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ami marshes; soma in a stale of nature, but others cut by number-less drains and canals, and crossed by raised causeways. 1 he low-er or S. division is the most watery’, and is preserved from con-stant inundations by’ uoth'me: but vast banks, raised on the sea-coastand rivers. The air is unwholesome, and the water is generally sobrackish as to be unfit for internal purposes; on which accountthe inhabitants arc obliged to make reservoirs of rain-water. Insummer, vast swarms of insects fill the air, and prove a great nui-sance. Here industry has produced comfort and opulence, bylorming excellent pasture-lands out of the swamps and bogs, andeven making them capable of producing large crops of corn. r l liefens too, in their native stale, are not without their utility ; andatiord various objects of curiosity to the naturalist.

Holland, in commerce, a fine and close kind of linen, socalled from its being first manufactured in Holland. See Li-NEN.

Holland, Philemon, M. D. commonly called the 1 ranslatorGeneral cf his age, was educated in the university ot Cambridge.He was long a schoolmaster at Coventry, where he. also prac-tised physic. He translated Livv, Pliny’s Natural History, Plu-tarch’s Morals, Suetonius, Ammiamis Marcei'uius, Xenophon ’sCyropaxlia, and Camden’s Britannia, into English ; and the geo-graphical part of Speed’s Theatre of Great Britain into Larin. r l heBritannia, to which be made many useful editions, was the mostvaluable of bis works. It is surprising, that a man of two profes-sions could find time to translate so much; but it appears fromthe date of the Cyroiucdia, that lie continued to translate till hewas 80 years of age. * He died in 1036, aged 85. He made thefollowing epigram upon writing a large folio with a single pen:

W ith one sole pen I wrote this book,

Made of a grey goose quill;

A pen it was when it I took,

And a pen I leave it still.

Holland, 'New, the largest island in the world, reaching from10° to 44° lat. 8. and between 110° and 154° Ion. Is. of London ;so named front having been chielly explored by Hutch navigators.Some have disputed whether the title, of island can be properly ap-plied to a country’ of such vast extent, or whether, it ought notrather to be denominated a continent; while others insist, (hatthou gh the word island does indeed signify a tract of land surroundedby sea, yet, in the usual acceptation, it means only a land olmoderate extent thus surrounded. Were it otherwise, we mightcall the whole world an island, as it is every where surrounded bythe sea; and in fact, Dionysius Perigetes applies this term to it,with the addition of the word immense, to distinguish it Irom otherislands. The best rule for determining whether a country ought tchave the name of island or continent, is to consider whether it hasthe advantages of an insular situation, or not. The first and princi-pal of these is the being capable of an union under one govern-ment, and thence deriving a security from all external attacks ex-cepting those by sea ; but in countries of great extent, this is notonlv difficult, but impossible. If we consider, therefore, that NewHolland extends about 1000 miles everyway, we shall find thatits claim to be called a continent is undoubted ; its length from E.to W. being about 2400 English miles, and 2300 from N. to S.The climate of this continent appears not to be disagreeable. Thebeat is never excessive in summer, nor is the cold intolerable inwinter. Storms of thunder and lightning are frequent. Theeastern part of this vast tract was totally- unknown till CaptairCook made his voyages; -and by fully exploring that part of thecoast, gave his country an undoubted title to it; which according-ly has since been taken possession of under the name of NewSouth Wales . The inhabitants of New’ Holland are by all ac-counts represented as the most miserable and savage race omortals, perhaps, existing on the face of the earth. They go en-tirely .naked ; and though pleased at first with some ornament!which were given them, they soon threw them away as useless. Idoes not appear, however, that they are insensible of the benefit!of clothing, or of some of the conveniences which their new neigh-bours are in possession of. Some of them, whom the colonistpartly clothed, seemed to be pleased with the comfortable warmtlthey derived from it; and they all express a great desire for tiniron-tools which they see their neighbours make use of. Theicolour, in the opinion of Captain Cook, is rather a deep chocolatithan a full black; but the filth with which their skins are covered

prevents the true colour of them from appearing. At some of theirinterviews with the colonists, several droll instances happened oftheir mistaking the negroes among the colonists for their owncountrymen. Notwithstanding their disregard for European finery,they are fond of adorning, or rather deforming, their bodies withscars; so that some of them cut" the most hideous figure that canbe imagined. The scars' themselves have an uncommon appear-ance. Sometimes the flesh is raised several indies from the skin,and appears as if filled with wind; and all these seem to be reckon-ed marks of honour among them. Some of them perforate thecartilage of the nose and thrust a large bone through it, an hideouskind of ornament humorously called by the sailors their sprit-sailyard. Among the insects of this country are several sorts of largespiders and scolopendras, but the most remarkable insects seen byCaptain Cook were the green ants. These little animals formtheir habitations, by bending down the leaves of trees, and glueing(lie ends of them together so as to form a purse. Though theseleaves are as broad as a man’s head, they perform this feat by- mainstrength, thousands of them holding down the leaves, while mul-titudes of others.apply the glutinous matter. Capt. Cook’s peo-ple ascertained that this was the case, by’ sometimes disturbingthem. The quadrupeds of New Hollaed hitherto discovered areprincipally of the Opossum kind, of which the most remarkable isthe Kanguroo. See Didelpiiis. There is also a species of dogsvery different from those known in Europe . They are extremelyfierce, and never can be brought to the same degree of familiaritywith those of Europe . Some of them have been brought to Eng-land, but still retain their usual ferocity. There are many beau-tiful birds of various kinds; among which the principal are theostrich, or cassowary, which often grows to the height of seven feetor more: and the black swans, which the ancients despaired offinding ; w hence their adage, for any thing very rare; “ Kara avisin terris, nigroque simillima cygno.” Several kinds of serpentshave also been met with. There are likewise many curious fishes-,;though the finny tribe seems not to be so plentiful on the coast asto give airy considerable assistance in the way of provisions for thecolony. This country has become an object of considerable con-sequence by the establishment of a British colony in it; where thecriminals condemned to be transported are sent to pass their timeof servitude. A variety of flowering shrubs, almost ail entirely newto Europeans , and of exquisite fragrance, abound in those placeswhich are free from trees; and among these, a tall shrub, Rearingan elegant flower, which smells like English may, is peculiarlydelightful, and perfumes the air to a great distance. The trees, asCapt. Tench and others relate, are of so bad a grain, that they canscarcely be used for any purpose. But this Mr. Stockdale ascribesto their being used in an unseasoned state. These trees, however,yield vast quantities of a peculiar kind of gum, which is used as acure for the dysentery.

HOLLOA, in the sea-language, an exclamation of answer, toany person who calls to another to ask some question, or to givea particular order. Thus, if the master intends to give any orderto the people in the main-top, he previously calls, Main-top, lioay 1to which they answer, Holloa! to shew that they hear him, andare ready. It is also the first answer in hailing a ship at a dis-tance.

HOLLOW, in architecture, a concave moulding, about a quar-ter of a circle, by some called a casement, by others an abacus.

Hollow Tower, in fortification, is a rounding made of the re-mainder of two brisures, to join the curtain to the crillon, wherethe small shot are played, that they may not be so much exposedto the view of the enemy.

Hollow Root. See Adoxa.

HOLLY, in botany. See Ilex.

HOLLYHOCK. SeeAi-CF.A.

HOLOCAUSTS, [from exo? whole, and wow, 1 consume withfire,] burnt sacrifices of which the whole was consumed by fire.They are often mentioned by the heathens as well as Jews ; parti-cularly by Xenophon , Cyropas. lib. viii, p. 464, rd. Hutchins,1738, wno speaks of sacrificing holocausts of oxen to Jupiter, andof horses to the sun : anti they appear to have been in use long be-fore the institution of the other Jewish sacrifices by the law ofMoses : see Job i. 5. xlii. 8. and Gen. viii. 20. xxii. i,3. . On thisaccount, the Jews , who would not allow the Gentiles to oiler cmtheir altar any other sacrifices peculiarly enjoined by the law- of