition more than all the rest. The address itself was a measure replete with barbarity as well as imprudence; tending to put arms in the hands of every man throughout the continent who suspected the designs of the Britisd administration, and to expose to ill usage and ruin every person who was known, or imagined, to be a friend to Great Britain. (EB III, 1797: 671)
And here begins the history of guns in America that today regularly kills and injures masses of people in schools and malls. In that shiny house upon the hill they practice castle doctrine and have normalized gun violence.
Goverment continued to enact new laws, now in vain, against the Americans; their antagonists opposed these in a manner so little different from what has been already related, that any farther account of the debates would be as unertertaining as tedious. (EB III, 1797: 674)
Inutility.
[...] and the only consequence ensuing from these misrepresentations was the inflaming to a voilent degree the senetment betwixt the two parties; [...] (EB III, 1797: 674)
Semitoic voilence.
But the tories were an incorrigible race, who could not be cured even by experience; for though they had seen repeated instances of the mischief attending their plans, they adhered to them with as great obstinacy as if the greatest benefits had on all occasions accrued from them. (EB III, 1797: 675)
Same could be said of American republicans, who continue to vote for obvious grifters and outright criminals with the expectation that "they'll hurt the right people" (minorities, lgbtq, and women) as if this woult make anyone else's life any better.
All the states of Europe looked upon Britain witth an invidious eye, though none so much as Holland and France; these being the two powers who had most reason to hope for advantage from the quarrel. A very strong party in Holland contended for the American interest. Pamphlets were daily published at Amsterdam in justification of the colonies: their case was compared with that of the Netherlands in former times; and they were exhorted to persevere in their claims against the pretensions of Britain. (EB III, 1797: 676)
After gaining independence, Holland was also the first to give it loans - as shown in that HBO miniseries.
Unanimity in the present case was strongly, and indeed very justly, insisted upon; but when opposition complained of some occult irresistible influence by which the councils of the nation were directed, in despite of every suggestion of reason and argument, the charge was denied in the strongest manner, and ministers disclaimed every motive of their conduct, excepting that of an internal conviction of its own rectitude. (EB III, 1797: 678)
The correct form.
The arguments upon this subject were urged with great heat and violence on both sides. The yproduced uncommon animosity and rancour, and gave rise to a spirit of contention that diffused itself through all classes of society. Such was the height of passion that prevailed every where, that the critical circumstances of the nation were wholly forgotten, and the attention of the public entirely absorbed in this fatal dispute. Individuals of all ranks and all professions engaged in it with as much zeal as if they had been personally concerned in the issue. (EB III, 1797: 682)
Public fascination with a political topic, somewhat phatic.
He was declared to have acted the part of a judicious, brave, and experienced officer; and the accusation was condemned in the most severe manner. (EB III, 1797: 683)
Subtriad of Will: (1) brave, (2) judicious, and (3) experienced.
From the evidence of lord Cornwallis and other officers of high rank, however, it appeared that the forces sent to America were not at any time sufficient to reduce it; that the Americans were almost universally unfriendly to the British cause; and that the nature of the country was such, that the conquest of it must be excessively difficult. (EB III, 1797: 683)
Reminiscent of Ukraine and Russia. Instead of being welcomed as saviors, the Russians are treated as the invaders they are.
On the whole, it was remarked by a great number of the most judicious people in the nation, that the spirit of defamation, which for some time had been so prevalent, must at last produce the most fatal effects; by depriving the nation of its best officers, through the aversion that would be produced in them, both in the sea and land departments, to enter into a service where they were certain of being calumniated. (EB III, 1797: 684)
Define:calumniated - "to utter maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about. : to injure the reputation of by calumny".
This delay was followed by another, occasioned by bad weather; so that the fleet, which was laden with warlike stores and necessaries, did not arrive till the end of August, and several important enterprizes projected by Sir Henry Clinton were of course laid aside. (EB III, 1797: 684)
It figured a Clinton would show up sooner or later.
It ill became the professors of such a religion to be guilty of that intolerance with which they reproached others. (EB III, 1797: 687)
An archaic construct.
They renewed their outrages on the following day, destroying several Romish chapels, and sdemolishing the house of Sir George Saville in resentment of his having brought into parliament the bill in favour of the Roman Catholics. (EB III, 1797: 689)
Presenting a bill to stop discriminating on religious basis gets your house burned down. The English were still savages in 1779.
They set fire, in the same manner, to the King's-bench and Fleet prisons, and to a number of houses belonging to Roman Catholics, [|] The terror occasioned by these incendiaries was such, that most people hung out of their windows pieces of blue silk, which was the colour assumed by the rioters; and chalked on their doors and shutters the word, "No Popery," by way of signifying they were friendly to their cause. (EB III, 1797: 689-690)
This reads like proto-fascism.
It was a war in which the conclusion of every campaign was against us; in which we weakened no enemy by our efforts; in which we had suffered every thing without gaining any thing. The American war had been a war of delusion from the beginning to the end. (EB III, 1797: 698)
Reminiscent of the current Russian "special military operation" in Ukraine.
He [Sur George Savile] considered an avowal of the independence of America as a severe misfortune, and a debasing stroke against Great Britain; but of the two evils he would choose the least, and he would submit to the independence of America. (EB III, 1797: 700)
Indeed it is a shame to let a slave fight you for its freedom and win.
On the 15th of March it was moved by Sir John Rous, that "the nation could have no farther confidence in the ministers who had the conduct of public affairs," The debate was remarkable for an argument, in the affair of America, perfectly original, and unprecedented in all that had been said or written on the subject. Sir James Marriot informed the house, that though it had been frequently pretended, that the inhabitants of the colonies were not represented in the British parliament, yet the fact was otherwise; for they were actually represented. The first colonization, by nation and sovereign authority, he remarked, was the establishment of [|] the colony of Virginia. The grants and charters made of those lands, and of all the subsequent colonies, were of one tenor, and expressed in the following terms: "To have and to hold of the king or queen's majesty, as part and parcel of the manor of East Greenwich, within the county of Kent, reddendum, a certain rent at our castle of East Greenwich, &c." So that the inhabitants of America were, in fact, by the nature of their tenure, represented in parliament by the knights of their shire for the county of Kent. This curious legal discovery, that the American colonies were part and parcel of the manor of East Greenwich, though delivered by the learned judge with all proper gravity and solemnity, yet ekcited so much merriment in the house, that it was with great difficulty, for some time, that the speaker could preserve any kind of order. (EB III, 1797: 703-704)
Indeed, it turns of that the Americans rebelled for nothing because they were all technically represented in the British Parliament. Brilliant!
He [lord Chatham] wished to God that he had been deputed to congress, that he might plead the cause of America as well as Britain. (EB III, 1797: 707)
Define:depute - "appoint or instruct (someone) to perform a task for which one is responsible."
He [qcqc] received his sentence with great fortitude; but at length not only confessed his guilt, but left some directions for preventing the dock-yards and magazines from being exposed to the like danger in time to come. (EB III, 1797: 711)
Tuleval ajal.
This person being also apprehended, not only made a full discovery of the treasonable correspondence with France, but gave abundant proofs of himself being one of the most depraved and hardened of all mankind, lost to every sensation excepting the desire of accumulating wealth. (EB III, 1797: 711)
Is avarice a sensation, tho?
Here the wretched residents build their miserable habitations with the bones of whales. If ever they cheer their aching limbs with a fire, they gather a few sticks from the sea shorte, which have probably been washed from Norway or Lapland. Here a vast quantity of snow remains upon the land throughout the year. (EB III, 1797: 712)
...and rest their unhappy limbs near a solemn fire that only produces a sad kind of heat that anly makes the scene more depressing, and so on.
BRITANNICUS, son to the emperor Claudius by Messalina, was excluded from the empire after his father had married Agrippina; who put her son Nero on the throne, and caused Britannicus to be poisoned, A.D. 55. (EB III, 1797: 713)
It took me nearly two whole months to read the entry on Britain. I'm finally, after so many wars and parliamentary hearings about dissatisfactions with said wars, back to short entries!
BRIVATES, (anc. geog.), a port of Gallia Celtica; now Brest, in Brittany. (EB III, 1797: 714)
A private breast.
BROCCOLI, a kind of cabbage cultivated for the use of the table. See BRASSICA. (EB III, 1797: 716)
Wait, wasn't broccoli invented in the 1960s?
In Persia, all affairs are transacted by a sort of brokers whom they call delal, i.e. great talkers. The manner of making their markets is very singular: after the brokers have launched out into long, and usually impertinent discourses, coming towards a conclusion, they noly converse with their fingers. The buyer and seller's broker each take the other by the right hand, which they cover with their coat, or a handkerchief: the finger stretched out stands for six; bent for five; the tip of the finger for one; the whole hand for 100; and the hand cletched, for 1000. They will express even pounds, shillings, and pence, by their hands. During all this mystic commerce, the two brokers appear as cold and composed as if there were nothing passing between them. (EB III, 1797: 717)
A curious case of nonverbal communication.
The first time should be about the end of April, when the suckers and crowns of the former year's fruit (which remained all the winter in those pots in which they were first planted) should be shifted into larger pots; i.e. those which were in halfpenny or three-farthing pots should be put into penny or at most three-halfpenny pots, according to the size of the plants; for you must be very careful not to overpot them, nothing being more prejudicial to these plants. (EB III, 1797: 719)
What's the conversion rate to euros?
The only method yet discovered for destroying these insects, is by frequently washing the leaves, branches, and stems, of such plants as they attack, with water in which there has been a strong infusion of tobacco stalks. But this method cannot be practised on the ananas plants, because the insects will fasten themselves so low between the leavest, that it is impossible to come at them with a sponge to wash them off; so that if all those which appear to sight are cleared off, they will soon be succeeded by a fresh supply from below, and the roots will be also equally infested at the same time. Therefore, wherever these insects appear on the plants, the fastest method will be to take the plants out of the pots, and clear the earth from the roots; then prepare a large tub, which should be filled with water in which there has been a strong infusion of tobacco stalks; into this tub you should put the plants, placing some sticks cross the tub to keep them immersed in water. In this water they should remain 24 hours; then take them out, and with a sponge wash off all the insects from the leaves and roots, and dip the plants into a tub of fair water, washing them therein, which is the most effectual way to clear them from the insects. (EB III, 1797: 719)
The legitimate use of tobacco as an insecticide against white bugs attacking the ananas.
BRONTIUM, in Grecian antiquity, a place underneath the floor of the theatres, in which wer kept brazen vessels full of stones and other materials, with which they imitated the noise of thunder. (EB III, 1797: 721)
They were more advanced than I thought.
BROOKE (Mrs), daughter of a clergyman of the name of Moore, was a lady as remarkable for her virtues and suavity of manners as for her great literary accomplishments. Her first performance, which introduced her to the notice and consequent esteem of the public, was Julia Mandeville; a work concerning which there were various opinions, but which every body read with eagerness. It has been often wished that she had made the catastrophe less melancholy; and we believe that she afterwards was of the same opinion, but she thought it beneath her character to alter it. She soon afterwards went to Canada with her husband, who was chaplain to the garrison at Quebec; and here she saw and loved those romantic characters and scenes which gave birth to Emily Montague, a work most deservedly in universal esteem, which has passed through several editions, and which is now not easily met with. On her return to England, accident introduced her, and congenial sentiments attracted her, to Mrs Yates; an intimacy was formed, which terminated only with the life of that lady. (EB III, 1797: 721)
Oh interesting biographies, how I have missed you during those long weeks of British history.
At this college he [BROOME (William)] lived for some time in the same chamber with the well-known Ford, by whom Dr Johnson heard him described as a contracted scholar and a mere versifier, unacquainted with life, and unsiklful in conversation. His addiction to metre was then such, that his companions familiar called him Poet. When he had opportunities of mingling with mankind, he cleared himself, as Ford likewise owned, from great part of his scholastic rust. (EB III, 1797: 722)
No conversation skills?
When he [BROUGHTON (Thomas)] was at Eton school, Mr Boughton was of thes ame your with Dr Ewer, late bishop of Bangor; Dr Sumner, late provost of King's college, Cambridge; and Dr Sleech, late provost of Eton: and during his residence in London, he enjoyed the esteem and friendship of most of the literary men of his time. He was a great lover of music, particularly the ancient; which introduced him to the knowledge and acquaintance of Mr Hander; whom he furnished with the words for many of his compositions. In his public character, Mr Broughton was distinguished by an active zeal for the Christian cause, joined with a moderation of mind. (EB III, 1797: 724)
Knowing these people must be why his biography is series of "and soon after he was promoted to..."-s.
He [BROWN (Robert)] was the son of Mr Anthony Brown of Tolthorp in Rutlandshire; whose father obtained the singular privilege of wearing his cap in the king's presence, by a charter of Henry VIII. (EB III, 1797: 725)
What a get.
The reverend Mr Granger observes, that among other peculiarities in this book, he speaks of the ultimate act of love as a folly beneath a philosopher; and says, that he could be content that we might procreate, like trees, without conjunction: but, after the writing of it, he descended from his philosophic dignity, and married an agreeable woman. (EB III, 1797: 727)
Philosophican hypocrisy.
But the irregularities of his [BROWN (Thomas)] life not suffering him to continue long there, he, instead of returning to his father, went to London to seek his fortune: his companions, however, being more delighted with his humour than ready to relieve his necessities, heh ad recourse to the usual refuge of half-starved wits, scribbling for broad; and published a great variety of poems, letters, dialogues, &c. full of humour and erudition, but often indelicate. (EB III, 1797: 727)
Write some pot-boilers.
In 1757 appeared his famous "Estimate of the Manners and Principles of the Times." The reception which this work met with from the public was very flattering to his [BROWN (Dr John)] vanity; no fewer than sever editions of it having been printed in little more than a year. The chief design of this performance was to show, that a vain, luxurious, and selfish effeminacy in the higher ranks of life marks the character of the age; and so point out the effects and sources of this effeminacy. (EB III, 1797: 728)
Sounds like something I should look up in connection with phaticity.
Our author's next publication, in 1763, was "The cure of Saul," a sacred ode; which was followed in the same year by "A Dissertation on the Rise, Union, and Power, the Progressions, Separations, and Corruptions of Poetry and Music." This is one of the most pleasing of Dr Brown's performances, and abounds with av ariety of critical discussions. A number of strictures on this piece were published; and the Doctor defended himself in a treatise intitled Remarks on some Observations on Dr Brown's Dissertations on Poetry and Music. (EB III, 1797: 729)
This, likewise, sounds sufficiently interesting.
But the death of his [BROWN (Simon)] wife and only son, which happened in 1723, affected him so as to deprive him of his reason; and he became from that time lost to himself, to his family, and to the world: his congregation at the Old Jewry, in expectation of his rocveyr, delayed for some time to fill his post; yet at length all hopes were over, and Mr Samuel Chandler was appointed to succeed him in 1725. (EB III, 1797: 730)
Tuttav kombinatsioon.
Being urged by his friends for a reason of this extraordinary change, at which they expressed the utmost grief and astonishment, he [BROWN (Simon)] told them, after much importunity, that "he had fallen under the sensible displeasure of God, who had caused his rational soul gradually to perish, and left him only an animal life in common with brutes: that, though he retained the human shape, and the faculty of speaking in a manner that appeared to others rational, he had all the while no more notion of what he said than a parrot; that it was therefore profane in him to pray, and incongruous to be present at theprayers of others:" and, very consistently with this, he considered himself no longer as a moral agent, or subject of either reward or punishment. In this way of thinking and talking he unalterably and obstinately persisted to the end of his life; though he afterwards suffered, and even requested, prayers to be made for him. (EB III, 1797: 730)
Hea kraam mida saaks kasutada oma papagoi-ratsionaalsuse artiklis/sektsioonis (kõrvuti Locke'i pika anekdoodiga Lõuna-Ameerikast).
Not in itself indeed: it is a trifle unworthy your exalted rank, and what will hardly prove an entertaining amusement to one of your majesty's deep penetration, exact judgment, and fine taste; but on account of the author, who is the first being of the kind, and yet without a name. (Simon Brown, in EB III, 1797: 730)
(1) fine taste, (2) exact judgment, and (3) deep penetration.
BRUGES (John of), (Real name, John van Eick), a celebrated Flemish painter, and the first who discovered the method of painting in oil, flourished in the 15th century. He found in the course of his chemical experiments (to which science he also applied himself), that, by grinding colours with lintseed or nut-oil, he could form them into a solid body which would resist the water, and not need the varnish used in painting in water-colours or in fresco. He presented the first picture painted in this manner to Alphonsus I. king of Naples, who was much pleased with it. (EB III, 1797: 734)
I've wondered about how oil-painting came about. Entry seems too short for such an achievement.
BRUMALIA, in Roman antiquity, festivals of Bacchus celebrated twice a-year; the first on the 12th of the kalends of March, and the other on the 18th of the kalends of November. They were instituted by Romulus, who during these feasts used to entertain the senate. Among other heathen festivals which the primitive Christians were much inclined to observe, Tertullian mentions the brumæ or brumalia. (EB III, 1797: 734)
Curious.
BRUNO (Jordano), an atheistical writer, was born at Nolo in the kingdom of Naples; and about the year 1582 began to call in question some of the tenets of the Romish church, which occasioned his retiring to Geneva: but after two years stay there, he expressed his aversion to Calvinism in such a manner that he was expelled the city. After having staid some time at Lyons, Thoulouse, and Paris, he came to London, and continued two years in the house of Mr Castleneau the French ambassador. He was very well received by queen Elizabeth and the politer part of the court. His principal friends were Sil Philip Sidney and Sir Fulk Greville. With these and some others of their club, Bruno held assemblies; but as they treated of subjects of a very delicate nature, which could not suit the taste or capacity of every body, they kept the door always shut, and none but select persons were admitted into their company. At Sir Philip's request, he composed his Spaccio della Bestia Triumphante, which was printed in 8vo, 1584, and dedicated to that gentleman. This work, which is remarkable for nothing but its impiety, we are told in one of the spectators, &numer; 389), sold at an auction in London for L. 30. From England he went to Wittemberg, and from thence to Prague, where he printed some tracts, in which he openly discovered his atheistical principles. After visiting some other towns in Germany, he made a tour to Venice. Here he was apprehended by order of the inquisition; tried, condemned; and refusing to retract, was burnt at the stake, Februari 8th 1600. (EB III, 1797: 735)
An atheist burnt at the stake for atheism.
Some define a brute to be an animal not risible, or a living creature incapable of laughter; others call them mute animals. The peripatetics allowed them a sensitive power, btu denied them a rational one. The Platonists allowed them reason and understanding, though in a digree less pure and refined than that of men. Eactantius allows every thing to brutes which men have, except a sense of religion; and even this has been ascribed to them by some sceptics. Descartes maintained that brutes are mere inanimate machines, absolutely destitute not only of reason, but of all thought and perception, and that all their actions are only consequences of the exquisite mechanism of their bodies. This system, however, is much older than Descartes; it was borrowed by him from Gomez Pereira, a Spanish physician, who employed 30 years in composing a treatise which he entitled Antoniana Margarita, from the Christian names of his father and mother. It was published in 1554: but his opinion had not the honour of gaining partizans, or even of being refused; so that it died with him. Even Pereira seems not to have been the inventor of this notion; something like it having been held by some of the ancients, as we find from Plutarch and St Augustin. Others, who rejected the Cartesian hypothesis, have maintained that brutes are endowed with a soul essentially inferior to that of men; and to this soul some have allowed immortality, others not. And, lastly, in a treatise published by one Bougeant a Jesuit, entitled A philosophical amusement on the language of beasts, he affirms that they are animated by evil-spirits or devils. (EB III, 1797: 738)
A decent overview. Especiallyinteresting: powers, souls, faculties.
On the other hand, it is equally certain, that they are by no means capable of education in the same degree that men are; neither are the rational exertions of beasts at all to be compared even with those of the meanest savages. One remarkable instance of this is in the use of element of fire. The most savage nations have known how to make this element subservient to their purposes; or if some have been found who have been entirely ignorant of its existence, they have quickly learned its uses on seeing it made use of by others: but though many of the brute creatures are delighted with warmth, and have opportunities every day of seeing how fire is supplied with fuel, and by that means preserved, it never was known that one of them attempted to preserve a fire by this means. This shows a large defect of rationality, unaccountable upon any other supposition than that the soul or sentient principle of brutes is some how or other inferior in its nature to that of man; but still it is a sentient principle, capable of perceptions as quick, and in many instances much more so than our own. (EB III, 1797: 739)
These pages are golden. An exposition on Descartes. A lot hooks up with Clay.
Thus a partridge will tumble along before a sportsman in order to draw away the dogs from her helpless covey. In the time of nidification the most feeble birds will assault the most rapacious. All the hirundies of a village are up in arms at the sight of an hawk, whom they will persecute till he leaves that district. (EB III, 1797: 742)
- covey - "a small flock of birds, especially partridge."
- nidification - "nest-building."
- hirundies - ?
A wonderful spirit of sociality in the brute creation, independent of sexual attachment, has been frequently remarked. Many horses, though quiet with company, will not stay one minute in a field by themselves: the strongest fences cannot refrain them. A horse has been known to leap out at a stable window, through which dung was thrown, after company; and yet in other respects is remarkably quiet. Oxen and cows will not fatten by themselves; but will neglect the finest pasture that is not recommended by society. It would be needless to instance in sheep, which constantly flock together. (EB III, 1797: 742)
Animal phaticism.
BRUYERE (John de la), a celebrated French author, was born at Dourdan in the year 1664. He wrote Characters, describing the manners of his age, in imitation of Theophrastus; which characters were not always imaginary or general, but descriptive, as was well known, of persons of considerable rank. (EB III, 1797: 744)
Tantalizing.
BRYGMUS, among physicians, a grating noise made by the gnashing of the teeth. (EB III, 1797: 745)
Why is there a word for that.
The alba, rough, or white bryony with red flowers, is a native of dry banks under hedges in many parts of Britain. The roots of this plant have by impostors been brought into a human shape, and shown for mandrakes. (EB III, 1797: 745)
The brits seem to have a history with mandrakes.
In the times of the decay of the empire it was balled Boas; and several illustrious men that fell under disgrace at court were banished to this island; among whom were Florentius, master of the offices of the emperor Julian, Immentius de Valenti, and the heretic Jovinian. The emperors of Constantinople either were not much acquainted with this pretended Siberia, or were willing to treat the banished with great clemency. It is certain that the climate of this island is exceedingly mild; the air perfectly good; the oil, grapes, and fruit excellent; and the sea around it baounds in fish, and the port is large and secure. (EB III, 1797: 746)
Siberia as a metaphor for the land of banishment already by 1797.
The name [BUCANEER] has also been applied to those famous piratical adventurers, chiefly English and French, who joined together to make depredations on the Spaniards of America. (EB III, 1797: 747)
Piraatlikud seiklused.
The rest soon spent the fruits of their labour in taverns and tippling-houses; and many had so habituated themselves to this kind of life, as to become incapable of any other. (EB III, 1797: 749)
Define:tippling-house - "A place where intoxicating driuks are sold in drams or small quantities to be drunk on the premises, and where men resort for drinking purposes."
While such priacies were committed on thes outhern ocean, the nothern was threatened with the same by Gramont. (EB III, 1797: 754)
Semitoics of priacies.
After some conferences with Luther at Heidelburg in 1521, he [BUCER (Martin)] adopted most of his sentiments; but in 1532 he gave the preference to those of Zuinglius. (EB III, 1797: 756)
An example if sentiments qua emotive ideas.
He [BUCER (Martin)] died of a complication of disorders in 1551; and was buried at Cambridge with a great funeral pomp. (EB III, 1797: 756)
A compex - a complication.
Votive BUCKLERS: Those consecrated to the gods, and hung up in their temples, either in commemoration of some hero, or as a thinksgiving for a victory obtained over an enemy; whose bucklers, taken in war, were offered as a trophy. (EB III, 1797: 760)
Related to "vocative"?
[BUDDÆUS (John Francis) -] Elementa philosophiæ practicæ, instrumentalis, et theoreticæ, 3 vols. 8vo, which has had a great number of edition, because, in most of the universities of Germany, the professors take this work for the text of their lessons. (EB III, 1797: 761)
Noted.
BUFALMACO (Boramica), an Italian painter; the first who put labels to the mouths of his figures, with sentences; since followed by bad masters, but more frequently in caricacura engravings. He died in 1340. (EB III, 1797: 763)
The birth of comic books.
BUFFIER (Claude), a French writer, in 1661, became a Jesuit in 1679, and died at Paris in 1737. There are many works of this author, which show deep penetration and accurate judgment; the principal of which is, "Un Cours des Sciences," &c. that is, a Course of Sciences upon principles new and simple, in order to form language, the understanding, and the heart, 1732," in folio. (EB III, 1797: 763)
I'd guess: (1) heart, (2) understanding, and (3) language.
There has been a strong opinion in the world, that it [toad-stone] was founded in the head of an old toad; and that this animal voided it at the mouth, on being put on a red cloth (EB III, 1797: 764)
Red cloth agagin - see also the fern flower.
BULARCHUS, a Greek painter; the first who introduced (among the Greeks at least) different colours in the same picture. He flourished 740 B.C. (EB III, 1797: 767)
What.
Thus defended, the buds remain upon different parts of the mother plant, till the ensuing spring; and are, therefore, with great propriety, denominated by Linnæus the hybernaculum or winter-quarters of the future vegetabl. (EB III, 1797: 767)
Hibernating in the hibernaculum.
Bulbous roots are said to be solid, when composed of one uniform lump of matter: tunicated, when formed of multitudes of coats surrounding one another; squamose, when composed of, or covered with, lesser flakes; duplicate, when there are only two to each plant; and aggregate, when there is such a congeries of such roots to each plant. (EB III, 1797: 768)
Onions are tunicated?
Bull-fights, by these means being rendered less frequent, will, perhaps, gradually lose their attractions, until more favourable circumstances permit the entire abolution of them. (EB III, 1797: 773)
Two centuries later and still hoping.
BURGDORF, a handsome and pretty large town of Switzerland, in the canton of Bern, seated on an eminenc. The river Emma is about a pistol-shot from the town; and as it often changes its bed, it frequently does a gread deal of mischief. It runs at the foot of a rock of a prodigious height, and there is a stone-bridge over it. Near the town there is a sulphureous spring which supplies their baths with water, which is good against palsies and diseases of the nerves. (EB III, 1797: 778)
Maybe the river moves around because it's trying to avoid pistol-shots?
The time must be by night, and not by day; for in the day-time there is no burglary; i.e. if there be day-ligt or crepusculum enough, begun or left, to discern a man's face withal. (EB III, 1797: 779)
Define:crepusculum - "twilight; dusk."
The word [BURGOMASTER] is formed from the two Flemish words, borger, burgess, or citizen; and mester, master. (EB III, 1797: 780)
Väikeburgerglik.
Nor are we to wonder, that the ancient Greeks and Romans were extremely solicitous about the interment of their deceased friends, since they were strongly persuaded, that their souls could not be admitted into the Elysian fields till their bodies were committed to the earth; and if it happened that they never obtained the rites of burial, they were excluded from the happy mansions for the term of 100 years. For this reason it was considered as a duty incumbent upon all travellers who should meet with a dead body in their way, to cast dust or mould upon it three times; and of these three handfuls one at least was cast upon the head. (EB III, 1797: 781)
Is that why we still throw dirt with our hands at burials?
Of those who were allowed the rites of burial, some were distinguished by particular circumstances of disgrace attending their interment: thus persons killed by lightning were buried apart by themselves, being thought odious to the gods; those who wasted their patrimony forfeited the right of being buried in the sepulchres of their fathers; and those who were guilty of self-murder were privately deposited in the round, without the accustomed folemnities. (EB III, 1797: 781)
Imagine being killed by a random natural occurrence and everyone taking it as a sign from above that you deserved it.
BURIDAN (John), a native of Bethune, in Artois, was one of the most celebrated philosophers of the 14th century. He taught in the university of Paris with great reputation; and wrote commentaries on logic, morality, and Aristotle's metaphysics. Aventius relates, that he was a disciple of Ockam; and that, being expelled Paris by the power of the Realists, which was superior to that of the Nominalists, he went into Germany, where he founded the university of Vienna. From this came the proverb of the ass of Buridan, so famous in the schools. Buridan supposed an hungry ass fixed at an exactly equal distance between two bushels of oats; or an ass, as much pressed by thirst as hunger, between a bushel of oats and a pail of water, each of them acting equally on his senses. Having made this supposition, he desired to know what the ass would do? If he was answered that he would remain immoveable, then he concluded he would die of hunger between two bushels of oats, or of both hunger and thirst, with both corn and water within his reach. This appeared absurd, and brought the laughter on his side; but if it was replied, that the ass would not be so stupid as to die of hunger or thirst in such a situtaion, Then (said he), the ass has free will, or is it possible that of two equal weights one should outweigh the other? These two consequences appeared equally absurd; and thus Buridan, by this sophism, perplexed the philosophers, and his ass became famous in the schools. (EB III, 1797: 781)
Never heard of the guy, and surprised that philosophical schools of thought could expell from a place, but his ass is indeed famous, though goes without his name attached.
A grave subject, in which there is no impropriety, may be brought down by a certain colouring so as to be risible, as is Virgil travestie; the author first laughs at every turn, in order to make his readers laugh. The Lutrin is a burlesque poem of the other sort, laying hold of a low and trifling incident to expose the luxury, indolence, and contentious spirit, of a set of monks. Boileau, the author, turns the subject into ridicule, by dressing it in the heroic style, and affecting to consider it as of the utmost dignity and importance. Though ridicule is the poet's aim, he always carries a grave face, nad never once betrays a smile. The opposition between the subject and the manner of handling it, is what produces the ridicule; and therefore, in a composition of this kind, no image professedly ludicrous ought to have quarter, because such images destroy the contrast. (EB III, 1797: 782)
I quite enjoyed this piece of literary theory. Laugh-track versus deadpan. Form and content.
Mr Burnet's intimacy with the duke of Hamilton and Lauderdale occasioned him to be frquently sent for by the king and the duke of York, who had conversations with him in private. But Lauderdale cenceiving a resentment against him on account of the freedom with which he spoke to him, represented at last to the king, that Dr Burnet was engaged in an opposition to his measures. Upon his return to London, he perceived that these suggestions had entirely thrown him out of the king's favour, though the duke of York treated him with greater civility than ever, and dissuaded him from going to Scotland. (EB III, 1797: 783)
A snake in the grass.
The use of burning-glasses appears to have been very ancient. Diodorus Siculus, Lucian, Dion, Zonaras, Galen, Anthemius, Eustathius, Tzetzes, and others, attest, that by means of them Archimedes set fire to the Roman fleet at the siege of Syracuse. (EB III, 1797: 786)
Having just wqtched a video about the history of drones, this hits hard. New military technologies do leave scars.
Tzetzes is so particular in his account of this matter, that his description suggested to Kircher the method by which it was probably accomplished. That author says, that "Archimedes set fire to Marcellus's navy, by means of a burning-glass composed of small square mirrors, moving every way upon hinges; which, when placed in the sun's rays, directed them upon the Roman fleet, so as to reduce it to ashes at the distance of a bow-shot." A very particular testimony we have also from Anthemius of Lydia, who takes pains to prove the possibility of setting fire to a fleet, or any other combustible body, at such a distance. (EB III, 1797: 786)
Lazers in the ancient world.
Villette, a French artist of Lyons, made a large mirror, which was brought by Tavernier, and presented to the king of Persia; a second, bought by the king of Denmark; a third, presented by the French king to the royal academy; a fourth has been in England, where it was publicly exposed. (EB III, 1797: 786)
Aeg mil peeglid olid kunstiteosed, mida kingiti kuningatele ja pandi avalikele näitustele.
The case was the same with metallic bodies, which melted so much the more difficultly as they were more white and polished; and this difference was so remarkable, that in the focus of this mirror, so fusible a metal as sliver, when its surface was polished, did not melt at all. (EB III, 1797: 787)
Haruldane sõnapööre. Tic-tac'id tõenäoliselt sellised nagu nad on, et vältida sulamist.
BURR, the round knob of a horn next a deer's head. (EB III, 1797: 789)
An appropriate descriotion of one Bill.
He [BURTON (Robert)] was a man of general learning; a great philosopher; an exact mathematician; and (what makes the peculiarity of his character) a very curious calculator of nativities. He was extremely studious, and of a melancholy turn; yet an agreeable companion, nad very humorous. The anatomy of melancholy, by Democritus junior, as he calls himself, shows, that these different qualities were mixed together in his composition. This book was printed first in 4to, afterwards in folio, in 1624, 1632, 1638, and 1652, to the great emolument of the bookseller, who, as Mr Wood tells us, got an estate by it. (EB III, 1797: 791)
[Internet Archive]
BUSTUM, in the Campus Martius, was a structure whereon the emperor Augustus first, and, after him, the bodies of his successors were burnt. It was built of white stone,s urrounded with an iron palisad, and planted withinside with alder trees. (EB III, 1797: 794)
The opposite of withoutside.
He [BUTLER (Charles)] had promises of a good place for the earl of Clarendon, but they were never accomplished; though the king was so much pleased with the poem, as often to quote it pleasantly in conversation. It is indeed said, that Charles ordered him the sum of 3000l.: but the sum being expressed in figures, somebody through whose hands the order passed, by cutting off a cypher, reduced it to 300 l. which, though it passed the offices without fees, proved not sufficient to pay what he then owed; so that Butler was not a shilling the better for the king's bounty. (EB III, 1797: 795)
Why the sum is spelled out in words on checks.
Lard whereon cows feed does very often affect the butter. (EB III, 1797: 798)
Whereonside.
Shower of BUTTER. Naturalists speak of showers and dews of a butyraceous substance. In 1695, there fell in Ireland, during the winter and ensuing spring, a thick yellow dew, which had sthe medicinal properties of butter. (EB III, 1797: 799)
A volcanoe in Iceland goes off or something and the Irish rush to eat the yellow snow.
BUXTON (Jedediah), a prodigy with respect to skill in numbers. His father, William Buxton, was schoolmaster of the same parish, where he was born in 1704: yet Jedediah's education was so much neglected, that he was never taught to write; and with respect to any other knowledge but that of numbers, seemed always as ignorant as a boy of ten years of age. How he came first to know the relative proportions of numbers, and their progressive denominations, he did not remember; but to this he applied the whole force of his mind, and upon this his attention was constantly fixed, so that he frequently took no cognizance of external objects, and when he did it, it was only with respect to their numbers. If any space of time was mentioned, he would soon after say it was so many minutes; and if any distance of way, he would assign the number of hairs breadths, without any question being asked, or any calculation expected by the company. When he once understood a question, he began to work with amazing facility, after his own method, without the use of a pen, pencil, or chalk, or even understanding the common [|] rules of arithmetic as taught in the schools. He would stride over a piece of land or a field, and tell you the contents of it almost as exact as if you had measured it by the chain. In this manner he measured the whole lordship of Elmton, of some thousand acres, belonging to Sir John Rhodes, and brought him to contents, not only in acres, roods, and perches, but even in square inches. After this, for his own amusement, he reduced them into square hair-breadths, computing 48 to each side of the inch. His memory was so great, that while resolving a question, he could leave off, and resume the operation again where he left off the next morning, or at a week, a month, or at several months, and proceed regularly till it was completed. His memory would doubtless have been equally retentive with respect to other objects, if he had attended to other objects with equal diligence; but his perpetual application to figures prevented the smallest acquisition of any other knowledge. He was sometimes asked, on his return from church, whether he remembered the text, or any part of the sermon, but it never appeared that he brought away one sentnece; his mind, upon a closer examination, being found to have been busied, even during divine service, in his favourite operation, either dividing some time, or some space, into the smallest known parts, or resolving some question that had been given him as a test of his abilities. (EB III, 1797: 801-802)
This sounds like autism.
BUYING the small-pox, is an appelation given to a method of procuring that disease by an operation similar to inoculation; frequent in South Wales, where it has obtained time out of mind. (EB III, 1797: 803)
Kõike kaheksateistkümnesajandilikuim fraas vb üldse.
