a tempest. It not only pursues and attacks small fish, on which, indeed, it subsists, but assails the whale itself, and is stated to have been seen firmly adhering to whales as they have leaped from the water. The ancients appear to have had almost a superstitious attachment to this animal, and relate various anecdotes of it, implying a peculiar susceptibility of gratitude and affection, a strong attachment to mankind, and a rapturous fondness for music. In natural history, however, the ancients were more fanciful than accurate, and compared with the moderns were as dwarfs to giants. The porpesse, though naturally straight, swims in a crooked form; and the dolphin is said, by Linnæus, to be crooked only when it leaps : Shaw thinks it assumes this form also in swimming. See Pisces, Plate III. fig. 5. D. orca, grampus. This is one of the most ravenous and formidable inhabitants of the ocean. It is found both in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, in the northern and the southern seas, and is about 12 feet broad, and 24 in length. It preys both upon the porpesse and dolphin, as well as upon smaller fish. It frequently attacks seals, even on the uncovered rocks, dislodging and often destroying them by its dorsal fin. But it is particularly and irreconcileably hostile to whales, which it attacks without the slightest hesitation, and often fastens on with the most persevering and destructive tenacity.

DELUGE, an inundation, or overflowing of the earth, either wholly or in part, by water.

We have several deluges recorded in history, as that of Ogyges, which overflowed almost all Attica; and that of Deucalion, which drowned all Thessaly in Greece; but the most memorable was that called the universal deluge, or Noah's flood, which overflowed and destroyed the whole earth, and out of which only Noah, and those with him in the ark, escaped.

DEMAIN, or DEMESNE, signifies the king's lands appertaining to him in property. No common person hath any demains simply understood, for we have no land (that of the crown only excepted) which is not holden of a superior, for all depends either mediately, or immediately of the crown: thus, when a man in pleading would signify his land to be his own, he says that he is or was seized thereof in his demain as of fee; whereby he means, that although his land be to him and his heirs for ever, yet it is not true demain, but depending upon a superior VOL. II.

lord, and holding by service, or rent in lien of service, or by both service and rent.

DEMAND, calling upon a man for any sum or sums of money, or any other thing due. By the several statutes of limitation, debts, claims, &c. are to be demanded and made in time, or they will be lost by law, There are two manner of demands, the one in deed, the other in law; in deed, as in every precepe there is an express demand; in law, as in every entry in land, distress for rent, taking or seizing of goods, and such like acts, which may be done without any words, are demands in law.

Where there is a duty which the law makes payable on demand, no demand need be made; but if there be no duty till demand, in such case there must be a demand to make the duty.

DEMOCRACY, the same with a popular government, wherein the supreme power is lodged in the hands of the people.

The advantages of a democracy where the people at large, either collectively, or by representation, constitute the legislature, are, liberty or exemption from needless restrictions, equal laws, regulations adapted to the wants and circumstances of the people, public spirit, frugality, averseness from war, the opportunities which democratic assemblies afford to men of every description, of producing their abilities and councils to public observation, and the exciting thereby, and calling forth to the service of the commonwealth, the faculties of the best citizens. The evils attendant upon this form of government are, dissension, tumults, faction, the attempts of powerful citizens to possess themselves of empire, the confusion and clamour which are the inevitable consequences of assembling multitudes, and of propounding questions of state to the discussion of the people; the delay and disclosure of public councils and designs; and the imbecility of measures retarded by the necessity of obtaining the consent of numbers; lastly, the oppression of the provinces which are not admitted to a par ticipation in the legislative power. The late excellent Dr. Paley mentions other advantages of a democratic constitution which, he says, ought not be forgotten: viz. the direction which it gives to the education, studies, and pursuits of the superior orders of the community. The share which this has in forming the public manners and national character is very important. Popular elections procure to the common people courtesy from their superiors. The

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satisfaction which the people, in free governments, derive from the knowledge and agitation of political subjects; such as the proceedings and debates of the senate, the conduct and character of ministers, the revolutions, intrigues, and contention of parties; and, in general, from the discussion of public measures, questions, and occurrences. "Subjects of this sort," says the learned author of the "Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy," excite just enough of interest and emotion to afford a moderate engagement to the thoughts, without rising to any painful degree of anxiety, or ever leaving a fixed oppression upon the spirits;-and what is this but the end and aim of all those amusements which compose so much of the business of life, and of the value of riches. See GOVERNMENT, mixed: CONSTITUTION,

&c.

DEMONSTRATION, in logic, a series of syllogisms, all whose premisses are either definitions, self-evident truths, or propositions already established.

DEMONSTRATIVE, in grammar, a term given to such pronouns as serve to in dicate or point out a thing. Of this number are hic, hæc, hoc, among the Latins; and this, that, these, those, in English.

DEMURRAGE, is an allowance made to the master of a ship by the merchants, for being detained in port longer than the time appointed and agreed for his departure. The rate of this allowance is generally settled in the charter party. It is now firmly established that the claim of demurrage ceases, as soon as the ship is cleared out and ready for sailing.

DEMURRER, is a kind of pause or stop put to the proceeding of an action upon a point of difficulty, which must be determined by the court before any farther proceedings can be had therein.

He that demurs in law confesses the facts to be true, as stated by the opposite party; but denies that by the law arising upon those facts any injury is done to the plaintiff, or that the defendant has made out a lawful excuse. As if the matter of the plaintiff's declaration be insufficient in law, then the defendant demurs to the declaration; if, on the other hand, the defendant's excuse or plea be invalid, the plaintiff demurs in law to the plea; and so in every other part of the proceedings where either side perceives any material objection in point of law upon which he may rest his case. General demurrer being entered, it cannot be afterwards waved without leave of

the court; but a special demurrer generally may, unless the plaintiff have lost a term, or the assizes, by the defendant's demurring.

And upon either a general or special demurrer, the opposite party avers it to be sufficient, which is called a rejoinder in demurrer, and then the parties are at issue in point of law; which issue in law, or demurrer, is argued by counsel on both sides; and if the points be difficult then it is argued openly by the judges of the court, and if they, or, the majority of them, concur in opinion, accordingly judgment is given : but in case of great difficulty they may adjourn into the Exchequer Chamber, where it shall be argued by all the judges.

DENARIUS, in Roman antiquity, the chief silver coin among the Romans, worth in our money about seven-pence three farthings. As a weight, it was the seventh part of a Roman ounce.

DENDRITES, or Arborizations. This appellation is given to figures of vegetables which are frequently observed in fossil substances. They are of two kinds; the one superficial, the other internal. The first are chiefly found on the surface of stones, and between the strata and in the fissures of those of a calcareous nature. Stones of a similar kind, when very compact, sometimes also exhibit internal arborizations; such are the marbles of Hesse, of Angersburg in Prussia, and of Baden-Dourlach on the left bank of the Rhine.

Several of these dendrites bear a striking resemblance to the poplar; while others exhibit the straight stem, pyramidal form, and pendant branches of the fir. Some specimens of dendrites found in Switzerland, represent, in a very surprising manner, plantations of willows; and many of them are so beautiful, as really to appear the work of art. The superficial dendrites are mostly of a brown, changing gradually to a reddish yellow. The internal dendri tes are of a deep black. The most esteemed dendrites are those found in agates; and more particularly in the sardonyx, corne lian, and other precious stones brought from the East, and which are commonly denominated moka stones. The Oriental agates display the most varied and beautiful forms. Sometimes they exhibit the appearance of terraces covered with different species of moss, interspersed with plants of the feretribe, having large leaves, and the outlines exquisitely finished: the colours are biewise extremely brilliant.

DENEB, an Arabic term, signifying tail,

used by astronomers to denote several fixed stars. Thus deneb elecet signifies the bright star in the lion's tail. Deneb adigege, that in the swan's tail, &c.

DENEKIA, in botany, a genus of the Syngenesia Superflua class and order. Receptacle naked; calyx imbricate; florets of the ray two-lipped. There is but a single species, found at the Cape.

DENIZEN, a denizen is an alien born, who has obtained letters patent whereby he is constituted an English subject. A denizen is in a middle state, between an alien and a natural born or naturalized subject, partaking of the nature of both. He may take lands by purchase, or derive a title by descent through his parents or any ancestor, though they be aliens.

DENOMINATION, a name imposed on any thing, usually expressing some predominant quality. Hence, as the qualities and forms of things are either internal or external, denomination becomes, 1. Internal, which is that founded on the intrinsic form. Thus Peter is denominated learned, on account of his learning, which is something internal. 2. External denomination, that founded on an external forni. Thus, a wall is said to be seen and known, from the vision and cognition employed upon it. And thus, Peter is denominated honoured by reason of honour, which is not so much in the person honoured, as in him who ho

nours.

DENOMINATOR, in arithmetic, a term used in speaking of fractions. The denominator of a fraction is the number below the line, shewing into how many parts the integer is supposed to be divided. Thus in the fraction, the number 4 shews that the integer is divided into four parts. So in the fraction, is the denominator.

See FRACTION.

DENOMINATOR of a ratio, is the quotient arising from the division of the antecedent by the consequent. Thus 8 is the denominator of the ratio 40: 5, because 40 divided by 5, gives 8 for a quotient. It is also called the exponent of a ratio. See Expo

NENT.

DENSITY of bodies, is that property directly opposite to rarity, whereby they contain such a quantity of matter under such a bulk. Accordingly, a body is said to have double or triple the density of another body, when their bulk being equal, the quantity of matter is in the one double or triple the quantity of matter in the other. The den

sities and bulks of bodies are the two great points upon which all mechanics or laws of motion turn. It is an axiom that bodies of the same density contain equal masses under equal bulks. If the bulks of two bodies be equal, their densities are as their masses: consequently, the densities of equal bodies are as their gravities. If two bodies have the same density, their masses are as their bulks; and as their gravity is as their masses, the gravity of bodies of the same density is in the ratio of their bulk. Hence also bodies of the same density are of the same specific gravity; and bodies of different density, of different specific gravity. The quantities of matter in two bodies, are in a ratio compounded of their density and bulk consequently their gravity is in the same ratio. If the masses or gravities of two bodies be equal, the densities are reciprocally as their bulks. The densities of any two bodies are in a ratio compounded of the direct ratio of their masses, and a reciprocal one of their bulks: consequently since the gravity of bodies is as their masses, the densities of bodies are in a ratio compounded of the direct ratio of their gravities, and a reciprocal one of their bulks.

DENSITY of the air, is a property that has employed the later philosophers since the discovery of the toricellian experiment. It is demonstrated, that in the same vessel, or even in vessels communicating with each other at the same distance from the centre, the air has every where the same density. The density of the air, cæteris paribus, increases in proportion to the compressing powers. Hence the inferior air is denser than the superior; the density, however, of the lower air, is not proportional to the weight of the atmosphere on account of heat and cold, and other causes, perhaps, which make great alterations in density and rarity. However, from the elasticity of the air, its density must be always different at different heights from the earth's surface; for the lower parts being pressed by the weight of those above, will be made to accede nearer to each other, and the more so as the weight of the incumbent air is greater. Hence, the density of the air is greatest at the earth's surface, and decreases upwards in geometrical proportion to the altitudes taken in arithmetical progression.

If the air be rendered denser, the weight of bodies in it is diminished; if rarer, increased, because bodies lose a greater part of their weight in denser than in rarer me