E E T 
BET 
216 B E S 
the palest imaginable of the hues of sea- 
water. 
The beryl has many points of resemblance 
'with the emerald, and in particular the crys- 
tals of both are di visible parallel to the sides 
and extremitiesof a regular hexahedral prism. 
The beryl is externally shining, with a vi- 
treous lustre. It is generally transparent, 
but sometimes only semi-transparent. The 
specific gravity varies from 2.65 to 2.75. A 
specimen, analysed by Yauquelin, con- 
tained 
69 silica 
13 alumina 
1 6 giucina 
1 oxide of iron 
0.5 lime 
99.5 
It was by the analysis of this stone that 
Vauquelin discovered the earth which he 
called giucina. The beryl, when cut and 
polished, has a considerable lustre : it is 
ranked among gems ; but its value is trilling, 
compared with the ruby, sapphire, topaz, 
&c. 
Bf.ryl- crystal, in natural history, a 
species of what Dr. Hill calls ellipomacros- 
t\ la, or imperfect crystals, is of an extremely 
pure, clear, and equal texture, and scarcely 
ever, subject to the slightest films or ble- 
mishes. It is ever constant to the peculiarity 
of its figure, which is that of a long and slen- 
der column, remarkably tapering towards the 
top, and very irregularly hexangular. It is 
ol a very fine transparency, and naturally of 
a pale brown ; and carries such evident marks 
of distinction from all other brown crystals, 
that our lapidaries call it, by way of emi- 
nence, the beryl-crystal, or simply the beryl. 
BESANT, or bezant, a coin of pure gold, 
of an uncertain value, st ruck at Byzantium, 
in the time of the Christian emperors: hence 
the gold offered by the king at the altar, is 
called besant, or bisant. 
Few coins ever had a more general cur- 
rency than these besants ; having been cur- 
rent from the beginning to the end of the 
eastern empire, in all its provinces, and also 
in those countries that had been provinces of 
the western empire: and among others in 
Britain. With us they were received in pay- 
ments. They are frequently referred to by 
the historians of the crusades, but are rarely- 
mentioned by ours ; and are not to be found 
in Domesdav-book, nor in the acts of 1 lenry 
I. or Stephen, nor in the last will of king 
■Henry II. 
Besants, in heraldry, round pieces of 
gold, without any stamp, frequently borne in 
coats of arms. 
BESISTAN, a name given to those places 
at Constantinople, &c. where the merchants 
have their shops, and expose their goods to 
saie. A particular besistan belongs to each 
class of merchants. 
BESLERIA, a genus of the angiospennia 
order and dtdvnamia class of plants. Of 
this genus there are six species: the most 
remarkable are, 
1. Besleria cristata, with stalks growing 
single, and a five-leaved involucrum. The 
calyx is scarlet, the corolla yellow. 
2. Besleria lutea, with simple footstalks 
growing in clusters, and spear-shaped leaves ; 
yellow flowers. 
.3. Besleria melittifolia, with, branching 
footstalks and oval leaves. All these species 
are natives of the warm parts of America, 
and cannot be preserved in this country w ith- 
out artificial heat. But as they are not remark- 
able tor beauty, or any other property yet 
discovered, w'e forbear any particular de- 
scription. 
BESORCII, a coin of tin, or some alloyed 
metal, current at Ormus, at the rate of 
7-49th parts of a farthing sterling. 
BESTIARII, in Roman antiquity, such as 
fought against beasts, or who were exposed 
to them by sentence of the law. There were 
four kinds of bestiarii : the first were those 
who made a trade of it, and fought for mo- 
ney ; the second were such young men as, 
to show r their strength and dexterity in ma- 
naging their arms, fought against beasts ; the 
third was where several bestiarii were let 
loose at once, well armed, against a number 
of beasts ; and the fourth kind were those 
condemned to the beasts, consisting either of 
enemies taken prisoners- in war, or as being 
slaves, and guilty of some enormous crime : 
these were all exposed naked, and without 
defence. 
BETA, a genus of the pentandria digynia 
class and order of plants ; and in the natural 
method ranking under the 12th order, holora- 
ceae. The calyx has five leaves ; there is no 
corolla ; the seeds are kidney-shaped, and si- 
tuated within the base of the calyx. There are 
four species, viz. 
1. Beta cicla, the root of scarcity, has been 
greatly extolled in different publications of 
late years : but its virtues have perhaps been 
exaggerated. The beta hortensis, or common 
white beet, is a variety of this ; and is culti- 
vated in gardens for the sake ot its leaves, 
which are frequently used in soups. 
2. Beta maritima, the sea beet, grows natu- 
rally by the sea-side, in salt marshes, and in 
many parts of England. It has been supposed 
by many to be only a variety of the common 
white beet; but Mr. Miller assures us he 
has been unable to make any variation in 
them by culture. 
3. B. apatula, a native of Madeira. 
4. Beta vulgaris, the red beet, with a pyra- 
midal root, has large, thick, succulent leaves, 
which are for the most part of a dark green 
or purple colour. The roots are large, and 
of a deep red. The larger these roots grow, 
the tenderer they are ; and the deeper their 
colour, the more they are esteemed. The 
varieties of this species are the common 
red beet, the turnip-rooted beet, and the 
green-leaved red beet. 
On many parts of the continent the 
beet-root has been used for the purpose of 
extracting sugar from it. The roots are 
pressed, and the saccharine liquor boiled 
down to the consistence of a syrup : it of 
course undergoes many other operations. 
According to the account of M. Achard, 
however, the cost of a quantity of beet, in 
Prussia, that will yield one hundred pounds 
of raw sugar, is not more than sixpence : 
twenty pounds of root w ill yield one of sugar; 
one hundred pounds of raw sugar give fifty- 
five of refined, and twenty-five pounds of 
molasses. It is computed by the same gen- 
tleman, who has employed much time in the 
pursuit, that a German square mile of land 
(that is, sixteen square miles English), pro- 
| perly cultivated, would produce white beet 
sufficient to furnish the whole Prussian do- 
minions with sugar. 
BETEL, or belle, in botany, a kind of 
long pepper, found in Malabar, and other 
parts of the East. Indies. See Piper. 
BETELGEULE, a fixed star of the first 
magnitude, in Orion’s hind shoulder. 
BETHLEHEM1TES, in church-history, 
a religious order, called also star-bearers, 
stell/J'tri, because they were distinguished 
by a red star with five rays, which they wore 
on their breast, in memory of the star that 
appeared to the wise men, and conducted 
them to Bethlehem. 
There is an order of Bethlehemites still 
subsisting in the Spanish W est Indies, who 
are habited like capuchins, w ith this differ- 
ence ; that they wear a leal hern girdle instead 
of a cord, and on the right side of their 
cloak an escutcheon, representing the nati- 
vity of our Saviour. 
BETONICA, betony, a genus of the gym- 
nospermia order and didynainia class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking 
under the 42d order, verticillatae. The ca- 
lyx is awned; the upper lip of the corolla is 
ascending and Hattish : and the tube is cylin- 
dric. There are seven species. The most 
remarkable are, 
1 . Betonica orientalis, the oriental betony. 
2. Betonica stricta, the greater Danish 6e- 
tony. 
3. Betonica incana, the hoary Italian be- 
tony, has a flesh-coloured flower. 
4. Betonica officinalis, is the species chiefly 
worth notice. It is a low plant, grow- 
ing in woods and shady places in several 
parts of England ; the flowers come forth in 
June and July, of a purplish colour, and 
stand in spikes on the top of the stalks. The 
leaves and flow r ers have a roughish, 
somewhat bitterish taste, accompanied 
with a very weak aromatic flavour. The 
powder of the leaves of betony snuffed up 
the nose provokes sneezing; and hence it is 
sometimes made an ingredient in sternuta- 
tory powders. This effect does not seem to 
be owing, as is generally supposed, to any 
peculiar stimulating virtues in the herb, but 
to the rough hairs with which the leaves are 
covered. The roots of this plant differ great- 
ly in the quality from the other parts: their 
taste is very bitter and nauseous ; taken in 
a small dose, they vomit and purge violently, 
and are supposed to have somewhat in com- 
mon wfith the root of hellebore. According 
to Simon Pauli and Bartholinus, this plant 
affects those who gather any considerable 
quantity of it with a disorder resembling 
drunkenness. Its leaves are sometimes, 
smoked like tobacco. 
B ETR OTH M ENT, among civilians, the 
same with espousals. 
BETULA, the birch or alder-tree, a genus 
of the tetandria order and monoecia class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking under 
the 50th order, amentaceix. The calyx of the 
male is monophyllous, trifid, and biliorous ; 
and the corolla is parted into four segments : 
the female calyx is monophyllous, trifid, and 
bitlorous : the seeds have a membranaceous 
wing on both sides. There are fifteen species : 
the more remarkable are, 
1. Be.tula alba, the common birch-tree, so 
w r ell known to young -students as to need no 
description : in a proper soil and situation it 
will rise high, and swell to a considerable size. 
