HIS 



HIS. 



authors, while others attribute to it the 

 size of the martin. This bird is principal- 

 ly remarkable for its nest, which, singu- 

 lar as it may appear, is not only used for 

 food, but regarded as one of the greatest 

 luxuries on which the genuine epicure 

 an possibly banquet. The weight ofthis 

 nest is about half an ounce : it is formed 

 in the shape of a half of a lemon, and 

 composed of many easily discriminated 

 layers of a substance somewhat resem- 

 bling isinglass. The materials which con- 

 stitute it have been the subject of consi- 

 derable diversity of opinion, and are not 

 yet (at least in this country) ascertained. 

 It is chiefly applied in soups and ragouts, 

 made of chickens, and mixed with a con- 

 siderable quantity of ginseng. 



Mr. Wilson describes a new species, 

 inhabiting the United States, under the 

 name of yiridis, or green-white bellied 

 fwallow : it is greenish above, with the 

 wings and tail brownish-black, all be- 

 neath pure white. Besides this there are 

 four other species. 



H. Americana,, rufus-rumped, or barn 

 swallow, of which the rump and vent 

 feathers are rufous 



H. purpurea, entirely violet, tail-fork- 

 ed, attacks and drives from its haunts lar- 

 ger birds. 



H. riparia, bank, or sand swallow, cine- 

 reous, chin and belly white : builds in 

 holes in gravel pits and banks of rivers. 



H. pelasgia, aculeated, or chimney 

 swallow, tail feathers of equal length, na- 

 ked and subulated at the end. 



HISPA, in natural history, a genus of 

 insects of the order Coleoptera. Anten- 

 nae cylindrical, approximate at the base, 

 and seated between the eyes; feelers fu- 

 siform ; thorax and shells often spinous or 

 toothed at the tip. There have been 

 twenty-six species enumerated and de- 

 scribed. They are separated into three 

 divisions : A. lip horny, entire. B. lip 

 membranaceous, subemarginate. C. lip 

 membranaceous, entire. H. atra is the 

 chief species known in England, found at 

 the roots of long grass. It is of a deep 

 unpolished black, and has the upper part 

 of the body entirely covered with long 

 and strong spines, which render it simi- 

 lar to the bristly shell of a chesnut, or to 

 a hedge-hog in miniature. The larva of 

 the liispa is unknown. 



HISTER, a genus of insects of the or- 

 der Coleoptera. Antennae clavate, the club 

 solid; the last joint compressed, decur- 

 *ed ; head retractile within the body ; 

 mouth forcipated; shells shorter than 

 the body, truncate ; fore-shanks toothed, 

 hind-shanks spinous. There are twenty- 



four species, usually found in putrescent 

 animal substances, or under the bark of 

 decaying trees. The most common Eu- 

 ropean species of the hister genus is H. 

 unicolor, which is of a glossy coal-black 

 colour, and of a slightly flattened shape. 

 It is often seen in the gardens, but its lar- 

 va is unknown. 



HISTORIOGRAPHER^ professed his- 

 torian, or writer of history. An histori- 

 an, of all authors, spreads the most am- 

 ple theatre ; he erects the greatest tribu- 

 nal on earth, for it is his office to sit su- 

 preme judge of all that passes in the 

 world, to pronounce the destiny of the 

 great ones of the earth, and fix their cha- 

 racter with posterity ; to do justice to vir- 

 tue and worth, in bestowing eternity up- 

 on great and good actions, and fixing an 

 everlasting mark of infamy on bad ones ; 

 to instruct all people and nations, and di- 

 rect the conduct of ages; he therefore 

 ought to be endowed with many great and 

 uncommon qualifications. He must be a 

 person of consummate knowlege of men 

 and things, of sound judgment, uncom- 

 mon sagacity and 'penetration, experien- 

 ced in matters of state and war, of great 

 integrity, firmness of mind, freedom of 

 sentiment, and master of a pure, clear, 

 nervous, and exalted style. An histori- 

 an, whose province it is to speak to kings 

 and princes, to the great men of all ages 

 and countries, and to be the common mas- 

 ter and instructor of mankind, must not 

 only write with purity, simplicity, and 

 manly sense, but with dignity and ele- 

 gance ; he must reject all that is vulgar 

 and low in style ; make the majesty and 

 sublimity of his expression comport \vith 

 the dignity of his subject ; must, by an ex- 

 act choice and propriety of \\ ords, a na- 

 tural disposition of phrases, and a pru- 

 dent moderate use of figures, give weight 

 to his thoughts, force to his language, and j 

 imprint a character of greatness on all 

 that he says. He must at the same time 

 represent things with an air of gravity and 

 prudence, and not give a loose to the 

 heat of imagination, or vivacity of wit ; 

 but discreetly suppress every thing that 

 shall seem idle, languid and unprofita- 

 ble, and give every thing that just figure 

 and proportion which is consistent with 

 propriety and decorum. He must endea- 

 vour at a noble simplicity of thought, lan- 

 guage, design, and ordinance, and care- 

 fully avoid all profuseness of false conceit, 

 strained expression, and affected pom- 

 pousness, so inconsistent with the gravity, 

 dignity, and noble character of history. 

 In a word, he must write so as to be in- 

 telligible to the ignorant, and yet charm' 



