s c u 



s c u 



part of an hour, called by the Hebrews helak'm. Thefe 

 fcruples are much ufed by the Jews, Arabs, and other 

 eattern people, in computations of time. 



Scruples, in AJlronomy. Scruples tcTipfed, that part of 

 the moon's diameter which enters the Ihadow, exprefled in 

 the fame meafure in which the diameter of the moon is ex- 

 prefled. See Digit. 



Scruples of Half Duration, an arc of the moon's orbit, 

 which the moon's centre defcribes from the beginning of an 

 eclipfe to its middle. 



Scruples of Immerfwn, or Incidence, an arc of the moon's 

 orbit, which her centre defcribes from the beginning of the 

 echpfe, to the time when its centre falls into the ftiadow. 

 See Immersion. 



Scruples of Emerjion, an arc of the moon's orbit, which 

 her centre defcribes in the time from the fii-lt emerfion of the 

 moon's limb, to tlie end of the eclipfe. 



SCRUTATORES, among the Romans, certain officers, 

 or fervants, whofe bufinefs it was to fearch every body that 

 came to falute the emperor, in order to difcover if they had 

 any kind of arms concealed about them. They were firll 

 infUtuled under the emperor Claudius. 



SCRUTINY, ScuuTixiuM, in Antiquity, an examination, 

 or probation, praAifed in the lait week of Lent, on the cate- 

 chumens, who were to receive baptifm on the Eafter-day. 



The fcrutiny was performed with a great many ceremo- 

 nies : exorcifms and prayers ^vere made over the heads 

 of the cathccumens. On Palm Sunday, the Lord's grayer 

 and Creed were given them, which they were afterwards 

 made to rcliearfe. 



The procefs was called ycra/zWam, fcrutiny; becaufe here- 

 by the hearts of the catechumens were fcrutinized, or 

 fearched, that the prielts might underftand who were fit 

 to be admitted to baptifm. 



This cuftom was more in ufe in the church of Rome than 

 any where elfe ; though it appears, by fome miflals, to have 

 been likewife ufed, though much later, in the Galiican 

 church. It is fuppofed to have ceafed about the year 860. 

 Some traces of this practice ftiU remain at Vienne, in 

 Dauphine, and at Liege. 



Scrutiny is alfo ufed, in the Canon Law, for a ticket, 

 or little paper billet, wherein, at elections, the eleftors write 

 their votes privately, fo as it may not be known for whom 

 they vote. 



Scrutiny, among us, is chiefly ufed for a ftricl perufal 

 and examination of the feveral votes hallily taken at an 

 eleftion ; in order to find out any irregularities committed 

 therein, by unqualified voters, &c. 



SCRUTORE, or Scrutoir (from the French efcritoire) 

 a kind of cabinet, with a door or lid opening downwards, for 

 conveniency of writing on, &c. 



SCRY, in Falconry, denotes a large flock of fowl. 

 SCUD, in Agriculture, a term ufed provincially to fignify 

 to clear with a Ipade or fpittle. 



Scud, in Sea Language, a name given by feamen to the 

 loweft and lightert; cloudi:, which are molt fwiftly wafted 

 along the atmofphere by the wind. 



SCUDDING, the movement by which a fliip is carried 

 with great velocity before a tempelt. 



As a fliip moves through the water with fo great a velo- 

 city whenever this expedient is put in pradtice, it is never 

 attempted in a contrary wind, unlefs 'when her condition 

 renders her incapable of iullaining the mutual efforts of the 

 wind and waves any longer on her fide, without being ex- 

 pofed to the molt imminent danger. See Trying. 



A Ihip either feuds with a fail extended on her fore-mafl. 



or, if the ftorm is violent, without any fail ; which in the fea- 

 phrafe is called fcudding under bare-polej. In floops and 

 fchooners, and other fmall veflels, the fail ufed for this pur- 

 pofe is the fquare-fail. In large fliips, it is either the fore- 

 fail with or without a reef, or goofe-zvingeJ only, according 

 to the degree of the tempeft ; or it is the fore-top-fail clofe 

 reefed, and lowered on the cap : which laft is particularly 

 ufed when the fea runs fo high as to becalm the fore-fail oc- 

 cafionally, a circumftance which expofes the fhip to the 

 danger of broaching-to. 



The principal hazards incident to fcudding are, generally, 

 n pooping {qh ; the difficulty of fleering, which expofes the 

 veflel perpetually to the riik of broaching-to ; and the want 

 of fufficient fea-room. A violent pooping fea may dafli in 

 the ftern or quarter, and caufe the veii'el to founder. In 

 bri<)aching-to fuddcnly, fl>e is threatened with being imme- 

 diately overfet ; and for want of fea-room, flie is endangered 

 by Ihipwreck on a lec-fliore, a circumftance too drcadhil to 

 require explanation. 



SCUDENES, or ScuTENXSS, in Geography, an ifland 

 near the coait of Norway, about 20 miles in circumference ; 

 18 miles N.W. of Stavanger. 



SCUDERI, George de, in Biography, was born at 

 Havre de Grace in 1601, of an ancient family, originally 

 from Provence. According to his own account he pafled 

 his youth in military fervice, and in travels through the 

 greater part of Europe, but he was not known till he fettled 

 at Paris in the capacity of a \vriter, and in this capacity he 

 liad a moit prolific pen, giving to the world plays, poems, 

 cflays, &c. in great abundance. Moft of his works are 

 funk in obhvion. His " Alaric ou Rome Vaincuc," has 

 been ranked in the fame clafs with the " Puceile" of Cha- 

 pelain. His " Obfervations fur le Cid" obtained for the 

 author the favour of cardinal Riclielieu. Scuderi obtained 

 admiffion into the French Academy, and he had alfo the gift 

 of a petty government in Provence, but he was fcarcely 

 able to keep himfelf above a flate of indigence. He died 

 at Paris in 1667. 



Scuderi, Magdalen de, fifterof the preceding, born at 

 Havre de Grace in 1607, was educated at Paris, and at an 

 early age was admitted at the Hotel de Rombouillct, where 

 flie was encouraged to enter the career of an autliorefs : flie 

 foon fliewed that flie poflefled qualities of the heart and un- 

 derllanding, which procured her many friends of rank and 

 diftinftion. She was particularly celebrated as a writer of 

 romance. Some of her works confifl of ten volumes. They 

 were much read when they firfl: appeared, though they have 

 long fince declined in reputation. They are faid, however, 

 to contain fome elegant writing, and much real elevation and 

 dignity of fentiment, which did great honour to the writer. 

 Their popularity was much augmented, as they were fup- 

 poled to exhibit portraitures of many of the moft diftin- 

 guiflied characters of the French court at that period. Her 

 " Converfations et Entretiens," are by fome accounted her 

 moft valuable publication, though the politenefs inculcated 

 in them would now appear formal and tirefome. Madame 

 de Scuderi carried into practical life the warmth of attach- 

 ment and honourable fentiments which her works difplayed, 

 and flie even dared to manifeft her fnendfliip for Pelhfon 

 when he was confined in the Baflille. She was in habits 

 of correfpondence with fome of the moft dillinguiflied lite- 

 rat*y characters of Europe ; was elected a member of the aca- 

 demy of Ricovrati at Padua ; was patronized by cardinal 

 Mazarin and Louis XIV. ; and admitted to the friendfliip of 

 queen Chriftina. She died in 1701, at the age of 94. 

 Moreri. 



Scuderi, 



