PERUSIA, an ancient town of Etruria, on the Tiber, built by Oenus; where L. Antonius was besieged by Augustus, till he surrendered. (Strabo.) It is now called Perugia. PERUVIAN BARK, OF JESUITS' BARK, the bark of the cinchona officinalis, a well known medicine. See CINCHONA. The pale and the red are chiefly used in Britain. The pale is brought to us in pieces of different sizes, either flat or quilled, and the powder is rather of a lighter color than that of cinnamon. The red is generally in much larger, thicker, flattish pieces, but sometimes also in the form of quills, and its powder is reddish like that of Armenian bole. It is much more resinous, and possesses the sensible qualities of the cinchona in a much higher degree than the other sorts; and the more nearly the other kinds resemble the red bark, the better they are now considered. The red bark is heavy, firm, sound, and dry; friable between the teeth; does not separate into fibres; and breaks, not shivery, but short, close, and smooth. It has three layers; the outer is thin, rugged, of a reddish brown color, but frequently covered with mossy matter: the middle is thicker, more compact, darker colored, very resinous, brittle, and yields first to the pestle; the inmost is more woody, fibrous, and of a brighter red. The Peruvian bark yields its virtues both to cold and boiling water; but the decoction is thicker, gives out its taste more readily, and forms an ink with a chalybeate more suddenly than the fresh cold infusion. This infusion, however, contains at least as much extractive matter, but more in a state of solution; and its color, on standing some time with the chalybeate, becomes darker, while that of the decoction becomes more faint. When they are of a certain age, the addition of a chalybeate renders them green; and, when this is the case, they are in a state of fermentation, and effete. Mild or caustic alkalies, or lime, precipitate the extractive matter, which in the case of the caustic alkali is re-dissolved by a farther addition of the alkali. Lime-water precipitates less from a fresh infusion than from a fresh decoction; and in the precipitate of this last some mild earth is perceptible. The infusion is by age reduced to the same state with the fresh decoction, and then they deposit nearly an equal quantity of mild earth and extractive matter; so that lime-water, as well as a chalybeate, may be used as a test of the relative strength and perishable nature of the different preparations, and of different barks. Accordingly cold infusions are found by experiments to be less perishable than decoctions; infusions and decoction of the red bark than those of the pale; those of the red bark, however, are found by length of time to separate more mild earth with the lime-water, and more extracted matter. Lime-water, as precipitating the extracted matter, appears an equally improper and disagreeable menstruum. Water suspends the resin by means of much less gum than has been supposed. Rectified spirit of wine extracts a bitterness, but no astringency, from a residuum of twenty affusions of cold water; and water extracts astringency. but no bitterness, from the residuum of as many affusions of rectified spirit. The residua in bot are insipid. From many ingenious experiment made on the Peruvian bark by Dr. Irvine, pa lished in a dissertation which gained the pre medal given by the Harveian Society of Ed burgh for 1783, the power of different menstre. as acting upon Peruvian bark, is ascertaine with greater accuracy than had before bee done: and, with respect to comparative power, the fluids after mentioned act in the order in which they are placed:-1. Dulcified spirit of vitriol. 2. Caustic ley. 3. French brandy. 4 | Rhenish wine. 5. Soft water. 6. Vinegar and water. 7. Dulcified spirit of nitre. 8. ME volatile alkali. 9. Rectified spirit of wine. 10 Mild vegetable alkali. 11. Lime-water. The tiseptic powers of vinegar and bark united a double the sum of those taken separately. Th astringent power of the bark is increased by an of vitriol; the bitter taste is destroyed by it The officinal preparations of the bark are, 1. The powder: of this the first parcel that passes the sieve, being the most resinous and brittle layer, is the strongest. 2. The extract: the watery and spirituous extract conjoined form the most pre per preparations of this kind. 3. The resin: this cannot perhaps be obtained separate from the gummy part, nor would it be desirable. 4. Sp rituous tincture: this is best made with prof spirit. 5. The decoction: this preparation, though frequently employed, is yet in many respects inferior even to a simple watery infusion. The best form is that of powder; in which the costituent parts are in the most effectual proportion. The cold infusion, which can be made in a few minutes by agitation, the spirituous tincture, and the extract, are likewise proper in this respect For covering the taste, different patients require different vehicles; liquorice, aromatics, acids, port wine, small beer, porter, milk, butter-milk, &c., are frequently employed; and it may be given in form of electuary with currant jelly, with brandy, or with rum. PERUVIAN CAMEL. See CAMELUS. PERUZZI (Balthasar), an historical painter and architect, born in 1481. He went to Rome, and was employed by Alexander VI., Julius II, and Leo X. He was so perfect in chiaro ob scuro and perspective that Titian himself beheld his works with astonishment. He was in Rome in 1527, when Charles V. sacked it; but pro cured his liberty by painting a portrait of the constable, Bourbon. He died in 1556, aged fifty-five. PERWANNAH, in the language of Bengal, an order of government, or a letter from man in authority. PERWUTTAM, a small town of Hindostan, situated on the south bank of the River Krishna, in a wild tract of country almost uninhabited, except by the Chinsuars, 118 miles south from Hyderabad. Red granite abounds here, and diamonds are found in the mountains; but the labor is so great, and the chance of meeting with the veins so uncertain, that the digging for them has been abandoned. At this place is a remarkable pagoda dedicated to the deity called Mallecarjee, in showing of whom a great deal of mystery is observed. He is exhibited in the back part of a building, by the reflected light of a brass speculum, and of course can only be seen as the flashes fall on him. The idol is probably nothing more,' says Mr. Hamilton, than the Lingam so much reverenced by the votaries of Siva. The revenues derived from the resort of pilgrims are collected by a manager, who resides within the enclosure. There is a goddess also worshipped here, named Brahma Rumbo. The several pagodas, choultries, courts, &c., are enclosed by a wall 660 feet long, by 510 broad, the walls of which are covered by an infinite variety of sculpture.' PES, in antiquities, a foot or measure of length among the Romans, equal to eleven inches 604 decimal parts. The s, or foot of the Grecians, was equal to one foot and 875 decimal parts of an inch. PES MONETA, in archæology, a true and reasonable adjustment of the value of all coin. PESADE', n. s. Pesade is a motion a horse makes in raising or lifting up his forequarters, keeping his hind legs upon the ground without stirring. Farrier's Dictionary. PESANTE, in music, slow, dragging. PESARO, a town of Italy in the States of the Church and province of Urbino, is situated near the Foglia, between the Adriatic and a range of cultivated hills. It is surrounded with fortifications and well built, the streets being clean and airy. Its market-place is ornamented with a fountain and marble statue of Urban VIII: some of the churches are also remarkable for their paintings and architecture. The latter are San Giovanni, La Misericordia, and San Carolo. The inhabitants have little trade, but cultivate the surrounding country in wine, olives, figs, and silk. The climate was once very unhealthy in summer on account of the marshes, which are now drained. Pesaro is the see of a bishop. Population 10,000. Eighteen miles E. N. E. of Urbino, and thirty-four north-west of Cincona. PESCE (Nicholas), a famous Sicilian diver, who, according to Kircher, was, from his amazing skill in swimming, and his perseverance under water, surnamed the fish. This man had from his infancy been used to the sea; and earned his scanty subsistence by diving for corals and oysters, which he sold to villagers on shore. His long acquaintance with the water, at last, brought it to be almost his natural element. Kircher says, He was frequently known to spend five days in the midst of the waves, without any other provisions than the fish which he caught there and ate raw. He often swam over from Sicily into Calabria, a tempestuous and dangerous passage, carrying letters from the king. He was frequently known to swim among the gulfs of the Lipari Islands, no way apprehensive of danger. Some mariners out at sea, one day observed something at some distance from them, which they regarded as a sea-monster; but, upon its approach, it was known to be Nicholas, whom they took into their ship. When they asked him whither he was going in so stormy and rough a sea, and at such a distance from land, he showed them a packet of letters, which he was carrying to one of the towns of Italy. He kept them thus company for some time in their voyage, conversing, and asking questions; and, after eating a hearty meal with them, took his leave, and, jumping into the sea, pursued his voyage alone. In order to aid these powers of enduring in the deep, nature seemed to have assisted him in a very extraordinary manner; for his fingers and toes were webbed, and his chest became very capacious. The account of so extraordinary a person did not fail to reach the king himself; who commanded Nicholas to be brought before him. The curiosity of this monarch had been long excited by the accounts he had heard of the bottom of the Gulf of Charybdis, which he now therefore commanded our poor diver to examine; and, as an incitement to his obedience, ordered a golden cup to be flung into it. Nicholas was not insensible of the danger to which he was exposed, and he presumed to remonstrate: but the hope of the reward, the desire of pleasing the king, and the pleasure of showing his skill, at last prevailed. He instantly jumped into the gulf, and continued for three-quarters of an hour below; during which time the king and his attendants became very anxious for his fate; but he at last appeared, holding the cup in triumph in one hand, and making his way good among the waves with the other. Having refreshed himself by sleeping, there were four things, he said, which rendered the gulf dreadful, not only to men, but to fish. 1. The force of the water bursting up from the bottom, which required great strength to resist. 2. The abruptness of the rocks that on every side threatened destruction. 3. The force of the whirlpool dashing against those rocks. And, 4. The number and magnitude of the polypous fish, some of which appeared as large as a man; and which, every where sticking against the rocks, projected their fibrous arms. Being asked how he was able so readily to find the cup that had been thrown in, he replied that it happened to be flung by the waves into the cavity of a rock against which he himself was urged in his descent. This account, however, did not satisfy the king's curiosity. Being requested to venture once more into the gulf for further discoveries, he at first refused: but the king repeated his solicitations; and, to give them still greater weight, produced a larger cup than the former, and added also a purse of gold. With these inducements, says Kircher, the unfortunate diver once again plunged into the whirlpool, and was never heard of more.' PESHAWUR, PESHOUR, Or PEISHORE, a city and district of Afghaunistaun, in the province of Cabul, formerly Bekram. It is watered by the Kameh or Cabul River, and surrounded on all sides except the east by a range of mountains, which defend it from the blasts of winter, but render it very hot during the summer solstice. The soil is a rich black mould, watered by an innumerable number of mountain streams. is inhabited by five tribes of Afghauns, the prin It cipal of whom are the Mohammed Zyes and the Momends; and is said to contain 300,000 inhabitants. It is the favorite residence of the Afghaun court in winter, is celebrated for its extensive gardens and fruit, particularly melons, and is without doubt one of the finest spots in the king's dominions. The revenue is estimated at £100,000 sterling. PESHAWUR, the ancient capital of the above mentioned district, stands on an uneven surface, is upwards of five miles in circumference. The houses are of unburnt brick, in wooden frames, and are mostly three stories high. The streets are narrow, but paved, with a kennel in the middle. Two or three brooks which run through the town, are crossed by bridges, which fall into the Kameh or Cabul River, which passes some miles north of the city. There are many mosques in the town, but none of them are worthy of notice, except a fine caravanserai, and the Bala Hissar or citadel, situated on a hill to the north, which contains some fine halls, and is adorned with some spacious gardens. It is the occasional residence of the king. Some other of the palaces are splendid. The city is inhabited by persons from all parts of the east, but the common languages are the Pushtoo and Hindostany. Peshawur is mentioned in the tenth century, but was much improved by the emperor Akber, and has long been the residence of a brave tribe, called the Hazarees, of Tartar origin. PESSARY, n.s. Fr. pessaire; Gr. πεσσaрιov. An oblong form of medicine, made to thrust up into the uterus. Of cantharides he prescribes five in a pessary, cutting off their heads and feet, mixt with myrrh. Arbuthnot. PESSARY, in medicine, also a solid substance composed of wool, lint, or linen, mixed with powder, oil, wax, &c., made round and long like a finger, in order to be introduced in the exterior neck of the matrix, for the cure of uterine disorders. PESSIERE, French, in fortification, a dam that is raised for the purpose of confining a sufficient quantity of water in a reservoir, by which any machine may be worked, or kept in motion. The overflowing of the river may run over this dam without doing any injury to it. PEST', n. s. ? Fr. peste; Lat. pestis. PEST'-HOUSE, Plague; pestilence; morPESTIFEROUS, adj. Stal or destructive disease; any thing mischievous or destructive: pest-house, a hospital; particularly for those infected with the plague: pestiferous is destructive; malig nant; infectious. And let the pest's triumphal chariot Watson. lying chiefly along the east bank of the Danube PEST, or PESTH, a palatinate of Hungary from the point where it begins to flow southwar to the borders of the palatinate of Batsch. Its composed of three counties, which were former distinct, viz. Pest, Pellsh, or Pilis, and Sol That of Pilis lies to the west of the Danube, and contains the town of Buda. These counte supply the chief branch of the revenue of the pe latine of Hungary. Their area is 4050 Squ miles, and their population 262,000. The inha bitants are a mixed race, being partly Magyars partly Sclavonians, Germans, Walachians, sies and Jews. The surface is generally level, and the heath of Ketskemet (see KETSKEMET) is one of the most remarkable tracks in the king dom; yet in the north there are several mourtains. The country is laid out in tillage and pasturage. Wine of good quality is made Buda. Near Pest is the plain of Rakos, where the Hungarian diet used to meet. gary, is situated on the bank of the Danube; the PEST, or PESTн, a considerable city of Hu course of the river being from north to south; and Pesth standing on the east bank, opposite to Buda. It is only separated from that place by a Buda is the residence of the viceroy, and a bridge of boats, three-quarters of a mile in length counted consequently the capital of the country; but Pest is the seat of the high courts of justice. and the place of meeting for the diet. It is also considerably larger, having 42,000 inhabitants. It consists of the Old and New Towns; throughand regular, and the houses respectable. Of the out the whole, the streets are tolerably spacious public buildings, the principal are the hospital of invalids, the barracks, and a quadrangular m litary edifice, begun in 1786 by Joseph II. Of the churches, the Catholics have four; the Lutherans, the Calvinists, and the followers of the Greek faith, one each. The university, the only sors are forty in number; the students between 700 one in Hungary, is richly endowed: the profes and 800. The observatory is on the Buda side of the river. The manufactures here comprise silks, cotton, jewellery, leather, and musical instruments; also tobacco, which is a government monopoly. The Danube affords means of intercourse with a large track of country, and the fairs of Pesth are numerously attended. Here is a theatre, erected in 1808; public walks near the Danube, and public gardens; on the Buda side of the river are hot springs. The city is not of remote origin, but has often been be sieged. It is 130 miles E. S. E, of Vienna. PESTALOZZI, or PESTA LUZ (Henry), a practical philosopher of the Seven Cantons, famous as the inventor of a modern mode of instruction. PES 75 He was born of a good family at Zurich, January 12th, 1745, acquired early habits of industry, and adopted from inclination the employment of a teacher. He first developed his very original ideas in a fictitious narrative, entitled Lienhard and Gertrude, printed at Leipsic in 1781-1787, which has been translated into most European languages. Pestalozzi was powerfully seconded 2 in his philanthropic projects by Tscharner, bailli of Wildenstein, a rich Swiss proprietor, the He composed many Arner of his romance. other works, with a view to the same object; and amongst others a weekly paper, the numbers of which were republished in 2 vols. 8vo.; Letters on the Education of the Children of Indigent Parents; Reflections on the Progress of Nature in the development of the Human Species; Images for my Abecedary, or Elements of Logic for my Use. In 1799 the Helvetic government appointed him director of the orphan-house at Stantz, in the canton of Underwald; and, on the dissolution of that establishment, the chateau of Burgdorf, four leagues from Berne, was granted him. The number of pupils which now flocked to him induced him to remove his seminary to the castle of Yverdun. In 1803 the canton of Zurich nominated him a member of the Helvetic Consulta, summoned by Buonaparte to Paris; and he subsequently received from the emperor of Russia the order of St. Wladimir. He closed a long and philanthropic life on the 17th of February, 1827, at Brugg, in Switzerland. PESTER, v. a. F1. pester, à Lat. pestis. To annoy; perplex; harass; PESTEROUS, adj. encumber: a pesterer is one who harasses or disturbs: pesterous, cumberous; annoying. Fitches and pease For pestering too much on a hovel they lay. Who then shall blame Tusser. His pestered senses to recoil and start, He hath not failed to pester us with message, In the statute against vagabonds note the dislike Confined and pestered in this pinfold here, More against Atheism. with their insufferable stuff. Dryden. They did so much pester the church and delude At home he was pursued with noise; South. Swift. I am positive I have a soul; nor can all the books with which materialists have pestered the world ever convince me to the contrary. PESTILENCE, n. s. Sterne. Fr. pestilence; Lat. PET pestilent and pestilential mean, partaking of the We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a Knolles. The red pestilence strike all trades in Rome, Shakspeare. Great ringing of bells in populous cities dissipated His beard no bigger though than thine, Bacon. Suckling. Which precedent, of pestilent import, Daniel. If government depends upon religion, then this Addison. In pestilential vapours, stench, and smoak. Woodward. To those people that dwell under or near the equaBentley. tor a perpetual spring would be a most pestilent and insupportable summer. The world abounds with pestilent books, written against this doctrine. If all the world Creech. Should in a pet of temperance feed on pulse, If we cannot obtain every vain thing we ask, our next business is to take pet at the refusal. L'Estrange. Collier. Life, given for noble purposes, must not be thrown up in a pet, nor whined away in love. Id. Like children, when we lose our favorite plaything, we throw away the rest in a fit of pettishness. They cause the proud their visits to delay, And send the godly in a pet to pray. Pope. Probably from petit, little. PET, n. s. See РЕАТ. A lamb taken into the house, and brought up by hand : a cade lamb. PETAL, n. s. Lat. petalum. The leaf of Petal is a term in botany, signifying those fine coloured leaves that compose the flowers of all plants: whence plants are distinguished into monopetalous, whose flower is one continued leaf; tripetalous, pentapetalous, and polypetalous, when they consist of three, five, or many leaves. Quincy. PETAL, in botany. See BOTANY. PETALIFORME. See BOTANY. PETALISM, a mode of deciding on the guilt of citizens, similar to the Athenian Ostracism. It was introduced in Syracuse about A. A. C. 460, to prevent the tyranny of the richer citizens, who had often about that time aimed at the diadem. To prevent, therefore, the evils daily arising from thence, and to bring down the aspiring minds of the wealthy citizens, the Syracusans were obliged to make a law like that of the Athenian ostracism; differing only in this, that every citizen at Syracuse should write on a leaf, instead of a shell, the names of such as they apprehended powerful enough to usurp the sovereignty. When the leaves were counted, he who had the most suffrages against him was, without farther enquiry, banished for five years. This method of weakening the interest of the overgrowing citizens was called petalism, from Teraλov, a leaf. This law was attended with many evil consequences; for those who were most capable of governing the commonwealth were driven out, and the administration of public affairs committed to the meanest of the people; nay, many of the chief citizens, who were able to render their country great service, fearing to fall under the penalties of this law, withdrew from the city, and lived private in the country, not concerning themselves with public affairs whence, all the employments being filled with men of no merit or experience, the republic was on the brink of ruin, and ready to fall into a state of anarchy and confusion. The law, therefore, of petalism, upon more mature deliberation, was repealed soon after it had been enacted, and the reins of government were again put into the hands of men who knew how to manage them. PETALITE, a mineral discovered in the mine of Uto in Sweden by M. D'Andrada, interesting, from its analysis by M. Arfredson having led to the knowledge of a new alkali. This rare mineral occurs in masses, which have a foliated structure, and are divisible in directions parallel to the planes of a four-sided prism, whose bases are elongated rhombs, or parallelograms with angles of 137° 08′ and 42° 52', according to Hauy. The lamina are sometimes scaly, undulated, or interlaced. It scratches glass, and has nearly the hardness of feldspar. Its lustre is usually glistening, and somewhat pearly; the planes, produced by mechanical division in one direction, have however a higher lustre. It is translucent in different degrees; and its color is white, either milk white, or with shades of gray, red, or green; the red sometimes appears as a slight tinge of pink. Its specific gravity is between 2.4 and 2.6. : Chemical characters.-When strongly heated by the blow-pipe it melts, according to Arfvedson, into a transparent porous glass. Unless the fre ment be very minute, its surface only will fused. It contains, according to a mean of thre analyses by Arfvedson, silex 79-2, alumine 174 lithia 5.7; 1001. Professor Clarke's analys gives silex 80-0, alumine 15·0, lithia 1·75, oike of manganese 2.5, water 0.75. An analysis by Vauquelin gives silex 78, alumine 13, litha 7 =98. The new alkali, lithia, was first discovered in the petalite by Arfvedson. It sometimes r sembles white quartz, but is easily distinguished by the foregoing characters:-It has been ford only in Sweden, at Uto, Sahla, and Finngrufin and is usually associated with quartz, feldspa spodumen, &c. This interesting mineral has been lately s by Dr. Brewster to have a perfect crystall structure, and to possess two axes of double fraction. PETAR', n. s. Fr. petard; Ital. petard PETARD', n. s. of Lat. pedo. An explod ing engine of warfare, used formerly in sieges See below. 'Tis the sport to have the engineer Hoist with his own petard. Shakspeare. Hamle Find all his having and his holding, Reduced t'eternal noise and scolding; The conjugal petard that tears Down all portcullices of ears. Hudibres A petard is an engine of metal, almost in the shape inches over at the mouth; when charged with i of a hat, about seven inches deep, and about fre powder well beaten, it is covered with a madriet plank, bound down fast with ropes, running throug handles, which are round the rim near the mosthe it: this petard is applied to gates or barriers of s places as are designed to be surprised, to blow the up: they are also used in countermines to breii through into the enemy's galleries. Military Dictionary, PETAR, OF PETARD. Fr. petard, Italian pe tardo. A petard is an engine of metal, almost in the shape of a hat, about seven inches deep and about five inches over at the mouth; whet charged with fine powder, well beaten, it is vered with a madrier or plank, bound down fast with ropes, running through handles, which ar round the rim, near the mouth of it. The petard is applied to gates or barriers of such places 25 are designed to be surprised, to blow them up they are also used in countermines, to break through into the enemy's galleries. Its invention is ascribed to the French Huguenots in 1579, who by means of petards took Cahors, in the same year. Petards are of four different sizes: the first contains 12 lbs. 13 ozs.; second 10 lbs. 11 ozs.; third 1 lb. 10 ozs.; fourth 1 lb. The blind fuse composition for them is of mealed powder 7 lbs., wood ashes 3 ozs. PETAU (Denis), or PETAVIUS (Dionysius), a French Jesuit of great erudition, born at Orleans in 1583. He was but nineteen years of age when he was made professor of philosophy in the University of Bourges. He joined the Jesuits in 1605, and did great credit to them by his erudition. He became a zealous advocate for the church of Rome; and criticised and abused its |