nfinitelv small differences and comparing together these infinitelySmall differences, of what kind soever they be: and from thence ittakes the name of the differential calculus, or analysis of infinite-simals. See Calculus Diffeuentialis, and Fluxions.

DIFFUSE Writings, such as are wrote in a prolix manner.Among historians, Sallust is reckoned sententious, and Livy diffuse.Thus also among the orators, Demosthenes is close and concise;Cicero , on the other hand, is diffuse.

DIFFUSION, the dispersion of the subtile effluvia of bodiesinto a kind of atmosphere all round them. Thus the light diffusedby the rays of the sun, issues all round from that amazing body ofsupposed fire.

DIGAMMA , [Aiyttpu-t, Gr.] the letter F, so called because itseems to represent a double Gamma r. I

DIGBY Sir Kexelm, an illustrious author and statesman of the !17th century. lie was descended of an ancient family in England.IIis great-grandfather, accompanied by six of his brothers, foughtvaliantly at Bosworth-tield on the side of Iienry \ II. against theusurper Richard III . But his father, Everard, was beheaded torbeing engaged in the gun-powder plot against king Janies I. Theson wiped off that stain, and was restored to his estate. King'Charles l. made him gentleman of the bed-chamber, commissionerhf the navy, and governor of Trinity house. lie granted him let-ters of reprisals against the Venetians , by virtue whereof lie tookseveral prizes with a small fleet. He fought the Venetians nearthe port of Scanderoon , and bravely made his way through themwith his booty. He was a great lover of learning, and translatedseveral authors into English ; and his “ Treatise of the Nature ofBodies, and the Immortality of the Soul,” discovers great pene-tration and extensive knowledge. He applied himself to chemis-try ; and found out several useful medicines, which he gave freelyaway to people of all sorts, especially to the poor. He indulged awhim, however, respecting a sympathetic powder for the cure ofwounds at a distance; his discourse concerning which made agreat noise for a while. lie had conferences with Des Cartes about the nature of the soul. In the beginning of the civil wars,he exerted himself vigorously in the king’s cause ; but he was af-terwards imprisoned, by order of the parliament, in Winchesterhouse, and had leave to depart thence in 164.3. He afterwardscompounded for his estate, but was ordered to leave the nation ;when he went to France, and was sent on two embassits to PopeInnocent X. from the queen, widow of Charles T. whose chancel-lor he then was. On the restoration of Charles II. he returned toLondon ; where he died in 1665, aged 60.

DIGEST, DIGESTUM, is a collection of the Roman laws,arranged and digested under proper titles by order of the emperorJustinian. That prince gave his chancellor Tribonianus a com-mission for this purpose; who, in consequence thereof, chosesixteen jurisconsulti, or lawyers, to work upon the same. These,accordingly took out the best and finest decisions from the 2000volumes of the ancient jurisconsulti, and reduced them all intoone body; which was published A. D. 533, under the name of theDigest. ’ To this the emperor gave the force of a law, by a letterat the head of the work, which serves it as a preface. The Digestmakes the first part of the Roman taw, and the first part of thecorpus or body of the civil law. contained in 50 books. It wastranslated into Greek under the same emperor, and called Pan-deeta. See Pandects . Cqjas says, that Digest is a commonname for all books disposed in a good order and economy; andhence Tertullian c.Jls the Gospel of St. Luke a Digest.

DIGESTER, an instrument serving to dissolve solid animalsubstances, in a maimer similar to that performed by the stomach.This vessel was invented by Papin: after putting meat into it,together with a sufficient.quantity of water, a lid is closely screwedon, so as to admit no external air. By a moderate fire, the meatwill, in tire course of six or eight minutes, be reduced to a perfectpulp: by augmenting the heat of the fire, or extending the timeof digestion, the hardest bones may be converted into a pulp orjeitv! This effect is produced by the most perfect closure of thevessel, which prevents the access or escape of air, so that thereverberations occasioned by the expansion of the aerial fluid, dis-solve the whole into an uniform body, and mix the aqueous, saline,oleaginous, and other particles so strongly together, that they can-not be easily separated; but, while hot, appear one liquor, and,when cold, form a jelly, of a strength proportionate to the quantity

of flesh or bones dissolved in (he water. This useful instrumenthas not been hitherto applied to culinary purposes; though withinthe last two years an imperfect imitation of it has been vended inthe shops; and we state with satisfaction, that even the latter isincomparably more economical than the various kinds of stew-pansformerly employed. Cast-iron digesters are now manufactured, ofvarious sizes and prices.

DIGES TION, in animal economy, signifies the dissolution offood taken into the stomach, in order to supply the continual losssustained by perspiration, the different functions, or by exercise.As soon as the food is taken into the month, it is first broken anddivided by the teeth, being at the same time moistened with aliquor supplied by the salival glands, and consequently formed in-to a kind of paste. 'Thus prepared, it passes into the stomach toferment; a process which is effected, 1. By the salival and gastricjuices, which have an effect on aliment similar to that of leaven,or yeast, on dough ; 2. By the vital heat of the stomach and vis-cera of the abdomen ; 3.’By the remains of food, which adhereto the folds of the stomach, and there become acid and acrimonious ;4. By tlie agitation arising from the pressure of the abdomen, andthe continual pulsation of the contiguous blood-vessels; 5. Bythe liquor which tin; repeated compression of those muscles causesto be discharged from the glands of the stomach: and, lastly, byair itself, which being mixed with alimentary matter, dilates bythe heat of the stomach, and separates the particles of food which,from the concurrence of these causes, are converted into chyle.From the stomach, the chyle descends into the intestines, whereit incorporates with the blood ; which, by its volatile nature, toge-ther with the saline and nitrous parts of the air, subtilizes the ali-ment, and perfects its digestion. ,

' DIGES TIVES, in medicine, such remedies'as strengthen andincrease the tone of the stomach, and assist in the digestion of food.To this class belong all stomachics and strenglheners, or corro-borants.

DIGGING, among miners, is appropriated to the operation offreeing any kind of ore from the bed or stratum in which it lies,where every stroke of their tools turns to account in contradistinc-tion to the openings made in search of ore, which are calledhatches, or essay batches; and the operation itself, tracing ofmines, or hatching. When a bed of ore is discovered, the beele-men free tfie ore from the fossils around it; and the shovel-menthrow it from one shamble to another, till it reaches the mouth ofthe hatch.

DIGIT, [digitus, Lat.] in astronomy, the twelfth part of thediameter of the sun or moon, is used to express the quantity of aneclipse. Thus an eclipse is said to be ol six digits, when six of theseparts are hid.

Digit, or Monad, in arithmetic, signifiesany integer under 10,as 1.2. 3. 4. 5.6. 7.8.9.

Digit is also a measure taken from the breadth of the finger.It is properly ^ of an inch, and contains the measure of four barley-corns laid breadth-wise.

DIGI TALIS, Fox Glove : a genus of the angiospermia order,and didynainia class of plants; natural order, Luiklae. Calyxquinquepartile; corolla campauulated, quinquofid, ventricose ;capsule ovate, bilocular. T welve species, chiefly herbaceous,biennial, and perennial plants, which rise two or tiiree feet high,crowned with spikes of yellow iron-coloured or purple flowers.An ointment made of the flowers of purple fox-glove and Maybutter, is much commended by some physicians tor scrophulousulcers which run much and are full of matter. 'Taken internally,this plant is a violent purgative and emetic ; and is therefore onlyto be administered to robust constitutions.

DIGITATED, among botanists, an appellation given to com-pound leaves, each of which is composed of a number of simplefoliola, placed regularly on a common petiole; though, strictlyspeaking, there must be’ more than four foliola to make a digitatedleaf. See Botany .

DIGLYPH, in architecture, a kind of imperfect triglypb,console, or the like; with two channels or engravings, either cir-cular or angular.

DIGNAN, or DIGNANT a town of Italy , in Istria, 3 milesfrom the coast.

DIGNE, a town of France , in the ’ department of the LowerAlps, 30 miles S by W. of Embrun,

1 DIGNITARY.