pnugues/EB7 huggingface dataset:
AETHELSTAN, see Athelstan.
AETHEREAL, Aethereus, something that belongs to, or partakes of, the nature of Aether. Thus we say, the aethereal space, aethereal regions, &c. Some of the ancients divided the universe, with respect to the matter contained therein, into elementary and aethereal. Under the aethereal world was included all that space above the uppermost element, viz. fire. This they supposed to be perfectly homogeneous, incorruptible, unchangeable, &c. The Chaldees placed an aethereal world between the empyreum and the region of the fixed stars. Besides which, they sometimes also speak of a second aethereal world, meaning by it the starry orb; and a third aethereal world, by which is meant the planetary region.
AETHIOPIA. See Abyssinia, and Ethiopia.
AETIANS, in Church History, a branch of Arians, who maintained that the Son and Holy Ghost are in all things dissimilar to the Father. See Aetius.
AETIOLOGY is that part of pathology which is employed in exploring the causes of diseases.
AETION, a celebrated painter, who left an excellent picture of Roxana and Alexander, which he exhibited at the Olympic games. It represents a magnificent chamber, where Roxana is sitting on a bed of a most splendid appearance, which is rendered still more brilliant by her beauty. She looks downwards in a kind of confusion, being struck with the presence of Alexander standing before her. A number of little Cupids flutter about, some holding up the curtain, as if to show Roxana to the prince, whilst others are busied in undressing the lady; some pull Alexander by the cloak, who appears like a young bashful bridegroom, and present him to his mistress. He lays his crown at her feet, being accompanied by Hephaestion, who holds a torch in his hand, and leans upon a youth, who represents Hymen. Several other little Cupids are represented playing with his arms: some carry his lance, stooping under so heavy a weight; others bear along his buckler, upon which one of them is seated, whom the rest carry in triumph; another lies in ambush in his armour, waiting to frighten the rest as they pass by. This picture gained Aetion so much reputation, that the president of the games gave him his daughter in marriage.
AETITES, or Eagle-stone, in Natural History, a flinty or crustated stone, hollow within, and containing a nucleus, which, on “shaking, rattles within. It was formerly in repute for several extraordinary magical as well as medical powers; such as preventing abortion, discovering thieves, and other ridiculous properties. The word is formed from αετος, eagle, the popular tradition being, that it is found in the eagle’s nest, whither it is supposed to be carried while the female sits, to prevent her eggs from being rotten. It is found in several parts. Near Trévoux, in France, one can scarcely dig a few feet without finding considerable strata or beds of the coarser or ferruginous kind. They are originally soft, and of the colour of yellow ochre. But the finest and most valued of all the eagle-stones are accidental states of one or other of our common pebbles.
AETIUS, one of the most zealous defenders of Arianism, was born in Syria, and flourished about the year 336. After being servant to a grammarian, of whom he learned grammar and logic, he was ordained deacon, and at length bishop, by Eudoxus, patriarch of Constantinople. Aetius was banished into Phrygia on account of his religious opinions; but was recalled from exile on the accession of Julian, and was much esteemed by that emperor. He died, it is supposed, at Constantinople, about the year 366. St Epiphanius has preserved 47 of his propositions against the Trinity. His followers were called Aetians. Aetius, a famous physician, born at Amida in Mesopotamia, and the author of a work entitled Tetrabiblos, which is a collection from the writings of those physicians who went before him. He lived, according to Dr Freind, in the end of the fifth or the beginning of the sixth century.

Aetius, governor of Gallia Narbonensis in the reign of Valentinian III., forced the Franks who were passing into Gaul to repass the Rhine. He defeated the Goths, and routed Attila, king of the Huns, who invaded Gaul with an army of 700,000 men. But the emperor, jealous of the merit of this great man, killed him in 454, with his own hand, under the pretence that he had permitted the invasion of the Huns, after Attila’s defeat.
AETOLARCHA, in Grecian Antiquity, the principal magistrate or governor of the Aetolians.
AFER, Domitius, a famous orator, born at Nismes, flourished under Tiberius, and the three succeeding emperors. Quintilian makes frequent mention of him, and commends his pleadings. But he disgraced his talents, by turning informer against some of the most distinguished personages in Rome. Quintilian, in his youth, cultivated the friendship of Domitius very assiduously. He tells us that his pleadings abounded with pleasant stories, and that there were public collections of his witty sayings, some of which he quotes. He also mentions two books of his On Witnesses. Domitius was once in great danger from an inscription he put upon a statue erected by him in honour of Caligula, wherein he declared that this prince was a second time consul at the age of 27. This he intended as an encomium, but Caligula taking it as a sarcasm upon his youth and his infringement of the laws, raised a process against him, and pleaded himself in person. Domitius, instead of making a defence, repeated part of the emperor’s speech with the highest marks of admiration; after which he fell upon his knees, and begging pardon, declared that he dreaded more the eloquence of Caligula than his imperial power. This piece of flattery succeeded so well, that the emperor not only pardoned, bet also raised him to the consulship. Afer died in the reign of Nero, A. d. 59.
AFFA, a weight used on the Gold Coast of Guinea, equal to an ounce: the half of it is called eggeba. Most of the blacks on the Gold Coast give these names to these weights.
AFFECTION, in a general sense, implies an attribute inseparable from its subject. Thus magnitude, figure, weight, &c. are affections of all bodies; and love, fear, hatred, <⅛c. are affections of the mind.

Affection is a term used by various writers on Moral Philosophy to denote all those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or of suffering to any one of our fellow-creatures. (Stewart’s Philosophy of the Active Powers, vol. i. p. 75.)

Affection, among physicians, is the same as disease. Thus, hysteric affection is the same as hysteric disease.
AFFERERS, or Afferors, in Law, persons appointed in courts-leet, courts-baron, &c. to settle, upon oath, the fines to be imposed upon those who have been guilty of faults arbitrarily punishable.
AFFETTUOSO, or Con Affetto, in the Italian music, intimates that the part to which it is added ought to be played in a tender, moving way, and consequently rather slow than fast.
AFFIANCE, in Law, denotes the mutual plighting of troth between a man and woman to marry each other.
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AFFIDAVIT signifies an oath in writing, sworn before some person who is authorized to take the same.
AFFINITY, among civilians, implies a relation contracted by marriage, in contradistinction to consanguinity, or relation by blood. Affinity does not found any real kinship; it is no more than a kind of fiction, introduced on account of the close relation between husband and wife. It is even said to cease when the cause of it ceases: hence a woman who is not capable of being a witness for her husband’s brother during his lifetime, is allowed for a witness when a widow, by reason the affinity is dissolved. Yet with regard to the contracting of marriage, affinity is not dissolved by death, though it be in every thing else.— There are several degrees of affinity, wherein marriage was prohibited by the law of Moses: thus, the son could not marry his mother, or his father’s wife (Lev. xviii. 7. et seq.) ; the brother could not marry his sister, whether she were so by the father only or by the mother only, and much less if she was his sister both by the same father and mother; the grandfather could not marry his grand-daughter, either by his son or daughter. No one could marry the daughter of his father’s wife,· nor the sister of his father or mother; nor the uncle his niece; nor the aunt her nephew; nor the nephew the wife of his uncle by the father’s side. The father-in-law could not marry his daughter-in-law; nor the brother the wife of his brother while living, nor even after the death of his brother if he left children. If he left no children, the surviving brother was to raise up children to his deceased brother, by marrying his widow. It was forbidden to marry the mother and the daughter at one time, or the daughter of the mother’s son, or the daughter of her daughter, or two sisters together.

Affinity is also used to denote conformity or agreement. Thus we say, the affinity of languages, the affinity of words, the affinity of sounds, &c.

Affinity, in Chemistry, a term employed to express that peculiar propensity which the particles of matter have to unite and combine with each other exclusively, or in preference to any other connection.—The attractions between bodies at insensible distances, and which of course are confined to the particles of matter, have been distinguished by the name of affinity ; while the term attraction has been more commonly confined to cases of sensible distance.
AFFIRMATION, in Logic, the asserting of the truth of any proposition.

Affirmation, in Law, denotes an indulgence allowed to the people called Quakers, who, in cases where an oath is required from others, may make a solemn affirmation that what they say is true; and if they make a false affirmation, they are subject to the penalties of perjury. But this relates only to oaths taken to the government, and on civil occasions; for Quakers are not permitted to give their testimony in any criminal case, &c.

Affirmation is also used for the ratifying or confirming of the sentence or decree of some inferior court. Thus we say, the house of lords affirmed the decree of the chancellor, or the decree of the lords of session.
AFFIRMATIVE, in Grammar. Authors distinguish affirmative particles, such as yes. The term affirmative is sometimes also used substantively. Thus we say, the affirmative is the more probable side of the question: there were so many votes, or voices, for the affirmative.
AFFIX, in Grammar, a particle added at the close of a word, either to diversify its form or alter its signification. We meet with affixes in the Saxon, the German, and other northern languages, but more especially in the Hebrew, and other oriental tongues. The Hebrew affixes are single syllables, frequently single letters, subjoined to nouns and verbs, and contribute not a little to the brevity of that language. The oriental languages are much the same as to the radicals, and differ chiefly from each other as to affixes and prefixes.
AFFLATUS literally denotes a blast of wind, breath, or vapour, striking with force against another body. The word is Latin, formed from ad, to, and fiare, to blow. Naturalists sometimes speak of the afflatus of serpents. Tully uses the word figuratively, for a divine inspiration; in which sense he ascribes all great and eminent accomplishments to a divine afflatus. The Pythian priestess being placed on a tripod or perforated stool, over a holy cave, received the divine afflatus, as a late author expresses it, in her belly; and being thus inspired, fell into agitations, like a phrenetic; during which she pronounced, in hollow groans and broken sentences, the will of the Deity. This afflatus is supposed by some to have been a subterraneous fume or exhalation, wherewith the priestess was literally inspired. Accordingly, it had the effects of a real physical disease, the paroxysm of which was so vehement, that, Plutarch observes, it sometimes proved mortal. Van Dale supposes the pretended enthusiasm of the Pythia to have arisen from the fumes of aromatics.
AFFORESTING, Afforestatio, the turning of ground into forest. The Conqueror and his successors continued afforesting the lands of the subject for many reigns, till the grievance became so notorious, that the people of all degrees and denominations were brought to sue for relief; which was at length obtained, and commissions were granted to survey and perambulate the forest, and separate all the new-afforested lands, and reconvert them to the uses of their proprietors, under the name and quality of purlieu or pouralle land.
AFFRAY, or Affrayment, in Law, formerly signified the crime of affrighting other persons, by appearing in unusual armour, brandishing a weapon, &c.; but at present affray denotes a skirmish or fight between two or more.
AFFRONTEE, in Heraldry, an appellation given to animals facing one another on an escutcheon; a kind of bearing which is otherwise called confrontée, and stands opposed to adossée.
AFFUSION, the act of pouring some fluid substance on another body. Dr Grew gives several experiments of the luctation arising from the affusion of divers menstruums on all sorts of bodies. Divines and church historians speak of baptism by affusion, which amounts to much the same with what we now call sprinkling.
AFRAGOLA, a large manufacturing town in the kingdom of Naples, and in the province of Napoli. It has three parish churches, and contains 12,640 inhabitants, who produce, among other goods, 6000 dozen of hats annually.
AFRANIUS, Lucius, a Latin poet, who lived about a century before Christ. He wrote comedies in imitation of Menander; and is commended by Tully and Quintilian for his acute genius and fluent style, Only some fragments of his works are now extant.
AFRICAN COMPANY. See Company.
AFRICANUS, Julius, an excellent historian of the third century, the author of a chronicle which was greatly esteemed, and in which he reckons 5500 years from the creation of the world to Julius Caesar. This work, of which we have now no more than what is to be found in Eusebius, ended at the 221st year of the vulgar era. Africanus also wrote a letter to Origen on the history of Susanna, which he reckoned supposititious; and we have still a letter of his to Aristides, in which he reconciles the seeming contradictions in the two genealogies of Christ recorded by St Matthew and St Luke.
AFSLAGERS, persons appointed by the burgomasters of Amsterdam to preside over the public sales made in that city. They must always have a clerk of the secretary’s office with them, to take an account of the sale. They correspond to our brokers, or auctioneers.
AFT, in the sea language, the same with Abaft.
AFTERMATH, in Husbandry, signifies the grass which springs or grows up after mowing.
AFTERNOON, the latter half of the artificial day, or that .space between noon and night.
AFWESTAD, a large copper-work belonging to the crown of Sweden, which lies on the Dala, in the province of Dalecarlia, in Sweden. It looks like a town, and has its own church. Here they make copper-plates; and have a mint for small silver coin, as well as a royal posthouse. Long. 14. 10. E. Lat. 58. 10. N.
AGA, in the Turkish language, signifies a great lord or commander. Hence the aga of the janizaries is the commander-in-chief of that corps; as the general of horse is denominated spachiclar aga. The aga of the janizaries is an officer of great importance. He is the only person who is allowed to appear before the grand signior without his arms across his breast in the posture of a slave. Eunuchs at Constantinople are in possession of most of the principal posts of the seraglio: the title aga is given to them all, whether in or out of employment. This title is also given to all rich men without employ, and especially to wealthy landholders.

We find also agas in other countries. The chief officers under the khan of Tartary are called by this name; and among the Algerines we read of agas chosen from among the boluk bashis (the first rank of military officers), and sent to govern in the chief towns and garrisons of that state. The aga of Algiers is the president of the divan or senate. For some years the aga was the supreme officer, and governed the state in place of the bashaw, whose power dwindled to a shadow. But the soldiery rising against the boluk bashis or agas, massacred most of them, and transferred the sovereign power to the caliph, with the title of Dey or King.
AGADES, a kingdom and city of Negroland, in Africa. It lies nearly under the tropic of Cancer, between Gubur and Cano. The town stands on a river that falls into the Niger; it is walled, and the king’s palace is in the midst of it. The king has a retinue, who serve as a guard. The inhabitants are not so black as other negroes, and consist of merchants and artificers. Those that inhabit the fields are shepherds or herdsmen, whose cottages are made of boughs, and are carried about from place to place on the backs of oxen. They are fixed on the spot of ground where they intend to feed their cattle. The houses in the city are stately, and built after the Barbary fashion. This kingdom was, and may be still, tributary to the king of Timbuctoo∙ It is well watered; and there is great plenty of grass, cattle, senna, and manna. The prevailing religion is the Mahometan, but it is not rigidly practised. Long. 9. 19. E. Lat. 26. 10. N.
AGALMATA, in Antiquity, a term originally used to signify any kind of ornaments in a temple, but afterwards for the statues only, which were most conspicuous.
AGAMEMNON, the son of Atreus by Aerope, was captain-general of the Trojan expedition. It was foretold to him by Cassandra, that his wife Clytemnestra would be his death: yet he returned to her; and accordingly was slain by Aegisthus, who had gained upon his wife in his absence,, and by her means got the government into his own hands.
AGAN, one of the Ladrone Islands. The circumnavigator Magellan was assassinated here in the year 1525.
AGANIPPE, in Antiquity, a fountain of Boeotia, at Mount Helicon, on the borders between Phocis and Boeotia, sacred to the Muses, and running into the river Permessus. Ovid seems to make Aganippe and Hippocrene the same. Serenus more truly distinguishes them, and ascribes the blending of them to poetical licence.
AGANIPPIDES, in ancient poetry, a designation given to the Muses, from a fountain of Mount Helicon called Aganippe.
AGAPE, in Ecclesiastical History, the love-feast, or feast of charity, in use among the primitive Christians, when a liberal contribution was made by the rich to feed the poor. The word is Greek, and signifies love. St Chrysostom gives the following account of this feast, which he derives from the apostolical practice. He says, “The first Christians had all things in common, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles; but when that equality of possessions ceased, as it did even in the apostles’ time, the agape or love-feast was substituted in the room of it Upon certain days, after partaking of the Lord’s Supper, they met at a common feast; the rich bringing provisions, and the poor who had nothing being invited.” It was always attended with receiving the holy sacrament; but there is some difference between the ancient and modern interpreters as to the circumstance of time, viz. whether this feast was held before or after the communion. St Chrysostom is of the latter opinion; the learned Dr Cave of the former. These love-feasts, during the first three [7:2:241] centuries, were held in the church without scandal or offence; but in aftertimes the heathens began to tax them with impurity. This gave occasion to a reformation of these agapoe. The kiss of charity, with which the ceremony used to end, was no longer given between different sexes; and it was expressly forbidden to have any beds or couches for the conveniency of those who should be disposed to eat more at their ease. Notwithstanding these precautions, the abuses committed in them became so notorious, that the holding of them (in churches at least) was solemnly condemned, at the council of Carthage, in the year 307.
AGAPETAE, in Ecclesiastical History, a name given to certain virgins and widows, who, in the ancient church, associated themselves with and attended on ecclesiastics, out of a motive of piety and charity.

In the primitive days there were women instituted deaconesses, who, devoting themselves to the service of the church, took up their abode with the ministers, and assisted them in their functions. In the fervour of the primitive piety, there was nothing scandalous in these societies; but they afterwards degenerated into libertinism; insomuch that St Jerome asks, with indignation, unde aga-p¢tarum pestis in ecclesias introiit ? This gave occasion for councils to suppress them. St Athanasius mentions a priest, named Leontius, who, to remove all occasion of suspicion, offered to mutilate himself, to preserve his beloved companion.
AGARD, Arthur, a learned English antiquary, born at Foston, in Derbyshire, in the year 1540. His fondness for English antiquities induced him to make many large collections; and his office as deputy chamberlain of the exchequer, which he held 45 years, gave him great opportunities of acquiring skill in that study. Similarity of taste brought him acquainted with Sir Robert Cotton and other learned men, who associated themselves under the name of The Society of Antiquaries, of which society Mr Agard was a conspicuous member. He made the Domesday book his peculiar study, and composed a work purposely to explain it, under the title of Tractatus de Usu et obscurioribus Verbis libri de Domesday. He also compiled a book for the service of his successors in office, which he deposited with the officers of the king’s receipt, as a proper index for succeeding officers. All the rest of his collections, containing at least 20 volumes, he bequeathed to Sir Robert Cotton; and died in 1615.
AGARIC Mineral, a marly earth, resembling the vegetable of that name in colour and texture.
AGARO, an island of Sweden, in the province of Westmanland, on the same estuary on which Stockholm is situated.
AGATHA, St, a market town on the Austrian principality of the Siebenbirgen, situated on the river Hartbache, with one Greek and one Lutheran church. The people arc employed as coopers, shoemakers, and hosiers.

Agatha, Santa, a town on the banks of a small river in the province Calabria Ulteriore, in the kingdom of Naples, with a castle, and 1127 inhabitants.
AGATHIAS, or, as he calls himself in his epigrams, Agathius, distinguished by the title of Scholasticus, a Greek historian in the sixth century, in the reign of Justinian. He was born at Myrina, a colony of the ancient Aeolians, in Asia the Less, at the mouth of the river Phythicus. He was an advocate at Smyrna. Though he had a taste for poetry, he was yet more famous for his history, which begins with the 26th year of Justinian’s reign, where Procopius ends. It was printed in Greek and Latin by Vulcanius, at Leyden, 1594, in 4to; and at Paris, at the king’s printing house, 1660, in folio.
AGATHO, the Athenian, a tragic and comic poet, was the disciple of Prodicus and Socrates, and applauded by Plato, in his Dialogues, for his virtue and beauty. His first tragedy obtained the prize; and he was crowned, in the presence of upwards of 30,000 persons, in the fourth year of the 90th Olympiad. There is nothing now extant of his works, excepting a few quotations in Aristotle, Athenaeus, and others.