ABSTRUSITY. s. 1. Abstruseness. 2. That which is abstruse (Brown).

To ABSU ME. v. a. (absumo, Lat.) To bring to an end by a gradual waste (Hale). ABSURD. a. (absurdus, Lat.) 1. Unreasonable; without judgment (Bacon). 2. Inconsistent; contrary to reason (South). ABSURDITY. s. (from absurd.) 1. The quality of being absurd (Locke). 2. That which is absurd (Add.).

ABSURDLY. ad. (from absurd.) Improperly; unieasonably (Swift). ABSURDNESS. s. The quality of being absurd; injudiciousness; impropriety.

Reductio ad ABSURDUM, among logicians and mathematicians, a method of proying the truth of a proposition, by shewing that the contrary is absurd. Thus in the 11th and 12th propositions of Euclid's third book this kind of proof is adopted to shew that if two circles touch one another, either externally or internally, the straight line which joins their centres, or that line produced, shall pass through the point of contact: for Euclid shews, that on any other supposition than that stated in the proposition, it would follow that one line would be both greater and less than another at the same time, which is absurd.

ABTHANES, a title of honour used by the ancient inhabitants of Scotland, who called their nobles Thanes, which in the old Saxon singifies king's ministers of these the higher rank were styled Abthanes, the lower Under

thanes.

ABUNDANCE. s. (abondance, Fr.) 1. Plenty (Crashaw). 2. Great numbers (Idd.). 3. A great quantity (Ral.). 4. Exuberance; more than enough (Spen.).

ABUNDANT. a. (abundans, Lat.) 1. Plentiful (Mill.). 2. Exuberant (Arb.). 3. Fully stored with in (Bur.).

ABUNDANT NUMBER, in arithmetic, is a number whose aliquot parts, added all together, make a sum which is greater than the number itself. Thus 12 is an abundant number, because its aliquot parts, namely 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, when added together make 16, which is greater than the number 12 itself.

ABUNDANTLY. ad. (from abundant.) 1. In plenty (Gen.). 2. Amply; liberally; more than sufficiently.

2

To ABUSE. v. a. (abutor, Lat.) In abuse, the verb, s has the sound of ; in the noun, the common sound. 1. To make an ill use of (1 Gr.). 2. To deceive; to impose upon (Bacon). 3. To treat with rudeness (Shaks.). ABU'SE. s. (from the verb abuse.) 1. The ill use of any thing (Hooker). 2. A corrupt practice: bad custom (Swift). 3. Seducement (Sid.). 4. Unjust censure; rude approach (Milt.).

ABUSER. s. (pronounced abuzer.) 1. He that makes an ill use. 2. He that deceives (Den.). 3. He that reproaches with rude4. A ravisher; a violator.

ABUSIVE. a. (from abuse.) 1. Practissing abuse (Pope). 2. Containing abuse (Rose.). 3. Deceitful (Bacoa). ABUSIVELY. ad. (from abuse.) propedy; by a wrong use (Boyle). 2. Reproachfully (Herb.).

1. In

To ABUT. v. n. Obsolete. (aboutir, to touch at the end, Fr.) To end at; to border upon; to meet or approach to.

ABUTILLON of Tourn. Indian mallow See SIDA.

ABUTILLON OF DILL and ELTH. Carolina mallow. See MALVA.

ABUTMENT. s. (from abut.) That which abuts, or borders upon another.

ABUTTALS. s. Among lawyers, the buttings, or boundings of a piece of land. In Coke the plaintiff is said to "fail in his abuttals," i. e. in shewing how the land is bounded.

ABYDOS, a town and castle of Natolia, in Lesser Asia. Here the streight, which is called Gallipoli, and which divides Europe from Asia, is two miles over. All ships coming out of the Archipelago are searched here. Lat. 40. 16 N. Lon. 37. 36 E.

ABYLA, one of Hercules's pillars on the African side, over against Calpe in Spain, the other pillar.

ABYSM. s. (abysme, old Fr.) A gulf: the same with abyss (Shaks.).

ABY'SS. s. (abyssus, Lat. afucco;, bottomless, Gr.) 1. A depth without bottom (Milt.). 2. A great depth; a gulf (Dry.). 3. That in which any thing is lost (Locke). 4 The body of waters supposed at the centre of the earth (Bur.). 5. În the language of divines, hell (Rosc.). In the fourth sense above, the existence of an abyss, or receptacle of subterraneous waters, is controverted by Camerarius, but warmly defended by Dr. Woodward. Its existence is, however, in our opinion far from demonstrated; and it appears in some respects inconsistent with sound philosophy. A thing

ABYSS is also used in heraldry. is said to be bore in abyss, en abysme, when placed in the middle of the shield, clear from any other bearing.

ABYSS, in antiquity, the name given to the temple of Proserpine.

ABYSSINIA, called also HIGHER ETHIOPIA, and by the Arabians AL HABASH, is bounded on the north by Nubia; on the east by the Arabian gulf, or Red sea, and the kingdom of Adel; on the south by the kingdoms of Ajan, Alaba, and Gingiro; and on the west by the kingdom of Goram, and part of Gingiro. In this country the famous river Nile has its source. On the mountains the air is pretty temperate; therefore their towns and fortresses are generally placed on them; but in the valleys the heat is intense. The torrents of water in the rainy seasons wash a great deal of gold from the mountains. These seasons commence in May, and end in Sep

her. The inhabitants of this country, in sar, are of an olive complexion, tall, eful, and well featured. Their language Ethiopie, which bears a great affinity to Arabic. Gold, silver, copper, and iron, the principal ores which abound there, It not above one-third part of their gold is Certed into money, or used in trade. ABYSSINIAN is used as the name of a , in the Christian church, established in empire of Abyssinia. The Abyssinians are anch of the Cophts, or Jacobites; with a they agree in admitting only one natar in Jesus Christ, and rejecting the counof Chalcedon: whence they are also called Maophysites, and Eutychians. The Abyschurch is governed by a bishop, or meplan, styled aluna, sent them by the Cphic patriarch of Alexandria residing at Can, who is the only person that ordains priests. They have canons also, and monks; termer of whom marry, the latter at their sion row celibacy, but with a reservation. Le Grand says, they make a promise aloud, here their superior, to keep chastity, but add abow voice, as you keep it. The emperor kind of supremacy in ecclesiastical matThey have at least as many miracles, legends of saints, as the Romish church; wach proved no small embarrassment to the Jest missionaries, to whom they produced » many miracles, wrought by their saints, in proot of their religion, and those so well cirstantiated and attested, that the Jesuits were obliged to deny miracles to be any proof a true religion; and in proof hereof to allege the same arguments against the Abyssimans, which protestants in Europe allege ainst the papists. Ludolf allows that they beve the real presence after the Lutheran Lanner, but denies that they hold transubCitation; though Renaudot asserts, that they maintain it. They pray for the dead,

invoke saints and angels; have so great a veneration for the Virgin, that they charged the Jesuits with not rendering her honour rough. Images in painting they venerate, but abhor all those in relievo, except the cross. They hold that the soul of man is not created, because, say they, God finished all his work on the sixth day. They admit the apocryphal books, and the canons of the apostles, as well the apostolical constitution, for genuine. Their liturgy is given by Alvarez, and in English by Pagit; their calendar by Ludolf.

ACACIA. (axaxia, from axaw, to sharpen.) A name given to various species of the MIMOSA, which see. Of the species that have been employed in medicine, the following are the chief: 1. Acacia germanica, or acacia nostras. Prunus sylvestris, Prunus spiDosa of Linnéus. The wood or wild sloe. The inspissated juice of this fruit was once a favourite rob. 2. Acacia vera, Mimosa nilotica of Linnéus. The juice of this was employed

like that of the acacia germanica. They both possess astringent virtues, and were formerly esteemed in dysenteries, and diarrhoeas, from relaxation of the intestine canal. The last is the gum-arabic tree. 3. Acacia Indiana, the tamarind tree. 4. Acacia Zey. lanica, lignum campechense, or log-wood. ACACIA, false. See ROBINIA. ACACIA, German. See PRUNUS. ACACIA, three thorned. See GLEDITSIA. ACACIA, among antiquarians, something resembling a roll or bag, seen on medals, as in the hands of consuls, cimperors, &c.

ACACIANS, in church history, the followers of Acacius, bishop of Caesarea, who fiourished about the middle of the fourth century. Some of them maintained, that the Son was not of the same, but of a similar substance with the Father: others held that he was of a different substance from the Father. This was likewise the denomination of another sect, derived from the name of their leader, a patriarch of Constantinople, in the fifth century, who favoured the opinion of Eutyches. See EUTYCHIANS.

ACADEMIA MUSICALE. (Ital. musical academy.) A term long since applied, by the Italians, to certain musical meetings, held under a directing leader, for the purpose of amusement and practical improvement. The earliest academia musicale of which we have any account was instituted at Vicenza, about the year 1500, and called the Academia degli Filarmonici. An academy of music was instituted at Paris in the year 1669: in England the first institution of this kind took place in the year 1710, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand. And in 1720, there was formed, by subscription, an ACADEMY ROYAL OF MUSICIANS, under the patronage of king George the First.

ACADEMIAL. a. (from academy.) Relating to an academy.

ACADEMIAN s. (from academy.) A scholar of an academy or university (Wood). ACADEMICAL a. (academicus, Lat.) Belonging to an university (otton).

ACADEMICIAN. s. (academicien, Fr.) The member of an academy.

ACADEMICS, a sect of philosophers, who followed the doctrine of Socrates and Plato, as to the uncertainty of knowledge, and the incomprehensibility of truth. Academic, in this sense, amounts to much the same with Platonist; the difference between them being only in point of time. They who embraced the system of Plato, among the ancients, were called academici; whereas those who did the same since the restoration of learning, have assumed the denomination of Platonists. We usually reckon three sects of academics; though some make five. The ancient academy was that whereof Plato was the chief. (See PLATONISM). Arcesilas, one of his successors, introducing some alterations into the philoso

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icd what they call the Die estabeshment of the De con doen, is attribut1,96 ker to Carncades. Some , founded by Philo; and Acous, called the Antiochang ria weiid the ancient academy with ore the days of Plato, philosoPax had a great measure fallen into conThe contradictory systems and hypotheses whien had successfully been urged upon the world were become so numerous, that, from a view of this inconsistency and uncertainty of human opinions, many were led to conclude that truth lay beyond the reach of our comprehension. Absolute and universal scepticism was the natural consequence of this conclusion. In order to remedy this abase of philosophy and of the human faculties, Plato laid hold of and refuted the principles of the academical philosophy. Of the sceptics of our own country, Berkeley and Hume are the most considerable. Berkeley denied the existence of every thing, excepting his own ideas. Mr. Hume has gone a step further, and questioned even the existence of ideas; but at the same time has not hesitated to give determined opinions with regard to eternity, Providence, and a future state, miraculous interpositions of the Deity, &c. subjects far above the reach of our faculties. In his essay on the academical or sceptical philosophy, he has founded two very opposite species of philosophy. After the days of Plato, indeed, the principles of the first academy were grossly corrupted by Arcesilas, Carneades, &c. This night lead Mr. Hume into the notion that the academical and sceptical philosophy were synonymous terms. But no principles can be of a more opposite nature than those which were inculcated by the old academy of Socrates and Plato, and the sceptical notions which were propagated by Arcesilas, Carneades, and the other disciples of the succeeding academics.

ACADEMICS, in a larger sense, is applied to the members of an academy, or of a college. ACADEMIST. The same as ACADEMIC or ACADEMICIAN.

ACADEMUS or ECADEMUS, an Athenian citizen, whose house and garden being employed as a philosophical school, in the time of Theseus, he had the honour of giving a name to a sect of philosophers, or rather three sects, called Academics.

ACADEMY, in antiquity, a garden, villa, or grove, near Athens, where the philosophers delivered their instructions, and their followers held their conferences. The name academy is taken from Ecademus, the original owner of the ground, who lived in the time of Theseus. The academic gardens occupied a surface somewhat exceeding a mile square, in the environs of Athens, and extended from the banks of the Ilissus to those of the Cephisus. The

centre belonged to the disciples of Epicurus ; southwards were those of Aristotle; and northwards the followers of Plato: to whose garden the term academy has been generally confined. Each sect was distinguished by peculiar manners and characteristics; yet never did sects di cover less turbulence, or neighbours fewer jealousies: an alley of olivetrees, or a thicket of myrtles, separated the dominions of systeni, and served as boundaries to the empire of opinions. The philosophers retained these possessions until Greece fell under the yoke of the Roman Catholics: at the unusual sight of priests and monks armed with axes and torches, philosophy abandoned the regions of Greece, and that reign of darkness succeeded, which still continues there.

ACADEMY, among the moderns, denotes a regular society or company of learned persous, instituted under the protection of some prince, or other public authority, for the cultivation and improvement of arts or sciences. Some authors confound academy with university; but though much the same in Latin, they are very different things in English. An university is properly a body composed of graduates in the several faculties; of professors, who teach in the public schools; of regents, or tutors, and students who learn under them, and aspire likewise to degrees. Whereas an academy is not intended to teach or profess any art or science, but to improve it: it is not for novices to be instructed in, but for those that are more knowing; for persons of learning to confer in, and communicate their lights and discoveries to each other, for their mutual benefit and improvement.

The first modern academy we read of, was established by Charlemagne, by the advice of Alcuin, an English monk: it was composed of the chief geniuses of the court, the emperor himself being a member. In their academical conferences, every person was to give some account of the ancient authors he had read; and cach one assumed the name of some ancient author that pleased him most, or some celebrated person of antiquity. Alcuin, from whose letters we learn these particulars, took that of Flaccus, the surname of Horace; a young lord, named Augilbert, took that of Homer; Adelard, bishop of Corbie, was cailed Augustin; Recluse, bishop of Mentz, was Dametus; and the king himself David. Most nations have now their academies; but Italy has by far the greatest number. The French have many flourishing academies, most of which were established by Louis XIV. We have but few in Britain; and those of the chiefest note go by a different name. There are, however, in London, the Academy of Painting, and that of Music; established by letters-patent, and governed by their respective directors. In giving an account of the principal academics, it seems most proper to arrange them according to their subjects.

1 Medical Academies; as that of the Nate Curiosi in Germany; that founded at Fermo in 1645; another at Venice in 1701, wach meets weekly in a hall near the grand spiral; another at Geneva in 1715, in the house of M. Le Clerc. The colleges of physiciand at London and Edinburgh are also, by some, naked in the number of academies. (See CoL LEGE.) The academy of Nature Curiosi, called also the Leopoldine academy, was founded in 12, by Jo. Laur. Bauschius, a physician: who, in imitation of the English, published an invitation to all physicians to communicate their aurordinary cases; and, meeting with succs, was elected president. Their works were at first published separately; but in 1670 a w scheme was laid for publishing a volose of observations every year. The first veline appeared in the year 1684, under the ths of Ephemerides, and the work has been amined with some interruptions and varias of the title, &c. In 1687, the emperor Led took the society under his protection, asing the members several privileges, parLy that their presidents should be counts ne of the holy Roman empire. This my has no fixed residence or regular ases: instead of these, there is a kind of , or office, first established at Breslau, afterwards removed to Nuremberg, where ken, observations, &c. from correspondents embers are taken in. The academy confels of a president, two adjuncts or secretaries, colleagues or members without restriction. The colleagues, at their admission, oblige Caseives to two things: first, to choose ne subject out of the animal, vegetable, or neral kingdom, to handle, provided it had not been treated of by any colleague before; The second, to apply themselves to furnish Laaterials for the annual Ephemerides. Each tara ber to bear a symbol of the academy, viz. ald ring, whereon, instead of a stone, is a open, and, on the face thereof, an eye; on the other side the motto of the academy, Nazquam otiosus.

II. Chirurgical Academies; as that infitted some years ago, by public authority, at Paris: the members of which were not only to publish their own and correspondents' observations and improvements; but to give an account of all that is published on surgery, and to compose a complete history of the art, by their extracts from all the authors, ancient and modern, who have wrote on it. A questen in surgery is annually proposed by the academy, and a gold medal of two hundred livres value given to him who furnishes the most satisfactory answer.

III. Ecclesiastical Academies; as that at Bologna in Italy, instituted in 1687, employed in the examination of the doctrine, scipline, and history of each age of the church.

IV. Cosmographical Academies; as that

at Venice, called the Argonauts. This was instituted at the solicitation of F. Coronelli, for the improvement of geographical knowledge. Its design was to publish exact maps, both celestial and terrestrial, as well particular as general, together with geographical, historical, and astronomical descriptions. Each member, in order to defray the expence of such a publication, was to subscribe a proportional sum, for which they were to receive one or more copies of each piece published. For this end, three societies are settled; one under F. Moro, provincial of the Minorites in Hungary; another under the abbot Laurence, au Rue Payenne au Marais; the third under F. Baldigiani, jesuit, professor of mathematics in the Roman college. The device of this academy is the terraqueous globe, with the motto Plus ultra; and at its expence all the globes, maps, and geographical writings, of F. Coronelli have been published.

V. Academies of Sciences. These comprehend such as are erected for improving natural and mathematical knowledge. They are otherwise called Philosophical and Physical Academies. The first of these was instituted at Naples, about the year 1560, in the house of Baptista Porta. It was called the Academy Secretorum Natura; and was succeeded by the Academy of Lyncei, founded at Rome by Prince Frederic Cesi, towards the end of that century. Several of the members of this academy rendered it famous by their discoveries; among these was the celebrated Galileo. Several other academies were instituted about that time, which contributed greatly to the advancement of the sciences; but none of them comparable to that of the Lyncei. Some years after the death of Torricelli, the Academy del Cimento made its appearance, under the protection of prince Leopold, afterwards cardinal de Medicis. Redi was one of its chief members; and the studies pursued by the rest may be collected from those curious experiments published in 1667, by their secretary, count Laurence Magulotti, under the title of Saggi di Naturalli Esperienze; a copy of which was presented to the Royal Society, translated into English by Mr. Waller, and published at London in quarto.

The Academy degl' Inquieti, afterwards incorporated into that of Dello Tracia in the same city, followed the example of that of Del Cimento. Some excellent discourses on physical and mathematical subjects, by Geminiano Montenari, one of the chief members, was published in 1667, under the title of Pensieri Fisico Matematici.

The Academy of Rossano, in the kingdom of Naples, was originally an academy of Belles Lettres, founded in 1540, and transformed into an Academy of Sciences in 1695, at the solicitation of the learned abbot, Don Giacinto Gimma; who being made president, under the title of Promoter General thereof,

wc exclations. He dividno the following classes: Dacicians, poets, historians, Ovcetas, mathematicians, lawwith a class apart for carAs of quality. Several other scences have been founded in i want of being supported by not continue long. The loss of Nowever, was abundantly repaired by auton of others still subsisting; such so academy of Filarmonici at Verona; of Ar at Padua, where a learned discourse w the origin of springs was delivered by sig. Vallisnieri, first professor of physic in the university of that city, and which was afterwards printed. To the academy of the Muti de Regio, at Modena, the same sig. Vallisnieri presented an excellent discourse on the scale of created beings, since inserted in his history of the generation of man and animals printed at Venice in the year 1721. F. Mersenne is said to have given the first idea of a philosophical academy in France, towards the beginning of the seventeenth century, by the conferences of naturalists and matliematicians occasionally held at his lodgings; at which Gassendi, Des Cartes, Hobbes, Roberval, Pascal, Blondel, and others, assi-ted. F. Mersenne proposed to each certain problems to examine, or certain experiments to be made. These private assemblies were succeeded by more public ones, formed by Mr. Montmort, and Ar. Thevenot, the celebrated traveller. The French example animated several Englishmen of distinction and learning to erect a kind of philosophical academy at Oxford, towards the close of Oliver Cromwell's administration; which, after the Restoration, was erected into a Royal Society. (See SOCIETY.) The English example, in its turn, animated the French. Lewis XIV. in 1906, assisted by the counsels of Mr. Colbert, founded an academy of Sciences at Paris, with a sufficient revenue to defray the charge of experiments, and salaries to the members.

Royal Academy of Sciences. After the peace of the Pyrenees, Lewis XIV. being desirous of establishing the arts, sciences, and literature, upon a solid foundation, directed M. Colbert to form a society of men of known abilities and experience in the different branches, who should incet together under the king's protection, and communicate their respective discoveries. Accordingly Mr. Colbert, having conferred with those who were at that time most celebrated for their learning, resolved to form a society of such persons as were conversant in natural philosophy and mathematics, to join to them other persons skilled in history and other branches of crudition, along with those who were entirely engaged in what are called the Belles Lettres, grammar, eloence, and poetry. All the different classes ordered to meet together upon the first

Thursday of every month; and, by their respective secretaries, make a report of the proceedings of the foregoing month. In a short time, however, the classes of History, Belles Lettres, &c. were united to the French Academy, which was originally instituted for the improvement and refining the French language, so that the Royal Academy contained only two classes, viz. that of natural philosophy and mathematics. In the year 100g the king, by a proclamation dated the 26th of January, gave this academy a new form, and put it upon a more respectable footing.-11 was now to be composed of four kinds of members, riz. honorary, pensionary, associates, and eleves. These last were a kind of pupils, or scholars, each of whom was attached to one of the pensionaries. The first class to contain ten persons, and each of the rest twenty. The honorary academists to be all inhabitants of France; the pensionaries all to reside at Paris; eight of the associates allowed to be foreigners; and the elèves all to live at Paris. The officers to be, a president named by the king, out of the class of honorary academists; and a secretary and treasurer, to be perpetual. Of the pensionaries, three to be geometricians, three astronomers, three mechanics, three anatomists, three chemists, three botanists, and the remaining two to be secretary and treasurer. Of the twelve associates, two to apply themselves to geometry, two to botany, and two to chemistry. The elèves to apply themselves to the same kind of science with the pensionaries, they were attached to; and not to speak, except when called by the president. No regular or religious to be admitted, except into the class of honorary academists; nor any person to be admitted either for associate or pensionary, unless known by some considerable printed work, some machine, or other discovery. To encourage the members to pursue their labours, the king engaged not only to pay the ordinary pensions, but even to give extraordinary gratifications, according to the merit of their respective performances; furnishing withal the expence of the experiments and other enquiries necessary to be made. If any member gave in a bill of charges of experiments he had made, or desired the printing of any book, and brought in the charges of graving, the money was immediately paid by the king, upon the president's allowing and signing the bill. So, if an anatomist required live tortoises, for instance, for making experiments about the heart, &c. as many as he pleased were brought him at the king's charge. Their motto was, Invenit et perfecit. In the year 1716, the Duke of Orleans, then regent, made an alteration in their constitution; augmenting the number of honoraries, and of associates capable of being foreigners, to twelve; admitting regulars among such associates; and suppressing the class of clèves, as it appeared to be attended with some inconveni