i 



S P E 



,uifhed from paper-money ; but in Germany, the word 

 pecie is applied to the rix-doUar, and its divifions, as coined 

 after the rate of the empire. 



SPECIES, an idea, wliich relates to fome other more 

 general one, or is comprifed under a more univerfal divifion 

 of a genus ; as in the definition of any thing, we obtain its 

 general nature or genus, by comparing it with other things 

 that are mod like to itfelf, and obferving wherein its elience 

 or nature agrues with them ; fo we obtain the eflential or 

 fpecific difference, by confidering the moft remarkable and 

 primary attribute, property, or idea, in which this differs 

 from tliofe other things that are moft like it : and this attri- 

 bute, or fpecific difference, diflingnilhes each fpecies from 

 one another, wiule tliey itand ranked under the fame genus. 



Tiie word is Latin, formed from the ancient verb /pecio, 

 I fee ; as if a fpecies of thirds were a colle6lion of all the 

 things feen at oi.e view. 



Species i= a mere term of relation : and the fame idea may 

 be a fpecies, when compared to another more general one ; 

 and a genus, with regard to a more particular one. Thus 

 body is a genus, with regard to an animate and inanimate 

 body ; and a fpecies, with regard to fubltance. 



The laft fpecies is that which can only be divided into 

 individuals. 



Animal is a fpecies, with regard to body ; and man is a 

 fpeciep, with regard to animal. God dellroyed mankind by 

 the deluge ; but he preferved the fpecies. 

 .'■ Species, in Logic, is one of the five words^ called by 

 Porphyry, univerfals. 



Species, in Rhetoric, is that which comprehends under 

 it all the individuals of the fame nature. From hence, we 

 may argue ; he is a man, therefore he has a rational foul. 

 And orators fometimes take occafion to defcend from the 

 thefis or genus, to the hypothefis or fpecies ; that is, in 

 treating upon what is more general to introduce fome par- 

 ticular contained under it, for the better illullration of the 

 general. 



Species, in the Ancient Mufic, denotes a fubdivifion of 

 one of the genera. 



The genera of mufic were three, the enharmonic, chro- 

 matic, and diatonic ; the two lalt of which were varioufly 

 fubdividcd into fpecies : nor was the firft without fpecies, 

 though thofe had not particular names, as the fpecies of the 

 other two had. Thefe fpecies were alfo called the chroai, 

 colours of the genera. See Genus. 



Species is alfo applied, by ancient muficians, to the dif- 

 ferent difpofitions of the tones and femitones in a fourth, 

 fifth, or oftave. Hence they fay there are three fpecies of 

 fourths, four of fifths, feven of oftaves. Wallis's Append. 

 Ptolem. Harm. p. 171. 



The Grecians expreffed this fenfe of the term fpecies by 

 iiJoc, or by ax«i^^- The Latin word, Jigura, has alfo been 

 taken in the fame fenfe. Arillox. p. 6, 74. Ed. Meib. 

 WaUis, ibid. p. 170. 



Species, in Optics, the image painted on the retina by 

 the rays of light reflefted from the feveral points of the fur- 

 face of an objeft, received in at the pupilla, and collefted 

 in their paflage through the cryflalline, &c. 



Philofophers have been in great doubt, whether the fpecies 

 of objefts, which give the foul an occafion of feeing, are an 

 efFufion of the fubltance of the body ; or a mere impreflion 

 which they make on all ambient bodies, and which thefe all 

 refleft, when in a proper diflance and difpofition ; or, laflly, 

 whether they are not fome other more fubtile body, as light, 

 which receives all thefe impreffions from bodies, and is con- 

 tinually fent and returned from one to another, with the 



S P E 



different figures and impreflions it has taken. But the mo- 

 derns have decided this point by their invention of artificial 

 eyes, in which the fpecies of objefts are received on a paper 

 or linen cloth, in the fame manner as they are received in the 

 natural eye. The ancients have diitinguilhtd the fpecies, 

 by which objefts become vifible, into impnjfa and exprejfts. 

 The former are fuch as come from without, or are fent from 

 the object to the organ j fuch are thofe we have already been 

 fpeaking of. And the latter are thofe, on the contrarj', 

 which proceed from within ; or that are fent from the organ 

 to the objeft. 



Le Clerc, in his fyltem of vifion, by one of thofe revolu- 

 tions very frequent in philofophical opinions, has called 

 upon the ftage again the fpecies expreffe of the ancient phi- 

 lofophers. For, according to him, it is not by fpecies or 

 images impreffed on the optic nerve, that the foul fees ob- 

 jefts ; but by rays, which fhe herfelf direfts to them, and 

 which fhe ufes as a blind man does his ftafl, to grope out 

 objefts. 



The Peripatetics account for vifion, from a kind of inten- 

 tional fpecies, thus : every objeft, fay they, exprefles a 

 perfeft image of itfelf on the air next to it. This expreffes 

 another lefs one on the air next to that ; and this a third ftill 

 lefs. Thus are the images continued from the objeft to the 

 cryflalline, which thefe philofophers hold the principal or- 

 gan of feeing. Thefe they call /pedes intentionales ; and to 

 account the better for their generation, they affirm, that 

 objefts exhibit them in the fame manner, as mirrors do a 

 man's face. See Vision. 



Species, in Theology, denote the appearances of the bread 

 and wine in the facramcnt after confecration. Or, as the 

 Romanilts define them, the accidents remaining in the bread 

 and wine, by which they become fenfible to us, after their 

 fubftance is deitroyed. 



The fpecies of the bread, &c. are its vvhitenefs, quantity, 

 figure, friablenefs, &c. Of wine, its flavour, quicknefs, 

 fpecific gravity, &c. 



The generality of Romifh divines hold, that the fpecies 

 are abfolute accidents. And the Cartefians, who are bound 

 to deny any fuch things as abfolute accidents, are greatly 

 puzzled to explain the fpecies, without incurring the cen- 

 fure of herefy. F. Magnan is forced to aflert, that the 

 fpecies are mere delufions and appearances, which God im- 

 preffes on our fenfes. 



Species, in Commerce, are the feveral pieces of gold, 

 filver, copper, &c. which, having paffed their full prepara- 

 tion and coinage, are current in public. 



Species, Decried, or cried down, are fuch as the fove- 

 reign has forbidden to be received in payment. 



Species, Light, are thofe which fall fliort of the weight 

 prefcribed by law. 



The weights of the current coins, as coined, are now as 

 follow ; the ffandard of gold being 3/. 17/. lo^d. per oz. the 

 mint price of gold ; and the llandard of filver being jj. zd. 

 per oz. mint price of filver. 



dwt. gra. 

 Gold, guinea ...... 5 95 



half-guinea - - - - - 216^ 



Silver, crown - - - - - - 198^ 



half-crown - - - - - g \6^ 



fhilling ...... 4 20 



fixpence ...... 2 10 



The current weight of gold : 



Guinea ....... 58 



Half ditto 2 16 



Under 



