PH Y 



564 



PIC 



filled with an oil. which becomes fixed as 

 it cools, and which is known in commerce 

 by the name of spermaceti. The substance 

 called ambergris is a concretion formed 

 in the intestines, during certain states of 

 disease. The names physeter and physalw 

 signify blown, from ^utrcuu, to blow. See 

 CACHALOT. 



PaYs'icAt. Pertaining to nature, or 

 natural productions. 1. Opposed to 

 mental and moral, as physical force, educa- 

 tion, &c. 2. Opposed to mathematical, 



as a physical lever, that is, an actual and 

 real lever, having thickness and weight, 

 which a mathematical lever is supposed 



to want. 3. Opposed to chemical, as the 



physical properties of a mineral. 1. Op- 

 posed to metaphysical. 



PHYS'ICO-THEOL'OOY. Theology illus- 

 trated and enforced by physical science. 



PHTS'ICS. The doctrine of natural 

 bodies, their phenomena, causes, and 

 effects, with their various operations, 

 affections, &c., otherwise called Natural 

 Philotophy. See PHILOSOPHY. 



PHYSIOO'NOMIES. Indications in the 

 countenance which serve to indicate the 

 state and disposition of the mind and 

 body, and which being described and 

 treated in their causes and effects, give 

 rise to physiognomy (q. v.). 



PHYSIOG'NOMY, from tpvg-it, nature, and 

 yvu/Avi, opinion. The art (called a science 

 by some) of discerning the character of 

 individuals by their countenances, ges- 

 tures, and other external peculiarities. 

 It consists in the study of what is gene- 

 rally termed expression. The spurious 

 physiognomy of Lavater, however, con- 

 sists in attempting to establish, with 

 mathematical exactness, a correspondence 

 between the disposition of the individual 

 and the size and contour of particular parts 

 of the face and body, as the nose, lips, &c. 

 It is a mass of nonsense, with a particle 

 of truth. 



PHYSIOO'NOTYPE. An apparatus for 

 taking an exact imprint of the face or 

 other part, lately invented at Paris. It 

 consists of a plate pierced with numerous 

 minute holes, through each of which a 

 wire passes freely, so that the whole has 

 much the appearance of a brush. "When 

 a figure is applied against the ends of the 

 wires, they yield, and their ends remain 

 imprinted on a very exact mould, which, 

 however, is not of much value. 



PHYSIOL'OGT, from Quirts, nature, and 

 Xeyoj. discourse. That branch of natural 

 knowledge which relates to the laws of 

 life and the functions of living beings, 

 whether animal or vegetable. ^vg-K3>.oyut 

 in its original meaning is synonymous 

 with natural philosophy, and in this sense 

 it was used by the Greeks. 

 PH YV .tu'if A. Kampion. A genus of pe- 



rennial plants. Pentandria JUr?i 

 Name from $VTIYU, to sow, because of its 

 rapid increase. The horned rampion is 

 the British type. 



PHYTEL'EPHAS. The Tagua plant : a 

 genus inhabiting America. Name from 

 fvrovct, a plant, and t}.i$otg, an elephant, 

 in allusion to the great size of its fruit, 

 the milk of which hardens into a sub 

 stance like ivory. 



PHYTOG'HAPHY, from fwrov, a plant, 

 and "/getpr,, description. Description of 

 plants. 



PHYTOLA'CEJE. A genus of plants. De- 

 candria Decagynia. Name from $urer, 

 a plant, and Xctxxa., gum-lac, of which 

 it is the colour. There are seven species, 

 but the Virginian poke, Pork-physic, red- 

 weed, or American nightshade, is the 

 best known. 



PHYTOL'ITE, from (pyrov, a plant, and 

 PuPo?. stone. A fossilised plant. 



PHYTOL'OGY, from <purov, a plant, and 

 loyot , discourse. Another term for Bo- 

 tanv. 



I eat. A tribe of cetaceous animals, 

 synonymous with Herbivora. 



PHYTorHA'GOCs,pi/TOji,and gayta, I eat. 

 Plant-eating. 



PI'A MA'TER. A thin vascular membrane 

 which lies under the dura mater, embraces 

 the brain, and adheres to its surface. 



PIA'NO. In Italian music, signifies soft, 

 as contrasted with forte, loud: hence 



PIA'NO-FOR'TE. A musical instrument, 

 resembling the harpsichord (of which it 

 is an improvement), in which the tone is 

 produced by hammers, instead of quills, 

 upon the strings. Of all the keyed in- 

 struments, the piano-forte seems to merit 

 the preference, on account of its superior 

 tone, sweetness, and variety, as all shades 

 of piano and forte may be produced upon 

 it, Without the harsh scratching of the 

 quills, so disagreeable in the harpsichord. 



PI'ARISTS. A religious order, founded 

 at Borne in the 17th century, aevoted to 

 the purpose of education. 



PIAS'TRE. A Spanish silver coin, equal 

 to the American dollar, and worth is. 3|c/. 

 nearly. 



PIAZ'ZA (Ital.). A portico, or continued 

 archway, supported by pillars. 



A wild irregular species of music, peculiar 

 to the Highlands of Scotland. It is per- 

 formed on the bagpipe, and is adapted to 

 excite or assuage passion, and particu- 

 larly to rouse the martial spirit of the 

 clans. 



PICA. 1. The magpie, a small species of 

 corvus, prized for its beautiful plumage, 

 the greater part of which is black anj 

 silky, reflecting purple, blue, and gold 



