been invented, fuch as copying by fquares, on oiled paper, &c. Perhaps one of the beft mechanical inventions to affift fuch perfons is the mathematical compafs called a PENTAGRAPH. This inftrument is generally made of 10 pieces of wood or brafs in form of rulers, half a quarter of an inch thick, fix inches broad, and about a foot long. See Plate CCXX, fig. 9. The little board A is of fir, covered with linen, as the piece to be copied, and the paper or vellum are to be fixed upon it. On this the compafs must be fixed with a pin, by the end of the first foot B, deep enough to keep it close, but not fo deep as to hinder it from turning eafily. To reduce a figure, place the original on the fide of the foot C, and the vellum or paper on the fide of the foot B; removing the vellum or drawing it nearer, as it is wished to reduce or enlarge. A crayon or black lead pencil must be put in the foot under which the vellum lies, and a pin blunted in that over the original, with which the traces are to be copied. See DRAWING and PAINTING. For a long time miniature painting was employed upon vellum, paper, &c. but in the prefent improved state of the art, ivory is more ufed than any of thefe materials. Yet ivory being a folid fubftance, and wanting that abforbent furface which conftitutes the excellence of vellum, it renders the management of the colours much more difficult and laborious. No tints can be produced by the expeditious mode of awashing; but all must be done by dint of labour, by dotting or hatching. Gumming is the next expedient reforted to, to fix the firft lays in order to take the fubfequent colours; and fo on till the work is finished. In confequence of thefe difficulties, fo perplexing to every artist, miniature painters have of late confined themfelves chiefly to portrait painting, and the higher branch of hiftory has been much neglected. This obftacle to hiftorical painting in miniature is now however likely to be done away; Mr Einfle, an ingenious artift in London, having difcovered a method of producing, by a chemical procefs, a white fkinny furface on the ivory, at once fmooth and absorbent, so as to unite all the qualities required for washing and painting upon it, in the fame manner as on vellum. The colours, when properly ground and mixed up with gum, produce a glofs without the affiftance of gumming; and admit of being laid on one lay after another to any depth, without removing thofe underneath. To the fame artist we are indebted for a peculiar preparation of the colours ufually employed in miniature painting; which are both fuperior to the old, and fewer in number. The chief colours made use of for painting in miniature are: Carmine. Venice and Florence Jake. Rofe pink. Vermilion. Red lead. Brown red. Red orpiment. Ultramarine. Verditer. Indigo. Gall-flone. Yellow ochre. Dutch pink. Gamboge. Naples yellow. Pale mafticot. Deep yellow mafticot. Ivory black. Lamp black. True Indian ink. Biftre, or wood-foot. Raw umber. Burnt umber. Sap-green. Verdigrife. Flake white. Most of thefe colours may cafily be prepared by attending to the directions given under the article COLOURMAKING. But they can all be had ready prepared in complete fets from the Colour fhops. Provide an ivery pallet, very fmooth, as big as your

P

hand; on one fide of which the colours f carnation, or naked parts of a picture are arranged thus: In the middle put a great white, pretty largely fpread; because it is lour moft made ufe of: and upon the edge the left to the right, place the following at a little diftance from the white: Ma Dutch-pink; orpiment; yellow ochre ; compofed of verditer, Dutch pink, and wi equal quantities; blue, made of ultramari digo, and white, to a great degree of pa vermilion; carmine; biftre, and black. other fide of the pallet, spread fome wh the fame manner as for the carnation. Wh peries, or the like, are to be painted, plac the white the colour they are to be made o work well in miniature, it must be done in a that has but one window, with a table an almost as high as the window. The painte place himfelf near it, in fuch a manner, th light may always come in on the left fide, a ver forward or on the right. To lay a col all parts equally ftrong, as for a ground, ma mixtures in fhells, and put in enough for the to be painted; for, if there be not enough great chance but the colour mixed afterw too dark or too light. Begin by dead cold i. e. by laying the colours on with liberal ftr the pencil, in the fmootheft manner, as the do in oil; not giving it all the force it is t for a finishing. Make the lights a little bi and the fhades lefs dark, than they ought to b caufe in dotting upon them, as must be don dead colouring, the colour is always fortifie would at laft be too dark. There are fevera of dotting. Some make their dots perfectly r others a little longifh; others hatch by little f that cross each other every way, till the wo pears as if it had been wrought with dots. laft method is the best, the boldeft, and the eft done: therefore learners ought to use to inure themfelves from the fit to dot plump and the foft way; that is, where t are loft, in a manner, in the ground, and much appears as is fufficient to make th feem dotted. The hard and the dry way the reverse, and always to be avoided, as the work feem rough and uneven. Study to lose and drown the colours one in anothe it may not appear where they disjoin; and end, foften or allay the touches with colo partake of both, fo that it may not appea the touches which cut and disjoin them. word cut, is meant what manifeftly fepate divides, and does not run in and blend it the neighbouring colours; which is rarel fed but upon the borders of drapery. W pieces are finished, to heighten them a li give them a fine air, give, upon the extr the lights, fmall touches with a colour ye which must be gradually loft with the ret the colours are dry upon the pallet or in th they must be diluted with water. And w want gum, which is feen when they eafily the hand or the vellum, they muft be with gum water instead of pure water," are in condition.

MINIET, the name of 2 towns in Eg

I.

Can't thou not minifter to a mind difeas'd, Pluck from the memory a rooted forrow? Mach. 3. To give fupplies of things needful; to give affiftance; to contribute; to afford.-Others minif tered unto him of their fubftance. Luke. He who has a foul wholly void of gratitude, fhould fet his foul to learn of his body; for all the parts of that minifter to one another. South.There is no truth which a man may more evidently make out than the exiftence of a God; yet he that fhall content himfelf with things as they miniler to our pleafures and paffions, and not make enquiry a little farther into their caufes and ends, may live long without any notion of fuch a being. Locke.-Thofe good men, who take fuch pleasure in relieving the miferable for Chrift's fake, would not have been lefs forward to minifer to Chrift himself. Atterbury-Fafting is not abfolutely good, but re, atively, and as it minifters to other virtues. Smalridge's Sermons. 4. To attend on the fervice of God.-Let us wait on our miniftring. Ram. xii. 7,

* MINISTERIAL. adj. [from minifter.] 1. Attendant, acting at command.-Understanding is in a man; courage and vivacity in the lion; fervice, and minifterial officiousness, in the ox. Brown.

From clences unfeen, celeftial names, Enlight'ning Ipirits, and ministerial flames. Prior. 2. Acting under fuperior authority.-For the miifterial officers in court there must be an eye unto them, Becon.-Abftinence, the apoftle deteranines, is of no other real value in religion, than, as a miniflerial caufe of moral effects. 3. Sacerdotal; belonging to the ecclefiafticks or their office.-Thefe fpeeches of Jerom and Chrysostom plainly aliude unto fuch minifterial garments as were then in ufe. Hooker. 4. Pertaining to minifters of ftate, or perfons in fubordinate authority.

MINISTERIALIST, n. f. in political controverfy, an adherent, or writer in favour of adminiftration.

* MINISTERIALLY. adv. In a minifterial manner. The Son, out of voluntary condefcenfion, fubmits to act minifterially, or in capacity of mediator. Waterland.

*MINISTERY. 1. f. [minifterium, Lat.] Office; fervice. This word is now contracted to miniftry, but ufed by Milton as four fyllables.-They that will have their chamber filled with a good fcent, make fome odoriferous water be blown about it by their fervants mouths that are dexterous in that miniftery, Digby.

This temple to frequent With minifteries due, and folemn rites. Milton. *MINISTRAL. adj. [from minifter.] Pertain ing to a minister.

* MINISTRANT. adj. [from minifter.] Atten dant; acting at command. Pope accents it, not according to analogy, on the fecond fyllable.

Him thrones, and pow'rs, Princedoms, and dominations miniftrant, Accompany'd to heav'n gate. Milt. Par. Loft. Minigrant to their queen with bufy care,

Four faithful handmaids the foft rites prepare. Pope.

* MINISTRATION. n. S. (from miniftro, Lat.] 1. Agency; intervention; office of an agent dele gated or commiffioned by another.-God, by his miniftration to me, intends to do him a favour. Taylor.-I think they are moft ordinarily done by the miniftration of angels. Hale's Origin of Mank. 2. Service; office; ecclefiaftical function.-The profeffion of a clergyman is an holy profeflion, because it is a miniftration in holy things. Law.If the prefent miniftration be more glorious than the former, the minifter is more holy. Atterbury. * MINISTRY. n.. [contracted from miniftery; minifterium, Lat.] 1. Oflice; fervice.-So far is an indiftinction of all perfons, and, by confequence, an anarchy of all things, from being agreeable to the will of God declared in his great household, the world, and especially in all the miniftries of his proper household the church, that there was never yet any time, I believe, fince it was a number, when fome of its members were not more facred than others. Spratt's Sermons. 2. Office of one fet apart to preach; ecclefiaftical function.—

Their miniftry perforin'd, and race well run, They die. Milton's Par. Loft. Saint Paul was miraculously called to the minif try of the gofpel. Locke. 3. Agency; interpofition. The natural world he made after a miraculous manner; but directs the affairs of it ever fince by ftanding rules, and the ordinary miniftry of fecond caufes. Atterbury.

To all but thee in fits he seem'd to go, And 'twas my miniftry to deal the blow. Parnel -The poets introduced the miniftry of the gods. Bentley. 4. Bufinefs.

He fafe from loud alarms,

Abhorr'd the wicked miniftry of arms. Dryden. 5. Perfons employed in the publick affairs of a state.-I converse in full freedom with many confiderable men of both parties; and if not in equal number, it is purely accidental, as happening to have made acquaintance at court more under one miniftry than another. Swift.

MINITOBA, a lake of Canada, 100 miles long, and from 10 to 15 broad. Lon. 100. 20. W. Lat. 50. 40. N.

(1.) * MINIUM. n.f. Melt lead in a broad earthen veffel unglazed, and ftir it continually till it be calcined into a grey powder; this is called the calx of lead; continue the fire, ftirring it in the fame manner, and it becomes yellow; in this ftate it is used in painting, and is called mafticot or mafficot; after this put it into a reverberatory furnace, and it will calcine further, and become of a fine red, which is the common minium or red lead: among the ancients minium was the name for cinnabar: the modern minium is ufed externally, and is excellent in cleanfing and healing old ulcers. Hill's Mat. Med.

(2.) MINIUM, or RED LEAD, is an oxide of lead of a vivid red colour, which it acquires by a flow calcination and reverberation. See CHEMISTRY, Index. The minium in commerce is chiefly brought from Holland, where large quantities of it are manufactured. The method in which minium is made in large quantities with us is this: They fift burn lead in a furnace into a kind of

litharge,

fitharge, by continually ftirring it while melted with an iron rake; this they afterwards grind with two pair of ftones, which deliver it from one to another, the first pair grinding it coarfer, the fecond finer; these are worked by means of a mill which moves fix pair of them at once. When Bus reduced to a fine powder, it is washed and then put into a furnace, and is burnt with a rever teratory fire for two or three days, all the while they continue ftirring it with a large iron rake, tung on a fwivel or iron hook; and toward the end of the time they watch its being of the right colour. When this is doing, the fire must not be carried beyond a certain degree, left the matter cot and run together. The process by which minium is prepared is defcribed in the following manner by M. Jars, in the Mem. de l'Acad. Royal, 1770. The furnace is of the reverberatory kind, with two fire-places at the ends; each fire-place being feparated from the area, or body of the furnace, by a wall 12 inches high. The fire-places are 15 inches broad, and their length is equal to the breadth of the whole furnace, which is about 8 or 9 feet. The length of the area from one place to the other is 9 or 10 feet. The quantity of lead ufed in one operation is about 1500 lb. of which nine parts are lead obtained from furnaces where the ore is smelted, and one part is lead extracted from the fcoria which is formed in fmelting the ore. This latter kind is faid to be neceffary, as the former could not alone be reduced, into powder. All the lead is at once put into the area, the bottom of which is level. The calx, as faft as it is formed, is drawn to one fide, by a rake fufpended by a chain before the mouth of the furnace. In 4 or 5 hours the whole quantity of the lead is calcined, or, if any pieces remain unca.c.ned, they are feparated, and kept for the next operation. The heat employed is that of a cherry red, and the fire-places and mouth are kept open, that the air may accelerate the calcination. The powder or calx is to be frequently ftirred to prevent its concreting; and when this operation has been continued about 24 hours, the matter is taken out of the furnace, and laid on a flat pavement. Then cold water is thrown on it, to give it weight, as the workmen fay; but rather (as M. Jars thinks) to make it friable. It is then to be ground in a mill, and the finer part is feparated by wathing, while the coarser part, referved for fome following operation, is to be placed at the mouth of the furnace in order to retain the melted lead. The fine powder, which is now of a yellow colour, is again put into the fame or a fimilar furnace, and expofed to a very moderate fire, from 36 to 48 hours; during which time, it is ftirred frequently to prevent its concreting; and the powder gradually acquires its proper red colour. The minium is then to be taken out of the furnace, cooled, and fifted through an iron ɓeve placed in a cafk. The bright colour of minium might render it valuable in painting, if it could ftand with certainty in either oil or water. But as it is fubject to become black, it cannot be fafely trufted, except in hard varnishes: and is, therefore, feldom ufed in oil, or even in water, unlefs for very grofs purposes, or as a ground for vermilio n The goodness of minium may be distin

(1.) MINNIGAFF, or MONNIGAFF, [Gael.i.e. a fony moor.] a parish of Scotland, in Kirkcudbrightshire; 24 miles long and 12 broad. The furface is rugged, as the parish consists moftly of rocky hills, fome of them very high, and abounding with lead ore; yet the climate in the low grounds is mild and falubrious; but the foil is barren, except fome small stripes, on the banks of the Cree, which produce good crops of oats, wheat, rye, barley, and potatoes, fufficient for the inhabitants. But the hills feed about 30,000 fheep, befides goats, horses, and black cattle; and abound with valuable woods. The population in 1792, was 1420; increase 211 fince 1755, and no lefs than 592, fince 1748; chiefly owing to the mines. A native was alive in 1792, aged 118. The shepherds and peasants spend much time in reading, and are well informed. The farmers are wealthy and intelligent.

(2.) MINNIGAFF, a village in the above parish, 15 miles SW. of New Galloway.

MINNIN, a ftringed inftrument of mufic among the ancient Hebrews having 3 or 4 chords to it. See plate CCXV; fig. 9. There is reafon to queftion the antiquity of this inftrument; both because it requires a hair-bow which was a kind of plectrum, not known to the ancients, and because it so much resembles the modern viol. Kircher took the figures of this, the machul, chinnor, and pfaltery, from an old book in the Vatican library.

MINNÍTH. See MENNITH.

* MINNOCK. n.f. Of this word I know not the precife meaning. It is not unlikely that minnock and minx are originally the fame word.An afs's nole I fix'd on his head; Anon his Thisbe must be answered, And forth my minnock comes. (1.)* MINNOW. n. f. [menue, Fr.] A very small fifh; a pink: a corruption of minim, which fee.

Shak.

Hear you this triton of the minnows? Shak.

-The

The minnow, when he is in perfect feafon, and not fick, which is only prefently after fpawning, hath a kind of dappled or waved colour, like a panther, on his fides, inclining to a greenish and fky colour, his belly being milk-white, and his back almoft black or blackish: he is a fharp bitter at a fmall worm in hot weather, and in the Spring they make excellent minnow tanlies; being wafhed well in falt, and their heads and tails cut off, and their guts taken out, being fried with yolks of eggs, primrofes, and tanfy. Walton's Angler. The nimble turning of the minnow is the perfection of minnow fishing. Walton's Angler.

(2.) The MINNOW is a species of CYPRINUS. MINOA, a town of Perfia, 10 miles from Affeen, and 17 from Gombroom; famous for its hot and cold natural baths, which cure rheumatifm, fcrophula, &c. by bathing.

MINOLA, a town of Ireland, in Mayo. MINONG, an island of Canada, in Lake Superior, 30 miles long and to broad. Lon. 89. o. W. Lat. 48. o. N.

(1.)* MINOR. adj. [Latin.] 1. Petty; inconfiderable. If there are petty errours and minor lapfes, not confiderably injurious to faith, yet it is not fafe to contemn inferiour failities. Brown. 2. Lefs; fmaller.-They altered this custom from cafes of high concernment to the moft trivial debates, the minor part ordinarily entering their proteft. Clarendon. The difference of a third part in fo large and collective an account is not frange, if we confider how differently they are fet in minor and less mistakeable numbers. Brown. (2.) * MINOR. n. f. 1. One under age; one whofe youth cannot yet allow him to manage his own affairs.-King Richard II. the firft ten years of his reign, was a minor. Davies. He and his mufe might be minors, but the libertines are full grown. Collier's View of the Stage.

Long as the year's dull circle seems to run, When the brifk minor pants for twenty-one. Pope. -The nobleft blood of England having been fhed in the grand rebellion, many great families became extinct, or supported only by minors. Swift. -A minor or infant cannot be faid to be contumacious. Ayliff. 2. The fecond or particular propofition in the fyllogifm.-The fecond or minor propofition was, that this kingdom hath cause of juft fear of overthrow from Spain. Bacon.-He fuppofed that a philofopher's brain was like a foreft, where ideas are ranged like animals of feveral kinds; that the major is the male, the minor the female, which copulate by the middle term, and engender the conclufion. Arbuthnot.

(3.) MINOR, in law, denotes a perfon under age; or who, by the laws of the country, is not arrived at the power of adminiftering his own affairs, or the poffeffion of his eftate. Among us, a perfon is a minor till the age of 21; before which time his acts are invalid. See AGE, INFANT, and MAJOR, 4. It is a maxim in the common law, that in the King there is no minority, and therefore he hath no legal guardian; and his royal grants and affents to acts of parliament are good, though he has not, in his natural capacity, attained the gal age of 21. It is alfo provided by the crm and law of parliament,

that no one fhall fit or vote in either house, unless he be 21 years of age. This is exprefsly declared by ftat. 7 and 8 Will. III. cap. 25. with regard to the houfe of commons.

(4.) MINOR, in logic, is the fecond propofition of a formal or regular fyllogifm, called alfo the affumption.

(5.) MINOR, in mufic, is applied to certain concords, which differ from or are lower than others of the fame denomination by a leffer semitone or four commas. Thus we fay, a third minor or leffer third, or a fixth major and minor. Concords that admit of major and minor, i. e. greater and lefs, are faid to be imperfect concords. See MAJOR, § 6.

(6.) MINORS, FRIARS MINOR, or MINORITES, appellations which the Franciscans affume. See FRANCISCANS. There is alfo an order of Regular Minors at Naples, which was established in 1588, and confirmed by Sixtus V.

*To MINORATE. v. a. [from minor, Latin.] To leffen; to diminish. A word not yet admitted into the language.-This it doth not only by the advantageous aflistance of a tube, but by fhewing in what degrees diftance minorates the object. Glanville's.

* MINORATION. n. f. [from minorate.] The act of leffening; diminution; decrease. A word not admitted.—Bodies emit virtue without abatement of weight, as is moft evident in the loadstone, whofe efficiencies are communicable without a minoration of gravity. Brown.-We hope the mercies of God will consider our degenerated integrity unto fome minoration of our offences. Brown.

MINORBINO, a town and bishop's fee of Naples, in Bari, 26 miles N. of Cirenza, 28 WNW. of Matera, and 85 E. of Naples. Lon. 16. 19. E. Lat. 41. 8. N.

MINORCA, an island of the Mediterranean, fituated between 39° and 40° N. Lat. and near 4° of Lon. E. It is about 33 miles long from NW. to SE. in breadth from 8 to 12 but in general about 10 miles; fo that in fize it may nearly equal the county of Huntingdon or Bedford. The form is very irregular; and the coafts are much indented by the fea, which forms a great number of little creeks and inlets, fome of which might be very advantageous. This island is one of thofe called by the ancient Romans BALEARES, which arofe from the dexterity of the inhabitants in ufing the fling. It feil under the power of the Romans, and afterwards of the northern barbarians, who deftroyed that empire. From them it was taken by the Arabs, who were subdued by the king of Majorca, and he by the king of Spain. The English fubdued it in 1708, and the French in the German war; but it was reftored to Britain by the treaty of Paris in 1763. The air is much more clear and pure than in Britain; being feldom darkened with thick fogs: yet the low valleys are not free from mifts and unwholesome vapours; and in windy weather the spray of the fea is driven over the whole island. The whole coaft lies low; but there are a few hills near the centre, of which the moft confiderable, named TORO, may be feen 12 or 14 leagues diftant. The furface of the inland is rough and unequal; and