DEC 



DEL 



the least that is ; and therefore, if the 

 same angle at Uie centre be subtended 

 by two conrentrical arches, as many de- 

 grees are counted in the one as in the 

 other; for these two arches have Uie 

 s:unc proportion to their whole peri- 

 pheries. 



J)KI.K>:L of latitude See LATITUDE. 



li .LK of longitude. See LOSGITL-DE 

 an<! EARTH 



DM;REE, in universities, denotes a qua- 

 litx conferred on tlie students or mem- 

 bers thereof, as a testimony of their pro- 

 ficiency in the arts or sciences, and enti- 

 tling them to certain privileges. The de- 

 grees are much the same in all universi- 

 ties, but the laws thereof, and the pre- 

 vious discipline or exercise, differ. The 

 degrees are, batchelor, master, and doc- 

 tor, instead of which last, in some foreign 

 universities, they have licentiate. 



In each faculty there are two degrees, 

 batchelor and doctor, which were an- 

 ciently called batchelor and master. In 

 the arts, likewise, there are two degrees 

 which still retain the ancient denomina- 

 tion, viz. batchelor and master. 



U'ilh regard to obtaining degrees at 

 Oxford and Cambridge, matters are near- 

 ly on the same footing, only at Cambridge 

 the discipline is somewhat more severe, 

 mnd the exercises more difficult. For 

 the degree of batchelor of arts, besides 

 residence in the university near four 

 years, it is required that the person in 

 the last year have defended three ques- 

 tions in natural philosophy, mathematics, 

 or ethics, and answered the objections of 

 three several opponents at two several 

 times ; as also that he have opposed three 

 times. After which, being examined by 

 the master and fellows of the college, he 

 is referred to seek his degree in the 

 schools, where he is to sit three days, 

 and be examined by two masters of arts 

 appointed for the purpose. For the de- 

 gree of master of arts, the candidate is 

 obliged three several times to maintain 

 two philosophical questions in the public 

 schools, and to answer the objections 

 brought against him by a master of arts. 

 lie must also keep two acts in the batchc- 

 lors school, a.nd declaim once. To pass 

 balchelor of divinity, the candidate must 

 have been seven years master of arts: he 

 must have opposed a batchelor of divinity 

 twice, kept one divinity act, and preach- 

 ed before the university, once in Latin, 

 and once in English. For the degree of 

 doctor, see DOCTOH. 



DKURKKS, in music, are the little inter- 

 vals whereof the concords, or harmonica! 

 intervals, are composed, 



DEHISCENT, in natural history, gap 

 ing, notched. 



I!.I>T8, in the modern sense of the 

 word, are those persons in cl 

 countries, who, acknowledging all the 

 obligations and duties of natural religion, 

 disbelieve the Christian scheme, or re- 

 vealed religion. They are so called from 

 their belief in God alone, in opposition 

 to Christians. The late learned Dr. 

 Clarke, taking the denomination in the 

 most extensive signification, distinguishes 

 Deists into four sorts. 1. Such as pre- 

 tend to believe the existence of an eter- 

 nal, infinite, independent, intelligent Be- 

 ing, and who teach that this Supreme 

 Heing made the world, though they fancy 

 he does not at all concern himself in the 

 management of it. 2. Those who believe 

 not only in the being, but also the provi- 

 dence of God with respect to the natural 

 world, but who, not allowing any differ- 

 ence between moral good and evil, deny 

 that God takes any notice of the morally 

 good or evil actions of men ; these things 

 depending, as they imagine, on 'lie arbi- 

 trary constitutions of human laws. 3. 

 Those who, having right apprehensions 

 concerning the natural attributes of Goo% 

 and his all-governing providence, and 

 some notion of his moral perfections also ; 

 yet being prejudiced against the notion 

 of the immortality of the human soul, be- 

 lieve that men perish entirely at death, 

 and that one generation shall perpetually 

 succeed another, without any future res- 

 toration or renovation of things. 4. Sucti 

 as believe the existence of a Supreme 

 Being, together with his providence in 

 the government of the world, as also the 

 obligations of natural religion, but so far 

 only, as these things are discover. 

 the light of nature alone, without believ- 

 ing any divine revelation. These last are 

 the only true Deists ; but as the princi- 

 ples of these men would naturally lead 

 them to embrace the Christian revela- 

 tion, the learned author concludes there 

 is now no consistent scheme of deism in 

 the world. 



DELEGATES, court of, is so called, be- 

 cause the judges thereof are delegated 

 by the King's commission, under the 

 great seal, to hear and determine appeals 

 in the three following cases: 1. Wherf 

 a sentence is given in any ecclesiastical 

 cause by the archbishop or his official. 



2. When any sentence is given in any ec- 

 clesiastical cause in the places exempt 



3. When a sentence is given in the admi- 

 ral's court, in suits civil and marine, by 

 order of the civil law. This commission 

 is usually filled will) lords spiritual and 



