ROT 



ROT 



crucianifm, here fixed from Naudxus, who lias written ex- 

 prefsly on the fubjeCt, confift, we leave others to judge. 



Notwithltanding the pretended antiquity of the Roficru- 

 cians, it is probable that the alchemifls, Paracelfiits, or fire 

 philofophers, who fpread themfelves through almofl all 

 Europe, about the clofe of the 16th century, all'umed, 

 about this period, the obfcure and ambiguous title of Rofi- 

 crucian brethren, which commanded, at firlt, fome degree 

 of refpect, as it feemed to be borrowed from the arms of 

 Luther, which were a crofs placed upon a rofe. 



But the denomination evidently appears to be derived 

 from the fcience of chemiitry. It is not compounded, fays 

 Moflieim, as many imagine, of the two words rofa and crux, 

 which fignify rofe and crofs, but of the latter of thefe words, 

 and the Latin word ros, which fignifies dew. Of all na- 

 tural bodies, dew was efteemed the mod powerful difTolvent 

 of gold ; and the crofs, in the chemical language, is equi- 

 valent to light, becaufe the figure of a crofs + exhibits, at 

 the fame time, the three letters of which the word lux, or 

 light, is compounded. Now lux is called, by this feet, the 

 feed or menltruum of the red dragon, or, in other words, 

 that grofs and corporeal light, which, when properly di- 

 gested and modified, produces gold. Hence it follows, if 

 this etymology be admitted, that a Roficrucian philofopher 

 is one, who, by the intervention and alliltance of the dew, 

 feeks for light, or, in other words, the fubftance called the 

 philoiopher's ftone. 



The true meaning and energy of this denomination did 

 not efcape the penetration and lagacity of Gaffendi, as ap- 

 pears by his Examen Philofophise Fluddance, feft. 15. 

 torn. iii. p. 261. And it was more fully explained by Re- 

 naudot, in his Conferences Publiques, torn. iv. p. 87. 



At the head of thefe fanatics were Robert Fludd, an 

 Engliih phyfician, Jacob Behmen, and Michael Mayer. 

 The common principles, which ferve as a kind of centre of 

 union to the Roficrucian fociety, are the following. They 

 all maintain that the diffolution of bodies, by the power of 

 fire, is the only way by which men can arrive at true wif- 

 dom, and come to difcern the firlt principles of things. 

 They all acknowledge a certain analogy and harmony be- 

 tween the powers of nature and the doctrines of religion, 

 and believe that the Deity governs the kingdom of grace by 

 the fame laws with which he rules the kingdom of nature ; 

 and hence they are led to ufe chemical denominations to cx- 

 prefs the truths of religion. They all hold, that there is a 

 tort of divine energy, or foul, diffufed through the frame of 

 the univerfe, which fome call the archcus, others the miiverfal 

 fp'trit, and which others mention under different appellations. 

 They all talk in the molt fuperftitious manner of what they 

 call the iignature of things, of the power of the flars over 

 all corporeal beings, and their particular influence upon the 

 human race, of the efficacy of magic, and the various ranks 

 and orders of demons. In fine, they all agree in throwing 

 out the moll crude incomprehenfible notions and ideas, in the 

 molt obfcure, quaint, and unufual expreffions. Brucker's 

 Hiit. Philof. by Enfield, vol. ii. Molh. Eccl. Hitt. vol. iv. 

 Eng. ed. Svo. See Bejimists and Theosophists. 



ROT, in Rural Economy, a fort of putrid decay, taking 

 place gradually in different fubitances, either from the ef- 

 fects of moilture or other caufes. Much mifchief is fre- 

 quently done in this way to different kinds of materials of 

 the farm fort. 



This fort of decay in materials, whether of the manure or 

 other kinds, is greatly promoted by their being kept in a 

 continued moifl; condition, by the atmofpheric air being 

 freely admitted to them ; and where they are of a ftrawy, 

 littery, or light nature, by their being thrown together in 



rather an open manner. The contact of the earth or mould 

 alfo promotes this kind of rot in a very great degree. There 

 is likewife a great variety of other caufes, which have a 

 tendency to bring on and expedite the decay of fubitances 

 both of the hard and lefs firm kinds. See Putrefac- 

 tion. 



Rot, among fheep-farmers, a difeafe incident to ffieep 

 and other animals, in which both the liver and lungs are 

 affected, and there is often a dropfical tendency. It is 

 moftly connected with moilture or moift lituations; but its 

 caufes are far from being perfectly inveltigated. Dr. Har- 

 rifon of Lincolnfliire has, however, lately done much in 

 this way, and drawn many ufetni and fcientific conclufions. 

 The difeafe is readily known to experienced fhepherds by a 

 careful examination of the eye, which is done by placing the 

 fheep between his thighs, and holding the head with both 

 hands. He then proceeds to raiie the upper, and depjefs 

 the under eye-lid, by which means the blood-vefTels of the 

 tunica albuginea, or white, are brought into view. When 

 thev are red, and in great numbers, the fheep is fuppofed to 

 be in good health. The caruncula lacrymalis, or haw and 

 inner iurtace of the eye-lids, fhould be as red as the veflels on 

 the eye-ball. If they are pale, and the veins are in fmall 

 quantities, and faint-coloured, or livid, the lheep is in a de- 

 bilitated itate, or afflicted with the rot. And in all cafes 

 where the blood-veffels have entirely dilappeared, the mut- 

 ton is bad. By frequently examining the eyes in dangerous 

 feafons, fhepherds may always diicover the rot before the 

 fheep begin to (brink, and, confequently, in time to pre- 

 vent any material injury to their profits. 



The above intelligent writer traces the nature and effects 

 of the difeafe in the following manner : when in warm, ful- 

 try, and rainy weather, fheep that are grazing on low and 

 moilt lands feed rapidly, and fome of them die fuddenly, 

 there is realon to tear that they have contracted the rot. 

 This fufpicion will be further increafed, if in a few weeks 

 afterwards the fheep begin to flirink, and become flaccid in 

 their loins. By preffure about the hips at this time, a crack- 

 ling is fometimes perceptible. Now, or foon afterwards, 

 the countenance looks pale, and upon parting the fleece, 

 the fkin is found to have exchanged its vermilion tint for a 

 pale red ; and the wool is eafily feparated from the pelt. 

 As the diforder advances, the (kin becomes dappled with 

 yellow, or black fpots. About this time the eyes lofe their 

 lultre, and become white and pearly, from the red veffels 

 of the tunica adnata, and eve-lids, being contracted or en- 

 tirely obliterated. To this fucceed debility and emaciation, 

 which increafe continually till the fheep die ; or elfe afcites, 

 and perhaps general dropfy fupervene, before the fatal ter- 

 mination. Thefe fymptoms are rendered more fevere by an 

 obllinate purging, which comes on at an uncertain period 

 of the diforder. In the progrefs of the complaint, fheep 

 become what the graziers call chockered, that is, affected 

 with a fwelling under the chin, which proceeds from a fluid 

 contained in the cellular membrane, under the throat. 

 And he adds, that in five or fix days after contracting 

 the rot, the thin edge of the fmall lobe of the liver becomes 

 of a tranfparent white, or blueifh colour, and this fpreads 

 along the upper and lower fides, according to the feverity 

 of the complaint. Sometimes it does not extend more than 

 an inch from the margin. In fevere cafes, the whole peri- 

 toneum invefting the liver is diieafed ; and then it commonly 

 affumes an opaque colour, interfperfed with dark red lines 

 or patches. The upper part of the liver is fometimes 

 fpeckled like the body of a toad, to which it is faid to bear 

 a itriking refemblance ; round the ductus communis chole- 

 docus and hepatic veffels, a jelly-like matter is depofited, 



which 



