F O R

473

FOR

Philosophers generally allow two principles of bodies : matter, asthe common basis or substratum of all; and form, as that whichspecifies and distinguishes each; and which, added to a quantityof common matter, determines or denominates it this or that;wood, or fire, or ashes, &c. Substantial forms seem to have beenfirst broached by the followers of Aristotle , who thought matter,under different modes or modifications, not sufficient to constitutedifferent bodies; but that something substantial was necessary toset them at a greater distance: and thus introduced substantialforms, on the footing of sonls, which specify and distinguish ani-mals. What led to this erroneous notion was the circumstances oflife and death: For observing, that as soon as the soul was de-parted out of a man, all motion, respiration, nutrition, &c. im-mediately ceased, they concluded, that all these functions de-pended on the soul, and consequently that the soul was the formof the animal body, or that which constituted it such: that the soulwas a substance, independent of matter, nobody doubted ; andhence the forms of other bodies were concluded equally substantial.But to this it is answered, that though the soul be that by which aman is man, and consequently is the form of the human body, ashuman; yet it does not follow, that it is properly the form ot thisbody of ours, as it is a body; nor of the several parts thereof, con-sidered as distinct from each other: For those several parts havetheir proper forms so closely connected with their matter, that itremains inseparable therefrom long after the soul has quitted thebody : thus, tlesh has the form of flesh, bone of bone, &c. longafter the soul is removed, as well as before. The truth is, the bodydoes not become incapable of performing its accustomed functionsbecause the soul has deserted it; but the soul takes its leave, be-cause the body is not in a condition to perform its functions. Theancient and modern corpuscular philosophers, therefore, with theCartesians, exclude the notion of substantial forms ; and shew, bymany arguments, that the form is only the modus, or manner ofthe body it is inherent in. And as there are only three primarymodes of matter, viz. figure, rest, and motion, with two othersarising therefrom, viz. magnitude and situation, the form of allbodies they bold to consist therein; and suppose the variationsthese modes are capable of, sufficient to present all the variety ob-servable in bodies. Forms are usually distinguished into essen-tial and accidental.

1. Forms, Accidental, are those really inherent in bodies, butin such a manner as that the body may exist in all its per-fection without them. Such is whiteness in a wall, heat in water,a figure of a man in wax, &c.

2. Forms, Essential. Though the five modes above men-tioned, generally taken, be adventitious; yet to this or that body, toe g. tire or water, they are essential: thus, it is accidental to iron, tohave this or that magnitude, figure, or situation, since it might ex-ist in different ones: yet to a knife or hammer, the figure, magni-tude, and position of parts which constitute it a hammer or knife,are essential; and they cannot exist or he conceived without them.Hence it is inferred, that though there be no substantial, there areessential, forms, whereby the several species of bodies becomewhat they are, and are distinguished from all others.

Form of Syllogisms , or Syllogistic Form, among logicians,a just disposition both of the terms, in respect of predicate and sub-ject, and of the propositions, in respect of quantity and quality:by which is only meant a disposition wherein the conclusion fol-lows duly and legitimately from the two premises; there being noform, where there is no conclusion. See Syllogism , andLogic .

Form, in theology, is said to be one of the essential parts ofthe sacraments ; being that which gives them their sacramentalnature and efficacy, and consisting in certain words, which thepriest pronounces in administering them.

Form is also used, in a moral sense, for the manner of being ordoing a thing according to rules: thus we say, a form of govern-ment, a form of argument, &c.

Form, in carpentry, is used to denote the long seats or benchesin the choirs of churches or in schools, for the priests, prebends,religious, or scholars, to sit on. At schools, the word form is frequentlv applied to what is otherwise termed a class.

FORMA, [Lat.] a form or shape. See Form. In the life ofSt. William of Roschild, forma is used for a seat of an ecclesi-astic in a choir.

7

Forma Pauperis, is when a person has just cause of suit, but isso poor that he cannot defray the usual charges of suing at law orin equity ; in which ca-e, on making oath that he is not worth fivepounds in the world, on all his debts being paid, and producing acertificate from some lawyer that he has good cause of suit, thejudge will admit him to sue in forma pauperis; that is, withoutpaying any fee to counsellors, attorneys, or clerk : the statute 11lien. VII. c. 12, having enacted, that counsel and attorneys, &c.shall be assigned to such poor persons gratis. Where it appearsthat any pauper has sold or contracted for the benefit of his suit,whilst it is depending in court, such cause shall be thenceforthtotally dismissed; and a person suing in forma pauperis shall nothave a new trial granted him, but is to acquiesce in the judgementof the court.

FORMALITIES, in matter of law, are frequently used for theformulas themselves, or the rules prescribed for judiciary proceed-ings. In contracts of strict law, ali'the formalities must he strictlyobserved ; an omission of the least formality may ruin the wholeconvention.

Formality, as defined in the schools, is any manner wherein athing is conceived ; or a manner in any object, importing a rela-tion to the understanding, whereby it may be distinguished fromanother object. Thus, animality and rationality are formalities.

FORMATION, in grammar, signifies the manner of formingone word from another: thus accountantship is formed from ac-countant, and this last from account.

FORM EDON, in law, (breve de forma donationis,) a writ thatlies for a person who has a right to lands or tenements, by viitneofany entail, arising from the statute of Westm. 2 Ch. II. Thiswrit is of three kinds, viz.

1. Formedonin Descender lies where a tenant in tail in-feolfs a stranger, or is disseised and dies, and the heir may bringthis writ to recover the lands.

2. Formedon in Remainder lies where a man gives lands,&c. to a person in tail, and, for default of issue of his body, the re-mainder to another in tail: here if the tenant in tail die withoutissue, and a stranger abates and enters into the land, he in remain-der shall have this writ.

3. Formedon in Reverter lies where lands are entailed oncertain persons and their issue, with remainder over for want ofissue ; and, on that remainder failing, then to revert to the donorand his heirs: in this case, if the tenant in tail dies without issue,aad also he in remainder, the donor and his heirs, to whom the re-version returns, may have this writ for the recovery of the estate,though the same he alienated, &c.

FORM ERIE, a town of France , in the department of Oise, 9miles W. of Grandvilliers.

FORMIA , or FORMLE, in ancient geography, a maritimetown of the Adjected, or New Latium, on the S. E. of Cajeta;now in ruins, near Mola.

FORMIANI, the people of Formia , who were admitted tothe liberty of the city the very year in which Alexandria wasbuilt; but not to the right of suffrage till long after the secondPunic war.

FORMIC ACID. It has long been known that ants containa strong acid, which they occasionally emit; and which may heobtained from the ants either by simple distillation or by infusionof them in boiling water and subsequent distillation of as much ofthe water as can he brought over without burning the residue.This has now lost its rank as a separate acid, and it has been shewnby I’ourcroy and Vauquclin to he a compound of the malic andacetic.

FORMICA, in natural history, the Ant or Emmet, a genusof insects of the order hymenoptera. Feelers four, unequal, withcylindrical articulations, placed at the tip of the lip, which is cy-lindrical and nearly membranaceous ; antenna; filiform ; a smallerect scale between the thorax and abdomen ; females and neutersarmed with a concealed sting; males and females with wings, hutneuters have no wings. According to Linnaeus there are eighteenspecies. The insects of this genus live in large societies, some-what in the manner of bees and wasps, and are like them dividedinto males, females, and neutrals, which latter constitute the greator general assortment, and appear to conduct the business of thenest, which is usually placed at a small distance from the surfacein some slight elevation either prepared by the insects themselves,