SPE (261) dious and difficult teft of the affay, which cannot It is therebe made in ail places or by ali men. fore much to be wifhed, that fome perfons would inftitute a series of experiments in the most interefting cafes: for it inuft be obferved, that this change of denfity is not always a smali matter; it is fometimes very confiderable and paradoxical. A remarkable inftance may be given of it in the mixture of brais and tin for belis, great guns, optical speculums, &c. The fpecific gravity of caft brafs is nearly 8'006, and that of tin is nearly 7363. I two parts of brafз be mixed with one of tin, the specific gravity is 8931; whereas, if each had retained its former bulk, the fpecific gravity 2X8·006+7363 would have been only 7* 793 ( = 3 7'363). A mixture of equal parts fhould have the fpecific gravity 7 684; but it is 8'441. A mixture of two parts tin with one part brafs, inftead of being 7577, is 8027. In all thefe cafes there is a great increase of specific gravity, and confequently a great condenfation of parts or contraction of bulk. The first mixture of 8 cubic inches of brafs, for inftance, with 4 cubic inches of tin, does not produce 12 cubic inches of bell-metal, but only 10 nearly, having shrunk. It would appear that the distances of the brass particles are moft affected, or perhaps it is the brafs that receives the tin into its pores; for we find that the condenfations in thefe mixtures are nearly proportional to the quantities of the brafs in the mixtures. It is remarkable that this mixture with the lightest of ali metals has made a compofition more heavy and dense than brafs can be made by any hammering. The moft remarkable inftance occurs in mixing iron with platina. If 10 cubic inches of iron are mixed with 14 of platina, the bulk of the compound is only 9 inches. The iron therefore has not fimply received the platina into its pores : its own particles are brought nearer together. There are fimilar refults in the folution of turbith mineral, and of some other falts, in water. The water, inftead of rifing in the neck of the vessel, when a fmall quantity of the falt has been added to it, finks confiderably, and the two ingredients occupy lefs room than the water did alone. (11.) SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF MIXTURES OF ALCOHOL AND WATER. The fame thing happens in the mixture of water with other fluids, and different fluids with each other: But we are not able to trace any general rule that is obferved with abfolute precision. In most cafes of fluids the greateft condensation happens when the bulks of the ingredients are nearly equal. Thus, in the mixture of alcohol and water, we have the greatest condensation when 164 ounces of alcohol are mixed with 20 ounces of water, and the condenfation is about of the whole bulk of the ingredients. It is extremely various in different fubftances, and 10 claflification of them can be made in this refpect. A differtation has been published on this fubject by Dr Hahn of Vienna, intitied De Fficacia Mixtionis in mutandis Gerporum Voluminibus, in which all the remarkable inftances of the variation of density have been collected. Ali we can do is to record fuch inftances as are of chief importance, Leing articles of commerce. The moft fcrupulous examination of this, or perhaps of any mixture, has SPE been lately made by Dr Blagden (now 3ir Charles Specific Specific AW Volume. Gravity Gravity Conden- 20 20 20 3456 20 20 ΙΟ 20 14 20 I 40 26°2424 08457 08383 74 27°2424 08543 08443 100 7 30 2424 08757 0859.7 160 8 312424 32*2424 188 33°2424 08923 08725 199 24°2424 08762 0.8971 216 08796 218 0·8829 226 0'9162 0'9193 0'8946 247 0'3971 0'9223 252 099250 0.8996 254 432424 257 44°2424 259 43°0303 0'9325 09063 262 09087 262 263 0'9167 263 14 20 36 9697 0.9458 13 20 -35 7576 09488 12 C 54 5455 09518 333333 0'9549 0'9580 09644 09429 215 720284849 6120 520 4/20 09675 09707 260606 09741 O'9479 196 0'9533 272727 174 0'9593 148 09659 118 2C 2120 al 20 09818 236364 09731 87 22.4242 09864 24 The condenfation is greatest when 16 ounces of into the pores of the water, fo as to increase its weight without increafing its bulk?" and we must grant that it may. We do not mean that it is fimply lodged in the pores as fand is lodged in the interftices of fmall fhot; but the two together occupy less room than when separate. The experiments of Mr Achard were infufficient for a deci fion, because made on fo fmail a quantity as 600 grains of water. Dr Watfon's experiments have, for the most part, the same defect. Some of them, however, are of great value in this question, and are very fit for afscertaining the specific gravity of diffolved falts. (13.) SPECIFIC VELOCITY. See OpTics, Ind. *SPECIFICAL. SPECIFICK. adj. fpecifique, French; Species and facio, Latın.] 1. That which makes a thing of the fpecies of which it is. To thee all her fpecifick forms I'ii fhow. Denb. As to the fpecifick nature of its acts, it is deter mined by the object. South.-How are they kept to their specifick uniformities? Glanville.-Thele principles I confider not as occult qualities, fuppofed to refult from the fpecifick forms of things, but as general laws of nature. Newton.-All things were formed according to these specifical platforms. Norris.--Specifick gravity is the appropriate and peculiar gravity or weight which any fpecies of natural bodies have, and by which they are plainly diftinguishable from all other bodies of differ ent kinds. Quincy.-The fpecifick qualities of plants refide in their native spirit, oil and essential salt. Arbuthnot.-Specifick difference is that primary attribute which diftinguishes each fpecies from one another, while they stand ranked under the fame general nature or genus. The specifick differet ce of wine is its preffure from the grape; as cyder is pieffed from apples. Watts. 2. [In medicine.} Appropriated to the cure of fome particular diftemper. It is ufually applied to the arcana, or medicines that work by occult qualities.-The o peration of purging medicines have been referred to a hidden property, a specifical virtue, and the like thifts of ignorance. Baton.-If the would drink a good decoction of farfa, with the usual Specificks, the might enjoy a good health. Wifem. SPECIFICALLY. adv. [from specifick. In fuch a manner as to constitute a fpecies; according to the nature of the fpecies.-Virtues that are Specifically requisite to a due performance of this duty. South-Human reafon doth not only gra dually, but specifically, differ from the fantaftick reafon of brutes. Greau.-It an axe head be fup pofed to float upon water which is specifica'ly lighter, it had been fupernatural. Bentley. (12.)SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SALINE MIXTURES. Mr Lambert, one of the first mathematicians and philofophers of Europe, in a differtation in the Berlin Memoirs (1762), gives a narration of experiments on the brines of common falt, from which he deduces a very great condenfation, which he attributes to an abforption in the weak brines of the falt, or a lodgment of its particles in the interftices of the particles of water. Mr Achard of the fame academy, in 1785, gives a very great lift of experiments on the bulks of various brines, made in a different way, which show no fuch introfufception; and Dr Watfon, formerly regius profeffor of chemistry at Cambridge, and now bithop of Landaff, thinks this confirmed by experiments which he narrates in his Chemical Ellays. We cannot affent to either fide, and do not think the experiments decifive. We incline to Mr Lambert's opinion; for this reafon, that in the fucceffive dilutions of fulphuric acid and nitric acid there is a moft evident and remarkable condenfation. Now what are thefe but brines, of which we have not been able to get the faine ingredient in a separate form? The experiments of Mr Achard and Dr Watfon were made in fuch a way, * SPECIFICATION. n. f. [from specifick; spethat a fingle grain in the measurement bore too cification, Fr. 1. Diftinct notation; determin great a proportion to the whole change of fpecifiction by a peculiar mark.-This fpecification or li gravity. At the fame time, fome of Dr Watton's are fo fimple in their nature that it is very difficult to with-hold the affent. Experiments have also been made which feem fufficient for deciding the question "Whether the falt can be received *To SPECIFICATE. v. a. (from species and facio, Lat.] To mark by notation of diftinguish. ing peculiarities.-Man is enabled to act as a reafonable creature, without any particular, Speci cating, concurrent, new imperate act of the di vine fpeciai providence. Hale. mitation of the queftion hinders the difputers from wandering. Watts. 2. Particular mention. The conftitution here forks generally without the specification of any place. Aviige. (1.)SPECIFICK. SE SPECIFIC and SPECIFICAL (2.) SPE (2.) SPECIFICS, in medicine. By fpecifics is not meant fuch as infallibly and in a patients produce falutary effects. Such medicines are not to be expected, because the operations and effects ci remedies are not formally inherent in them, but cepend upon the mutual action and reaction of the body and medicine upon each other; hence the various effects of the fame medicine in the fime kind of diforders in different patients, and in the fame patient at different times. By fpeciLe medicines we underftand fuch medicines as are more infallible than any other in any particular difeafe. See MEDICINE, Index. *To SPECIFY. v. v. a. from species, specifier, Fr.] To mention: to show by fome particular marks of diftinction.-The change of fuch laws as have teen specified is nccellary. Hooker.-St Peter doth But fpecify what these waters were. Burnet.-The countries, and the uies of their foils, are specified. l'ape. The fmiling infant in his hand shall take The crefted basilisk and speckled snake. Pope The tortoise here and elephant unite, Trausform'd to combs, the Speckl'd and the white. Pope. SPECKT, or fpeight. n. f. A woodpecker. Ainsworth. (1.) * SPECTACLE. n. f. fpectacle, Fr. Spectaculum, Lat.] 1. A fhow; a gazing stock; any thing exhibited to the view as eminently remarkable. In open place produc'd they me, To be a public spectacle to all. Shak. We are made a pectacle unto angels, and men. 1 Cor. iv. 9. 2. Any thing perceived by the fight. The dreadful spectacle of that fad houfe of pride. Fairy Queen. Such pedacles, though they are just, are fac. Denham. 3. [In the plural.] Glaffes to affift the fight.With spectacles on nose and pouch on fide. Shak. SPECIMEN. n. f. fpecimen, Latin.] A fample; a part of any thing exhibited, that the rest ay be known.-Several perfons have exhibited -We have helps for fight above fp. Aacles. Bacon. fecimens of this art before multitudes of behold--Shakespeare was naturally icained: he needed e. Addion. not the spectacles of books to read Nature. Dryd. * SPECIOUS. adj. {specieux, Fr. speciofus, Lat.] The first fpectacle-maker did not think that he 1. Snowy; pleafing to the view. The reft, far greater part, Wii deem in outward rites and fpecious forms, Keligion fatisfied. In the vale of Sorec, Dalia, That fpecious monfter. Milton. Milton. 2. Paulibie; fuperficially, not folidly right; ftrikag at firft view. Bad men boaft Milton. Their fpecious deeds on earth. -So newhat of pecious they muft have to recomnd them to princes. Dryden.-Temptation is greater danger, because it is covered with the tious names of good nature and good manners. Agers. This is the only pecious objection which Our Romih adverfaries urge against the doctrine this church. Atterbury. *SPECIOUSLY. adv. [from specious.] With fur appearance.--Piety is opposed to that perfon and devotion under which any kind of impiety is vont to be difguiled, and put off more fpeciofly. immond. 7 SPECK. n. f. [ specec, Sax. A finall difcoloration; a fpot.-Every speck does not blind a man, Government of the Tongue No fpeck is left of their habitual stains. Dryd. To SPECK. v. a. To fpot; to ftain in drops. Porole, azure, or speck'd with gold. Milton. SPECKFELD, a fmail town and ancient fort of Germany in Franconia, capital of a lordship fo Famed, 18 miles E. of Wurzburg, and 26 SW. of Lamberg. SPECKLE. n.. [from Speck.] Small fpeck; Xtrie spot. To SPECKLE. v. a. [from the noun.] To mark with fmail spots.Forelifting up aloft his speckled breast. Fairy Q. Speckl'd vanity Will ficken foon and die. Milton. Saw't thou not late a speckled ferpent rear His gilded fpires to climb on yon fair tree? Before this happy minute I was he. Dryden. was leading the way to the discovery of new planets, Gres.-This is the reafon of the decay of fight in oid men, and thews why their fight is mended by specacles. Newton. Nor think on our approaching ills, And talk of fpe&acles and pills. Swift. (2.) SPECTACLES, in dioptries, a machine confifting of two ienfes fet in miver, horn, &c. to afhit the defects of the organ of fight. Old people, and others who have fat eyes, ufe convex fpectacles, which caufe the rays of tight converge fo as to meet upon the retina: whereas myopes, or fhort fighted peopic ufe concave ienfes for spectacles, which caufes the rays to diverge, and prevent their meeting ere they reach the retina. See DIOPTRICS, and OPTICS, Indexes. (3.) SPECTACLES are certainly the most valuable of all optical inftruments, though there is not the fame science and mechanical ingenuity dif played in the maki: g of them as in the conftruction of microscopes and telcfcopes. A man, efpecially if accustomed to spend his time among books, would be much to be pitied, when his fight begins to fail, could he not, in a great meafure, restore it by the aid of fpectacles; but there are fome men whofe fight cannot be aided by the ufe either of convex or concave glafies. The forlowing method adopted by one of thefe to aid his fight is certainly worthy of notice: (4.) SPECTACLES, A SUBSTITUTE FOR. When about 60 years of age, this man had almoft ertirely loft his fight, feeing nothing but a kind of thick mitt, with little black fpecks which appear. ed to float in the air. He knew not any of his friends, he could not even diftinguish a man from a woman, nor could he walk in the streets with out being led. Glailes were of no ufe to him; the beft print, feen through the beft fpectacles, feemed to him like a daubed paper. Wearied with this melancholy ftate, he thought of the folowing expedient. He procured fome fpectacles with ve ry large rings; and, taking out the glailes, fub fituted (1.) * SPECTRE. n. f. [fpe&re, Fr. Spe&rum, Lat.] Apparition; appearance of perfons dead.-The ghots of traitors from the bridge defcend, With bold fanatick spectres to rejoice. Dryden. The very poetical ufe of the word for a petre doth imply an exact resemblance to some real being it reprefents. Stilling feet.-Thefe are nothing but peres the understanding raifes to itself. Locke. fituted in each circle a conic tube of black Spa- from defect of fenfibility. ed. Such as are owing zith copper. Looking through the large end of to a greater sensibility of a defined part of the rethe cone he con d read the fmalleft print paced tina, or spectra from excefs of fenfibility. 3d, at its other extremity. Thefe tubes were of dif- Such as refemble their object in its colour as well ferent lengths, and the openings at the end were as form; which may be termed direc ocular specalfo of different fizes; the fmaller the aperture the tra. 4th, Such as are of colour contrary to that better could he distinguish the fmaileft letters; the of their object, which may be termed reverse ocuBarger the aperture the more words or lines it lar fera. commanded; and confequentiy the iefs occafion was there for moving the head and the hand in reading. Sometimes he ufed one eye, fometimes the other, alternately relieving each, for the ravs of the two eyes could not muite upon the fame obiect when thus feparated by two opaque tubes. The thinner these tubes, the left troublesome are they. They must be totally blackened within fo as to prevent all thining, and they thould be made 10 lengthen or contract, and enlarge or reduce the aperture at pleafare. When he placed convex glaffes in these tubes, the letters indeed appeared larger, but not fo clear and distinct as through the empty tube: he also found the tubes more convenient when not fixed in the fpectacle rings; for when they hung loofely they could be raifed or lowered with the hand, and one or both might be used as occafion required. It is aimok need lefs to add, that the material of the tubes is of no importance, and that they may be made of iron or tin as well as of copper, provided the infides of them be sufficiently blackened. See La Neuville Bizarure for Feb. 1754, or Monthly Magazine for April 1799. SPECTACLED. adj. [from the noun.] Furzifhed with fpectacles. All tongues fpeak of him, and the bleared fights Are fpe&acted to see him. Shak. SPECTATION. n. f. [fpe&atio, Latin.] Regard; refpe&.—This simple spectation of the lungs is differenced from that which concomitates a plenrify. Harvey. * SPECTATOR. n. f. [ Spe&ateur, Fr. Spectator, Lat.] A looker-on; a beholder. Play'd, to take fpectators. Shak. -If it prove a good repaft to fpe&ators, the dish pays the shot. Shak.—An old gent eman mounting on horfeback, got up heavily; but defired the Spectators that they would count fourfcore and eight before they judged him. Dryden. He mourns his former vigour loft so far, * SPECTATORSHIP. n. f. [from spectator.] A&t of beholding.-Thou stand' ' th' ftate of hanging, or of fome death more long in fpectatorShip and crueller in fuffering. Shak. SPECTRA, OCULAR, images prefented to the eye after removing them from a bright object, or clofing them. When any one has long and attentively looked at a bright object, aa at the fetting fun, on clofing his eyes, or removing them, an image, which resembles in form the object he was attending to, continues fome time to be visible. This appearance in the eye we fhall call the ocuJr fpectrum of that object. Thefe ocular spectra are of four kinds: 1ft, Such as are owing to a lefs fenfibility of a defined part of the retina or fpectra (2.) SPECTRE OF THE BROKEN, a curious phenomenon obferved on the Broken, one of the Harz mountains in Hanover. M. Haue gives the fol lowing account of it: "After having been here (says he) for the 30th time, and having procured information refpecting the abovementioned atmospheric phenomenon, I was at length, on the 23d of May 1797, so fortunate as to have the picature of feeing it; and perhaps my defcription may afford fatisfaction to others who vifit the Broken through curiofity. The fun rose about four o'clock, and, the atmosphere being quite ferene towards the taft, his rays couid país without any obftruction over the Heinrichthöhe. In the SW. however, towards Achtermannshöhe, a brisk west wind carried before it thin tranfparent vapours, which were not yet condenfed into thick heavy clouds. About a quarter paft four I went towards the inn, and looked round to fee whether the atmosphere would permit me to have a free profpect to the SW.; when I obferved, at a very great dif tance towards Achtermannfhöre, a human figure of a monstrous fize. A violent gust of wind ha ving almoft carried away my hat, I clapped my hand to it by moving my arm towards my head, and the coloffai fignre did the fame. The pleafure which I felt on this difcovery can hardly be defcribed; for I had already walked many a wea. ry step in the hopes of feeing this fhadowy image, without being able to gratify my curiofity. Timmediately made another movement by bending my body, and the coloffal figure before me repeated it. I was defirous of doing the fame thing once more-but my coloffus had vanished. I re mained in the fame pofition, waiting to fee whether it would return; and in a few minutes it a gain made its appearance on the Achtermannfröhe. I paid my respects to it a 2d time, and it did the fame to me. I then called the landlord of the Broken; and having both taken the fame pofition which I had taken alone, we looked towards the Achtermannfliöhe, but saw nothing. We had not, however, itood long, when two fuch colof fai figures were formed over the above eminence, which repeated our compliments by bending their bodies as we did; after which they vanished. We retained our pofition; kept our eyes fixed on the fame (pot, and in a littie the two figures a gain flood before us, and were joined by a third. Every movement that we made by bending our bodies thefe figures imitated-but with this dif ference, ference, that the phenomenon sometimes was weak neas attempted to clafp her in his arms, the and faint, fometimes strong and weli defined. Ha- phantom immediately vanifhed into air. From ving thus had an opportunity of difcovering the this story we may obferve, that the ancients bewhole fecret of this phenomenon, I can give the fol- lieved that the umbræ or fhades, retained nearly lowing information to fuch of my readers as may be the fame appearance after death as before; that defirous of feeing it themselves. When the rifing they had fo far the refemblance of a body as to fun, and according to analogy the cafe will be the be visible; that they could think and fpeak as fame at the setting fun, throws his rays over the formerly, but could not be touched. This deBroken upon the body of a man ftanding oppofite fcription applies equally well to thofe fhades to fine light clouds floating around or hovering paft which had paffed the river Styx, and taken up him, he needs only fix his eyes ftedfaftly upon them, their refidence in the infernai regions. Such were and, in all probability, he will fee the fingular the fhades of Dido, of Deiphobus, and all thoie Spectacle of his own fhadow, extending to the whom Æneas met with in his journey through length of five or fix hundred feet, at the distance the fubterraneous world. of about two miles before him." It is faid, there is in the Manchester Transactions an account of a fimilar phenomenon obferved by Dr Ferrier, on a hiil in England. (3.) SPECTRES, ANCIENT OPINIONS RESPECT ING. See GHOST, § 3. A belief that fupernatural beings sometimes make themselves visible, and that the dead fometimes revifit the living, has prevailed among moft nations, especially in the rudest ftages of fociety. It was common among the Jews, among the Greeks, and among the Romans, as we find from the Scriptures, and from the poems of Homer and Virgil. Celestial appearances were indeed fo often exhibited to the Jews, that the origin of their belief is not difficult to be explained.-The Divine Being manifefted himself to each of the Patriarchs by fome fenfible fign, generally by a flame of fire, as he did to Moles. Under this femblance alfo did he appear to the Ifraelites during their abode in the defert, and after they obtained a fettlement in the land of Canaan. Nor did they believe that heavenly beings alone affumed a fenfible appearance: They believed that deceased men alfo fometimes revifited this world. When Saul went to confult the witch at Endor, he asked her to bring up the person whom he should name unto her; a proof that he confidered his demand as eafy to be performed, and therefore that he probably acted under the influence of popular opinion. The fame opinions had been generally entertained at a much earlier period; for necromancy and witchcraft, the arts by which the dead were fuppofed to be raised, had been prohibited while the Ifraelites were in the wilderness, and yet untainted with the vices of the Canaanites. They must therefore have derived them from Egypt, the cradle of fuperftition, as well as of the arts and fciences. A mong the Greeks and Romans the apparition of spectres was generally believed. On innumer able occafions the gods are faid to have discover ed themselves to the eyes of mortais, to have held conferences, and to have interpofed their aid. The ghofts of the dead, too, are faid to have appeared. When Eneas, amidft the diftraction and confufion of his mind in flying from the detruction of Troy, had loft his wife by the way, be returned in fearch of her. Her fhade appear ed to him (for the herself had been flain) with the fame afpect as before, but her figure was larger. She endeavoured to affuage the grief of her unhap py husband, by afcribing her death to the appointment of the gods, and by foretelling the illuftrious honours which yet awaited him. But when VOL. XXI. PART I. (4.) SPECTRES, MODERN NOTIONSRESPECTING. It appears from the writings of modern travellers who have vifited rude and favage nations, that the belief of fpe&res is no lefs common among them. Mr Bruce teils us, that the priest of the Nile affirmed, that he had more than once feen the Spirit of the river in the form of an old man with a white beard. Among the Mahometans the doctrine of spectres feems to be reduced to a regular fyftem, by the accounts which they give of genii. Whoever has read the Arabian Nights Entertainments must have furnished his memory with a thousand inftances of this kind. Their opinions concerning genii feem to be a corrupted mixture of the doctrines of the Jews and ancient Perfians. In Chriftian countries, too, notwithstanding the additional light which their religion has fpread, and the great improvement in the sciences to which it has been fubfervient, the belief of ghosts and apparitions is very general, especially among the lower ranks. They believe that evil spirits fometimes make their appearance in order to ter rify wicked men, especially those who have com mitted murder.-They fuppofe that the spirits of dead men affume a corporeal appearance, hover about church-yards and the houfes of the deceaf ed, or haunt the places where murders have been committed. (See APPARITION, § 3 and GHOST §4.) In fome places it is believed that beings have been feen bearing a perfect refemblance to men alive. Thefe fpectres, in Scotland, are called Wreaths, and people are often to be found, who affirm, that they have feen fuch Wreaths of their relations a longer or thorter time before their death. In the Highlands of Scotland, what is called the fecond fight is ftill believed by many (fee SECOND SIGHT); viz. that future events are foretold by certain individuals by means of spectral reprefentation. So general has the belief of spectres been, that this circumftance alone may be thought by fome fufficient to prove that it must have its foundation in human nature, or muft rest upon rational evidence. When any doctrine has been univerfally received by all nations, by generations living several thousand years from one another, and by people in all the different stages of fociety, there is certainly the ftrongeft prefumption to conclude that fuch a doctrine has its foundation in reason and in truth. In this way we argue in favour of the exiftence of a God, concerning moral diftinction, and the doctrine of a future ftate: and certainly fo far we argue well. But if the fame argument be applied to idolatry, to facrifices, or to apparitions, we shall find that I. 1 |