M I 5 
MOD 
speculum, his image will, at the same (imp, 
move towards or from the speculum also on 
I the other side. In like maimer if, while (lie 
spectator is at rest, an object be in motion, 
its image behind the speculum will be seen 
to move at the same rate. Also when the 
spectator moves, the images of objects that 
are at rest will appear to approach or recede 
from him, after the same manner as when lie 
moves towards real objects. 
2. If several mirrors, or several fragments 
or pieces of mirrors, be all disposed in the 
same plane, they will only exhibit an object 
once. 
3. If two plane mirrors, or speculums, 
meet in any angle, the eye, placed within 
that angle, will see the image of an object 
placed within the same, a- often repeated as 
there may be perpendiculars drawn deter- 
mining the places of the imag -s, and termi- 
nated without the angle. Sec Optics. 
MISCHNA, or Misna, the code or col- 
lection of the civil law of the Jews. The 
Jews pretend, that when God gave the writ- 
ten law to Moses, he gave him also another 
not written, which M as preserved by tradi- 
tion among the doctors of the synagogue, till 
rabbi Juda, surnamed the Iloly, seeing the 
danger they were in, through their disper- 
sion, or departing from the traditions of their 
fathers, judged it proper to reduce them to 
writing. 
The misna is divided into six parts: the 
first relates to the distinction of seeds in a 
| field, lo trees, fruits, tythes, &c. The se- 
cond regulates the manner of observing fes- 
tivals: the third treats of women, and ma- 
trimonial cases: the fourth of losses in trade, 
&c. tiie fifth is on obligations, sacrifices, &c. 
and the sixth treats of the several sorts of 
purification. See Talmud. 
MISDEMEANOUR. A crime or mis- 
demeanour is an act committed or omitted, 
in violation of a public law, either forbidding 
or commanding it. 
MLSLETOE. See Viscum. 
MISNOMER,, the using of one name for 
another. 
Where a person is described so that he 
may not be certainly distinguished and 
known from other persons, the omission, or 
in some cases the mistake of the name shall 
not avoid the grant. 11 Rep. 20. 
If the Christian name is wholly mistaken, 
this is regularly fatal to all legal instruments, 
asM'ell declarations and pleadings as grants 
and obligations. 
The mistake of the surname does not vi- 
tiate, because there is no repugnancy that a 
person shall have different surnames; and 
therefore, if a man enter into an obligation by 
a particular name, he may be impleaded by 
that name in the deed, and his real name 
brought in by an alias ; and then the name in 
the deed he cannot deny, because he is 
estopped to say any thing contrary to his 
©wn deed. 2 Rol. Abr. 146. 
MISPRISION, is generally understood to 
be of all such high offences as ar : under the 
degree of capital, but bordering thereon, and 
it is said that a misprision is contained in 
every treason and felony whatsoever; and, 
that if the king please, the offender may be 
proceeded against for the misprision only. 4 
Black. 119- 
MIS- RECITAL, in deeds, is sometirhes 
injurious, and sometimes not; if a tiling be 
Vol. II. 
M N I 
referred to time, place, and number, and that 
is mistaken, all is void. 
MITCH ELLA, a genus of the tetrandria 
monogynia class and order. The cor. is 1- 
petalled; stigmas 4; berry trifid, 2-seeded. 
There is 1 species, an hero of N. America. 
MITE, a small coin formerly current, 
equal to about one third part of a farthing. 
It also denotes a small weight used by the 
moneyers. It is equal to the twentieth part 
of a grain, and is divided into twenty-tour 
doits. 
Mite. See Acarus. 
MITELLA, bastard American sanicle; 
a genus of the digynia order, in the decan- 
dria class of plants ; and in tine natural me- 
thod ranking under the 13th order, succu- 
lents. The calyx is quinquefid; the corolla 
pentapetalous, and inserted into the calyx ; 
the petals pinnatifid; the capsule unilocular 
and bivalved, with the valves equal. There 
are two species, both natives of North Ame- 
rica, rising with annual herbaceous stalks 
from live or six to eight or nine inches in 
height, and producing spikes of small whitish 
flowers, whose petals are fringed on their 
edges. 
MlTHRIDATEA, a genus of the mo- 
nandria monogynia class and order. T he 
cal. is four-cleft ; cor. none; fruit globular, 
depressed. There is one species, a tree of 
Madagascar. 
MITTIMUS, a writ by which records 
are transferred from one court to another. 
This word is also used for the precept direct- 
ed to a gaoler, under the hand and seal of a 
justice of the peace, for the receiving and 
safe Keeping a felon, or other offender, by 
him committed to goal. 
M1ZEN, in the sea-language, is a par- 
ticular mast or sail. The mizen-mast stands 
in the sternmost part of the ship. Its length 
is by some accounted the same with the 
height of the main-top-mast, from the quar- 
ter-deck; or half the length of the main- 
mast, and half as thick. The sail which 
belongs to the mizen-mast, is called the 
mizen-sai! : and when the word mizen is 
used at sea, it always means the sail. 
MNASIUM, a genus of the hexandria 
monogynia class and order. The cal. is 1 - 
leaved,' 3-parted ; cor. t-petalled, 3-parted ; 
anthers 4-cornered; germ 3-lobed; stigmas 
3. There is 1 species, an aquatic of Gui- 
ana. 
MNIARUM, a genus of the inonandria 
digynia class and order. The cal. is 4-part- 
ed, superior; cor. none; seed 1. There is 
one species, an herb of New Zealand. 
MNIUM, marsh-moss; a genus of the 
natural order of musci, belonging to the 
cryptogamia class of plants. The anthera 
is operculated ; the calyptra smooth; the 
female capitulum naked and powdery, re- 
mote. There are 24 British species, but none 
have any remarkable property except the 
two following: 1. The fontanum is an ele- 
gant moss, frequent in bogs, and on the bor- 
ders of cold springs. It is from two to lour 
inches high : the staiks are simple at the 
base, and covered will a rusty down; but 
higher up are red, and divided into several 
round, single, taper branches, which proceed 
nearly from the same point. The leaves 
are not more than A^th of an inch long, lan- 
ceolate and acute, ol a whitish-green colour. 
217 
and so thinly set, that the red stalk appears 
between them. This moss, as it may be 
seen at a considerable distance, i$ a good 
mark to lead to the discovery of clear and 
cold springs. Dr. Withering informs us, 
that wherever this moss grows, a spring of 
fresh water may be found without much dig- 
ging. 2. The hygrcmetricum grows in 
woods, heaths, garden-walks, walls, old trees, 
decayed wood, ajid where coals or cinders 
have been iaid. It is stemless, has tips in- 
versely egg-shaped, nodding, and bright yel- 
low. If the fruit-stalk is moistened at the 
base with a little water or steam, the head 
makes three or four revolutions; if the head 
is moistened, it turns back again. 
MOAT, or Ditch, in fortification, a 
deep trench dug round the rampart of a for- 
tified place, to prevent surprizes. 
The brink of the moat, next the rampart, 
is called the scarpe ; and the opposite one, 
the counterscarpe. 
A dry moat round a large place, with a 
strong garrison, is preferable' to one full of 
water, because the passage may "be disputed 
inch by inch ; and the besiegers, when lodged 
in it, are continually exposed to the bombs, 
grenades, and other tire-works, which are 
thrown incessantly from the rampart into 
their works. In the middle of dry moats 
there is sometimes another small one, called 
cunette,; which is generally dug so deep, 
till they find water to till it. 
The deepest and broadest moats are ac- 
counted the best, but a deep one is preferable 
to a broad one: the ordinary breadth is about 
twenty fathoms, and the depth about six- 
teen. 
To drain a moat that is full of water, they 
dig a trench deeper than the level of the 
water, to let it run off; and then throw 
hurdles upon the mud and slime, covering 
them with earth or bundles of rushes, to make 
a sure and firm passage. 
MODE, in logic, called also syllogistic 
mood, a proper disposition of the several 
propositions of a syllogism, in respect of 
quantity and quality. 
As in all the several dispositions of the 
middle term, the propositions of which a syl- 
logism consists may be either universal or 
particular, affirmative or negative; the due 
determination of these, and putting them to- 
gether as the laws of argumentation recpiire, 
constitute what logicians call the moods of 
syllogisms. Of these moods there are a de- 
terminate number to every figure, including 
all the possible ways in which propositions, 
differing in quantity or quality, can be com- 
bined, according to any disposition of the 
.middle term, in order to arrive at a just con- 
clusion. There are two kinds of moods, the 
one direct, the other indirect. 
The direct mood is that w herein the con- 
clusion is drawn from the premises directly 
and immediately, as, “ Every animal is a 
living thing, every man is a living animal: 
therefore every man is a living thing.” There 
are fourteen of these direct moods, four 
whereof belong to the first figure, four to 
the second and six to the third. They are 
denoted by so many artificial words framed 
for that purpose, viz. 1. Barbara, ccla.rent, 
darii, ferioque. 4. Baralip, celantes, da bit is, 
fapesmo, frisesom. 2. Cesare, cameslres, 
festino, bareco. 3. Darapti, felapton, disa- 
