A deity with the upper part like a woman and the lower part like a fish. She had a temple at As’calon. (See DAGON.)

or Atell’an Fables. Interludes in the Roman theatres, introduced from Atella, in Campa’nia. The characters of Macchus and Bucco are the foundations of our Punch and Clown. (See PUNCH [..]

The goddesses of Asgard. The gods were called the Æsir, the singular of which is Asa.

Strain at a gnat (Matt. xxiii. 24). Greek, di-aulzo, to strain off. Here “at” is an error, probably in the first instance typographical, for “out.” “Out&am [..]

means, literally, a place where pillage is forbidden (Greek, a (negative), sulon, right of pillage). The ancients set apart certain places of refuge, where the vilest criminals were protected, both fr [..]

Sir Philip Sidney. “Phil. Sid.” being a contraction of Philos Sidus, and the Latin sidus being changed to the Greek astron, we get astron-philos (star-lover). The “star& [..]

(1) Flamsteed, 1675; (2) Halley, 1719; (3) Bradley, 1742; (4) Bliss, 1762; (5) Maskelyne, who originated the Nautical Almanack, 1765; (6) Pond, 1811; (7) Airy, 1835; (8) Christie, 1881.

(See DIAPASON, MICROCOSM.)

The head of the chief rebel of Dublin, set on a tall white-painted stake on the highest point of Dublin Castle, where it remains till it falls to decay or is replaced by the head of a greater rebel. T [..]

A poetical name of Mrs. Aphra Behn, born of good family in the reign of Charles I. Her works are very numerous and very indecent, including seventeen dramatic pieces. She died 1689, and was buried in [..]