DEC SUPPLEMENT. DEL 



the general good, which neither the virtue every enlightened and patriotic 

 nor the commou sense of cumulative hu- See DEMAND. Decoration, however, coii- 

 manity is strong enough for as yet. The sidered in itself, is subject to laws of 

 metrical system in British currency has taste which, though in many instances 

 been strongly argued for from time to time, arbitrary, have iu most oases a legitimate 

 and it would not be difficult to achieve ; but place iu the system ; for though, eono- 

 unless it were done in accord with a similar mically considered, all decoration, good 

 system simultaneously adopted by all other or bad, gives employment.and remuneration 

 civilized comm mities, it is obvious that we to industry, and that which is least penna- 

 might only after all put ourselves to the nent in merit may be said to give employ- 

 trouble of changing a perfectly convenient ment the most, there can be no doubt that 

 system already understood among us for one, the achievements of high art give and main- 

 no great improvement on what we have tain the true stimulus even to all inferior 

 which is decimal and duodecimal as it is effort. It is therefore necessary that the dr- 

 and yet be still as much outside of an coration should be in due and appropriate 

 international decimal currency as ever. Even subordination to the main desi n of the 

 this step therefore cannot be taken without work. [J. A. 8.] 



the common consent of many other nations, DECREPITATION, that crackling noise 

 all simultaneously prepared to adopt the which salt and similar bodies give out 

 change. [J. A. S.J when subjected to strong heat, consisting 



DECIMATION, a system of punishment for usually of the bursting of the crystals by 

 mutiny or failure in military duty among the expansion of the water they contain, 

 the Romans. It consisted in the selection by DECCRIO, a Roman officer who had corn- 

 lot of one man out of every ten in a regi- mand of ten men. The decurions were 

 ment, &c., to suffer death for the delin- municipal as well as military ; the muni- 

 quency of the whole General Cuesta re- cipal decurions being magistrates of the 

 sorted to it in Spain after the battle of Tala chief towns. The military decurion had 

 Tera. originally command of the third of a turmu, 



DECLARATION, DTINO. The evidence of or third of thirty men : though with < it 

 a man dying from mortal injuries, if legally change of his title, his command was aLer- 

 taken down before his death, is admissible wards extended to the whole turma. 

 as evidence in the court of justice before whichi DEFECATION, the separation of the im- 

 any one is on trial for culpably causing his pure sedimentary matter or dregs from 

 death. | liquids. 



DECLINOMETER, an arrangement for mea- DEFILADING, a term of fortification, sig- 

 *uring the declination of the magaic nee- nifying the arranging of the height of a 

 die, and the influence of terrestrial mag- work, so as to prevent the enemy seeing into 

 netistn in the plane of the horizon. it, or so arranging its faces as to prevent 



DECOITS or DACOOS. See DACOITS. the enemy from taking them in reverse or 



DECOLLATION, literally "taking the head enfilading them. 



from the neck ; " a synonym of beheading or DEFILE, any narrow passage through 

 decapitation. The word was used as applica- which troops must pass in file. As a verb it 

 ble to the beheading of John the Baptist, and signifies to reduce the front into file for the 

 has been almost confined to that event. purpose of passing. 



DECORATION, a branch of the fine arts of DEFLECTION OF RAYS OF LIGHT, that 

 great importance in reference to the progress degree of bending from their rectilinear 

 and prosperity of civilization. In civilized direction which rays of light undergo when 

 communities the bulk of the national indus- passing near to an opaque body, called by 

 try ceases to be confined to mere utilitarian Newton *' diffraction." 

 employments, such as the production of in- DEGLUTITION, the act of swallowing the 

 dispensable food and clothing, and becomes food. 



chiefly occupied in those branches of activity DEIFICATION. See APOTHEOSIS. 

 under subordination to the superintending DEIXOTHERIUM, a fossil genus of gigantic 

 influence and direction of taste, which add pachydermous Mammalia with immense 

 the beautiful to the essential, and supply tusks projecting downwards from the lower 

 what is sometimes indiscriminately called jaw. 



luxury to the necessities of life. In a civil- DEJEUNER. In most languages of Europe 

 ized community, were the decorative indus- this term is synonymous with the breakfast 

 tries suddenly prohibited by any public law or first meal of the day. Iu France it is 

 supported in its action by popular fanati- losing its original application, and now more 

 cism, the people, unable to find employment I commonly signifies luncheon, or a second 

 or remuneration in the mere necessary in-! and light repast between the breakfast au>l 

 dustries, would sink into degradation, bar- . dinner. 



barism, and national distress at once. There- DELI AN PROBLEM, the problem given to 

 fore it is that, as a question of political im- 1 those who went to the temple of Apollo at 

 portance, the decorative arts demand high ', Delos, to consult the oracle as to the stnp- 

 cousideration and encouragement from ; page of the plague at Athens. The answer 

 782 



