pnugues/EB7 huggingface dataset:
SEAL, a stone, piece of metal, or other matter, usually either round or oval, on which are engraven the arms or device of some prince, state, community, magistrate, or private person, often with a legend or inscription.

The use of seals, as a mark of authenticity to letters and other instruments in writing, is extremely ancient. We read of it among the Jews and Persians in the earliest and most sacred records of history; and in the book of Jeremiah there is a very remarkable instance, not only of attestation by seal, but also of the other usual formalities attending a Jewish purchase. In the civil law, also, seals were the evidences of truth, and were required, on the part of the witnesses at least, at the attestation of every testament. But in the times of our Saxon ancestors they were not much in use in England; for though Sir Edward Coke relies on an instance of King Edwyn’s making use of a seal about a hundred years before the Conquest, yet it does not follow that this was the usage among the whole nation; and perhaps the charter he mentions may be of doubtful authority, from this very circumstance of its being sealed, since we are assured by all our ancient historians that sealing was not then in common use. The method of the Saxons was, for such as could write to subscribe their names, and, whether they could write or not, to affix the sign of the cross; which custom our illiterate vulgar for the most part observe, by signing a cross for their mark when unable to write their names. And indeed this inability to write, and therefore making a cross in its stead, is honestly avowed by Caedwaila, a Saxon king, at the end of one of his charters. In like manner, and for the same insurmountable reason, the Normans, a brave but illiterate nation, at their first settlement in France used the practice of sealing only, without writing their names; and this custom continued when learning made its way among them, though the reason for doing it had ceased; and hence the charter of Edward the Confessor, to Westminster Abbey, himself being brought up in Normandy, was witnessed only by his seal, and is generally thought to be the oldest sealed charter of any authenticity in England. At the Conquest the Norman lords brought over into this kingdom their own fashions, and introduced waxen seals only, instead of the English method of writing their names, and signing with the sign of the cross. The impressions of these seals were sometimes a knight on horseback, sometimes other devices; but coats of arms were not introduced into seals, nor indeed used at all, till about the reign of Richard I. who, it is said by some, brought them from the crusade in the Holy Land, where they were first invented and painted on the shields of the knights, to distinguish the variety of persons of every Christian nation who resorted thither.

This neglect of signing, and resting only upon the authenticity of seals, remained in Scotland till the year 1540, when a statute was enacted ordering subscription for the purpose of authenticating deeds and writs.[7:20:33]
SEARCH-W arrant, in Law, a kind of general warrant issued by justices of peace or by magistrates of towns, for searching all suspected places for stolen goods. In Scotland this was often done formerly; and in some English lawbooks there are precedents requiring the constable to search all such suspected places as he and the party complaining shall think convenient; but such practice is condemned by Lord Hale, Mr Hawkins, and the best authorities both among the English and the Scotch lawyers. However, in case of a complaint, and oath made of goods stolen, and that the party suspects that those goods are in a particular house, and shows the cause of such suspicion, the justice may grant a warrant to search not only that house, but other suspected places, and to attach the goods, and the party in whose custody they are found, and bring them before him or some other justice, to give an account how he came by them, and to abide such order as to law shall appertain. This warrant should be directed to the constable or other public officer, who may enter a suspected house and make search.
SEATON, a town in the hundred of Colyton, in the county of Devon, 150 miles from London. It consists chiefly of one street, and stands on the sea-shore, in a very pleasant but secluded situation. It is much resorted to as a sea-bathing place during the summer months; and there is a considerable fishery carried on from hence. It has a parish church and an Independent chapel. The population amounted in 1821 to 1745, and in 1831 to 1803, taken at a period of the year when there is no occasional residence.

Seaton-Carew, a township in the parish of Stranton, in the county of Durham, in the ward of Stockton, two miles from Hartlepool, seven from Stockton, and 256 from London. It stands close to the sea-shore, near the influx of the river Tees into the sea. It is well adapted for seabathing, which has caused an increase in the number of the houses. The chief occupation of the inhabitants is that of fishing. Their number amounted in 1821 to 704, and in 1831 to 736; but it has much increased in the last seven years.
SEBACIC Acid, so called because it is procured from fat.
SEBASTIANO, called Del Piombo, from an office in the lead-mines given him by Pope Clement VII., was an eminent Venetian painter, born in the year 1485. He was first a disciple of old Giovanni Bellino; continued his studies under Giorgione; and having attained an excellent manner of colouring, went to Rome, where he insinuated himself into the favour of Michel Angelo. He has the reputation of being the first who invented the art of preparing plaster-walls for oil-painting; but he was so slow and lazy in his work, that other hands were often employed to finish what he had begun. He died in 1547.
SEBESE, or Pulo Βιciε, a small island in the Straits of Sunda. Long. 105. 27. E. Lat. 5. 50. S.
SEBSVAR, a town of Khorassan, in Persia, 180 miles north-west of Herat. It was taken in 1381 by Timur, who made a cruel example of the inhabitants who revolted from his yoke, burying alive ten thousand of their number.
SEBURAI, Seburaci, a name which the Jews give to such of their rabbin or doctors as lived and taught some time after the finishing of the Talmud.
SECALE, Rye. See Agriculture.
SECANT, in Geometry, a line that cuts another, or divides it into parts.
SECANT, in Trigonometry, denotes a right line drawn from the centre of a circle, which, cutting the circumference, proceeds till it meets with a tangent to the same circle.[7:20:61]
SECHELLES, a cluster of high, rocky, and, generally speaking, barren islands, in the Indian Ocean, only three of which are inhabited. Cotton is the only product. There are twelve smaller islands, and as many islets or rocks, besides the larger ones. They abound in turtle, oysters, and particularly cocoa-nuts, which are imported by the inhabitants of the Mauritius. There are six decked vessels which belong to the inhabitants. Lat. 4. to 5. S.
SECKENDORF, Guy Louis de, a very learned German, descended from an ancient and noble family, was born at Aurach, in Franconia, in 1626. He was a good linguist, learned in law, history, and divinity, and is staid to have been a tolerable painter and engraver. He was honourably employed by several of the German princes; and died counsellor of state to Frederick III., elector of Brandenburg, and chancellor of the university of Halle, in 1692. He wrote many books, particularly a history and defence of the Lutheran religion, in Latin, in two volumes folio, Frankfort, 1602.
SECOND, in Geometry, chronology, and other sciences, the sixtieth part of a prime or minute, whether of a degree or of an hour.

Second, in Music, one of the musical intervals, being only the difference between any sound and the next nearest sound, whether above or below it.
SECT, a collective term, comprehending all those who follow the doctrines and opinions of some famous divine, philosopher, or other person.
SECTION, in general, denotes a part of a divided thing, or the division itself. Such, particularly, are the subdivisions of a chapter, called also paragraphs and articles. The mark of a section is §.

S ection , in Geometry, denotes a side or surface of a body or figure cut off by another, or the place where lines, planes, and the like, cut each other.
SECULARIZATION, the act of converting a regular person, place, or benefice, into a secular one. Almost all the cathedral churches were anciently regular, that is, the canons were religious; but they have been since secularized. For the secularization of a regular church, there is required the authority of the pope, that of the prince, the bishop of the place, the patron, and even the consent of the people. Religious that want to be released from their vow, obtain briefs of secularization from the pope.
SECUNDRA, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Agra, and district of Furrukabad, forty-four miles north-east from Agra. Long. 78. 21. E. Lat. 27. 45. N. It is also a town of Delhi, in the district of Merat, twenty-eight miles south-east from the city of Delhi. Long. 77. 34. E. Lat. 28. 38. N. Likewise a town in the province of Agra, district of Etaweh, on the Jumna, forty-seven miles from the town of Etaweh. Long. 79. 35. E. Lat. 26. 23. N.
SECUTORES, a species of gladiators among the Romans, whose arms were a helmet, a shield, and a sword or a leaden bullet. They were armed in this manner, because they had to contend with the retiarii, who were dressed in a short tunic, and bore a three-pointed lance in their left hand, and a net in their right. The retiariue attempted to cast his net over the head of the secutor; and if he succeeded, he drew it together and slew him with his trident; but if he missed his aim, he immediately betook himself to flight, till he could find a second opportunity of entangling his adversary with his net. He was pursued by the secutor, who endeavoured to despatch him in his flight.

Secutores was , also a name given to such gladiators as took the place of those that were killed in the combat, or who engaged the conqueror. This post was usually taken by lot.
SEDAN, an arrondissement of the department of the Ardennes, in France, extending over 278 square miles, divided into four cantons and eighty-two communes, with, in the year 1836, 63,233 inhabitants. The capital is the fortified city of the same name, situated on the river Meuse. It is celebrated for its cloth manufactures, especially those of black; and it has also some considerable establishments for making cannon, muskets, and other arms, as well as other kinds of hardware, and china. In the same year its population amounted to 13,719. It was the birthplace of the celebrated Turenne. Long. 4. 52. 31. E. Lat. 49. 22. 29. N.
SEDAN-CHAIR is a covered vehicle for carrying a single person, being suspended by two poles, and borne by two men, who are hence denominated chairmen. They were first introduced into London in 1634, when Sir Sanders Duncomb obtained the sole privilege to use, let, and hire a number of the said covered chairs for fourteen years.
SEDASIER, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Mysore, and district of Coorg. In 1799 the troops of Tippoo Sultan were here defeated by the British. It is seven miles north-west of Periapatam.
SEDBERGH, a town in the wapentake of Staincliff and Ewcross, in the west riding of the county of York, 271 miles from London. It is situated on the borders of Westmoreland, at the foot of the Houghill Fells. It has a market, which is held on Thursday. The population amounted in 1821 to 4483, and in 1831 to 4711.
SEDHOUT, a district in the Balaghaut ceded territories, situated principally between the fourteenth and fifteenth degrees of north latitude. It lies immediately within the Eastern Ghauts. It is a rocky and mountainous region, indifferently cultivated, but interspersed with fertile valleys. The chief river is the Pennar, and the principal town is Odegherry. The fortress of Sedhout, the capital of the above district, was taken by Meer Jumla about the year 1650. At this period Sedhout and the adjoining district were celebrated for their diamond mines, which, however, are no longer worked.
SEDITION, among civilians, is used for a factious com-[7:20:74] motion of the people, or an assembly of a number of citizens without lawful authority, tending to disturb the peace and order of society. This offence is of different kinds. Some seditions more immediately threaten the supreme power, and the subversion of the present constitution of the state; others tend only towards the redress of private grievances. Among the Romans, therefore, it was variously punished, according as its end and tendency threatened greater mischief. (See lib. i. Cod. de Seditiosis, and Mat. de crimin. lib. ii. n. 5, Be Laesa Majestate.) In the punishment, the authors and ringleaders were justly distinguished from those who, with less wicked intention, joined and made part of the multitude.

The same distinction holds in the law of England and in that of Scotland. Some kinds of sedition in England amount to high treason, and come within the statute 25 Edward III. as levying war against the king. And several seditions are mentioned in the Scotch acts of parliament as treasonable (Bayne’s Crim. Law of Scotland, p. 33, 34). The law of Scotland makes riotous and tumultuous assemblies a species of sedition. But the law there, as well as in England, is now chiefly regulated by the riot act, made 1 Geo. I.; only it is to be observed, that the proper officers in Scotland to make the proclamation thereby enacted are sheriffs, stewards, and bailies of regalities, or their deputies; magistrates of royal boroughs, and all other inferior judges and magistrates; high and petty constables, or other officers of the peace, in any county, stewartry, city, or town. In that part of the island, the punishment of the offence is any thing short of death which the judges, in their discretion, may appoint.
SEDATIVES, in Medicine, a general name for such medicines as weaken the powers of nature, such as blood-letting, cooling salts, purgatives, and the like.
SE-DEFENDENDO, in Law, is a plea used for him who is charged with the death of another, by alleging that he was under a necessity of doing what he did in his own defence; as that the other assaulted him in such a manner, that if he had not done what he did, he must have been in hazard of his own life.
SEDLEY, S ir Charles, an English poet and wit, the son of Sir John Sedley of Aylesford in Kent, was born about the year 1639. At the restoration he came to London to join the general jubilee, and commenced wit, courtier, poet, and gallant He was so much admired, that he became a kind of oracle among the poets; which made King Charles tell him, that nature had given him a patent to be Apollo’s viceroy. The productions of his pen were some plays, and several delicately tender amorous poems, in which the softness of the verses was so exquisite, as to be called by the Duke of Buckingham Sedley’s witchcraft. Less pleasing opinions, however, have been expressed by others. “There were no marks of genius or true poetry to be descried,” say the authors of the Biographia Britannica; “the art wholly consisted in raising loose thoughts and lewd desires, without giving any alarm; and so the poison worked gently and irresistibly. Our author, we may be sure, did not escape the infection of his own art, or rather was first tainted himself before he spread the infection to others.” A very ingenious writer, however, speaks much more favourably of Sir Charles Sedley’s writings. “He studied human nature,” says Langhorn in his Effusions, “and was distinguished for the art of making himself agreeable, particularly to the ladies; for the verses of Lord Rochester, beginning with, Sedley has that prevailing gentle art, so often quoted, allude not to his writings, but to his personal address.” But whilst he thus grew in reputation for wit and in favour with the king, he became poor and debauched; his estate was impaired, and his morale were corrupted. One of his frolics, however, being followed by an indictment and a heavy fine, Sir Charles took a more se rious turn, applied himself to business, and became a member of parliament in which he was a frequent speaker. We find him in the House of Commons in the reign of James II., whose attempts upon the constitution he vigorously withstood; and he was very active in bringing about the Revolution. This was thought more extraordinary, as he had received favours from James. But that prince had taken a fancy to Sir Charles’s daughter, though it seems she was not very handsome, and, in consequence of his intrigues with her, he created Miss Sedley countess of Dorchester. This honour, so far from pleasing, greatly shocked Sir Charles. However libertine he himself had been, yet he could not bear the thoughts of his daughter’s dishonour; and with regard to her exaltation, he only considered it as rendering her more conspicuously infamous. He therefore conceived a hatred for the king, and from this, as well as other motives, readily joined to dispossess him of the throne. A witty saying of Sedley’s, on this occasion, is recorded. “I hate ingratitude,” said Sir Charles; “and therefore, as the king has made my daughter a countess, I will endeavour to make his daughter a queen meaning the Princess Mary, married to the Prince of Orange, who dispossessed James of the throne at the Revolution. He lived till the beginning of Queen Anne’s reign, and his works were printed in two vols. 8vo, 1719.
SEDRE Passage, a narrow channel of the Eastern Seas, on the north coast of Sumatra, between Pulo Nancy and King’s Point
SEE Amol, a small island in the Eastern Seas, near the east coast of Borneo. Long. 118. 48. E. Lat. 5. 27. N.
See Bangog, a small island in the Eastern Seas, near the east coast of Borneo. Long. 118. 24. E. Lat. 4. 18. N.
See Beeroo Isle, an island that lies off the west coast of Sumatra, and is situated principally between the first and second degrees of south latitude, and the ninety-eighth and ninety-ninth of east longitude. It is seventy miles in length by ten in average breadth, and contains a volcano, which renders it conspicuous at a distance.
SEEASSEE Isle, a small island in the Eastern Seas, one of the Sooloo archipelago. It is a woody island, well supplied with water, and yields many cowries and small baat, named Seeassee.
SEEBAH, a town and district in the Sikh territories, in[7:20:76] the province of Lahore, between the thirty-first and thirty-second degrees of north latitude. The district is hilly, and covered with wood; and the town is fortified, being situated a hundred miles cast by south from the city of Lahore. Long. 75. 34. E. Lat. 31. 39. N.
SEEBGUNGE, a town of Bengal, in the district of Dinagepoor, eighty-four miles north-north-east from Moorshedabad. Long. 89. 12. E. Lat. 25. 3. N.
SEEDGHUR, a celebrated fortress of Hindustan, in the province of Bejapore, taken, with scarcely any loss, from the Mahrattas in 1818.
SEEDLINGS, among gardeners, denote such roots of gilliflowers and others as come from seed sown; also the young and tender shoots of any plants that are newly sown.
SEEKS, or SIKHS, a religious sect settled at Patna, and so called from a word contained in one of the commandments of their founder, which signifies learn thou. In books giving an account of the oriental sects and oriental customs, we find mention made both of the Secks and the Sikhs; and we are strongly inclined to think that the same tribe is meant to be denominated by both words. If so, however, different authors write very differently of their principles and manners. (See Mr Wilkins’s account of them in the Asiatic Researches.)
SEENGHOO, a town of the Birman empire, situated on the banks of the lrrawaddy.
SEEOR, a town of Hindustan, in the Mahratta territories, and province of Malwah, twenty-two miles west by south from Bopal, situated on the small river Rootah Seein. It has a considcrable manufactory of striped and chequered muslins.
SEEPARRAN, a small island in the Eastern Seas, near the east coast of Borneo. Long. 118. 23. E. Lat. 4. 8. N.
SEER, a principality of Arabia, in the province of Om-mon, extending from Cape Mussendoon, along the shores of the Persian Gulf. This country not long since acknowledged the sovereign authority of the Imam; but the scheich has shaken off this dependence, and is often at war with his former master. His navy is one of the most considerable in the Persian Gulf; his subjects are much employed in navigation, and carry on an extensive trade.
SEERDHUNA, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Delhi, and district of Merat. This place was formerly the residence of Somroo Begum, and the capital of a small principality under her government, about twenty miles in length by twelve in breadth, which, with the town, were assigned to Somroo, who was originally a German, his real name being Walter Reinihard, who went to Bengal and entered the French service, and afterwards that of Gregory, an Armenian, who was high in favour with Cossim Ali, to whom he recommended Somroo. It was this adventurer who massacred the English prisoners at Patna in 1763. He died in 1776, leaving a favourite concubine, who resided at Delhi, under the protection of the British government, in 1807, and invested her property in the East India Company’s funds at Calcutta. The district is fertile, producing all kinds of grain, sugar, and cotton. Long, of the town 77. 28. E. Lat. 29. U. N.
SEERPOOR, a town in the province of Bengal, and district of Raujeshy, seventy-four miles north-east from Moorshedabad. Long. 89. 20. E. Lat. 24. 38. N.
SEES, a city of France, in the department of the Orne, and arrondissement of Alençon. It stands in a fruitful plain on the river Orne, near its source, is the seat of a bishop, and contains 900 houses, with 5860 inhabitants, who are employed in making black lace, hosiery, and cotton goods. Long. 6. 4. 44. E. Lat. 48. 36. 21. N.
SEETACOOND, a town of Bengal, in the district of Chittagong, remarkable for a warm spring, from which issues a flame, which is considered by the ignorant Hindus as an emanation from the deity, and consequently worthy of being worshipped. It is seventeen miles north from Islamabad. Long. 91. 36. E. Lat. 22. 37. N.
SEGALIEN. See SAGHALIEN.
SEGMENT of a Circle, in Geometry, is that part of the circle which is contained between a chord and an arc of the same circle.
SEGMENTS, L ine of, two particular lines on Gunter’s sector. They lie between the lines of sines and superficies, and are numbered 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. They represent the diameter of a circle, so divided into 100 parts, that a right line drawn through these parts, and perpendicular to the diameter, shall cut the circle into two segments, the greater of which shall have the same proportion to the whole circle as the parts cut ofl' have to 100.
SEGO. See Bambarra.
SEGORBE, a city of Spain, upon the Palaneia, in the province of Valencia, and in the neighbourhood of the Marmor Marsh, with 5000 inhabitants, whose trade consists of a few potteries, and the distillation of brandy.
SEGRE, an arrondissement of the department of the Maine and Loire, in France, extending over 408 2 / 3 square miles. It is divided into six cantons, and these into seventy-seven communes, and in 1836 contained 58,109 inhabitants. The capital is a small town of the same name, with some trade in linen goods. Its population in 1836 amounted to 2130.
SEGREANT is the herald’s word for a griffin when drawn in a leaping position, and displaying his wings as if ready to fly.
SEGUE, in Italian music, is often found before aria, alleluja, amen, and some others, to show that those portions or parts are to be sung immediately after the last note of that part over which it is written; but if these words si placet, or ad libitum, are joined with it, it signifies that the portions may be sung or not at pleasure.
SEGUIDILLA, the Spanish name of a quick and animated melody in - time, much used in Spain in singing and in dancing.