PERFECT 



6O56 



PERGAMUM 



Perfect (Lat. perfectus, com- 

 plete). Musical term used in 

 several senses: (1) Of intervals, 

 the normal unison, octave, fifth, 

 and fourth are reckoned as per- 

 fect, instead of major, owing to the 

 simplicity of their ratios of vibra- 

 tion and their lowness in the har- 

 monic series. (2) A perfect ca- 

 dence is one in which the dominant 

 chord is followed by the tonic 

 chord. (3) Triple time was con- 

 sidered perfect by the musical 

 theorists of the Middle Ages, and 

 was indicated by a circle. 



Perfect. In grammar, a tense of 

 the verb denoting an act completed 

 in time just past or still continuing, 

 or a state or condition brought 

 about by a previous action. Origin- 

 ally, it was a special kind of pre- 

 sent ; in " I have come to see " the 

 action is past, but is continued in 

 its effects. In most of the old 

 Indo-European languages the per- 

 fect was formed by reduplication 

 and vowel-change. In the Teu- 

 tonic languages reduplication is 

 very rare, and most of the oldest 

 verbs simply change the vowel 

 (give, gave), while so-called weak 

 verbs add to the base (love, love-d, 

 from " do " ). The pluperfect (Lat. 

 plus quam perfectum, more than 

 perfect) indicates that an action 

 was completed before another past 

 action. 



Perfectionism. Doctrine which 

 teaches that it is possible for the 

 Christian by the grace of God to be 

 kept entirely free from sin. Simi- 

 larly, Buddhists teach that by 

 meditation and mortification a de- 

 votee may be entirely set free from 

 sin. As a mere theory, the per- 

 fectibility of Christians is a matter 

 of opinion in the Christian Church. 

 The early Methodists, and some 

 sects at the present day, urge it as 

 a practical matter which concerns 

 all true Christians. The doctrine 

 is based upon the various precepts 

 of the N.T., which urge Christians 

 to aim at perfection. 



Perfectionists. American sect, 

 founded by John Humphrey Noyes 

 about 1845. He established a 

 community of his followers at 

 Oneida (q.v.) in 1848. He taught a 

 form of perfectionism, according to 

 which the members of the com- 

 munity were so established in holi- 

 ness that they could neither fall 

 into sin nor make any further spir- 

 itual progress. Whatever they did 

 was good a principle which intro- 

 duced Antinomianism in its worst 

 form. They practised community 

 of wives as well as of goods, and 

 had a system of " complex mar- 

 riage " which was practically free 

 love. They found it necessary in 

 1880 to abandon these commun- 

 istic practices, and divided their 



property among the members, who 

 became shareholders in the Oneida 

 Community, Ltd. 



Performance. Something done, 

 especially of a public character. 

 It is used for an exhibition in a 

 theatre or other place of amuse- 

 ment, and also for the carrying out 

 of a contract or other piece of 

 work. See Theatre. 



Performance. In aeronautics, 

 term used to cover the capacity of 

 any aircraft as to speed, climbing 

 power, carrying capacity, etc. 



Perfume (Lat. per, through ; 

 fumus, smoke). Scent arising 

 from a sweet-smelling substance. 

 In Egypt, different kinds of per- 

 fumes were offered on the altar at 

 dawn, noon, and evening. Puri- 

 fication was carried out by the 



Pergamum. The Gaul and bis Wife, 

 a Pergamene bronze group re- 

 presenting a Gaulish warrior slay- 

 ing his wife and himself to escape 

 capture 



Museo dclle Terme, Rome 



fumigation of temples and dwell- 

 ings by the burning of scented 

 substances. In their religious pro- 

 cessions they burnt myrrh, cinna- 

 mon, iris, and other strong scented 

 substances. Perfumes were pressed 

 into the service of the dead, and 

 the process of embalming was 

 carried out with the costliest 

 spices. The Hebrews took with 

 them, from Egypt, the use of 

 incense and other perfumes, and 

 throughout Western Asia the use 

 of perfumes was general for cere- 

 monial and domestic purposes. 



Perfume is obtained from the 

 flowers, leaves, and in some cases 

 the roots and the wood of plants 

 by the extraction of the essential 

 oU by maceration or by pressing, 

 and in other cases by distillation 

 in water or alcohol. Constantinople 

 and Adrianople are great markets 



for Eastern perfumes, and especi- 

 ally for that prime favourite of 

 Eastern perfumes, otto of roses. 

 The principal other floral perfumes 

 have their largest centres of pre- 

 paration in Southern France and 

 on the Riviera, where a large 

 acreage is given up to the produc- 

 tion of flowers for the purpose. At 

 Cannes, the perfumes prepared are 

 rose, tuberose, and jasmin ; at 

 Nice, violet ; at Nimes, thyme, 

 rosemary, and lavender ; at Grasse, 

 various cosmetics. Orange water 

 is made in Sicily ; iris and berga- 

 mot in other Italian centres ; and 

 there is a flourishing industry at 

 Algiers. The two perfumes pro- 

 duced on a large scale in England 

 are mint and lavender. 



There are really two branches 

 in the manufacture of perfumes, 

 usually carried on in different 

 centres : perfumery proper, which 

 is naturally carried on chiefly on 

 the spot, as the plants must be 

 fresh to give the best results ; and 

 the mixing of the essences secured 

 with fat for pomades and other 

 preparations, with alcohol for 

 liquid scents, and with various 

 other materials for toilet prepara- 

 tions. See Eau de Cologne. 



Perga OR PERGE. Ancient city 

 of Pamphylia, and a centre of the 

 worship of Artemis. It is mem- 

 orable as the place which S. Paul 

 first visited on his missionary jour- 

 neys. Its ruins lie about 10 m. 

 N.E. of Adalia, Asia Minor. 



Pergamino. Town of Argen- 

 tina, in the prov. of Buenos Aires. 

 It is an important rly. junction, 

 64 m. S. of Rosario and 140 m. 

 N.W. of Buenos Aires. Pop. 6,000. 



Pergamum OR PERGAMUS. 

 Ancient city of Mysia, Asia Minor. 

 The modern Bergama, it is situated 

 about 20 m. from the sea, on the 

 N. bank of the Cai'cus. It be- 

 came a place of importance in the 

 first half of the 3rd century B.C., a 

 kingdom being established there 

 by Philetaerus in 280 B.C. The 

 kingdom reached the zenith of its 

 power under Eumenes II in 190 

 B.C., who was tactful enough to 

 identify himself with the all-con- 

 quering Romans, and received from 

 them most of W. and central Asia 

 Minor. It was under Eumenes II 

 that the great library was founded, 

 said to rival that of Alexandria. 

 Eumenes also beautified the city 

 with many fine buildings and 

 sculptures. In 133 B.C. Attalus III, 

 the last king, died, and by his will 

 the kingdom passed to the Romans. 

 Extensive excavations were made 

 by the Prussian government, 

 1871-78. Among the fine buildings 

 found is the great altar of Zeus, 

 with colossal reliefs of the battle 

 between the gods and giants, now 



