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and that it may not cleave, but dryequally, it ought to be daubed over withcow-dung. It must not stand upright,but lie along, one piece upon another,interposing some short blocks betweenthem, to preserve them from a certainmouldiness, which they usually contractwhile they sweat, and that often producesa kind of fungus, especially if there areany sappy parts remaining,

Water seasoning, among wheelwrights,is particularly attended to. As for theelm, though the tree be felled never sogreen, for sudden use, if it be plungedfour or five times in water, especiallysalt, which is best, it acquires an admira-ble seasoning, and may be immediatelyused.

Timber is also seasoned by burying itin the earth, covering it with wheat, orscorching it by fire; especially if it beintended for piles, &c.

SEAT of war , the country in whichwar is actively carried on.

SECANT, {stennte, Fr.) a line whichcuts another, or divides it into two parts.

Secant of an arch , in trigonometry, isa right line drawn from the center of thecircle to the extremity of the tangent.

Secajst of an angle. Supposing anangle to be terminated by a base that isperpendicular to one of the sides, andthat the smallest side of the angle betaken for the radius, or whole sinus, thegreatest of the two sides of that anglewill be its secant.

SECOND, (second, Fr.) the next inorder to the first; the ordinal of two; thenext in dignity, place, or station. TheFrench use the word second, in militarymatters, somewhat different from theEnglish , viz.

Compagnie en Second, Fr. This lite-rally means second company, but ac-cording to the old French regulations itsignifies a company which consists ofhalf the number of men that other com-panies are composed of. This was, how-ever, applied to the cavalry only.

Capitaine en Second, ou r'tform't,Yi\an officer whose company has beenreduced, but who does duty in an other,and is destined to fill up the first vacancy.We have borrowed the expression, andjay, To be seconded.

To be seconded. This word is generallypronounced secouned. When an officer isseconded, he remains upon full pay, hisrank goes on, and he may purchase thenext vacant step, without being obliged to

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memorial, in the manner that a half-pa,officer must. Should the latter have takena difference, he will find much difficulty ingetting upon full pay, and he can onlyavail himself of his standing in the armywhen the last object is accomplished. Sothat a seconded officer stands in a morofavourable light. He is, besides, likelyto be appointed to the vacant com-mission ot' the regiment in which he isseconded.

Second, both in English and French ,also signifies a witness in a duel; whenc<*

Prendre pour son Second, Fr. to takefor a second.

Les Seconds de cote et d'autre se sonttubs, Fr. both the seconds were killed, orthe seconds on each side killed one ano-ther. It was very usual among theFrench for the seconds to make commoucause with their principals, and to fightupon the decease of the former.—Thapractice is out of date. Seconds induels are considered by the Law of Eng-land as principals to all intents and pur-poses, and liable to prosecution and in-dictment for murder as the case may be.

To Second, (seconder, Fr.) to aid oxassist; to support.

Second covert way, that beyond thasecond ditch. See Fortification .

Second ditch, that made on the out-side of the glacis, when the ground islow, and there is plenty of water.

Second Jlanc, Fr. See Plank Obliquein Fortification .

Le Second, Fr. the second beat of thedrum, when troops are to move. —See La

CfesfeRALE.

SECONDE , Fr. a thrust in fencing,which is delivered at the outside of thebody beneath the arm, with the nail*downward.

SECOURABLE, Fr. that may be re-lieved, or have succours thrown in. TheFrench say of a fortified place, which isinvested at all points, or so blockaded,that there is 'neither egress nor ingress,qu’elle n’est pas secouruble, that it cannotbe relieved, or have succours thrown in.

SECOURIR me place, Fr. to throwsuccours into a besieged town or place.It sometimes signifies to force an invest-ing, or attacking, army to raise the siege.

SECOURS, Fr. See Succour.

Passer du Secours, Fr. to do withoutthe aid or assistance of another.

SECRECY, a quality of the mind, bywhich men are enabled to keep to them-selves anything reposed in trust, or do-51

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