DIV 



D1U 



in chemistry, but not very properly, as it 

 is merely used preparatory to other ope- 

 rations, particularly solution : for this it 

 is useful, as it increases the quantity of 

 surface, and the points of contact of any 

 body. 



DIVISION. See AIGEBRA and ARITH- 

 METIC. 



Division, among logicians, is the ex- 

 plication of a complex idea, by enumerat- 

 ing the simple ideas whereof it is com- 

 posed ; in which sense it is nearly allied 

 to definition, only that this last regards 

 names and things, whereas division is em- 

 ployed wholly about ideas. 



When the parts of an idea are divided, 

 in order to a clearer explication of the 

 whole, this is called a subdivision : thus, a 

 year is divided into twelve months, a 

 month is subdivided into weeks, weeks 

 into days, days into hours, and so on. 



The rules for a good division are these, 

 that the members entirely exhaust the 

 whole ; that they be opposite ; that sub- 

 divisions be not too numerous ; that the 

 whole be first divided into its larger 

 parts, and these into the more remote and 

 minute parts. 



DIVISION, in natural philosophy, is 

 the taking a thiflg to pieces, that we may 

 have a more complete conception of the 

 whole : this is frequently necessary in 

 examining very complex things, the se- 

 veral parts of which cannot be surveyed 

 at one view. Thus, to learn the nature 

 of a watch, the workman takes it to pieces, 

 and shews us the spring, wheels, axles, 

 pinions, balances, dial-plate,pointer, case, 

 Sec. and after describing the uses and 

 figures of each of them apart, explains 

 how they contribute to form the whole 

 machine. 



DIVISION, in music, the dividing the 

 interval of an octave into a number of 

 Jess intervals. The fourth and fifth divide 

 the octave perfectly, though differently : 

 when the fifth is below, and serves as a 

 bass to the fourth, the division is called 

 harmonical ; but when the fourth is be- 

 low, it is called arithmetical. To run a 

 division, is to play, or sing, after the man- 

 ner above-mentioned ; that is, to divide 

 the intervals of an octave, fifth, fourth, 

 &c. into as many parts, and as agreeably 

 as possible, which depends entirely upon 

 taste and fancy. 



DIVISION of proportion. If four quan- 

 tities be proportional a : b :: c : d; then 

 the assumption of the difference between 

 the antecedent a 6, or b a, to either 

 the antecedent a, or consequent b, of the 



first ratio a to b ; and the difference be- 

 tween the antecedents c d or d c to 

 either the antecedent b, or consequent d, 

 of the second ratio c to d, is called di- 

 vision of proportion. 



DIVISION, in. the sea-language, the 

 third part of a fleet of men of war, and 

 sometimes the ninth part : which last 

 happens when the fleet is divided into 

 three squadrons ; for then each squadron 

 is distributed into three divisions. See 

 TACTICS, NAVAL. 



DIVISIONS of a battalion, sere the se- 

 veral parcels into which a battalion is 

 divided in marching. The lieutenants 

 and ensigns march before the divisions. 



DIVORCE, a separation of two de facto 

 married together; of which there are two 

 kinds ; one a "vinculo matrimonii, from the 

 very bond of marriage : the other a mcnsa, 

 et thora, from bed and board. Causes for 

 separation a idnculo, are consanguinity or 

 affinity within the degrees prohibited, also 

 .impuberty or frigidity; where the marriage 

 was merely void ab zVwft'o,andthe sentence 

 of divorce only declaratory of its being 

 so. This divorce enables the parties to 

 marry again : but in the other case, a 

 power for so doing must be obtained by 

 act of parliament. The woman divorced 

 a vinculo matrimonii receives all again she 

 brought with her. Divorce a mensa et 

 thora, is where the use of matrimony, as 

 the use of cohabitation of the married 

 persons, on their mutual conversation, is 

 prohibited for a time, or without limita- 

 tion of time. And this is in cases of adul- 

 tery, cruelty, or the like ; in which case, 

 the marriage having been originally good, 

 is not dissolved or affected as to the vth- 

 cnlum or bond. The woman under sepa- 

 ration by this divorce may sue by her 

 next friend ; and she may sue her hus- 

 band in her own name for alimony. But 

 the children' which she hath after the 

 divorce shall be deemed bastards : for 

 a due obedience to the sentence will be 

 intended, unless the contrary be shewn. 

 DIURETICS. See PHARMACY. 



DIURIS, in botany, a genus of the Gy. 

 nandria Diandria class and order. Nec- 

 tary dependent ; petals nine ; the five 

 outer ones very large ; of two shapes ; 

 columns of the fructification reversed, 

 with a lid at top. One species, D. austra- 

 lasia, described by Dr. Smith in Linnean 

 Transactions. 



DIURNAL, in astronomy, something 

 relating to the day, in opposition to noc- 

 turnal, which regards the night. 



