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M A T

M A I

Major-general, the next officer to the lieutenant-general.Ilis chief business is to receive orders from the general, or in hisabsence from the lieutenant-general of the day; which he is todistribute to the brigade-majors, with whom he is to regulate theguards, convoys, detachments, &r. On him rests the whole fa-tigue and detail of duty of the army-roll. He is charged with theencampment of the army ; places himself at the head of it whenthey march ; marks out the ground of the camp to the quarter-master-general ; and places the new guards for the safety of thecamp. When the army is to march, he dictates to the field-offi-cers the order of the march, which he has received from the gene-ral, and on other days gives them the parole. In a fixed camp heis charged with the foraging, with reconnoitring the ground for it,and posting the escorts. In sieges, if there'be two separate at-tacks, the second belongs to him ; but if there be but one, lietakes, either from the right or left of the attack, that which thelieutenant-general has not chosen. When the army is under arms,he assists the lieutenant-general, whose orders he executes. If thearmy inarches to an engagement, his post is at the head of theguards of the army, until they are near enough to the enemy torejoin their different corps; after which lie retires to his own pro-per post: for the major-generals are disposed in the order of bat-tle as the lieutenant-generals arc; to whom, however, they- aresubordinate, for the command of their divisions. The major-ge-neral has one aid-de-camp paid for executing his orders.

Major of a Regiment of Foot, the next officer to the lieu-tenant-colonel, generally promoted from the eldest captain. lieis to take care that the regiment be well exercised, to see it marchin good order, and to rally it in case of being broke in action : heis the only officer among the infantry that is allowed to be onhorseback in time of action, that he may the more readily executethe colonel’s orders.

Major or a Regiment of IIorse, as well as foot, ought tobe a man of honour, integrity, understanding, courage, activity,experience, and address.

Major of Artillery , is the next officer to the lieutenant-colonel. His post is very laborious, as the whole detail of thesorps rests with him; and therefore ail the non-commissioned offi-cers are subordinate to him, as his title of serjeant-major imports;in this quality they must render him an exact account of everything which conics to their know ledge, either regarding the dutyor wants of the artillery and soldiers.

Major of Brigade , is appointed only in camp: lie goes everyday to head-quarters to receive orders from the adjutant-general:there he writes exactly what is dictated to him; thence he goes togive the orders, at the place appointed, to the different majors oradjutants of the regiments, which compose the brigade, and regu-lates with them the number of officers and men which each are tofurnish for the duty of the army ; taking care to keep an exactroster, that one may not give more than another ; and that eachmarch in their tour.

Major of Engineers , commonly called Sub-director,should be well skilled in military architecture, fortification, gun-nery, and mining. lie should know how to fortify in the field, toattack and defend all sorts of posts, and to conduct the works in asiege, &c. See Engineer.

MAJORCA, an island of the Mediterranean, lying betweenYvica on the W. and Minorca on the E. These three islandswere anciently called Baleares . See Balearfs.

Majorca, a town in the S. W. part of the above island. Lon.2. 55. E. Lat. 39. 36. N.

MAJORITY, the greater number of persons. Several thingsare determined by a majority. T hus our laws are enacted by amajority of members of parliament, and Hie members themselvesarc chosen by a majority of electors: also the act of the majorpart of every corporation, is accounted the act of the corporation;for where the majority is, there the law adjudges to lie the whole.

MAISTRE , Lewis Isaac lf., called al>o Sacy, was born atParis in 1013. 13is genius appeared very early, and lie completed

an excellent course of study ; but being accused of Jansenism , hewas, in 1666, committed to the Bastile. During his confinement,he is said to have composed the book Figures de la Bible ; inwhich allusions are made to the sufferings endured hv the Jan-senists. But it is more probable, that it was composed by Nico-las Fontaine his fellow-prisoner. To Le Maistre’s confinement

the public are indebted for a French translation of the Bible *finished in 1668, the evening before the feast of All Saints; whenhe recovered his liberty, after an imprisonment of two years and ahalf. He was presented to the king and the minister; and all thefavour he asked from them was, that they would send severaltimes a year to examine the state of the prisoners in the Bastile*

He continued at Paris till 1675, when lie retired to Port Royal*which he was obliged to leave in 1679. lie then settled at Pont"pone, where lie died Jan. 4, 1684, aged 71. His works are, 1*

La Traduction de la Bible, with explanations of the spiritual andliteral meaning from tile fathers; which were chiefly done by D 11Fosse, I lure, and Tounieux. This is the best French translationwhich has yet appeared, and the best edition is that of Paris in 3 ^vols. 8vo. 1682, &c. 2. Une Traduction ties Pseaumes scionA

Ilebreu et la Vulgate, in 12mo. 3. Une Version des llomelie s

de St. Clirysostome stir St. Matthieu ; 3 vols. Svo. 4. La Tra-duction de P Imitation de Jesus Christ (sous le nom de Beud*prieur de St. Val), Paris 1663, 8vo. 5. Celle de Pliedre, 12inp-(sous le nom de St. Aubin. 6. De trois Comedies de Terence, n 1l?mo. 7. Des Letlres de Bongars (sous le nom de Brianville)'

8. Du Pdeme de St. Prosper sur les iHgrates, in J2mo. en verseet en prose. 9. Les Enlumimtres de 1’ Alinanach des Jesuites*1654, I2ino. and 1733. 10. Ileures de Port-Royal, in 12mo*

11. Lettres de Pietfi, Paris , 1690, 2 vols. 8vo.

MAITLAND, John, Lord Tbiristane, and Lord High Chan-cellor of Scotland, was born in 1537, educated in Scotland , an<*afterwards sent to France to study the law. On his return, b ccommenced advocate; in which profession his abilities beeam cconspicuous. In 1567, his father resigned the privy-seal in his la'vour. 'Fills office lie kept till 1570; when, for his loyalty to tkcqueen, lie lost the seal, which was given to George Buchanan *

He was made a lord of session in 1581 ; secretary of slate in 158*1*and lord-chancellor in 1586. IIis power and influence create* 1him many enemies among the Scottish nobilitv, who made severs 1attempts to destroy him, but without success. In 1589 he attend-ed King Janies on his voyage to Norway , where his bride, th ePrincess of Denmark , was detained by contrary winds. The ma r 'riage was immediately consummated ; and they returned witli d ,equeen to Copenhagen , where they spent the winter. DiirinStheir residence in Denmark , the chancellor became intimately llC 'quainted witli the celebrated Tycho Brahe . In 1590 iie "’ aScreated Lord Maitland of Thirlsiane. He died in 1595, mud 1regretted by the king, lie bears a high character both for talen 19 ,and integrity. Melville, who writes the memoirs, (says Mr. Pijj” ■kerton,) was his personal enemy, so must not receive much crcq 1in his censures of him. Besides his Scottish poetry in the M all Jland Collection, he w rote several Latin epigrams, &c. to be font’ 1in die Delicise Poetarmn Scotorum, vol. ii.

MAITTA1RE, Michael, A.M.an emii ently learned writ eI jborn in 1663. Dr. South canon of Christ Church, made him 3student of that house, where lie took the degree of M. A. M* 11 ' 1 123, 1696. From 1695 till 1699 lie was second master of .minster School. In 1706, he published Grrric Lingua: Dialed 1 ’in Usum Sclioltc Westmouasleriensis, 1706, 8vo.; reprinted at d’Hague in 1738; and 1712, “ English Grammar, Applied to, il0Exemplified in, the English Tongue, ” Svo. In 171 1, he piild' 8 ,ed “ Remarks 011 Mr. Whist oil’s Account of tiie Convocat' 0 "Proceedings witli Relation to Himself,” Svo.; and “An F* ss Oagainst Arianism , and some oilier Heresies; or, A Reply to M '

IV. Wliis(on’s Historical Preface,” ike. Svo. In 1709 lie g 3 '’the first specimen of his great skill in typographical antiquities* Wpublishing Steplianorum IIistoria, Vilas Ipsorum ac Fibrespleclens, 8vo. This was followed in 1717, by 11 istoria Typ 0 ?^pliorimi aliquot Parisiensiimi, Vitas et Libros coinplectens, 8 v0,

1719, Aimales Typographic!, ab Artis inventx Origine, ad An 11 ! 11 *

M D. 4to. The second vol. continued to 1536, was published jtin: Hague in 1720; witli an introductory letter of John Tola 1 ^de prima Typographic inventione: as was also the third conti |lll ^ sto 1557, and, by an appendix, to 1664, in 1725. I11

published at Amsterdam , the Fourth volume, continued to 10 fin 1741 tiie work was completed at London , by the publicali 0 !. 1 rthe Fifth and last volume, witli an index to the whole. These fitlast volumes were in two parts each. In tiie intermediatelie was employed on various useful works. In 1713 lie pub* 1 ? ’ <*by subscription Opera et Fragmcnta Veterum Poctavum*