AME 



that all mankind would be ambidexters ; 

 *nd, in fact, we frequently find nurses 

 obliged to be at a good deal of pains be- 

 fore they can bring 1 children to forego the 

 use of their left hands. It is to be regret- 

 ed, that any of the gifts of nature should 

 be thus rendered in a great measure use- 

 less, as there are many occasions in life 

 which require the equal use of both 

 hands : sfcch as the operations of bleed- 

 ing in the left arm, left ancle, &c. 



AMBROSIA, in botany, the name of a 

 distinct genus of plants, with flosculous 

 flowers, composed of several small infun- 

 dibuliforui floscules, divided into five seg- 

 ments; these, however, are barren; the 

 fruit, which IE some measure resembles a 

 club, growing on other parts of the plant. 



This genus belongs to the Monoecia 

 Pentandria class and order. There arc 

 five species. 



AMBROSINJA, in botany, a genus' of 

 the Monoecia Monadelphia class and or- 

 der ; of which there is a. species found in 

 the island of Sicily : spathe one-leafed, se- 

 parated by a membranaceous partition, 

 containing the stamina in the hinder cell 

 and upper part of the partition, pistils in 

 the outer cell, and lower part of' the par- 

 tition : the root is tuberous; leaves radi- 

 cal, ovate, and shining. 



AMBUSCADE, or AMBUSH, in the mi- 

 litary art, properly denotes a place where 

 soldiers may lie concealed, till they find 

 an opportunity to surprise the enemy. 



AMELLUS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Syngenesia Superflua : receptacle chaffy ; 

 down simple : calyx imbricate : florets of 

 the ray divided. There are three spe- 

 cies. 



AMELIORATING crops, in husbandry, 

 are such as are supposed to improve the 

 lands on which they are cultivated. 

 Most of those plants which have a large 

 stem and shady leaf are thought to ren- 

 der the soils on which they grow more 

 fertile, by producing a confined or stag- 

 nated state of the air. The improvement 

 of lands, by what are called ameliorating 

 crops, probably depends upon the culture 

 which the ground receives while they 

 are growing, and the returns which they 

 make to it in the way of manure, after 

 they are consumed by animals. 



AMEN, in the scripture language, a 

 solemn formula, or conclusion to all pray- 

 er, signify ing, so be it. 



The tei'in amen is Hebrew, being de- 

 rived from the verb anan, i, e. to be true, 

 faithful, &c. so that, strictly speaking, it 

 .signifies truth ; and, used adverbially, as 

 h frequently clone in the gospels, truly or 



AME 



verily. Sometimes it is repeated twice 

 together, and then it stands for the super* 

 lative, as amen, amen, dico vobis. 



The word in music, forms the usual 

 conclusion of anthems, hymns, and other 

 sacred compositions ; and has so long 

 been one of the principal themes of choral 

 harmony, as to have given birth to a dis- 

 tinct appellation for music adapted to its 

 expression : as when using the word ad- 

 jectively, we s:iy, such an oratorio or an- 

 them concludes with an amen chorus. 



AMEND, or A'MEJJDK, in the French 

 customs, a pecuniary punishment impos- 

 ed by a judge for any crime, false prose- 

 cution, or groundless appeal. 



AMENDE honorable^ an infamous kind of 

 punishment inflicted in France upon trai- 

 tors, parricides, or sacrilegious persons, 

 in the following manner: the offender 

 being delivered into the hands of the hang- 

 man, his shirt is stripped ofF, and a rope 

 put about his neck, and a taper in his 

 hand ; then he is led into court, where he 

 must beg pardon of God, the King, the 

 Court, and his Country. Sometimes the 

 punishment ends here, but sometimes it 

 is only a prelude to death, or banishment 

 to the g-allies. 



Amende honorable is a term also used 

 for making recantation in open court, or 

 in presence of the pel-son injured 



AMENDMENT, in l aw , the correction 

 of an error committed in a process, which 

 may be amended after judgment, unless 

 the error lies in giving judgment, for in 

 that case it is not amendable, but the par- 

 ty must bring a writ of error. 



A bill may be amended on the file at 

 any time before the plea is pleaded; but 

 not afterwards, without motion and leave 

 of the court. 



AMERCEMENT, or AMEIICIAMEST, ir\ 

 law, a pecuniary punishment, imposed 

 upon offenders at the mercy of the court. 

 Amercements differ from fines, the latter 

 being certain punishments growing ex- 

 pressly from some statute, whereas the 

 former are imposed arbitrarily, in propor- 

 tion to the fault. 



Besides, fines are assessed by the court, 

 but amercements by the country. 



A court of record only can fine, all 

 others can only amerce. 



Sheriffs are amerceable for the faults 

 of their officers, and clerks of the peace 

 may be amerced in the King's-bench for 

 gross faults in indictments removed to 

 that court. 



A town is subject to amercement for 

 the escape of a murderer in the day-time, 

 and if the town is wallet!, it is subject te 



