158 
M E N 
Her, for Julius Ctesar, Juliu.?. Uis signifies, 
according to the powers assigned to the let- 
ters before-mentioned 536; ita is 331 ;aixl os 
is 46. Hence it will be easy to remember, 
, that the empire of Cyrus was founded 536 
years before Christ, ‘that of Alexander 331, 
and that of Julius Cajsar 46. j his account 
is taken from a treatise, entitled, a New Me- 
thod of Artificial Memory ; where the reader 
will find several examples in chronology, geo- 
graphy, &c. ot such artificial words disposed 
in verses, which must be allowed to contri- 
bute much to the assistance of the lnemorv, 
since being once learned, they are seldom or 
never forgotten. However, the author ad- 
vises his reader to form the words and verses 
-himself, in the manner described above, as he 
will probably remember these better than 
those formed by another. 
We shall, in this place, give his (able of the 
kings of England since t lie Conquest, where 
one thousand being added to the Italics in 
each word, expresses the year when they be- 
gan their reigns. Thus, 
Will co nsau, Ruf/rof, Hen rag 
Steph/ff/ & Ilensec/w/j R ichbcin, J ana, 
Hethdws & Ed doid. 
Edsefyp, Edterfcyi, RiseAfos, Hefofoim, 
Helisarfque. 
Henfi/Ai, Edquar/awz, Efi-Ro/tf, Hetisep- 
fcil, Henoc/yiE 
Edsex/o.v, Mary lut, Els luk, Jam st/d, Ca- 
r op rim. ye/. 
Carsecra/r, Jaime?/, WiLa/v, An pyd, Geo- 
bo-doi. 
M ENACHANITE. This substance has 
been found abundantly in the valley of Me- 
nachan in Cornwall; and hence was called 
menachanite by Mr. Gregor, the discoverer 
of it. It is in small grains like gunpowder, 
of no determinate shape, and mixed with a 
fine grey sand. Colour black. Easily pul- 
verised. Powder attracted by the magnet. 
Specific gravity 4.427. Does not detonate 
with nitre. YYith two parts of fixed alkali it 
melts into an olive-coloured mass, fro n which 
nitric acid precipitates a white powder. The 
mineral acids only extract from it a little iron. 
Diluted sulphuric acid, 'mixed with the pow- 
der, in such a proportion that the mass is not 
too liquid, and then evaporated to dryness, 
produces a blue-coloured mass. Before the 
blowpipe does not decrepitate nor melt. It 
tinges microcosm ic salt green; but the co- 
lour becomes brown on cooling; yet micro- 
cosmic salt does not dissolve it. Soluble in 
borax, and alters its colour in the same man- 
ner, 
According to the analysis of Mr. Gregor, 
it is composed of 
46 oxide of iron 
45 oxide of titanium 
91, with some silica and manganese. 
According to M. Klaproth’s analysis, it 
rs composed of 51.00 oxide of iron 
45.25 oxide of titanium 
3.50 silica 
.25 oxide of manganese. 
100.00 
Another variety of this ore from the Ura- 
lian mountains, analysed by Lowitz, contain- 
ed 53 oxide of titanium 
47 oxide of iron 
100 , 
MEN* 
A mineral, nearly of the same nature with' 
the one just described, has been found in 
Bavaria. Its specific gravity is only 3.7. 
According to the analysis ot Yauquclin and 
Ilecht, it is composed of 
49 oxide of titanium 
35 iron 
2 manganese 
14 oxygen combined with the iron and 
• .manganese 
100 . 
A specimen of the same ore from Botany 
Bay has been lately analysed bv Mr. Che- 
nevi.x. 
MENAIS, a genus of the pentandria mo- 
nogynia class and order. The calyx is three- 
leaved ; the corolla salver-shaped ;’ berry four- 
celled; seeds solitary. 4 here is one species, 
a herb ot South America. 
MENDICANTS, or begging friars, se- 
veral orders of religious in popish countries, 
who, having no settled revenue, are supported 
by the charitable contributions they receive 
from others. 
MEN ISCIUM, a genus of the crvptoga- 
mia til ices. The capsules are heaped in 
crescents interposed between the veins of the 
pod. There is one species, a native of the 
W est Indies. 
MENISCUS. See Optics. 
MEN ISPERMUM, a genus of the dioe- 
cia dodecandria class and order. The male 
petals are four outer, eight inner ; stamina 
sixteen ; female corolla, as in the male ; slam, 
eight, barren; berries two, one-seeded. There 
are 13 species, herbs of the East Indies. 
MENNONITES, a sect of baptists in 
Holland, so called from Mennon Simonis of 
Friezland, who lived in the sixteenth cen- 
tury. This sect believe that the New Testa- 
ment is the only rule of faith ; that the terms 
person and trinity are not to be used in 
speakingof the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; 
that the fir t man was not created perfect; 
that it is unlawful to swear or to wage war 
upon any occasion; that infants are not the 
proper subjects of baptism ; and that minis- 
ters of the gospel ought to receive no salary. 
I ’hey all unite in pleading for toleration in 
religion, and debar none from their assem- 
blies who lead pious lives, and own the scrip- 
tures lor the word of God. 
MENSES. See Physiology. 
MLNSIRUUM, in chemistry, the fluid 
in which a solid body is dissolved. J bus 
water is a menstruum for salts, and gums ; 
and alcohol for resins. 
MENTHA, mint, a genus of the gymno-' 
spermia order, in the didynamia class of 
plants; and in the natural method ranking 
under the 42d order, verticillatie. The co- 
rolla is nearly equal and quadrilid, with one 
segment broader than the rest, and emargi- 
nated; the stamina are erect, standing asun- 
der. There are 19 species ; but not more 
than three are cultivated for use, namely, 
the viridis, or common spearmint, tho pipe- 
rita or peppermint, and the pulegimn or 
pennyroyal. All these are so well known 
as to need no description ; and all of them 
are very easily propagated by cuttings, part- 
ing the roots, or by offsets. 
for culinary purposes, the spearmint! is 
preferred to the other two ; but for medi- 
cine, the peppermint and pennyroyal have 
almost entirely superseded it. A conserve 
U E N 
of the leaves is very grateful ; and the dtMib ] 
led waters both simple and spirituous, are ] 
universally thought pleasant. Dr. Lewis ] 
says, that dry mint digested in rectified spi- | 
rits ol wine, gives out a tincture which ap- 
pears by day-light of a line dark-green, but j 
by candle-light of a bright red colour. The i 
tact is, that a small quantity of this tine- j 
lure is green either by day-light or by 
candle-light, but a large quantity of it seems | 
impervious to common day-light ; however, 
when held betwixt the eye and a candle, or 
betwixt the eye and the sun, it appears red. 
The virtues of mint are those of a warm 
stomachic, capable of relieving colicky 
pains, and the gripes, to which children are 
subject. It likewise proves an useful cordial 
m languors and faintness. When prepared 
with rectified spirit, the whole virtues of the 
mint are extracted. The expressed juice 
contains only the astringent and bitter parts, 
together with the mucilaginous substance 
common to all vegetables. The pep- 
permint is much more pungent than the 
others. \ 
Pennyroyal has the same general charac- 
ters with the mint, but is more acrid and 
less agreeable when taken into the stomach. 
It was long held in great esteem in hysteric 
complaints, and suppressions of the menses, 
but its effects are trifling. It is observable, 
that both water and rectified spirit extract 
the virtues ol this herb by infusion, and like- 
wise elevate the greatest part of them by 
distillation. 
MENTZELIA, a genus of the polyandria 
monogynia class and order. The cak is five- 
leaved ; cor. five-petalled ; caps, inferior, 
cylindric, many-seeded. There is one spe- 
cies, an annual of South America. 
MEN YAN I'll US, bucklman, a genus 
of the pentandria monogynia class of plants, 
j with a inonopetalous funnel-like flower, di- 
I vided into five deep segments at the limb : 
the fruit is an oval capsule with one ceil, 
containing a great many small seeds. There 
are five species. 
Buckbean, called by authors trifolium pa- 
lustre and paludosum, is greatly recommend- 
ed as a diuretic in dropsical cases; as also 
in the cure of intermittent fevers, and disor- 
ders ol the breast arising from tough matter 
in the lungs : the general way of taking it is 
in a strong infusion, though many prefer the 
juice fresh expressed from the leaves. 
MERCATOR’s projection of maps. See 
Map. 
MENSURATION, in general, denotes 
the act or art of measuring lines, superficies 
and solids ; and it is, next to arithmetic, a. 
subject of the greatest use and importance, 
both in affairs that are absolutely necessary 
in human life, and in every branch of ma- 
thematics ; a subject by which sciences are 
established, and commerce is conducted ; 
by whose aid we manage our business, and 
inform ourselves of the wonderful operations 
in nature ; by which we measure the heavens 
and the earth, estimate the capacities of all 
vessels and the bulks of all bodies, gauge our 
liquors, build edifices, measure our lands and 
the works of artificers, buy and sell an infinite 
variety of things necessary in life, and are 
supplied with the means of making the cal- 
culations which are necessary for" the con- 
struction of almost all machines. 
