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5. That, notwithstanding, its universality, there are certain animalbodies, which are not equally susceptible of this fluid, and thepresence of which even destroys the effects of animal magnetism.Lastly, it cures all nervous disorders immediately, and others me-diately : in short, its virtues extend to the universal cure and pre-servation of mankind 1 Such are some of the principles of thiswild and incoherent system, which we should not have noticedbut to expose its absurdity, and to guard our readers against thelike impositions, which are not unfrequently practised.
MAGNIFYING, in optics, the making of objects appearlarger than their natural size; whence convex lenses, which dothis, are called magnifying glasses. See Optics.
MAGNITUDE, w hatever is made up of parts locally extend-ed, or that hath several dimensions; as a line, surface, solid. Theapparent magnitude of a body is that measured by the visual an-gle, formed by rays drawn from its extremes to the centre of theeye; so that whatever things are seen under the same or equalangles, appear equal; and vice versa. See Geometry , andOptics.
MAGNOLIA, the Laurel-leaved Tulip-tree: in botany,a genus of the polygynia order, and polyandria class of plants; na-tural order, Coadnatae. Calyx three-leaved; petals nine; cap-sule one-celied, two-valved ; seeds berried, pendulous. Thereare seven species.
M. Glauca, the Small Magnolia, is a native of North Ame-rica . It rises from seven or eight, to fifteen or sixteen feet high,with a slender stem. The wood is white and spongy, the barksmooth, and of a greenish-white colour; the brandies garnished,with thick smooth leaves, of an oval shape, smooth on their edges,and white underneath. The (lowers are white, and produced atthe extremities of the branches. The seeds are discharged fromtheir cells, and hang by a slender thread. This species generallygrows in a poor swampy soil, or on wet meadows. The scent ofits blossoms are exquisite, and can he perceived at the distance ofthree quarters of an English mile, provided the wind be not againstit. It is extremely agreeable to travel in the woods about thetime of its flowering. The berries likewise look very fine, havinga rich red colour, and hanging in bunches on slender stalks. Thecough ami other pectoral diseases are cured by putting the berriesinto rum or brandy, and taking a draught of this tincture everymorning. The virtues of this remedy are greatly extolled fortheir salutary effects in consumptions. The hark put into brandy,or boiled in any liquor, is said to ease pectoral diseases and to beof service against all internal pains and heat: and it was thoughtthat a decoction of it could stop the dysentery.
M. Grandiflora, the Great Magnolia, is a native of Flo-rida and South Carolina . It rises to eighty feet or more, with astraight trunk above two feet in diameter, and a regular head. Theleaves resemble those of the laurel, but are larger, and continuegreen throughout the year. The flowers are produced at the endsof the branches, and are of a purplish-white colour.
MAGNUS, Alhertus, a Dominican Friar , afterwards Bishopof Ratisbon, was one of the most learned men and most famousdoctors of the thirteenth century. He is said <o have acted as ainan-midwffe. A book entitled “ De Natura Rerum,” of whichhe was reputed the author, gave rise to this report. In this trea-tise there are several instructions for midwives, and so much skillshewm in their art, that the author could not have arrived at itwithout having himself practised; but the advocates for Albert savhe was nut the writer thereof, nor of another piece entitled “ Al-berti Magni De Secretis Mulierum;” in which there are manv !expressions unavoidable on such a subject, which raised a greatclamour against the supposed author. It must be confessed, thatthere are in his Comment upon the Master of Sentences, somequestions concerning conjugal duty, in which he has used some wordsrather too gross for chaste ears: but he used to say in his vindica-tion, that he came to the knowledge of so many monstrous thingsat confession, that it was impossible to avoid touching upon suchquestions. Albertus Magnus was certainly a man of a most in-quisitive turn of mind, which gave rise to other accusations; suchas, that he laboured to find out the philosopher’s stone; that hewas a magician ; and that he made a machine in the shape of aman, which was an oracle to him, and explained all the dillicultieshe proposed. He had great knowledge in the mathematics, andby his skill in that science might probably have formed a head
with springs capable of articulate sounds. See Automaton.John Matthaius de Luna, in his treatise “ De Rerum Inventor:'bus,” lias attributed the invention of fire-arms to Albert; but inthis he is confuted by Naude, in his “ Apologie des Grand 9Homines.” Many fables are iold of him by Bayle and others 1such as that the Virgin Mary appeared to him, and offered hi®|his choice of excelling in philosophy or divinity, &c. lie diedat Cologn, Nov. 15, 1280. His works were printed at Lyons, in1651, in twenty-one volumes in folio.
Magnus Campus, in ancient geography, a tract lying towardsScylhopolis, or Betbshan, in Galilee, beyond which it extendsinto Samaria.
Magnus 1’ortus, in ancient geography, a port of the Belg#)in Britain , on the Channel; now thought to be Portsmouth.
MAGO, in ancient geography, a citadel and town of BaleariSMinor or Minorca; now Mahon . Lon. 4. 6. E. Lai. 39. 5. N-
M AGOPHONIA, [from magician, and 94 * 0 ;, slaughter,]
a festival among the ancient Persians , held in memory of the eS'pulsion and massacre of the Magians. See Magi.
magpie. See Corvus.
MAGRA, orMAGORA, a river of Italy , which rises inAppennines, near Modena , and falls into the Mediterranean, >®Liguria .
MAHALEU, a considerable town of Egypt , capital of G-arbi®*Lon. 30. 31. E. Lat. 31. 50. N. .
MAFIERNIA, in botany, a genus of the pentagynia order, a®"pentandria class of plants. Calyx five-toothed; petals live; m’®'taria five, obcordate, placed under the filaments; capsule fi''®'celled. It has three species, found at the Cape of Good Hope .
MAH1E, the name given by the inhabitants of Otaheite , to*kind of sour paste, made of the bread-fruit, which, in consequent.,of having undergone a fermentation, will keep a considerable tit® e 'and supply them with food when no ripe fruit is to be had. SedAktocakfus.
MAHOGANY, or SU’lETENfA, an exotic tree growingwild in South America, and likewise in the islands of Cuba , J®'maica, Hispaniola, and in those of Bahama . It was formerly verycommon in Jamaica; whence it was first imported to London 111the year 1724; since which period it has been very generally e® 1 'ployed for household furniture. Lately, however, it has becoi®?more scarce and expensive; because the low-lands in that isls®,have been gradually thinned of those valuable frees which c<®®be readily carried to market, or transported on ship-board. r U'mahogany-tree grows very tall and straight, frequently am 0 ®/bare rocks, and attains a size of four feet in diameter: its woo®. 1 ’hard, admits of a fine polish, and is excellently calculatedchairs, tables, desks, and similar articles. It also affords str of’ffand durable timber, and is usefully employed in the West IndF’for beams, joists, planks, boards, and shingles. Ships built of o' 1 ,'wood are said to be almost impermeable to cannon-balls, wl® clodge in the wood, or, if they pass through the planks, occas 10no splinters. See Swietenia.
MAHOMET. See Mohammed. ..
MAIDEN, or MAYDEN, an instrument anciently used 1Britain for beheading criminals, similar to the Guillotine .
Maiden, is also a name of a machine first used in Yorkshi, r ’and since introduced into other places, for washing linen; conS> ^ing of a tub nineteen inches high, and twenty-seven in diameteithe top, in which the linen is put, with hot water and soap,which is adapted a cover, fitting it very closely, and fastenedthe tub by two wedges; through a hole in the middle of lb® c gver passes an upright piece of wood, kept at a proper height by,peg above, and furnished with two handles, by which it is tur®backward and forward: to the lower end of this upright p 101 ' 0 .fastened a round piece of wood, in which are fixed several P ie< jj,elike cogs of a wheel. The operation of this machine makeslinen pass and repass quick through the water. ,i,c
Maiden Rents, in old English writers, a noble paid by 1tenants of some manors on their marriage.
MAIDENHAIR. See Adiantum. uy
MAIDENHEAD, a town of Berks, twenty-six miles W<
MAIDSTONE, a town of Kent, twenty miles W. of C®" jj,bury, and thirty-five S.E. by E- of Loudon. Lon. 0 .
La,. 51. 16 . N. JlilBST*