ALE 



ALE 



matical theory of the sonorous body suffi- 

 cient to account for the rules of that art. 

 In tin- year 177Jlu \v:is chosen Secretary 

 to the French Academy of Sciences. He 

 formed, soon after this preferment, the 

 design of writing the Ihesof all the de- 

 ceased academicians, from 1700 to 1772 ; 

 and in the space of three years he exe- 

 nted this design, hy composing seventy 

 eulogies. 



The correspondence which D'Alembert 

 held with eminent literary characters, and 

 his constant intercourse withlearned men 

 of all nations, together with his great in- 

 fluence in the academy, concurred to give 

 him a distinguished importance above 

 most of his countrymen. By some, who 

 xvere jealous of his reputation, he was 

 denominated the Mazarin of literature ; 

 but there seems now no doubt, but that 

 his influence was obtained by his great 

 talents and learning, rather than by art- 

 ful management and supple address. He 

 was a decided and open enemy to super- 

 stition and priestcraft. Without inquiring 

 into tlie merits of Christianity, he conclu- 

 ded, that the religion taught in France 

 was that which believers in general re- 

 garded as the true doctrine, and which 

 he rejected as a fable unworthy the atten- 

 tion of the philosopher. There is no rea- 

 son to think that he ever studied the 

 foundations on which natural and revealed 

 religion were built; and it is certain that 

 he adopted a system of deified nature, 

 which bereaves the world of a designing 

 cause and prcsidingintelligeiice. He was 

 /ealous even in propagating the opinions 

 which he adopted, and might be regarded 

 as an apostle of atheism. The eccentri- 

 city of his opinions did not destroy the 

 moral virtues of lus heart, A love of 

 truth, and a zeal for the progress of real 

 science and liberty, formed the basis of 

 Ills character : strict probity, a noble dis- 

 interestedness, and an habitual desire of 

 being useful, were its distinguishing fea- 

 tures. To the young, who possessed ta- 

 lents and genius, he \v:s a patron and in- 

 strucior : to the poor nnd oppressed he be- 

 came a firm and generous friend: to those 

 who had shown him kindness, lie ne\cr 

 ceased to be grateful ; a sure evidence of 

 a great mind. To two ministers who had 

 befriended him in their prosperity, lie de- 

 dicated works when they were in disgrace 

 with the court. An instance of a kind, a 

 iriiut'ul disposition, was displayed by 

 D'Mcmbert in early life. His mother, 

 who had infamously disowned and aban- 

 doned him, hearing of the greatness of 

 bis talents, and of the promise which be 



gave of future celebrity, obtained an in.- 

 terview, and laid claim to the character 

 of a parent. "What do I hear," said the 

 indignant youth, " you are the mother-in- 

 law, the glazier's wi.c is my true mother:" 

 forjier, indeed he never ceased to entity 

 tin: aiVection and gratitude of a child : 

 and under herroof he resided, as we hav e 

 seen, many years, till an alarming illness 

 made it necessary for him to remove to a 

 more airy lodging. D* Alembert main- 

 tained his higli rank and reputation among 

 ma.hematicians and philosophers till his 

 death, in October 1783. His loss was 

 deplored b\ survivors of every country ; 

 but his particular friends and associates 

 exhibited, on the occasion, every mark of 

 grief, which real and unaffected sorrow 

 can alone supply for undissemhled worth. 



ALEMBIC, in chemistry, a vessel usu- 

 ally made of glass or copper, formerly 

 used for distillation. The bottom, in 

 which the substance tobe distilled is put, 

 is called the cucurbit,- the upper partis 

 called the head, the beak of which is fitted 

 into the neck of the receiver. Retorts 

 and the common worm-still are now more 

 generally employed. See CnnsTiir, 

 DISTILLATION, &c. 



ALKTRIS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Hexandria Monogynia class and order, 

 of the natural order of Liliae or I.iliacezc, 

 of which there are nine species ; A. fari- 

 nosa, or American aletris,used by the na- 

 tives in coughs, and in the pleurisy. Some 

 of the species are natives of the Cape of 

 Good Hope, others are found natural in 

 Ceylon and Guinea. The A. zclanica, or 

 Ceylon aloe, is common in gardens when.' 

 exotic plants are preserved. A. guianen- 

 sis, or Guinea aloe, when in Hower, sel- 

 dom continues in beauty more than two or 

 three days, and never produces seeds 

 in England. The Ceylon, Guinea, and 

 sweet-scented species, are too tender to 

 live through the winter in Kngland, unless 

 ina warm stove; and they w ill not pro- 

 duce Howcrs if the plants are not plunged 

 into a tan-bed. The creeping roots of the 

 Ceylon and Guinea sorts send up many 

 heads, which should lie cut off in June, 

 and after having been laid in the - 

 fortnight, thai the \umnded part may 

 heal, tluy should be planted in small 

 potsofligh; sandy earth, plunged into a 

 moderate hot bed, and treated like other 

 tender succulent plants, and he m--- 

 abroad in summer. 



Ai.Ki'UiTKs, in botany, ft gemM of the 



Moiutcia Monadclphia class and order, 

 of the natural order of Tricoccac. The 

 flowers are mule and female ; the calyx 



