pnugues/EB7 huggingface dataset:
SPRAT, Thomas, bishop of Rochester, was born in 1636 at Tallaton in Devonshire. He received his education at Oxford, and after the Restoration entered into holy orders. He became fellow of the Royal Society, chaplain to George duke of Buckingham, and chaplain in ordinary to King Charles II. In 1667 he published the History of the Royal Society, and a Life of Mr. Cowley; who, by his last will, left to his care his printed works and MSS., which were accordingly published by him. In 1668 be was installed prebendary of Westminster; in 1680, was appointed canon of Windsor; in 1683, dean of Westminster; and in 1684, consecrated to the bishopric of Rochester. He was clerk of the closet to King James II.; in 1685, was made dean of the chapel royal; and the year following, was appointed one of the commissioners for ecclesiastical affairs. In 1692 his lordship, with several other persons, was charged with treason by two men, who drew up an association, in which they whose names were subscribed declared their resolution to restore King James; to seize the princess of Orange, dead or alive; and to be ready with 30,000 men to meet King James when he should land. To this they put the names of Sancroft, Sprat, Marlborough, Salisbury, and others. The bishop was arrested, and kept at a messenger’s, under a strict guard, for eleven days. His house was searched, and his papers seized, among which nothing was found of treasonable appearance, except one memorandum, in the following words: Thoroughpaced doctrine. Being asked at his examination the meaning of the words, he said, that about twenty years before, curiosity had led him to hear Daniel Burgess preach; and that being struck with his ac count of a certain kind of doctrine, which he said “enter ed at one ear, and pacing through the head went out at the other,” he had inserted the memorandum in his table-book, that he might not lose the substance of so strange a sermon. His innocence being proved, he was set at liberty, when he published an account of his examination and deliverance; which made such an impression upon him, that he commemorated it through life by an yearly day of thanksgiving. He lived to the seventy-seventh year of his age, and died May 20, 1713. His works, besides a few poems of little value, are, “The History of the Royal Society ;” “The Life of Cowley ;” “An Answer to Sorbiere ;” “The History of the Rye-house Plot ;” “The Relation of his own Examination ;” and a volume of “Sermons.” Dr. Johnson says, “I have heard it observed with great justness, that every book is of a different kind, and that each has its distinct and characteristical excellence.”
SPRAY, the sprinkling of the sea, which is driven from the top of a wave in stormy weather. It differs from spoon drift, as being only blown occasionaly from the broken sur face of a high wave; whereas the latter continues to fly horizontally along the sea, without intermission, during the excess of a tempest or hurricane.
SPRIT, a small boom or pole which crosses the sail of a boat diagonally, from the mast to the upper hindmost corner of the sail, which it is used to extend and elevate; the lower end of the sprit rests in a sort of wreath or collar, called the smotter, which encircles the mast in that place.
SPY, a person hired to watch the actions, motions, &c. of another; particularly what passes in a camp. When a spy is discovered, he is generally treated without mercy.
SQUADRON, in military affairs, denotes a body of horse whose number of men is not fixed, but is usually from one hundred to two hundred.

Squadron of Ships, either implies a detachment of ships employed on any particular expedition, or the third part of a naval armament.
SQUADS, in a military sense, are certain divisions of a company into so many squads, generally into three or four. The use of forming companies into as many squads of inspection as it has serjeants and corporals, is proved by those regiments who have practised that method; as by it the ir regularity of the soldiers is considerably restrained, their dress improved, and the discipline of the regiment in general most remarkably forwarded. Every officer should have a roll of his company by squads.
SQUALL, a sudden and violent blast of wind, usually occasioned by the interruption and reverberation of the wind from high mountains. These are very frequent in the Mediterranean, particularly that part of it which is known by the name of the Levant, as produced by the repulsion and new direction which the wind meets with in its passage between the various islands of the Archipelago.
SQUARE, among Mechanics, an instrument consisting of two rules or branches, fastened perpendicularly at one end of their extremities, so as to form a right angle. It is of great use in the description and mensuration of right an gles, and laying down perpendiculars.

Square- Rigged, an epithet applied to a ship whose yards are very long. It is also used in contradistinction to all vessels whose sails are extended by stays or lateen-yards, or by booms and gaffs, the usual situation of which is nearly in the plain of the keel; and hence, Square- Sail, is a sail extended to a yard which hangs parallel to the horizon, as distinguished from the other sails which are extended by booms and stays placed obliquely. This sail is only used in fair winds, or to scud under in a tempest. In the former case, it is furnished with a large additional part, called the bonnet, which is then attached to its bottom, and removed when it is necessary to scud.
SRAVANA BALGUTA, a village of Hindustan, in the northern province of Mysore, celebrated as the principal seat of the Jain worship, which at one time prevailed all over the south of India, but which has now greatly declined, from the influence of the Brahmins. There arc two hills adjoining the town, on one of which, named Indra Betta, is situated the temple; the other is cut into a colossal statue, seventy feet in height. The village is almost wholly inhabited by Jainas. Long. 76. 43. E. Lat. 12. 45. N.
SRI MUTTRA, a considerable town of Hindustan, pro vince of Agra. It is situated on a naked rock of red gra nite, of which material all the houses are constructed. The streets are very narrow, and the working of the red stone into slabs furnishes employment to the greater part of the inhabitants. Long. 77. 20. E. Lat. 26. 41. N.[7:20:556]
SRI PERMATURA, a town of the south of India, in the province of the Carnatic, celebrated as the birthplace of Rama Anuja Acharya, the great Brahmin saint and re former, and the founder of a sect. He preached successfully against the doctrines of the Joins and the Boodhists. Long. 80. 2. E. Lat. 12. 59. N.
STABAT MATER, a musical composition upon the La tin text of a sacred cantata, beginning with these words. Pergolesi, Jomelli, and Haydn, have each set these words to music in an admirable manner.
STADE, a town of the kingdom of Hanover, in the pro vince of Bremen, of which province it is the capital. It stands on the river Schwinge, which falls into the Elbe about one mile below the town, whence large vessels must load and discharge by the aid of river craft. Stade, which was once fortified, contains the provincial courts of law and boards of administration. It contains 5350 inhabitants, who are occupied as brewers, distillers, manufacturers of coarse woollen and hosiery, and in equipping ships for the whale fishery. Opposite the town a Hanoverian ship of war is stationed, which collects a small toll on each vessel that passes upwards to Hamburg or Altona. Lat. 53. 36. 5. Long. 9. 18. 10. E.
STADIUM, an ancient Greek measure, containing 125 geometrical paces, or 625 Roman feet, corresponding to our furlong. The Greeks usually measured distances by stadia, which they called σταδιασμος. Stadium also signified the course on which their races were run.
STADTHOLDER, formerly the principaI magistrate or governor of the Seven United Provinces. This office is now abolished, and that of king substituted.
STAFF, an instrument ordinarily used to rest on in walking. The staff is also frequently used as a kind of natural weapon, both of offence and defence, and for several other purposes.

Staff , a light pole erected in different parts of a ship, for hoisting the colours.

Staff in Music, five lines, on which, with the intermediate spaces, the notes of a song or piece of music are marked.
STAFFORD, the county town of Staffordshire, is 135 miles from London. It consists of two parishes, and returns two members to Parliament. It stands on the river Sow, and was once fortified. It is now well built. The principal buildings are the assize hall, the county jail, and the infirmary. It has a good free-school, several almshouses, and on Saturday a good market, well attended. The cabal encourages some trade; but the chief occupation of the inhabitants is making shoes, and some cloth is also made. The population was in 1801, 3927; in 1811, 4898; in 1821, 5775; and in 1831, 6998.
STAGE, in the modern drama, the place of action and representation, included between the pit and the scenes, and answering to the proscenium or pulpitum of the an cients. See Playhouse and Τηεατrε.
STAINDROP, a town of Darlington ward in the county of Durham, 246 miles from London. It had once a market, which of late years has been disused. Near to it is the splendid mansion of the Duke of Cleveland, Raby Castle, built by John de Neville in 1378. The inhabitants of the town were, in 1801, 1156; in 1811, 1087; in 1821, 1273; and in 1831, 1478.
STAINES, a town in the hundred of Spelthorne and county of Middlesex, seventeen miles from London. It is on the left bank of the Thames, over which a stone bridge has recently been erected. Just above the bridge is the termination of the boundary of the London corporation on the river, marked by a stone, formerly by stones, from which the town takes its name. There is a good corn market on Friday, and several posting houses. The inhabitants were, in 1801, 1750; in 1811, 2042; in 1821, 1957; and in 1831, 2486.
STAIRCASE, in Architecture, an ascent inclosed be tween walls, or a balustrade consisting of stairs or steps, with landing places and rails, serving to make a communication between the several storeys of a house. See Architecture.
STALACTITES, in Mineralogy, crystalline spars forra ed into oblong, conical, round, or irregular bodies, composed of various crusts, and usually found hanging in form of icicles from the roofs of grottoes, &c.
STALBRIDGE, a town of the hundred of Brownshall and the division of Sherborne, in the county of Dorset, 112 miles from London. It has some trade in making stockings, and much good stone is found near to it The market is on Tuesday, but thinly attended. The inhabi tants were, in 1801, 1254; in 1811, 1421; in 1821, 1571; and in 1831, 1773.
STALE, among sportsmen, a living fowl put in a place to allure and bring others where they may be token. For want of these, a bird shot, his entrails taken out, and dried in an oven in his feathers, with a stick thrust through to keep it in a convenient posture, may serve as well as a live fowl.
STAMFORD, a town of Lincolnshire, in the hundreds of Ness and of Kesteven. It is eighty-five miles from Lon don, on the river Willand, which divides Lincolnshire from Northamptonshire; and one of the parishes of the town, St. Martin’s, is in the latter county, and called the outparish. There are five parish churches, several of which have lofty spires. Two of them are so close together, as to resemble one building. St. Martin’s church contains some curious ancient monuments. In that parish stands Burleigh Hall, the magnificent residence of the marquis of Exeter. This town was in former times a more extensive place than it is at present, and contained fourteen churches, besides many religious houses; but it suffered severely by the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, and has never re covered from those ravages. It is by no means well built, though of late its appearance has been improved. Being in a rich district, it has good markets on Monday and Friday, and several fairs. The population was, in 1801, 4012; in 1811, 4582; in 1821, 5050; and in 1831, 5837.
STAMINA, in Botany, are those upright filaments which, on opening a flower, we find within the corolla surrounding the pistillum. According to Linnaeus, they are the male organs of generation, whose office it is to prepare the pollen. Each stamen consists of two distinct parts, viz. the filamentum and the anthera.

Stamina , in the animal body, are defined to be those simple original parts which existed first in the embryo or even in the seed; and by whose distinction, augmentation, and accretion by additional juices, the animal body at its utmost bulk is supposed to be formed.
STAMPHALIA, one of the islands of Greece, in the Archipelago, about twenty-seven square miles in extent. The surface consists of a single bare mountain, from which numerous springs issue, that render the lower parts capable of cultivation, and some spots are highly fertile. It contains about 800 inhabitants, who raise sufficient bar ley, wine, and fruit, for their consumption, and a large quantity of onions, which is the principal source of their trade. In a small island close to it are the remains of an ancient temple of Apollo. The number of partridges is so considerable, that to prevent their increase, from 10,000 to 12,000 of their eggs are taken every Easter. In the island there is a small town of the same name. Lat. 36.35. Long.28.37.E,
STANCHIONS, a sort of small pillars of wood or iron, used for various purposes in a ship, as to support the decks, the quarter-rails, the nettings, the awnings, &c. The first of those are two ranges of small columns fixed under the beams, throughout the ship’s length between decks; one range being on the starboard and the other on the larboard side of the hatchways. They are chiefly intended to sup port the weight of the artillery.
STANDON, a town in the hundred of Braughen and county of Hertford, twenty-seven miles from London. It is on the river Kib, on the ancient Roman road, called Er mine Street. The parish church has an ancient altar, raised nearly ten feet above the level of the floor. On Friday there is a market, tolerably well attended. The population was, in 1801, 1846; in 1811, 1889; in 1821, 2135; and in 1831, 2272.
STANDRA, a village of Asiatic Turkey, on the western coast of Anatolia. Long. 27. 18. E. Lat. 36. 54. W.
STANISLAWOW, a circle of the Austrian principality of Gallicia, extending over 1495 square miles. It comprises five cities, thirteen market towns, and 264 villages, with 186,400 inhabitants. The capital is the city of the same name, between two branches of the river Wistrica. It is well built, and contains Catholic, Greek, and Armenian churches, with 370 houses, and 6880 inhabitants. The Jews and Armenians are the principal traders. Lat. 43. 56. Long. 24. 38. E.
STANNARIES, the mines and works where tin is dug and purified; as in Cornwall, Devonshire, &c.
STANNARY Courts, in Devonshire and Cornwall, for the administration of justice among the tinners. They are held before the lord-warden and his substitutes, by virtue of a privilege granted to the workers in the tin mines there, to sue and be sued only in their own courts, that they may not be drawn from their business, which is highly profitable to the public, by attending their lawsuits in other courts.
STANOVOI, a chain of mountains in Astatic Russia, forming a part of the great northern chain which crosses the breadth of that continent. It is of considerable height, and continues uninterrupted, though with some diminution of magnitude, to Cape Tchontchi, at the northeastern extremity of Asia; and the Aleutian and Fox Islands may be considered as in some degree a continuation of it. This chain turns to the north near the source of the Aldane, whence it runs parallel to the eastern sea or gulf of Ok hotsk, a narrow plain only intervening. Granite and porphyry are the chief materials of which these mountains con sist, though there are some of green jasper.
STANSTEAD, a town in the hundred of Braughen, and county of Hertford, sixteen miles from London. It stands in a valley near the river Lea, two miles from Hoddesdon. ln this parish is the Ryehouse, remarkable for the suppos ed plot in the reign of Charles the Second, for the assassination of that monarch. The population was, in 1801, 861; in 1811, 832; in 1821, 950; and in 1831, 966.

Stanstead-Mountfitchet, a small town in the county of Essex and hundred of Uttlesford, thirty-four miles from London. It derives its name from an ancient castle, built on an artificial mount about a quarter of a mile from the church, some relics of which are still visible. The hamlet of Bentfield is comprehended in the parish, and their united population was, in 1801, 1285; in 1811, 1334; in 1821, 1518; and in 1831, 1560.
STANZA, in Poetry., a number of lines regularly ad justed to each other; so much of a poem as contains every variation of measure or relation of rhyme used in that poem.
STAPLE primarily signifies a public place or market, whither merchants, &c. are obliged to bring their goods to be bought by the people. The merchants of England were formerly obliged to carry their wool, cloth, lead, and other like staple commodities of this realm, in order to expose them by wholesale; and these staples were appointed to be constantly kept at York, Lincoln, Newcastle upon-Tyne, Norwich, Westminster, Canterbury, Chichester, Winches ter, Exeter, and Bristol; in each of which a public mart was appointed to be kept, and each of them had a court of the mayor of the staple, for deciding differences, held according to the lawmerchant, in a summary way.
STARAJA-RUSSA, a city of Russia in the province of Moscow and government of Novogorod, the capital of a circle of the same name. It is 206 miles from Petersburg, on the river Polesta. lt is an ill-built place, containing 1048 houses, many of them of wood, and 6200 inhabitants. There is a copious brine spring, from which about 100,000 bushels of culinary salt are annually made, and this is the chief trade of the place. Lat. 57. 51. Long. 32. 54. 25. E.
STARCH, a fecula or sediment, found at the bottom of vessels in which wheat has been steeped in water. Of this fecula, after separating the bran from it, by passing it through sieves, they form a kind of loaves, which being dried in the sun or an oven, is afterwards cut into little pieces, and so sold. The best starch is white, soft, and friable, and easily broken into powder. Such as require fine starch, do not content themselves, like the starchmen, with refuse wheat, but use the finest grain. The process is as follows. The grain, being well cleaned, is left to ferment in vessels full of water, which they expose to the sun while in its greatest heat; changing the water twice aday, for the space of eight or twelves days, according to the season. When the grain bursts easily under the finger, they judge it sufficiently fermented. The fermentation being perfected, and the gram thus softened, it is put, handful by handful, into a canvas-bag, to separate the flour from the husks; which is done by rubbing and beating it on a plank laid across the mouth of an empty vessel that is to receive the flour. As the vessels are filled with this liquid flour, there is seen swimming at top a reddish water, which is to be carefully skimmed off[7:20:564] from time to time, and clean water is to be put in its place, which, after stirring the whole together, is also to be strained through a cloth or sieve, and what is left behind put into the vessel with new water, and exposed to the sun for some time. As the sediment thickens at the bottom, they drain off the water four or five times, by inclining the vessel, but without passing it through the sieve. What remains at bot tom is the starch, which is cut in pieces to be taken out, and is left to dry in the sun. When dry, it is laid up for use.
STARGARD, a city of the Prussian province of Pomerania in the government of Stettin, the capital of the circle of Saalzig. It stands on the navigable river Ihna, in a fertile district, is surrounded with walls, and contains 1164 houses, with 9050 inhabitants, who are employed in making linen and woollen goods, hosiery, hats, leather, soap, and tobacco, and in brewing and distillation. It was formerly the capital of Pomerania. Lat. 52.20. 42. Long. 15.13. E.
STARITZA, a town of Russia, in the province of Mos cow and government of Twer. It is the capital of a circle of the same name, containing seventy-seven parishes, with 83,800 inhabitants. It is 378 miles from Petersburg, and stands on the river Wolga, where the river Staritza joins that stream. It contains six churches, 650 houses, and 3860 in habitants, whose chief trade is in hemp sent to Petersburg, and in making shoes and gloves. Lat.56.48. Long. 35.22. E.
STARKENBURG, a province of the Grand Duchy of Hesse Darmstadt, in Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, in contact with Nassau on the north, with Hesse Casel on the north east, with Bavaria on the east, with Baden on the south, and on the west with the Darmstadt dominions to the west of the Rhine. It is 1102 square miles in extent, and contains thirty-six cities and towns, and 811 villages, with about 235,000 inhabitants, nearly one-half of whom are Lutherans, two-fifths Catholics, and the remainder Calvinists, Menonites, and Jews. The eastern part contains the mountainous forest country called the Odenwald; but the western part is a level and fertile country, well cuItivated, and yielding good crops of corn, fruit, potatoes, flax, hemp, and tobacco. It also produces good wine and abun dance of cider. The chief occupation, except agriculture, is spinning flax and hemp, and in converting the trees of the forests into woodware. The province is divided into thirty bailiwicks, and the capital is that of the principality, the city of Darmstadt.
STARLINGS, or Sterlings, the name given to the strong pieces of timber which were driven into the bed of the river to protect the piles, on the top of which were laid the flat beams upon which were built the bases of the stone piers that support the arches of London bridge. In general, starlings are large piles placed on the outside of the foundation of the piers of bridges, to break the force of the water, and to protect the stone work from injury by floating ice. They are otherwise called jettes, and their place is often supplied by large stones thrown at random round the piers of bridges, as may be seen at Stirling bridge when the river is low; and as was done by Mr. Smeaton’s direction round the piers of the centre arch of London bridge, when it was thought in danger of being undermined by the current.
STATES, or Estates, a term applied to several orders or classes of people assembled to consult of matters for the public good.
STATIONARY, in Astronomy, the state of a planet when, to an observer on the earth, it appears for some time to stand still, or remain immoveable in the same place in the heavens. For as the planets, to such an observer, have sometimes a progressive motion, and sometimes a retrograde one, there must be some point between the two where they must appear stationary.
STATUARY, a branch of sculpture, employed in the making of statues. See Sculpture .
STATUE, is defined to be a piece of sculpture in full relievo, representing a human figure. See Sculpture. [7:20:570]
STEERAGE, on board a ship, that part of the ship next below the quarter-deck, before the bulk-head of the great cabin, where the steersman stands in most ships of war.
STEERING, in Navigation, see Seamanship.
STEGANOGRAPHY, the art of secret writing, or of writing in ciphers, known only to the persons corresponding.
STELLIONATE, in the civil law, a kind of crime, committed by a fraudulent bargain, where one of the parties sells a thing for what it is not; as if he sells an estate for his own which belongs to another, or conveys a thing as free and clear which is already engaged to another, or puts off copper for gold, &c.
STEMPHILA, a word used by the ancients to express the husks of grapes, or the remains of the pressings of wine. The same word is also used by some to express the remaining mass of the olives, after the oil is pressed out.