pnugues/EB7 huggingface dataset:
MERSENNE, Marin, a learned French author, born at Oysé, in the province of Maine, in the year 1588. He studied at La Flèche at the same time with Descartes, with whom he contracted an intimate friendship, which lasted till death. He afterwards went to Paris, and studied at the Sorbonne; but in 1611 he entered himself amongst the Minims, and became well skilled in Hebrew, philosophy, and mathematics. He was of a tranquil, sincere, and engaging temper; and was universally esteemed by persons illustrious for their birth, their dignity, and their learning. He taught philosophy and divinity in the convent of Nevers, and at length became superior of that establishment; but being anxious to apply himself with more freedom to study, he resigned all the posts he enjoyed in his order, and travelled into Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. He wrote a great number of excellent works, the principal of which are, 1. Questiones celeberrimae in Genesim; 2. Harmonicoum libri; 3. De Sonorum natura, causis, et effectibus; 4. Cogitata physicomathematica; 5. La Vérité des Sciences; 6. Les Questions inouies. He died at Paris in 1648. He had the reputation of being one of the best men of his age. No person was more curious in penetrating into the secrets of nature, and carrying all the arts and sciences to their utmost perfection. He was in a manner the centre of all the men of learning, by means of the correspondence which he carried on with them. He omitted no means of engaging them to publish their works; and the world is obliged to him for several excellent discoveries, which, had it not been for him, would perhaps have been lost.
MERSEY, a river of England, which rims through the counties of Lancaster, York, and Chester, and empties itself [7:14:596]into the Irish Sea at Liverpool. By means of inland navigation, it has communication with the rivers Dee, Ribble, Ouse, Trent, Derwent, Severn, Humber, Thames, Avon, &c.; a navigation which, including its windings, extends above 500 miles, in the counties of Lincoln, Nottingham, York, Lancaster, Westmoreland, Chester, Stafford, Warwick, Liecester, Oxford, Worcester, &c.

Mersey Island, an island of Essex, at the mouth of the Coin, south of Colchester. It was seized by the Danes in the reign of king Alfred, for their winter quarters. It had eight parishes, which are now reduced to two, viz. East and West Mersey.
MERTHYR TYDVIL, a large town of the county of Glamorgan and hundred of Narberth, in South Wales, 184 miles from London, and 24 from Cardiff. From a small village it has, in a few years, since a canal navigation has been opened with the sea at Cardiff, risen from a small village to a large and populous town. This progress has been made by the great improvement which has been introduced in the fabrication of iron, the ore of which, as well as abundance of coal, is found in vast quantities. The machinery of the principal works, especially the overshed wheels, is of stupendous power, and one is turned by a stream of water brought by artificial means from hills at five miles distance. The cast and forged iron that is made in this place amount to many hundred tons weekly, and with the contingent occupations gives employment to thousands of individuals. It has well supplied markets on Wednesday and Saturday. From its population and wealth it has by the Reform Act acquired the privilege of returning one member to the House of Commons. The population in 1801 amounted to 7,705; in 1811 to 11,104; in 1821 to 17,404; and in 1831 to 22,083.
MERTON, a town in the county of Surrey and hundred of Brixton, seven miles from London. It is situated on the river Wandle and celebrated for its calico printing, which is considered as the most perfect both in design and execution of any produced in England. The college of the same name at Oxford was originally founded here and removed to that city in 1274, at the end of ten years. The great Lord Nelson was a resident of this place. The population in 1801 amounted to 813; in 1811 to 905; in 1821 to 1177; and in 1831 to 1447.
MERUD, also named Amrarati, a large town of Hindustan in the province of Bejapoor, inclosed with a high wall, and commanded by a fort. It is forty-four miles southeast from Poonah. Long. 74. 86 E. Lat. 18. 15. N.
MERU SHAH TEHAIN, acity of Khorassan in Persia, capital of Murgiana, founded by Alexander the Great, and afterwards embellished by Antiochus Nicator, who gave it the name of Antiochia. It is situated on the river Mur-gab, the waters of which were raised by a dyke for the supply of the city. It was one of the four imperial cities of Khorassan, and was long the seat of many of the sultans of Persia, particularly of three of the Seljukian dynasty. The walls were at that time surrounded on all sides with stately palaces, groves, and gardens; and the fruits were reckoned superior to those of any other place. Alp Arslan the most powerful prince of his time, reigned here in all the splendour of oriental magnificence. This great capital was taken and pillaged by the Usbecks about the year 1793,-since which time it has been gradually declining; and its inhabitants do not amount to more than 3000, under the rule of an independent chief, the brother of the ruler of Bokhara, whose territories extend several days’journey round. It is 130 miles N.E. of Meshed.
MERVILE, a city of the department of the north and the arrondisement of Hazebrouch in France. It is situated on the left bank of the river Lys and contains 700 houses, 5700 inhabitants, who refine salt, prepare snuff, and make some cloths.
MESCHTSCHOWSK, a circle of the Russian province of Kaluga, extending over 684 square miles, and containing 78,600 inhabitants. The capital is a town of the same name, 648 miles from St. Petersburg, on the river Tureja, with 360 houses, and 1830 inhabitants. Lat. 44. 22. N. Long. 34. 55. E.
MESEN, a circle in the Russian province of Archangel, extending from 63. 2. to 68. 10. N. lat., and from 37. to 44. 25. E. long. Except in the southernmost part it is very little capable of cultivation, and contains but a very thin population, in a rude state of bare existence. The capital is a city of the same name, situated at the mouth of the river Mesen, which forms a convenient harbour, in lat. 65. 16. 30. N., and long. 44. 18.55. E. It contains 1850 inhabitants, chiefly employed in the fisheries.
MESFAGNA, a town of the province of Otranto, in the kingdom of Naples, the capital of a district of the same name, between Taranto and Brindisi, on the great road. It contains 5200 inhabitants.
MESHED Ali, or Nesjiff, a celebrated town of Irak Arabi, and a holy city, the supposed burying place of the caliph Ali, situated on a hill at the bottom of an artificial lake, twenty-five miles from Hilleh and four miles from Kufa. This city was founded by Alexander the Great and for a long time bore the name of Alexandria which was afterwards changed into that of Hira, when it became the residence of an Arabian dynasty of princes, who fought under the Parthian banners against the emperors of Rome. It was governed by Christian princes till the year 632, when it was taken by Kaled the Saracen general, who put to death the last of the race. It is a well built town, defended by a good wall, deep ditch, and lofty towers, which were renewed in consequence of the dread of an attack from the Wa-habbees. The tomb of Ali, which fills an ample space in the middle of the city, is a monstrous structure, encircled by a high wall, within which it is death for an infidel to penetrate. The dome is light and elegant and was gilded by order of Nadir Shah. The town is supported by an influx of pilgrims who come to adore at the shrine of Ali. The environs are arid and barren, and are rendered still more gloomy by the numerous graves of Persian fanatics who order their remains to be transported hither from the most remote parts of Persia. The town was formerly supplied with water by an aqueduct which was destroyed by the Wahabbccs; so that Colonel Kinneir, who was here in 1808, mentions that a supply of water had to be brought to the city from a distance of three miles in sheep skins. It is 90 miles south of Bagdad.
MESN, or Mesne, a term in law, signifying him who is lord of a manor, and so has tenants holding of him, whilst he himself holds of a superior lord. The word is properly derived from maisne, quasi minor natu, because his tenure is derived from another, from whom he holds.
MESOCHIORI, were musicians amongst the ancients, who presided in concerts, and by beating a wooden desk regularly with their feet, directed the measure of the music. For the purpose of beating time they wore wooden clogs, called by the ancients crupczia, which caused the sound to be better heard.
MESOPORPHYRON, a name given by the Greeks to the Roman laticlave, because that garment being edged on each side, where it opened before, with purple, appeared when closed with two purple stripes down the middle. The same term was also applied to the augusticlave.
MESOPOTAMIA, the ancient name of the province of Diarbeck, in Asiatic Turkey. It is situated between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, having Assyria on the east, Armenia on the north, Syria on the west, and Arabia Deserta, with Babylonia, on the south. The Hebrews called it Padan-aram, and Aram Naharaim, or Aram of the two rivers, because it was first peopled by Aram father of the [7:14:597] Syrians, and is situated between the two rivers already mentioned. This country is much celebrated in Scripture, as being the first dwelling of men both before and after the deluge; and because it gave birth to Phaleg, Heber, Terah, Abraham, Nahor, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, and to the sons of Jacob. Babylon was in the ancient Mesopotamia, until, by vast labour and industry, the two rivers of the Tigris and the Euphrates were united into one channel. The plains of Shinar were in the same country. They often gave it the name of Mesopotamia, and sometimes that of Syria, (Hosea xii. 12).
MESOPTERYCIUS, a term applied to such fishes as have only one back-fin, which is situated in the middle of the back.
MESPILUS, the Medear, a genus of plants, belonging to the icosandria class, and in the natural method ranking under the thirty-sixth order, Pomaceae. See Botany.
MESS, in a military sense, implies a number of soldiers, who, by laying up a certain proportion of their pay towards provisions, mess together. Experience proves that nothing contributes more to the health of a soldier than a regular and well chosen diet, and his being obliged every day to boil the pot. It corrects drunkenness, and in a great measure prevents gaming and desertion.
MESSALINA, Valeria, a daughter of Messala Barbatus. She married the emperor Claudius, and disgraced herself by her cruelty and incontinence. Her husband’s palace was not the only seat of her lasciviousness, but she prostituted herself in the public streets, and few men there were at Rome who could not boast of having enjoyed the favours of the impure Messalina. Her extravagancies at last irritated her husband, who commanded her to appear and answer all the accusations which were brought against her. Upon this she attempted to destroy herself; and when her courage failed, one of the tribunes who had been sent to her despatched her with his sword. It is in speaking of her lewdness and debaucheries that Juvenal says,

Et lassata viris, necdum satiata, recessit.

Her name has become a common appellation to denote a woman of shameless and inordinate profligacy.
MESSANA, in Ancient Geography, the first town of Sicily on crossing over from Italy; it is situated on the strait now called the Faro.
MESSENA, or Messene, an inland town, the capital of Messenia, a country of Peloponnesus, erroneously placed by Ptolemy on the coast. It was built by Epaminondas, who recalled all the Messenian exiles, and gave to the town the name of Messene, a place vying in point of strength and situation with Corinth; and hence Demetrius Phalereus advised Philip, father of Perseus, if he wanted to have the Peloponnesus in his power, to make himself master of these two towns, and thus he would have the ox by both horns.
MESSENIA, a country in the south of Peloponnesus, mostly maritime, being situated between Elea to the west, and Laconia to the east. This country is famous in history, on account of the resistance made by the Messenians against the Spartans, and the exploits of their hero Aristomenes.
MESSINA, an intendancy or province of the island of Sicily, including the northern part of the Val de Demone, extending to the foot of Mount Aetna. It is bounded on the north and the east by the sea, on the south by the province of Catania, and on the west by that of Palermo. It is divided into four provinces, viz., Messina, Castroreale, Mistretta, and Patti, and contains 326,674 inhabitants. The capital is the city of the same name, situated partly on a plain, and partly on the side of a hill overlooking the narrow Faro of Messina, and the province of Calabria on the continent. The harbour is capable of containing one thousand sail of vessels; and as the entrance is narrow, and protected by strong batteries, it was found an admirable position for a British force, whilst the opposite continent was in possession of the enemy. The city is surrounded by an old and irregular wall. It contains a fine Gothic cathedral, and many other churches, and several monasteries. Within the walls the houses are 9000, with 61,000 inhabitants, but including the several villages adjoining, the population is 73,000. It has some considerable manufactures of silk goods and an export trade in silk, oranges, citrons, oil, wine, and silk stuffs.
MESSUAGE, Messuagium, in Law, a dwelling-house, with some land adjoining assigned for its use. Under the name of messuage may be included a garden, shop, mill, cottage, chamber, cellar, or the like. In Scotland, messuage denotes what is called in England the manor-house, or the principal dwelling-house within any barony.
MESTRE, a market town, the chief place of a district in the delegation of Venice, in Italy. It stands on the Mar-cenigo, contains many small houses, inhabited by 5320 persons, who are mostly carriers or gondoliers. It is in lat. 45. 29. 6. N. Long. 11. 44.40. E.
META, in the Roman circus, was a pile of stones of a pyramidical form, intended as the boundary of the stadium, or chariot course. When the meta had been passed the seventh time, the race was concluded. The greatest art and management were required in avoiding the meta, and yet going as near it as possible. If they went too near, they were in the greatest danger of breaking the-chariot to pieces; and if they took too large a circuit in the turn, they gave their rivals an opportunity of getting within them, besides losing a great deal of ground. The metae at Rome were first of wood, and afterwards of stone; but the emperor Claudius made them of gold, or rather gilded them. In the Roman circus there were two metae, one at the entrance of the course, and the other at the end of it. An egg was placed upon the top of each of the metae.
METAGITNION, the second month of the Athenian year, answering to the latter part of our July and the beginning of August, and so called from metagitnia, a festival in honour of Apollo, which was observed in that month.
METAL is a substance which is distinguished from others by its ductility, malleability, tenacity, &c.
METALLURGY, in a general sense, comprehends the whole art of working metals: and in this acceptation, essaying, smelting, refining, parting, smithery, gilding, and so forth, are only branches of metallurgy. But in a more limited sense it includes only the operations which are followed in separating metals from their ores.
METAMORPHOSIS, in general, denotes the changing of something into a different form. In this sense it includes the transformation of insects, as well as the mythological changes related by the ancient poets.
METAPHOR. In poetry a metaphor differs from a simile in form only not in substance. In a simile the two subjects are kept distinct in the expression, as well as in the thought; in a metaphor, the two subjects are kept distinct in the thought only, not in the expression. An allegory differs from a metaphor; and a figure of speech differs from both. An allegory is one thing figured to be another; it consists in choosing a subject having properties or circumstances resembling those of the principal subject; and the former is described in such a manner as to represent the latter. In a figure of speech, there is no fiction of the imagination employed, as in a metaphor; nor a representative subject introduced, as in an allegory. It regards the expression only, not the thought, and may be defined, the using a word in a sense different from what is proper to it.
METAPHRAST, a translator, or a person who renders an author word for word into another form or another language.
[7:14:599]
METASTASIS, in Medicine, a transposition or settlement of a humour or disease in some other part. Sometimes it signifies such an alteration of a disease as is succeeded by a solution.
METELLUS, the surname of the family of the Caecilii at Rome, of whom the best known were the following. First, a general who defeated the Achaeans, took Thebes, and invaded Macedonia. Second, Q. Caecilius, who rendered himself illustrious by his successes against Jugurtha, king of Numidia, from which he received the surname of Numidicus. Another of this name, being high priest, saved from the flames the palladium when Vesta’s temple was on fire. He lost his sight and one of his arms in the action; and the senate, to reward his zeal and piety, permitted him to be always drawn to the senate-house in a chariot, an honour which no one had ever before enjoyed. He also gained a great victory over the Carthaginians. Fourth, Q. Caecilius Celer, who distinguished himself by his spirited exertions against Catiline. He married the sister of Clodins, who disgraced him by her incontinence and lasciviousness, and died fifty-seven years before Christ. He was greatly lamented by Cicero, who shed tears at the loss of one of his most faithful and valued friends. Fifth, L. Caecilius, a tribune in the civil wars of Caesar and Pompey. He favoured the cause of Pompey, and opposed Caesar when he entered Rome with a victorious army. He refused to open the gates of Saturn’s temple, in which were deposited great treasures; upon which they were broken open by Caesar, and Metellus retired when threatened with death. Sixth, Q. Caecilius, a warlike general who conquered Crete and Macedonia, and was surnamed Macedonicus. He had four sons, of whom three were consuls, and the other obtained a triumph, all during their father’s lifetime. Seventh, a general of the Roman armies against the Sicilians and Carthaginians. Before he marched, he offered sacrifices to all the gods excepting Vesta; a neglect for which the goddess was so incensed that she demanded the blood of his daughter Metella. When Metella was going to be immolated, the goddess placed a heifer in her stead, and carried her to a temple at Lanuvium, of which she became the priestess. Another, surnamed Dalmaticus, from his conquest over· Dalmatia, in the year of the city 634. Cimber, one of the conspirators against Caesar. It was he who gave the signal to attack and murder the dictator in the senate-house. Lastly, Pius, a general in Spain against Sertorius, on whose head he set a price of a hundred talents and twenty thousand acres of land.
METEMPSYCHOSIS, formed from μετα, beyond, and s∕z,γt∣χω, I animate or enliven, in the ancient philosophy, signified the passage or transmigration of the soul of a man after death into the body of some other animal. Pythagoras and his followers held, that after death men’s souls passed into other bodies of different kinds, according to the manner of life which they had led. If they had been [7:14:705]vicious, they were imprisoned in the bodies of miserable beasts, there to do penance for several ages, at the expiration of which they returned again to animate human forms. But if they lived virtuously, the body of some happier brute, or even of a human creature, was destined to be their new habitation. What led Pythagoras into this opinion was, the persuasion which he had that the soul was not of a perishable nature, and from which he concluded that it must remove into some other body upon its abandoning its actual habitation. Lucan treats this doctrine as a kind of officious lie, contrived to mitigate the apprehension of death, by persuading men that they had changed their lodging, and only ceased to live in order to begin a new life. Reuchlin denies this doctrine, and maintains that the metempsychosis of Pythagoras implied nothing more than a similitude of manners, desires, and studies, which formerly existed in some person deceased, and were subsequently revived in another. Thus, when it was said that Euphorbus was revived in Pythagoras, no more was meant than that the martial virtue which had shone in Euphorbus at the time of the Trojan war, was now in some measure revived in Pythagoras, by reason of the great respect he bore to the athletae. For those people, wondering how a philosopher should be so much taken with men of the sword, he palliated the matter by saying that the soul of Euphorbus, meaning thereby his genius, disposition, and inclinations, were revived in him; and this gave occasion to the report that the soul of Euphorbus, who perished in the Trojan war, had transmigrated into Pythagoras. Ficin us asserts that what Plato said of the migration of a human soul into a brute, is allegorically said, and to be understood, only of those manners, affections, and habits which have degenerated into a beastly nature by vice. Serranus, though he allows some force to this interpretation, yet rather inclines to understand the metempsychosis as meaning a resurrection. Pythagoras is said to have borrowed the notion of a metempsychosis from the Egyptians; but others maintain that he received it from the ancient Brahmins. It is still retained amongst the Banians and other idolaters of India and China, and forms the principal foundation of their religion; indeed, so bigoted are they to this tenet, that they not only forbear eating any thing which has life, but many of them even refuse to defend themselves against wild beasts. They burn no wood, lest some little animalcule should be consumed in it; and are so very charitable, that they will redeem from the hands of strangers any animals which they find ready to be killed.
METEMPTOSIS (from μετα, post, and π∕πrω, cado, I falD, a term in chronology, expressing the solar equation necessary to prevent the new moon from happening a day too late. Metemptosis is contradistinguished from proemp-tosis, which signifies the lunar equation necessary to prevent the new moon from happening a day too soon. As the new moons run a little backwards, that is, come a day too soon at the end of 312 years and a half, by the proemptosis a day is added every 300 years, and another every 2400 years. On the other hand, by the metemptosis, a bissextile day is suppressed each 134 years, that is, three times in 400 years. These alterations are never made but at the end of each century, that period being very remarkable, and rendering the practice of the calendar easy. There are three rules for making this addition or suppression of the bissextile day, and, consequently, for changing the index of the epacts. First, when there is a metemptosis without a proemptosis, the next following or lower index must be taken. Secondly, when there is a proemptosis without a metemptosis, the next preceding or superior index is to be taken. Thirdly, when there are both a metemptosis and a proemptosis, or when there is neither the one nor the other, the same index is preserved. Thus, in 1600, we had D; in 1700, by reason of the metemptosis, C was taken; in 1800, there was both a proemptosis and a metemptosis, therefore the same index was retained. In 1900 there will be a metemptosis again, when B will be taken; and this will be preserved in 2000, because there will then be neither the one nor the other. This is as far as we need compute for it. But Clavius has calculated a cycle of 301,800 years, at the end of which period the same indices will return in the same order.