M A L 
_ Tins acid hears a strong resemblance to the 
ajtric, but differs from it in the following par- 
ticulars : 1 . 1 lie citric acid shoots into tine 
crystals, but this acid does not crystallize. 2. 
The salt formed from the citric acid with lime 
is almost insoluble in boiling water; whereas 
the salt made with malic acid and the same 
basis is readily soluble by boiling water. 3. 
Malic acid precipitates mercury, lead, and 
silver, from the nitrous acid, and also the so- 
lution of gold when diluted with water; 
whereas citric acid does not alter any of these 
solutions. 4. Malic acid seems to have a less 
affinity than citric acid for lime ; for when a 
solution of lime in the former is boiled a mi- 
nute, with a salt formed from volatile alkali 
and citric acid, a decomposition takes place, 
and the latter acid combines with the lime, 
and is precipitated. 
MALLEABLE, a property of metals, 
whereby they are capable of being extended 
under the hammer. 
MALOPE, a genus of the class and order 
monadelphia polyandria. The calyx is dou- 
ble 1 , outer three-leaved; arils glomerate, one- 
seeded. 1 here are two species, herbs of 
Tuscany, &c. 
M ALPIGHTA, Barhadoes cherry, a genus 
of the trigynia order, in the decan'dria class 
ol plants, and in the natural method ranking 
under the 23d order, trihilats. The calyx is 
pentaphyilous, with melliferous pores on the 
outside at the base. There are five petals, 
roundish and unguicnlated : the berry uni- 
locular and trispermous. There are 18 spe- 
cies, all ot them shrubby evergreens of the 
warm parts ot America, rising with branch v 
stems from 8 or 10 to 15 or 20 feet high, or- 
namented with oval and lanceolate entire 
leaves, and large pentapetalo-us flowers, suc- 
ceeded by red/ cherry-shaped, eatable ber- 
i ies, ol an acid and palatable flavour; and 
which in the West Indies, where they grow 
naturally, are used instead of cherries. Three 
oi (ne spgcies are reared in our gardens, and 
make a fine variety in the stove. They re- 
fain their leaves all the year round; and be- 
gin to flower about the end of autumn, con- 
tinuing in constant succession till the spring ; 
alter which they frequently produce and 
ripen their fruit, which commonly equals the 
size of a small cherry. The flowers are of a 
pale-red or purple colour. 
M AL T, is barley prepared, to fit it for 
making a potable liquor called beer, or ale, 
by stopp ng it short at the beginning of vege- 
tation. 
In making malt from barley, the usual me- 
thod is to steep the grain in a sufficient quan- 
tity ot water, fur two or three days, till it 
swells, becomes plump, somewhat tender, 
amt tinges the wafer of a bright-brown, or 
reddish colour. Then this water being drain- 
ed away, the barley is removed from -the 
steeping cistern to the floor, where it is thrown 
into what is called the wet couch ; that is, an 
even heap, rising to the height of about two 
feet. In this wet couch the capital part of 
the operation is performed ; for here the bar- 
ley spontaneously heats, and begins to grow, 
shooting out first the radicle ; and if suffered 
fo continue, then the plume, spire, t or blade. 
But the process is to be stopped short at the 
eruption of the radicle, otherwise the malt 
would be spoiled. In order to stop it, they 
spread the wet couch thin over a large floor, 
M A M 
and keep turning it once in four or five 
hours, for the space of two days, laying it 
somewhat thicker each time. After this, it 
is again thrown into a large heap, and there 
suffered to grow sensibly hot to tiie hand, as 
it usually will in 20 or 30 hours time ; then 
being spread again, and cooled, it is thrown 
upon the kiln, to be dried crisp without 
scorching. 
MALTA, knights OF, otherwise called 
hospitalers oj St. John nj Jerusalem, a reli- 
gious military order, whose residence is in 
the island of Malta. The order consists of 
three estates, the knights, chaplains, and ser- 
vants at arms : there are also priests who of- 
ficiate m the churches, friar-servants who as- 
sist at the offices, and donnes or demicrosses ; 
but these are not reckoned constituent parts 
pf the body : the government of the order 
is inixt, being partly monarchical, and partly 
aristoeratical : the grand master is sovereign. 
The knights formerly consisted of eight dif- 
ferent languages, but now only seven, the 
English having withdrawn themselves. None 
are admitted into this order but such as are 
ot noble birth : the knights are of two sorts, 
those who have a right to be candidates for 
the dignify of grand-master, called grand- 
crosses, and those who are only knights as- 
sistants : they never marry. The Anights 
are received into this order, either by under- 
going the trials prescribed by statutes, or by 
dispensation. 
MALTHA, in antiquity, a kind of ce- 
ment of which there were two sorts, native 
and factitious; one of the latter sort, much 
in use, consisted of pitch, wax, plaister, and 
grease. Another kind used by the Romans 
in their aqueducts, was made of lime slacked 
in wine, incorporated with melted pitch, and 
fresh figs. Natural maltha is a kind of bitu- 
men, with which the Asiatics plaister their 
walls ; and which being once set on fire, water 
makes it burn more fiercely. See Bitumen. 
MALY A, the mallow, a genus of the po- 
lyandria order, in the monadelphia class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking un- 
der the ,37th order, columnifene. The ca- 
lyx is double; the exterior one triphyllous ; 
the arilli numerous and monospermous. 
1 here are 34 species, consisting of herbace- 
ous perennials, biennials, and annuals, for 
medical, economical, and ornamental uses. 
I he leaves of the common mallow are 
reckoned the first of the four emollient 
herbs : they were formerly in some esteem 
as food ; at present decoctions of them are 
sometimes employed in dysenteries, heat, 
and sharpness of urine, and in general for 
obtunding acrimonious humours: their prin- 
cipal use is in emollient glysters, cataplasms, 
and fomentations. The leaves enter the of- 
ficinal decoction for glysters, and a conserve 
is prepared from the flowers. Several pieces 
ot malva, macerated like hemp, afford a 
thread superior to hemp for spinning, and 
which is said to make more beautiful cloths 
and stuffs than even flax. T hese species are 
the crispa, Peruviana, and Maurisiana.'From 
the former, which affords stronger and longer 
fibres, cords and twine have also been made, 
h loin the malva: likewise a new sort of paper 
has been fabricated by M. de l'lsle. 
MAMMA, in anatomy, the breasts of a 
female. 
MAMMALIA, in natural history, the first 
N 2 
MAN r>rj 
class of animals fn the Linnaan system, di- 
vided into seven orders. See Zoology. 
MAMMEA, viamrnee-tree, a genus of the 
monogynia order, in the polyandria class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking 
with those of which the order is doubtfub 
T he corolla is tetrapetalous ; the calyx di- 
phyllous ; the berry very large and tetra- 
spermous. 1 here is one species, a large ever- 
green tree of the hot parts of America and 
Asia, and retained here in hot-houses for va- 
riety ; adorned with large, oval, oblong, stiff 
leaves, and large quadripetalous flowers, suc- 
ceeded by large, round, eatable fruit, of a 
most exquisitely rich -flavour. They are pro- 
pagated by seed, which is to be sowed in 
small pots of light earth, and kept in the stove. 
MAMMILLARY . See Anatomy. 
MAN ATI, in zoology. See Trichecus. 
MANGA, was a square piece of gold coin, 
commonly valued at 30 pence ; and mancusa 
was as much as a mark of silver, having its 
name from manu cusa, being coined with the 
hand (Leg. Canut.). But the manca and 
mancusa were not always of that value ; for 
sometimes the former was valued at six shil- 
lings, and the latter, as used by the English 
Saxons, was equal in value to our half-crown. 
MANDAMUS, is a writ issuing in the 
king’s name out of the court of king’s bench, 
and directed to any person, corporation, or 
inferior court of judicature, commanding to 
some particular thing therein specified, as 
appertaining to their office and duty. 
A writ of mandamus is a high prerogative 
writ, of a most extensive remedial nature, 
and may be issued in some cases where the 
injured party has also another more tedious 
method ot redress, as in the case of admission 
or restitution to an office ; but it issues in all 
cases where the party has a right to have any 
thing done, and has no other specific means 
of compelling its performance. 3 Black. 
100 . 
And this general jurisdiction and superin* 
tendance of the king’s bench over all inferior 
courts to restrain them within their bounds, 
and to compel them to execute their jurisdic- 
tion, whether such jurisdiction arises' from a 
mod, rn charter, subsists by custom, or is 
created by act of parliament, vet bein g in sub- 
sidium justitia:, has of late been exercised in 
a variety of instances. 
Mandamus w as also a writ that lay after the 
year and a day (where, in the mean time, the 
writ called diem dausit extremum had not 
been sent out) to the escheator, commanding 
him to enquire of what lands holden by 
knight-service the tenant died seized. See 
E.N.B. 561. 
Mandamus was also a writ to charge the 
sheriff to take into the king’s hands all the 
lands and tenements of the king’s widow, 
who, against her oath formerly given, mar- 
ries without the king’s consent. Reg. 295. 
MANETTIA, a genus of the class and 
order tetrandria monogynia. The calyx is 
eight-leaved ; corolla four-cleft ; capsule in- 
ferior, two-valved, one-celied ; seeds imbri- 
cate, unilocular. There are three species, 
shrubs of the W est Indies. 
MANGANESE. I. The dark-grev or 
brown mineral called manganese has been 
long known and used in the manufacture of 
glass. A mine of it was discovered in Eng- 
land by Mr. Boyle. A few experiments were 
made upon this mineral by Glauber in 1656, 
