R E T 



R E T 



is called the "law of retortion;" in which there is no- 

 thing that is not conformable to juit and found politics ; for 

 no one can complain of being treated as he treats others. 

 This law of retortion may alfo take place with regard to 

 certain regulations, of which we have no right to complain, 

 and which we are even obliged to approve, though it is 

 proper to guard againft their effects, by imitating them. 

 Such are the orders relating to the exportation of certain 

 commodities or merchandize. It is alfo frequently not 

 convenient to make life of retortion ; in this reipect we 

 eught to follow the dictates of prudence. 



RETOW, in Geography, a town of Samogitia ; \l miles 

 W. of Medniki. 



RETRACTATION, Retkac tatio, the aft of un- 

 faying what a perfon had faid or written. 



Galileo made a public retractation of his doctrine of the 

 world, De Mundo, after its being cenfured and condem 

 by the pope. See Copernicus and Galileo. 



Among St. Auguiline's works is a book of " retracta- 

 tions ;" where, however, the word is to be underltood in a 

 new fenfe ; not as if he recanted or unfaid any thing he 

 taught, but only treated of the fame matter, or handled the 

 famefubject, a fecond time. This fenfe the word will very 

 well bear ; being a compound of re, again, and traclo, I 

 handle, treat of. 



RETRACTION, Retractio, formed from retrahere, 

 to draw back, in Anatomy, the contraction or fhortening of 

 a part. A retraction of the nerves takes away the life of the 

 limbs. 



RETRACTS, among Horfemen, pricks in a horfe's 

 feet, arifing from the fault of the farrier in driving nails 

 that are weak, or in driving them ill-pointed, or amils. 



Thefe, unlcfs timely prevented, felter, and prove very 

 dangerous. When the farrier, in fhoeing, perceives the 

 horie to flirink at every blow on the nail, it is a fign of a 

 retract, and the nail is to be pulled out again ; which is done 

 without any harm. 



When the horfe halts immediately after he is fhod, it is 

 concluded fome of the nails prefs the veins, or touch him in 

 the quick. 



To find where the grievance lies, they knock the nails 

 round with a hammer, till the horfe's (hrinking upon hitting 

 a particular nail difcovers the place. 



Some farriers give this as a rule, that throwing water on 

 the hoof, the place where he is hurt will be dry fooner than 

 any of the reit. The places where the horfes are molt 

 ufually pricked, are, the heel in the fore-foot, and the toe in 

 the hind-foot. 



RETRAHENS, in Anatomy, a mufcle of the external 

 ear. See Ear. 



RETRAXIT, in Law, is where the plaintifT comes into 

 court in perfon, alone, or with the defendant ; and declares 

 he will proceed uo farther in his action. 



A retraxit is peremptory, and a perpetual bar, and may 

 be pleaded as fuck to the plaintiff in the lame action for ever. 

 See Nonnuit. 



RETREAT, in Ornamental Gardening, any fori of 

 non, place, or convenience, formed in gardens or pi ft. 

 fure grounds for the purpofe ol recreation and ainuleinent. 

 Thefe are of very different kinds, according to the nature 

 of the particular grounds or gardens, their circumftani 

 and fituations ; as covered, open, or in other forms, as the 

 talle of the proprietor or deligner may direct. They may 

 be made either in the different quarters, centre parts, angles, 

 or other places of thefe fituations, or formed in the range of 

 hot-houfes, as is the cafe in fome inltauccs. Tin- particular 

 /onus, defigns, and means of construction of them, an 



Vol. XXX. 



various, but, for the inoft part, fo well known, that it i„ 

 unneceffary to give any defcriplion of them in this place. 

 Thofe of the more ornamental kind fhould, however, in 

 general, be contrived fomewhat in conformity to the ftyle 

 of the ground, garden, place, and proprietor; being fur- 

 nifhed from defigns of great diverlity and number, as u U 

 as of various degrees of elegance, from that of the limple 

 bower of fioneyfuckle, hop, or vine, twined upon bent 

 poles, to the Grecian porch or temple of the fineft fort of 

 mafonry. Great caution is, however, required in the intro- 

 duction of thefe forts of ornamental erections into gardens 

 of the culinary kind. And in them, as with every thing 

 elfe which relates to them, ufe, Mr. Loudon fuppofes, 

 Ihould be the prevailing idea ; and that, as ufe and beauty go 

 hand in hand, the moft vulgar objects may be dignified by 

 the judicious introduction of elegance. A garden cf the 

 kitchen kind, though ucmixed with productions purely 

 ornamental, is (till, it is thought, a pleafing fcene, becaufe 

 full of utility and animation, and conftantly varying from the 

 practice of cultivation, as well as from the feafons. It is 

 confequcntly very generally reforted to at moft times of the 

 year, but especially in the early fpriug months. Of courfe, 

 in a climate fo very variable as this, wherever the walks are 

 frequently made ufe of at fuch a feafon, there fhould, it is 

 faid, be covered retreats or places for retiring to, which 

 fhould correfpond with the whole of which they are con- 

 fpicuous parts or portions. In this way they may conftantly 

 be made to harmonize with the different objects around 

 them. 



Retkeat, in War, the retiring or moving back again of 

 an army, or part of it. 



We fay, to found a retreat, to fecure a retreat, &c. 



What they call a retreat in the armies, is really a flight ; 

 only a flight made by defign, and with conduct. 



The fkill and ability of the general is known by his re- 

 treats more than his engagements. The retreat of the ten 

 thoufand Greeks under the command of Xenophon, has 

 been admired in all antiquity. 



The three moft celebrated retreats of modern times have 

 been general Moreau's retreat in 1 796, that of Prague, and 

 that of general Macdonald in Italy. 



Retreat, Chequered, Retraite en echiquier, Fr. is fo 

 called from the feveral component parts of a line or bat- 

 talion, which alternately retreat and face in the prefence of 

 an enemy, exhibiting the figures of the chequered fquares 

 upon a chefs-board. In the "General Rules and Regu- 

 lations," (part 4.) it is judicioufly obferved, that all ma- 

 noeuvres of a corps retiring, are infinitely more difficult to 

 be performed with order, than thofe in advancing. They 

 nuilt be more or lefs aceomplifhed by chequered move- 

 ments ; one body by its numbers or poiVtion, facing and 

 protecting the retreat of another ; and if the enemy pieties 

 hard, the whole mult probably front in time and await him ; 

 as the ground narrows or favours, different parts of tin- 

 corps muft double ; mouths of defiles and advantageous polls 

 mult be podefled ; by degrees the different bodies mull 

 diminifh their fronts, and throw themfelves into column of 

 march when it can fie dune with lately. 



'flic chequered retreat by the alti 1 talions or half 



battalions of a line going to the rear, \.i:.] theotheri remain 



halted, cover them, ami in their turn retire in the (ami 

 manner, is the quickell mode of 1 part of a COI 



to the enemy, and at th- ting its move- 



ment, as long as it continues to lie made nearly parallel to 

 the lirll pofition. 



In the chequi 1 d retreat the following rules muft be ob- 

 ferved : The battalions of the divilion nearefl to the enemy, 



M v. ill 



